ACC BALLERS: Top Sophomores in the ACC.....

This week's post will be spent on determining the best 2nd year players in the ACC. At this point most of these guys have played in about 50 or so games in their college careers and many have established themselves as legit ACC (and nationally recognized) players already. If most of these guys decided to stick around for another year the ACC will be even more competitive next year.

ACC Ballers All-Sophomore Team

First Team:

1. Tywon Lawson, Guard, UNC

One of the top point guards in the country. Lawson is predicted to be a first round pick in either the 08' or 09' NBA Draft. His 2.45 assists to turnover ratio is unbelievable considering how much he has the ball in his hands. This is Ty ballin' at the end of the first half in a game played earlier this year at home against Nevada.

2. Wayne Ellington, Guard, UNC

Top two guard in the ACC. Wayne can shoot. From close in to very far away he can put the ball in the basket. He's averaging 16.6 points a night and not to long ago went off for a career high 36 against Clemson. He can also do this....

3. Greivis Vasquez, Guard, UMD

Vasquez is averaging 17.3 points, 6.8 assists (ranked first in the ACC), and 5.4 rebounds per game this season. You could argue that he's the most versatile player in the league. Check out this dime he dropped to Ibekwe (last season) against Florida State.

4. Trevor Booker, Forward, Clemson

Big boy is averaging a shade over 11 points per and 7.9 rebounds per game. The 6'7, 240lbs. Booker has dominated several ACC teams inside and gave Tyler Hansbrough of UNC all he could handle in both of those epic UNC-Clemson matchups this season. Apparently he can also get big on you down low. See for yourself....

5. Deon Thompson, Forward, UNC

Thompson is just solid on the low block. He can score with both hands and has great touch down low. Last year, he played third fiddle to Hansbrough and 2007 NBA first round pick Brandan Wright. This year, he is the starter and an excelleng sidekick for Hansbrough. On a team where he might be the third or fourth scoring option he's averaging 9.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

Second Team:

1. Eric Hayes, Guard, Maryland

Hayes is giving Gary Williams' squad 34 minutes a night while averaging 10 points and 5 assists per. A part of Maryland's recent success has to be attributed to Hayes' improved field goal shooting. From that UNC upset on Hayes has shot 47% from the field and 45% from behind the three point line.

2. John Scheyer, Guard, Duke

Scheyer has been clutch for the Blue Devils all year long. This year he fits in best coming off of Duke's bench but he started the majority of last season and is like a 6th starter for the Blue Devils. This is John earlier this year in the Maui hitting a baseline three.

3. Gerald Henderson, Guard-Forward, Duke

Henderson has been a monster all year long. His length and athleticism makes him the most difficult matchup problem for teams when they play Duke. He's scoring a bit over 12 points per game. His best asset is that he puts pressure on the defense and almost forces the defense to foul him. He's also great in transition and can jump out of the gym.

4. Landon Milbourne, Forward, Maryland

Landon has really come on as of late. I'd heard about his improvements this summer but didn't know all of this was coming. Milbourne's personal success is almost in direct correlation with his teams. When Landon plays well, the Terps win.

(more from him later)

5. Shamari Spears, Forward, BC

Spears' 6.5 rebounds per night leads his team. He's also averaging 10 points per game for a streaky BC team. Shamari is undersized but plays very big. In the next two years he'll be tough to deal with for the rest of the league.

ACC Sunday Night Hoops

Duke 73 - Wake Forest 86 (2/17/08)

Wake Forest freshmen James Johnson and Jeff Teague combined for 50 points and 20 rebounds as the Demon Decons jumped all over Duke. This was one of the few Duke games this year where they just couldn't break the game open in the second half. Again, an athletic scoring big man and a lightning quick guard gave the Blue Devils trouble. Sophomore guard L.D. Williams helped put Duke away with this....