Player of the Week
Justin Champagnie, SF, Pittsburgh Panthers
The season Justin Champagnie is having is almost unbelievable at this point. He enjoyed a solid freshman season, but not even the most die-hard Panthers fans could have predicted the emergence of their star sophomore. Champagnie is averaging 20 points, 13 rebounds, and over one block and steal per contest in his eight games for Jeff Capel’s squad. The most impressive part? He is averaging nearly 28 points and 15 rebounds since his premature return from a knee injury that was supposed to keep him out for 6-8 weeks.
The Panthers snapped a five-game losing streak against the Blue Devils and it can all be credited to Champagnie and his incredible 31-point effort on 12-15 shooting. Matthew Hurt and Champagnie are arguably the two front-runners for ACC Player of the Year and it was Pittsburgh’s star sophomore who asserted himself as the favorite on Tuesday night. He even improved his poor three-pointing shooting by shooting 4-7 from beyond the arc. Champagnie is unquestionably the most improved player in the country and it has him firmly in the running for ACC Player of the Year honors.
Who’s Hot?
Jalen Johnson, SF, Duke Blue Devils
If there was one good thing to come out of Duke’s loss to Pitt on Tuesday, it was Jalen Johnson. The 6’9 point forward put on a show to keep the Blue Devils in the game. He finished with 24 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, four blocks, and two steals before fouling out in 33 minutes. Johnson had been held out for over a month before returning briefly against Virginia Tech, so the game against the Panthers was Johnson’s first real action since his injury and he did not disappoint.
One of the most exciting freshmen in the country did not live up to the hype prior to his injury, but if Tuesday’s game is any indication of what is to come, the ACC could be in huge trouble as Matthew Hurt and Johnson could create one of the most lethal duos in the entire country. If there is any player who can turn the tide in this heated ACC race, Johnson is the one to do it.
Caleb Love, PG, North Carolina Tar Heels
The biggest problem for the Tar Heels this season has been inconsistent, sloppy, and costly play in the backcourt. I have recognized three different big men for the Tar Heels this season, but none of them have the capability of turning their season around. That responsibility lies on the shoulders of true freshman Caleb Love. Love could finally be finding his shooting stroke after back-to-back confidence boosting performances against Florida State and Wake Forest. A brutal start to the season had Love shooting 27% from the field including only 18% from deep. In his last two games, he is shooting 5-9 from three-point range, a drastic improvement that could have a drastic impact on a team who struggles to shoot the basketball.
Roy Williams needs this consistency from his true freshman if the Tar Heels are going to find themselves in the NCAA Tournament. Just the threat of three-point shooting from Love could open up so many opportunities for the ferocious big men in the paint and you could see it against Wake Forest on Wednesday night. Armando Bacot feasted in the second half to keep the Tar Heels in front and the threat of Caleb Love and Kerwin Walton on the court is the sole reason why. Do not be surprised if Carolina continues this winning stretch if Love continues to shoot the way he did this week.
Who’s Not?
Marek Dolezaj, PF, Syracuse Orange
Dolezaj was one of the first guys I recognized this season, but he has cooled off in a big way recently. He failed to register a single point against Miami in their most recent game and struggled against the Tar Heels with only six points three games ago. In between these games was a showdown with Pittsburgh. A hot start saw Dolezaj with 11 points at halftime, but he completely disappeared in the second half as the Panthers erased a five-point halftime deficit and left no doubt with a 64-point second half to amount to a 20-point victory over the Orange.
Syracuse have now lost three of their last four in conference play and the shaky, inconsistent play of Dolezaj is a major reason why. There is plenty of talent to go around with Buddy Boeheim, Quincy Guerrier, and Alan Griffin who all average around 16 points per game, but Dolezaj could complete an intimidating big four if his consistency matched his talent. I do not believe there is any way the Orange should be below .500 in the ACC with all of this talent, so I would look for them to make some big moves as they become more and more desperate late in the season.
Kings of the ACC
For many years Duke and North Carolina have been the kings who reign supreme over the ACC. It seems like this dominant run is nearing its end. For the first time since 1982, both the Blue Devils and Tar Heels found themselves on the outside of the AP Top 25 and it does not look like they will be making a return anytime soon. Duke is on a two-game losing streak after narrow defeats to Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh on the road.
A short drive away, the Tar Heels are not exactly on fire. They have won four of their last five but won none of those games in convincing fashion against some of the weakest teams in the conference. The emergence of Caleb Love mentioned above is a great sign as the Tar Heels were missing solid guard play, but a tough stretch against the likes of NC State and a three-game road stretch against Pittsburgh, Clemson, and Duke signals the defining stretch for Roy Williams and this year’s Tar Heels.
Top 5 Midseason ACC Players of the Year
5. Sam Hauser
A 5-0 start to conference play has the Cavaliers atop a crowded ACC and Sam Hauser is a big reason why. He is the model of consistency for Tony Bennett and the Cavs and the best player on the top team in the conference so far. His numbers do not impress on their own, but his overall impact is palpable when you watch these guys play. It is hard to picture Virginia anywhere near the top of the ACC standings if Hauser did not come to Charlottesville.
4. MJ Walker
Another guy who does not set himself apart on the stat sheet is senior guard M.J. Walker. He provides leadership, shooting, defense, and a calming presence when he has the basketball in his hand. It is easy to disappear for a game or two in a system where as many as 11 guys can get valuable minutes, but Walker is one of the few who has a massive impact every single time out there and it has him in the running for ACC Player of the Year.
3. Carlik Jones
Carlik Jones is one of the most interesting players in the entire country as he has emerged completely out of nowhere for a Cardinals team who was in desperate need of a scorer to fill the void left by Jordan Nwora’s departure. Jones is averaging 18 points, six rebounds, and five assists in his first season after transferring from Radford. Needless to say, ACC basketball is a bit of a jump from the Big South basketball he was playing a short time ago. The transition has been no problem for the standout senior who has Louisville in the race for an ACC crown.
2. Matthew Hurt
Now, onto the clear top two in the race for player of the year. I was planning this top five before Duke even played Pittsburgh, but I knew the standout performer between Hurt and Champagnie would ultimately earn the number one spot on this list. Unfortunately for Hurt and the Blue Devils, Justin Champagnie came to play. It was not entirely on Hurt as he put in a decent performance, but there was no stopping Champagnie on Tuesday night. There is still plenty of time to mount a comeback, but for now, Pitt’s new star is the frontrunner for this prestigious honor.
And, unsurprisingly, here is the man of the hour. Justin Champagnie is on an absolute tear and is making a name for himself not just in the ACC, but all around the country. Even Luka Garza cannot claim a 20-point, 13-rebound average in his historic season, but Justin Champagnie can. I am not saying that Champagnie is having a better season than Garza, but the stats are astonishing for the nation’s new star and if Champagnie can stay on this pace and continue his dominance, it will be an interesting conversation at the end of the year for not just ACC player of the year, but national player of the year.