White: Look 'Hoo Leads the ACC
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 01/13/2010
By Jeff White

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- When the last second ticked off the clock, Sylven Landesberg flung the basketball toward the ceiling of John Paul Jones Arena, and the crowd, already on its feet, roared once again.

Tony Bennett's team didn't win any championships Wednesday night, but his rebuilding project at UVa took another significant step forward.

Four nights after opening ther ACC schedule with an upset of N.C. State in Raleigh, the Cavaliers toppled No. 20 Georgia Tech, a tall, talented team coming off a win over Duke.

About two hours later, North Carolina lost at Clemson, and that left only one team unbeaten in ACC play: Virginia (2-0, 10-4).

That would be the same Virginia team picked to finish second to last in the 12-team league.

"We told people from the beginning, we're going to shock a lot of people," junior guard Jeff Jones said after UVa's 82-75 win over Georgia Tech.

"I think they predicted us to be 11th, but we just said we're not going to worry about that. We're going to keep working and prove people wrong. It's the first step in what we want to do."

The Wahoos extended their winning streak to six games, and they're 2-0 in the ACC for the first time since 1994-95, when Jason Williford, now one of Bennett's assistants, played for the program's first Jeff Jones.

"That's a long time ago," Bennett said with a smile when reminded of Williford's playing career.

Lost in the postgame talk about the ACC start was this fact: Fourteen games into their first season under Bennett, the 'Hoos have equaled their victory total of 2008-09, when they went 10-18.

"I'm sure we're surprising a lot of people, a lot of our doubters," sophomore guard Sammy Zeglinski said. "But we're going to just keep doing what we do, knowing who we are."

In Raleigh last weekend, N.C. State led by four points when its best post player, Tracy Smith, missed an open look inside late in the second half. At the other end, Jones drilled a 3-pointer, staggering the Wolfpack.

"You need those defining moments in a game," Bennett said.

Another such sequence occurred late in the second half Wednesday night. With Virginia leading 69-63, Landesberg missed with the shot clock about to expire, but center Jerome Meyinsse ripped down the rebound.

Meyinsse was fouled and went to the line for a one-and-one with 2:39 left. He missed, but the rebound bounced directly to Landesberg, giving the 'Hoos a new shot clock.

It had almost run out when Landesberg passed to the 6-0 Zeglinski, who buried a deep trey over 6-5 Iman Shumpert to push UVa's lead to nine.

"I think that was the turning point in the game," Meyinsse said.

Zeglinski said: "I told Sylven, 'When we get low in the shot clock, my man's kind of cheating in, and I'm going to loop behind him.' And [Landesberg] made a nice read, and fortunately I was able to get enough arc on the ball. I needed the whole rim to get it to go in, but it went in."

Against N.C. State, the Cavaliers made 19 of 20 free throws. Against the Yellow Jackets (1-2, 12-4), Virginia was 23 for 26 from the line. Equally impressive, the 'Hoos turned the ball over only seven times.

"Coach always preaches being sound with it," junior guard Mustapha Farrakhan said. "Don't make silly mistakes, and just be sure with the basketball. And I think everybody did a great job today."

Landesberg, the ACC rookie of the year in 2008-09, was his usual self Wednesday night, making all nine of his free throws and totaling 22 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Meyinsse's performance was more of a revelation.

To combat a frontcourt led by Gani Lawal (6-9, 234 pounds) and Derrick Favors (6-10, 246), Bennett inserted Meyinsse in the starting lineup, and the 6-9, 233-pound senior responded with his finest game as a Cavalier.

"We needed his physical presence," Bennett said.

Meyinsse finished with a season-high 8 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists in 20 minutes and played rugged defense against Lawal (12 points, 4 boards).

"Jerome was huge all night," Zeglinski said. "He did a great job on Gani, who's obviously a pro. Gani Lawal, he's a beast down there, and Jerome did a great job keeping him in check and off the offensive boards."

Meyinsse said: "I just tried not to give [Lawal] easy buckets. He made some tough turnaround shots, but I just wanted to make it as hard as possible."

Tech shot 54.8 percent from the floor in the first half. Bennett was more pleased with his team's defense after intermission, especially in the post. Many of the shots the Jackets made, especially Lawal and 6-8 senior Zachery Peacock (19 points), were anything but easy.

"I'm very thankful, and that's a heck of a team," Bennett said. "They're a load inside. We made them make shots. A couple of those post moves, fadeaways that they made in the second half, I'll live with those."

It's no longer a surprise when Farrakhan sparkles, but he elevated his game again Wednesday night. In 23 minutes off the bench, he made 4 of 8 shots from the floor and 6 of 6 from the line. Farrakhan finished with 15 points and tied his career highs in assists (4) and steals (3), with no turnovers.

"He's an emotional player," Bennett said. "He plays off of emotion, and when he's playing within himself, kind of letting the game come and using his energy on the defensive end and being aggressive with good decisions, that's when I think he plays his best.

"I've just been kind of talking to him about that, saying, 'This is what I expect of you. This is your role, and embrace it.' And he's done a good job with it."

Junior forward Mike Scott led UVa in the post with 12 points and 6 rebounds, though his showmanship on a first-half dunk didn't go over well with his coaches.

Jones scored 9 points and, as he had in Raleigh, showed a flair for the dramatic.

In the 11-0 run that gave the 'Hoos the lead for good in the second half, Jones made the signature basket, a 3-pointer from the top of the key. That put Virginia up 63-59 with 6:51 to play.

"He's a weapon with his shot," Bennett said.

The players weren't Virginia's only weapons Wednesday. The crowd of 8,924 was well below capacity at 14,593-seat JPJ, but it made its presence known from the start.

"That's probably the best team we've played up to this point, and there's a lot of emotion in here," Bennett said. "I'm starting to get a feel of what the arena's like when the crowd gets into it. It can be a tremendous advantage.

"Our kids were tired at the end, but I thought that gave us more energy. I think that helped us last and fight a little harder, so I give credit certainly to the atmosphere and then the mental stamina and toughness of our kids."

Scott said: "That's that sixth man we always talk about it. It's always good to have the crowd into it. It fires us up, and I think it definitely helped tonight."

With the start of the second semester approaching, more students are expected Saturday night when ACC rival Miami (1-2, 15-2) visits JPJ. Virginia will enter that game as the conference's first-place team, but Bennett doesn't want his players to lose perspective.

"It's early," he said. "I've said it all along, "Don't get too up, don't get too down.' This is two games into the conference. I'm just glad we came back off of a nice win at N.C. State. We protected home court and executed, but as far as being 2-0 ..."

He paused before finishing his thought.

"It sures beats 1-1 or 0-2, so we'll take it."

 

Postgame Quotes
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 01/13/2010

Virginia Head Coach Tony Bennett

On pride in the effort shown by the team:
“It was good. We had some guys really battle. I thought our defense showed up in the second half. In the first half, it wasn’t really solid. Their effort was there, but the execution wasn’t. They really made Georgia Tech earn; it was physical with the post players. That’s a good team and we outlasted them, which I was proud of: seeing Jerome [Meyinsse] bang, Mike [Scott] and guys getting on the floor. We said before the game, at home it’s a must: you have to win the ‘x-factor’, you have to win the hustle game. Guys did that and we got a good lift from our bench and took care of the ball and made our free throws. Those are good things.”

On out-rebounding Georgia Tech:
“Early in the game it didn’t look like it was going to be that way. They scored quite a few points. Some of their guards got in and we didn’t check them off. [We got] some fortunate bounces, but some tough, hard boxing-out and guys going after it with a reckless abandon. That’s what we needed. Sylven [Landesberg] rebounded hard, Assane [Sene] got some offensive rebounds. It was a good night on the boards. “

On playing the game at a faster pace:
“They didn’t press every possession, but if our guards can get a rebound, we really want to go because there are opportunities to score in transition. I thought there were a couple of times that we took ill-advised shots that maybe hurt us cause they wanted to get going. You have to be able to have a balance when opportunities are there and you make good decisions, absolutely, go – just make good decisions on the end of it. I thought for the most part we did. I thought in the first half we missed some easy baskets. I said, ‘Your offense is okay, even if you’re a little stagnant at times, but you have to win it with your defense in the second half.’ I think we did and I was happy to see them step it up and compete and execute on the defensive end.”

On Meyinsse’s missed free throw converted to a three-pointer by Sammy Zeglinski:
“It was big – we had some fortunate bounces, certainly, but that was eating some time off the clock and that’s devastating when you’re a team and you’re a little bit down and miss a free throw, miss the free throw rebound, we run the clock down, and we were a little stagnant, but Sammy hit a huge shot which put us up nine. That was what we needed – momentum. Then you saw them bang some threes late so we needed that cushion, but that was crucial. You need those defining moments in a game.“

On the assertiveness of Mustapha Farrakhan and Jeff Jones:
“I told them before the game, ‘you guys are upperclassmen and you’ve played ACC games with the exception of Jontel [Evans] and Tristan [Spurlock]. You have to feed off the energy, but bring some toughness.’ I thought they were locked in. Mustapha is an emotional player and when he gets control of those emotions and uses them the right way, he is effective cause he can slide and he can guard. Jeff is a weapon with his shot. I was glad to see those guys give us a great lift and good minutes. Again, I like it when Jeff is hunting shots, moving off of screens hard and drawing attention. Then Mustapha has the ability to put it on the floor; sometimes against that pressure you have to bounce it and I thought he did that at times.”
________________________________________

Georgia Tech Head Coach Paul Hewitt

On how effective Virginia’s second-half defense was:
“I thought we started to rush some shots. We want to play in transition, but we took some three-point shots that came out long. In the first half I thought we did a great job of executing and getting shots inside. We had some shots on good looks and we just didn’t knock them down. I am not going to second-guess our guys, but if you miss threes it usually creates a long rebound situation. I thought we got good looks, but they did a great job of keeping us off the boards in the second half. We had a run there going when Zack (Peacock) was making some good moves and making some tough shots near the paint. Got to give Virginia credit, they did what they had to do at the end of the game to win.”

On how tough he thought the game would be despite Virginia’s preseason ACC media pick of No. 11 in the league:
“Very tough – Virginia has a guy in (Sylven) Landesberg that demands a lot of attention. He can lift the entire team when he is playing well. He didn’t shoot the ball well tonight, but he brings so much attention to him your defense has to pay so much attention that it opens things up for other guys. Got to give them credit because when they had open shots they knocked them down. I thought they did a good job of running the offense through baseline screens and knocking down shots.”

On key turnovers:
“I think it was an eye-opener for our young wing guys (Brian Oliver and Glen Rice) on how we need to protect the ball when they get up on you in this league. We still have enough veteran guys that we could have done a better job, but you have to give credit to Virginia on doing what needed to be done to win.”

On if this was a trap game coming off an upset victory over No. 5 Duke and looking to face North Carolina in next contest:
“No. We knew that this was a tough game just like everyone is in this league. We were not overlooking Virginia, we focused solely on the Cavaliers.”

 

Cavs stay perfect in ACC
By Whitey Reid
Published: January 14, 2010
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If Virginia coach Tony Bennett ever needs to combat the negative recruiting out there that says he employs a boring, slow-down system, all he has to do is one thing — throw in a DVD of his team’s game on Wednesday night against Georgia Tech.

In a game that featured a plethora of fastbreaks, pretty passes and highlight-reel dunks, Virginia knocked off its second ranked opponent in its last four outings, defeating No. 20 Georgia Tech, 82-75, in front of a spunky crowd of 8,924 at John Paul Jones Arena.

The win was Virginia’s sixth straight and improved their ACC record to 2-0 — their first such start since the 1994-95 season.

“We told people from the beginning that we were going to shock a lot of people,” said Virginia guard Jeff Jones, who finished with nine points, including a huge 3-pointer down the stretch. “They predicted us 11th [in the ACC], but we told ourselves not to worry about that and just prove people wrong.

“This is just a first step to what we’re going to do. We just have to keep knocking.”

Virginia managed to win the game despite Georgia Tech shooting 52 percent from the field. The Cavaliers (10-4, 2-0 ACC) made up for it by committing four fewer turnovers than the Yellow Jackets and outrebounding them by three.

In addition, Virginia finished with 26 free-throw attempts to Georgia Tech’s 11.

“It was good,” said Virginia coach Tony Bennett. “We had some guys really battle. Our defense sured up in the second half…

“That’s a good team, and we kind of outlasted them ... we said before the game that at home, it’s a must — you have to win the hustle, the X-factor. Guys did that and we got a good lift from the bench, took care of the ball and made our free throws. Those are good things.”

Sylven Landesberg, who led Virginia with 22 points, said the stereotype of Bennett being no fun to play for on the offensive end is just that.

“Coach Bennett gives us a lot of freedom on the offensive end,” Landesberg said. “He doesn’t try and slow it down. It’s just the defensive end where he’s real strict.

“Today was definitely one of the faster-paced games we’ve played and I think we did a pretty good job. We had Jerome [Meyinsse] and Mike [Scott] down there battling with their big men and that was no easy task. I compliment them for that.”

After a Zach Peacock jumper gave Georgia Tech (12-4, 1-2) a 59-56 lead with under 10 minutes to play, Virginia went on a furious 9-0 run to take a 67-59 lead. The spurt was highlighted by a Jones triple and an offensive put-back from Meyinsse.

The Yellow Jackets managed to claw back to within six before Sammy Zeglinski, following a huge offensive rebound from Landesberg of a Meyinsse free throw, hit a dagger 3-pointer that essentially forced Tech to foul the rest of the way.

“We were able to tip it out and use some clock,” Zeglinski said. I” didn’t get a great look, but I was able to make it. It needed every part of the rim, but it went down.”

Bennett added: “Sammy hit a huge, huge shot. That was crucial.”

Virginia, just like in its win over N.C. State on Saturday, iced away the win at the line, going 16 of 17 in the second half.

For the game, UVa collected eight points off the fastbreak to Georgia Tech’s 10. “If our guards can get a rebound, we really want to go,” said Bennett, when asked about his style, “because there are opportunities to score in transition.”

The first half was a track meet — play was extremely uptempo, not to mention entertaining.

One of the highlights was a Scott dunk. To the shock of everyone in the arena, the junior, all alone on the fastbreak, flipped the ball to himself in mid-air before slamming it down.

The play, not the smartest — Bennett said Scott was lucky he didn’t get called for a travel — fired up the crowd. A few minutes later, Mustapha Farrakhan dunked the ball following a Tech turnover, Meyinsse had a pretty jump hook in the lane over Peacock and Landesberg scored on a nice drive to the hoop as Virginia built a 27-21 lead.

However, the Yellow Jackets, behind dominating work on the offensive boards by Favors, got back in the game, eventually taking a one-point lead into the locker room and seemed to have the momentum.

Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt was adamant when asked if his team looked past Virginia.

“No,” he said. “We knew that this was a tough game, just like everyone is in this league. We were not overlooking Virginia, we focusing solely on the Cavaliers.”

Bennett, whose team hosts Miami on Saturday, wasn’t about to get too giddy after the win.

“It’s early,” he said. “I’ve said all along — don’t get too up, don’t get too down. This is two games into the conference.

“I’m just glad that we came back off of a nice win at N.C. State, we protected home court and we executed, but as far as being 2-0, I mean it sure beats 1-1 or 0-2, so we’ll take it. But I just keep telling our guys, ‘Keep getting better.’”
 

Cavaliers serve notice to conference
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: January 14, 2010
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Throw another log on the fire and let’s discuss just how good these Virginia Cavaliers really are.

We have to wonder if even new coach Tony Bennett thought this team, which won only 10 games all of last year, would have matched that total before mid-January.

Wednesday night’s 82-75 stunner over visiting 20th-ranked Georgia Tech was a shot heard ’round the ACC for sure. All of a sudden, the Cavaliers, picked 11th in the 12-team league’s preseason poll, are 2-0 in the ACC for the first time since the 1994-95 season.

Bennett’s team has now reeled off six straight wins and has knocked off two ranked teams, the Yellow Jackets and Alabama-Birmingham back on Dec. 30.

While beating UAB, a team that somewhat imploded down the stretch in noisy John Paul Jones Arena, was impressive, last night’s upset of Georgia Tech was even more so. Beating a ranked ACC team — one coming off its own impressive win over Duke last Saturday — should be a huge confidence-builder for the Cavaliers.

No time to celebrate

The Yellow Jackets got UVa’s attention quickly last weekend after the Cavaliers had beaten N.C. State in Raleigh. On the bus ride home, Virginia’s players tuned in to the end of Tech’s win over high-flying Duke and all of a sudden, their own victory celebration came to a screeching halt.

Even though UVa has played Georgia Tech even over the past couple of years, the feeling was this bunch of Jackets were a cut above the past few teams to come out of Atlanta. In fact, the only Tech team with a record as good or better than this squad’s after 15 games was the Yellow Jackets’ 2004 Final Four squad.

A big reason why is Coach Paul Hewitt’s big men, most notably 6-foot-9 Gani Lawal and 6-10 freshman phenom Derrick Favors, probably a one-and-done recruit, not to mention 6-8 Zachery Peacock, who can score from anywhere.

Fight brawn with brawn

The key to beating the Jackets last night was matching their physicality, something that wasn’t easy for an unheralded group of Virginia post players. Bennett wasn’t happy at halftime about Tech getting a lot of offensive rebound baskets and strongly emphasized to his team that it had to keep Tech’s big men off the glass in the second half if they wanted to win.

The Cavaliers responded, crashed the boards with all hands on deck, and shockingly outrebounded Tech 36-33.

Little-known Jerome Meyinsse, who has been around for four years without much fanfare or playing time (he averaged 9.3 minutes of playing time per game for his career, which includes several DNP’s), played a hair-chested stretch of defense against the giant-sized Jackets.

Standing at 6-9 and 233 pounds, Meyinsse — perhaps known more for his brains than his brawn in the past — is no wimp. But he stepped up big time against more heralded post players in what he called the most physical game he had ever been associated with.

“The referees were letting us play,” the senior from Baton Rouge, La., said. “Nothing dirty ... just hard play.”

It looked like hand-to-hand combat down in the paint at times, something Meyinsse said he had prepared for by battling former UVa big men Tunji Soroye and Lars Mikalauskas in the past.

Meyinsse scored an ACC career high with eight points and added six boards, also a career high.

Part of Bennett’s strategy was to deny Tech’s big men the ball as much as possible and bang them, but to make the Yellow Jackets’ guards win the game.

One thing we have learned about this Virginia team is that opponents better not get into a free throw shooting contest against the Cavaliers. In UVa’s two ACC wins, the Cavs have converted 91.3 percent of their foul shots (42 of 46), including 23 of 26 against Tech.

Meanwhile, the Jackets were only 3 of 11 from the charity stripe and N.C. State was 16 of 26, a huge factor in close contests.

One of UVa’s few misses turned out to be a big break for the Cavs. After Meyinsse fished out a big offensive rebound, he was fouled for a one-and-one with 2:39 to play. He missed, but Sylven Landesberg grabbed the rebound, got a new shot clock, fed the ball to teammate Sammy Zeglinski, who in turn nailed perhaps Tech’s death blow, a 3-pointer for a nine-point lead (72-63) with 2:08 to play.

“I saw it come off and Gani, who is real aggressive on every rebound, was going for it,” Landesberg said. “But that [rebound] happened to come out a little long and I was able to get it.”

At that point, Wahoo fans had to know something magical was occurring. Not only did they acquire an improbable rebound, but managed to milk another 31 seconds off the clock against a desperate Tech team attempting to avoid the upset.

So, on a night when only 8,924 fans showed up to watch Virginia play, it was too bad the game wasn’t televised. It was UVa’s only ACC game this season that wasn’t scheduled for TV.

For some reason, the oddsmakers made Virginia a two-point favorite, which most who follow the game found difficult to swallow. In most ACC observers minds, this was a legitimate upset.

And the win led Landesberg and his teammates with a big smile on their faces as they exited JPJ.

“I think we’re the only ACC game tonight that wasn’t on TV,” said Landesberg, who was close —Virginia Tech’s win over Miami also wasn’t televised. “We were picked 11th in the ACC and, yes, we have a chip on our shoulders. We think we’re better than what people think and we’re showing it now.”
 

Cavaliers stay hot by cooling Jackets
UVa wins its sixth straight and opens ACC play 2-0 for the first time since 1994-95.
By Doug Doughty
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CHARLOTTESVILLE -- The TV syndicators who have declined to air Virginia's last two men's basketball games against ranked competition are missing a good story.

A Cavaliers team that was picked last in the ACC won its sixth straight game Wednesday night, knocking off 20th-ranked Georgia Tech 82-75 at re-energized John Paul Jones Arena.

It was the second conference victory in five days for UVa, which finds itself 2-0 in ACC play for the first time since 1994-95.

"Every other ACC game was on TV tonight but ours," said Virginia sophomore Sylven Landesberg, who finished with 22 points and was close on his observation. Virginia Tech's game with Miami also was passed over. "We're not on TV; we were predicted last in the ACC. We've definitely got a chip on our shoulders.

"We all think we're better than what people think."

At least the Cavaliers (10-4, 2-0 ACC) have the attention of the oddsmakers. UVa was a two-point favorite over a Yellow Jackets team that was picked to finish fourth in the ACC and was coming off a 71-67 victory over then-No. 5 Duke.

Georgia Tech (12-4, 1-2) led 39-38 at the half and upped that to four points on two occasions in the second half, the latest at 55-51 with less than 11 minutes remaining.

The Cavaliers, who had made two 3-pointers all night, turned the game around with a 13-4 run that included 3-point field goals by Sammy Zeglinski and Jeff Jones.

Georgia Tech already had shown signs of vulnerability at the free-throw line, where the Yellow Jackets had gone 2-for-8 in the first half (and would have been 1-for-8 without a UVa lane violation).

Virginia was coming off a 72-63 victory on Saturday at N.C. State, where the Cavaliers were 19-of-20 from the line, including 17 in a row to finish the game.

It was more of the same Wednesday, when Virginia was 23-of-26 from the line, including 16-of-17 in the second half.

Moreover, UVa's lone missed free throw of the second half couldn't have had a more fortuitous outcome for the Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers were leading 69-63 when senior Jerome Meyinsse stepped to the free-throw line for a one-and-one with 2:39 remaining. Georgia Tech's Gani Lawal went hard to the boards for Meyinsse's first -- and only -- attempt, but the ball squirted past his oustretched hands and into the grasp of Landesberg in the right corner.

That gave the Cavaliers a fresh 35 seconds on the clock, which Virginia proceeded to milk until Zeglinski hit another 3-pointer to make it a nine-point game, 72-63, with 2:09 left.

"That was the one that really put us in a bad spot," Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt said. "You know what, the [missed] free throws are deflating, but not coming up with loose balls is even more deflating."

The Yellow Jackets shot 51.6 percent from the field, and when they did miss from the field, scored eight baskets off stickbacks. However, Virginia outrebounded the taller, beefier Yellow Jackets 36-33 and had seven turnovers to the Yellow Jackets' 11.

UVa entered the game ranked fifth in Division I in fewest turnovers (10.5 per game).

Junior Mustapha Farrakhan had one of the best all-around games of his UVa career, coming off the bench to contribute 15 points in 23 minutes.

Farrakhan was 6-for-6 from the line and had four assists and three steals without committing a turnover. He also helped contain Georgia Tech sophomore Iman Shumpert, a fellow Chicagoan.

"We always talk about protecting our house," Farrakhan said. "You don't want somebody from your hometown coming into your house and showing you up."

The Cavaliers beat Georgia Tech in Atlanta last year in their only meeting, 88-84 in overtime, so Hewitt wasn't about to take Virginia lightly. The Yellow Jackets were runners-up in the recruiting of Landesberg, who is 17-for-17 from the line over the last two games.

"He can lift a whole team when he's playing well," Hewitt said. "Your defense has to pay so much attention for him that it clearly opens up things for other guys."

With nearly two months remaining in the regular season, Virginia now has won as many games as it did all of last year, when it finished 10-18.

"I hadn't thought about that," Zeglinski said.

"Wow! That's pretty crazy."

Virginia upends No. 18 Georgia Tech
By Michael Phillips
Published: January 14, 2010
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CHARLOTTESVILLE -- When the U.Va. players sit down for their pregame meal, they're served by some of their teammates -- the ones who missed free throws in practice.

Likewise, when they head to coach Tony Bennett's house to hang out, the couches go to the players who were able to swish their free throws.

That emphasis on the freebies has paid dividends in both ACC games this season and was a big part of last night's 82-75 victory over No. 18 Georgia Tech.

"We do spend a lot of time at the end of practice shooting free throws," guard Sammy Zeglinski said. "It's paid off, since we've been making them."

Indeed, the Cavs have been 20 percent more efficient from the line than opponents this year, which has translated to an extra 5.2 points per game. It was a difference-maker last night, as U.Va. pulled away from Georgia Tech late.

In the early phase, the game had little resemblance to the BennettBall style that had been prevalent all season -- there were fast breaks, quick shots and lots of running.

"They didn't press every possession, but if our guards can get a rebound, then we really want to go," the coach said. "We think there's some chances for points in transition."

Things settled back down in the final minutes as the Cavs moved back to a set offense to help run off the clock. Thanks to a Jerome Meyinsee rebound, the team used two full rounds of the shot clock before Zeglinski hit a 3-pointer to deliver a nine-point lead, enough cushion for the Wahoos to survive the game's final possessions. Forward Mike Scott put on the exclamation point with a one-handed dunk.

And just as his coaches have been urging him to do, guard Sylven Landesberg's impact in the final minutes wasn't by making shots -- though it wasn't for a lack of effort.

The ball was knocked away from him twice in the final minutes as he drove to the basket, but he made up for it with a pair of key defensive rebounds. He also went 4 for 4 from the foul line late, finishing the game having made all nine attempts and positioning himself well to be served Saturday's team meal. He led the team with 22 points.

The victory put the rest of the ACC on notice that even in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, the Cavs (2-0, 10-4) are on board with their new coach's style and playing their best games of the season.

"This just shows that we're going to keep building our identity with each win," Zeglinski said. "It's going to be really hard for other teams to get quality shots against us."

Last night also marked a return to action for Assane Sene, who didn't get any minutes against N.C. State.

"I know my chance will come, and the thing is I just have to be ready," he said. "Any time coach puts me on the floor, I'm just telling myself that I have to go hard to show that I deserve this."

He did that with a hustle play to save a loose ball, and just as important, made both his free throws. The Cavs finished 23 for 26 from the line. The Yellow Jackets were 3 for 11.

As for yesterday's practice, Bennett divided teams into two groups and decided the players who could build the longer streak of made free throws would get dinner served to them. The result? A tie, after a successful showing from both sides.

It's just further proof that three months into the season, the Cavs are on a roll, and won't be taken lightly during conference play.

Cavaliers have warmed to Bennett’s cool
By Paul Woody
Published: January 14, 2010
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CHARLOTTESVILLE Tony Bennett walked into the postgame press conference and not a hair was out of place.

His voice wasn't strained. His tie was perfectly knotted.

Tony Bennett the singer looks more drained after a performance than Tony Bennett, the men's basketball coach at the University of Virginia, did after last night's game against Georgia Tech.

Watching your team play well and win has that effect on a coach.

Bennett the coach is cool, calm and collected.

His team reflects that.

How else can you explain how essentially the same group of players who slogged through a 10-18 2008-09 season are 2-0 in the ACC for the first time since the 1994-95 season?

How else can you explain handling the athletic, talented and 18th-ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 82-75 last night?

"He's always under control," said Virginia guard Sammy Zeglinski. "He always believes in his game plan.

"I think we've really bought in and trust him to coach the game for 40 minutes. He's always composed, and it shows by his body language on the bench. We take from that."

Perhaps no player has taken as much from that as Mustapha Farrakhan. Last year, if he even got on the court, Farrakhan was in the game to shoot. He was supposed to provide instant offense from long range. That didn't always work out so well.

"A lot of us, including myself, didn't get a chance to get a rhythm last year," Farrakhan said. "But this year, I'm being more confident, more aggressive and when you do that, good things happen.

"It seems to me this year everybody is a lot more confident going in there, making aggressive plays. If it's a mistake, at least it's an aggressive mistake."

Bennett and his staff get points for that.

Farrakhan had perhaps the most complete game of his college career last night. The junior guard played 23 minutes, had 15 points, four assists and no turnovers.

"It wasn't like it was in desperation," Farrakhan said. "It was getting my teammates involved and playing defense, knocking down free throws when we needed them.

"It felt a little bit more complete. It was in the flow of the game."

It's early in a long season and many things can happen. But this is not the same Cavaliers team as last season, and Farrakhan certainly is not the same player he was last year.

Defense and rebounding are essential to every college basketball team. But the really good college teams surpass others because of outstanding guard play.

Farrakhan wasn't alone in providing excellence in the backcourt for Virginia. Jeff Jones, Zeglinski and Sylven Landesberg (22 points, five assists, six rebounds) did their parts as well.

But it is Farrakhan who has the potential to provide a grand-slam threat off the bench -- scoring, emotion, defense and passing.

Most people remember Farrakhan, if they remember him at all, for the 17 points -- 4 of 5 3-pointers -- he scored in 12 minutes against Virginia Tech last season. After that, it seemed as if he all but disappeared.

Then, Bennett took over the program and every player had a clean slate. Farrakhan has taken advantage of that.

He is capable of unconscious scoring in almost every game. Farrakhan wants to be known from more than that, though.

"He's an emotional player, and when he gets control of his emotions, he can play," Bennett said. "When he plays within himself, letting the game come to him and using his energy on the defensive end, and being aggressive and making good decisions, that's when he plays his best.

"We've talked about that -- this is what I expect of you, this is your role, embrace it. And he's done a good job."

Still, Farrakhan is a young man, and his emotions can get away from him. But he is mature enough to know what to do in those situations.

"The coaching staff is really helping me out," he said. "Any time I feel something is going wrong, I'll look over, and they'll tell me to ease up or you got it or it's OK. That makes me calm down a little bit."

And if the crowd is so loud that Farrakhan can't hear any of that, he can just look at Bennett's well-coiffed hair and perfectly knotted tie, take a deep breath and know that things are going to be fine.

At least they have been so far.

Cavaliers clutch from deep

Tony Bennett graduated from Wisconsin-Green Bay as the most accurate 3-point shooter in Division I basketball history.

Eighteen years later, Bennett's record still stands.

Eighteen years later, Bennett's University of Virginia team is emulating his form.

The Cavaliers made 5-of-14 from beyond the arc in Wednesday night's 82-75 home victory over 20th-ranked Georgia Tech. Hardly startling numbers, and far from Bennett's career mark of 49.7 percent.

But several of those threes came at crucial times, and two came from, as usual, junior guard Sammy Zeglinski.

Last season Zeglinski made 33-of-105 threes, 31.4 percent. This season he's 34-of-68, a stunning 50 percent.

Think about that for a moment. Zeglinski has made one more three on 37 fewer attempts. Pretty amazing.

Zeglinski's first three last night brought the Cavaliers within 55-54. The second goosed Virginia's lead to 72-63 and removed all suspense.

We did not attend the game but remain impressed at the Cavaliers' performance in Bennett's first season as head coach. He arrived from Washington State touted as a defensive guru, but entering Wednesday, Virginia ranked last among ACC teams in field goal percentage defense.

Conversely, Virginia led the conference in 3-point shooting and was sixth nationally at 42.3 percent, a drastic upgrade from last season's 31.6 percent, which was last in the ACC and 242nd nationally.

The Cavaliers (10-4, 2-0 ACC) already have won as many games as they did all of last season (10-18, 4-12 ACC). If they better grasp Bennett's defensive principles and continue to shoot well, this could be a far better season than anyone envisioned, Bennett included.

Next up: Miami at home Saturday night. A chance to be 3-0 in the ACC?

Go figure.

Posted by David Teel

See-saw continues for Tech in road loss to Virginia
By Carroll Rogers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
11:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 13, 2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- The multiple personalities of Georgia Tech aren't just a week-long phenomenon. The team that lost to Georgia last week only to beat No. 5 Duke on Saturday came back to earth Wednesday in an 82-75 loss at Virginia.

Not that the oddsmakers expected any differently.

The No. 20 Yellow Jackets were two-point underdogs to the unranked Cavaliers, which is a pretty good indication of the treachery on the road in the ACC.

The Yellow Jackets (12-4, 1-2 ACC) found plenty at John Paul Jones Arena, getting rattled at the free-throw line, rushing shots late, and giving up offensive rebounds at key turns despite their size advantage inside.

So instead of claiming their first ACC road win in two years against the team picked to finish last in the ACC, the Yellow Jackets will try to end their drought Saturday at No. 12 North Carolina.

Sophomore guard Iman Shumpert thought the Yellow Jackets got baited by the crowd and the excitement.

"Everybody's running up and down, you get into a ‘jack' game, just shoot everything you get," Shumpert said. "We've got to control that. People get a little overexcited, instead of just running our stuff and getting it inside when the crowd goes crazy, so it'll silence the crowd."

Under first-year coach Tony Bennett, the Cavaliers (10-4) moved to 2-0 in the ACC for the first time since 1994-95. They won on the strength of a 13-2 run that began with about nine minutes to play in the game.

Lawal made a jumper to pull Tech within six at 69-63. But he failed to box out on a sequence in which Virginia made two offensive rebounds on one possession. Sylven Landesberg beat Lawal to a missed free throw on a play that led to Sammy Zeglinski's 3-pointer that put the game away.

"It's been tough," Hewitt said of his team's recent up-and-down stretch, which applied to Wednesday's game as well. "I thought we did some good things in the first half then we got out of our rhythm in the second half. The last eight minutes we didn't do enough to put the game away."

Wednesday's loss was the flipside of the Duke game.

Tech was abysmal from the free-throw line (3-for-11 after going 22-for-28 vs. Duke). Lawal scored 12 points instead of 21, and Tech looked like the team with tired legs late as shots quit falling, other than Zachery Peacock's three desperation 3-pointers.

Derrick Favors (12 points) and Shumpert (15 points), the two who came up short against Duke, actually came up with big against Virginia, in the first half anyway. They combined for 21 points in the first half but six in the second.

Virginia scored 20 points more at the free-throw line than Tech, making 23 of 26 free throws. Lawal was only 2-for-6 at the line, missing four in a row in the first half, which would have been five if not for a lane violation.

"Just not going through my progressions," said Lawal, who had improved his free-throw percentage from 55.9 percent last season to 70.6 percent. "I'll get in the gym tomorrow, get in about 100, 200 [free throws], get this thing back on track. I was rushing."

Landesberg meanwhile, made things look easy at the free-throw line, going 9-for-9 on his way to 22 points. He was 6-of-6 in that 13-2 run.

The Cavaliers and their guards played keep away from there to work the clock down.
 

COLLEGE BASKETBALL
January 14, 2010 12:35 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.

CHARLOTTESVILLE
--The last time the Virginia men's basketball team won its first two Atlantic Coast Conference games, Jason Williford was a starting forward and Corey Alexander was the Cavaliers' point guard.

Williford is now a Virginia assistant coach and Alexander is a member of the school's radio broadcast team. The year was 1995 and Virginia's current players were in elementary school.

The Cavaliers are hoping to relive those glory days under the direction of first-year head coach Tony Bennett. They took a step toward that with their sixth straight victory--an 82-75 triumph over No. 20 Georgia Tech last night in front of a crowd of 8,924 in John Paul Jones Arena.

The win, coupled with a victory over North Carolina State on Saturday, gives Virginia (10-4, 2-0 ACC) victories in its first two conference games for the first time in 15 years. The Cavaliers have already matched last season's win total.

"Don't get too up. Don't get too down. It's just two games into the conference," Bennett said of his message to the team. "I'm glad we came off a nice win against N.C. State, protected home court and executed. But as far as being 2-0, it sure beats 1-2 or 0-2 so we'll take it."

The Cavaliers certainly took last night's victory.

They out-rebounded the bigger Yellow Jackets 36-33. They beat them to loose balls, minimized turnovers (seven) and made their free throws (23-for-26). They also played a more up-tempo style than was expected under the defensive-minded Bennett.

It's a formula that has the Cavaliers much more confident than they were under Dave Leitao last season.

"We know who we are. We need poise down the stretch, and we need to make foul shots," sophomore guard Sammy Zeglinski said. "We're a much more mature team. Defensively when we need a stop we usually get it."

The Cavaliers trailed 59-56 in the second half when they went on an 11-0 run to take control of the game. Zeglinski provided the dagger with a 3-pointer with 2:07 remaining to give the Cavaliers a 72-63 lead. The Yellow Jackets (12-4, 1-2) never recovered.

"We knew we had to keep grinding, keep making them work, and they're going to wear down by the final four minutes of the game," Zeglinski said.

Zeglinski's big 3 came after Sylven Landesberg (game-high 22 points) grabbed a rare Virginia miss from the free throw line.

Bennett said the sequence was "devastating" for the Yellow Jackets.

"You need those defining moments in a game," he added.

That may have been the defining moment, but several players contributed to Virginia's victory.

There was Landesberg, who added five assists and six rebounds to go with his normal scoring production.

Junior guard Mustapha Farrakhan came off the bench to score 15 points and hand out four assists.

Junior forward Mike Scott contributed 12 points and six rebounds on 6-for-9 shooting. Reserve shooting guard Jeff Jones connected on two big 3-pointers in the second half and senior forward Jerome Meyinsse (eight points, six rebounds) gave the Cavaliers the post presence they needed to battle Georgia Tech's NBA-bound frontline of Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal.

"Jerome was a beast," Scott said.

The Yellow Jackets were led by reserve forward Zach Peacock's 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting. Four other players reached double figures, including guard Iman Shumpert (15 points, six assists).

The Cavaliers will go for their seventh straight victory on Saturday when they host Miami at 8 p.m.

Bennett said the crowd last night showed John Paul Jones Arena can be tough on opponents.

Scott and Zeglinski said it's time for more Virginia supporters to come on board.

"If they're not already here," Scott said, "they're definitely missing out."

Landesberg lifts Virginia past No. 20 Georgia Tech
By Zach Berman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, January 14, 2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- There was palpable excitement at John Paul Jones Arena as Sylven Landesberg hoisted the ball in the air and Virginia's players celebrated as unranked teams often do in the waning seconds of upsets over ranked opponents.

Although after the Cavaliers' 82-75 win over No. 20 Georgia Tech, the surprise in victories such as Wednesday's will vanish and first-year Coach Tony Bennett's team might earn respect earlier than many anticipated.

"If this doesn't change their mind," Landesberg said of the team's detractors, "we're going to have to keep proving them wrong."

It is only two games into the conference season, but the Cavaliers' players think it might be time to start reconsidering how Virginia (10-4, 2-0) will finish in the ACC. Picked to finish 11th of 12 teams, the Cavaliers have appeared capable and composed under Bennett. That was no more evident than Wednesday, when Virginia remained undefeated in the conference and extended a six-game winning streak that is the program's longest since 2006-07.

The 2-0 ACC start is the program's first since 1994-95, and the Cavaliers have topped both ranked opponents they have faced. On both occasions, the players celebrated with the glee of a team with no expectations. But the win over Georgia Tech (12-4, 1-2) proved that Virginia is a tough opponent -- regardless of personnel or playing style.

The Yellow Jackets entered the game with a significant size advantage and a fast-paced offense that differs from that of the Cavaliers. Virginia adjusted its lineup, starting senior Jerome Meyinsse in place of the slighter Will Sherrill, and played faster than usual. The Cavaliers outrebounded Georgia Tech, 36-33, and pulled down 15 offensive rebounds.

None appeared more important than when Landesberg (22 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) grabbed an offensive rebound after a missed free throw with 2 minutes 39 seconds remaining and reset the shot clock on a possession that finished with Sammy Zeglinski's three-pointer to give the Cavaliers a 72-63 lead.

"That was what we needed -- momentum," Bennett said. "Then you saw them bang some threes late so we needed that cushion, but that was crucial. You need those defining moments in a game."

After Saturday's win over North Carolina State, the Cavaliers said they needed to win games when opponents are held in the 60s. The Cavaliers partially slowed down Georgia Tech, but proved that they could play different ways.

"They didn't press every possession, but if our guards can get a rebound, we really want to go because there are opportunities to score in transition," Bennett said. "I thought there were a couple of times that we took ill-advised shots that maybe hurt us cause they wanted to get going, but I said it all along, you have to be able to have a balance when opportunities are there and you make good decisions, absolutely, go -- just make good decisions on the end of it."
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The pace of the game fit the style of guard Mustapha Farrakhan, who has sporadically displayed signs of promise. One of the best athletes on the team, Farrakhan was active in fetching loose balls and was more assertive on offense than usual. He scored 15 points and allowed the Cavaliers to match the Yellow Jackets' athleticism.

Farrakhan's contributions are evidence of a team that has effectively received contributions across the roster. Ten players played on Wednesday, and Farrakhan and Meyinsse were examples of role players who excelled when called upon.

It's among the reasons why Virginia's season has turned more promising than it appeared heading into the year. And though it's still early, Virginia will enter Saturday's game against No. 23 Miami with more confidence than at any point of the tenures of many players on the team.

"I said it all along, don't get too up, don't get too down," Bennett said. "This is two games into the conference. I'm just glad we came off a nice win over N.C. State, we protected home court, but as far as being 2-0? It sure beats 1-1 or 0-2, so we'll take it."
 

White: A Legend Returns
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 01/13/2010
By Jeff White
jwhite@virginia.edu

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- At St. Albans School in Washington, D.C., Shawn Moore has been a counselor, a coach and, in the lower school, the dean of students, all roles in which he formed strong bonds with the boys he helped nurture.

So when Moore had to tell them the other day, during a chapel service, that he was leaving St. Albans, he struggled.

"It was pretty emotional," he said Wednesday afternoon at John Paul Jones Arena. "As I was walking out of the National Cathedral, kids were saying, 'Coach Moore, why do you have to leave?'

"And it just broke my heart. But this is something that I feel like I have to do for the program. I'm excited about it, and hopefully I won't be looking back."

Moore, one of the greatest football players in University of Virginia history, is back at his alma mater as an assistant coach on Mike London's new staff.

"When I think of UVa people, the model, I think of a guy like Shawn who's a story of life-after-football success," London said.

The coaching assignments haven't been finalized, but Moore is likely to work with Virginia's wide receivers. Wherever he ends up, Moore will excel, his best friend is convinced.

"He's very meticulous about his craft," said Chris Slade, another former All-American at UVa.

Moore, 41, and London are longtime friends, and years ago they discussed the possibility of working together.

"And when we talked about it, I knew in my mind that Mike would be a head coach one day," Moore said. "When reality actually set in, when he was at Richmond, I was thinking, 'OK, Mike, should be in the line for the Virginia job.'

"Then when he actually got the Virginia job, it hit me. When he made the phone call, I said, 'Wow!'"

After UVa hired him last month to replace Al Groh, London called Moore to gauge his interest in joining the Wahoos' staff.

"My initial thought was, this is not something I'd really like to do," Moore said. "Because I was entrenched in the Washington, D.C., area, I truly love St. Albans, and my son's a sophomore in high school, so I really wanted to see that through.

"But once I thought about it and started talking to some close family members and friends, and actually discussed it with my son, he actually encouraged it. He said, 'I think this is something you should do. It's the next step in coaching. If you enjoy coaching so much at the high school level, why not take the next step?'"

And so Moore is back at Virginia, where he was a three-year starter at quarterback for George Welsh. As a senior in 1990, Moore finished fourth in voting for the Heisman Trophy.

"Great, great pickup for UVa," Slade said. "My boy's coming back to coach. Let's get that scoreboard moving."

At St. Albans, where he worked with quarterbacks on the varsity, Moore also coached track and basketball in the lower school. He's never been a college coach, but he's tutored quarterbacks in the Football University training program.

"I've seen some of the top student-athletes in the country come through that organization," Moore said, "and working with those high-profile athletes has really given me the bug in terms of coaching some of the top quarterbacks and seeing some of the top players in the country.

"Coaching, to me, is not hard. It's about personalities. How do you establish rapport with kids? How do you get along with kids? If you ask people that are close to me, people from St. Albans, they'll tell you my relationship with kids is by far one of the best in the school."

London said: "The biggest thing is, he's a communicator. I'm building a staff on relationships and on guys that communicate with players, and then we'll put the schemes together that fit the players. That's all coaching is anyway. He'll be surrounded by people that can help in whatever areas that need addressing, but I'll think he'll be strong in a lot of areas."

Moore's son, Michael, attends DeMatha High School, where he plays football and basketball. The younger Moore, who's likely to be a major-college prospect in football, plans to remain at DeMatha through the 12th grade.

He can expect to see a lot of his father, and not only in Charlottesville. Shawn Moore will take over for Anthony Poindexter as UVa's lead recruiter in the D.C. area, where, Moore said, he already knows coaches at many high schools.

Much has been made of London's desire to recruit the talent-rich Tidewater portion of Virginia, known in football circles as the 7-5-7. Moore can't wait to recruit the 202 and the 301 and the 240 and the 410 and the 703.

"The great thing about about being up there is that for the last five years I've been surrounded by all that talent in that area," Moore said. "Dex has done a wonderful job with his relationships up there, and I want to lean on him to utilize those same relationships, but also utilize my own, and hopefully get some of these kids here."

In three of its final four seasons under Groh, the 'Hoos finished with a losing record -- in part, Moore believes, because the talent level in the program dropped dramatically.

"That's the biggest thing: losing out on so many players," he said at JPJ. "I come back here today and I look at everything that surrounds me, and I ask myself, 'How can a kid from Washington, D.C., or the Tidewater area not want to go to school here?'

"You're going to a great school, you're going to get a great degree, and you're going to play a high level of sports. So if that's hard to sell, then maybe this is not for me. But it doesn't appear that this is a hard sell. This is a great place to be, and I'm a product of it."

The 2005 season was the last at UVa for Marques Hagans, who succeeded Matt Schaub as Groh's starting quarterback. Since then, inconsistent QB play has contributed heavily to UVa's well-documented woes on offense. If the Cavaliers are to rejoin the ACC's elite, Moore said, they must improve at the sport's most critical position.

"Go back to the days when there was consistency in our teams," he said. "There was always a guy waiting in the wings [at quarterback]. Always. Every year. And it didn't matter if the guy played. He watched for a year or two to get the system under his belt, so it wasn't a new thing for them."

With such players as Moore and Don Majkowski and Scott Secules and Matt Blundin and Bobby Goodman and Mike Groh and Aaron Brooks, Welsh almost always had a productive quarterback during his illustrious tenure at UVa.

"We've had some really great signal-callers here," Moore said, "so we have to get back to that and identify kids that can play that position, that can lead this team. It's going to be a tough task, but they're out there. We just gotta get them to come here."

Slade said Moore will prove to be a natural recruiter.

"He has the charisma to talk to kids," Slade said. "He's very articulate, he's very knowledgeable about the University, and he's very charming."

He's also a man who knows his lifestyle is about to change drastically. At St. Albans, Moore had summers off. At UVa, he figures to work at least 80 hours a week most of the year.

Did that make Moore question the wisdom of a move into coaching?

"It did," he said. "I paused for a minute, but I also thought about the opportunities that this university gave me. This is my turn now to step back in and say, OK, let's help revive and rejuvenate this program and get it back to where it should be."

 

Wright Named Wooden Award Midseason Candidate
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 01/13/2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Virginia senior guard Monica Wright (Woodbridge, Va.) was named one of 21 midseason candidates for the Women's John R. Wooden Award, the nation's most coveted college basketball honor, Wednesday by The Los Angeles Athletic Club's John R. Wooden Award Committee. Because of a tie in the voting, 21 players were named rather than the traditional 20. Composed of the players who will compete for this season's player of the year award, the midseason list is based on individual excellence and team record during the first half of the season.
"The depth and breadth of talent in the women's game is really apparent," said Women's John R. Wooden Award Chairman Richard "Duke" Llewellyn. "Many, many players received votes this year, and I am sure we will see players on the ballot who are not even on this midseason list, as they will step up as we get into conference play."
Just as players who are not on the preseason list are eligible for the Midseason Top 20, players who do not make the midseason list are still eligible for the national ballot, which will be selected in March and will consist of approximately 20 players, chosen by the Wooden Award National Advisory Board Committee. Players selected to the national ballot will have to be certified by their university as making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA.
On Monday (Jan. 11) against Maryland, Wright became Virginia's all-time leading scorer, passing former Cavalier All-American Dawn Staley. Wright currently has 2,140 career points. She was an Associated Press preseason All-American and selected as the Atlantic Coast Conference's preseason player of the year.
Virginia (11-5, 0-2 ACC) is back in action Monday at Virginia Tech. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. and the game will be televised by RSN, the ACC's Regional Sports Network.

JOHN R. WOODEN AWARD
MIDSEASON TOP 20
Player Height Class Position University Conference
Jayne Appel 6-4 Sr. F/C Stanford Pac-10
Ashley Barlow 5-9 Sr. G Notre Dame Big East
Tina Charles 6-4 Sr. C Connecticut Big East
Alysha Clark 5-10 Sr. F Middle Tennessee Sun Belt
Cetera DeGraffenreid 5-6 Jr. G North Carolina ACC
Allyssa DeHaan 6-9 Sr. C Michigan State Big Ten
Elena Delle Donne 6-5 Fr. G/F Delaware CAA
Dawn Evans 5-7 Jr. G James Madison CAA
Kelsey Griffin 6-2 Sr. F Nebraska Big 12
Brittney Griner 6-8 Fr. C Baylor Big 12
Amber Harris 6-5 Jr. F Xavier Atlantic 10
Allison Hightower 5-10 Sr. G Louisiana State SEC
Jantel Lavender 6-4 Jr. C Ohio State Big Ten
Gabriela Marginean 6-1 Sr. F Drexel CAA
Maya Moore $% 6-0 Jr. F Connecticut Big East
Kayla Pedersen 6-4 Jr. F Stanford Pac-10
Brittany Ray 5-9 Sr. G Rutgers Big East
Shekinna Stricklen 6-2 So. G/F Tennessee SEC
Jasmine Thomas 5-9 Jr. G Duke ACC
Courtney Vandersloot 5-8 Jr. G Gonzaga WCC
Monica Wright 5-11 Sr. G Virginia ACC
$ 2009 Wooden Award winner
% 2008 Wooden All-American

 

Lineburg lands on feet at Richmond
College Notebook
By Doug Doughty | The Roanoke Times

In the days following the announcement that Al Groh had been dismissed as Virginia football coach, Wayne Lineburg hoped that there would be a spot for him on the staff of Groh's successor.

After all, Lineburg has a home in Albemarle County and he and his wife, Tracey, have a baby on the way this winter.

New coach Mike London kept only one assistant from the Groh staff, Anthony Poindexter, but things definitely could have worked out more poorly for Lineburg, who was hired as Richmond's offensive coordinator by former UVa colleague and new Spiders head coach Latrell Scott.

"It was stressful at first," Lineburg said. "I'd never been through that before, but other people in the profession have had to wait a lot longer than I have."

Lineburg was the UR offensive coordinator before going to Virginia in 2007, but that was with offensive-oriented Dave Clawson as Spiders head coach.

This time, Lineburg will be making the game plan and calling the plays, duties that Clawson handled in their Richmond days.

"Certainly, plays have been called that I suggested," said Lineburg, who has a 78-mile commute when he isn't staying in a Richmond apartment, "but this is the first time I've done it myself."

Lineburg, 35, is one of four sons of legendary Radford High School football coach Norm Lineburg and the only brother currently in coaching.

Members of the 2009 UVa staff who are headed to Richmond include Scott, Lineburg, linebackers coach Bob Trott, defensive line coach Chad Wilt, and graduate assistant Devin Fitzsimmons, although the Trott hire as defensive coordinator has not been announced yet.

In coaching

Bob Diaco, who was Virginia's defensive coordinator at this point a year ago but never served a game in that capacity, is the new Notre Dame defensive coordinator. New Irish coach Brian Kelly brought Diaco with him from Cincinnati.

Ron Mattes, a defensive standout on Virginia's 1984 Peach Bowl and a former NFL offensive lineman, has interviewed for a spot on the new Virginia staff. Mattes' son, R.J., is an offensive lineman at N.C. State.

'Stiney' recognized

Rivals.com, the premier Web site devoted to college football, has named a 2009 All-Bowl team that includes Virginia Tech's Bryan Stinespring as the best offensive coordinator among the 68 Division I-A teams that participated in 34 bowls.

Stinespring was hailed for the Hokies' 438-yard rollout against a Top 20-ranked defense as the Hokies defeated Tennessee 37-14 in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

On another subject, Stinespring said he doesn't know Bath County offensive lineman Mitchell Stinespring, a Roanoke Times "Sizzlin' Sophomore selection, but wouldn't be surprised if they were related.

"Got to be," said coach Stinespring, a fellow Alleghany Highlands product. "There are only about 10 of us in the whole country."

What's in a name?

Ex-Virginia tight end and Dallas Cowboys rookie John Phillips is not related to Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips, but Wade Phillips' father, Bum, already is embracing him.

Wade Phillips said his father, an 86-year-old former NFL coach, called after a playoff victory over Philadelphia and said, "I really like that Phillips kid." Wade Phillips has a brother, Wes, and asked his father, "Who do you mean? Me? Wes?"

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Bum Phillips told his son, "No, no, no. I like you guys, but that John Phillips is a really good player."

Phillips, from Bath County, caught his first touchdown pass against the Eagles.

UVa mulls reduced ticket prices
By Whitey Reid
Published: January 14, 2010
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nowBuzz up!

Ever since the $130 million John Paul Jones Arena opened in 2006, there has been a visible number of empty seats in the venue’s upper deck for Virginia men’s basketball games, especially during the last two seasons.

Subsequently, some people have wondered why the university hasn’t tried to get more fans into the building by selling the nosebleed seats at a discounted price.

After all, you can never underestimate the value of a strong home-court advantage.

Well, the university is looking into it.

The athletic department is in the process of initiating correspondence with Cavalier fans via its Web site (virginiasports.com). The department has proposed an idea in which a $10 ticket would be offered in some upper-deck end zone seat locations of the arena where tickets have not been sold (sections 305-311) for select ACC home games. Those tickets are currently selling for $30 and $35.

One hurdle to the proposed plan is the fact that there are some fans who have already purchased tickets to the games in other areas of the arena for a higher price.

A Virginia spokesperson told The Daily Progress that the school would have no comment until a decision on the proposal had been reached.

Ticket sales for men’s basketball games have been on a steady decline over the last two-plus seasons.

In the final year of play in the 8,392-seat University Hall in 2005-06, the team drew an average of 7,796 fans.

The following year — its first at JPJ — Virginia averaged 13,521 in its new 14,593-seat facility, but dipped to 11,705 in 2007-08 and 10,219 last year.

Through eight home games this season, UVa has drawn 8,582 fans per game, down 1,078 from the same point last season.

Due to the distribution of student tickets, the exact number of sold-out games isn’t known. However, a university spokesperson said that a crowd above 13,500 is generally considered sold out. Using that figure, Virginia had 11 in its first year in JPJ, nine in its second year and only one last year (against North Carolina).

The athletic department seems adamant about increasing the team’s home-court edge. In the message on the web site, it cited the Cavaliers’ recent win over No. 24 UAB as an example of the impact a crowd can have.

“We realize the current economy and the program’s performance over the last two seasons are some of the reasons fans have not come back,” the message reads. “It’s our goal to create a loud and crazy environment at JPJ to support the team as head coach Tony Bennett, his staff, and the players work to build the program and we need your help.”
 

Look out MLS, here comes Tony
Posted to: Bob Molinaro Sports
Bob Molinaro
Virginian-Pilot sports columnist
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The Virginian-Pilot
© January 14, 2010

During his formative years in the village of Bafang, Cameroon, Tony Tchani loved playing soccer, but he never thought soccer - the American version anyway - would return the embrace.

Yet, Tchani, a first-team college All-American who graduated from Norfolk's Maury High before going on to lead Virginia to the 2009 NCAA championship, is expected to be among the first picks in today's Major League Soccer Superdraft.

Some MLS mavens believe the sophomore should be the No. 1 or No. 2 pick, but few question that he's the best midfield prospect available.

"The most upside out of anyone in the draft."

"One of the most intriguing prospects in recent memory."

"He should be ready to start the minute he walks into an MLS camp."

So say bloggers on ESPN's soccer Web site.

More impressively, Tchani (the T is silent) has been snapped up by the largest U.S.-based soccer

agency - a company that represents Landon Donovan of the L.A. Galaxy, as well as a select few European stars. He is represented by Richard Motzkin, described by the Washington Post as an "L.A.-based super agent."

Asked if Tchani is ready for the pros after two years of college, Motzkin said this week, "Timing is everything. If you're going to be a top-five pick, it's the right time to come out."

At 6-feet-4, 185 pounds, Tchani's size and aggressive style evoke the word "enforcer." But at 20, it's his extraordinary technical skills that will make him rich.

"He's huge," U.Va. coach George Gelnovatch said, "but he shields the ball with the quality of somebody who didn't grow up in this country."

Which only makes sense, because the United States didn't become Tchani's country until he was almost 17. He moved to Maryland to be with his mother, who left Africa when he was 12 to seek political asylum and who was working 16-hour days in convalescent homes.

From what he knew of the United States - from what he had seen on TV in Africa - he couldn't have envisioned the opportunities and rewards that lie ahead of him.

"I saw a big, nice country," he says today. "But before I got here, all my friends were like, there is no soccer in the U.S., just basketball, baseball and football."

Once in Maryland, the dubious scouting report struck him as largely true. Eager to show off what he had learned in small-sided sandlot games in Cameroon, he was instead plopped down in an educational environment where soccer wasn't readily available.

"I can't live here," he told his mother. "I love soccer, and I want to play soccer."

A rapid migration to Norfolk began after Tchani's uncle, an Old Dominion University graduate, contacted the school to see what was available in this area in the way of soccer programs. That's how Tchani came to the attention of Maury coach Mohsin Bouziane, who ultimately became his legal guardian.

It seemed like a natural fit. Tchani spoke only French at the time; Bouziane and his wife, Christine, teach French at Maury.

The teenager who arrived in Norfolk, was "a very shy kid," Bouziane said. "But he was determined to make it. I'm not just talking about soccer - his education, everything about his future."

Tchani's athletic potential was obvious, even if his lack of organized soccer left him unfamiliar with some of the rules. But he was a quick learner in many ways. After attending summer school to catch up on his English, he became an honor student and still found time to handle the place-kicking for the football team.

"In a year and a half at Maury, he managed to do everything an American kid would want to do," Bouziane said. "He played soccer and football, made the honor roll, took his SATs and was accepted into a good college."

By his senior year, he became a first team All-Tidewater selection and something of a celebrity in the local soccer community.

"Even people who never had any involvement with Maury were coming to see him play," Bouziane said.

After Tchani competed in out-of-town tournaments for a U-19 Beach FC travel team, colleges took note, and "the phone started ringing off the hook," Bouziane said.

Tchani visited only two schools: ODU and U.Va. Still dealing with a language barrier, Tchani at first was considered an academic risk in Charlottesville, but he went on to have one of the highest GPAs on the team, Gelnovatch said.

As for Tchani's soccer potential, Gelnovatch believes he's more than ready to graduate to MLS. "The last third of our season, he got better every game," Gelnovatch said. "In the tournaments, he got even better.

Tchani finished the season with eight goals and four assists - impressive numbers for a midfielder, though the statistics don't fully reflect his impact.

"He was very different than anybody in college soccer," Gelnovatch said. "I think he's different than most guys in Major League Soccer. He looks like a high-level foreign guy. He's a playmaker. He sees things. He slips good passes to attackers."

South Hampton Roads has produced other high school players who have reached the MLS - Wade Barrett, Steve Jolley and Corey Ashe - but none created the buzz Tchani has. He's one of only 12 players this year who was recruited by Generation adidas, a joint venture between MLS and U.S. Soccer aimed at improving the development of young talent.

These select few make much more than the MLS minimum salary after cashing in on adidas endorsements. Whoever drafts Tchani, he's expected to sign a deal that could earn him in the neighborhood of $200,000 his first season.

Far greater income, though, might lie beyond U.S. shores. It won't happen overnight, but Tchani has the physique and technical skill needed to take him to overseas leagues that pay much more.

"At some point in the future," Motzkin said, "I'm sure Europe will be an option for him. That's the longer-term picture. The shorter term is to continue to stay humble and work hard."

The Bouzianes, who speak with Tchani's mother regularly and get together with her and Tony for holidays, bought Tchani a suit, shirt and tie for the draft. The MLS flew the couple to Philadelphia for the special day. Now they hope he's selected by an East Coast team - the New York Red Bulls could take him with the No. 2 pick.

"There is a lot happening so fast," Mohsin Bouziane said. "We worry more about him off the field than on the field."

Tchani's mother continues to put in long days working with the elderly in Maryland. "If she has a problem with her son," Bouziane said, "she calls us."

Because not everyone is ready to move on too quickly, the Bouzianes will keep Tony's room ready at their Ghent home for when the shy prodigy's unique journey brings him through Norfolk again.

"At the end of the day," Mohsin Bouziane said, "he ends up right here on the couch."