North Carolina's Ty Lawson, after that performance Wednesday night at Duke, probably played his way into the lead for the ACC basketball player of the year award.
The junior playmaker has struggled at times this season on defense, but his offensive intensity level has been at a lights-out level through most of the schedule. There's Boston College’s Tyrese Rice and Wake Forest's Jeff Teague, but neither has consistently outplayed Lawson over the course of the league schedule to date.
Entering his weekend’s games, J.P. Giglio and I ranked our leading five candidates for player of the year. Here's the outcome:
Giglio:
1. Ty Lawson, UNC
2. Gerald Henderson, Duke
3. Trevor Booker, Clemson
4. Tony Douglas, Florida State
5. Jack McClinton, Miami
Tudor:
1. Ty Lawson, UNC
2. Jack McClinton, Miami
3. Gerald Henderson, Duke
4. Tyler Hansbrough, UNC
5. Tyrese Rice, Boston College
Many ACC fans probably would be surprised to know that the last pure point-guard to win the league player of the year award was Carolina’s Phil Ford in 1978.
Here’s the list since Ford that season:
1979: Mike Gminski, Duke, C
1980: Albert King, Maryland, F
1981: Ralph Sampson, Virginia, C
1982: Ralph Sampson, Virginia, C
1983: Ralph Sampson, Virginia, C
1984: Michael Jordan, UNC, G
1985: Len Bias, Maryland, F
1986: Len Bias, Maryland, F
1987: Horace Grant, Clemson, F
1988: Danny Ferry, Duke, F
1989: Danny Ferry, Duke, F
1990: Dennis Scott, G. Tech, F
1991: Rodney Monroe, N.C. State, G
1992: Christian Laettner, Duke, F
1993: Rodney Rogers, Wake, F
1994: Grant Hill, Duke, G
1995: Joe Smith, Maryland F
1996: Tim Duncan, Wake, F
1997: Tim Duncan, Wake, F
1998: Antawn Jamison, UNC, F
1999: Elton Brand, Duke, F
2000: Chris Carawell, Duke, F
2001: Shane Battier, Duke F, and Joseph Forte, UNC, G
2002: Juan Dixon, Maryland, G
2003: Josh Howard, Wake, G
2004: Julius Hodge, N.C. State, G
2005: J.J. Redick, Duke, G
2006: J.J. Redick, Duke, G
2007: Jared Dudley, Boston College, F
2008: Tyler Hansbrough, UNC, F
Pure point-guard winners:
1959: Lou Pucillo, N.C. State
1966: Steve Vacendak, Duke
1970: John Roche, South Carolina
1971: Charlie Davis, Wake
1972: Barry Parkhill, Virginia
1978: Phil Ford, UNC
For the record, South Carolina’s John Roche was the conference player of the year in 1969 in addition to 1970. But during the '69 season, Roche was used primarily as a wing guard. The playmaker that season for the Gamecocks was Billy Walsh.
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Comments
After Duke had cut the Tar
Fri, 07/10/2009 - 01:01 — wwilliam123After Duke had cut the Tar Heels' lead to 70-68, Lawson found Danny Green for a 3-point basket that gave North Carolina breathing room with 3:13 left in the game. Lawson also converted a three-point play to give the Tar Heels a seven-point advantage with 1:03 remaining.
"Ty stepped up and showed some toughness by even playing," North Carolina big man Tyler Hansbrough said. "I think everybody kind of knows that. He came through in the clutch when we needed him. And he wasn't 100 percent, wireless broadband but you know, when the time was called for him to step up and make big plays, he did."
Lawson regained the No. 1 spot from Davidson's Stephen Curry, who had replaced the North Carolina junior atop the rankings last week. Curry scored 43 points Saturday in a Southern Conference tournament quarterfinal victory over Appalachian State, merchant account but he shot just 5-for-18 Saturday in a semifinal loss to College of Charleston. high speed internet service.
Tyler
Mon, 02/16/2009 - 17:44 — jcsx121How can 2 human beings who cover sports for a major newspaper, pick all those other players over Tyler. Ask any coach in the nation, whom he would pick from the ACC if he could have any player, I'd say 99% would say Tyler.
POY
Fri, 02/13/2009 - 11:14 — bballfanWell, I wasn't going to comment until I saw where Tyler Hansbrough was/was not listed in either of your top 5 selections for POY in the ACC...so far that is. I don't disagree with your selection of Ty Lawson since he is a great point guard and the KEY part of UNC's team. Without him, Carolina would still be very good but he makes them great. But, take out Tyler Hansbrough and, even with Ty Lawson, again Carolina is just a very good team, this year. How can you justify Henderson, Booker, Douglas, and McClinton for POY over Tyler Hansbrough?! I think you are confused with MVP vs. POY. Henderson is Duke's MVP just as McClinton is Miami's MVP. The biggest problem with your selections is that the players you put ahead of T.H. are basically the best go to players on each of those teams. It stands to reason that they will have some very good games with good numbers. But, T.H. is on a team with several other great players who are capable of putting up numbers similar to those mentioned on your list. Carolina spreads the wealth around. If T.H. was playing for Clemson or Miami, I believe he would put up staggering numbers.
Would you dare trade Tyler Hansbrough for Gerald Henderson? Trevor Booker? Jack McClinton? Toney Douglas? You would if you had lost your mind.
T.H. is consistently very good, never takes a night off and still puts up the numbers DESPITE being surrounded by other great players. That's the mark of a gifted player, definitely a solid candidate for POY on anybody's list. Funny thing is, he may win national player of the year but not POY in the ACC.
academy award worthy
Sat, 02/14/2009 - 01:19 — gvillegatrno one could have put this any better bballfan.
no one voting for ACC POY would think twice about trading T.H. for any of those guys lsited.
lawson
Fri, 02/13/2009 - 02:21 — george32as nice a agame as lawson played last night, the tar heels will need ellington to not have any bad games for them to go deep in the tournament. if he can catch fire like donald williams in the 90s they might be able to handle u conn and its terrific paint defender.
John Roche
Thu, 02/12/2009 - 20:34 — joenixFor the record, a certain white haired guy by the name of Bobby Cremins was the starting point guard for South Carolina in both the 1969 and the1970 seasons. John Roche may have played some point during his senior year 1971 but I don't think that was ever his primary position. Billy Walsh played behind Cremins in 1969 and was academically ineligible after that. Cremins was a three year starter at point guard and finished school in 1970 - one year ahead of Roche. You can remove Roche as winner of player of the year in the point guard category.
UNC's hopes for a National Championship...
Thu, 02/12/2009 - 17:16 — JPDOhiorest squarely on Ty Lawson's shoulders. They need him to continue playing like he did last night if they expect to cut down the nets in Detroit.