Jim Gober has a passion for ACC basketball and has offered us his extensive notes. Here's his Virginia Tech preview.
2013-2014 Outlook: Virginia Tech finished in a four-way tie for last place during the 2011-2012 season, which was Coach Seth Greenbergâs final year in Blacksburg. In his first season as Greenbergâs successor, Coach James Johnson allowed the Hokies to play an up-tempo brand of basketball focused on generating offensive production. One result was that Virginia Tech had the leading scorer in the nation in 6-3 Sr PG/WG Erick Green (25.0 ppg, 38.9 3s%, 1.9 3s/g, 81.6 FT%, 6.8 ft/g). Green became a 2nd round, #46 pick of the Utah Jazz in the NBA Draft who then was traded on draft night to the Denver Nuggets. On the negative side, the more significant consequence of the change in coaching philosophy was that the team declined in almost every statistical category, including especially defense and ball-handling.
Admittedly, Coach Johnson had to deal with the usual loss of several players that occurs following a coaching change. Unfortunately for the Hokies, those players were the most talented players on the team other than Green. 6-8 Fr PF Montrezl Harrell transferred to Louisville to play for the National Champion after being released from his commitment before the start of his freshman season, and 6-8 So WF/PF Dorian Finney-Smith became a Florida Gator and a redshirt last season after being one of the most highly ranked recruits for the Hokies ever.
Despite Greenâs heroics and selection by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association as the ACC Player of the Year and the Associated Press as a 3rd Team All-American, Virginia Tech finished all alone in last place (12th) in the final ACC standings. With the ACC expanding to 15 teams for the 2013-2014 season, the Hokies are the logical choice without Green to be the first ACC team to finish in 15th place. A finish anywhere other than one of the places near the bottom of the ACC seems highly improbable.
Even so, Virginia Tech has enough returning talent and experience to pull some upsets. The Hokiesâ leadership should come from its three returning starters, 6-7 Sr WF/WG Jarell Eddie (12.3 ppg, 32.1 3s%, 1.6 3s/g), 6-9 PF Cadarian Raines (6.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg), and 6-8 Jr PF CJ Barksdale (5.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 52.3 FG%). Most significantly, the Hokies may have enough depth this season to play the fast-paced style Coach Johnson prefers more effectively. That depth is provided by 5 freshmen and a high-scoring sophomore transfer, 6-1 So WG/PG Adam Smith (13.7 ppg, 33.1 3s%, 1.9 3s/g at UNC Wilmington), who now is eligible after redshirting last season.
Behind the play of the returning starters and perhaps Smith, the Hokies are likely to compete fairly evenly with the Tigers and Hurricanes this season. If Virginia Tech can get unexpected contributions from a few other players, it may be able to challenge the Demon Deacons, the Wolfpack, the Seminoles, the Yellow Jackets, and some of the other teams that are predicted to finish just above the bottom third or below the middle third of the conference. Without Green, however, the Hokies are the best pick to finish in 15th place.
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2012-2013 Starters Lost (2):
6-3 Sr WG/PG Erick Green (25.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.8 a/to, 0.2 bpg, 1.3 spg, 47.5 FG%, 38.9 3s%, 1.9 3s/g, 81.6 FT%, 6.8 ft/g, 36.4 mpg) (1st Team All-ACC) (ACSMA ACC POY) (3rd Team AP All-American) (Nationâs Leading Scorer) (NBA Draft, 2nd Round, #46 Pick, Utah Jazz, traded to Denver Nuggets); 6-5 So WG Robert Brown (8.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.9 a/to, 0.3 bpg, 0.6 spg, 33.1 FG%, 23.5 3s%, 0.8 3s/g, 63.8 FT%, 1.4 ft/g, 27.3 mpg) (transfer at end of season to UAB)
2013-2014 Returning Starters (3):
6-7 Sr WF/WG Jarell Eddie (12.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.6 a/to, 0.8 bpg, 0.3 spg, 39.6 FG%, 32.1 3s%, 1.6 3s/g, 84.2 FT%, 2.5 ft/g, 30.3 mpg) (All-ACC Academic Team); 6-9 Sr PF Cadarian Raines (6.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.5 a/to, 1.1 bpg, 0.4 spg, 48.2 FG%, 43.4 FT%, 0.7 ft/g, 24.7 mpg); 6-8 Jr PF CJ Barksdale (5.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.7 a/to, 0.5 bpg, 0.4 spg, 52.3 FG%, 77.1 FT%, 1.2 ft/g, 21.5 mpg)
2013-2014 Other Key Players:
6-1 So WG/PG Adam Smith (redshirt last season after transfer from UNC Wilmington) (2011-2012 Stats at UNCW: 13.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.0 a/to, 0.0 bpg, 0.5 spg, 37.9 FG%, 33.1 3s%, 1.9 3s/g, 81.7 FT%, 2.2 ft/g, 30.3 mpg); 6-1 Jr PG Marquis Rankin (3.4 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.8 a/to, 0.1 bpg, 0.6 spg, 39.3 FG%, 32.6 3s%, 0.5 3s/g, 58.3 FT%, 0.5 ft/g, 19.1 mpg); 6-8 So PF/WF Marshall Wood (3.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 0.5 apg, 0.6 a/to, 0.4 bpg, 0.1 spg, 30.3 FG%, 23.6 3s%, 0.5 3s/g, 63.9 FT%, 0.9 ft/g, 16.4 mpg); 6-10 So PF Joey van Zegeren (3.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.1 apg, 0.1 a/to, 0.7 bpg, 0.3 spg, 52.6 FG%, 45.5 FT%, 0.8 ft/g, 14.6 mpg)
2012-2013 Season Team Stats:
Record: (13-19); ACC (4-14), 12th place || PPG: 70.3 to 74.8 (-4.5) || FG%: 42.6 FG% to 43.6 FG% || 3s%: 31.4 3s% to 34.8 3s% || 3s/g: 5.7 to 7.7 || FT%: 70.9%Â || FT/g: 15.1 to 15.2 || RPG: -1.5Â || APG: 10.2 to 14.1 || TPG: 12.0 to 10.7 (-1.3) || A/T: 0.8 to 1.3 || SPG: 4.3 to 5.3 || BPG: 3.9 to 3.4
2012-2013 Major Team Strengths: Free Throws Made (15.1 ft/g); Steals Allowed (5.3 spg)
2012-2013 Major Team Weaknesses: Losing Record Overall (13-19); Losing ACC Record (4-14); Last Place ACC Finish (12th); Scoring Margin (-4.5 ppg); Field Goal Shooting (42.6%); Field Goal Shooting Defense (43.6%); Three Point Shooting (31.4%, 5.7 3s/g); Three Point Shooting Defense (34.8%, 7.7 3s/g); Free Throws Allowed (15.2 ft/g); Rebounding (-1.5 rpg); Assists (10.2 apg); Assists Allowed (14.1 apg); Turnovers Forced (10.7 tpg); Turnovers Differential (-1.3 tpg); Ball-Handling Differential (0.8 a/to to 1.3 a/to); Steals (4.3 spg)
2012-2013 Roster Players Not Returning:
Seniors: 6-3 WG/PG Erick Green (25.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.8 a/to, 0.2 bpg, 1.3 spg, 47.5 FG%, 38.9 3s%, 1.9 3s/g, 81.6 FT%, 6.8 ft/g, 36.4 mpg) (1st Team All-ACC) (ACSMA ACC POY) (3rd Team AP All-American) (Nationâs Leading Scorer) (NBA Draft, 2nd Round, #46 Pick, Utah Jazz, traded to Denver Nuggets)
Sophomores: 6-5 WG Robert Brown (8.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.9 a/to, 0.3 bpg, 0.6 spg, 33.1 FG%, 23.5 3s%, 0.8 3s/g, 63.8 FT%, 1.4 ft/g, 27.3 mpg) (transfer at end of season to UAB)
2013-2014 Roster:
Seniors: 6-7 WF/WG Jarell Eddie (12.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.6 a/to, 0.8 bpg, 0.3 spg, 39.6 FG%, 32.1 3s%, 1.6 3s/g, 84.2 FT%, 2.5 ft/g, 30.3 mpg) (All-ACC Academic Team); 6-9 PF Cadarian Raines (6.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.5 a/to, 1.1 bpg, 0.4 spg, 48.2 FG%, 43.4 FT%, 0.7 ft/g, 24.7 mpg)
Juniors: 6-8 PF CJ Barksdale (5.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.7 a/to, 0.5 bpg, 0.4 spg, 52.3 FG%, 77.1 FT%, 1.2 ft/g, 21.5 mpg); 6-1 PG Marquis Rankin (3.4 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.8 a/to, 0.1 bpg, 0.6 spg, 39.3 FG%, 32.6 3s%, 0.5 3s/g, 58.3 FT%, 0.5 ft/g, 19.1 mpg); 6-3 WG Will Johnston (2.0 ppg, 0.4 rpg, 0.3 apg, 1.6 a/to, 0.0 bpg, 0.2 spg, 34.6 FG%, 35.4 3s%, 0.6 3s/g, 45.5 FT%, 0.2 ft/g, 11.1 mpg); 6-7 PF Christian Beyer (1.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.2 apg, 0.5 a/to, 0.1 bpg, 0.2 spg, 40.5 FG%, 11.1 3s% (1 for 9), 0.1 3s/g, 68.8 FT%, 0.5 ft/g, 9.5 mpg) (All-ACC Academic Team)
Sophomores: 6-1 WG/PG Adam Smith (redshirt last season after transfer from UNC Wilmington) (2011-2012 Stats at UNCW: 13.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.0 a/to, 0.0 bpg, 0.5 spg, 37.9 FG%, 33.1 3s%, 1.9 3s/g, 81.7 FT%, 2.2 ft/g, 30.3 mpg); 6-8 PF/WF Marshall Wood (3.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 0.5 apg, 0.6 a/to, 0.4 bpg, 0.1 spg, 30.3 FG%, 23.6 3s%, 0.5 3s/g, 63.9 FT%, 0.9 ft/g, 16.4 mpg); 6-10 PF Joey van Zegeren (3.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.1 apg, 0.1 a/to, 0.7 bpg, 0.3 spg, 52.6 FG%, 45.5 FT%, 0.8 ft/g, 14.6 mpg)
Freshmen: 6-11 PF/C Trevor Thompson (ESPN: 71 Rating, 3 Star Recruit); 6-5 WG Ben Emelogu (ESPN: 70 Rating, #59 Wing Guard Prospect, 3 Star Recruit); 6-3 WG Malik Müeller (NR, from Germany) (U-18 European Championship Tournament (9 games): 8.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.0 a/to, 0.0 bpg, 0.4 spg, 34.1 FG%, 30.0 3s%, 1.0 3s/g, 71.4 FT%, 1.1 ft/g, 21.6 mpg); 6-9 C Maurice Kirby (ESPN: 67 Rating, #34 Center Prospect, 2 Star Recruit); 6-4 PG Devin Wilson (ESPN: 64 Rating, #108 Point Guard Prospect, 2 Star Recruit)
(*Explanation of RSCI and ESPN Ratings for Freshmen and Recruits Appears Below)
2014 Recruits: None
2015 Recruits: 6-2 WG Warren Craft (Prep Stars: Top 84 Recruit)
(*) RSCI (Recruiting Services Consensus Index) ranked the top 100 high school seniors in the Class of 2013 based upon an averaging of the rankings of 6 of the better recruiting experts: (1) Van Coleman; (2) ESPN; (3) Scout; (4) Rivals; (5) Prep Stars; and (6) 24/7 Sports. For prior years, these and other recruiting experts were used to rank the top 100 seniors.
(*) ESPN Recruit Ratings: 90-100 (5 stars): Player demonstrates rare abilities, should have an immediate impact in the ACC, and has the potential for early entry into the NBA Draft. 85-89 (4 stars): Player could be the centerpiece of an ACC team and a 3-4 year starter. 80-84 (4 stars): Player has potential to make a significant contribution over 4 years in the ACC. 70-79 (3 stars): Player can contribute at ACC level and would be a standout in a weaker conference. 65-69 (2 stars): Player would be a multi-year starter in a weaker conference but an ACC bench player. 60-64 (2 stars): Player would be a role player even in a lesser conference than the ACC. 50-59 (1 star): Player would be a bench player in a weaker conference than the ACC. NR: Player has not been observed and graded by ESPN recruiting experts.