Scheyer Comes in Second to Vasquez

For Jon Scheyer, the 2009-2010 season was highlighted by his breakthrough performance. He averaged career highs in points (18.9), assists (5.2), free throw percentage (0.889) and three-point field goal percentage (0.399). He was instrumental in anchoring the nation’s best trio players in himself, Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler. Throughout the season, he led the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio. Many considered him in contention for multiple national awards, let alone the frontrunner for ACC Player of the Year.

Alas, Scheyer came up short Tuesday morning when the conference announced that Greivis Vasquez of Maryland would take home the ACC Player of the Year honors, earning 39 votes to Scheyer’s 12.

Why?

Generic Script

Both Scheyer and Vasquez are similar in most respects, except for humility, where Vasquez is reportedly at a disadvantage. They play the same position, are both prolific scorers, and led their respective teams to share the ACC regular-season championship. In addition, they were both unanimous selections to the All-ACC First Team. But what sets them apart?

Perhaps it was a mere matter of statistics. Vasquez does have the edge on points (19.2), assists (6.3) and rebounds (4.6). However, the far more likely reasoning for Vasquez’s victory may be that he managed to do more with less.

While Scheyer was one of three players on the Blue Devil squad to lead his team into the national spotlight and win the ACC Regular Season Championship, Vasquez accomplished the same with a much less talented squad.

This fact is best exemplified in the All-ACC team selections, where Duke had three players represented on the first and second All-ACC teams, whereas Maryland only had one. In addition, Duke, unlike Maryland, is represented in the ACC All-Defensive team with senior Lance Thomas garnering 17 votes.