DURHAM – Duke men's basketball forwardÂ
Paolo Banchero has been named ACC Freshman of the Week after a 23-point, seven-rebound effort in the Blue Devils' ACC opener against Virginia Tech on Wednesday.
Banchero finished 9-of-20 from the floor while dishing out three assists to help No. 2 Duke (11-1, 1-0) pull away for a 76-65 win at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Seventeen of his points came in the second half, including a 4-of-4 mark at the free throw line, as the Blue Devils erased an eight-point deficit early in the period. He recorded three offensive rebounds, each of which were put back up for a layup.
The Seattle, Wash., native's 17.1 points per game lead Duke and rank second among true freshmen nationally. His 7.3 rebounds per contest also pace the Blue Devils and lead all ACC freshmen.
Banchero is Duke's fifth ACC Freshman of the Week selection in seven weeks this season. He has now earned the honor three times (Nov. 15, Nov. 29), while classmates
AJ Griffin (Nov. 22) and
Trevor Keels (Dec. 20) have also received the award. Over the last eight-plus seasons, Duke has had an ACC Freshman of the Week in 69 of a possible 143 weeks. Twenty-one different Blue Devils have won the award at least once in that time.
Banchero was additionally named Duke's PNC Achievers Student-Athlete of the Week, becoming the second men's basketball player this season to earn the recognition (
Wendell Moore Jr., Nov. 29).
Duke PNC Achievers Student-Athletes of the Week
Luke Thomas (men's soccer) – Aug. 30, 2021
Mataeo Durant (football) – Sept. 6, 2021
Piper Hampsch (field hockey) – Sept. 13, 2021
Eliot Hamill (men's soccer) – Sept. 20, 2021
Ruthie Jones (women's soccer) – Sept. 20, 2021
Gunnar Holmberg (football) – Sept. 27, 2021
Thorleifur Ulfarsson (men's soccer) – Oct. 4, 2021
Grace Brightbill (field hockey) – Oct. 11, 2021
Erica Shepherd (women's golf) – Oct. 18, 2021
Tess Boade (women's soccer) – Oct. 25, 2021
Andrew Zhang (men's tennis) – Nov. 1, 2021
Ade Owokoniran (volleyball) – Nov. 8, 2021
Matt Finesilver (wrestling) – Nov. 15, 2021
Michelle Cooper (women's soccer) – Nov. 22, 2021
Wendell Moore Jr. (men's basketball) – Nov. 29, 2021
Shayeann Day-Wilson (women's basketball) – Dec. 6, 2021
Kaden Russell (wrestling) – Dec. 20, 2021
Paolo Banchero (men's basketball) -- Dec. 27, 2021
#GoDuke
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