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July 16, 2009

Matt Carter
TheWolfpacker.com

For the most part, the rosters are now set for next season in ACC basketball. Schedules should be released in a little over a month, and practices will be starting in mid-October. With that in mind, here is part II of a look at how the ACC sizes up on paper for the 2009-10 season.

Georgia Tech

If you are looking for a team that could have a complete turnaround in 2009-10, Georgia Tech is probably your best bet in the ACC. The Yellow Jackets was just 12-19 last year overall and an abysmal 2-14 in the ACC, but there is about to be a talent infusion into the program.

Georgia Tech also got good news when junior power forward Gani Lawal decided to return after originally entering his name into the NBA draft. Lawal was Tech's second leading scorer at 15.1 points per game last year and led the Yellow Jackets at 9.5 boards a game. He shot an impressive 55.6 percent from the field.

Lawal should get a big boost with the addition of two well-regarded centers, including Derrick Favors, whom some considered to be the best player in the 2009 class. Also enrolling is Daniel Miller, who switched to Tech from Georgia after the Bulldogs made a coaching change. For good measure, junior center Brad Sheehan played in 29 games last year and averaged 2.1 points and 1.8 boards a contest and is also back.

Returning at forward is senior Zach Peacock. He started all 30 games he played in last year, averaging 9.2 points and 4.8 rebounds. He mainly played small forward, but is probably more comfortable at power forward.

Tech should be able to let him play inside more with the addition of incoming recruits Brian Oliver and Glen Rice to play on the wing. Also back is Lance Storrs, a junior who averaged 4.1 points per game last year, and D'Andre Bell, a fifth-year senior who redshirted last year after averaging 6.6 points per game as a junior.

The backcourt returns two crucial players at point guard from last year but must replace Georgia Tech's leading scorer in 2008-09, shooting guard Lewis Clinch (15.5 points per game). Sophomore Iman Shumpert was one of the league's most talented freshman and averaged 10.6 points and a team-high 5.0 assists per game, but he was inconsistent and struggled with turnovers. Junior Maurice Miller started 16 games and averaged 5.8 points and 4.3 assists. They will be joined by incoming recruit Mfon Udofia.

Maryland

The Terps finished last year at 21-14 and 7-9 in the ACC, defeating NC State in the first round of the ACC Tournament and then reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to Memphis. Last season may have been one of Gary Williams' best coaching jobs.

The good news for Maryland is that their solid backcourt returns intact. Star Greivis Vasquez is back for his senior season after averaging 17.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.4 steals a game. He is one of the ACC's best players. Classmate Eric Hayes was his partner in the backcourt for most of the season, and he averaged 10.3 points and provides a sharp shooter on the perimeter.

Maryland went with a three-guard lineup most of last year with junior Adrian Bowie being the third guard. He averaged 9.0 points per game. Depth is good too with the return of sophomore Sean Mosley and junior Cliff Tucker. They averaged 5.3 and 4.5 points per game respectively, and Tucker is the Terps' most accurate returning 3-point shooter.

Forward Landon Milbourne is back for his senior year. Milbourne averaged 11.4 points and 5.2 rebounds while playing out of position at power forward. The big question marks for the Terps is who will join Milbourne in the frontcourt.

Maryland returns four other frontcourt players on scholarship, but none of them have shown much so far. Junior forward Dino Gregory played in all 35 games last year but only averaged 2.6 points and 3.2 boards. Senior Jerome Burney saw action in just nine contests, while sophomore Steve Goins only played in four games.

Sophomore Jin Soo Kim did play 21 games once he became eligible, but he only averaged 1.6 points and 1.1 boards a contest. The newcomers are James Padgett and Jordan Williams, and although neither are terribly highly regarded, both will have an opportunity to play quickly.

Miami

Miami went 19-13 last year, 7-9 in the ACC, and lost to Florida in the second round of the NIT. Head coach Frank Haith faces the huge burden of having to replace Jack McClinton, who led the Canes at 19.3 points per game as a senior and knocked down an impressive 101 3-pointers. He also had a team-high 91 assists.

Miami is hoping that redshirt sophomore Malcolm Grant, a transfer from Villanova, will help take McClinton's place. Grant averaged 5.6 points and 1.4 assists in 12.7 minutes per game as a rookie at Villanova in 2007-08. He shot an impressive 46.6 percent from 3-point range, and his best performance was a 22-point outburst against then-No. 13 Pittsburgh.

Senior James Dews is also likely to start in the backcourt. He started 16 games last year and was third on the team in scoring at 8.2 points per game. Rookies Antoine Allen and Durand Scott will compete for playing time. Scott in particular is well regarded.

On the wing, Miami is hoping that athletic sophomore DeQuan Jones takes a step forward in his development. The very highly regarded recruit from the 2008 class started three games last year and played in every contest, but he averaged just 2.7 points and 1.7 rebounds while making only 1 of 13 3-pointers.

If Jones continues to struggle, don't be surprised if fifth-year senior Adrian Thomas, who has become a solid shooter, takes the job. Thomas averaged 7.3 points a game last year and made 40 3-pointers. Miami also adds recruit Garrius Adams, a Raleigh-area native who turned down an offer from NC State to play for Miami.

In the frontcourt, Miami returns senior Dwayne Collins. He averaged 10.6 points and 7.3 boards a game last year and shot an impressive 56.5 percent from the field. Fifth-year senior Cyrus McGowan started 22 times last season and averaged 4.6 points and 4.4 boards a game.

Depth will need to come from Julian Gamble, a redshirt sophomore who averaged 2.4 points and 2.5 boards in just 7.5 minutes of action per game in 24 contests, and redshirt freshman Reggie Johnson. Recruit Donnovan Kirk could also add depth.

North Carolina

The national champions went 34-4 last year and 13-3 in the ACC. However, they suffered heavy losses with the graduations of center Tyler Hansbrough and wing Danny Green and early NBA departures from guards Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington.

The lone returning starter is senior power forward Deon Thompson, who averaged 10.6 points and 5.7 rebounds a game last year. There will be plenty of options for UNC however to replace Hansbrough, and post play should not be an issue for the Heels.

Sophomore Ed Davis was being talked as a potential lottery pick if he left after last season, but Davis elected to return for another year. Last season Davis averaged 6.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and led the team with 65 blocks in just 18.8 minutes per game.

The Heels also have sophomore center Tyler Zeller, who averaged 3.1 points and 2.0 rebounds after missing most of the season with a broken wrist. Incoming recruits John Henson, David Wear and Travis Wear give more depth, especially Henson who is among the most highly regarded recruits in the 2009 class.

On the wing, UNC is fortunate to have back fifth-year senior Marcus Ginyard, who missed last year with a foot injury but prior to that was a starter and regarded as UNC's best defensive player. Redshirt junior William Graves was suspended for the last half of last year, but he reportedly will return to the team and adds depth. Graves averaged 4.0 points in 11.2 minutes last season in 20 games. Also back is sophomore Justin Watts, a seldom used reserve last year.

The biggest question for UNC will be in the backcourt. Sophomore Larry Drew II is likely to get the first shot at replacing Lawson at point guard. He saw action in all 38 games last year, but only played 9.6 minutes a contest and averaged 1.4 points and 1.9 assists in that span.

Shooting guard is more up in the air. One option could be Ginyard, and perhaps play Henson at small forward. Two incoming recruits though will get a shot at the shooting guard spot ? Leslie McDonald and Dexter Strickland. The latter will also likely spell Drew minutes at point guard.

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