Singletary's solitary pain
Playing with injury, he needs teammates to pick up the slack
Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 - 12:07 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

BLACKSBURG -- With play stopped and the ball at the other end of the court, Sean Singletary surrendered to the pain for a moment yesterday afternoon. His injured hip throbbing, the University of Virginia's all-ACC point guard doubled over in agony and screamed, an outburst lost in the crowd noise at Cassell Coliseum.

This is not what Singletary envisioned when he withdrew from the NBA draft in June to return to U.Va. for his senior year. He's been playing with a hip pointer for two weeks, and his team is lodged in the ACC cellar. Barring one of the most improbable turnarounds in conference history, Virginia (1-6, 11-9) will not make a second straight trip to the NCAA tournament.

Don't blame Singletary, who scored a game-high 26 points yesterday in a 72-65 overtime loss to Virginia Tech.

"I don't know on God's green earth that I've ever met a warrior like him," U.Va. coach Dave Leitao said in a news conference marked by his sharp retorts to questions.

Virginia, which shared the ACC's regular-season title with North Carolina in 2006-07, may struggle to make the NIT this year. The Cavaliers have dropped four straight -- their longest losing streak in three seasons under Leitao -- and seven of their past eight games. In four of their ACC losses, the Wahoos have blown leads of at least nine points.

"Personally I'm very frustrated, because you know I hate losing," Singletary said. "Everybody knows that."

Things might well be different for U.Va. if Singletary consistently received more help from his teammates. Nobody has to tell them that.

"He goes out and gives his all every night," freshman center Mike Scott said in the cramped visitors' locker room at Cassell. "We got to apologize for these games to him, because sometimes we let him down."

After Singletary, U.Va.'s best offensive options are junior forward Mamadi Diane, senior forward Adrian Joseph and sophomore guard Calvin Baker. They entered yesterday's game averaging 12.6 (Diane), 11.9 (Joseph) and 10.2 (Baker) points, respectively. They combined for 16 against the Hokies.

Baker failed to score -- "That's a lot to do without if you're not making up for it with somebody else," Leitao said -- and had two critical first-half turnovers that helped Tech rally from a 12-point deficit.

In Singletary's final appearance at Cassell, he forced overtime with two free throws and then scored 10 of U.Va.'s 11 points in the extra period. The Hokies' fans booed every time Singletary touched the ball, but their players and coaches hold No. 44 in much higher regard.

"I respect him so much," said Tech's freshman point guard, Hank Thorns. "He plays through anything. He's a warrior. You could tell that he was limping."

In U.Va.'s overtime loss to Virginia Tech last month in Charlottesville, Singletary scored 34 points. Tech's Seth Greenberg may never coach against Singletary again, but he's still a fan-club member.

"I love that kid," Greenberg said. "I admire his heart, his passion for the game. He gets knocked down, he gets right back up."

Singletary got knocked down on a drive with 7.9 seconds left in the second half. He got up -- naturally -- and sank two free throws to pull U.Va. to 54-54. The best thing for his hip would be rest, but don't expect Singletary to sit out any games.

"I've played through injuries before. It's nothing major," Singletary said. "I have a sense of urgency. We need wins, and I know for us to win I've got to be out there with my team."

U.Va. can't gain from star's pain
Suffering from a hip pointer, Sean Singletary scores 26 points in a losing effort.
By MELINDA WALDROP | | 247-4634
1:04 AM EST, February 3, 2008
 

BLACKSBURG - — Sean Singletary just isn't the same.

Whether it's a lingering hip injury or the pressure of trying to do too much for a struggling team, the Cavaliers' two-time all-ACC senior guard doesn't look like himself.

In Virginia's 72-65 overtime loss at Virginia Tech on Saturday, Singletary had 26 points, running his streak of double-digit games to 42. But 14 of those points came from the free-throw line, and he was 0-for-5 from the floor in the second half as the Cavaliers (11-9, 1-6) lost their fourth straight ACC game and surpassed their conference loss total from last season.

Singletary made two of his five shots in overtime, but after his deep 3-pointer in the final 10 seconds — and then his follow of that miss — wouldn't fall, he briefly hung his head, then shook it slowly as the Hokies began to celebrate.

"It's tough. It's definitely tough to be in this situation, (but) the season's not over," Singletary said. "We've got some of the better teams in the league and the country coming to our gym. ... We need wins, and I know for us to win, I've got to be out there with my team."

Singletary will be on the court for those crucial upcoming games, which include visits from Clemson on Thursday and North Carolina on Feb. 12, despite the hip pointer that's kept him from practicing regularly since getting hurt in a Jan. 19 victory over Boston College.

Singletary dismissed the injury as "a deep bruise" and "something I can play through." But U.Va. coach Dave Leitao said after Wednesday's game at Maryland that he didn't know until 45 minutes before tipoff if Singletary would be able to play.

"He's a warrior," Leitao said. "I don't know on God's green earth that I've ever met a warrior like him. Most people wouldn't be out there."

"He played hurt today," said Virginia Tech freshman guard Hank Thorns, who scored all five of his points in overtime. "You could tell that he was hurt, and he still had a big game."

Sophomore forward Jamil Tucker, who had 10 points, was the only other U.Va. player in double digits. Sophomore guard Calvin Baker, who averages 10 points a game, had four fouls but no points.

The Cavaliers lost a 12-point lead in the first half, but built a 48-41 advantage with 5:55 to play. Tech (14-8, 5-3) then reeled off an 11-2 run, capped by A.D. Vassallo's 3-pointer, to take a 52-50 lead with 2:04 left.

With the Cavs down by two with seven seconds to go, Singletary drove a crowded lane, getting hacked by J.T. Thompson and winding up in a heap under the basket. His two free throws sent the game into overtime.

"I admire his heart, his passion for the game," Hokies coach Seth Greenberg said. "He gets knocked down, he gets right back up."

Singletary's deep 3-pointer cut Tech's overtime lead, which grew to 10 points, to six. But the Cavs' only other points came on a free throw by Mamadi Diane and two foul shots from Singletary.

"He's barely walking, barely practicing, and he's still giving 110 percent in games," U.Va. freshman forward Mike Scott said " ... You look at that, you see how bad he really wants it, and it's hurting us."


 

Tech KO in OT
Hokies save their best for extra period to beat Cavaliers again
Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 - 12:07 AM
By DARRYL SLATER
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

BLACKSBURG -- Before overtime yesterday afternoon, freshmen Hank Thorns and Malcolm Delaney stood on opposite sides of the midcourt circle, smiling about a sequence that, a few minutes earlier, made their coach look as though he was suffering a bleeding ulcer.

"We were like, 'Man we should have been home already,'" Thorns said later.

Yep, and freshman forward J.T. Thompson should have converted an uncontested tip-in of Thorns' missed jump shot before Delaney unsuccessfully tried to put back Thompson's miss at the buzzer.

Either basket would have given Virginia Tech a two-point victory over Virginia.

Instead, the Hokies went to overtime with the carefree confidence that has boosted them to unexpected ACC success and lets them forget agonizing blunders like the errant tip-ins. "We just laughed it off," Thorns said.

Then they breezed past Virginia in overtime, quickening the tempo and scrapping their way through their first possession, as they're wont to do. And they left Cassell Coliseum's court smiling, a 72-65 victory increasing their winning streak to three games, tying their longest this season.

Halfway through their conference schedule, the Hokies (5-3 ACC, 14-8) are playing with composure few could have reasonably foreseen from a team with six freshmen.

Conversely, Virginia (1-6, 11-9), an overtime loser to Tech for the second time this season, faced a somber trip home up Interstate 81, its season sinking into irrelevance, four consecutive losses now and seven in the past eight games.

Despite their recent struggles, the Cavaliers showed zest in the first half, going on a 14-0 run to lead 23-11 with 8:45 left. But Tech responded with a 12-0 run, and the Cavaliers led 26-25 at halftime.

In the second half, their lead was 48-41 with 5:58 left. After that, they shot 1 of 5 to finish regulation. Their best player, senior point guard Sean Singletary, finished with 26 points but shot 0 for 5 from the floor in the second half and had four points.

Half of those came when he made two free throws with 7.9 seconds left, tying the game at 54 after Tech took the lead on a play that fits its style. Guard A.D. Vassallo lofted a runner that bounced off the rim, but with 13.9 seconds left, pogo-stick forward Deron Washington soared toward the basket and dunked the ball with one hand -- one of the Hokies' 16 offensive rebounds.

More of the same on their first overtime possession. Vassallo missed a 3, but Thorns saved the ball from bouncing onto press row. Then Delaney missed a runner but grabbed his own rebound, preserving the possession, which freshman forward Jeff Allen ended by muscling up a layup.

"I think that's who we are," Tech coach Seth Greenberg said. "Let's face: We're not aesthetically attractive here. We're like Ugly Betty in a lot of ways probably. We kind of find a way to get it done."

Said Singletary: "I don't think they're a more talented bunch, but they play so hard. That makes up for a lot of stuff."

Greenberg wanted his team, offense-challenged as it is, to get some easy baskets in overtime. He used a small lineup and encouraged it to push the pace. So after Vassallo blocked Mike Scott's layup, the Hokies sprinted into their fast break, which resulted in a Thorns layup and a 64-56 lead with 1:41 left.

"When teams allow us to run, we're trying to run it down their throats until they stop us," Thorns said.

And when games go to overtime, the Hokies, now 3-1 in the extra period, are endlessly upbeat. Greenberg recoiled after Thompson missed the tip-in to end regulation, burying his head in his hands. In the huddle moments later, Thorns gushed about how much he loves overtime, and his teammates chimed in, saying they don't lose these games.

"When we keep that smile on our face, we go out and we play great," Thorns said. "When teams allow us to stay in the game like they did, we know that we're confident enough that we're going to win the game."

 

Crunch time puts coaching styles to test
Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 - 12:07 AM
By BOB LIPPER
TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST
BLACKSBURG They're two different guys and they're coaching two different teams.

And one of them is getting the job done.

And the other isn't.

The one who push-pulls Virginia Tech is a little bit of a nut case -- the type of grimacing pacer who'd pull his hair out after a botched pass if he had any hair to pull. He's not everybody's cup of tea, and he joked yesterday about how his players "know I'm going to have some out-of-body experiences on the sideline, but they roll with it."

Those players, incidentally, are 5-3 in the ACC and have won three of those games in overtime. So they're rolling with it a little bit in more ways than one.

The other coach -- the one who cattle-prods Virginia? He's a hard-edged guy, full of glares, quick hooks and snapped rebukes. Mess up, and his players know they'll need an aloe coating for blistered ears.

Those players, by the way, are 1-6 in the league and have lost three of those games in overtime. Their ears aren't the only things hurting these days.

This isn't to nominate Seth Greenberg for a Nobel Prize or sentence Dave Leitao to a week with Dr. Phil. But Greenberg has a squad that's exceeding expectations, and Leitao bosses a crew that's nowhere close to the upper-division level predicted for it back in October. And there's nothing accidental in those flow charts.

The two coaches and their teams met for the second time yesterday, and for the second time Tech won in overtime. That's no accident, either. Crunch time -- overtime, in this case -- requires fearlessness, self-possession, shouldering pressure, delivering.

That's what the Hokies did 2½ weeks ago in Charlottesville. That's what they did again in this 72-65 decision that continued trends for both entries.

"I think one factor in our ability to win some games is these kids play so hard," Greenberg said. "They might throw it in the ocean. They might kick it out of bounds. They might trip over their own feet. I told them before the game I didn't care. Made shot, missed shot, turnover, defensive mistake -- I wanted their best effort."

Kapeesh? You're a player, particularly a young player -- and no ACC team relies on rookies more than Tech -- you might tend to feel a tad empowered if you get that sort of message from your coach. Make a mistake and get yanked from the lineup, get R-rated tirades from your coach in front of thousands of witnesses or in the privacy of your dressing room, you could have a tendency to play tight when loose is called for most.

"We're not playing with confidence," said U.Va. freshman Mike Scott. "Seth Greenberg's team -- all the freshmen are playing with confidence. Sometimes we're walking on egg shells. We don't want to mess up."

A season ago, U.Va. tied North Carolina atop the standings, and Leitao was voted coach of the year. But that bunch had tough-minded J.R. Reynolds as second option to Sean Singletary, and Leitao's ire could be absorbed more easily.

This team has Singletary, a couple of OK role players and some skittish freshmen whose playing time fluctuates wildly. Browbeating doesn't seem to cut it with these guys. From 52-all with a bit more than a minute left in regulation, the Cavs scored 13 more points. Singletary had 12 of them. Everyone else faded.

Tech, by contrast, hit the accelerator in overtime, attacked, won going away. But that's been its modus.

"Everybody's been buying into what coach Greenberg's been saying -- compete on defense, take care of the ball," said Deron Washington, the Hokies' lone senior. "Long as we do that, we can be a great team."

Well, no, great is a little out of reach. But these Hokies can a winning team, an upbeat team, a self-assured team. Sure beats the alternative.


 

Cavaliers on wrong side of history
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

BLACKSBURG -- All it took was 17 days for the Virginia men's basketball team to gain a share of history.

Only once in 102 seasons had the Cavaliers lost three games in overtime in the same year before falling Saturday at Virginia Tech, 72-65.

The 1986-87 Virginia team was the first to lose three times in overtime.

Two of this year's overtime losses have come to the Hokies, who overcame a 10-point deficit in a 70-69 overtime victory Jan. 16 at John Paul Jones Arena.

This time, Virginia (11-9, 1-6 ACC) led by 12 points in the first half. Tech (14-8, 5-3) rallied to take the lead early in the second half, but the Cavaliers fought back and led 48-41 with under six minutes remaining.

Senior guard Sean Singletary sent the game into overtime with a pair of free throws that made it 54-54 with 7.9 seconds remaining, but Singletary couldn't beat the Hokies by himself.

Singletary scored 10 of Virginia's points during the extra period, in which the Cavaliers were outscored 18-11.

"He's a warrior," UVa coach Dave Leitao said. "I said this the other night, 'I don't know on God's green earth if I've ever met a warrior like him.' "

Singletary finished with a game-high 26 points on an afternoon when reserve Jamil Tucker was the only other UVa player to score in double figures.

Singletary "goes out and he gives it his all every night," said freshman center Mike Scott, who finished with nine points. "He's got something wrong with his hip and he's barely walking, barely practicing and still giving 110 percent. We ought to apologize each game [to] him because sometimes we let him down."

Tucker had 10 points in 17 minutes, but three UVa starters who came into the game averaging double figures -- Adrian Joseph, Mamadi Diane and Calvin Baker -- were a combined 5-for-19 from the floor.

Diane missed an open 3-pointer that would have given the Cavaliers a nine-point lead with 3:43 remaining in regulation; then, with 3:08 left, he missed another 3 that would have made it a seven-point game.

"What did Sean have, 26 and five [rebounds]?" Diane said. "It feels tough that we couldn't have done more to help."

Joseph, who hit a late 3-pointer to win a game at Cassell Coliseum in 2005, had two air balls in the second half Saturday that made him an object of derision by Tech fans.

"Me and Mo [Diane] are supposed to be shooters," Joseph said, "and when our shots aren't going, it definitely hurts the team and it definitely hurts Sean as an individual when we come out with an 'L.' "

Virginia has lost seven times in its last eight games, including conference games in which it has led by nine, 10, 13 and 12 points.

"In the last few minutes of each game, we haven't imposed our will," Joseph said. "Other teams take advantage of that."

After outrebounding the Hokies in the first half, Virginia was outrebounded 30-17 in the second half and overtime and 43-33 for the game.

Tech shot only 39.3 percent from the field, "but it's not half-court defense," Singletary said. "It's all the second-chance baskets we're giving up and not getting back on the fast break."

Virginia shot 35.8 percent from the field and missed 10 free throws, including the front half of a one-and-one by Singletary and both ends of a two-shot opportunity by Diane, who was 3-for-7 from the line.

The Cavaliers had 11 turnovers in the first half, three by Baker during a stretch of four possessions after they had gone ahead 23-11.

Baker, averaging 12.2 points in ACC play, was 0-for-2 from the field and went scoreless in 29 minutes.

"You saw the stats," Leitao said. "He played pretty decent defensively, but, when a guy is averaging 12 points, that's a lot to do without if you're not making up for it with somebody else."
 

Sweep dreams for Tech
The Hokies make it two in a row versus Virginia with another overtime win over the slumping Cavaliers.
By Mark Berman | The Roanoke Times

BLACKSBURG -- Deron Washington's new hairstyle was a surprise.

His team's play in overtime was not.

Virginia Tech won an ACC game in overtime for the third time this season, defeating Virginia 72-65 on Saturday at Cassell Coliseum.

The Hokies improved to 3-1 in OT, including a 70-69 win at UVa last month.

"We know we can play in overtime," said Deron Washington, who had 15 points and 12 rebounds for Tech. "We have guys that step up."

"Teams don't want to go overtime with us," point guard Hank Thorns said. "We just come out and play hard, with confidence, and no doubt we're going to win."

The Hokies (14-8, 5-3), who won for the sixth time in eight games, remain in third place in the ACC.

"It's kind of surprising," Washington said.

Washington surprised coach Seth Greenberg in the morning shootaround with his new, close-cropped look. His dreadlocks are gone.

On Friday night, Washington's girlfriend, Britney Anderson, and teammate Marcus Travis cut off most of his hair and gave him a mini-Mohawk.

"I just wanted something different," said Washington, who was 3-of-14 from the field. "I got tired of keeping up with the hair.

"I wanted to shock everybody. I came in the gym ... and Greenberg's just in shock. ... He stood for 30 seconds with his mouth open."

The last-place Cavaliers (11-9, 1-6) lost for the seventh time in eight games.

"We're down right now," said Jamil Tucker, who had 10 points for UVa. "Nobody wants to be at the bottom of the league."

UVa suffered its third OT loss in ACC play this season. Tucker again saw a difference between his team and the Hokies in overtime.

"It was just a mind-set [for Tech], being able not to break down in crunch time," Tucker said.

This is the first time Tech has recorded back-to-back wins in the series since the Hokies beat UVa in January 1975 and January 1976. It is the first time Tech has beaten UVa twice in the same season since 1968-69.

"We're improving every day, and the hard work is paying off," said A.D. Vassallo, who had 14 points for Tech. "It definitely feels great to sweep UVa."

UVa coach Dave Leitao said the Hokies were more aggressive in OT. Tech began pushing the ball up the court after having been mired in their half-court offense most of the day.

After UVa's Sean Singletary (26 points) missed a layup at the beginning of OT, Jeff Allen (12 points) scored to give Tech a 56-54 lead. After Tucker missed a layup, Vassallo dunked for a 58-54 lead.

Later, after UVa's Adrian Joseph shot an air ball on a 3-point attempt, Allen dunked for a 62-56 lead. Vassallo blocked a shot and Thorns made a layup to extend the lead to 64-56 with 1:41 left in OT.

UVa shot 35.8 percent from the field, including 2-of-11 in OT.

The Hokies shot 39.3 percent from the field, including 3-of-14 from 3-point range, but outrebounded UVa 43-33.

"These kids play so hard," Greenberg said. "They might throw it in the ocean, they might kick it out of bounds, ... but they play so hard.

"We're not aesthetically attractive here. We're like 'Ugly Betty' in a lot of ways, probably, but we kind of find a way to get it done."

The Hokies went on an 8-0 run late in regulation to grab the lead for the first time since early in the second half.

Lewis Witcher (10 points) dunked to cut the deficit to 50-49. Vassallo capped the run with a 3-pointer to give the Hokies a 52-50 lead with 1:34 left in regulation.

UVa's Mamadi Diane made a jumper to tie the score at 52 with 1:17 left.

Washington got the rebound after Singletary missed a 3-pointer. Vassallo missed a layup, but Washington got the rebound and slammed the ball in to give Tech a 54-52 lead with 14 seconds left in regulation. It was his only basket of the second half.

Singletary sank two free throws to tie the score at 54 with 7.9 seconds remaining. After Thorns missed a layup, J.T. Thompson missed a stickback at the buzzer.

Singletary, who had 34 points in the first meeting, scored 12 first-half points Saturday but was 0-for-5 from the field in the second half. He had 10 points in OT despite again being hampered by a hip pointer.

"I just wanted to keep him under 30 so I didn't get another e-mail from [ex-Hokie] Jamon Gordon," Greenberg said.

 

Hokies humble Cavaliers in OT
By NORM WOOD | Daily Press
6:26 PM EST, February 2, 2008
 

BLACKSBURG - When Virginia Tech's players and coaches reflect on Saturday's 72-65 overtime win against Virginia, they'll remember the feeling of beating their in-state rival for the second time in less than three weeks, but the game film can be torched.

What the victory lacked in artistic merit, it made up for in significance for Tech (14-8 overall, 5-3 Atlantic Coast Conference). With the win, Tech earned back-to-back wins against U.Va. for the first time since 1975-76. It was the first time Tech beat U.Va. twice in the same season since the '68-69 season, and the first time Tech won a home-and-home series against U.Va. since '64.

Most importantly, the Hokies are midway through the ACC schedule and are third in the conference standings. That's not bad for a team predicted in the preseason to finish 10th.

"These kids play so hard," said Tech coach Seth Greenberg, whose team also defeated U.Va. 70-69 in overtime Jan. 16 in Charlottesville. "They might throw it in the ocean. They might kick it out of bounds. They might trip over their own feet. They might take a bad shot, but they play so hard. I told them before the game I didn't care -- made shot, missed shot, turnover, defensive mistake -- I wanted their best effort."

Greenberg got all those things Saturday from his players. The Hokies had to overcome poor shooting and another big game by Cavaliers guard Sean Singletary, who scored 34 against Tech on Jan. 16.

Tech, which is 3-1 in overtime games this season and has won three overtime games for the first time since '99, shot 39 percent for the game. Tech went 0-for-9 from the floor during a seven-minute first half stretch, while U.Va. shot 0-for-6 in an eight-minute first-half drought.

Singletary, who was noticeably hampered Saturday by a hip pointer, made just six of 15 shots. He went nearly 11 minutes in the second half without even attempting a shot. He still led all scorers with 26 points.

"In a team game, a guy with that kind of spirit should be able to get that from (his teammates)," U.Va. coach Dave Leitao said. "We're just not getting enough of it to make enough plays to help us win games."

After rallying just to get to overtime, Tech took control in the extra period, shooting 67 percent from the floor. Tech went on a 13-3 run in the first 3:22 of overtime. U.Va., which shot 36 percent for the game, made just 2 of 11 shots in overtime.

Near the end of regulation, U.Va. (11-9, 1-6) looked poised to put the game out of reach. U.Va. went ahead 50-44 with 4:39 left in the game after forward Mike Scott hit two free throws.

Tech answered with a 6-0 run, highlighted by a dunk from Lewis Witcher that cut U.Va.'s advantage to 50-49 with 2:43 left. Deron Washington, who led Tech with 15 points and 12 rebounds, drove into the lane and got Scott into the air with a fake before passing to Witcher under the basket. Witcher finished with 10 points in 15 minutes off the bench.

"(The coaches) always tell me to go out there and assert myself and be more aggressive on offense and on defense," Witcher said. "I felt really good coming into (Saturday). I had a really good week of practice. Hopefully, my hard work is going to pay off and coach is going to play me more."

A.D. Vassallo, who had 14 points, proceeded to put Tech ahead 52-50 on its next possession with a 3-pointer with 1:35 left. U.Va.'s Mamadi Diane tied the game 52-52 with a layup with 1:19 left, but Washington whipped Cassell Coliseum into a frenzy with 14 seconds remaining by following a Vassallo miss with a dunk over Singletary to give Tech a 54-52 advantage.

Singletary answered when he drove to the basket, got fouled by J.T. Thompson and tied the game again via two free throws with 7.9 seconds left. Tech's Hank Thorns, Thompson and Delaney missed close-range opportunities to score in the waning seconds. In overtime, Tech got scoring contributions from all five of its starters, led by five points from Thorns.

"Now, I guess nobody in Virginia can say we split (with U.Va.) or U.Va. is better than us," Vassallo said. "At least for one year, we've got those bragging rights. We may face them again in the ACC Tournament. Nobody knows. I'm not going to say anything right now, but it was two great games."

 

Hokies find a way
David Teel
February 3, 2008
BLACKSBURG

The ACC's most remarkable basketball team bested the league's most indomitable player Saturday.

This collision of state rivals ranged from butt-ugly to sublime. And it never was less than fierce.

Virginia Tech 72, Virginia 65. In overtime. The Hokies' third OT victory in as many weeks and second over the Cavaliers.

"If you look at the stats," Hokies guard Hank Thorns said, "you wonder how we win."

Indeed. As usual, Tech shot poorly from the field and free-throw line, and committed some boneheaded turnovers. But halfway through the ACC schedule, the Hokies are 14-8 overall and 5-3 in the conference.

Raise your hand if you had Tech winning five ACC games all of this season. With six freshmen and no true center in the rotation? Please.

How are the Hokies doing it? Rewind to their first possession in overtime.

A.D. Vassallo, Tech's purest shooter, missed a 3-pointer that rookie Thorns ran down in the left corner and saved before tumbling out of bounds.

Freshman Malcolm Delaney then missed a jumper but somehow gathered the rebound in a scrum near the basket. Finally, Jeff Allen caught an entry pass on the left block and muscled past fellow freshman Mike Scott for a bucket and 56-54 lead.

"I think that's who we are," Tech coach Seth Greenberg said of the possession. "We're not aesthetically attractive. We're probably like Ugly Betty in a lot of ways."

Ugly Betty is probably offended by the comparison.

The Hokies continued to defy convention on the teams' next exchange. When Scott rebounded teammate Jamil Tucker's miss, Tech's Deron Washington stripped him to start a break that Vassallo finished with a dunk over Adrian Joseph.

We knew Vassallo could shoot. But dunking? The guy often appears glued to the floor.

"I guess it's a part of my game not everybody knows about," Vassallo said with a smile. "Sometimes you just have to take the ball hard to the basket."

If only Virginia (11-9, 1-6) had more people willing to risk life and limb challenging defenses. Alas, Sean Singletary appears to be the lone wolf.

You can not overstate the depth of Singletary's performances since he sustained a right hip-pointer Jan. 19 in a victory over Boston College. He does not practice, and anti-inflammatory medication does little to curb the pain.

Yet this two-time, first-team all-ACC guard continues to pour his soul into what he insists is not a lost cause. Merely sitting on the bench causes him to wince, let alone falling to the floor after another headlong drive into the lane.

"I respect him so much," said Thorns, who stayed with Singletary during his recruiting visit to Virginia. "He plays through anything."

Singletary missed 9 of 15 shots Saturday. He rested for seven minutes during regulation, unthinkable in a taut affair if he's healthy.

Yet as his 26 points and the postgame testimonials attest, he was the best player on the floor — by far. He forced overtime with two late free throws and scored 10 of the Cavaliers' 11 points in overtime.

"It's amazing," longtime Virginia trainer Ethan Saliba said.

"We've got to dig down deep and take something out of this," Singletary said, an ice pack on his hip.

The Cavaliers will take little, if anything, from Singletary's senior season if they don't soon provide him additional cover. Virginia was outrebounded 30-17 after halftime Saturday and shot 30.3 percent during the same span. In one atrocious first-half stretch, the Cavaliers failed to score on 14 consecutive possessions.

Three rebounds from Scott in 28 minutes won't cut it. Nor will 2-of-8 shooting from Mamadi Diane.

"One-and-six," Singletary said, reciting Virginia's ACC record. "But you know you're not the worst team in the league."

The last-place Cavaliers, 0-3 in overtime contests, have nine games to prove otherwise.

"It's going to show our character," Singletary said.

There's no questioning his or the Hokies' these days. Thorns endured a scoreless regulation but contributed five points in OT; Washington missed 11 of 14 shots but collared a game-best 12 rebounds; Lewis Witcher contributed 10 points, four boards and a steal in just 15 minutes, the most productive ACC effort of his two college seasons.

"I was kind of struggling a little bit," said Witcher, who had scored eight points combined in the previous nine games. "But I never gave up."

That appears to be Tech's mantra.

"We're confident," Thorns said. "We've got that in our hearts."

 

Close games are killing UVa
By Andy Bitter
Lynchburg News & Advance
February 3, 2008

BLACKSBURG - Every coach in the ACC will say there's a fine line between winning and losing conference games. Virginia is currently on the wrong side of it.
The Cavaliers lost their fourth tightly contested ACC game Saturday afternoon, falling 72-65 in overtime to state-rival Virginia Tech at Cassell Coliseum and dropping even further into the ACC cellar at 1-6.

Of UVa's six ACC losses, three have gone to overtime and one was by two points.

"Nobody's blowing us out," Virginia forward Mike Scott said. "The only blowout we had was Duke. Every other game we played them close."

Saturday's contest had an all-too-familiar feel. Virginia (11-9) led the Hokies by as many as 12 in the first half and was up six with 4:39 to go. But UVa made just one more basket in regulation, watching Virginia Tech score eight straight points to take the lead before two free throws by Sean Singletary with 7.9 seconds left sent it to overtime.

It's the latest in an ugly trend. The Cavaliers led by nine against Virginia Tech in the teams' first matchup. They led by 10 at Florida State and 13 against Georgia Tech.

Virginia lost each of those games.

"It's the league. It's a very competitive league," UVa forward Jamil Tucker said. "Everybody plays extremely hard every second, so it's just a mind set that you know once you get up, you can't let up. You've got to keep going no matter what."

Singletary, as usual, turned in a strong effort, scoring a game-high 26 points despite being slowed by a hip pointer. He scored 10 of UVa's 11 points in overtime.

"He's a warrior," Virginia coach Dave Leitao said. "I don't know if on God's green earth there's a warrior like him. Most people wouldn't be out there."

But like previous losses, he didn't get much help.

Tucker was the only other Cavalier to reach double figures, scoring 10 points in 17 minutes. But he spent plenty of time in Leitao's dog house on the bench after passing up an open look at a 3-pointer in the second half, missing a layup and committing an offensive foul.

Calvin Baker, who was averaging 10.2 points a game, went scoreless. Adrian Joseph and Mamadi Diane combined for just 17 points, 7.5 below their season average. The Cavaliers shot just 36 percent as a team.

Virginia shored up its porous defense for most of Saturday, holding the Hokies to 36 percent shooting in regulation. But in overtime Virginia Tech went 4-for-6, getting three fastbreak buckets.

"They were more aggressive," a curt Leitao said afterward.

Virginia Tech also hammered UVa on the boards, 43-33. The Hokies turned 16 offensive rebounds into 16 second-chance points against Virginia's depleted, undersized frontline, though Leitao wasn't making excuses.

"(The) make-up for rebounding is only internal. It's not external," Leitao said. "The best rebounders in the history of the game weren't 7 feet, 260 (pounds)."

The Cavaliers, who earned a share of the ACC's regular-season title last year, haven't been in this situation often. Virginia has started 1-6 in conference play only two other times in the last 20 seasons, Pete Gillen's first in 1998-99 and his last in 2004-05.

Both of those teams finished 4-12 in ACC play, something UVa doesn't want to hear.

"It's been proven in our league that every team is beatable," Singletary said. "We've got the talent to do it. We've just got to jell and put it together."

"What do you do if you win seven games in a row? You get in the gym and you work your ass off," Leitao said.

"That's what you do. This is not any different than any other time. There's no magical potion."


 

Hokies clean it up to win sloppy game COLLEGE BASKETBALL
February 3, 2008 12:16 am
BY JIM McCONNELL
BLACKSBURG--

At the moment, the difference between third place and last place in the 12-team Atlantic Coast Conference is so razor-thin, it's difficult to tell the teams apart.

Virginia Tech made only 39 percent of its field-goal attempts and 66 percent of its free throws, and had three more turnovers than assists. Virginia shot just 36 percent from the floor, lost the rebounding battle by 10 and squandered leads in the final moments of both halves.

For the second time in less than three weeks, the longtime rivals needed more than 40 minutes of regulation play to settle differences. Once again, the Hokies made enough plays to win in overtime--this time, by a 72-65 margin before a sellout crowd at Cassell Coliseum.

"I look at the stat sheet and I ask, 'How did we win?'" Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg said. "These kids play so hard. They might throw it in the ocean. They might kick it out of bounds. They might trip over their own feet. They might take a bad shot, but they play so hard."

Virginia Tech (14-8 overall, 5-3 ACC) maintained sole possession of third place in the conference by continuing to win close games. Three of the Hokies' ACC victories have come in overtime; another was a one-point verdict at home against Maryland.

"We would much rather get the game over with the first time, rather than the second time. But we just go out and do what we have to do," said Jeff Allen, one of six freshmen in Tech's regular rotation. "We're going to keep fighting until we get back into it, because nobody on this team likes to lose."

By contrast, defending regular-season champion Virginia (11-9, 1-6) is 0-3 in overtime against conference foes this season, and that doesn't include a two-point loss at Florida State.

"It can go both ways. We could be 6-1 right now, but it happens. We're not imposing our will in those last few minutes of games, and teams are taking advantage of that," Virginia forward Adrian Joseph said.

Virginia Tech's first offensive possession in overtime set the tone for the rest of the game. After the Hokies twice outhustled the Cavaliers for offensive rebounds, Jeff Allen muscled up a layup over Mike Scott to give Tech a lead it wouldn't relinquish.

Tech outscored Virginia 18-11 in the extra period, getting points from five different players. While All-America guard Sean Singletary scored 10 of his game-high 26 points in overtime despite playing with a painful hip pointer, his U.Va. teammates managed just one point in the last five minutes.

"I don't know on God's green earth that I've ever met a warrior like him. Most people wouldn't be out there," Virginia coach Dave Leitao said of Singletary, who scored 34 of the Cavaliers' 69 points in the teams' first meeting last month.

"In a team game, a guy with that kind of spirit should be able to get that from everybody else. We're just not getting enough of it to help us win games."

Singletary's supporting cast produced 11 points in a 20-4 run as Virginia overcame an early deficit to lead 23-11. Virginia Tech helped their guests' cause by missing 11 of 13 shots.

But instead of pulling away, the Cavaliers failed to score on their next 12 possessions. They turned the ball over five times, missed five straight field-goal attempts and also twice failed to convert the front end of one-and-one free-throw opportunities.

Virginia Tech closed with a 14-3 run and trailed by only a point at halftime, then outscored Virginia 7-1 early in the second half.

Trailing by five, the Cavaliers got eight points from Jamil Tucker and reclaimed control with a quick 11-0 burst. Virginia led 50-44 with 4:38 left in regulation, but couldn't protect the advantage.

Deron Washington, whose acrobatic buzzer-beating layup won the teams' earlier meeting, followed a miss by A.D. Vassallo with an emphatic one-handed dunk that put the Hokies ahead 54-52.

Singletary responded by hitting two free throws in the face of the raucous student section to tie the game, then the Hokies missed three shots on the final possession of regulation.

Virginia Tech, however, dominated the overtime.

"Every time we're having a tough stretch, our coaches say, 'Keep playing,'" said Washington, who led Tech with 15 points despite hitting only 3 of 14 field-goal attempts. "Everybody on the bench tells us to keep our heads up and keep playing hard and we can pull out the win."

Vassallo added 14 points and Allen 12 for the Hokies. Lewis Witcher provided a spark off the bench with a season-high 10 points and four rebounds.

Tucker scored 10 for Virginia.