GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Notre Dame graduate forward Paul Atkinson Jr. has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, while Duke forward AJ Griffin is Freshman of the Week in the ACC’s weekly honors for Feb. 7.
Griffin was named Freshman of the Week for the second time this season (Nov. 22).
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.
Atkinson Jr. averaged a double-double in three games last week, as the Fighting Irish moved into second place in the league standings with a pair of road victories. The West Palm Beach, Florida, native averaged 17.3 points and 10.0 rebounds while shooting 56.1% from the field in games against No. 9 Duke, Miami and NC State. His signature game of the week was a 23-point, 11-rebound effort at then-first-place Miami. Atkinson Jr. connected on his first seven shots of the game, eventually finishing 11-for-16 from the field. He followed up with another double-double at NC State, leading the Irish with 15 points and 10 rebounds. In the first game of the week on Monday, Atkinson Jr. led the Irish with 14 points and nine rebounds against Duke, shooting 7-for-15 from the floor.
Griffin helped the Blue Devils to pair of key ACC road wins over teams near the top of the standings by averaging 20.0 points and 6.5 rebounds for the week. A native of Ossining, New York, Griffin had a career game in Duke’s 87-67 win at North Carolina on Saturday with a career-high 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range. His 27 points marked the fourth most by a Duke freshman in their debut against UNC. Ten of his 27 points came to open the second half as he single-handedly keyed a 10-0 run. On Monday at Notre Dame, Griffin was Duke’s second leading scorer with 13 points on 6-of-11 from the field and 1-of-2 from three-point range, while pulling down a career-high nine rebounds. For the week, Griffin shot 60.7% (17-of-28) from the field and 50% (4-of-8) from 3-point range.
2021-22 ACC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week Honors
Nov. 15 – Dereon Seabron, So., G, NC State
Nov. 22 – Michael Devoe, Sr., G, Georgia Tech
Nov. 29 – Wendell Moore Jr., Jr., G, Duke
Dec. 6 – Dereon Seabron, So., G, NC State
Dec. 13 – Alondes Williams, Gr., F, Wake Forest
Dec. 20 – Alondes Williams, Gr., F, Wake Forest
Dec. 27 – Dane Goodwin, Sr., G, Notre Dame; Femi Odukale, So., G, Pitt
Jan. 3 – Kameron McGusty, Gr., G, Miami
Jan. 10 – Armando Bacot, Jr., F/C, North Carolina
Jan. 17 – Armando Bacot, Jr., F/C, North Carolina
Jan. 24 – Jake LaRavia, Jr., F, Wake Forest
Jan. 31 – Buddy Boeheim, Sr., G, Syracuse
Feb. 7 – Paul Atkinson Jr., Gr., F, Notre Dame
2021-22 ACC Men’s Basketball Freshman of the Week Honors
Nov. 15 – Paolo Banchero, F, Duke
Nov. 22 – AJ Griffin, F, Duke
Nov. 29 – Paolo Banchero, F, Duke
Dec. 6 – Terquavion Smith, G, NC State
Dec. 13 – Terquavion Smith, G, NC State; Blake Wesley, G, Notre Dame
Dec. 20 – Trevor Keels, G, Duke
Dec. 27 – Paolo Banchero, F, Duke
Jan. 3 – Matthew Cleveland, F, Florida State
Jan. 10 – Blake Wesley, G, Notre Dame
Jan. 17 – Paolo Banchero, F, Duke
Jan. 24 – Paolo Banchero, F, Duke; Blake Wesley, G, Notre Dame
Jan. 31 – Paolo Banchero, F, Duke
Feb. 7 – AJ Griffin, F, Duke