Duke basketball: More hardware for Paolo Banchero

Duke basketball’s Paolo Banchero is an award winner once more.

Despite an overtime loss last week at the Florida State Seminoles, Duke basketball power forward Paolo Banchero has collected his fifth ACC Freshman of the Week honor this season. This go-round, the 6-foot-10, 250-pound bruiser out of Seattle shared the award with Notre Dame shooting guard Blake Wesley.

The No. 9 Duke Blue Devils (15-3, 5-2 ACC) have boasted the conference’s top rookie in seven of the 11 weeks thus far. Duke shooting guard Trevor Keels and small forward AJ Griffin have earned the recognition once apiece.

However, the Blue Devils still account for only one ACC Player of the Week nod. Duke junior small forward and co-captain Wendell Moore Jr. garnered that honor in late November following the squad’s impressive win in Las Vegas over the then-No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs.

A career-high on the boards for Duke basketball sensation Paolo Banchero

After posting 20 points and 12 rebounds against Florida State, Paolo Banchero notched his fourth double-double as a Blue Devil with 15 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in Saturday’s 79-59 home victory over the Syracuse Orange.

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Now, Banchero, a projected one-and-done high lottery pick who has started all 18 games for Duke to date, is averaging 17.9 points, a mark that paces all freshmen in the country. And his 20.0 points per game in ACC play currently leads the entire conference.

The 19-year-old former five-star recruit is also putting up 7.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.9 blocks while shooting 50.9 percent from the field.

Paolo Banchero and the Duke Blue Devils return to the floor at 7 p.m. ET Thursday when they host the unranked Clemson Tigers (11-8, 3-5 ACC).

Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more on Paolo Banchero plus other Duke basketball news and views.