GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – In the ACC’s first weekly men’s basketball honors for the 2021-22 season, NC State sophomore guard Dereon Seabron was named the league’s Player of the Week, while Duke forward Paolo Banchero was tabbed Freshman of the Week.
 
ACC men’s basketball weekly honors are determined by a vote of a 15-member media panel and announced on Mondays throughout the regular season.
 
Seabron opened the season with a pair of double-doubles and twice set his career scoring high in NC State’s victories last week. He averaged 19.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game as the Wolfpack started its season with wins over Bucknell (88-70) and Colgate (77-74).
 
Seabron scored a career-high 18 points and added 12 rebounds in the win over Bucknell Tuesday on opening night. A native of Norfolk, Virginia, he was 8-of-13 from the field against the Bison and had six offensive rebounds while adding three steals. Seabron then topped his career high by scoring 21 points with 10 rebounds Saturday in a 77-74 win over Colgate. Thirteen of his 21 points came in the second half, including seven points in the final 3:57 of the game. With the game tied at 74, Seabron drove and was fouled with 2.0 seconds remaining; he then made both free throws to give NC State the lead.
 
A native of Seattle, Washington, Banchero started his Duke career off strong, averaging a team-high 19.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game in three Blue Devils’ wins last week. He shot 67.7% (21-31) from the field, including 83.3% (20-24) from inside the arc, as No. 9 Duke topped No. 10 Kentucky (79-71), Army (82-56) and Campbell (67-56). In his debut, Banchero totaled 22 points, seven rebounds and two steals in the win over Kentucky in the State Farm Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden. He followed that with his first career double-double – 18 points and 12 rebounds – on 7-of-9 shooting in the Army win. He added another 18-point effort with seven rebounds in the win over Campbell. Banchero also hit 15 of his first 17 free throws (.882) to open the season.  
 
Through the first three games of their Duke careers, only RJ Barrett (76), Zion Williamson (76) and Jabari Parker (70) scored more points than Banchero’s 58. Only Mike Gminski (33) and Williamson (32) had more rebounds through their first three games at Duke than Banchero’s 26.
 
2021-22 ACC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week Honors
Nov. 15 – Dereon Seabron, So., G, NC State
 
2021-22 ACC Men’s Basketball Freshman of the Week Honors
Nov. 15 – Paolo Banchero, F, Duke