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SPORTS

Scheyer gets the point: He's an MVP

Monday, March 16, 2009
(Updated 6:13 am)

ATLANTA -- Duke fans began chanting "MVP! MVP! MVP!" as Jon Scheyer mounted the platform and snipped a link of the net during the annual ACC tournament championship ritual.

Apparently, it didn't make much of an impression on the Blue Devils point guard.

"It was the furthest thing from my mind," Scheyer said. "I had forgotten they even gave out MVP."

But the junior had a championship medal in one hand and the MVP trophy in the other as he celebrated Duke's ACC title Sunday at the Georgia Dome.

Scheyer hasn't been the same player since he was moved to point guard nine games ago, and the Blue Devils haven't been the same team. They've both been much, much better.

With Scheyer scoring 29 points, Duke (28-6) defeated Florida State 79-69 on Sunday and will go into the NCAA tournament playing its best basketball of the season offensively and defensively.

The move of freshman Elliot Williams into the lineup improved the Duke defense. Scheyer, who had been struggling with his shot, has taken care of the offense during the Blue Devils' 8-1 run.

More confident in his new role, Scheyer hit four 3-pointers in each of Duke's three ACC tournament games and scored a total of 65 points. He committed just five turnovers.

"I knew he would handle it," coach Mike Krzyzewski said of the move. "He's such a good player. Placed in that level of responsibility, someone who is really good will show you even better things.

"I'm not into expecting. I'm into seeing. And what I'm seeing is magnificent play. He's done such a good job because he values the ball. We're not going to make highlight tapes of him leading the fast break, but he's done a great, great job."

Duke forward Kyle Singler, who finished one vote behind Scheyer in the MVP balloting, agreed.

"Jon is a ballplayer," Singler said. "Point guard may not be his true position, but he's doing everything anyone would want. The move has been huge for us. It's made us a much better team."

The switch also has paid off for Scheyer, who is handling the ball well and no longer has time to worry so much about missing a few shots.

"He's getting better shots and they are going in," Singler said. "He's always been a great shooter. Now he has his confidence back."

"The move has been good," Scheyer said. "It put not only myself, but our team in position to be more successful. I think it has really helped our team -- not only on offense, but defense. That is what is going to keep us going."

Scheyer is the first to admit that, "It's not like teams go out there and are afraid of me."

But he certainly gets the job done.

"He was very impressive," Maryland coach Gary Williams said after Scheyer scored 22 points against his Terrapins in a semifinal. "You watch him and he looks like a steady player. Then all of a sudden you look at the stats at the end of the game and he's got great numbers, star numbers.

"That's to his credit that he plays like that."

Accompanying Photos

Joseph Rodriguez (News & Record)

Photo Caption: Jon Scheyer helped Duke win the game against Florida State.

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