Rising A.C.C. Hokies Pecking order

Coach Seth Greenberg said he never expect people to believe and sent to Virginia Tech Hokies Basketball Atlantic Coast Conference heavyweight Duke or North Carolina.

But before the game, press tab Hokies as the number 2 team in the ACC - tar heels and defending champion Blue Devils return to the national.

On the strength of five returning starters, including all point-ACC guard Malcolm Delaney, Dorenzo Hudson guard and forward Jeff Allen, Virginia Tech will begin the season in the Associated Press top 25 - No. 21 - for the first time since 1995-1996.

Greenberg declined A.C.C. expectations, but he says it means good things about the team.

"You can not choose a No. 2 unless you have some history of success and have some of the original building behind some kind of excitement and enthusiasm and optimism," said Greenberg, who has a 132-94 record at Tech, so I guess that means that it is creating something. "

The Hokies were 25-9 last season, tying the team record for victories in a season. They are also 10-6 in the conference, but became the first team in 10 ACC wins not by the laws of the NCAA tournament. In seven seasons Greenberg, NCAA will be closed, and he says he will not let their lack of bids for the NCAA tournament to decide the plan.

"If this group of graduates from the winningest in the history of Virginia Tech and eventually finished with a winning record in the ACC - and no guidance on how complicated - and an average of more than 20 this season, you have to walk out of here thinking that they failed" he told reporters in the media?. "We can not control what happens in the room.

"We can not control other people think we can do our work .."This team won 23 games this season through the 1985-1986 Hokies, who won 87 career games, the class of Hokies' winningest ever.

Despite the award, and the Hokies face major challenges.

JT Thompson, "essentially the sixth starter" and the inspirational leader of the team, according to Greenberg, missed the season after undergoing surgery to repair anterior ligament in his left knee. Allan Chaney, the transfer of 6-foot-9 from Florida, also will not play while continuing to work with the teacher after receiving a diagnosis of viral hepatitis.

Damage, including what has become a chronic problem for the sophomore Raines Cedarian 6-9 feet, leaving only two of the Hokies with five players and experience to their frontcourt.

Raines, the presence of power, only came to know the college game when he was injured last season."For us to be really special, we need Cedarian healthy," said Greenberg.

They also need to Allen, their best rebounder, to avoid problems with rot, which has failed to do its job.

Greenberg said that although the wounds of the Disabled, and the Hokies can work and commitment to their defense and rebounding that mensyarahkan about every day in practice.

That, and a sense of play with friends away from the injury.

"That is their job to play for the people," he said. "The team really, you do not just play for yourself if you have a very good team, you can play with others .."