Fifteen candidates for five sports
Mar 5, 2009
I count 15 players who deserve to make the all Atlantic Coast Conference first team. There are just five slots. With Sunday night’s deadline fast approaching, ACC media face some of the most difficult decisions in the history of all-ACC voting.
Fans, players, and coaches (and definitely school sports information directors) probably wonder what factors members of the media weigh when filling out their all-conference ballots. In the interest of transparency (which is becoming trendy in case you hadn’t noticed) here are the things that matter most to me-one voter among about 100 in the selection of this year’s all-ACC group.
1 Conference games are all important. The ACC keeps a separate set of numbers called “conference only statistics.” For me, this is the bible of player evaluation in the ACC-at least where stats are concerned. I do not care what a player did against lower echelon opposition in December. What matters are the stats compiled in the big conference rivalries of the ACC.
2 Wins and losses are a major consideration. I can only remember putting on my all-conference team, one player whose team did not finish in the first division. That was Tom Gugliotta of NC State in 1992. To me, the purpose of the all ACC team is not to recognize the most prolific players-it’s to recognize the most successful players. I vote for players that win.
3 Scoring is somewhat overrated. The ACC will no doubt get some ballots Sunday from media who vote only for the leading scorers, or even worse, media who vote only for the leading scorers in all games (not just conference games). These people do not know basketball. If you look at the conference only stats, Ty Lawson ranks outside the top ten in scoring. But does anyone think he’s not one of the five best players in the league?
4 Rebounding. Rebounding. Rebounding. I am amused by people who think the ACC’s best players are all guards, and that the all ACC team should contain five of them. Yes, the ACC is blessed with an outstanding group of guards this year, and yes, deciding which two or three of these guards most deserve to be on the first team will be the most difficult part of the voting. But rebounding is perhaps the most critical area of any game. Most guards don’t rebound. Any player that ranks among the top five in scoring and rebounding should make the all ACC team.
5 Look at defensive stats. Defense is a very big part of success in the ACC. Stats don’t adequately measure all areas of defensive performance. For example, the league does not keep tabs on how many points a player allows. Even though defense is a shared responsibility, it would be illuminating to see which defenders shut scorers down and which defenders get lit up. The ACC does keep stats for steals and blocked shots, and these are definitely things I look at. Florida State’s Toney Douglas is among the league’s best in scoring and steals. To me that should give him an edge over players that just score.
6 Passing is paramount. To me there is nothing more beautiful in basketball than a great pass-and nothing more effective. Those players whose passes lead to baskets are so valuable to their teams, especially if they keep turnovers to a miniumum. I always look at who the ACC’s assist leaders are, as well as who are the top performers in assist/turnover ratio.
7 Watch the games. Stats are quite helpful, but I think it’s important to watch as many games as possible, in person and on television. You not only get a feel for which players take over games, but also which players do the little things (set screens, help out on defense, keep balls alive under the boards, make free throws) that are so critical to winning.
8 Wait until Sunday night. This is one election where early voting is not good. Six teams play Saturday. Six teams play Sunday. Players should be judged on the above criteria in all sixteen ACC games. Quite honestly, the competition this year is so close, this weekend’s games could prove to be the difference maker for players like Jeff Teague of Wake Forest, Kyle Singler of Duke, and Tyrese Rice of Boston College-to name a few.
Based on the factors above, I have narrowed my first five from fifteen to about seven, although the quality of players is such that in many years, any of the top fifteen could make the first team. To me, Duke’s Gerald Henderson, and UNC’s Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson have won enough games, piled up enough stats, and made enough big plays to lock up spots on the first team. Florida State’s Toney Douglas is very close to securing a fourth spot on my first team. But that fifth position is way too close to call. Congratulations to the players in the ACC for making these decision so difficult!
