The month of October has become preseason ball for college basketball, with hundreds of D-I programs playing both public and secret exhibition games against one another. That includes ACC Basketball, where all 18 programs have taken on at least one legit opponent.
While the results don't count towards their 2026-27 record, there were still plenty to be taken away. Here are some early takeaways from what has occurred so far.
1. Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje could be Duke’s leading big man
Duke had one of the earlier games in the preseason but the play of the 7’2 freshman big man still stands out. In the team’s dominant win over Belmont, Boumtje Boumtje went for 19 points and seven rebounds, including a pair of made three-pointers. Despite being just 17 years old, he looked more than ready for college basketball. While junior center Patrick Ngongba is viewed as the featured big man, don’t be surprised if Boumtje Boumtje is already capable of being a featured option.
2. Terrence Brown’s early issues at UNC
The Tar Heels played two preseason games, beating USC and losing to Indiana. Some players such as Sayon Keita and Jarin Stevenson had standout moments, with others struggling more. One is Terrence Brown Jr., who averaged 20 ppg at Utah last year. In 24 minutes against USC, he scored just five points. In the 18-point defeat to Indiana, Brown had just seven points on 3/9 FG shooting in 23 minutes. It’s an early concern with him, as he won’t have the ball next to Neo Avdalas and it could be having an impact on his game.
3. Kiyan Anthony’s limited minutes at Syracuse
Coming into the season, Anthony was viewed as a breakout player for the Orange after averaging around double figures as a freshman. But it’s been a rough preseason for him, shooting 2/11 from the field in a loss to UConn, followed up by playing just eight minutes off the bench on Sunday against Siena. Is there a chance that other guards have passed him up in the rotation? We’ll see come November but any breakout talk with Anthony needs to be shelved.
4. Marcis Ponder shines in FSU win
One young player who did shine this preseason in public was Marcis Ponder, a nearly 300-pound freshman center and top-100 prospect at Florida State. He completely dominated Auburn’s frontcourt in the team’s big win, producing 13 points and 21 rebounds, 12 coming on the offensive end. The Seminoles struggled inside last season on both ends but Ponder looks to be capable of being an impact big in his first year. That could allow the team to surprise some folks when the games start.
5. Placide brothers give Wake Forest hope
The Deacons lost both exhibition games to Georgetown and South Carolina, making their upcoming season pessimistic. Merrimack transfer Kevair Kennedy was solid overall but the supporting cast remains the question. Two who have emerged are the Placide brothers, a pair of four-star freshman guards. Gavin Placide has really been impressive, averaging 17.5 ppg in the two matchups against high-major opponents. It may not be enough to get Wake Forest out of the bottom-tier of the ACC for now but it does give them some hope.
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