March 7, 2005

Clemson men's basketball senior Sharrod Ford was named to the All-ACC third team as announced by the conference office this afternoon. The senior center from Suitland, MD, has led Clemson in scoring and rebounding this season. In ACC play, Ford is fourth in the league with 10 "double-doubles" and is averaging 16.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.

Overall, he ranks 13th among conference players with a 15.6 points per game average, and is third in rebounds with an 8.3 figure. He also ranks among the top five in three other categories, including third in blocked shots with 65 (2.24 per game), fifth in field goal percentage (.517) and third in offensive rebounds with 104 (3.59 average).

Ford joins the company of former Clemson front-court greats such as Tree Rollins, Larry Nance, Horace Grant, Elden Campbell, Dale Davis and Sharone Wright. He is the first post player to make an all-conference team since 1994 when Sharone Wright was named to the second team.

Clemson Head Coach Oliver Purnell on Sharrod Ford's selection to the All-ACC third team:
"Sharrod Ford has definitely had an All-ACC type of year and it is quite an honor for him to be recognized in the best league in America with such outstanding players and such outstanding big guys. It is really a tribute to how hard he worked in the off-season and how hard he worked over his four years to improve every year. It is also a testament to the impact he has had on our program and on our basketball team this year."

Sharrod Ford on his selection to the All-ACC third team:
"It is definitely an honor to be put on one of those three teams. The ACC is considered one of the best conferences in the country, so if you are on one of those teams I guess you could be considered one of the elite players in the country. My name being put with some of the other former Clemson All-ACC post players is also an honor, especially when you think about what those guys accomplished at Clemson and then what they did in the NBA. Hopefully I will follow in their footsteps."

2005 All-ACC Men's Basketball Teams

First Team
J.J. Redick, Duke* (121)        363
Chris Paul, WF (113)    355
Sean May, UNC (111)     353
Shelden Williams, Duke (111)    353
Raymond Felton, UNC (82)        311
   *unanimous 1st-team

Second Team
Guillermo Diaz, Miami (19)      243
Julius Hodge, NCSU (22) 227
Eric Williams, WF (7)   222
Jarrett Jack, GT (9)    200
Justin Gray, WF (2)     184

Third Team
Rashad McCants, UNC (7) 170
Sharrod Ford, Clemson (1)       131
Nik Caner-Medley, Maryland (0)  110
Daniel Ewing, Duke (0)  102
Jawad Williams, UNC (0) 83

Honorable Mention  (25 or more points)
Zabian Dowdell, VT (0)  64
John Gilchrist, Maryland (0)    50
Robert Hite, Miami (0)  27
Marvin Williams, UNC (0)        25