Wow! That’s about all you can say. The Baby/Cardiac Hokies scratched and clawed and bumped their way to a 5-3 record in the first half of the ACC schedule. This included a buzzer-beater loss, a buzzer-beater miss for a win, and three overtime games, all VT victories. As I’ve said a few times, I predicted Tech would only win 5 or 6 games all told in ACC play. Glad I’m not very smart.

FIRST HALF REPORT CARDS (all data is for ACC games ONLY):

• Overall (A+) There, happy now, Wick?  Seriously, though, this team, picked to finish 10th in the ACC before the season, has surpassed everyone’s expectations.  Who would have thought that if the season ended today, Tech would have a first round bye for the third time in four seasons?  I sure didn’t, especially when they were 9-6 entering the meat of the ACC schedule.
• Greenberg (A+) I think what he has done so far this season is even better than what he did three years ago in Tech’s first ACC season.  That team was in its second year together.  This team is in their first, yet they have the same record at the midway point.  And Greenberg was ACC Coach of the Year that year.  Is #2 on its way?
• Offense (D+) Tech is shooting just 41% from the field and an awful 27% on threes in ACC play. Half court offense is stagnant as halves go on, and Tech isn’t running enough. This team is athletic and does well in transition when they force it or get run-outs off turnovers. Also, VT has struggled with zones and need to do a better job of attacking zones with the dribble, then reversing the ball, or feeding the high post. Positives: the Hokies have made 45 more free throws than their opponents. Also, they are dominating teams on the boards. Tech is averaging four more offensive boards per game than their opponents.
• Defense (A) The Hokies are the best defensive team in the ACC. They are like a python, trying to grab on to you and squeeze you to death in the half court set. The only downer has been three-point defense. Opposing teams are shooting 37% on threes — Rice, Causey, Rich, and singletary have burned the Hokies from deep. Part of this is because Tech really collapses inside and forces you to beat them from deep. And because Tech falls back inside, they are winning the battle of the boards on defense. So giving up threes is a necessary evil — just have to hope someone doesn’t get too hot.
• A.D. Vassallo (A-) He is the Hokies’ leading scorer, and he’s third in rebounds in ACC action. A.D. has been Tech’s only consistent threat from the outside. In fact, he has more threes than the rest of the team combined. He needs to improve on FTs and turnovers though — he has a 1:4 assist to turnover ratio and is shooting just 63% from the line. Also, he’s much better at home than the road, hitting 12/23 threes at home, but just 7/27 away.
• Malcolm Delaney (B+) Malcolm is getting more and more comfortable on the offensive end. He is averaging over 10 points per game. Also, he is finding his stroke – 39% on threes and 91% on free throws. But he’s fouled out of three games, and he’s had four fouls in two others. He needs to stop hand-checking and reaching so much, and start moving his feet better on defense.
• J.T. Thompson (B+) He’d be an A+ if he had played more early on. In Tech’s first four ACC games, he played just 28 minutes combined. In the last four, he’s averaged 28 minutes per game along with 11 points and 8 rebounds. He is a high energy guy that adds a spark. J.T. is great at adjusting in mid-air and scoring near the rim.
• Deron Washington (B) Deron is still Deron. He makes a highlight dunk every game. He flops on the floor 4-6 times, drawing a couple of charges. But he hasn’t stepped up and been the offensive go-to-guy. That’s A.D. Deron is in a horrible shooting slump, having missed 13 straight threes. He’s shooting just 28% from the field and 11% on threes. The upside is he is getting to the line a lot and is leading the Hokies in rebounds with 9 per game, including two straight double-doubles. And he is Tech’s unquestioned leader. His energy spills over to everyone else. When Tech has to have a play (like at the end of both uva games), he’s the one that wants the ball.
• Jeff Allen (B) I would likely have him at an ‘A’ if he hadn’t gotten suspended for two games. And since then, he’s looked a bit lost. But he still is Tech’s best low post player, by far. He’s averaging 13 points, 7 boards, and 2 steals, similar to his overall numbers. He’s Mr. Consistent. You know what you are getting from him every night.
• Cheick Diakite (B) Cheick is the ultimate team player. He makes the most of his opportunities. This past week, he only played 10 minutes total since VT was facing guard heavy lineups. But in the games he plays, he gives 100%, blocking shots and hitting the boards hard.
• Hank Thorns (B-) This grade would have been a C a few weeks ago but Hank has really stepped up of late. He has been Tech’s best guard on defense, shutting down bc’s Rice and uva’s singletary for stretches. Also, he’s been Tech’s main free throw shooter down the stretch to save wins against bc, fsu, and uva, hitting 15/22. He had 9 points in OT against bc and is Tech’s leader in assists.
• Terrell Bell (C+) Like Cheick, he does what he’s asked – which is to play about 10 minutes per game and be a defensive stopper. He’s embraced that role and used his rangy frame to his advantage. Just needs to be more assertive on offense.
• Lewis Witcher (D+) Don’t let the uva game bias you. Lewis was great in it – 10 points and four offensive rebounds in just 15 minutes. But he only had 6 points combined in the other seven ACC games. Needs to bottle that intensity he had against uva and douse himself with it before every game. Has talent, just needs the energy a Thompson or Bell has.
• Dorenzo Hudson (D) Has lost all confidence, and is now losing minutes. Had 13 points at wake and hit two big threes at georgia tech. Since then, he has not scored and is 0/7 from the field in the last four games. Needs to attack the rim. He’s a good penetrator. Get an easy bucket and maybe his confidence will go up and help his outside shot.

SECOND HALF PREVIEW

On Tuesday, the second half begins, which has not been kind to the Hokies in the past. The Hokies travel to Tobacco Road, specifically Raleigh, to take on the nc state wolfpack who have owed VT in basketball. The pack swept all three games last year and have won five of six against VT in ACC play, including five straight. But this year’s team has broken some trends – namely struggling against bc, fsu, and uva. This year’s Hokie team is 4-0 against those schools, reversing the 4-11 record VT had against those teams in the three previous seasons.

The Hokies are done with duke, uva, and fsu. They play the other eight teams once, with the unc game being at chapel hill. In my opinion, that’s a good thing since it burns a road game (Tech has four at home and on the road left) and since Tech likely wouldn’t beat them even in the Cassell. Home games left include miami this Saturday, georgia tech on Saturday the 23rd, and two Tuesday games – bc on the 26th and wake on March 4th.

Road games left are at nc state Tuesday, at unc on Saturday the 16th, at maryland on the 20th, and at clemson on Sunday, March 9th to finish the regular season.

The Hokies have not done well in the second half of the ACC season in any of the past three years. But again, this is a new Hokie team. Here’s a look at how Tech has done in the first versus the second half in ACC play:

My reasoning for this is simple: the Hokies overachieved in the first half in three of those four seasons. The reason for the drop off in the second part is that teams adjusted to the physical Hokie defense. Tech does not play the up-tempo style of play that most of the other ACC schools use. And when VT is able to force other teams to deal with their strangling defense, it favors the Hokies. In match-ups later in the season, opponents are better adjusted to attack the Hokies.

Also, luck can’t be discounted. The Hokies won three games in overtime and another on a miss at the buzzer by maryland this season. Similarly, Tech beat clemson, georgia tech, and nc state by just four points combined in 2004-05. Last year, the Hokies beat duke and maryland in OT. All those games were in the first half.

In the second halves of seasons, the bounces didn’t go the Hokies’ way and they lost some heartbreakers to clemson and bc. Tech is very good in close games, but they have been blown out a lot more in second halves. VT is just 7-13 in games decided by 10 or more in ACC play and 20-16 in games decided by single digits.

Let’s see if this team can break another trend and have a strong second half. But I’m done making predictions of this team!

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