The Virginia basketball team claimed a share of the ACC Regular Season Championship with a 15-5 league record, but with many statistics balanced across its roster, it can make for tricky voting when it comes to postseason recognition.
The Hoos’ three leading scorers were within 1.5 points of each other and all in double figures. The three leading rebounders were just 1.3 boards apart. Five different players had at least 23 steals and the two assists leaders were separated by just 19 total helpers. Perhaps, that shared wealth led to some split votes when it came to All-ACC recognition as UVA produced three different honorees, but no one on the first or second team Monday. The All-ACC teams are picked by 75 voters on a 5-3-1 points system (5 points for first team, 3 points for second team, and 1 point for third team).
Reece Beekman, Kihei Clark and Jayden Gardner each earned All-ACC honors in the voting. Both Beekman and Clark landed on the third team, while Gardner was an honorable mention selection.
Beekman received 54 points to make the All-ACC third team list. He ranked third in the ACC at 5.3 assists per game and 1.6 steals per game. He led the ACC and was second nationally with a 3.68 assist to turnover ratio. Clark received 102 points to make the All-ACC third team for the second time in his career. He ranked second in the ACC in assists at 5.7 per game and assist to turnover ratio at 2.9, while averaging 11.1 points.
Gardner received recognition for the second straight season. After being on the third team last season, he got the honorable mention nod this time around. He averaged 11.8 points and 5.5 rebounds. He scored in double figures in 10 of the last 13 games.
The ACC selections for first team were Miami’s Isaiah Wong, UNC’s Armando Bacot, Wake Forest’s Tyree Appleby, Clemson’s Hunter Tyson, and Pittsburgh’s Jamarius Burton. ACC second team honorees were Duke’s Kyle Filipowski, NC State’s Terquavion Smith and Jarkel Joiner, Miami’s Jordan Miller, and Pitt’s Blake Hinson . Other third team picks were Miami’s Norchad Omier, Clemson’s PJ Hall, and Syracuse’s Jesse Edwards.
The remaining honorable mention players were Louisville’s El Ellis, Virginia Tech’s Grant Basile, Syracuse’s Judah Mintz, Duke’s Jeremy Roach, Boston College’s Quinten Post, UNC’s RJ Davis and Caleb Love, and NC State’s DJ Burns Jr.
While the Hoos had no one on the first or second team overall, they did place two players on the All-ACC Defensive Team. Beekman led the votes there, while Clark was also among the five selections. Beekman also won the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award. Tony Bennett had 2 votes for ACC Coach of the Year, while Ben Vander Plas received 8 votes for ACC Sixth Man of the Year.
The ACC Tournament (schedule here) begins on Thursday for Virginia, which will take on the advancing team among Boston College, Louisville, and North Carolina.
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