North Carolina State University Athletics
Grundy Named First Team All-ACC
3/4/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 4, 2002
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Anthony Grundy, NC State's leader in scoring, rebounding, steals and assists this season, has been named to the Associated Press All-ACC men's basketball team, announced on Monday.
Jason Williams and Juan Dixon were unanimous selections to the team, while Duke became the first school in league history to place three players on the squad.
Williams, Duke's All-American guard, and Dixon, Maryland's top scorer and one of the best defensive players in the nation, received all 84 first-place votes cast by members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Writers Association for 252 points. Williams was joined on the first team by teammates Mike Dunleavy and Carlos Boozer.
The Blue Devils placed two players on the first team each of the last four seasons during their record-setting Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title runs. However, no school in the 49-year history of the league had placed three players on the top team prior to Monday.
Each has first-team credentials.
Grundy is the Wolfpack's first all-ACC first-team pick since Todd Fuller in 1996. The 6-foot-3 guard helped his team to a tie for third place in the ACC by averaging 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.62 assists and 2.21 steals a game.
"Anthony's selection is a well deserved tribute and recognition for his outstanding, career-best season," N.C. State coach Herb Sendek said Monday. "He has displayed marked improvement over the course of his career, culminating with a consistent level of excellence this season."
Said Grundy: "Obviously, this is a great honor and I'm very excited about it. But any success that I've had this season has come because of my great teammates, my coaching staff and the other people who support us. There have been many people who have been behind me and supported me through my career and I want them to know that this award is their's as much as mine."
The 6-foot-2 Williams leads the ACC in scoring at 21.9 points a game heading into this week's ACC tournament in Charlotte. He is also third in the league in 3-point field goal percentage, fifth in steals and sixth in assists.
Williams' 1,968 career points rank third all-time in the ACC among juniors. Only Antawn Jamison of North Carolina (1,974) and Dennis Scott of Georgia Tech (2,115) have better scoring numbers through three seasons.
The 6-9 Dunleavy, arguably the most versatile player in college hoops, was three votes shy of unanimous. The junior is tied for fifth in the ACC in scoring (17.7), is tied for second in steals (2.41) and is fifth in 3-point shooting (37.5 percent).
The 6-9 Boozer has had a remarkable ACC season, going 110-for-156 from the field in 16 league games for 70.5 percent. He has made 56 of his last 67 shots to place fourth in the ACC in scoring (18.4). Boozer is also third in rebounding (8.7).
The 6-3 Dixon becomes the 23rd player in ACC history to be named to the first team three times and just the second Maryland player to accomplish the feat. John Lucas did it in 1974-76. The first unanimous pick from Maryland since the late Len Bias in 1986 is averaging 19.5 points, an ACC-leading 2.79 steals and an ACC-best 90.8 percent from the foul line heading into postseason play.
Dixon, a senior, has also scored in double figures in 46 straight games in leading the Terrapins to their first outright ACC regular-season crown in 22 years.
"Juan is valuable in a lot of ways," Maryland coach Gary Williams said. "He gives you that veteran player as a senior who has been through everything."
Dixon, Dunleavy and Grundy were also named to the ACC's all-defensive team.
Lonny Baxter of Maryland was the top vote-getter on the second team. He was joined on that squad by Darius Songaila of Wake Forest, Virginia's Roger Mason Jr. and Travis Watson, and Georgia Tech senior point guard Tony Akins.
Watson leads the ACC in double-doubles with 16, including 10 in league play.
Steve Blake of Maryland, the top assist man in the league, and Josh Howard of Wake Forest head the third team. Edward Scott of Clemson, Chris Wilcox of Maryland and Jason Capel of North Carolina also were named.
It was the first time since 1990 that North Carolina did not place a player on the first or second teams.
The only team to be closed out in the all-ACC picks was Florida State. Monte Cummings of the Seminoles was the top vote-getter of those selected honorable mention.
First Team
(Player, Team - PTS)
Jason Williams, Duke (84) - 252
Juan Dixon, Maryland (84) - 252
Mike Dunleavy, Duke (81) - 249
Anthony Grundy, N.C. State (57) - 220
Carlos Boozer, Duke (44) - 211
Second Team
Lonny Baxter, Maryland (34) - 199
Darius Songaila, Wake Forest (20) - 185
Roger Mason Jr., Virginia (6) - 147
Tony Akins, Georgia Tech (4) - 141
Travis Watson, Virginia (3) - 128
Third Team
Josh Howard, Wake Forest (1) - 99
Steve Blake, Maryland (1) - 99
Edward Scott, Clemson - 59
Chris Wilcox, Maryland (1) - 55
Jason Capel, North Carolina - 39
Honorable Mention (10 or more points): Monte Cummings, Florida St. (38), Chris Duhon, Duke (37), Delvon Arrington, Florida St. (18), Kris Lang, North Carolina (18), Dahntay Jones, Duke (16), Byron Mouton, Maryland (12), Craig Dawson, Wake Forest (10).
