Grant and Johnson Earn ACC Recognition
March 7, 2011
CORAL GABLES, FLA. – University of Miami junior guard Malcolm Grant has been named to the Atlantic Coast Conference Third Team and sophomore center Reggie Johnson hasearned honorable mention honors following a vote of 75 members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.
The Hurricanes have produced a first-, second-, third- or rookie team all-conference player in all seven years under head coach Frank Haith.
In his second season with Miami, Grant is among just two players to lead the ACC in as many as three different statistical categories – leading the league in three-point field goal percentage (.436), three-point field goals made (2.6) and free throw percentage (.873). Grant’s three-point percentage ranks 14th among all Division I players, while his free throw percentage is 30th.
“I’m really proud of Malcolm,” said Coach Haith. “He stayed down here over the summer and worked hard in the offseason to improve both his conditioning and his game. Malcolm has had a great year for us, and is to be commended for his efforts.”
Starting all 31 games this season, the 6-1 Brooklyn native has posted a team-high 25 double-figure scoring efforts, with seven games of 20-plus points – including a career-high 26 points in a win over West Virginia. In that game, he hit 13-of-14 free throw attempts and went 3-of-6 from long range. With 143 career threes, Grant ranks 10th in UM history, while his 82 threes this season are fifth most by a Hurricane. He has hit a three-pointer in an ACC long 18-straight games.
Johnson earns honorable mention accolades after emerging as one of the league’s best big men with 12 double-doubles this season – tied for third in the ACC and fourth most at UM since the return of the program in 1985-86. Hailing from ACC country, the 6-10, 300-pound Winston-Salem native ranks third in the conference and 27th in the nation with 9.7 rebounds per game, while his 3.6 offensive boards per game ties for tops in the league and his 6.1 defensive rebounds per game rank fifth.
“Reggie has come so far since the day he stepped foot on this campus,” said Coach Haith. “He has worked very closely with our strength & conditioning coaches to change his body from the inside out and will continue to do so. He is so strong with great hands – and is really still learning how to use his size to his advantage. Reggie is still raw, but with some more hard work, without a doubt, he will be one of the premier big men in this league.”
Johnson, who has appeared in all 31 games this season with 29 starts, is among the league’s most improved players in both scoring (+5.6 points per game) and rebounding (+5.1 rebounds per game), and has a pair of 20-point, 10-rebound games this season – including a 20-point, 14-rebound effort at NC State. He has scored in double-figures 20 times this season, including a career-high 25 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field and 9-of-12 shooting from the line in his homecoming at Wake Forest, while he grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds to go with 12 points in a win over Maryland. Johnson has recorded 10-plus boards 14 times and has led the team in rebounding in 28 games this season.
2011 ALL-ACC Teams
First Team
Nolan Smith, Duke; Jordan Williams, Maryland; Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech; Kyle Singler, Duke; Reggie Jackson, Boston College
Second Team
Tyler Zeller, North Carolina; John Henson, North Carolina; Harrison Barnes, North Carolina; Iman Shumpert, Georgia Tech; Jeff Allen, Virginia Tech
Third Team
Chris Singleton, Florida State; Demontez Stitt, Clemson; Joe Trapani, Boston College; Malcolm Grant, Miami; Kendall Marshall, North Carolina
Honorable Mention
Reggie Johnson, Miami; Tracy Smith, NC State; Jerai Grant, Clemson; Mason Plumlee, Duke; Mustapha Farrakhan, Virginia
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Harrison Barnes, North Carolina; Travis McKie, Wake Forest; Kendall Marshall, North Carolina; Terrell Stoglin, Maryland; C.J. Leslie, NC State
ALL-DEFENSIVE
John Henson, North Carolina; Chris Singleton, Florida State; Iman Shumpert, Georgia Tech; Nolan Smith, Duke; Jerai Grant, Clemson
