March 4, 2009

By Bill Hass
theACC.com

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Coaches love players who “step up.”

Those are the guys, not necessarily stars, who deliver performances beyond their usual contributions. Just about anyone can do it for a game or two. But players who can do it for a stretch of games are truly worth noting.

Here is a glance at a few players – not all of them, by any means – in the ACC who are consistently stepping up their play with the ACC Tournament looming next week in Atlanta.

DANNY GREEN, NORTH CAROLINA: Going into tonight’s game at Virginia Tech, Green is averaging 15.2 points and 5.3 rebounds in ACC play.

In the past nine games, though, the 6-6 senior swing man is averaging 17.2 points and 5.0 rebounds. He is playing perhaps the best basketball of his career as the Tar Heels seek to nail down the ACC regular-season title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Coach Roy Williams mentioned that Green has had two or three games that weren’t particularly good this season, but conceded that happens with virtually every player on every team. He’s pleased with the way Green provides the Tar Heels with an outside shooter who can stretch the defense, an offensive rebounder and a defender who can come from the perimeter and block shots.

“This year, if you take away those two or three bad games, his decision-making has been better,” Williams said. “His assist-to-error ratio is far, far superior to what it’s ever been. That’s the one area he’s improved the most from last year to this year.

“In other aspects of the game, I think he’s gotten better each and every year. His shooting percentage is better this year than it was last year and part of that is decision-making, which shots to take.”

A.D. VASSALLO, VIRGINIA TECH: Vassallo has been a quality player for so long, it might be surprising to see his name here. But the statistics indicate he should be.

Prior to tonight’s game against North Carolina, Vassallo is averaging 19.4 points and 5.3 rebounds against ACC opponents. But in his last 10 games, the 6-6 senior has pushed his scoring to 20.3 points and 5.4 rebounds. That may not sound like much, but with the Hokies seemingly playing every game to the wire, it can be just enough.

“I think A.D. is a guy that’s continued to get better every year,” said coach Seth Greenberg. “He’s better off the dribble; he’s much more than a jump-shooter now. He can come off a ball screen, he’s an opportunistic defender, he rebounds his position, (he’s) a complete player and he’s not afraid to take and make big shots. He’s got a great feel for how to play and how to get his shot.”

Greenberg called Vassallo a “fearless offensive player” who figures if he misses a couple of shots in a row, the game owes him a couple. When Vassallo was recruited, Greenberg thought he would be a good scorer but was surprised at how competitive and tough he is.

“A.D. Vassallo has come to play almost every single night at a high level;” the coach said. “He doesn’t always play that way, but who does? I think he’s a guy that prepares himself mentally, physically and emotionally every night.”

DAVE NEAL, MARYLAND: The 6-7 senior pumped in a career-high 19 points in Tuesday night’s loss to Wake Forest, continuing his recent surge.

For the season, Neal is averaging a modest 7.2 points and 4.0 rebounds in ACC play. But in the last nine games his averages are 9.4 points and 4.6 rebounds.

Coach Gary Williams mentioned how Neal's three shoulder surgeries prevented him from showing the player he could be for three years. He’s finally healthy this season and, at 250 pounds, gives a solid inside presence to a team that’s small overall.

“He has really battled, that’s the biggest thing,” Williams said. “He usually plays against people taller than him in terms of our matchups. And he’s given us a stable person on the court that knows the offense very well, knows how to get to an open area and can play off of Greivas Vasquez when Vasquez puts it on the floor.”

Williams also appreciates the leadership shown by the Terps’ only senior.

“He shows up every day ready to go,” Williams said. “He’s not afraid to get the other guys to play hard and he’s not afraid to take big shots. His leadership is getting it done on the court.”

JIMMY GRAHAM, MIAMI: There are some players whose effectiveness can’t be measured strictly by stats, and Graham is one of those. As the Hurricanes get ready for their game at Georgia Tech tonight, Graham is averaging 2.9 points and 6.4 rebounds in ACC play.

In the last eight games, the 6-8 senior has nudged his scoring to 4.1 points and his rebounding to 6.6. When he does have a notable stat line, it’s usually in the rebounding column – 15 against North Carolina and 11 against Wake Forest.

Coach Frank Haith doesn’t care if Graham scores a point -- which he didn’t in the Hurricanes’ win over Virginia.

“He’s been our most important guy,” Haith said. “I can’t even tell you how much he’s done. He didn’t score a basket the other night but what he did in that Virginia game won us the game. He not only blocked shots but he took a charge and in the transition game he had an assist to Lance Hurdle.

“In our zone, he’s such a key guy in clogging the paint and being where he’s supposed to be. What he does in his work in the zone doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. He’s been a great defender. He’s stepped up at the end of the year and been a valuable guy.”

TRACY SMITH, NC STATE: The other players mentioned above are all seniors, but underclassmen can step up, too. The Wolfpack’s 6-7 sophomore Smith is a case in point.

On the season, heading into tonight’s home game with Boston College, Smith is averaging 10.9 points and 5.4 rebounds against ACC foes. But he’s in a seven-game stretch in which he’s averaging 15.4 points and 7.4 rebounds.

“I’m very, very pleased and very excited about Tracy’s progress,” said coach Sidney Lowe. “He’s come a long way in terms of his knowledge and understanding and that really was the adjustment he had to make; He’s playing with great confidence and he’s been solid for us. And that’s our future.”

There are two areas in particular in which Lowe sees Smith improving.

“I think he’s got to continue to improve a bit on the defensive end, in terms of understanding certain situations and what we’re doing,” Lowe said. “I want him to continue to get more aggressive offensively in terms of his movement, keep ducking in and using his body.

“He’s still not as comfortable yet using his body the way I think he can, being that big, by just bumping his way in there, just taking a position instead of just walking in there. Sometimes he’ll do it and sometimes he won’t, but we’ve got to get him to do it on a consistent basis. He’s going to continue to get better.”

Bill Hass is a long-time observer of ACC sports. His career at the Greensboro News & Record spanned 36 years, from 1969 until his retirement in March, 2006. He is now writing "Bill Hass on the ACC" for theACC.com. His weekly columns will keep fans plugged in to the Atlantic Coast Conference.

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