2003 Top 50 List: No
Dan Collins List: Yes
Joseph Forte is in the pantheon of great “two-and-done” players in ACC history, along with Joe Smith, Kenny Anderson, Elton Brand, Jerry Stackhouse, and Chris Paul. Don’t let Forte’s lack of NBA success fool you into thinking he doesn’t belong with that group. In 2000, he was ACC Rookie of the Year over Jason Williams and Steve Blake. He then led a Tar Heels team that had a mediocre regular season to an unexpected Final Four run, and it was absolutely Forte who made the difference in the regionals, with 22 points in a Sweet 16 win over Tennessee and 28 in a 59-55 win over Tulsa to get to the Final Four.
Then, in his sophomore campaign (also Matt Doherty’s first year), all he did was tie Shane Battier for co-ACC Player of the Year and make first team All-American (along with Battier and Jason Williams) in leading that team to win the ACC regular season and finish sixth in the final AP poll.
It’s not quite up to the level of Smith, Anderson, or Brand, but it’s in the same range as Paul and Stackhouse, and in my view a bit better, because Forte did more as a freshman and just as much as a sophomore.
The 2001 UNC team is a fascinating one. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, we know what was going to happen to Matt Doherty; but at the time, that was the farthest thing from anyone’s mind. After a couple of early season losses, the Tar Heels reeled off 18 consecutive wins and stood at 21-2, 11-0 in the ACC and ranked #1 in the country when they took the court at Littlejohn Coliseum on February 18, 2001. Clemson had lost eight consecutive games, most recently a 34-point drubbing at the hands of lowly NC State, and were on their way to a last place 2-14 ACC finish. Who could have guessed that it would be that very day that Matt Doherty’s fortunes would turn, and from that day forward, Doherty’s ACC record would be 12-25? It would have seemed impossible at the time. But whatever mojo the 2001 team had, it was lost. They stumbled a few more times down the stretch and were upset by Penn State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
… as much as the hurt he felt, Doherty struggled to deal with the mysterious nature of a season that has to be regarded as one of the absolute strangest in the program’s rich history. In a matter of days, the Heels went from a No. 1 national ranking to a team that simply couldn’t quit shooting itself in the foot. “I’ll never be able to figure it out,” junior Jason Capel said. “We tried to put the pieces back together, but I don’t guess we ever did.” – Caulton Tudor, Raleigh News & Observer, March 19, 2001
Perhaps that run of initial success was the worst thing that could have happened to Doherty and the program. Coming off a Final Four run under Bill Guthridge, it must have seemed to everyone that the program would just keep rolling. It’s a good lesson to all of us that in sports, and in life, sustained excellence is never automatic. There’s no such thing as greatness on autopilot. It has to be earned, one day at a time.
Jake, I have a vague memory I hope you can confirm. Forte and Battier were co-POY in 2001, but I remember that happened because Barry Jacobs filled out his ballot wrong. Or forgot to send his ballot in on time? Somehow or another Jacobs messed up his ballot and his vote for Battier did not count, giving Forte a share of the award. Did that happen or did I dream it? If I’ve had dreams about Barry Jacobs’ All-ACC ballot, I think I need to seek medical attention.
I don’t know. I didn’t run across that in my research, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. I don’t think one more vote for Battier would change my ranking of Forte, but it would be interesting to know.