Three Panthers Earn ACC Honors; Capel Named ACC Coach of the Year
3/6/2023 5:09:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PITTSBURGH –Head coach Jeff Capel was named ACC Coach of the Year, while Nike Sibande garnered Sixth Man of the Year and Jamarius Burton (First Team) and Blake Hinson (Second Team) earned all-conference recognition as announced on ACC Network's ACC PM show Monday evening. Capel and Sibande become Pitt's first major award winners since joining the ACC with Burton and Hinson becoming the first set of teammates to earn All-ACC accolades in the same season.
Pitt finished the regular season 21-10 overall and 14-6 in the ACC. The Panthers finished tied for third in the ACC standings after being picked 14th by the league's media in the preseason poll.
The 10-win improvement from a year ago is tied for the fourth best in program history, while the eight-game improvement in conference play is the best all-time at Pitt. Capel helped engineer the turnaround by adding three veteran transfers (Hinson, Nelly Cummings, and Greg Elliott) to a core of returnees that included Burton and Sibande. The revamped Panther roster has already set school records for three-point field goals and three-point attempts, and is also on pace to set a single-season free throw percentage record.
The Panthers have won 20 games since Nov. 20, including wins over ranked opponents North Carolina (No. 25), Virginia (No. 11), and Miami (No. 20). Pitt also has road wins over NCAA Tournament probables NC State and Northwestern. Capel received 57 of a possible 75 votes to become just the third Pitt coach to garner conference Coach of the Year honors. Jamie Dixon (2004) and Ben Howland (2002) earned Big East Coach of the Year honors during their careers in Oakland.
Burton, one of five players in the NCAA averaging better than 15.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game, while shooting 49 percent or better from the field, joins Justin Champagnie (2021) as Pitt's only First Team All-ACC selections. He has scored in double figures in 26 of 29 games played with 15 or more points 12 times in conference play. Burton currently ranks among the league leaders in scoring (15.6 ppg. – 14th), field goal percentage (493 – 9th), free throw percentage (.829 – 9th), and assists (4.3 apg. – 10th).
Hinson is the seventh Pitt player to make an All-ACC team (1st, 2nd, or 3rd). He is averaging a team-high 16.1 points per game and has scored in double figures a team-high 27 times with 15 or more points in a game on 18 occasions. The Deltona, Fla., native also leads the Panthers in 20+ points games (9), double-doubles (5), rebounds (6.3 rpg.), and three-point field goals (88). One of two players in the ACC averaging over 16.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, Hinson ranks among the ACC leaders in scoring (10th), rebounding (11th), three-point field goals (2.86 3pg. - T-2nd), three-point percentage (.380 - 3rd), and defensive rebounds (4.68 drpg. - T-10th).
Sibande returned from an ACL injury that cost him the entire 2021-22 season in tremendous fashion becoming the first Pitt player to earn an ACC individual player award. He has come off the bench to post 15 double-figure scoring games and is averaging 8.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. He has been Pitt's first sub in all 29 games he hasn't started. Sibande has scored in double figures in 10 of the past 15 games and raised his scoring average to 9.7 points per game in league play. He earned 47 of 75 votes for the award.
Federiko Federiko was left off the ACC All-Defensive Team despite ranking third in the league in blocks (1.84 bpg.) and receiving three votes for Defensive Player of the Year. He is averaging 6.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, while anchoring Pitt's ball screen defense.
Pitt opens play at the 2023 New York Life ACC Tournament Wednesday, March 8 against the winner of an opening round matchup between Florida State and Georgia Tech.
2022-23 ACC Season Awards
Player of the Year – Isaiah Wong, Miami
Defensive Player of the Year – Reece Beekman, Virginia
Rookie of the Year – Kyle Filipowski, Duke
Sixth Man of the Year – Nike Sibande, Pitt
Most Improved Player – Quinten Post, Boston College
Coach of the Year – Jeff Capel, Pitt
2022-23 All-ACC Team
First Team
Isaiah Wong, Miami, 337
Armando Bacot, North Carolina, 324
Tyree Appleby, Wake Forest, 319
Hunter Tyson, Clemson, 271
Jamarius Burton, Pitt, 262
Second Team
Kyle Filipowski, Duke, 258
Terquavion Smith, NC State, 243
Jarkel Joiner, NC State, 203
Jordan Miller, Miami, 148
Blake Hinson, Pitt, 132
Third Team
Norchad Omier, Miami, 131
PJ Hall, Clemson, 126
Kihei Clark, Virginia, 102
Jesse Edwards, Syracuse, 54
Reece Beekman, Virginia, 54
Honorable Mention
El Ellis, Louisville, 50
Grant Basile, Virginia Tech, 43
Judah Mintz, Syracuse, 40
Jeremy Roach, Duke, 35
Quinten Post, Boston College, 33
Jayden Gardner, Virginia, 31
RJ Davis, North Carolina, 26
DJ Burns Jr., NC State, 24
Caleb Love, North Carolina, 21
Notes: All-ACC Team points are determined on a 5-3-1 system (five points for first team, three points for second team, one point for third team); 75 total voters.
ACC Player of the Year
Isaiah Wong, Miami, 30 votes
Tyree Appleby, Wake Forest, 23
Armando Bacot, North Carolina, 9
Hunter Tyson, Clemson, 4
Kyle Filipowski, Duke, 3
Jamarius Burton, Pitt, 3
Jarkel Joiner, NC State, 2
Jeremy Roach, Duke, 1
ACC Rookie of the Year
Kyle Filipowski, Duke, 68 votes
Judah Mintz, Syracuse, 7
All-Defensive Team
Reece Beekman, Virginia, 63 votes
Jesse Edwards, Syracuse, 56
Leaky Black, North Carolina, 55
Dereck Lively II, Duke, 45
Kihei Clark, Virginia, 26
All-Freshman Team
Kyle Filipowski, Duke, 75 votes
Judah Mintz, Syracuse, 72
Tyrese Proctor, Duke, 51
JJ Starling, Notre Dame, 39
Dereck Lively II, Duke, 39
ACC Coach of the Year
Jeff Capel, Pitt, 57 votes
Jim Larrañaga, Miami, 8
Brad Brownell, Clemson, 6
Kevin Keatts, NC State, 2
Tony Bennett, Virginia, 2
ACC Defensive Player of the Year
Reece Beekman, Virginia, 29 votes
Leaky Black, North Carolina, 18
Jesse Edwards, Syracuse, 13
Dereck Lively II, Duke, 6
Federiko Federiko, Pitt, 3
Ja'von Franklin, Georgia Tech, 3
Justyn Mutts, Virginia Tech, 2
Norchad Omier, Miami, 1
ACC Most Improved Player
Quinten Post, Boston College, 23 votes
Sean Pedulla, Virginia Tech, 14
Jordan Miller, Miami, 14
Chase Hunter, Clemson, 10
Cameron Hildreth, Wake Forest, 3
Casey Morsell, NC State, 3
Wooga Poplar, Miami, 3
Jesse Edwards, Syracuse, 2
JJ Traynor, Louisville, 1
Federiko Federiko, Pitt, 1
Jeremy Roach, Duke, 1
ACC Sixth Man of the Year
Nike Sibande, Pitt, 47 votes
Ben Vander Plas, Virginia, 8
Ryan Young, Duke, 7
Dariq Whitehead, Duke, 6
Bensley Joseph, Miami, 3
Deivon Smith, Georgia Tech, 2
Devin McGlockton, Boston College, 2
Pitt finished the regular season 21-10 overall and 14-6 in the ACC. The Panthers finished tied for third in the ACC standings after being picked 14th by the league's media in the preseason poll.
The 10-win improvement from a year ago is tied for the fourth best in program history, while the eight-game improvement in conference play is the best all-time at Pitt. Capel helped engineer the turnaround by adding three veteran transfers (Hinson, Nelly Cummings, and Greg Elliott) to a core of returnees that included Burton and Sibande. The revamped Panther roster has already set school records for three-point field goals and three-point attempts, and is also on pace to set a single-season free throw percentage record.
The Panthers have won 20 games since Nov. 20, including wins over ranked opponents North Carolina (No. 25), Virginia (No. 11), and Miami (No. 20). Pitt also has road wins over NCAA Tournament probables NC State and Northwestern. Capel received 57 of a possible 75 votes to become just the third Pitt coach to garner conference Coach of the Year honors. Jamie Dixon (2004) and Ben Howland (2002) earned Big East Coach of the Year honors during their careers in Oakland.
Burton, one of five players in the NCAA averaging better than 15.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game, while shooting 49 percent or better from the field, joins Justin Champagnie (2021) as Pitt's only First Team All-ACC selections. He has scored in double figures in 26 of 29 games played with 15 or more points 12 times in conference play. Burton currently ranks among the league leaders in scoring (15.6 ppg. – 14th), field goal percentage (493 – 9th), free throw percentage (.829 – 9th), and assists (4.3 apg. – 10th).
Hinson is the seventh Pitt player to make an All-ACC team (1st, 2nd, or 3rd). He is averaging a team-high 16.1 points per game and has scored in double figures a team-high 27 times with 15 or more points in a game on 18 occasions. The Deltona, Fla., native also leads the Panthers in 20+ points games (9), double-doubles (5), rebounds (6.3 rpg.), and three-point field goals (88). One of two players in the ACC averaging over 16.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, Hinson ranks among the ACC leaders in scoring (10th), rebounding (11th), three-point field goals (2.86 3pg. - T-2nd), three-point percentage (.380 - 3rd), and defensive rebounds (4.68 drpg. - T-10th).
Sibande returned from an ACL injury that cost him the entire 2021-22 season in tremendous fashion becoming the first Pitt player to earn an ACC individual player award. He has come off the bench to post 15 double-figure scoring games and is averaging 8.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. He has been Pitt's first sub in all 29 games he hasn't started. Sibande has scored in double figures in 10 of the past 15 games and raised his scoring average to 9.7 points per game in league play. He earned 47 of 75 votes for the award.
Federiko Federiko was left off the ACC All-Defensive Team despite ranking third in the league in blocks (1.84 bpg.) and receiving three votes for Defensive Player of the Year. He is averaging 6.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, while anchoring Pitt's ball screen defense.
Pitt opens play at the 2023 New York Life ACC Tournament Wednesday, March 8 against the winner of an opening round matchup between Florida State and Georgia Tech.
2022-23 ACC Season Awards
Player of the Year – Isaiah Wong, Miami
Defensive Player of the Year – Reece Beekman, Virginia
Rookie of the Year – Kyle Filipowski, Duke
Sixth Man of the Year – Nike Sibande, Pitt
Most Improved Player – Quinten Post, Boston College
Coach of the Year – Jeff Capel, Pitt
2022-23 All-ACC Team
First Team
Isaiah Wong, Miami, 337
Armando Bacot, North Carolina, 324
Tyree Appleby, Wake Forest, 319
Hunter Tyson, Clemson, 271
Jamarius Burton, Pitt, 262
Second Team
Kyle Filipowski, Duke, 258
Terquavion Smith, NC State, 243
Jarkel Joiner, NC State, 203
Jordan Miller, Miami, 148
Blake Hinson, Pitt, 132
Third Team
Norchad Omier, Miami, 131
PJ Hall, Clemson, 126
Kihei Clark, Virginia, 102
Jesse Edwards, Syracuse, 54
Reece Beekman, Virginia, 54
Honorable Mention
El Ellis, Louisville, 50
Grant Basile, Virginia Tech, 43
Judah Mintz, Syracuse, 40
Jeremy Roach, Duke, 35
Quinten Post, Boston College, 33
Jayden Gardner, Virginia, 31
RJ Davis, North Carolina, 26
DJ Burns Jr., NC State, 24
Caleb Love, North Carolina, 21
Notes: All-ACC Team points are determined on a 5-3-1 system (five points for first team, three points for second team, one point for third team); 75 total voters.
ACC Player of the Year
Isaiah Wong, Miami, 30 votes
Tyree Appleby, Wake Forest, 23
Armando Bacot, North Carolina, 9
Hunter Tyson, Clemson, 4
Kyle Filipowski, Duke, 3
Jamarius Burton, Pitt, 3
Jarkel Joiner, NC State, 2
Jeremy Roach, Duke, 1
ACC Rookie of the Year
Kyle Filipowski, Duke, 68 votes
Judah Mintz, Syracuse, 7
All-Defensive Team
Reece Beekman, Virginia, 63 votes
Jesse Edwards, Syracuse, 56
Leaky Black, North Carolina, 55
Dereck Lively II, Duke, 45
Kihei Clark, Virginia, 26
All-Freshman Team
Kyle Filipowski, Duke, 75 votes
Judah Mintz, Syracuse, 72
Tyrese Proctor, Duke, 51
JJ Starling, Notre Dame, 39
Dereck Lively II, Duke, 39
ACC Coach of the Year
Jeff Capel, Pitt, 57 votes
Jim Larrañaga, Miami, 8
Brad Brownell, Clemson, 6
Kevin Keatts, NC State, 2
Tony Bennett, Virginia, 2
ACC Defensive Player of the Year
Reece Beekman, Virginia, 29 votes
Leaky Black, North Carolina, 18
Jesse Edwards, Syracuse, 13
Dereck Lively II, Duke, 6
Federiko Federiko, Pitt, 3
Ja'von Franklin, Georgia Tech, 3
Justyn Mutts, Virginia Tech, 2
Norchad Omier, Miami, 1
ACC Most Improved Player
Quinten Post, Boston College, 23 votes
Sean Pedulla, Virginia Tech, 14
Jordan Miller, Miami, 14
Chase Hunter, Clemson, 10
Cameron Hildreth, Wake Forest, 3
Casey Morsell, NC State, 3
Wooga Poplar, Miami, 3
Jesse Edwards, Syracuse, 2
JJ Traynor, Louisville, 1
Federiko Federiko, Pitt, 1
Jeremy Roach, Duke, 1
ACC Sixth Man of the Year
Nike Sibande, Pitt, 47 votes
Ben Vander Plas, Virginia, 8
Ryan Young, Duke, 7
Dariq Whitehead, Duke, 6
Bensley Joseph, Miami, 3
Deivon Smith, Georgia Tech, 2
Devin McGlockton, Boston College, 2
Players Mentioned
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