In short bursts this season, Virginia Tech’s Ben Hammond has shown potential to be a rare point guard who can control games at both ends of the floor with his quickness and the force of his will.
Saturday in an overtime victory against Syracuse, it all came together for the freshman as he posted career highs in points (21) and rebounds (seven) while adding seven assists.
Hammond will try to build on his breakout performance when Virginia Tech (13-16, 8-10 ACC) hosts North Carolina (19-11, 12-6) on Tuesday night in Blacksburg, Va.
When Virginia Tech coach Mike Young was asked about Hammond and another freshman, Tyler Johnson, he provided one of his typically expansive answers.
“They’re about to drive me to an early grave. But, God, they’re awesome. They’re not freshmen anymore,” Young said. “I can’t stand the term ‘freshman wall.’ It drives me batty. Bad players hit a freshman wall. Really good players keep getting better and engaged and improving and those two kids have done that.”
Another young Hokie also has risen. Sophomore Jaydon Young scored 26 points against Syracuse, two games after he tallied a career-high 27 points in a win at Miami.
“He just looks so comfortable and explosive,” Young said.
North Carolina travels to Virginia Tech on a five-game winning streak, though all the victories have been over teams in the bottom half of the conference standings in a down year for the ACC.
Ven-Allen Lubin, who is playing for his third team in as many years, scored a season-high 19 points on 9-of-10 shooting in a 92-73 win over Miami on Saturday.
Lubin’s partner in the frontcourt, Jae’Lyn Withers, also has risen after seeing his minutes shrink into the single digits. During the Tar Heels’ streak, Withers has averaged 13.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, while hitting 65.6 percent of his shots.
With North Carolina facing arch-rival Duke on Saturday, Tuesday’s date at Virginia Tech shapes up to be a trap game.
“The only thing that is of importance to us is right what is right in front of us and the opportunity to be able to compete against a Virginia Tech team on their home floor is something that we’re focused on and zeroed in on,” Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis said.
Virginia Tech has won three of the last four meetings in Blacksburg.
–Field Level Media
