Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 14, 1990 TAG: 9003142707
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Scott, a junior from Reston, received 77 of the 88 votes from members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Writers Association.
Earlier in the day, Cliff Ellis, who guided Clemson to the top of the Atlantic Coast Conference standings for the first time in school history, was named coach of the year.
Dale Davis of Clemson received four of the other 11 votes in balloting for player of the year, while Virginia's Bryant Stith, Georgia Tech's Kenny Anderson and Clemson's Elden Campbell got two each. Tony Massenburg of Maryland received the other vote.
During the ACC regular season, Scott led the Yellow Jackets with a 27.2-point average. That figure was the best in the ACC since David Thompson averaged 29.9 points for North Carolina State in 1975.
Scott also scored 72 points in three games to lead Georgia Tech to the ACC Tournament title in Charlotte, N.C.
"It feels good after the hard training and working out this past spring and summer to get in shape to have the kind of year that I had," Scott said. "It's an honor to be the top player in such a prestigious league. I look at the other people who have won this award, like Michael Jordan and Ralph Sampson, and it feels good to go in the history books along with those guys."
Bobby Cremins, the Yellow Jackets' coach, said Scott had a sensational season.
"First of all, I think he really deserved it," said Cremins. "He's had a great year. I'm glad he had such a great [ACC] tournament, because if we had gotten knocked out in the first round, it would have taken something away from the award."
Fourteen times during the season Scott scored 30 or more points. His high game was 42 points against Pittsburgh in the ACC-Big East Challenge.
Scott shot 47 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from 3-point range. He also was one of the league's top free-throw shooters at 79.8 percent.
Ellis became the first Clemson coach to win the ACC award after guiding the Tigers to a 10-4 conference record and 23-7 overall mark.
"It's been a great year," Ellis said. "It has been an absolutely great year because something has happened at Clemson that's never happened before and you'll never take it away."
Of the 88 ballots cast, the 44-year-old Ellis was named on 57.
Gary Williams, in his first year at Maryland, was second to Ellis with 15 votes.
Virginia coach Terry Holland, retiring after the NCAA Tournament, was third with 12 votes. Mike Krzyzewski of Duke received three votes and Cremins got one.
Ellis said he spent the season trying to avoid the distractions associated with climbing to the top of the ACC.
"This team handled it. It should be admired because they knocked tradition, they beat it," Ellis said. "They won a league that is full of class and has some great institutions."
Ellis will be taking the Tigers to their sixth consecutive postseason tournament when they face Brigham Young in the NCAA East Regional in Hartford, Conn.
by CNB