As we previewed last week, we're excited to debut our first ACC Basketball Roundtable. Joining myself, JP of SCACC Hoops, we were lucky enough to have 3 online notables from the world of ACC Basketball to join us, TheCourtMaster who posts over at TheCourtMaster.net, James who you can find over at the Duke Basketball Report, and Watzone who runs The Blue Devil Nation.
The roundtable was pretty lengthy, so I have broken it into two parts, so enjoy part 1 and look for part 2 in the next couple days...
1. Will Roy Williams be able to maintain the team concept with talented freshman battling the upperclassmen for playing time?
TheCourtMaster: Roy Williams proved himself to me by the way he pulled together the group of players that eventually won the national championship in 2005. If he could do that, he'll find a way to get this year's team to jell and share playing time.
James: Based on past track record, he should be able to.
Watzone: Although I think it will take until the end of the regular season, he has too much talent not to win, no matter who is on the court for UNC. There will likely be a transfer after the season, but that is an acceptable price. I do think the chemestry will hurt them defensively at times.
JP: Yes, but it is inevitable that someone is going to get their feelings hurt due to lack of playing time. The players will put on a good front to the media, but there are simply too many bodies that are deserving of playing time.
2. Can Duke be a national contender once again with no seniors and just one junior on their roster?
TheCourtMaster: No. They'll be good with an excellent point guard in Greg Paulus and Josh McRoberts up front, but I don't think this year's crop of freshmen will make a big enough impact this season to make them a Final Four team much less a championiship contender.
James: Why not? The nature of the game has changed with early entry; Syracuse won with a freshman leading their team.
Watzone: Nobody keeps up with the changes in college hoops an better than Coach K. His team should be in the top ten all season long. Although it has been 100 years since Duke did not have a senior basketball captain.
JP: Most likely not. They will be wildly inconsistent this season with such a young roster. The only hope is that they can get hot and make a run similar to Florida a season ago.
3. What one player will have the biggest impact on his team?
TheCourtMaster: Greg Paulus, Duke's point guard. They will desperately need his leadership and ability to run the offense.
James: Greg Paulus, when he recovers, shows more promise at point guard than any in Duke history.
Watzone: Greg Paulus holds the key to much of Dukes success. If he goes, they go.
JP: Coleman Collins. With Collins in the lineup, it gives the Hokies a complete team, with two solid, veteran guards, and legitimate post presence. Seth Greenberg simply doesn't have an answer on the bench if Collins has to miss any time.
4. What one player, that may not be well known, will jump on the scene this year?
TheCourtMaster: No one really jumps out at me here, but I think J. R. Reynolds, the shooting guard at Virginia, could really blow up this year, especially if the Cavaliers make the NCAA Tournament. He is a really good player at both ends of the court and, since he's paired with an outstanding point guard like Sean Singletary, opposing defenses won't be able to key on him.
James: This is too difficult to predict, by the nature of the question.
Watzone: Ra'Sean Dickey of Georgia Tech will make his presence known in the middle this season.
JP: Sidney Lowe doesn't have a deep team, but Gavin Grant is a guy that can fill many roles. Grant has a similar skillset to former Wolfpack guard, Julius Hodge, and could post similar numbers for a really bad Wolfpack team.
5. Your team is down 1 with 10 seconds left, what player do you want to have the ball?
TheCourtMaster: There's nobody in the ACC that I look at in this situation and think, "money," but I would go with Tyler Hansbrough of UNC. He proved last year that he can take whatever a defense throws at him and not back down. My second choice is Jared Dudley of Boston College, who can beat you both inside and outside.
James: Christian Laettner! Of the players on the current teams... Greg Paulus, because he isn't turnover prone, and his court sense will find the player with the best chance of scoring.
Watzone: Sean Singletary is the most seasoned PG in the ACC.
JP: Offensively, Tyler Hansbrough is as good as any player in the nation. Throw in the fact that he is nearly automatic from the free throw line, and he's my go-to guy.
Look for Part 2 soon where we predict Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year among other things.
