AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > March > 06 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USThad Young deserves better
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m not surprised by the ACC All-Rookie team, but that doesn’t mean I agree with it. I’m cool with Brandon Costner, Brandan Wright, Jon Scheyer and Javaris Crittenton, but based on what I saw in person, on TV and off statistics, I think Thad Young should have made it over Ty Lawson.
Lawson, though, plays at UNC, in the middle of the North Carolina voting bloc that sways the award (I didn’t have a vote, as the AJC does not allow writers to vote in these things any more).
Lawson played well when North Carolina went on its rush, pillaging everyone for about two or three weeks, but other than assists, where he finished second in the conference with an average of 5.25 to Crittenton’s 5.38 (that’s all players, not just freshmen), he doesn’t show up well in any statistical categories. And he was benched the other day in Atlanta by Roy Williams.
This is not just about stats. It’s about effect on teams. Take Lawson from UNC, and the Heels still win 23-24 games. There’s not a huge dropoff when Bobby Frasor runs point for North Carolina.
Take Thad Young away, and Tech’s a 16- or 17- win team right now, I think.
Did Young, who was picked by these same writers before the season to be ACC Rookie of the Year put up the numbers some folks expected? No. But Paul Hewitt would jump right in and say it was ridiculous to ascribe certain expectations to any freshman. He points out that Thad was No. 1 or No. 2 for scoring almost all season for Tech, which authored a very big turnaround from last season.
He finished the regular season No. 5 among freshmen in scoring, trailing Costner (16.1), Crittenton (16.0), Wright (14.4) and Scheyer (13.9). Thad averaged 13.1.
All stats are in ACC games only.
I could make cases for Costner or Crittenton as Rookie of the Year. Costner’s a nightmare matchup because of his size (6-8), power and ability to shoot (he finished No. 9 in the league overall in 3-pointers made with 2.00 per game; just behind Scheyer at 2.06), and he led all freshmen in both scoring and rebounding (7.4, No. 6 overall). He also hit 79.8 percent of his free throws, so hacking him wasn’t such a great idea. Scheyer and Crittenton were 1-2 among freshmen, 2-4 overall at 87.8 and 84.3 percent. They were the only freshmen with better percentages.
As I wrote the other day, Wright is gold around the basket, and he led all ACC players with a .647 field goal mark. Bad free throw shooter, but he also averaged 6.2 rebounds per ACC game. Still, Wright’s numbers were inflated because he played next to Tyler Hansbrough, who drew double teams galore and boxes out like a gorilla.
Interesting, in steals per game, Tech has three of the top four in Crittenton (2.13, No. 3 among all ACC players; Jeremis Smith, 1.63, No. 6; Young, 1.44, No. 9, and Mario West, 1.38, tie No. 10).
Comments
By gtfan4life
March 6, 2007 3:20 PM | Link to this
I’ll tell you who deserved better and that is Mario West. Mario did not make the ACC All-Defensive team, but did receive honorable mention. There is no doubt in my mind that he is one of the 5 best defenders in this conference. The only other guard that made the team that I agree with is Jamon Gordon and maybe Dowdell, but Mario West definitely deserves that honor.
By T-Bone
March 6, 2007 4:26 PM | Link to this
I watched Ty Lawson in each of Tech’s games against Carolina, and I wasn’t very impressed. Obviously, the talent is there, but he didn’t have the impact on his team that Thaddeus had on GT. I agree with gtfan4life! Mario West was robbed. There is no one who creates such havoc on the defensive end, not only as a one-on-one defender, but as a help/team defender as well. He was robbed.
By Mike
March 6, 2007 4:35 PM | Link to this
Thad has impressed me tremendously the last few weeks. When he is on the floor, and working as he has been at the end of the season, it makes Tech a better team. Period. Some nights his shots go down (UNC) and sometimes they don’t (BC) but if you simply watch this team, they are an offensive threat when he is on the floor (and moving) and they stagnate when he is on the bench.
He has developed very nicely, and that is a compliment both to him and the coaches.
By anthony Serna
March 6, 2007 4:39 PM | Link to this
Sick, not sic.
Sounds like we need a police lineup of writers. Because obviously there was a robbery.
fan4life is right, ‘Rio didn’t get ACC all-defensive. There’s no guard in the league that wants to drag him around during crunch time or mop-up time. ‘Rio is all-day, all-night, and that’s why all GT fans like him. With all those “all’s”, he still couldn’t get All-ACC.
By GT
March 6, 2007 6:06 PM | Link to this
There is an all spin team on tobacco road that has been doing this for a long time. If they have a crack of daylight between one of theirs and one on our’s theirs is going to win every time. These same guys have got the world thinking Coach K is a prince of a person when he is ordering hits at the end of basketball games. They rope in Dickie V and Billy Packard to their way of thinking and elbow any other thought away from the microphone with loud and obnoxious banner. I think DV is so excited that anyone is paying attention to the nerd that he is putty in the hands of these spin masters from Chapel Hill and Durham. The press starts taken the lead and suddenly we are on the outside looking in. Read the Tampa paper this week before the tournament. Does Tech or Virginia Tech even play in the ACC.
By TechRox
March 6, 2007 6:19 PM | Link to this
Hey Thad, just use this as locker room pep talk and kick UNC in the rear in the ACC Championship….provided the HEEL hounds can make it past Maryland.
By Jordan
March 6, 2007 6:33 PM | Link to this
GT you just sound very bitter. UNC and Duke get a lot of press for a reason. It’s called winning and like it or not they have won a lot more than your tech team has.
As far as Young getting the nod over lawson I think a strong case can be made for both players. Both players were inconsistent but I believe both are equally important to their teams. I’m not sure how Matt can say Lawson is not very important when Tech saw first hand what happens to UNC when Lawson didnt play the first 12 minutes of that game. Bottom line is that Young showed up big in some games but he was equally ineffective in many big games also.
By philgt
March 6, 2007 7:41 PM | Link to this
Jordan what are you talkin about. GT is ahead of Duke in the ACC. Also West did get robbed.
By dbo
March 6, 2007 8:09 PM | Link to this
I think he means historically and its unfortunate things are that way. Using this ACC season as evidence,UNC and Duke will not continue to dominate year in and year out like they have in the past. The league is just way too talented for that anymore. Over the next 5 years you’ll definently see the balance of power even out a lot more than its been in the past. Why do you think Coach K’s vagina got all yeasty when the ACC expanded. He knew the inevitable.
By gthoopslover
March 6, 2007 11:10 PM | Link to this
About great Tech defensive players…anybody remember a guard named Brown, can’t remember the first name. Played maybe around 89’ or 90’. I was a teenager at the time and remember being amazed at his “in your face” defense. Also, a GT great from the past is being mentioned as a candidate for the University of Evansville (Indiana) head coaching job….Craig Neal. Let’s go guys and make a run in the big dance!!!
By gt2002
March 6, 2007 11:37 PM | Link to this
Carl Brown GThoopslover. Javaris will be the MVP of the ACC tournament and the Jackets will be a 3 seed in the NCAA’s. 30-10 doesn’t sound too bad. I have two tickets to the final 4 and I think I will enjoy myself. THWG.
By WFC
March 7, 2007 5:45 AM | Link to this
I’ve been a GT fan since the days of Roger Kaiser and without a doubt, MARIO WEST is my favorite Jacket (barely beating out Mark Price.) Rio embodies what college basketball is all about. He makes things happen! I only wish that he was coming back next year to be a part of what I think will be a “top-ten” season. Go Jackets!!!
By thunderchunk
March 7, 2007 8:46 AM | Link to this
I like Tech, but I try to look at things objectively. Ty Lawson is a damn good player, and just because he had two off games against us doesn’t mean that he is more inconsistent than Thaddeus. I like Thaddeus, too, but in the twenty games that I have watched, Thaddues seemed to be on and off almost every other night. Very good, but very inconsistent. Though he will be a good talent, he IS a freshman.
Also, in my opinion, Mario West is the best single defensive player (throughout every game that he has played) that I have seen this year. Any player who wreaks the havoc that he does, especially within the last three or four games, and does not at least make the All-Defensive team for his conference is a travesty. A sham. A mockery. A travishamockery.
By scooter11
March 7, 2007 9:05 AM | Link to this
Condolences on the loss of Mike Mooney. Rivalries aside at times like this.
By GT
March 7, 2007 9:10 AM | Link to this
One thing for sure, the ACC is the best conference top to bottom in the country and this is suppose to be an off year.
By Andy
March 7, 2007 9:25 AM | Link to this
Are you kidding me? I love Tech but Thad is still all potential. He has had one great game this year (UNC). Did you see him against BC the other night. I cannot remember him hitting a shot that mattered.
By gt45
March 7, 2007 9:33 AM | Link to this
Tobacco Road definately has the silver spoon, right now. As best as I can remember, NC jumped out pretty hard on Tech for the first few minutes of that last game without Lawson, but Tech clamped down the rest of the game with him playing-and Thad. With that said, Thad needs to be more consistent, but that will come. Man, what’s up with that yeasty vagina analogy? Cool but gross!
By Matt
March 7, 2007 10:18 AM | Link to this
I can’t believe Tech is favored by 10 over Wake. They split on the season and both teams are 2-9 on the road. I think the Jackets will win, but I’d take Wake and the points.
By Techies
March 7, 2007 1:34 PM | Link to this
Any word on if Thad or Javaris will come out?
Tech should be a 10 pt favorite on a nuetral court, wake on won because it was at their home court
Mario got honorable mention because of the minutes he plays. The rest of those guys are starters and ‘rio gets 20min a game.
By TECHSTER
March 7, 2007 1:36 PM | Link to this
Tech should be 10 pt favorite on a neutral site against Wake, they are not very good.
Mario West is a part time player-hard to get first team when you don’t start or play 28+ minutes
Anyword on if Thad or Javaris plan to come out?
By ga_tech_92
March 7, 2007 1:59 PM | Link to this
Anyword on if Thad or Javaris plan to come out?
The best thing that could happen would be for them to not be asked this question over and over. Let the men focus on the task at hand today.
Carl Brown was an AWESOME defender. I think he was even given a try out by NFL teams for corner back.
Mario is the best defender I’ve seen since Carl Brown. He is the best defender in the league. If the best defender in the league isn’t good enough to make the all-defensive team, then the team is a joke in the first place. Mario plays on a team that spreads the minutes thin, it’s one of our strengths to have so many players…..it’s hardly something to be punished by keeping him off the defensive team.
Mario represents everything great about the college experience……….and…perhaps not ironically…that isn’t something the powers that be want to reward with making the team he would be the best on…and so the world continues to spin…to the ends which don’t always seem fair.
No one ever said life was fair though…or did they?