All-ACC Awards

The ACC regular season awards were handed out today, and 4 Tar Heels in all were honored.  Of course the major news from this from a UNC perspective is going to be that no UNC players were named to the first team, despite their team going 14-2 in conference play and winning 7 in a row to win the regular season title outright.  However, I don't know that I really see this as that great of a slight.  Due to the Heels' great balance, John Henson, Tyler Zeller, and Harrison Barnes probably split the "Carolina" vote, meaning that every person voting probably included 1 Tar Heel on his/her first team, but the balance was evenly spread such that no one player accumulated enough votes.  And looking at the results, with Zeller/Henson/Barnes coming in 6th/7th/8th, it's pretty clear that's what happened.

However, I will submit the following numbers to you.  These statistics are from conference games only, since after all these are all-conference awards.

Harrison Barnes: 15.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 43% FG, 32.5% 3-point
Kyle Singler: 15.8 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 39% FG, 29% 3-poin

Add to that the fact that Barnes was the best pure offensive weapone on the conference champions and that he absolutely SHUT DOWN Singler in both games they played against one another, and I think Barnes should be first-team above Singler.  Which is why I would vote that way, if given the opportunity. 

If given a vote, this is how I would have voted, with a short explanation on why.  As you will no doubt realize, I put a strong emphasis on how each player impacts his team's overall record.  Winners, in other words, get the benefit of the doubt:

First Team:
Harrison Barnes, UNC: see above
Kendall Marshall, UNC: the MVP of the conference champions. Numbers weren't great, though much improved once you account for increase in minutes.  Also anyone who watched Carolina knows he was the key.
Malcom Delaney, VT: His scoring numbers are too much to ignore
Reggie Jackson, BC: Deserves a ton of credit for getting the Eagles to where they were this season.  That team overachieved more than perhaps any other team in the conference and he was the major reason for it.
Nolan Smith, Duke: Again, his numbers are too good to ignore.  Also he was the clear leader and MVP for the second-place Devils, who were after all a top-5 team.

Second Team:
John Henson, UNC: Could make an argument for him over Barnes, but I went with the Falcon because he hit so many big shots which won the Heels games.  Probably a coin flip.
Tyler Zeller, UNC: Leadings scorer for the season for a top-10 team and conference champion.  Also the primary offensive threat after Barnes.  Second team is definitely warranted.
Kyle Singler, Duke: See above.  He's also underrated defensively and his field goal percentage would be higher if he didn't take ridiculously difficult shots.  He's still a great player.
Chris Singleton, FSU: Would easily have been First Team if he played the whole season, he led FSU in nearly every statistical category and was a big reason why they're one of only 3 ACC locks for the NCAA Tournament.
Jordan Williams, Maryland: His numbers probably warrant first-team consideration, but his team faded hard down the stretch and I'm a blatant Heels homer.

Third Team:
Demontez Stitt, Clemson: Similar to Jackson in that he was the motor behind a very surprising team.
Derwin Kitchen, FSU: This may be a reach but I just felt he was the reason FSU did not go away after Singleton got hurt, and he deserves credit.
Iman Shumpert, GT: The Jackets are so bad but Shumpert is too good to be left off completely.
Jeff Allen, VT: Averaged a double-double per game on a good team.
Joe Trapani, BC: I love what the Eagles did this year, and Trapani was the second reason for that.  Enough to get him the last spot.

All Freshman:
Marshall- that Travis McKie received more votes is so dumb I will waste no further space on it.
Barnes
Terrell Stoglin, Maryland: These last 3 guys get in by default.  Was the ACC's freshman class really this bad?
Travis McKie, Wake Forest
CJ Leslie, NC State

Player of the Year: Nolan Smith, Duke

Freshman of the Year: Marshall.  Again, MVP on the conference champions.  Barnes close second.

Defensive Player of the Year: John Henson.  Singleton is close, but Henson is so central to everything that
Carolina does defensively, and they're a top-5 defensive team.  It's not just about blocks; he allows for UNC's perimeter guys to put more pressure on the ball and overplay more, which is a very important part of what Williams and UNC like to do.  Without Henson to clean things up behind them, that's not as possible.

Coach of the Year: Ol' Roy.  Last year, Carolina was in the NIT and then they lost all 5 starters, including one in the middle of this season.  That he managed to get them to 14-2 is a great coaching job.  Anyone who tells you otherwise is holding him and Carolina to an astronomical standard because of the recruiting classes and expectations.  Coach K did a great job and deserves credit, but he returned 3 starters from a national championship team.  Brad Brownell also should get some consideration.