Georgia Tech center Ben Lammers is a candidate for ACC defensive player of the year, and with reason. He is the backbone of a defense that went into its game Saturday at Syracuse rated fifth in the country by KenPom, was third nationally in blocks per game (3.4) and fourth in defensive rebounds per game in the ACC (6.2).
Notre Dame coach Mike Brey called him the best rim protector in the ACC. Boston College coach Jim Christian praised his help defense, saying that he wasn't sure if there was another player in the league who dictated the terms of the game at both ends of the floor more than Lammers. After Friday's games, the Yellow Jackets ranked 14th nationally, and first in the ACC, in two-point field-goal defense (43.4 percent), according to teamrankings.com, in no small part because of Lammers' influence in the paint.
“He takes away everything at the front of the rim,” Christian said.
So, perhaps not surprisingly, Lammers received the full endorsement of Tech coach Josh Pastner for the award.
“I do believe he should be defensive player of the year,” Pastner said Friday. “I think he’s earned that right to be defensive player of the year.”
One word to describe Tech’s defense? Elite
He would be the first Tech player to earn the honor, first awarded at the end of the 2004-05 season. Other candidates include Florida State guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes, N.C. State guard Dennis Smith, Miami forward Kamari Murphy and Virginia forward Isaiah Wilkins.
Lammers also is a strong candidate to win most improved player, as well as a place on the All-ACC first team. As a backup last season, he averaged 3.6 points and 4.0 rebounds and went into Saturday’s game against Syracuse at 14.8 points per game and 9.2 rebounds with 13 double-doubles.
Lammers would also be Tech’s first to win most improved player (introduced in the 2013-14 season) and the first Jacket to make All-ACC first team since Alvin Jones in 2001. He would seem a lock to be Tech’s first all-defensive team member since Daniel Miller in 2014. Other most improved player candidates include Wake Forest forward John Collins, Notre Dame guard Matt Farrell and Duke guard Luke Kennard.
Ben Lammers balances mechanical engineering, basketball
The ACC will announce all of its award winners — All-ACC, all-defensive, all-freshman, coach of the year, player of the year, defensive player of the year, most improved, sixth man of the year and freshman of the year — at 4 p.m. Sunday.
Besides Lammers, Pastner is a strong candidate to be named coach of the year, having taken a team picked 14th in the ACC to the brink of NCAA tournament consideration. The last coach from Tech to win it was Paul Hewitt in 2001. Bobby Cremins won it three times before Hewitt.
Guard Josh Okogie, a four-time ACC rookie of the week, figures to make the all-freshman team and should get votes for All-ACC. Freshman of the year would seem headed for N.C. State’s Smith (sixth in scoring in the ACC, first in assists). Guard Tadric Jackson (11.7 points per game, six 20-point games) is a candidate for sixth man of the year.
The honors are being voted by a panel of coaches, team radio broadcasters and media, a group of four per school. This is the first year that this format will be used. Previously, media had voted separately for conference honors and coaches began voting for their own award winners in the 2012-13 team.
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