UVa's Gardner named All-ACC; Beekman runner-up for DPOY
In his first season with the Wahoos, forward Jayden Gardner is Virginia’s lone representative on the All-ACC men’s basketball team.
The senior forward—who was named All-AAC the past two seasons at East Carolina, including a first-team selection last year—was named to the All-ACC third team on Monday. UVa guards Reece Beekman and Kihei Clark both received All-ACC honorable mention. Beekman also earned a spot on the All-ACC Defensive team, and finished second in the league’s defensive player of the year voting.
This marks the first time since the 2010-11 season that a Virginia player wasn’t named to either the All-ACC first or second team.
Forward Kadin Shedrick received five votes for sixth man of the year, while Tony Bennett got one vote for coach of the year as the ACC released its postseason award winners on Monday morning.
Gardner ended the regular season as UVa’s top scorer and rebounder, finishing 13th in the league in points per game (15.2) and 11th in boards per game (6.9). He posted a team-high six double-doubles, and had a streak of 12 straight games with double figure points snapped with six in Saturday’s regular season finale at Louisville.
Five of Gardner’s seven 20-point games came in ACC. He finished with 29 points (most for a UVa player this season) on 14-of-18 shooting in December’s win against Fairleigh Dickinson. Gardner’s 50.3 percent field goal percentage ranks fifth in the ACC; he also ranks sixth in the league in free throw percentage (81.3 percent). His 2.5 offensive rebounds-per-game average is tied for fifth in the league.
A preseason All-ACC second team pick, Clark enters the ACC Tournament leading Virginia in minutes per game (35.5) and third on the team in scoring (10.2), free throw percentage (79.7 percent) and 3-point shooting (36.7 percent). His 51 made 3-pointers are a career high.
The 5-foot-10 senior hit six of those 3-pointers (most in a game in his career) as part of a career-best 25-point performance in a loss at home to Duke last month. He scored in double figures in half of the Hoos’ 30 games during the regular season. He’s second on the team in assists, averaging 4.3 per game, including a season-high nine in the Wahoos’ win at Duke a month ago.
Clark’s final assist in that game was on Beekman’s game-winning 3-pointer in the closing seconds at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The sophomore guard averaged 8.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, good for fourth on Virginia in both statistics. Nine of Beekman’s 11 games in double figures came in ACC play, including a career-high 20 points in a December loss at home to Clemson.
Beekman also finished the regular season second in the ACC with 4.9 assists per game, and second in the country with a 3.7 assist-to-turnover ratio. He recorded five or more assists in 17 games, including a career-high 11 in a January win against Louisville and 10 in a home win against Miami three games later.
With Beekman earning ACC All-Defensive honors, UVa has put at least one player on that team in 11 consecutive seasons. The sophomore guard led the ACC with 2.1 steals per game; he recorded five steals in a game three times, including Saturday’s win at Louisville. But statistics don’t fully capture Beekman’s effectiveness at the defensive end, with his quickness and anticipation making the guard disruptive in passing lanes and as an on-ball defender.
Beekman received 20 votes for defensive player of the year, finishing second in the voting behind Duke's Mark Williams, who received 46 votes.
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