WASHINGTON — Shane Larkin may be the best player on Miami. He may get all the attention and all the credit for the Hurricanes reaching their second Sweet 16 in school history, but the ACC Player of the Year doesn’t think he’s the reason why.
“Durand Scott is the heart and soul of this team. He’s the leader of this team and one of the best players in the country,” Larkin said of his backcourt mate. “I don’t think he gets the media attention he deserves. I think people just overlook him because he’s a senior and he’s been here so long. They expect what he’s doing. I just feel for him that he doesn’t get the media attention he deserves.”
The duo were both deciding factors in Miami capturing the ACC regular-season and tournament titles. Larkin, the son of Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin, runs the point and leads the team in scoring (14.5 points) and assists (4.6) as a sophomore, while Scott, a senior and Bronx native who led Rice High School to a state title, is second in scoring (13.2) and earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
When No. 2 seed Miami (29-6) faces No. 3 Marquette (25-8) in tonight’s East regional semifinal at the Verizon Center, Golden Eagles’ leading-scorer Vander Blue will not make the mistake Larkin feels the media has made. After three AAU games against Scott and the New York Gauchos, Blue feels better prepared than most.
“Larkin runs the show for them, but don’t fall asleep on Scott,” Blue said. “So many people focus so much on Larkin they forget about Scott and then he goes off for a big night. He’s a challenge. He’s probably one of the best in the tournament. He’s got a New York type of game. He likes to get to the basket and he’s a great competitor.”
After going 10-22 in ACC play during his first two seasons, Scott wasn’t sure the Hurricanes would ever reach this point. And he wasn’t even sure he’d be here. When coach Frank Haith left for Missouri after the 2011 season, Scott considered transferring, but he decided to give new coach, and fellow Bronx native, Jim Larranaga a chance.
“It’s a good thing because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be living what I’m living now,” Scott said yesterday. “He had a great plan and he really believed in it. Being here was something you only dreamed of.”
Scott has started more games than anyone in Miami history, but on campus at the legendary football school, the 6-foot-5 guard said he would often go unrecognized. Those days are over.
“We’re big celebrities now,” Scott said. “We suddenly have thousands of more fans I’d never even seen or heard of. That’s how it is. Everybody always jumps on the boat when everybody’s winning because winning’s a special drug. We want to continue winning and make Miami a basketball school.”