The ACC Thread

[Hitman Hart]

I don't think this has been mentioned, but Taurean Thompson left Syracuse to enroll at Seton Hall. This happened back in August.

Syracuse will be an interesting case this year. They're losing six of their top 7 scorers from a year ago. They landed a grad transfer from USF, Geno Thorpe. Geno Thorpe averaged 15 PPG last year at USF, but outside of 3 PT FG%, his numbers aren't the most efficient. Also, grad transfers have had a hard time picking up the Syracuse zone the past few years. Freshmen Brissett and Dolezag could be solid for them.

 

[Hitman Hart]

Landers Nolley's decision should be interesting.

VT has the CB momentum, but he's announcing on Saturday, which coincides with his OV to UGA. So weird. UGA has zero CB momentum here, but he's announcing during his OV with them.

 

[ericd7633]

I don't think this has been mentioned, but Taurean Thompson left Syracuse to enroll at Seton Hall. This happened back in August.

Syracuse will be an interesting case this year. They're losing six of their top 7 scorers from a year ago. They landed a grad transfer from USF, Geno Thorpe. Geno Thorpe averaged 15 PPG last year at USF, but outside of 3 PT FG%, his numbers aren't the most efficient. Also, grad transfers have had a hard time picking up the Syracuse zone the past few years. Freshmen Brissett and Dolezag could be solid for them.

After Pittsburgh, I think Syracuse will be fighting with NC State to not finish 2nd to last. They lose a ton, Geno Thorpe is more or a role player type of talent on a P5 school. Syracuse is going to have no depth.

 

[Hitman Hart]

After Pittsburgh, I think Syracuse will be fighting with NC State to not finish 2nd to last. They lose a ton, Geno Thorpe is more or a role player type of talent on a P5 school. Syracuse is going to have no depth.

Can't say I disagree.

Also an update on Landers Nolley:

I've heard that he's still pretty much a lock to VT and he'll be home on Saturday.

 

[Hitman Hart]

After Pittsburgh, I think Syracuse will be fighting with NC State to not finish 2nd to last. They lose a ton, Geno Thorpe is more or a role player type of talent on a P5 school. Syracuse is going to have no depth.

Since we're on the subject, what are your thoughts on Georgia Tech? I feel like going into the season, they're going to be a trendy pick to be one of the top teams in the 2nd tier of the conference.

I don't buy that. I think they have two of the best players in the conference in Lammers and Okogie. I also think Tadric Stevens is solid, but they really don't have anything after that, unless someone on their makes a leap. Don't bring in any consensus Top 150 players, but I do think Alvarado is a tad under-rated. They project as a team that will have zero depth this year.

 

[ericd7633]

Since we're on the subject, what are your thoughts on Georgia Tech? I feel like going into the season, they're going to be a trendy pick to be one of the top teams in the 2nd tier of the conference.

I don't buy that. I think they have two of the best players in the conference in Lammers and Okogie. I also think Tadric Stevens is solid, but they really don't have anything after that, unless someone on their makes a leap. Don't bring in any consensus Top 150 players, but I do think Alvarado is a tad under-rated. They project as a team that will have zero depth this year.

I don't think they'll be a top 10 team in the league. I think they will take a step back this year. You're right they have no depth, and don't really have a huge influx of talent. Lammers and Okogie are really, really good, but outside that it's a bunch of players who I would consider role players. They have an interesting OOC schedule, and we'll find out right away since they play UCLA in game #1. They have the potential to steal a home game here and there, much like last year, but I don't see them winning on the road, unless it's the aforementioned Pitt, Cuse, NC State. When it's all said and done I think they'll finish better than Pitt, Cuse and NC State. I'm somewhat higher on BC than what their record would indicate the past couple years.

 

[Hitman Hart]

I don't think they'll be a top 10 team in the league. I think they will take a step back this year. You're right they have no depth, and don't really have a huge influx of talent. Lammers and Okogie are really, really good, but outside that it's a bunch of players who I would consider role players. They have an interesting OOC schedule, and we'll find out right away since they play UCLA in game #1. They have the potential to steal a home game here and there, much like last year, but I don't see them winning on the road, unless it's the aforementioned Pitt, Cuse, NC State. When it's all said and done I think they'll finish better than Pitt, Cuse and NC State. I'm somewhat higher on BC than what their record would indicate the past couple years.

Yeah, it seems like you're higher on Clemson, FSU and BC than I am, while I am higher on GT and Syracuse. My bottom 4, in order are, NC State, Clemson, BC and Pitt. I have Syracuse @ #10 and FSU @ #11. #10 and #11 are somewhat interchangeable, though. I'll give a Jim Boeheim coached team the benefit of the doubt over a Leonard Hamilton coached team.

 

[ericd7633]

Yeah, it seems like you're higher on Clemson, FSU and BC than I am, while I am higher on GT and Syracuse. My bottom 4, in order are, NC State, Clemson, BC and Pitt. I have Syracuse @ #10 and FSU @ #11. #10 and #11 are somewhat interchangeable, though. I'll give a Jim Boeheim coached team the benefit of the doubt over a Leonard Hamilton coached team.

Yeah, I think BC could be what Ga. Tech was last year, maybe not an 8 win team in conference, but I think they can get to 6 or 7, which I think would put them more than Pitt, NC State and Cuse for sure. I don't think Pitt will win more than 2 games if they even get that many. My bottom 4 would be in order from worst to best: Pitt, NC State, Cuse, and then I'd have either Ga. Tech or Clemson. Clemson still has some really nice pieces, but losing Blossingame and Holmes are big losses. I still think with Reed, Mitchell, Thomas and Graham they have good talent. I think Brownell is a pretty good developer of talent so it wouldn't surprise to see one of their role players taking a step up. I think if I had to choose I pick Ga. Tech to finish worse than Clemson.

 

[Hitman Hart]

Yeah, I think BC could be what Ga. Tech was last year, maybe not an 8 win team in conference, but I think they can get to 6 or 7, which I think would put them more than Pitt, NC State and Cuse for sure. I don't think Pitt will win more than 2 games if they even get that many. My bottom 4 would be in order from worst to best: Pitt, NC State, Cuse, and then I'd have either Ga. Tech or Clemson. Clemson still has some really nice pieces, but losing Blossingame and Holmes are big losses. I still think with Reed, Mitchell, Thomas and Graham they have good talent. I think Brownell is a pretty good developer of talent so it wouldn't surprise to see one of their role players taking a step up. I think if I had to choose I pick Ga. Tech to finish worse than Clemson.

Yeah, Clemson has a bunch of guys that would get rotational minutes on 90% of the teams in the ACC. However, the lack of a true #2 option is what has hurt Clemson during the Brownell era. Blossomgame and McDaniels were true #1 options. Also, averaging 7.7 RPG in the ACC is no small task, so Djitte will be missed as well. Elijah Thomas was productive in limited time last year, so they might be fine there.

The more I think about it, you're probably right about BC. Robinson and Bowman are top tier players. Hawkins put up some pretty solid numbers @ Illinois State. Lack of depth will kill them, though. 5-6 ACC wins sounds about right.

 

[ericd7633]

Yeah, Clemson has a bunch of guys that would get rotational minutes on 90% of the teams in the ACC. However, the lack of a true #2 option is what has hurt Clemson during the Brownell era. Blossomgame and McDaniels were true #1 options. Also, averaging 7.7 RPG in the ACC is no small task, so Djitte will be missed as well. Elijah Thomas was productive in limited time last year, so they might be fine there.

The more I think about it, you're probably right about BC. Robinson and Bowman are top tier players. Hawkins put up some pretty solid numbers @ Illinois State. Lack of depth will kill them, though. 5-6 ACC wins sounds about right.

I think Thomas will take a step forward this year. I think he could be a 14 and 8 type of guy, but he needs to get his conditioning under control. He'll need to play 25 minutes or so, for Clemson to reach their full potential.

I think BC has a great chance to play some ball this year by starting Hawkins at the 4. The one thing they project to have is elite 3 point shooting. Bowman shot 45%, Chatman shot 42% from and Hawkins shot it at 43% from 3. Not to mention adding Hawkins experience will be a huge plus. I've always thought he was a pretty talented kid going back to his freshman season. Popovic is going to have to make a big leap, because they'll have little depth on the front court.

 

[Hitman Hart]

I think Thomas will take a step forward this year. I think he could be a 14 and 8 type of guy, but he needs to get his conditioning under control. He'll need to play 25 minutes or so, for Clemson to reach their full potential.

I think BC has a great chance to play some ball this year by starting Hawkins at the 4. The one thing they project to have is elite 3 point shooting. Bowman shot 45%, Chatman shot 42% from and Hawkins shot it at 43% from 3. Not to mention adding Hawkins experience will be a huge plus. I've always thought he was a pretty talented kid going back to his freshman season. Popovic is going to have to make a big leap, because they'll have little depth on the front court.

Yeah, Thomas was sold in limited Pt. Losing AJ Turner hurts BC.

Big men are weird, in the sense that it takes them longer to develop. For instance, I think Doral Moore is going to make a leap this year, despite not being very productive his first two years. A PG or a wing are usually written off if they average 3 PPG in limited PT during their first two years in college.

 

[Hitman Hart]

It appears that Wake is making a decent last minute push for Ayo. I still believe that he's headed to Illinois, unless something concrete happens with Underwood.

 

[ckhokie]

Landers Nolley's decision should be interesting.

VT has the CB momentum, but he's announcing on Saturday, which coincides with his OV to UGA. So weird. UGA has zero CB momentum here, but he's announcing during his OV with them.

Huge meltdown going down on the VT 247 site. Our 'insiders' have been flat our wrong with a lot of 'sure things' they've promoted when it comes to basketball recruiting. They claim Landers trolled them, I just think they're getting bad intel. Totally whiffed on the MJ Walker predictions last year, told us we had Nolley locked this year, and now it looks like David Duke (who we were told was likely coming to Tech) is trending back towards Providence.

 

[ckhokie]

Also an update on Landers Nolley:

I've heard that he's still pretty much a lock to VT and he'll be home on Saturday.

Georgia.

Gonna go play in the SEC instead of the ACC. WTFFFFFFFFFF????

 

[Hitman Hart]

Georgia.

Gonna go play in the SEC instead of the ACC. WTFFFFFFFFFF????

He's already de-commited from UGA. Could see him going to either VT or Illinois. What a weird recruitment.

FWIW, he grew up in Illinois, but I think his family moved to Georgia about a year ago.

 

[ckhokie]

He's already de-commited from UGA. Could see him going to either VT or Illinois. What a weird recruitment.

FWIW, he grew up in Illinois, but I think his family moved to Georgia about a year ago.

Just coming to post this.


No clue what's going on with this kid.

 

[Hitman Hart]

5* is officially down to Illinois and Wake. I still think Illinois lands him, but Wake has a done a solid job closing the gap here.

 

[Hitman Hart]

Apparently, Sy is back on VT's campus. Such a strange story.

 

[Hitman Hart]

David Duke to Providence. VT was once the CB leader, but there was a massive CB movement to PC in the past few days.

Good news for VT is that they have 14 CB's for Landers Nolley.

 

[Hitman Hart]

Nolley to VT

4* Top 100 player