Keeping It Heel
Fansided

ACC Basketball: Ranking the top 5 backcourts in the conference

By Alec Lasley

Mar 12, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard London Perrantes (32) shoots the ball over North Carolina Tar Heels guard Joel Berry II (2) in the second half during the championship game of the ACC conference tournament at Verizon Center. The Tar Heels won 61-57. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard London Perrantes (32) shoots the ball over North Carolina Tar Heels guard Joel Berry II (2) in the second half during the championship game of the ACC conference tournament at Verizon Center. The Tar Heels won 61-57. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 6
Next

No. 1: Duke Blue Devils

Mar 19, 2016; Providence, RI, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Grayson Allen (3) reacts after scoring against the Yale Bulldogs during the first half of a second round game of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Dunkin Donuts Center. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 19, 2016; Providence, RI, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Grayson Allen (3) reacts after scoring against the Yale Bulldogs during the first half of a second round game of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Dunkin Donuts Center. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /

Here comes preseason ranked #1 team in the country. Although Duke has been hit with the injury bug this preseason (Giles, Tatum, Bolden), none of those three affect the backcourt of the Blue Devils.

Surprisingly, a projected first round draft pick, Grayson Allen decided to return to school for his junior year. Averaging 21.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg and 3.5 apg last year, Allen comes back named preseason ACC Player of the Year.

Duke also returns junior guard Matt Jones and sophomore guard Luke Kennard. Both lethal three point shooters, the Blue Devils will rely heavily on these two to score the ball early on with no timetable to return for Giles and Bolden.

Kennard was third on the team last year in scoring (11.8 ppg), while Matt Jones was fifth (10.4 ppg).

That returning backcourt adds an All-American combo guard in Frank Jackson. Jackson averaged 28.1 ppg 6.4 rpg and 3.0 apg his senior year of high school.

Not only was he a top 10 scorer in Utah high school history, he became the first McDonalds All-American from Utah since 2000.

He looks to hold the keys to the car and is projected to start at point guard for the Blue Devils.

Home/UNC Basketball