Berry, Vasturia played ACC basketball players of the week

North Carolina junior guard Joel Berry II and Notre Dame senior guard Steve Vasturia have been selected as the Atlantic Coast Conference Basketball Co-Players of the Week, while Georgia Tech’s Josh Okogie earned Freshman of the Week honors.

The ACC weekly honor is the fourth of the season for Berry (and the second in a row), while Vasturia was recognized for the first time this year. The ACC Freshman of the Week accolade is Okogie’s third of the season.

Berry led North Carolina to a pair of ACC wins – a road victory at Wake Forest and a 96-83 win over ninth-ranked Florida State. The Apopka, Florida, native had 18 points, seven assists and only one turnover in the win over the Demon Deacons and a game-high 26 points against the Seminoles in just the second game ever in which FSU was ranked higher than the Tar Heels in the AP poll. Florida State came into the game unbeaten in conference play and riding a school-record 12-game win streak.

Berry averaged 22 points in the two wins and committed only three turnovers in 68 minutes. Berry was 7-for-12 from the floor against the Deacons. He went 8-for 19 against FSU, but was 3-for-6 from 3-point range and 7-for-8 from the free throw line. He scored 17 first-half points against the Seminoles as the Tar Heels built a 50-41 halftime lead.

Vasturia helped the Fighting Irish grab sole possession of first place in the ACC standings with road wins at Miami and Virginia Tech, as Notre Dame remained the only undefeated team in league play. Against the Hurricanes on Thursday night, Vasturia scored 10 points with six rebounds, six assists and two steals and turned in another game-clinching play, scoring on a drive to the basket with eight seconds remaining to put the Irish up 65-62 in an eventual 67-62 victory. In Notre Dame’s first four ACC wins of the year, Vasturia scored either the game-winning or game-clinching field goal.

Two days later, Vasturia led the team with 20 points, along with four rebounds and four assists in a 76-71 victory at Virginia Tech. He shot 8-for-14 from the field, including 3-for-4 from 3-point range while playing a team-high 36 minutes. The Medford, New Jersey, native pulled off another clutch moment, breaking a 59-59 tie with a 3-pointer at the top of the key with 5:07 remaining to seize momentum back for the visitors after a Virginia Tech run.

Okogie averaged 20 points per game, hitting 51.7 percent of his shots from the floor, in leading Georgia Tech to a pair of ACC wins. Okogie scored 27 points – his career high for an ACC game – on Sunday night to lift Georgia Tech to its first road win of the conference schedule, an 86-76 victory at NC State. Okogie went 10-for-18 from the floor, including a perfect 3-for-3 from 3-point range and 4-for-6 from the foul line. The Snellville, Georgia, native also had an assist, a steal, and blocked two shots.

Earlier in the week, Okogie scored 13 points (5-for-11 field goals, 3-for-4 free throws) with three assists and two steals as Georgia Tech defeated Clemson at home, 75-63.

ACC basketball weekly honors are determined by a vote of a 15-member media panel.