Cavs look to avenge Tech loss
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
February 2, 2008

There are many reasons why Virginia is 1-5 in the ACC - its worst start since the last year of the Pete Gillen era.

UVa has been sporadic on offense and defense, played clueless in crunch time and has had numerous players miss time with injuries.

But one factor that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention is Virginia’s complete ineptitude when it comes to shotblocking.

UVa ranks last in the ACC in the category. The Cavaliers, who have been without the injured Tunji Soroye, haven’t blocked a shot in four games.

Virginia is averaging just 2.16 swats. By contrast, Maryland, who UVa lost to on Wednesday night, is averaging 7.0.

“Even last year, with Tunji, we were toward the bottom of the league in shotblocking,” said Virginia coach Dave Leitao. “Now we’re dead last. We don’t have any natural shotblockers.

“When you don’t have that, you have to play much better position defense… it’s obviously something that’s been a concern, but you have to make do and figure out better ways to get the job done.”

This afternoon, Virginia (11-8, 1-5) travels to Blacksburg for a rematch with Virginia Tech. Seventeen days ago, the Hokies shocked UVa with a buzzer-beating layup in overtime by Deron Washington. On the play, Washington - with no shotblocker to fear - drove right through the teeth of Virginia defense.

The loss to the Hokies was the start of Virginia’s downward spiral. While UVa bounced back with a home win over Boston College, it followed with losses to Florida State, Georgia Tech and Maryland. The losses to FSU and Georgia Tech were eerily similar to the Hokies setback.

As poorly as his team has played recently, Leitao says his team still has a swagger.

“I don’t think from a confidence standpoint we’re so bad off that we have a woe-is-me attitude,” Leitao said.

Leitao believes Virginia is just going through a rough patch.

“When you’re trying to rebuild, there has to be some level of expectation that there’s going to be some times when you do struggle putting things in place and not having all the resources at your disposal on the court,” he said. “We’ve been very fortunate that we haven’t had to go through a 6 and 20-something year. Obviously we didn’t plan on having it now…[but] it doesn’t mean that it will continue. It doesn’t mean we can’t win Saturday or our fair share of games.”

Virginia Tech (13-8, 4-3) has gone 2-2 since its win over Virginia. The Hokies, riding a modest two-game winning streak, are coming off an 89-80 win over FSU on Tuesday.

In the Jan. 16 meeting, Virginia led by eight with seven minutes to go but fell apart down the stretch.

“We have to come out with the same gameplan,” said freshman Mike Scott, “but this time just finish them.

“We’re looking forward to going to Blacksburg and throwing all of the losses we had behind us. We owe Blacksburg. We owe Virginia Tech a win.”

Scott, who has started at center the past 10 games - and who possesses one of the best vertical leaps on the team - would seem like a guy who could block or at least alter a few Hokie shots. However, he has just five this year, none in his last five games.

Virginia’s leading shotblockers are Mamadi Diane (12) and Jamil Tucker (9).

UVa will likely have to wait until next season to see any improvement. That is when 6-foot-11 John Brandenburg and 6-foot-11 Assane Sene will be joining the program.

“With the two of them, you’re getting bigger naturally, longer arms, better timing and hopefully more ability to clog up the middle,” Leitao said, “but I don’t want to put it so much on them right now because they’ll be young, they’ll be mistake-prone. It will take some time, but that’s part of the reason why they were recruited.”

Dunks

Virginia leads the all-time series, 78-48, but Tech has won 25 of the 40 meetings in Blacksburg. ...Virginia Tech’s Jeff Allen, who was suspended two games for an altercation with a referee, had seven points and five rebounds in his first game back against FSU. …Virginia, which has lost three games in a row, has never had a four-game losing streak in the Dave Leitao era.

 

Is it now or never for Cavs?
Wahoos are groping for answers following their extended Virginia reel
Saturday, Feb 02, 2008 - 12:07 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

January brought waves of bad news for the University of Virginia football team. The Cavaliers lost recruits, their defensive coordinator and several key players, among them quarterback Jameel Sewell.

The month brought no joy for the U.Va. men's basketball team, either. Coach Dave Leitao's Cavaliers lost six of seven games in January, the exception being an 84-46 rout of Boston College on the 19th.

Not since 1997-98, when U.Va. went 1-7 in February under Jeff Jones, have they suffered through such a miserable month.

"It happened, and you can't look back. You only can look forward," senior guard Sean Singletary said Wednesday night in College Park, where Virginia fell behind 13-2 and never led in an 85-75 loss to Maryland. "You don't want to throw your season in the trash. We're struggling, but it's not over. We still can put some things together."

If they'd beaten Virginia Tech on Jan. 16 at John Paul Jones Arena, perhaps the month would have turned out differently for the Cavaliers. But they blew substantial leads in the second half and in overtime and fell 70-69 on Tech forward Deron Washington's last-second layup.

Now comes the rematch -- today at 1 p.m. -- and it's at Cassell Coliseum, where U.Va. lost by 27 points last season. Overall, the Cavaliers have dropped six straight ACC road games.

Tech's fans know that Virginia's mental state is fragile, and they figure to be merciless this afternoon.

"We've put ourselves in a deep hole," acknowledged Leitao, whose team was expected to contend for a second consecutive invitation to the NCAA tournament. Instead, U.Va. (1-5, 11-8) is the only ACC team with fewer than two conference victories.

"We're a little bit behind the 8-ball," Leitao said, "but again, we're going to keep fighting, we're going to keep trying, and we're going to do our best to reverse these fortunes."

Singletary, a two-time all-ACC pick, dazzled against Maryland, shrugging off the pain of a hip pointer to score a team-high 23 points and play a flawless floor game.

"I can't come close to naming somebody that I've ever been around that has the kind of heart that he does," Leitao said.

Singletary needed more help in College Park, especially from fellow captain Adrian Joseph. The senior forward from Trinidad is the Cavaliers' third-leading scorer but remains maddeningly inconsistent. Against the Terrapins, Joseph missed all four of his field-goal attempts and, having drawn Leitao's ire, spent the final 10:33 on the bench. Also conspicuous for his lack of playing time Wednesday night was sophomore forward Jamil Tucker, who'd scored a career-high 13 points in U.Va.'s previous game.

Leitao said he's trying to get Singletary's teammates "to play to a higher level emotionally, which allows you to play to a higher level physically. And guys come in and out of that. Adrian didn't do it [at Maryland]. Jamil didn't do it as well [at Maryland]. We just can't have an emotional roller-coaster, because it really affects you as a team. It affects your dependability."

 

Virginia to have its star
Senior Sean Singletary should be able to play despite a hip pointer.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

Nobody bothered to ask Virginia men's basketball coach Dave Leitao about Sean Singletary's status for the Cavaliers' game with Virginia Tech today at 1 p.m.

Singletary, a senior point guard, was supposed to be iffy for the Cavaliers' game Wednesday night at Maryland and ended up playing 34 minutes.

He had a team-high 23 points, but Virginia lost for the sixth time in seven games, 85-75.

Now come the Hokies, who hastened Virginia's downward spiral with a 70-69 overtime victory Jan. 16, in Charlottesville.

Three days after the Virginia Tech loss, Singletary suffered a hip pointer in the Cavaliers' 84-66 win over Boston College.

"He really hasn't been able to practice with any level of consistency," Leitao said. "He's been out [of practice] and he's the kind of guy who's been able to come back and play well. He also has to have rhythm and he gets that by doing things on his own.

"As far as the other guys on the team, it's good for them to have him out there on a daily basis for his leadership and having people feed off of him. We all have to deal with the cards in our hands. It's not an excuse for anybody not to perform at a high level."

Singletary has missed one game in his career and has started the other 108, including the last 103. He moved into eighth place on UVa's career scoring list Wednesday night, passing Curtis Staples.
 

Hokies rising, Cavs sinking
Posted to: Men's College Basketball Sports
Associated Press
© February 2, 2008
By Hank Kurz Jr.

Two of the ACC's most surprising teams meet today in Blacksburg. Virginia and Virginia Tech head into their second match-up this year from completely different directions.

The Cavaliers (11-8, 1-5) have been one of the most disappointing teams in the nation. Hit hard by injuries to Sean Singletary and others, they have mastered the art of looking great for 30 minutes and then crumbling.

The Hokies (13-8, 4-3), meanwhile, are among the biggest surprises using a lineup that relies heavily on freshmen but has demonstrated the mettle to compete in the ACC.

The Hokies played four of their first six ACC games on the road, winning two. Their 89-80 victory

Tuesday night against Florida State "creates a little bit of a possibility" that the team is on the rise, coach Seth Greenberg said - especially with Virginia visiting next.

Or, in the mind of backup point guard Hank Thorns, one of six freshmen seeing considerable playing time for the Hokies, it showed that prognosticators were wrong.

"We're way better than people gave us credit for," Thorns said. "They had us finishing last in the ACC. Tenth. That's last to me. Every year they pick Virginia Tech to finish last and we always end up finishing fifth or sixth and making the tournament.

"This year, we picked it up another notch."

The Hokies have had a chance to win every league game in the final minutes except their 81-64 home loss to No. 3 Duke. Their chemistry is only improving.

"We're starting to trust each other," said starting point guard Malcolm Delaney, another freshman. "We're coming together as a team, bonding on and off the court."

The rapid development is a welcome thing to see for junior A.D. Vassallo, the team's leading scoring leader at 16 points a game and one of only three returnees with considerable experience.

"Coach Greenberg said from the beginning that we weren't going to use our youth as an excuse for us not to win games," Vassallo said. "We're learning from our mistakes. We're getting better and we've got a big chance on Saturday when we play Virginia."

The Hokies' other primary veteran, Deron Washington, helped keep Virginia in the swoon in which the Cavaliers have lost six of seven games with a buzzer-beating layup Jan. 16, giving the Hokies a 70-69 overtime victory

- their first in Charlottesville since the 1967-68 season.

In that game, Singletary had 34 points and 10 rebounds but also suffered a hip pointer that has slowed him since. In the four subsequent games, he has scored 20 points just once and has connected on only 41 percent of his field-goal attempts overall.

Singletary also leads the ACC in assists, pretty remarkable considering the rest of the Cavaliers have struggled to develop into consistent complementary scorers.

Coach Dave Leitao, who adjusted his approach several games ago when he realized his demeanor was sapping the fun out of the game, said confidence is critical.

"In circumstances as they are where we're going through a tough stretch, it does not mean that it will continue; it does not mean that we can't win Saturday or in our fair share of games," he said.

"You have to have them understand that this is not acceptable and you also have to have them understand that you have to continue to maintain a sense of confidence."

The Cavaliers have played most of the season without injured big men Laurynas Mikalauskas, Tunji

Soroye and Will Harris but so far have managed to maintain their confidence despite the losing skid, Leitao said.

"I really don't think, from a confidence standpoint, that we're so bad off that we have a 'woe-is-me' attitude. I'll maintain that we're not that far away and the record doesn't speak to it, but we're not down in the dumps so much so that a win will just automatically change our fortune," he said. "This league has a lot to do with it."

A year ago, Virginia was the surprise team of the ACC, earning a share of the regular-season title with North Carolina and winning a game in the NCAA tournament.

The Hokies, too, went to the NCAA tournament and won a game.

So far this year, they're the only one on track to have that chance again. At 4-3, Virginia Tech trails just two teams in the ACC - third-ranked Duke (6-0) and No. 4 North Carolina (5-1). Virginia has just one win in its past seven games, falling into last place in the ACC at 1-5. That rough stretch includes a last-second, one-point loss in overtime to Virginia Tech in Charlottesville.

 

January's U.Va.-Tech basketball game was a classic
If today's rematch is a replay, it would crack this top 10 list.
By Norm Wood | nwood@dailypress.com247-4642
10:21 PM EST, February 1, 2008
 

All season long, Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg has been fond of using the old cliche about "one bounce of the ball" in either direction determining the outcome of games in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Though his goal is to motivate his young team, he could have been talking about several chapters in the Tech-Virginia rivalry.

When Tech (13-8 overall, 4-3 ACC) plays host to U.Va. at 1 p.m. today in Blacksburg, it will be hard-pressed to live up to their first meeting of the season in January. Tech won that game 70-69 in overtime, the Hokies' first win in Charlottesville since 1968, which gives the game a distinguished position among our choices for the top 10 games in the history of the rivalry.

Considering everything riding on today's game, there's ample reason to believe it could be just as hotly contested as the January game. A Tech win would put the Hokies in excellent position to turn some NCAA Tournament committee heads going into winnable games at N.C. State and at home against Miami. Though U.Va. coach Dave Leitao believes otherwise, the Cavaliers (11-8, 1-5) might need a victory just to stop the NCAA train from completely derailing.

"You have to understand that this is not acceptable, but you also have to have them understand that they have to maintain a level of confidence, and sometimes there's a fine line between the two," said Leitao, whose team has lost six of its last seven games.

"I really don't think that from a confidence standpoint, we're so bad off that we have a woe-is-me attitude ... We're not that far away. The record doesn't speak to that, but I don't think we're down in the dumps so much that a win will just automatically change our fortunes."

That's debatable. Maybe a dramatic win on the road against one of U.Va.'s biggest rivals could change the mindset of the Cavaliers ... maybe something similar to these memorable games:

Feb. 17, 1953: U.Va. 87, Tech 85 (OT)

Buzzy Wilkinson, who leads U.Va. with 22 points, makes two free throws with 30 seconds left in overtime to seal a 87-85 victory in Blacksburg for the Cavaliers. U.Va. goes on a 6-0 run in the final minute and two seconds of overtime. Hokies freshman Bill Mathews scores 29 points.

Jan. 6, 1968: Tech 84, U.Va. 82

Tech claims its last win in Charlottesville before last month's victory. Wayne Mallard, who leads Tech with 16 points, steals a pass from Barry Koval with 46 seconds left and the Hokies hit their last three free throws to get the win. Mike Katos leads U.Va. with 29 points.

Jan. 11, 1975: Tech 74, U.Va. 73

Larry Cooke nails a 10-foot jumper with 9 seconds left to extend Tech's home win streak against state opponents to 53 games. U.Va.'s Wally Walker leads all scorers with 19 points.

Feb. 25, 1976: U.Va. 79, Tech 75 (2 OTs)

U.Va. leads by seven midway through the second half in Charlottesville, but has to hold on for the win in the only multiple-overtime game in the 126-game history of the rivalry. Wally Walker has 27 points for U.Va., which scores six of its eight points in the second overtime from the free-throw line. Duke Thorpe, a former West Point high school standout, leads Tech with 27 points.

Jan. 27, 1988: Tech 66, U.Va. 64

Bimbo Coles is fouled by U.Va.'s John Crotty with 2 seconds left and hits two free throws to give Tech the win in Roanoke. U.Va.'s Darrick Simms misses a 4-footer just before the clock expires. His tip-in is good, but it comes after the buzzer. Wally Lancaster leads Tech with 20 points, and U.Va.'s Mel Kennedy has 23 points, but scores just one point in the last 11 minutes.

Jan. 25, 1989: U.Va. 113, Tech 106 (OT)

In what many consider the best Tech-U.Va. game ever, U.Va. wins in Richmond in the highest scoring game in the history of the rivalry. Guard Bimbo Coles scores 43 points, which is still the highest scoring game by a Tech player on a neutral floor and in a losing effort.

Feb. 28, 1995: U.Va. 63, Tech 62

The Cavaliers outscore the Hokies 7-2 in the final 1:45 in Richmond, capped off by Harold Deane's runner with 16.7 seconds left. Tech, which has its NCAA Tournament hopes take a serious blow with the loss, has a chance to win, but Shawn Smith misfires on a 10-footer in the final seconds.

Feb. 25, 1997: U.Va. 58, Tech 57

A late rally by Tech, which trails by four with 2:56 left in Richmond, falls short as Jim Jackson can't get a 6-footer to fall at the buzzer. Tech's coaches and players argue to no avail that Jackson was fouled by U.Va.'s Colin Ducharme.

Jan. 27, 2005: Tech 79, U.Va. 73

A long-awaited moment for Tech fans. The Hokies earn a win in Blacksburg in the first game where both teams are members of the ACC. Five Tech players finish in double-figures, led by center Coleman Collins' 20 points.

Jan. 16, 2008: Tech 70, U.Va. 69 (OT)

Tech wins in Charlottesville for the first time since 1968. U.Va.'s Sean Singletary has 34 points, 10 rebounds and three steals, but Tech's Deron Washington overshadows with a driving layup at the buzzer to seal the victory in overtime.
 

U.Va. adds linebacker
Saturday, Feb 02, 2008 - 12:07 AM
 
CHARLOTTESVILLE - Even at a school with a rich football tradition, Steve Greer stood out.

"We don't have a lot of guys like that," said Jim McQuaide, Greer's coach at Solon High near Cleveland. "To be first-team all-Ohio is a big deal in Ohio."

Greer, a 6-1, 218-pound middle linebacker, committed Thursday to Virginia after his official visit there. He also had scholarship offers from North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Ohio, Eastern Michigan, Army and Air Force, among other schools.

Virginia offered Greer "a great combination of athletics and academics," McQuaide said. "That means a lot to him."

Solon finished 9-3 in 2007 after advancing to the playoffs for the ninth straight season. Solon competes in Division I, which comprises Ohio's largest high schools.

Greer, a two-year starter, led the Comets in 2007 with 150 tackles, including 25 for loss, and was named to the all-Ohio first team in Division I. He intercepted two passes.

"He's very explosive when he gets to the point of attack, and he's a relentless worker," McQuaide said yesterday. "That's the best part about him. I have to throw him out of the weight room now, which doesn't always happen with seniors."

National signing day is Wednesday. The addition of Greer gives U.Va. 16 recruits for 2008. - Jeff White

 

Greer chooses Cavs
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
February 2, 2008

Sitting in Al Groh’s office, Steve Greer wanted to ask a few questions.

Having heard about the impact Virginia football coach has had on linebackers throughout their careers, Greer bounced question after question off Groh.

At some point during the casual conversation, Groh told Greer, a three-star from Solon High in Ohio, to take a closer look at an item in the room.

“He told me to look on the wall at a picture of Lawrence Taylor,” Greer recounted. “It was autographed and said, ‘Coach Groh, Thanks for making me the best linebacker I could be. I owe it all to you.’

“After seeing that, man, that was huge. That is one of the greatest linebackers to ever play football and he said that about coach Groh.”

Before becoming Virginia’s 17th verbal commitment in the Class of 2008, Greer summoned opinions from “numerous” former Virginia students.

A response stood out above others.

“One guy said it was the best decision of his life,” Greer said. “When you have people talking about a university like that it is hard to top.”

Virginia was equally impressed with Greer - and for good reason.

As a senior, Greer had 150 tackles and was a first-team All-Ohio selection in the First Division. He was also voted a team captain and drew high praise from Solon coach Jim McQuaide.

“He is a relentless worker,” McQuaide said. “He loves the game. He is very aggressive. He is an inside linebacker that runs well and when he gets to where he needs to be, he is very explosive.

“He really does a good job delivering a blow on backs, receivers and linemen. He hits with a lot of power.”

Greer picked Virginia over two other finalists - North Carolina and Oklahoma State.

 

Departures put U.Va.'s 'next man up' motto to test
Posted to: College Football Sports
By Ed Miller
The Virginian-Pilot
© February 2, 2008

The motto of the 2007 Virginia football team, a tough-minded group that prided itself on not missing a beat when a player went down, was "Next Man Up."

A month into 2008, the Cavaliers might not want to retire that slogan just yet - not after a rash of January departures that has fans anxious over who might be the Next Man Out.

Wednesday is Signing Day, a time when college football teams introduce a new class of incoming players. It will be a welcome change of pace in Charlottesville, where the news lately has more been about who's leaving than who's arriving.

Since Virginia lost to Texas Tech in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1:

- Guard Branden Albert, the team's top offensive lineman, elected to skip his senior year and enter the NFL draft.

- The school announced quarterback Jameel Sewell, cornerback Chris Cook and two other players would not be enrolled in school this semester, putting their status for 2008 in question.

- Defensive coordinator and ace recruiter Mike London resigned to become head coach at Richmond.

- Citing London's departure, one of the team's top commitments for 2008, defensive end Ugo Uzodinma of Washington, D.C., changed his mind and now says he plans to sign with Illinois.

- Another player who previously committed - Pennsylvania offensive lineman Corey Lewis - says he's considering Penn State.

- Jeffrey Fitzgerald, the team's top returning defensive player, has been the subject of conflicting reports over whether he'll return next season due to an academic issue. It's expected to take 2-3 weeks to resolve the issue. Other than to confirm that the standout end remains enrolled in school, the athletic department has declined to comment.

So much for any lingering good feelings from a nine-win season, Virginia's best since 2002.

Not that Virginia has had much to say about it. Coach Al Groh's only comments related to the current situation was the statement he issued congratulating London. Assistant coaches aren't commenting either; they are prohibited by Groh from speaking with the media.

London's departure, while a setback, was understandable. The Richmond graduate told the Roanoke Times that, although it was difficult to leave Virginia, the offer from his alma mater was too good to pass up.

"Had this opportunity not come along, I would still be" at Virginia, London said. "I understand they're going through some tough times."

Times that could put the "Next Man Up" mentality to the test in 2008. Sewell started 22 games the past two seasons and, although he was often erratic with his throws, he was at his best in the late stages of close games, leading several winning drives. With two years of experience, it was reasonable to expect that he would be more consistent as a fourth-year junior in 2008.

Now it's unclear whether Sewell will return. Academic suspensions at Virginia typically run one year. If Sewell were to return in 2009, he'd have one year left to play.

In the meantime, the next man up is Peter Lalich. One of the top high school quarterbacks in the nation in 2006, Lalich appeared in eight games as a true freshman in 2007. The decision not to redshirt him last year was questioned by some because another back up, Scott Deke, was available. Now, Lalich's game experience looks valuable heading into 2008.

Albert's departure wasn't unexpected, but it will leave Virginia with just two returning starters on the offensive line: tackles Eugene Monroe and Will Barker.

On defense, losing Fitzgerald would be far more damaging than losing Cook, who did not play in the Gator Bowl due to an academic issue. Cornerback is one of the deepest positions on the team, with several players returning, including Mike Brown, who missed 2007 with an injury.

Fitzgerald, though, is a budding star who had 13 sacks and 24 tackles for loss the past two seasons. With All-American Chris Long gone, Fitzgerald looked primed to become the team's main pass rusher.

"I understand that he has an appeal in process," London told the Roanoke newspaper, "but, this has hit them really, really hard as a family. All I can really do is provide emotional support at a time like this.

"If it happens (that Fitzgerald leaves), it's a loss not only in terms of athletic ability but in leadership, too. He's a great kid who's a real presence in that locker room."

With Long and nose tackle Allen Billyk gone, losing Fitzgerald would mean Virginia would be breaking in an entirely new defensive line in 2008. Nate Collins, who backed up Billyk the past two seasons, would be the only player with significant game experience. Defensive ends Alex Field and Sean Gottschalk played sparingly behind Long and Fitzgerald.

The loss of London will also be felt, as much on the recruiting trail and locker room as in the 'X's and 'O's department. He was the lead recruiter for eight of the first 16 players to commit to Virginia in 2008. Groh is not expected to name a new defensive coordinator until after signing day.

"You know me; I'm emotional about everything I do. I laugh, I hug, I cry," London said. "The relationship part with those guys was huge. It's unfortunate what's happened with Sewell and Fitz, but I've had to tell myself, 'There's hardly ever a right time to leave.'"

He just happened to leave in January, a month Virginia fans couldn't wait to see end.