ESPN.com - NCB - Feedback: Rewarding the ACC's best

The early ecstasy of March Madness always energizes the college basketball world. But it also overshadows the end of the regular season and the individual accomplishments of the players and coaches.

Not here. Not at ESPN.com. Here's your choices for the ACC Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and Game of the Year:

All-around game is his Forte
Joseph Forte is clearly the best player in the ACC. Whenever UNC is in a slump or need a big basket, he penetrates and drains that mid-range jumper everytime. Not to mention the fact that he hits clutch free throws at the end of games – unlike Duke players.

Michael Hegarty
Alpharetta, Ga.

Joseph Forte has been the go-to guy for North Carolina and that has meant the difference in many close games. He has the ability to take over games that many other great players like Shane Battier and Jason Williams don't have. He gets my vote hands down.

Kevin K
Cambridge, Mass.

UNC was not thought of as a serious contender this year, especially after their rocky start. Forte's scoring, passing and defensive ability have led the Heels to the top of the ACC.

Tony
Maryland

Player of the Year debate
Player	Stats	Record
Forte	21.8 PPG, 3.6 APG	22-4
Battier	19.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG	25-3
Williams	21.0 PPG, 6.4 APG	25-3
Stats and records through Feb. 27

Battier for President
The Player of the Year should represent all facets of a student-athelete. I believe Shane Battier represents that positive role model that we strive to find as adults. Our children need more positive role models like Mr. Battier. As parents and educators he's an easy pick for Player of the Year.

Richard Merritt
Opelousas, La.

When it comes to defense, there is nobody in the country that is better than Battier. He blocks shots, gets rebounds, makes steals and takes the charge to perfection. He has the ability to do all the little things necessary to help his team win, and he's a great leader, which easily makes him the ACC Player of the Year.

Kevin O'Hara
Clayton, N.J.

Battier has been the most consistent player offensively and defensively on an incredibly well-balanced and well-disciplined team. He also has provided great leadership and passion that is needed to sustain a team throughout the season.

Chris Haddad
West Hartford, Conn.

Mr. Clutch: Jason Williams
It would be hard to give it to anyone but Jason Williams. Battier is good, but he is a role player when Williams is on the floor. When Williams checks out of the game, Duke is not a top 10 team.

Eric Anderson
Charlottesville, Va.

He's been dominant in every facet of the game. Against Maryland, he almost singlehandedly brought them back after 39 horrific minutes.

Paul Guttman
Washington, D.C.

Don't forget Solomon
Will Solomon plays for a team that doesn't YET include any other top-shelf threats; therefore, the other teams in the league with a host of Micky D's All-Americans can gang up on him. Will still makes plays, controls the orange end of the game, and comes out as the biggest offensive producer of the league.

Keith Conn
Atlanta, Ga.

Hewitt works his magic
From conference joke the past two years to national giant-killer this season, Paul Hewitt has done an outstanding job making the players believe in his boot camp style conditioning program, and the dividends will be paid in March!

Reggie Ross
Atlanta, Ga.

No team has risen as high, as fast, with as little expectation and talent as Georgia Tech. If a team does not make the NIT one year, loses their best player to the NBA, and then gets an invite to the NCAA's, like Tech will, then that is a remarkable comeback.

Cory Hutchison
Atlanta, Ga.

Gillen: The easy choice
Naming anyone else besides Pete Gillen Coach of the Year would be an embarassment. UVa may not have the most natural talent or size, yet they are a top ten team. Most of this has to do with Gillen's ability to utilize what talent he is blessed with. UVa was hopeless three years ago. Now we have as good a chance as anybody to win it all.

Ivy Collins
Charlottesville, Va.

Doherty inherited a team with upperclass McDonald's All-Americans. Coach K runs a recruiting factory. Even Georgia Tech has 4 senior regulars. Virginia has one senior and no McDonald's All-Americans. This is the best coaching job in the conference.

David Ferretti
Charleston, W. Va.

Coach K does it again
Not only can he recruit some of the best players in the country, he teaches them how to play together and how to play with class and respect.

Matt Franzoni
Gorham, ME

Doherty impresses
Matt Doherty brought the Tar Heels back to the top with his own style of coaching and emotional fire, proving the the fourth choice for the job might have been the best one. No one thought they would actually pull off a win in Cameron.

Chris Nelson
Durham, N.C.

Instant classic: Duke-UNC
Duke and UNC at Cameron. Everything you needed for a classic: the best atmosphere, the best rivalry, a matchup of the the three best players in the country, the new guard vs the old guard (in coaching only), a very close game and an upset to boot.

Derrick Swing
Asheville, N.C.

It was the two best teams in conference. It had huge build up and delivered in every way. Duke was supposed to win according to almost everyone, but UNC pulled it out. It was a five-star game and was as exciting a game as I've seen in many years. It also was the game where UNC took over as the elite in the ACC. There could be a game yet to be played that is better, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Scott Harmon
Greensboro, N.C.

The Duke-Carolina game has been the Game of the Year. These players seem to know how important this game is to them and the impact it has on the crowd. The game itself went down to the wire and was a thriller to the last second.

Jason Tomlinson
Eugene, Ore.

Instant classic: Part II
Duke vs. Maryland. I never saw anything like it before. Jason Williams simply took over the game. It was a fun game to watch and one that I will remember.

Todd Rygelski
Stockdale, Pa.

Duke-Maryland. You have to hand it to Duke for hanging tough when probably 99.99 percent of the other teams would have been licking their wounds and calling it quits.

Harold Andrews
Spelter, W. Va.

Although I'm a Maryland fan, I'm going to have to say that the Maryland-Duke game was the Game of the Year. That game epitomizes the ACC at its best. Maryland dominated for 39 minutes, usually that wins basketball games, but against ACC teams, you have to play a complete 40-minute game.

Trey
Springfield, Va.

Anyone for Cavs-Devils?
Easily Virginia-Duke. This game was played at a very high intensity and at a higher level than any other game I witnessed this year. The finish didn't hurt either.

Jeremy East
Greensboro, N.C.

As one of the campers who slept outside in the freezing cold to see this game, it couldn't have been more worth it. The game had big shots, big players and, best of all, an unforgettable outcome.

Brian Johnson
Charlottesville, Va.

Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories