Duke seeks revenge for 'Singletary Scowl'
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
January 13, 2008

It was last February at John Paul Jones Arena when Sean Singletary, while falling backward along the baseline, launched a high-arching shot that swished through the net and gave Virginia a 68-66 victory over Duke.

As Singletary retreated defensively, he was mobbed by teammates. Then he glared directly into an ESPN camera. The expression on his face was part Robert DeNiro in “Goodfellas,” part Jack Palance in “City Slickers” and part Ice Cube in “Boyz n the Hood.”

Certainly, no Virginia fan can forget the Singletary Scowl (especially since the school now shows a replay of it before every game).

“I was just excited that we were about to beat Duke, a ranked opponent - one of America’s teams,” said Singletary, when asked how he was feeling at the precise moment of

The Scowl. “It feels real good when you beat them. Hitting a shot like that, I felt real excited.”

Tonight, Virginia and No. 9 Duke meet again - this time in Durham, N.C. It will be the first ACC game of the season for both schools.

“After what happened last year,” Singletary said, “we know they’re going to be gunning for us.”

You think?

After the Blue Devils lost to Virginia, they completely unraveled. They dropped three straight games (to Florida State, North Carolina and Maryland) and five of their last nine - barely making the NCAA Tournament, where they went out in the first round against Virginia Commonwealth.

After the season, Duke lost sophomore Josh McRoberts early to the NBA, but given McRoberts’ Mr. Softie approach in the paint, that was probably addition by subtraction. Besides, Blue Devils freshman Kyle Singler (13.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg) has made the Cameron Crazies forget about McRoberts.

This season, Duke has five players averaging 10 points or more.

“The biggest thing with them is that they spread the court a lot more and are scoring at much higher rate than they did last year,” said Virginia coach Dave Leitao. “They didn’t score the ball last year as well as they had in years gone by. I think they rededicated themselves to really putting pressure on you offensively, while not taking a step back defensively.”

That’s bad news for Virginia (10-3), which looked like the Washington Generals in its last outing - a 108-70 loss to Xavier 10 days ago.

UVa allowed the Musketeers to shoot 64 percent from the field, including a 62-percent clip from 3-point range. Xavier’s 16 3-pointers were the most ever by a Virginia opponent.

“Last year when we played Virginia Tech, we performed badly after being on a winning streak,” said Singletary, alluding to the Hokies’ 84-57 win. “That stuff is going to happen.

“If we can just come out on the other side of that adversity, we’ll be in good shape. Practices have been tough, but that’s how they need to be if you want to be a good team. We’ve been practicing real tough and real hard - not as a punishment, but to just get our rhythm back.”

Leitao said the 10-day hiatus has afforded his team the chance to get back to the basics. While Virginia’s defense was clearly putrid against Xavier, that is not the only area Leitao has zeroed in on.

“What the Xavier game told us,” Leitao said, “was that we weren’t good in any area.”

Clearly, Virginia needs Singletary’s supporting cast to step up if it has any hope of pulling off the upset. UVa has just two other players averaging in double figures.

Of course, it goes without saying that the Cavaliers will likely need a monster game from Singletary.

“I really admire him,” said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. “I think he brings top quality performances every time he plays. He’s just a real difficult guy to guard. You know, when you have a guy with the ball who can make other people better – he elevates the status of his team every time he’s on the court.

“He’s just one of the best guards in America. It’s a tough matchup for us.”

Virginia has not won in Cameron Indoor Stadium since the 1994-95 season. In that game, UVa overcame a 21-point halftime deficit before prevailing in double-overtime.

“We just want to get a win no matter who our opponent is,” Singletary said, “but seeing as how our opponent is Duke, we really want to go in there and get a win.

“It would be real nice to go in there and beat them on their own homecourt.”

No doubt, Virginia fans would love a scowl sequel.

Dunks

Duke leads the all-time series 107-48. That includes a 46-8 mark at Cameron Indoor Stadium. … Virginia, despite being outrebounded against Xavier, still leads the nation in rebounding margin at 12.4. …Singletary has scored in double figures in the last 35 straight games. That’s the longest active streak in the ACC. … Virginia big man Lars Mikalauskas (shoulder) is considered doubtful for today’s game. … Duke big man Brian Zoubek won’t play due to recent foot surgery.


 

Cavs look for consistency from Diane
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
January 12, 2008

In 2 ½ seasons, Virginia junior Mamadi Diane has tantalized Virginia fans.

One game Diane looks like a future NBA player. The next he is barely noticeable on the court.

The best way to describe Diane’s overall performance?

“The simple word for it is inconsistency,” said UVa coach Dave Leitao during his teleconference on Thursday.

As Virginia prepares to open its ACC season at Duke on Sunday night in the wake of an ugly loss to Xavier on Jan. 3, it’s pretty obvious that it will need better contributions across the board - and that starts with Diane.

The 6-foot-5 wing player out of DeMatha Catholic High (Potomac, Md.) is averaging 11.4 points and 3.8 rebounds. Diane’s scoring average is up nearly two points from last season, but with the loss of second-leading scorer J.R. Reynolds to graduation, more of a production increase was expected.

Diane very rarely has two good games in a row. In a win over Hartford on Dec. 30, he scored 20 points and had a season-high nine rebounds. Three nights later against Xavier, he scored just seven points and collected only two rebounds.

“I think my teammates know that on defense I’m somebody they can rely on every night,” said Diane

earlier this season. “I’m also trying to gain a certain reliance on offense by just being consistent and a player my teammates can rely on more than anything to bring a high level of play and competitiveness every night.”

So how does Diane accomplish this?

“I think if we had a specific answer to that, then we could change that,” Leitao said. “It’s a work in progress.”

The most maddening part of Diane’s play is that he has shot the ball pretty well all year. Diane is shooting 52 percent from the field, including a team-leading 52 percent from 3-point range.

However, when other parts of his game aren’t going well, he seems to lose his offensive aggressiveness.

“Scoring is a byproduct of how you’re playing,” Leitao said. “If you’re not bringing the same things to the table, game by game, then scoring is the most visible inconsistency that shows.

“He’s trying to find that level of consistency - whether it’s a physical attribute, a mental attribute, or both - that would allow him to be more consistent in what we’re all, including him, seeking to find.”

Wahoo Nation is hoping Diane discovers it by Sunday night.

Dunks

When Virginia takes the court at Duke on Sunday, it will have been 10 days since its last game against Xavier. Leitao isn’t sure how the layoff will affect his team. “My simple answer is I can let you know on Sunday about 10 o’clock if it’s been good or how we handled it,” he said…Because of numerous injuries (seven players have missed at least a game this season), Leitao said he hasn’t been able to settle on how many players will play on any given night. “That lack of consistency doesn’t give you the kind of continuity in practice that has those rotations really solidified,” he said.


 

Position switch pays off for Joseph
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com
January 13, 2008

Heading into the season, Virginia fans were wondering how the Cavaliers would make up for J.R. Reynolds’ scoring and Jason Cain’s rebounding.

Enter Adrian Joseph.

The senior has increased his productivity in both of those areas and then some as he has helped UVa bolt to a 10-3 start. Heading into tonight’s ACC opener at Duke, Joseph is averaging 12.6 points per game (20th in the league) and 7.7 rebounds (sixth in the league).

A couple of weeks ago, Joseph shocked most everyone, including Coach Dave Leitao, by leading the ACC in rebounding. Not too shabby for a guy that stands 6-foot-7 and is generally considered to be playing out of his natural position.

Taking it inside

The Trinidad native played the small forward spot the first three years as a Cavalier, seldom starting, but igniting a spark off the bench with his 3-point shooting skills. This season, Leitao gambled by starting Joseph - not at small forward, but at power forward.

Leitao’s theory was that though Joseph is undersized for the power forward spot, it could work in his favor by creating mismatches. It’s not easy for a bigger opponent to chase Joseph all over the place, including out to the 3-point arc.

That’s exactly what has happened as Joseph’s shots from Bonusphere are up. Last season the sharpshooter made 42 treys in 31 games. He’s already made 32 in 13 games - an average of 2.46 per game, the fourth-highest average in the league.

It’s difficult to figure what is more impressive, the scoring figures or the rebounding. His 7.7 boards per game is more than double last year’s average of 3.5. Certainly the Cavs aren’t struggling in that department as they take the court at Cameron Indoor Stadium this evening as the nation’s leading rebounding team.

“Coming into the season I wouldn’t have expected Adrian to be in the top five or six guys in the league in rebounding or to do some of the things he’s been able to do,” Leitao said. “It’s a credit to his mental approach and thinking, acting and doing things outside of his normal box.”

Mr. Personality

The coach even noted that Joseph, formerly a somewhat quiet type, has grown much more boisterous.

Part of that could be attributed to his co-captain’s role along with senior teammate Sean Singletary. The other part could have derived from the challenge of a starting role, particularly at a foreign position on the floor.

Still, even as a power (wink, wink) forward that rebounds, Joseph feels right at home out on the arc where he has continued to scorch opponents.

“He doesn’t just make jump shots, but rather throws daggers,” Leitao said, noting how lethal Joseph’s leather rainbows can be when they come consecutively in a tight game.

“In all the games we have played so far, opponents haven’t really taken my shot away from me, so it was available and I was capable,” Joseph said of his bombs. “But ACC teams have had the opportunity to scout us, so if they try to take away my 3-point shot, I’m going to take advantage of that and create a shot for another person or dribble past them for a higher percentage shot.”

Leitao doesn’t believe that will be necessary because if Virginia’s offensive movement flows the way it is taught, Joseph’s shots will be there.

As far as the Wahoo veteran goes, he’ll take his points anywhere he can get them, including the free throw line, where he is 16 of 21. That’s another improvement, having attempted only eight foul shots all of last season.

The mismatches have helped him draw more fouls, too.

“I definitely didn’t anticipate starting at the four, but everything is working out good for me,” Joseph said. “I have to do a much better job defensively, but offensively it could be easier for me because of the four-man size.”

Leitao said that because Joseph is doing so many things better (his field goal percentages and 3-point percentages are also up this season), that he doesn’t pay nearly as much attention to the things the senior doesn’t do so well.

“I didn’t anticipate Adrian could be this successful at that spot for extended minutes ... but Adrian has proven to be one of the best rebounders in the league,” the coach said. “You can’t say that he can’t do it given his slight build. But there are going to be those games when we have to provide him with a little bit of help and maybe put a bigger body in there at times.”

Leitao doesn’t see it as a major issue because Joseph creates matchup problems for opponents. A 6-9, 240 defender simply struggles to guard him out on the perimeter. And, if a smaller guy switches off to defend him, Joseph can drive and post up.

Joseph is loving the whole deal.

“I’m definitely happy,” he said. “I look at it as a sense of urgency. It’s my last season of college basketball and you don’t get this back. I have to take advantage of every opportunity, every game, every practice.”

So far, so good.

 

Boot camp to lift Cavs?
U.Va.'s Leitao will test return to basics against Blue Devils
Sunday, Jan 13, 2008 - 12:07 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

The University of Virginia men's basketball team has played only once in the new year, and that was 10 days ago. Since that game -- a 38-point loss to Xavier in Cincinnati -- third-year coach Dave Leitao has shifted into drill-sergeant mode.

Classes have yet to resume at U.Va., but boot camp has been in session. Leitao's focus? Back to basics.

"What the game at Xavier told us," he said, "was that we weren't good in any area."

U.Va. (10-3) faces ninth-ranked Duke (12-1) tonight at Cameron Indoor Stadium in the ACC opener for both teams. Will the extra work help the Wahoos in an arena where they've historically struggled?

"My simple answer is, I can let you know Sunday at around 10 o'clock," Leitao said Thursday. "Hopefully, it ends up being a good thing, but only time will tell."

A season ago at John Paul Jones Arena, Virginia edged Duke 68-66 in overtime on a last-second shot by all-ACC point guard Sean Singletary. The Cavaliers went on to reach the NCAA tournament's second round, but that's irrelevant to Leitao.

"What happened two years ago is a distant memory," Leitao said. "What happened last year is also a distant memory, and I think every coach would think of it in the same way. This year we're a totally different team, with different personalities and different strengths and different weaknesses.

"I don't look at it in terms of that kind of carryover. You have to prove yourself each and every day you step on the floor."

The Blue Devils were ranked No. 8 nationally when they lost in Charlottesville last year, but Mike Krzyzewski's latest team is considered stronger than its immediate predecessor. Duke lost 6-10 Josh McRoberts to the NBA but has added three talented freshmen. The jewel of the class, 6-8, 220-pound forward Kyle Singler (13 ppg, 6.1 rpg), moved into the starting lineup immediately and figures to be a leading candidate for ACC rookie of the year.

Duke's season, like Virginia's, has been marked by stops and starts. After losing Dec. 20 in overtime to Pittsburgh, the Blue Devils didn't play again until Jan. 6, when they defeated Cornell. Three nights later, they beat Temple in Philadelphia.

"With all the breaks that we've had, with academics in early December, and then for Christmas," Krzyzewski said, "you lose a little bit, and we're trying to regain that."

Leitao said there's "no more difficult task" in the ACC than trying to win at Cameron. The Cavaliers haven't played there since Jan. 28, 2006, when they lost 82-63. They haven't won there since Jan. 14, 1995, when they prevailed 91-88 in double overtime.

"Duke is a very tough place to play," senior forward Adrian Joseph said, "but we've got to learn from our mistakes [at Xavier]. We just got to come out there and from the jump be aggressive and do what we're capable of doing. Play Virginia basketball and just be poised and don't succumb to the environment or the circumstances."

Gerald Henderson, then a Duke freshman, scored only five points at John Paul Jones Arena last year. The son of former Huguenot High and Virginia Commonwealth University star Gerald Henderson is averaging 12.6 points and 4.8 rebounds this season.

"He's made a huge jump," Krzyzewski said, "because one: He's been really healthy, and he's really prepared well -- I mean, extremely well -- in the offseason. His dad's helped him, he's made a commitment to it, and you can see it.

"He's in the process of becoming what I think will be a very special basketball player."

 

Singletary Keeps It All in Perspective
Virginia Senior Has Faced Plenty of Adversity Dating From His Youth in Philadelphia
By Adam Kilgore
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, January 13, 2008; D07

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Sean Singletary wanted to go home, frozen with doubt and terrified of the older, bigger boys out on the court. His mother had driven him to the gym to play organized basketball for the first time, and it didn't matter that he was just 7 years old and the other kids were 10. She expected him to play.

"Mom, I don't want to be here," Singletary told his mother. "They're too big."

Jacqui Singletary escorted Sean from the gym, angry because her time had been wasted and, more so, because her son had cowered. When they arrived home, Singletary recalled, she spanked him. Once he stopped crying, Jacqui Singletary kneeled and spoke softly to Sean.

"The only giants in life are in your mind," she told him. "You can conquer anything."

Singletary went back the next day. In a few days, he became the team's starting point guard. The lesson still stays with him, as he attacks life and plays point guard for Virginia with the same aggression he learned then, mixed with the focus he used to avoid trouble growing up in Philadelphia and, more recently, to cope with family tragedy.

"I feel as though I may be more aggressive than a normal individual," Singletary said. "You've got to be aggressive, have an aggressive mind-set, or else people just walk all over you. Just to be successful, I feel you have to be aggressive in some way. Not always physically, but mentally and spiritually."

Barely 6 feet and 185 pounds, Singletary has made himself one of the best players in the ACC, if not the entire country. He views basketball as "a job," and most often plays with a scowl. When his grandmother watched him play once, she blurted, "I can't believe that's my baby out there."

His feet move like the needles on a sewing machine and he plays with such abandon that his first coach at Virginia, Pete Gillen, held him out of some practices for fear he would hurt himself. His speed and fearlessness have accounted for his most memorable plays: Against Duke last season, he drove past two Blue Devils and swished an impossible shot over a third, falling flat on his back. Against Arizona this season, a defender fell into a barrel roll trying to keep up as Singletary drained a game-clinching jump shot.

Still, Coach Dave Leitao believes "his best attributes lie inside." Singletary vents to old coaches over the phone after losses, unable to shake them. Asked if he receives enjoyment from playing, he replied, "It's fun when we win."

"You could be playing video games with him, and you'd think it was the Final Four," said Rob Kurz, a high school teammate who now plays for Notre Dame.

'He's So Focused'

Singletary shook his head at the mere suggestion, laughing an if-you-only-knew laugh. When Virginia plays at Duke Sunday in its ACC opener, college kids with their faces painted blue and a gaggle of banners hanging from the ceiling will not rattle him a bit.

"Oh no, I'm not intimidated at all going into Cameron," he said. "I've played in some crazy games."

More than once, during pickup games on playground courts in North Philadelphia while Singletary was in high school, gunshots rang out nearby. The game abruptly ended, and everyone playing or watching sprinted home.

"It happens," Singletary said. "It's not like it happened every day. You just shrug it off and just move on."

Singletary grew up in the Mount Airy section of Philadelphia in relative comfort, his mother a banker and his father, Harold, a detective in the Philadelphia Police Department. He attended three private schools in high school, two of them boarding schools with strict dress codes. He hated the boarding schools.

But his summer leagues and AAU teams were based in rough neighborhoods, and he mingled with the worst Philadelphia could offer. While his parents worked, he spent much of his time with his grandmother. She lived on West Oak Lane, a ravaged street in North Philadelphia. Some of his friends and old teammates are in jail. Others have been killed.

"A lot of kids were getting in a lot of trouble," said Nasir Yard, Singletary's friend since middle school. "It was always around. He took a different road. That was a good quality in him. He knew how to get around it. Instead of being out on the corner, he would be out in the gym. He's so focused on what he wants to do."

Singletary eliminated free time from his life. He played the violin and took piano lessons; sometimes, when he visits home, he still sits down and plays. Math came easy to him. In middle school, he won a contest for a math game called 24 Cards. He took an extracurricular business class in middle school and read the Wall Street Journal when his father finished it.

His father, a former boxer, made Singletary and his brothers exercise with him when Singletary was only 6. They ran on a track, lifted weights and punched a heavy bag, as late as 10 p.m. or as early as 6 a.m. Eventually, even while Harold worked, Singletary asked coaches or friends to work out with him.

"He'd always want to lift, to shoot," Kurz said. "He was always wanting to get better."

Singletary credits his parents for that attitude. His mother grew up in the house on West Oak Lane, determined she would make it out. She took night classes at Penn during high school and moved on to Princeton. She worked 11-hour days at PNC banks.

His father, Harold, would go on stakeouts that could last nearly 20 hours. Some days, Singletary only saw his father for a moment. He would be sleeping as Singletary left for school.

"They worked their [butts] off for me," Singletary said. "I'm just glad I had my parents behind me. Because a lot of those kids didn't."

Family Challenges

The details have faded for Singletary, obscured by how suddenly and shockingly it all happened. He doesn't remember how or exactly when he learned his brother, Harold Jr., had been sent to fight with the Army in Iraq. He knows his father had prostate cancer diagnosed first, and then came his mother's breast cancer.

One moment, he was finishing high school and deciding on a college. The next, war and sickness tore into his family.

"You tend to question what you're really here for and you look deeper into yourself and deeper into your family," Singletary said. "You look into the mirror, and you want to know what you're here for. It was tough on me."

He became more religious and closer with his family. His parents had always showed him love with discipline, and he had been appreciative of how they "micromanaged" -- his term -- his time growing up. After their cancer struck, he saw a change. They relaxed more with him.

Once he left for Virginia, basketball became both an outlet and an obligation for Singletary. He would lie in bed at night and think about his parents, and when he woke up, he wondered about his brother in Iraq. The basketball court "was his home," said Barry Billups, a friend and coach from Philadelphia. "That helped heal his mind for a while."

He dealt with physical pain, too. Throughout his sophomore season, his hip hurt worse and worse. He still felt an occasional tinge of pain from the left shoulder injury he suffered in high school and carried through his freshman year. Whenever the notion of sitting out crept in his head, he thought of his family.

"They're going through sickness and dodging missiles and bullets every day," Singletary said. "I was just going out there and playing basketball."

Harold Jr. returned home nearly two years ago, to his wife and son. His parents' cancers are in remission now, but they still take occasional visits to the doctor and confront the constant threat of it coming back.

"You can never really get rid of that stuff," Singletary said.

His parents still occupy his mind, which is one reason he chose to come back to Virginia for his senior season. He declared for the NBA draft last year, but he did not sign with an agent and kept his eligibility. After some summer workouts for NBA teams, Singletary thought to himself, "I think I'm ready." But conversations with family made him decide he wanted to mature more, to see the look on his mother's face when he graduates.

So now he has a few more months left at Virginia, one of his favorite places in the world. When he arrived, he rarely trusted strangers, even once his star rose. He was shy by nature, and growing up in Philadelphia, he kept a close circle of friends.

"At first, when somebody says your name, you're like, 'I don't know,' " Singletary said. "Because where I come from, when somebody says your name, you might want to go the other way."

Now, he eases into group projects for class and chats with fans who notice him on campus.

"It's cool," he said. "I've become a more social individual."

He's grown comfortable with being the face of Virginia basketball -- likes it even, because he knows it makes his parents proud.

"I always think about my family and my close friends that are out there in danger all the time," Singletary said. "That's what I work for. You want it to be like a storybook ending. You want to get your degree from U-Va. Have a great job, go to the NBA and make a lot of money."

A grin spreads, growing wider and wider.

"You can be like the shining star amongst whatever is going on around you. You can help everybody else. That's kind of what I want to do."

 

Virginia and Duke: Only thing they share now is opening night
Virginia opens its defense of the ACC title it shared last season tonight at Duke.
Daily Press
 

Last year, Dave Leitao led Virginia to a share of the ACC regular-season title and earned conference coach-of-the-year honors.

A season to remember, no doubt. Or not.

"What happened last year is a distant memory," Leitao said. "... You could have the same exact team from one game to the next, never mind from one year to the next, and have totally different results."

The Cavaliers' results this season have been mixed, with a 75-72 win at Arizona on Nov. 17 and a 108-70 loss at Xavier on Jan. 3 as part of their 10-3 record. Tonight, another piece of that muddy picture will fall into place when U.Va. opens its ACC season at Duke.

One of the Cavs' 11 league wins in 2006-07 was a 68-66 overtime victory against Duke on Feb. 1 in Charlottesville. No surprise, though, that Leitao doesn't think that game will have any bearing on tonight's.

"This year we're a totally different team with different personalities and different strengths and different weaknesses," Leitao said. "I don't look at it in terms of that kind of carryover."

The 12-1 Blue Devils are coming off a 74-64 victory at Temple on Wednesday, and coach Mike Krzyzewski wants better communication and a smoother fast break in his team's first conference game. But Leitao already has seen plenty of improvement in this year's Duke club.

"They spread the court a lot more and they're scoring at a much higher rate," Leitao said. "... They still go out and challenge you and pressure you and kind of make life uncomfortable for you when they're on defense, but with the addition of some of the younger guys, they can hurt you when they shoot from the perimeter."

One player doing damage for Duke is 6-foot-8 freshman forward Kyle Singler, averaging 13 points and six rebounds, who can shoot from outside and bang inside.

"Although he's got good size, he thinks like a guard," Leitao said. "Oftentimes he's matched up against a guy, whether it's a five man or a four man, who's maybe used to playing block to block or 15 feet (from the basket) and in. The difference in that mentality, and ultimately the difference on the floor, is a major challenge for the defense."

Virginia presents its own challenge in the form of senior guard Sean Singletary, averaging 17.8 points and leading the ACC with 6.7 assists per game.

"He brings a top-quality performance every time he plays, and he's just a difficult guy to guard," Krzyzewski said. "When you have a guy with the ball who makes other people better, he elevates the status of his team every time he's on the court. He's just one of the best guards in America."

In Virginia's win against Duke last season, Singletary scored 17 points, finishing off his night with the game-winning jumper and a confident staredown of television cameras.

Odds are, Leitao already has forgotten that, too.

"The proof is always gonna be on the floor," he said. "That's why you have to practice at a certain level for games you know are going to be hard-fought and emotional and can go either way. I don't think there will be any assumption that because you have done well last week or last year that you're gonna do well today or tomorrow."

 

He's singled out for stardom

KEY MATCHUP
Sean Singletary is one of the best players in the country. With both teams carrying frontcourt players who are hobbled or will miss the game, the ability of Greg Paulus and freshman Nolan Smith to handle Singletary (17.8 ppg) could be key, as it was the last time the teams played. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has experimented recently with starting Smith, starting Paulus, bringing Smith in for key defensive possessions and putting DeMarcus Nelson on the ball to defend the point late in games.
Virginia coach Dave Leitao, displeased with the Cavaliers' recent 38-point road loss to Xavier, took away all things Wahoo from his players. He told them they had to play like Cavs to be treated like Cavs. ... Virginia hasn't won in Cameron since 1995. ... Virginia forward Laurynas Mikalauskas and Duke center Brian Zoubek will not play. The status of Duke forward Lance Thomas will be a game-day decision. He has been ill and nursing a bad ankle.

Luciana Chavez, Staff Writer
DURHAM - After Duke beat Albany on Dec. 17, Albany coach Will Brown stepped to the mike and said, "Mike [Krzyzewski] probably doesn't want to hear this, but [Kyle] Singler, he's a first-round draft pick right now." now." The 2007 McDonald's All-American out of South Medford (Ore.) High was flattered by the remark. Still, only 13 games into his first season at Duke, Singler's not thinking about leaving just yet.
"I'll definitely come back [to Duke] for another year, but there's no [NBA] plan," he said.

Duke Nation, you may exhale.

Those who follow Duke know Singler's talent and his value to the ninth-ranked Blue Devils (12-1) are bigger than the eight points and two rebounds he had that night against Albany.

As Duke opens ACC play tonight against Virginia (10-3) with its already thin frontline getting thinner, Singler may be the key to the season.

Center Brian Zoubek is out nursing a foot injury, and starting forward Lance Thomas is sick and questionable. Singler will be Duke's biggest player on the floor.

"It's definitely a different experience," Singler said. "I'm usually not the guy guarding the biggest guy on the floor. It's new, but we won't back off. Someone on the team has to take that role. And we have to play defense as a team."

The 6-foot-8 freshman stepped straight into the starting lineup and dropped 25 when Duke beat then-No. 13 Marquette to win the Maui Invitational on Nov. 21.

The 220-pound forward battled a thicker, more physical front line from then-No. 11 Pittsburgh in an eventual loss on Dec. 20, but Singler still hit a tying 3-pointer in regulation and finished with 17 points.

The freshman is averaging 13.4 points and 6.0 rebounds.

Singler's inside-outside skill makes opposing coaches nervous, but his ability to withstand pounding and still make big-time plays at game's end is what Duke has needed this season.

Josh McRoberts, now a rookie with the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, left Duke after two seasons. Instead of McRoberts and Singler teaming up against muscular frontcourt players, Singler often has to take them on by himself.

The former high school receiver and quarterback, who staged some fair battles with UCLA power forward Kevin Love back in high school, is unfazed about the pounding he likely will take against power players like North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough during ACC action.

"It's one of the things people look at for us and say [we] don't have much toughness down low," Singler said. "But we can counter with quickness. We can front [the post]. We can get good ball pressure to make it harder for them to do what they want to do."

Singler's father Ed said his son will be fine.

"In terms of him backing down or being fearful or not willing to take on the heat of interior play, there's no question he can handle it," Ed Singler said.

Singler gave up his beloved football to concentrate on basketball as a high school senior while Duke, Kansas, UCLA and Arizona recruited him for the hardwood.

Though he'd be playing far from friends and family, he chose Duke for the talent, the Hall of Fame coach, the ACC competition and the stable environment.

Long before Singler signed his letter of intent in November 2006, Krzyzewski knew how strongly they needed Singler's size on this season's Duke team.

By then, the Duke staff was telling Singler they didn't want him to act like a freshman as a Duke freshman. Pressure, yes?

"Not really," Singler said. "We have such great players here, you don't feel pressure. You just have to go out and play basketball."

The Devils knew they'd have to replace McRoberts, a 2006 ACC All-Freshman team selection who arrived in 2005 knowing he'd stay just two years.

"Now Kyle -- he's a different player, and we'd like to have both playing together, to be frank -- but we knew Kyle would be a good replacement there," Krzyzewski said.

Long before Singler arrived in late July, Krzyzewski said he knew Singler could deliver.

"No question about it," Krzyzewski said.

A simple glance at the family tree told Krzyzewski that. Singler's parents Ed and Kris, two cousins and four uncles have all played Division I athletics.

Also, Kyle's older sister Katen, a three-sport athlete in high school, performs on the Oregon State dance team. And younger brother E.J., who also plays basketball, and cousin Mitch are standout football players, playing for Ed's brother and Mitch's father Bill at South Medford High.

It makes for fun conversation when either side of the family gathers, but Kyle won't say which family member is the best athlete or who has had the best career.

"When it's all said and done," his father said, "Kyle will probably end up at the top of the list."

 

UVa travels to Duke for its ACC opener
By Andy Bitter
Lynchburg News & Advance
January 12, 2008

When the Virginia men's basketball team arrived for its first practice after an embarrassing 38-point loss at Xavier last week, it got quite a surprise.
The Cavaliers' luxurious John Paul Jones locker room was locked and their practice uniforms stowed away. They had to change in the hallway, wear non-school issued practice gear and shower at home.

Coach Dave Leitao, whose Cavaliers open their ACC schedule tonight at No. 9 Duke at 8 p.m., got his message across loud and clear.

"There was an opportunity for me to get back to the basics and make them understand that most things in life, not just in basketball, are earned and not given," he said.

Virginia (10-3) needs some kind of kick-start. The Cavaliers had a disappointing end to their non-conference slate, half-heartedly beating Hartford 78-70 at the John Paul Jones Arena on Dec. 30 before getting embarrassed at Xavier on Jan. 3.

In that game, the Musketeers made 16 3-pointers and shot 68 percent from the field. It was the most points UVa had surrendered since a 110-76 loss to North Carolina in 2005, Pete Gillen's final season.

"I think what the game said to us is that we weren't good in any area," Leitao said.

Things don't get easier heading to Cameron Indoor Stadium, where UVa has not won since a 91-88 double overtime victory in 1995, a streak of 11 games. Leitao called it "one of the most hostile environments there is."

The Blue Devils (12-1) have something to do with that. Duke's only slip-up this season was a one-point, overtime loss to then-No. 11 Pittsburgh at Madison Square Garden last month.

Duke essentially only lost one player from last year's team - forward Josh McRoberts, who entered the NBA Draft. But, like he normally does, coach Mike Krzyzewksi reloaded with a group of McDonald's All-Americans, most notably freshman Kyle Singler, a 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward who is averaging 13.0 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

This year's team is more experienced than the one Virginia beat 68-66 in overtime last February to snap a nine-game losing streak in the series, especially in the backcourt.

Junior point guard Greg Paulus has cut his turnovers per game almost in half, and senior shooting guard DeMarcus Nelson is setting career highs in field goal (.484) and 3-point percentage (.421).

Historically, Leitao's teams have made their mark with rebounding and defense. Though the Cavaliers lead the ACC with a plus-12.4 rebounding margin, their defense has been sorely lacking. They are 10th in the league in both scoring defense (69.0) and 3-point percentage defense (.344).

That's why Virginia's last 10 days have been less about preparing for Duke and more about getting back to playing the kind of basketball Leitao preaches.

So will Leitao's extreme lock-out tactics work?

His response was simple: "I can let you know on Sunday night at about 10 o'clock."


 

Room for improvement
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
January 13, 2008

A pessimist would look at the national rankings and cringe.

With only 18 teams in the nation averaging few yards than Virginia’s offense, their views would have merit.

At times, the Cavaliers were lethargic, struggling to move the chains.

An optimist, however, would point to the steps, perhaps baby steps, that were taken, some of which helped Virginia win nine games for the first time since 2002.

En route to a second-place finish in the ACC’s Coastal Division, the Cavaliers improved 12 spots nationally in passing offense and total offense from a dismal 2006 campaign.

The performance also left many wondering what might have been.

What if wideout Kevin Ogletree, who accounted for 31 percent of the team’s receiving yardage in 2006, had not torn his anterior cruciate ligament?

What if Cedric Peerman, who had 542 rushing yards in the first four games of a seven-game winning streak, had not suffered a Lisfranc injury?

Those hypothetical scenarios, of course, can only be played out on message boards and in water-cooler conversations. But the players, even the defensive talents that were routinely thrust into precarious situations when the offense stumbled, agree that the future looks bright.

“If you think about not having ‘KO’ and that we didn’t have Cedric for half of the year, who was the ACC’s leading rusher, it’s just crazy,” linebacker Clint Sintim said. “If all the guys come back, when they come back, it will be crazy.”

Offensive line

Departed starters - LG Branden Albert; C Jordy Lipsey; RG Ian-Yates Cunningham

Projected starters - LT Eugene Monroe (Sr.), RT Will Barker (Jr.), LG Patrick Slebonick (Jr.), C Jack Shields (So.), B.J. Cabbell (So.)

2007 Grade: B

Virginia offensive line coach Dave Borbely’s unit took their collective lumps in 2006.

But it was during that season that Virginia’s top seven players in the trench played 3,493 snaps.

As expected, that experience proved pivotal for the Cavaliers this season as Branden Albert, Will Barker, Ian-Yates Cunningham, Jordy Lipsey, Eugene Monroe and even reserve Gordie Sammis played admirably.

The group allowed only 15 sacks in Virginia’s victories.

As with every operation, there was room for improvement. North Carolina State and Virginia Tech garnered six sacks against the Cavaliers, and a costly fourth-quarter breakdown against Texas Tech spelled disaster (and a fumble) in the Gator Bowl.

For the second time in three years, Virginia will enter 2008 with a reshuffled offensive line as only Barker and Monroe will return.

Cunningham - who played in the Hula Bowl on Saturday - and Lipsey completed their eligibility.

Both players suffered the lows and enjoyed the highs during their five years at Virginia.

Cunningham, versatile enough to play both guard positions and serve as back-up center, sat out his second year after back surgery, but started 31 games in his career.

After entering as one of the top prep centers in the nation, Lipsey struggled his first three years with the program, but blossomed in Borbely’s system.

Having to earn his playing time helped make his college experience even more meaningful, he said.

“It goes by fast, but I have enjoyed it,” Lipsey said. “It is weird because [late in the season] I got the visions of going against Brennan Schmidt, [Andrew] Hoffman, all of those guys, and it is hard to concentrate as all that stuff is going through my head.

“But it was a blast. Obviously, sometimes it was tough, but that made the good times that much better.

“That made it important, because sometimes in life you have to work for things. I learned that lesson here for sure. I didn’t know that lesson before I got here. Eventually in life, things come by and they knock you off the path a little bit, but you have to learn how to deal with those things. I learned how to deal with those things at Virginia.”

Albert took a different path - walking away from another year of eligibility to enter the NFL draft.

A third-team All-American, Albert signed with Atlanta-based agent Todd France, who stormed onto the radar by representing three first-round picks in 2005.

Despite his departure and a void in the middle of Virginia’s offensive line, Albert expects a host of new players to emerge in the spring.

As other players have predicted, Albert expects rising junior Patrick Slebonick to assume his spot at left guard, rising sophomore Jack Shields to play center and rising sophomore B.J. Cabbell to win the battle at right guard.

“B.J. is a sponge and he tries to listen to what you tell him,” Albert said. “He is an aggressive kid and he works hard. He is going to be a good player.

“When he first got here he was a raw offensive player, a raw talent, but he has come a long way. His footwork has gotten better. He is person that, with his aggression, can go far with his ability.”

That same, in Albert’s opinion, can be said for Slebonick.

“Slebo is very underrated,” Albert said. “A lot of people don’t know about Slebo, but he is very smart - on and off the field. He works hard and I think he can fill that spot for me next year.”

Shields, who played tight end in high school, has added weight since his arrival before the 2006 season.

“He’s put on a lot,” Virginia tight end Tom Santi said. “He’s done a good job of bulking up and he is going to be a good player.”

Virginia also returns Zak Stair, a wildcard in the mix due to his versatility and experience - Stair has started seven games and has worked at numerous spots on the line, including center.

The Cavaliers also boast a handful of unproven players in the wings, including Isaac Cain, Billy Cuffee and Lamar Milstead.

Former walk-on Cain, who was listed on the depth chart this season behind Barker at right tackle, may be the best of the bunch.

“He is going to be alright,” Albert said. “A lot of people don’t know about these guys because they haven’t played, but I have seen them in practice and these guys work hard and they don’t complain about a lot of things.”

Having seen how the revolving door works on the offensive line during his illustrious career, Santi said it is different than any other position.

“Playing offensive line is something that just kind of clicks, probably more than any other position,” Santi said. “It’s exciting for the young guys. Maybe right now you wouldn’t trust them to be in there for one play, but something just clicks with them and they get the system.”

Running backs

Departed starters - none

Projected starters - TB Cedric Peerman (Sr.); FB Rashawn Jackson (Jr.)

2007 Grade: B+

In the world of professional football, the Cavaliers’ coaching staff would likely dangle a running back or two out on the trading block for another need.

Yes, Virginia is loaded.

Of the players that worked at tailback or fullback, only senior fullback Josh Zidenberg is not expected back in the fold at this point.

Peerman and rising junior Mikell Simpson headline a long list of potential weapons that would have made Knute Rockne jealous.

“I think for a long time now we are going to have pretty rigorous competition to see who gets a majority of the playing time,” Zidenberg predicted. “The running back crew that we have now, and even next year, is going to be so interesting when Cedric is back healthy. We have a lot of dynamic players who can do a lot of different things. They kind of got a nice bag of tricks to choose from next year and the following years.”

Peerman will likely be limited in the spring, but his teammates expect him to return at full strength by August.

“If anybody can bounce back from an injury like his, he is definitely the person,” Zidenberg said. “I don’t expect him to skip a beat or lose a step at all. I think next year he will pick up where he left off. “Hopefully, he won’t have to deal with the injury bug and he’ll finish out the terrific season that started to have this past year.”

Even with Peerman back, finding enough touches for Simpson will likely be a focal point. The tailback-turned-wideout-turned-tailback has explosive speed and actually lead the team with 43 receptions.

Fan favorite Keith Payne, despite limited appearances, which stumped many, rising sophomore Raynard Horne, freshman-to-be Max Milien and recruit Torrey Mack round out a group that may or may not include Andrew Pearman.

Virginia also boasts two “true’ fullbacks for the first time in years.

Rashawn Jackson, a powerful runner and blocker, showcased his talents in the Gator Bowl, and walk-on redshirt freshman Curt Orshoski has quickly impressed.

“It definitely interesting because when they first moved me there, especially [in 2006], I was the only fullback on the roster and I wasn’t even really a fullback,” Zidenberg said. “Now, we have two fullbacks who could potentially be really good and Rashawn has already proven himself.

“[Orshoski] has really good size and he is extremely aggressive so I definitely think he fits in as a prototypical-blocking fullback, and potentially a really good goalline fullback.”

Wide receivers/Tight ends

Departed starters - TE Tom Santi; TE Jon Stupar

Projected starters - WR Maurice Covington, WR Kevin Ogletree, TE John Phillips

2007 Grade: C-

If anything, Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell has remained loyal.

Over the past two years, with injuries depleting his pass-catching options, Sewell surveyed the field, looking at numerous defenses and nothing was there.

Sewell could have complained about a collection of wide receivers who routinely failed to get open and made yard-after-the-catch a meaningless stat.

Instead, Sewell offered support and used his tight ends to improve Virginia’s passing offense, albeit limited improvement.

Sewell, or Peter Lalich should he supplant the starting signal-caller, may be forced to change the plan of attack. Tight ends Jon Stupar and Santi have completed their eligibility, leaving John Phillips, Joe Torchia and perhaps Andrew Devlin to fight for catches.

Virginia - losing only converted cornerback Chris Gorham at wideout - should also be vastly improved at the position.

Ogletree returned to form in practice late in the season, creating nightmares for Virginia’s defense. He should be joined by Covington, who despite missing four starts, corralled 21 catches for 269 yards.

“They have a great nucleus coming back with KO and Maurice and their experience,” Gorham said. “All the guys look promising.”

That group of “guys” includes rising sophomore Dontrelle Inman, who had 17 receptions as a true freshman, and Kris Burd, a rookie who redshirted after early-season back surgery.

“That experience is going to be phenomenal for [Inman],” Gorham said. “Any time you get the chance to come right in and play the number of snaps that he did, it will carry over into the spring and next season.

“With the experience that he has, he is going to go into next season considered a veteran. It is going to be great for him and it will help out all the other guys come along with their experience.”

Gorham also predicted great futures for sophomore speedster Chris Dalton, redshirt freshman Jared Green (son of former Redskins great Darrell Green) and a pair of walk-ons - Staton Jobe and Cary Koch - who may be in line for scholarships.

 

Tech banner draws ire of UVa fan base
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com
January 13, 2008

Just when Virginia football fans were starting to get over the “Hokie lovefest” in the regular season-ending Virginia Tech game at Scott Stadium, they were reminded of the whole scenario by the “Hokie flyover” at the Gator Bowl.

Prior to UVa’s bowl game against Texas Tech on New Year’s Day, an airplane flew over Jacksonville Municipal Stadium with a banner attached that read: “WE HOKIES HAVE ACC + BCS ... U HAVE VA PRIDE.”

Cavalier fans were already steamed over what many of them perceived as an excessive show of unity between the two football rivals prior to their annual clash on Nov. 24, won by Virginia Tech, 33-21. With the win, the Hokies won the Coastal Divison title and a spot in the ACC Championship game, where they defeated Boston College. They went on to lose to Kansas in the Orange Bowl.

Many of those same UVa fans have expressed anger and disappointment in their Hokie counterparts for the banner and other acts at the Gator Bowl.

A few are suspicious as to whether a Tech fan was responsible for the banner or a disgruntled UVa fan expressing dismay over the Nov. 24 pre-game ceremonies that have commonly been referred to as the “Hokie lovefest.”

Attempts to trace the person that hired the plane have been unsuccessful.

“I was a part of the very large Wilk Hall & Camp Wahoo Tailgate Party when we saw the banner,” Fred Adams said of his eyewitness account. “Our group numbered well over 300 avid Hoo fans and to say that we were collectively outraged is an understatement.”

Another Wahoo fan, Eric Purcell of Louisa, said he thought the banner was in just as poor taste as were the Hokie fans who showed up in full Tech regalia to cheer for Texas Tech.

“The banner was terrible and humiliating,” Purcell said.

Virginia fan Liem Nguyen was at the Tech game in November and at the Gator Bowl and also saw the plane pulling the banner.

“I saw the banner mocking the Virginia Pride ceremonies that UVa had for Virginia Tech,” Nguyen said. “At first, I was somewhat taken aback and felt sad that someone from Virginia Tech would be that low and inconsiderate at our bowl game. But then I realized that I should be enjoying Virginia Tech being Virginia Tech.”

Eric Ferguson, a 2002 UVa graduate who resides in Ruckersville, said he grabbed his camera, took photos of the plane and the banner and posted them on The Sabre, a web site dedicated to Cavalier athletics.

“Our tailgating group just kept shaking our heads wondering how the Virginia Tech fans would be so consumed by our rivalry that they could spend the money to fly a message that boasted their football accomplishments this year while totally disrespecting the classy gesture our university made to them on Nov. 24,” Ferguson said. “We all thought that it was a pretty pathetic thing to do.”

William Farrar said, “Apparently President Casteen’s effort to show compassion was very much unappreciated and now mocked by [Virginia Tech’s] fan base. I hope he understands this.

“... If our intent at the Virginia Pride celebration was to honor the fallen and display unity between the two schools, maybe instead of deriding the effort by renting a plane to gloat, the Virginia Tech fans could have donated that money to the victims family fund or just give it to their football team.”