Player of the Week
Keve Aluma, SF/PF, #16 Virginia Tech Hokies
In the aftermath of Tyrece Radford’s suspension, someone had to step up for the Hokies and with a matchup with #8 Virginia coming up, Aluma did just that. He exploded for 29 points and 10 rebounds on 10-15 shooting, including 2-3 from deep. The Hokies improved to 13-3 after the win and jumped to #16 in the AP Poll. An 11-point loss occurred in the aftermath against the Pittsburgh Panthers, but nothing could be blamed on Aluma who topped his performance on Saturday with 30 points and 10 rebounds on similar shooting percentages.
The increased willingness to fire away from the perimeter is a great sign for the Wofford transfer. 10 of his 22 attempts on the season came in the last two games and he knocked down an impressive six of them. He only stands at 6’9 but his length is astounding, and he has the athleticism to guard on the perimeter as well. He will likely return for his senior season next year and enter the draft at age 23, but he has the tools to play the massively important stretch-four role in the NBA.
Who’s Hot?
Xavier Johnson, PG, Pittsburgh Panthers
I was just about ready to put Xavier Johnson on the who’s not list this week as he struggled during the Panthers’ three-game losing streak, particularly shooting the ball. Then, completely out of nowhere, Virginia Tech came to town and Johnson snapped out of his funk in a huge way. The 6’3 junior exploded for 32 points in a game where he was banished to the bench to start the game for just the second time in his 80-game Pitt career. Johnson shot 11-17 from the field including 4-7 from distance, but the most important stat was his seven assists versus only one turnover.
Johnson was a highly touted four-star recruit and a huge land for Jeff Capel in 2018, but despite his heavy usage, has failed to live up to expectations and take the Panthers to the new heights they were expecting under Johnson and Capel. Turnovers and shooting efficiency have always been the biggest problems for Johnson, but if Wednesday’s breakout performance is any indication of what is to come, the Panthers will be a formidable foe in the ACC and beyond.
Moses Wright, SF/PF, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech may be struggling right now with three losses in their last four, but Moses Wright is definitely not the reason why, just like Jose Alvarado was not the reason as he earned player of the week in last week’s blog. Wright is an imposing force in the paint who can also stretch the floor and shoot from the perimeter. He is one of the hardest players to guard in the entire conference, but it was not his offense that stood out this week, it was his defense.
In an 11-point win over surging Florida State, Wright had SIX steals against one of the more disciplined teams in the country. You might ask, how did he follow it up in the next game? Try SEVEN blocks. His combination of quick hands and rim protection is something that any defensive coach would drool over. He currently averages two steals and 1.8 blocks per game, which both rank top five in the conference. He is also sixth in the conference in points and fourth in rebounds. Needless to say, Wright is one of the best all-around players in the nation and he is certainly a player whose draft stock should surge once more people get to see him play.
Who’s Not?
Jeremy Roach, PG, Duke Blue Devils
It looked like Roach may have got himself back on track after the Blue Devils pounded Clemson on the weekend, but another poor performance in a devastating loss to Miami landed him on the far from desirable portion of this blog. The five-star freshman has been anything but, and he is losing more minutes as the season goes on. He surged for six straight double-digit performances at the start of conference play but failed to score against Louisville and Georgia Tech in back-to-back games and only scored two in 14 minutes against Miami.
Roach has nearly as many turnovers as he has assists and is shooting a miserable 23% from beyond the arc on over three attempts per game. Coming in as the fourth-ranked PG in the nation, Roach has some high expectations, especially on a team so freshman dependent like Duke almost always is. It is safe to say he is not living up to the expectations and a dramatic change will need to occur if he wants to even consider entering the NBA Draft at the end of the season.
Consistency
I think I have found the most interesting stat in college basketball this season. As of Saturday morning, the longest active winning streak in the ACC is 2. A two-game winning streak is the top in the conference. And it is only Notre Dame who can say that. 14 of the 15 teams in the ACC have lost at least one of their last two games. That is how competitive this year’s conference is and how hard road wins are to come by, even with limited or no fan attendance. It is hard to tell if that means there are no great teams or way too many good teams, but either way, it makes every conference game must-watch TV and I am all for it.
Top Starting Five in the ACC
I was inspired by fellow blogger Michael Hopp for this idea and here is my top lineup for the ACC.
PG: Jose Alvarado, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The experience, energy, and ability here is too much to pass up on. Alvarado is the heart and soul of a surprisingly competitive Yellow Jackets team and his shot-making ability, handles, defensive energy, and four-year experience sets him apart from all other point guards in the conference. Any team in the nation could plug this guy into their lineup and their team would be better for it. With that being said, this was a no-brainer for me.
Honorable Mentions: David Johnson, Kihei Clark
SG: MJ Walker, Florida State Seminoles
Once again, I look for experience more than anything else and few can boast a better four-year resume than M.J. Walker. A three-year starter and four-year contributor for a Seminoles squad who has been in the Elite Eight and won an ACC regular season title during his time in Tallahassee. Walker is a lights-out shooter and a strong, sound defender. If I need plays down the stretch in March and April, Walker would be one of the first guys in the entire country I turn to. He can truly do it all and fits nicely into the All-ACC lineup.
Honorable Mentions: Carlik Jones, Michael Devoe
SF: Scottie Barnes, Florida State Seminoles
In what could be an extremely controversial decision, I am going with freshman phenom Scottie Barnes over Justin Champagnie, potential player of the year, and fellow freshman Jalen Johnson. The skillset of Barnes is simply too much to pass up on in my opinion. He does not even start on his own team, but his ability to handle the ball, shoot on the perimeter, defend all positions, and get to the basket is something that you do not see very often from 6’9 freshmen. There is a reason Barnes is a potential lottery pick and it earns him a spot on the All-ACC lineup.
Honorable Mentions: Justin Champagnie, Jalen Johnson
PF: Matthew Hurt, Duke Blue Devils
The ACC boasts a LOADED position group at the four, but only one guy can get in the starting lineup and it is Matthew Hurt. If anyone is going to take ACC Player of the Year from Justin Chmampagnie, it is going to be Hurt. He has an unguardable jump shot that looks a lot like Larry Bird’s and he works hard on the interior as well. His high release and high arcing shot only misses on his accord and he shoots 42% from distance as a result. Few players can attack all three levels as well as Hurt and he is simply a mismatch everywhere you put him making him a perfect fit in this starting lineup.
Honorable Mentions: Sam Hauser, Keve Aluma, Nate Laszewski, Quincy Guerrier, Aamir Simms
C: Moses Wright, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
I am sacrificing a bit of size with only a 6’9 center, but the length everywhere else on the floor and the brute force Wright plays with should make up for it. This power and strength of Wright will allow the team to handle any big men that comes their way and find some offense in the post. All five guys in this lineup are great off the bounce and can stretch the floor to create space for all of the other athletes on the floor.
Honorable Mentions: Armando Bacot, Jay Huff