Virginia Tech has been picked 8th in the annual ACC men’s basketball
preseason media poll, and Tech guard Malcolm Delaney has been selected as a
first-team All-ACC preseason pick. Duke and North Carolina share the #1 spot in
the media poll, with the Blue Devils getting 25 first-place votes to 20 for the
Tar Heels.
Here are the results of the media poll, released yesterday.
ACC Basketball 2009-2010 Preseason Media Poll |
||
Rank |
Team (1st place) |
Total Points |
| 1T | Duke (25) | 545 |
| 1T | North Carolina (20) | 545 |
| 3 | Clemson | 409 |
| 4 | Georgia Tech (2) | 387 |
| 5 | Maryland | 378 |
| 6 | Wake Forest (1) | 315 |
| 7 | Florida State | 314 |
| 8 | Virginia Tech | 273 |
| 9 | Boston College | 251 |
| 10 | Miami | 135 |
| 11 | Virginia | 116 |
| 12 | N.C. State | 76 |
This is the third time the Hokies have been picked #8 in the preseason. Tech has
never been tabbed higher than sixth, which has happened twice.
Hokies’ Preseason ACC Rank |
|
Year |
VT Rank |
| 2004-05 | 10th (out of 11) |
| 2005-06 | 8th |
| 2006-07 | 6th |
| 2007-08 | 10th |
| 2008-09 | 6th |
| 2009-2010 | 8th |
| Average | 8th |
The Hokies return four of their top five scorers from a year ago, but the only
loss is a big one: A.D. Vassallo, who led the Hokies in scoring at 19.1 ppg and
was the second leading rebounder at 6.2 rpg.
The Hokies also lost post player Cheick Diakite (3.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg) to
graduation and point guard Hank Thorns (2.7 ppg, 2.4 assists per game) to
transfer (TCU). Little-used Terrance Vinson chose not to return to the team this
season.
The good news is that the Hokies boast the top returning scorer in the ACC in
Malcolm Delaney (18.1 ppg). Delaney finished 6th in scoring in the ACC last
season, and with the ACC gutted heavily by graduation and early departures for
the NBA, Delaney is one of just three returning top-ten league scorers.
Maryland’s Greivis Vasquez (#7 at 17.5 ppg) and Virginia’s Sylven Landesberg
(#10 at 16.6 ppg) are the other two.
The 2009-2010 Hokies are still a young team, with four true freshmen (F
Cadarian Raines, G Erick Green, G Ben Boggs, and G/F Manny Atkins) joining a
roster that has just one scholarship senior, F Lewis Witcher. The Hokies’ top
four returning scorers are juniors.
VT Top Returning Players |
||||
Pos |
Player |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
| G | Malcolm Delaney | 18.1 ppg | 4.0 rpg | 4.5 apg* |
| F | Jeff Allen | 13.7 ppg | 8.4 rpg* | 1.3 apg |
| F | J.T. Thompson | 6.5 ppg | 3.7 rpg | 0.7 apg |
| G | Dorenzo Hudson | 4.6 ppg | 1.9 rpg | 1.1 apg |
|
* Led the team in 2008-2009 |
||||
Duke’s Kyle Singler (16.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg in 2008-09) was named the preseason ACC
Player of the Year, and Singler, Delaney and Vasquez were named preseason
All-ACC, along with Clemson’s Trevor Booker and UNC’s Ed Davis.
The Hokies open the season November 15th at home against Brown as part of the
Philly Hoop Group Classic. TechSideline.com will have a full basketball preview
Friday.
Hokies
Picked 8th (hokiesports.com)
Virginia
Tech men’s basketball 2009-2010 roster (TechSideline.com)
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