Veteran shooting guard A D Vassallo quietly emerged as one of the top players in the ACC last season. September 11th, 2008
Veteran shooting guard A D Vassallo quietly emerged as one of the top players in the ACC last season.
A good 3-point shooter who also likes to take a lot of mid-range jumpers, Vassallo scored in double-figures in all but two games. Vassallo will be expected to carry much of the scoring load again, and he also will need to rebound more with the loss of Deron Washington, the teams second-leading rebounder.
Sophomore point guard Malcolm Delaney ranks among the leagues most promising young players. A shoot-first type, Delaney scored in double-figures in each of the last five games and shot 40.2 percent (47 of 117) from the 3-point line.
Sophomore Hank Thorns will see significant minutes backing up Delaney and may play alongside him at times. Much more of a distributor, Thorns provides a good change of pace for the offense.
The Hokies probably will play a three-guard lineup, and that means one of two sophomores Terrell Bell or Dorenzo Hudson will grab the other starting spot. Bell averaged just seven minutes per game last season, but the staff believes he has made some big strides this offseason. Hudson wasnt able to enroll until mid-December because of academic reasons, which slowed his development. However, he has the ability to score points in a hurry. Both will be part of the rotation, and their level of contribution will play a big role in where the Hokies finish in the ACC.
FRONTCOURT
Overshadowed by a slew of stellar freshmen in the ACC last season, Jeff Allen deserved to be put in the same group as Dukes Kyle Singler (the ACC freshman of the year), North Carolina States J.J Hickson and Wake Forests Jeff Teague and James Johnson. Allen led the Hokies in rebounding (7.6 rpg) and blocks (1.2 bpg) and ranked third in scoring (11.8 ppg). He also finished second in the ACC in steals (2.1 spg), an extraordinary stat for a player who spends most of his time in the post.
Expect Allen to improve on those numbers and develop into a double-double threat. Allen has worked hard on his body and conditioning. He has lost more than 20 pounds since this time last year; hes now listed at 240 pounds.
Sophomore power forward J.T. Thompson should make strides after averaging 5.6 points and 4.1 rebounds off the bench. When Allen was serving a two-game suspension for touching an official last season, Thompson showed hes capable of more output. Thompson scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a loss to Duke and had 14 points and 12 boards in a win at Boston College.
Junior center Lewis Witcher (6-9/220) probably will begin the season as a starter to give the Hokies a big body to utilize on the inside. Hell be pushed for playing time by freshman Victor Davila, a 6-9, 240-pounder who was the No. 135 prospect in the 2008 class.
Redshirt freshman center Alex Jacobson also may be part of the rotation.
OFFENSE
The Hokies offensive game plan often changes from game to game. A devout watcher of film, coach Seth Greenberg likes to put together multiple sets designed to attack the weakness of each opposing defense. The Hokies will be more perimeter-oriented than in the past in an effort to get the ball in the hands of Delaney and Vassallo more.
DEFENSE
Man-to-man defense is a staple for the Hokies, who led the league in scoring defense (64.7 ppg) and ranked second in defensive field-goal percentage (40.7 percent) last season. They will sprinkle in some 1-3-1 zone.
SHOES TO FILL
Washington. Washington, who averaged 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds, will be best-remembered for his high-flying dunks – which made him a regular on highlight reels. But his defense may be missed more. He had a penchant for making a key block or deflecting a pass when the Hokies needed it most.
MUST STEP UP
Bell and Hudson. The 33.1 minutes a game that Washington played probably will be divided up between these two. They wont be expected to equal Washingtons numbers, but with that kind of playing time, they need to give the Hokies about five or six points apiece.
IMPACT NEWCOMER
Davila. He has the size and strength to make a quick transition from high school to college, and could become a starter by the time ACC play begins. He turned down scholarship offers from Clemson and Wake Forest to become a Hokie.