Cavaliers Seek Return to Winning Ways
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 02/22/2010
By Jeff White
MIAMI -- Tony Bennett stopped practice for a moment Monday morning at the
University of Miami's BankUnited Center, a teacher intent on getting his point
across to his students.
"If you will work," Bennett told his players, and not for the first time this
season, "you will be in games."
Effort alone, of course, isn't enough. There must be execution, and the UVa
men's basketball team has struggled in that area, too, in recent games.
"Whether that's being discouraged or being tired or lack of practice time, it
could be any of those things combined," Bennett said Monday afternoon. "But you
just have to overcome that."
UVa (5-7, 14-11) meets ACC foe Miami (3-9, 17-9) at 7 p.m. Tuesday. It will be
the fifth game in 11 days for the Wahoos, a demanding stretch that's taken a
toll on Bennett's team.
"There hasn't been as much practice time," Bennett said, "so you're sort of
adjusting on the fly."
After losing at Clemson on Saturday, however, the 'Hoos flew to Miami that night
instead of back to Charlottesville. By arriving early, UVa has had ample time to
prepare for the Hurricanes.
"We've tried to make the most of it," Bennett said, "and we've had two spirited,
business-like practices, trying to accomplish some things that have been lacking
-- maybe because of lack of practice time with this stretch of games, maybe
because as the season's worn on, we've slid a little bit off of what we need to
do."
Virginia has lost five straight since beating N.C. State on Feb. 3, and its past
three games haven't been close. Maryland routed UVa by 19 points, as did Florida
State. Clemson won by 23. All three shot at least 50 percent from the floor
against the Cavaliers, whose fortunes have changed dramatically in less than
three weeks.
"This league will do that to you," Miami coach Frank Haith said Monday.
As the Cavaliers' defense has declined, so has their offense. Since their win
over the Wolfpack at John Paul Jones Arena, the Cavs have not shot better than
37.9 percent in a game.
"I don't know if two days can get it back," Bennett said, "but we've tried to
address both [areas]. The kids have practiced hard. We are who we are, so you
still see some of our warts, but the last two days there was more focus and
purpose than we've been able to have, just because of lack of practice time."
Much has changed since these teams met Jan. 16 at JPJ. UVa entered that game
with six straight wins and, in front of a noisy crowd, convincingly extended its
streak to seven.
Led by sophomore Sylven Landesberg (18 points), the 'Hoos shot 51.8 percent from
the floor and pounded the 'Canes 75-57. Even more impressive was UVa's defense,
which limited Miami to 31.5-percent accuracy.
"We took some quick shots, some ill-advised shots," Haith said.
The 'Canes have played better since that loss, but, like the 'Hoos, they're
desperate for a victory. Miami has dropped four of its past five games and eight
of 10. At home, however, the Hurricanes are 11-2, so another Virginia blowout is
unlikely Tuesday.
A one-point victory would delight the Cavaliers, who host fifth-ranked Duke
(11-2, 23-4) on Sunday night.
"I'm kind of looking at this game as a game to get back on the right track,"
Landesberg said. "It's not fun to lose. I think if we just get that one win, we
can get right back to where we were."
Landesberg, who attempted a team-high 186 foul shots in 2008-09, has shot only
five free throws in Virginia's past four games -- none in the past two.
Opponents are packing the lane to stop the all-ACC candidate's trademark drives,
Bennett said, and there aren't nearly "as many alleys to get to the basket."
Few things would boost the confidence of Landesberg and his teammates more than
some easy baskets, the kind that often come in transition after an opponent's
miss. But UVa's recent defensive problems have meant such baskets "have gone by
the wayside," Bennett said, "because 50 percent of the time we're taking the
ball out of the net [after an opponent's field goal]."
The solution? Better defense.
"At practice I said to the team, 'This end is our chance,' because when you're
struggling to put the ball in the basket, you won't have a chance, you won't
even be in the game, if your defense isn't really good," Bennett said. "And the
last three games our defense has been poor."
When his team has been effective, Bennett said, "we've gotten stops and we've
generated some offense out of our defense, whether it's a missed shot or a
turnover, and we've gotten a few transition buckets to just get on the board and
get some points that way."
Against Clemson, Bennett started Jontel Evans at point guard, Sammy Zeglinski at
shooting guard, Landesberg at small forward, Mike Scott at power forward and
Assane Sene at center.
Senior Calvin Baker practiced well Monday and could replace Evans in the first
five Tuesday night, and senior Jerome Meyinsse may reclaim his starting job at
center.
No matter their lineup, the Cavaliers won't have to contend with an atmosphere
as hostile as what they encountered at Cassell Coliseum or Comcast Center or
Littlejohn Coliseum.
The BankUnited Center, Miami's on-campus arena, seats 7,200. Rarely is it full.
The 'Canes are averaging 4,625 fans at home this season.
"We're getting there," Haith said. "We're not where a lot of teams are in our
league. But we've made some progress over the years, and it's only going to be
better and better."
Hitting the Books
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 02/22/2010
Feb. 22, 2010
11:48 a.m.
MIAMI -- After weeks of battling the cold and snow in Charlottesville, the UVa
men's basketball team is enjoying the semi-tropical climate of this South
Florida city.
Forty-eight hours before the start of the Cavaliers' next ACC game, however,
Tony Bennett's players were not in South Beach. Not even close. On this Sunday
night, they were in study hall, just as they'd been earlier in the day.
"It's always hard to really focus in on schoolwork when you got a big game
coming up, especially with how it's been the last five games," junior guard
Mustapha Farrakhan said after the session in a conference room at the team's
Miami hotel.
"We're definitely focusing in on trying to right the ship. But academics is also
an important part of being in school, and learning."
Two study halls are scheduled for Monday, too, each lasting about an hour. UVa
plays Miami at the BankUnited Center on Tuesday night.
"If it's not build into the schedule, they'll find anything to do other than out
a book and glance at it," said Jim Booz, UVa's associate athletics director for
academic affairs.
Booz, who monitors the players' academic progress throughout the school year,
schedules and oversees the study halls on the road.
"We just want to make sure they have the opportunity to continue the progress
they're making," Booz said Monday morning, "whether that's completing
assignments that are due, preparing for exams they have to take when they get
home, or catching up on reading they have to do for their classes.
"Obviously, by missing class, they miss the in-class discussions, but if they do
the reading, they're not as far behind."
On Sunday night, the players were spread around four tables. About 40 minutes
in, Booz had a representative from each table stand up behind a lectern and
address the rest of the team.
The assignment for each speaker: talk about something he'd learned in his
reading that evening. The speakers were Farrakhan, Sylven Landesberg, Will
Sherrill and Jerome Meyinsse, and their topics ranged from the short-selling of
stocks to the money-making machine that is University of North Carolina
basketball.
"We don't do that every time," Booz said, "but I try to build in something where
they have to articulate what they've learned. If they have to talk about it,
then they're more likely to retain something."
Farrakhan has two exams to take when he returns to Charlottesville, so he
brought work for each of those classes with him on a road trip that started with
a visit to Clemson.
"Study hall's never fun," Farrakhan said, "but we know it's a part of it, so
we've just got to do it."
-- Jeff White
Cavaliers face Hurricanes on road
Squad looks to establish third scoring threat, reverse freefall before
conference tournament
Matt Welsh, Cavalier Daily Staff Writer
Featured / Men's Basketball / Sports
February 23, 2010 0
After two weeks of winless basketball, the Virginia mens squad hits the road to
take on Miami tonight and will attempt to salvage a season that began with
promise before falling flat this month.
Virginia (14-11, 5-7 ACC) thumped the Hurricanes 75-57 at John Paul Jones Arena
in mid-January but has gone 3-7 since, having dropped its last five contests in
a skid that has included everything from overtime heartbreakers against Virginia
Tech and Wake Forest to blow-out defeats at Maryland and Clemson.
We are looking to turn things around against Miami, senior forward Jerome
Meyinsse said. Its always difficult to do that on the road.
The home victory against Miami earlier in the season came on the tail end of an
impressive eight-game win streak that propelled Virginia up the ACC ladder and
into serious contention for an NCAA Tournament berth. During that midseason
stretch, the orange and blue dominated both sides of the ball, outscored
opponents by an average of 15 points with a mean score of 73.5 to 58.5 and
shot 46.7percent from the floor.
For those eight games, the Cavaliers fired on all cylinders. Sophomore guard
Sylven Landesberg and junior forward Mike Scott carried the offense by averaging
a combined 27.9 points per game, and even Tony Bennett became a household name
as coach-of-the-year debates began in earnest.
A loss at Wake Forest seemed innocent enough at first, but it snowballed into a
disheartening 2-7 record since the winning streak that hit rock bottom with last
Saturdays 49-72 loss at Clemson.
Were coming off our last three games where we have not been competitive,
Bennett said. Thats a challenge for us to become competitive.
During the current losing streak, the Cavaliers have completely reversed their
fortunes and have been outscored by an average of 14 points averaging 56.2 to
their opponents 70.2 and shooting a measly 35.3 percent from the floor. The
slide also has dropped Virginias scoring offense to dead last in the ACC at
67.2 points per game.
At this point in the season, you gotta be real good. Certain teams are
improving, and weve hit a little bit of a skid, Bennett said. You look back
to what you did early, things there.
Despite consistent inside scoring from Scott, the team has been plagued by
inconsistency in all facets of play, especially from its offensive playmakers on
the perimeter. After putting on a 28-point clinic during the loss against Wake
Forest, Landesberg struggled through a season-worst, four-point performance
against Florida State Feb. 17 not once seeing the free throw line and again
failed to reach the charity stripe against Clemson last Saturday.
The defenses are really sitting in there on [Landesberg], so its getting hard
on him, Bennett said. Theres not nearly as many alleys when you get in the
half-court offense.
The season-long search for a third scorer has similarly drawn a blank. Sophomore
guard Sammy Zeglinski has excited Cavalier fans with late-game heroics but still
averages only 9.2 points per game. Likewise, junior guard Mustapha Farrakhan
might have thrown down a highlight-reel dunk against N.C. State Feb. 3, but he
and freshman guard Jontel Evans need to greatly improve the ball movement on a
squad that lacks a single player averaging more than three assists per game.
The team also has struggled to contain opponents go-to scorers during its
losing streak. Wake Forests Ishmael Smith owned Virginia during the final
minutes of regulation and the overtime period, and Marylands Greivis Vasquez
torched the Cavaliers for 30 points 25 of which came during the first half.
Against Miami, Virginia will aim to shut down the Hurricanes senior forward
Dwayne Collins, who averages 12.0 points and 8.1 rebounds per game and is coming
off an impressive 21-point performance against Duke.
As bad as the Cavaliers have played as of late, winning their final four
contests would propel them to 18-11 overall, 9-7 in the ACC and place the squad
in contention for an at-large NCAA Tournament bid. But after Miami, Virginia has
to get through Duke and Maryland, two ACC stalwarts currently ranked first and
second in the conference,
Weve tried to mix lineups a couple times, certainly when youre struggling you
try to come up with a different approach, Bennett said. This is part of
rebuilding. We had a real solid start [and] this is the hard part you have to go
through. Its a reality check.
Quick fix for U.Va. basketball not likely
By Michael Phillips
Published: February 23, 2010
Updated: February 23, 2010
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CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Virginia coach Tony Bennett has been running what he
described as "businesslike" practices during the past week, trying to maximize
learning while not wearing out an already fatigued team.
After tonight's game against Miami, the team will return home for the first time
since last Friday, as well as close a rough stretch of five games in 11 days,
none of which U.Va. has won.
Before a four-day break, though, is a game against the Hurricanes, a team the
Cavaliers defeated during an early-season run.
Things couldn't be much different now, with the dominant story being the lack of
offense for U.Va. -- a mix of cold shooting and players who have been
overmatched against more physical ACC opponents.
"We're limited, and that's not a defeatist attitude," Bennett said. "We don't
have a lot of scoring punch, and when the defense slides, that's when these
games happen."
The Cavs used a garbage-time run to get to 50 points against Florida State, and
then another late-game burst pushed them to 49 against Clemson.
With a lack of other scoring options, defenses have been spending more time
clamping down on star Sylven Landesberg and keeping him from creating plays.
Opposing teams haven't been afraid to double-team him, counting on the other
Cavs players to miss shots.
Bennett said the frustrations also trace to the defensive end, where a lack of
stops has cut the number of chances U.Va. has had in transition.
"When a team is making the percentage of shots they're making against us, we're
not getting a lot of missed opportunities where we can get out, and get down the
floor," he said. "Half the time, we've just been taking it out of the net, and
playing against a set defense that's really set up against him."
That's left forward Mike Scott as the team's leading scorer, which he's been in
three of the last four games (guard Jeff Jones led the team against Florida
State).
But Scott hasn't been overly dominant -- he's only shot higher than 50 percent
in one of those games and has struggled to make jump shots, instead relying on
rebounds and tip-ins.
Of course, U.Va.'s recent slide has come against quality opponents, all of whom
have had a size advantage against the Cavs.
Perhaps nobody has taken a harder hit than forward Will Sherrill, leading
Bennett to note after the Clemson game that "he was a little outmatched
physically with those inside guys."
With more tough teams ahead on the schedule, that doesn't exactly point to a
quick fix for this year's Virginia squad.
CAVS FEEL GROWING PAINS
February 23, 2010 12:36 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
Tony Bennett was hoping the reality check wouldn't arrive.
His Virginia Cavaliers won eight straight games from Dec. 19 until a setback to
Wake Forest on Jan. 23. They also won five of their first seven Atlantic Coast
Conference games.
Still, there had to be a reason Virginia finished 10-18 last season and was
picked to finish 11th in the ACC in the preseason media poll.
It's all come to light during a five-game losing streak that includes three
straight losses by an average of 20.3 points per game.
Bennett, who is completing his first season at Virginia, said the stretch is
"part of rebuilding."
"You're hoping you could shortcut this and bypass this process, but this is the
hard part that we have to go through," Bennett said during yesterday's weekly
ACC coaches teleconference. "I wish I had a clear answer when you go through
three losses like this, but I think you have to get back to being as sound and
tough as possible and look at the areas we've broken down in."
The breakdowns have come offensively and defensively. The Cavaliers (14-11, 5-7
ACC) have averaged just 56.4 points per game in the past five contests. They
allowed Maryland, Florida State and Clemson to shoot at least 50 percent from
the field.
Leading scorer Sylven Landesberg has shot just 36 percent from the field in his
last six games.
The Cavaliers will try to get back on track tonight at 7 p.m. when they visit
Miami for their fifth game in 11 days. The Cavaliers beat the Hurricanes 75-57
on Jan. 16 in Charlottesville, but that team hasn't been seen for quite a while.
"This league will do that to you," Miami head coach Frank Haith said of
Virginia's struggles. "It's hard to recover. It's unforgiving."
Miami Hurricanes forced to readjust season goals
BY ADAM H. BEASLEY
abeasley@MiamiHerald.com
'We haven't had the kind of season that some people thought . . . but it is a
young team,' said University of Miami men's basketball coach Frank Haith of the
team's poor conference record this season.
With four regular-season games left, an at-large NCAA Tournament bid for the
University of Miami men's basketball team is a long shot -- at best.
Even if the Hurricanes (17-9, 3-9 ACC) run the table, they would finish below
.500 in a conference that the RPI ranks third, behind the Big 12 and the Big
East.
So short of a run through the ACC tournament, the Canes must readjust
expectations and goals for a season that came undone with losses in eight of
their past 10 games.
``As you've got games on your schedule, we've got opportunities,'' said coach
Frank Haith, who listed reaching the 20-win mark among his targets. ``We're
playing better. I think our guys have competed, night in and night out.
``Obviously, we haven't had the kind of season that some people thought . . .
but it is a young team,'' Haith added.
``I think there is a lot to play for, a lot of things that this team can
accomplish, and even with four league games left.''
UM's next opportunity comes Tuesday, when Virginia (14-11, 5-7) visits
BankUnited Center at 7 p.m.
On Feb. 6, the Cavaliers were in position to make a serious run at an NCAA
Tournament berth.
They were 14-6, including 5-2 in the ACC, and led visiting Wake Forest by five
points at the half.
But Virginia lost that game 64-61 in overtime and hasn't won since.
While Haith said he is still committed to this season, it's inevitable to have
one eye on the future. He starts two talented freshmen -- guards Durand Scott
and Garrius Adams -- as well as sophomore forward Julian Gamble.
Sylven Landesberg's lack of free throws
When opposing coaches talk about what makes Sylven Landesberg so difficult, one
of the first attributes they point to is Landesberg's ability to draw fouls and
hit free throws.
The sophomore guard has hit 82.2 percent of his free throws this season. But in
Virginia's last four loss, Landesberg has reached the free-throw line only five
times -- including no trips in the past two games.
"Certainly, he's not been given room to get there," Coach Tony Bennett said.
"The defenses, even if he beats you, the defenses are sitting in there on him,
so it's getting harder for him. They're putting their best guy, and really
tagging or guarding him hard with help built in, so there's not near as many
alleys to get to the basket in the half-court offense. And when teams are making
the percentage shots they're making against us, you're not getting as many
opportunities to get out and get down the floor and maybe get a transition
basket, or just get the defense spread out a little bit as far as pushing the
ball."
The explanation makes sense. Landesberg's struggles in the past two weeks have
come with defensive attention that few in college basketball can handle. In the
past three games, Landesberg has averaged 9.67 points. That's directly related
to Virginia scoring only 55 points in those three games.
By Zach Berman
Balancing offense vs. defense in the starting lineup
Virginia has tried three different starting lineups in three different games.
The latest lineup included center Assane Sene and Jontel Evans, a sophomore and
a freshman who are both limited offensively.
Sene has received inconsistent playing time this season, and Coach Tony Bennett
wanted an extended look at the promising big man. Sene did not exactly impress
-- he had as many rebounds (3) as fouls in 17 minutes, and did not block a shot.
Evans provides defense, but not much offense -- he had three points and no
assists in 26 minutes. It's clear that a player such as Jeff Jones provides more
offense, but Bennett values defense. It begs the questions -- how does Bennett
balance offense and defense in the starting lineup.
"When you're defense is struggling, you're not making shots, you're struggling
offensively, it's a hard place to be," Bennett said. "And that's where we're at
right now."
Virginia's players have said that they need the defense to create the offense.
The team does not have the firepower to score in the 70s and 80s consistently,
so it helps if it can limit teams to the 50s and 60s.
However, every offensive possession appears a struggle. Evans's reputation as an
all-defense, no-offense guard has started to catch up to him, so it will be
critical that he develops more of an offensive game if he becomes a significant
player in his career.
"I think I need to improve on a lot," Evans said. "You saw the Maryland game,
Vasquez played so far back and not respecting the jump shot. That's how teams
are playing. That's what I need to work on -- my jump shot -- so people can
respect us."
By Zach Berman
Taking stock of Virginia's talent
Although it's true that the cupboard was more stacked than many anticipated
entering the season -- Virginia has five ACC wins and was picked to finished No.
11 entering the season -- the past two weeks are evidence that the Cavaliers
still do not have the talent of the top teams in the ACC.
Of Virginia's five ACC wins, two were against North Carolina State, one was
against North Carolina and one came against Miami. These are three of the teams
on the bottom of the conference, even if the Tar Heels have heralded talent. The
Cavaliers beat a talented Georgia Tech squad, but it's still clear Virginia's
talent pales in comparison to some of its league rivals.
Coach Tony Bennett knew that defense could be an equalizer, but that has fallen
behind in the past two weeks. Hence the downward slide of the Cavaliers.
"That's part of knowing, this is who we are as a team," Bennett said. "That's
why you got to work. You got to be so solid on both ends. That's our chance. And
there's no shame in that. That's where we're at, and when it slips, it's really
hard."
Looking at the remaining schedule (@ Miami, vs. Duke, @ Boston College, vs.
Maryland), there are no clear wins on the schedules. So, Virginia needs to
either rediscover what worked before this slide or suffer the same feat as the
past two weeks.
"We're limited," Bennett said. "And that's not a defeatist attitude. We just
don't have a lot of scoring punch. And then when the defense lies, that's what
happens."
By Zach Berman
Men's basketball preview: Virginia Cavaliers at Miami Hurricanes
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
End of the road: After Tuesday's game, Virginia will have four days before it
hosts Duke on Sunday. That is almost like a vacation to the Cavaliers, who will
play their fifth game in 11 days, including the fourth on the road. Virginia has
lost each game as part of a five-game losing streak. Coach Tony Bennett has
changed the lineup, changed practices, altered the way the team watches videos,
but the results have been the same.
Heating up Landesberg: Virginia must hope three nights in Miami can heat up star
guard Sylven Landesberg, whose scoring average dipped from 18 points per game to
17 points per game after averaging 9.7 points in the last three games.
Landesberg has not reached the free throw line in the past two games.
"Certainly, he's not been given room to get there," Bennett said. "The defenses,
even if he beats you, the defenses are sitting in there on him, so it's getting
harder for him."
Bring on the youth: As Virginia's season continues to fade, look for Bennett to
see what he has in some of his younger players. Although he said the goal
remains to win games, Bennett started sophomore center Assane Sene on Saturday
against Clemson in part because he wanted an extended look at Sene. The next
player who could earn more time is little-used freshman Tristan Spurlock, who
played seven minutes on Saturday, the most playing time he's seen in an ACC game
this season.
-- Zach Berman
Virginia aims to end skid
By Whitey Reid
Published: February 23, 2010
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MIAMI Most coaches whose teams are mired in long losing streaks will try just
about anything to snap out of it.
Heres an idea for Virginia coach Tony Bennett: Lose the necktie.
While at Washington State, Bennett was known for his tieless look. When Bennett
arrived at Virginia, he decided to wear ties, but only at home.
That ritual changed four games ago when Bennett, at his wife Laurels urging,
donned a tie for Virginias loss at Virginia Tech. Subsequently, Bennetts squad
has been blown out of the water in two additional road games in which he also
wore ties.
My wife thinks I look better in ties, so I was trying to impress my wife,
joked Bennett, following his teams 72-49 loss at Clemson on Saturday.
Tonight, Virginia (14-11, 5-7 ACC) will be trying to break a five-game losing
streak in Miami. Could there be a better place to bring back the open-collar
look than the laid-back atmosphere of sunny South Florida?
In the last three weeks, Virginias wheels have fallen off. The Cavaliers have
shot below 40 percent in every game while allowing their last three opponents to
shoot over 50 percent.
We need to find a way to get back to playing better basketball and become
competitive, Bennett said on Monday. We hit a little bit of a skid, and its
time for us to regain our stride.
In the first meeting against Miami on Jan. 16 in Charlottesville, Virginia
played great. In a raucous John Paul Jones Arena, five players scored nine
points or more. Meanwhile, UVa held the Hurricanes to 32 percent shooting.
Bennett called his teams defensive performance its best of the season.
But right now that victory seems like centuries ago.
At this point, a good deal of Virginias woes may very well be from the neck up.
As confident as players were during the first half of the league schedule when
they went 5-3, they seem as insecure now.
Bennett waited until well into the season before naming his team captains. Now,
more than ever, he needs those players Calvin Baker, Jerome Meyinsse and
Solomon Tat to do something, anything.
At practice in Miami on Monday, Bennett said he specifically noticed the
tri-captains making an effort.
I was curious to see if their heads would be hung, Bennett said, but theyve
been talkative and have competed hard. Were just trying to get with the effort,
some more execution.
Bennett singled out Tat, a seldom-used senior who has always remained positive,
despite his or the teams predicament.
Solo is one of the best Ive seen in terms of encouraging his teammates on the
bench, during games, regardless of the situation, Bennett said.
On the other side of things, Miami also enters tonights game not playing very
well. After winning 15 of its first 16 games to start the season, the Hurricanes
(17-9, 3-9) have dropped eight out of their last 10, including a seven-point
home loss to Duke last Wednesday.
I think Virginias hit a stretch where theyve played a lot of ballgames in a
row, said Miami coach Frank Haith, but we understand that they have confidence
to play well against us in terms of how well they beat us up in
Charlottesville early in the year.
They hurt us in transition and really got after us.
Dunks
Miami leads the all-time series 6-4, including a 3-0 mark in Miami. ... Virginia
has lost its last 11 games in the state of Florida (seven at Florida State, two
at Miami, one at South Florida and one to N.C. State at the 2007 ACC tournament
in Tampa). The Cavaliers last win in the Sunshine State was a 2001 win at FSU.
... Converting 43.5 percent from beyond the arc this season, Miamis Adrian
Thomas leads the ACC in 3-point field goal percentage and has hit a triple in 19
of the last 20 games.
Wilson: Nichols star Regan makes the most of his gifts
By Allen Wilson
NEWS SPORTS COLUMNIST
Updated: February 22, 2010, 1:19 am / 0 comments
Greg Plumb had to give some thought to the question of what it has been like to
coach Nichols School star Will Regan. Invariably, Plumb wasn't ready to supply
an answer.
Not yet anyway.
"It's one of those things I probably won't know until he's gone," Plumb said.
"He's been with our program for five years and I taught him in middle school, so
we've always had him around."
Sometimes you don't appreciate something good until it's gone, but that is not
the case with Plumb. He knows how good it has been to have a player of Regan's
caliber. The 6-foot-8 power forward will take his talents to the University of
Virginia next year, so Plumb and followers of Nichols basketball are going to
enjoy the ride while it lasts.
I've been hearing a lot about Regan the last couple of years. I was told how
dominant he was locally, but there were numerous sources who reported how he
held his own against some of the nation's best high school big men.
My curiosity piqued, I went to Nichols' Manhattan Cup playoff game against
O'Hara on Sunday to see what all the fuss was about. I left Koessler Center
impressed.
It's difficult to judge a good player against an inferior opponent. O'Hara was
clearly overmatched against Nichols, which rolled to an easy 70-44 victory. But
even in a blowout, you could see why Virginia and other big schools pursued him
so vigorously.
He is an intelligent post player with good footwork and a soft shooting touch
with either hand around the basket. He didn't have to show it off Sunday, but
I'm told Regan can stick the jumper from beyond three-point range, which should
make him a good fit in the "pick and pop" offense first-year Virginia coach Tony
Bennett ran with so much success at Washington State.
For a big guy, Regan runs the court well. He can put the ball on the floor and
start the fast break. He can score on just about every possession, but
unselfishly looks for teammates and has the vision and passing ability to find
them.
He's a good but not elite athlete and he'll need to get stronger to compete in
the rugged Atlantic Coast Conference. But he makes the most of the physical
gifts he has. More important to Virginia, he has a lot of room to grow as a
player.
"Growing up, I always hoped that I would get a chance to play college ball,"
said Regan, the reigning Buffalo News Player of the Year. "After my freshman
year playing AAU ball I started to get exposure. And once I was getting offers
from Maryland and schools like that, it made me realize that maybe I had the
ability to play at a high level."
What impressed me most Sunday was how he approached the game. Though his team
was far superior, there was no let-up with Regan.
He played the game with the same vigor that he does when facing top Monsignor
Martin rival Canisius or some highly regarded team from out of town.
"You really have to approach every game seriously and play like it's your last
game because you never know when it will be," Regan said. "You can't afford to
let down at any time."
Beyond his talent, Regan is an engaging young man who is mature beyond his
years. Not everyone can handle being the big man on campus, but he's a classy
young man who embraces the concept that success is a team effort.
"It's one of those things where we have the best player in Western New York, and
no offense to our guys, but some who aren't as skilled," Plumb said. "But what's
great about Will is he'll help those guys out. He's not like, "I'm better than
you guys.' He is willing to show the younger guys who need help what to do. To
see that in someone his age is pretty amazing. It brightens your day to know
they are still making kids like that."
UVa baseball hits new high
By Jay Jenkins
Published: February 23, 2010
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Andrew Carraway was in disbelief. Jeff Kamrath was in a euphoric state. Casey
Lambert cracked jokes about playing part.
A collection of former pitchers from the Virginia baseball program took varying
approaches to the news Monday that the Cavaliers climbed a spot into the No. 1
position nationally.
It marked the first time in program history that Virginia had been ranked as the
nations best program and comes on the heels of a series win at East Carolina
over the weekend.
That is awesome. It is not that big of a surprise based on where they were
ranked, said Carraway, but that ranking is the kind of thing that takes
year-to-year improvement. It is really cool for the current players and every
former player.
Virginia (2-1) surpassed Texas (1-2) in the Baseball America poll, but landed in
various spots in the five other polls. Rivals.com also ranked the Cavaliers as
the nations top team.
The Longhorns dropped two of three games in their season-opening series against
New Mexico.
It is an honor to be the No. 1 team in the country, said Virginia coach Brian
OConnor. Our players strive to be the best, but it is a honor not only for our
players, but for all the players that played here over the years.
With its current spot on top, the baseball team becomes the 10th program in
school history to land the No. 1 spot in a poll, joining the mens basketball,
womens basketball, football, mens lacrosse, womens lacrosse, rowing, mens
soccer, womens soccer and mens tennis teams.
It also gives Virginia its third No. 1 team this season, following mens soccer,
the 2009 national champion, and the mens tennis team, which is currently the
top-ranked team in the country.
Virginia is slated to return to the diamond Wednesday for its home opener
against George Washington (0-3), but inclement weather could push that game to
Christopher Newport University in Newport News. A decision will be made today at
noon by officials in the schools athletic department.
A decision will be made on Thursday at noon in regards to the weekend series
against Rhode Island, one that could also be moved to CNU.
For now, Virginia fans and former players can bask in the national spotlight
after narrowly outscoring East Carolina 21-19 en route to the series win.
I thought Virginia was one of the better clubs Ive seen in my five seasons at
East Carolina, said East Carolina coach Billy Godwin. From the top of that
order to the bottom, Virginia has a fantastic lineup. That lineup is very good.
With the top spot, however, comes an even greater sense of urgency to play
fundamental baseball.
The pressure is on now, Carraway said.
No. 2 Virginia Travels to Mount St. Mary's on Tuesday for
Mid-Week Matinee
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 02/22/2010
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - The Cavaliers, ranked No. 2 this week in both the
Nike/Inside Lacrosse media poll and USILA coaches poll, conclude a mini-two game
road swing on Tuesday when UVa travels to Emmitsburg, Md., to battle the Mount
St. Mary's Mountaineers, at Waldron Family Stadium. Faceoff is scheduled for 3
p.m. Live stats will be available at VirginiaSports.com.
Virginia remained at No. 2 in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse media poll, while jumping
one spot to No. 2 in the USILA coaches poll after an 11-8 victory at Drexel on
Saturday, coinciding with Duke's 11-7 setback with Notre Dame. The Cavaliers
currently sit behind two-time reigning national champions Syracuse in both
polls.
Last Saturday the Cavaliers traveled to Philadelphia in the season opener and
rode three goals and two assists from Steele Stanwick to get past the Dragons,
11-8. The victory served as head coach Dom Starsia's 200th career victory at
Virginia, making the UVa head coach the first to tally at least 200 victories at
one Division I school and 100 triumphs at another.
Sophomore Chris Bocklet, making his first career start, notched two goals and
two assists, while Junior Rhamel Bratton added two scores of his own to pace the
Cavaliers' scoring attack.
Mount St. Mary's is playing its first game of the season Tuesday night. Head
coach Tom Gravante enters his 15th season at the helm for the Mount. The
Mountaineers are looking to contend for the title in its final season in the
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Last season, the Mount earned the No. 2 seed
in the MAAC Tournament before falling to Manhattan in the semifinals, cementing
a 5-10 campaign.
The Mount returns a solid group of defenders in addition to one of the top
goalkeepers in the Northeast.
Headlining the defense is junior goalkeeper T.C. DiBartolo, a First Team All-MAAC
selection last season. DiBartolo set a school record with a 7.81 goals against
average last season, posting double figures in saves in nine of the Mount's 15
games. He twice had 21 saves in a game last year, including against the
Cavaliers, and made 171 saves with a .609 save percentage for the year.
Virginia has a 20-game winning streak going back to 2001 in regular-season
mid-week games, including last season's 10-2 victory over the Mount in
Charlottesville. The Cavaliers own a 6-0 all-time mark against Mount St. Mary's,
including a 20-2 victory during their last trip to Waldron Family Stadium in
2008.
The seventh all-time meeting between the two programs also serves as the sixth
straight year the Mount and Cavaliers have met during the regular season. The
two squads first met in the opening round of the 2003 NCAA Tournament during the
Cavaliers' run to their third of four all-time NCAA national championships.
Tuesday's match will be UVa's final road game before heading home for Saturday's
home opener against No. 18 Stony Brook.
Family: UVa Lacrosse Reaches out to Alum
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 02/22/2010
Former UVa lacrosse player James King serves the Marines in the Middle East.
By: Cayce Troxel
In the world of intercollegiate athletics, the concept of "family" has become
somewhat of a clich. Coaches often use the term as a motivational tool or even
a recruiting device, boasting of the bond between current and former players as
what sets their program apart from others. In reality, however, teammates'
relationships tend to break down over time-whether as a result of time or
distance-and are only remembered by storytelling and waxing nostalgic of playing
days gone by.
The Virginia lacrosse family, head coach Dom Starsia insists, is an exception.
"I know that there's some programs who use the word family a lot," Starsia said.
"Even at our school, one of the other programs had family' written across the
seat of their practice shorts, and I used to joke all the time-even to the
players-that's not how you define it. You define it by the quality of the
relationships, and I think we have something very unique here."
If the program's most recent act of goodwill towards one of its own is any
indication, Starsia's claim appears to be well-founded.
James King, a former Cavalier defensemen and a member of the 2006 national
championship team, served in the ROTC program during his time at Virginia, and
upon graduating in 2007 with a degree in history, entered the Marine Corps
officer training program. Since then, King has been promoted to lieutenant and
just recently embarked on his second deployment to Afghanistan.
"James was just always a patriotic kid, and he was always talking about stuff
like politics and the possibility of him going into the army," remembered senior
midfielder Max Pomper, who played alongside King for two years. "It seemed like
it just happened very quickly that James went from being a senior on our
lacrosse team to shipping out overseas to fight the war. It was an incredible
transition for him, I'm sure."
Helping to smooth that tumultuous change in environment is where the Virginia
lacrosse family came into play.
Miles Kass, the brother of former Virginia player and 2005 graduate Hunter and a
Georgetown goalkeeper from 2005-2008, also happened to be serving in King's
regiment, and his mother, Barclay, approached Starsia asking if the team would
be interested in sending care packages to the men overseas. Starsia, who has
kept in regular contact with King since graduation - even attending his wedding
a year ago - immediately agreed. From there, the Virginia lacrosse family took
over.
"We have a very generous and active parents' group, and they just ran with it,"
Starsia commented. "The parents just dove in headfirst, and after the first
mailing, I got a letter from James just saying they were starting to get
overwhelmed by all the stuff they had been receiving."
Covering everything from socks and batteries to hot chocolate and candy, two
shipments of care packages have made their way to King and, by extension, the
110 Marines in his command since Christmas.
"We're proud that he's serving our country, and the little bit that we can do to
help him out and make that time a little more comfortable-I think everybody was
happy to pitch in," Starsia said. "I don't feel like this thing with James with
the care packages is work."
Meanwhile, Starsia continues to post King's letters from Afghanistan, as well as
his contact information in case players would like to correspond with him, on
the team bulletin board.
"You want people to understand there's a larger world than just what happens in
a college athletic locker room," Starsia commented. "I want our guys to know
what someone standing in that locker room a few years ago is involved in now."
Not that forgetting the alumni responsible for building Virginia into a
perennial lacrosse powerhouse is something current players would ever do-or
could do, for that matter-thanks in large part to the establishment of the
Virginia Lacrosse Alumni Network. Founded by 1994 graduate Drew Fox, the VLAN
not only bridges the gap between past and present Cavaliers, but also ensures
that players are well prepared for life after lacrosse through the help of the
association's mentoring program.
Upon entering the University, each team member is matched with two former
players according to their major and career interests; the sponsors then offer
guidance to his assigned student-athlete during their time on Grounds, providing
invaluable assistance in areas from course selection to internships. When it
comes time for graduation, mentors often lend a hand in navigating the job
market.
"The family helps its own, even when it comes time to find a job," said Pomper,
who is currently working with Fox himself in pursuing a possible career in
finance. "It makes the experience that much more special for us knowing that we
have guys that graduated ten or fifteen years before us that are still very,
very into in what we're doing. Every time we put on a jersey, we're not only
doing it for ourselves but we're doing it for the guy who's graduated and used
to wear that number and the guy before that."
"[The alumni] are just so anxious to do it," Starsia added. "I certainly don't
take anything that's going on here for granted."
Neither do the players, who have in turn shown their appreciation for the
opportunities afforded to them through Virginia lacrosse by reaching out to the
greater Charlottesville community, sponsoring such events as the Special
Olympics 10K and this fall's Mustache Madness challenge, aimed at raising
prostate cancer awareness.
"I just think it says a lot about my teammates that we're willing to do that,
where a lot of people-a lot of teams-wouldn't be willing to do the same," Pomper
said.
Whether on the practice field or on the streets, however, family still remains
the driving force behind it all.
"I don't mean to be too melodramatic, but you just feel like once you're
involved with Virginia lacrosse, you're in it for the long haul," Starsia said.
"I think it sounds a little schmaltzy, but it really is once you're in, you're
in all the way.' You can never escape from Virginia lacrosse."
Late free throws sink Cavs
By Jay Jenkins
Published: February 23, 2010
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The faint hopes of remaining a fixture in the race for the ACC regular-season
title were just a foot away.
Unfortunately, that distance was what separated Virginia guard Ariana Moorers
would-be game-winning shot and the front of the rim as the final buzzer sounded.
Moorers missed layup secured a 59-58 come-from-behind victory for No. 9 Florida
State over No. 21 Virginia as 3,162 watched inside John Paul Jones Arena.
It was open for a minute and in my head I was thinking, Dont leave it
short, said Moorer. And I left it short.
Moorer had collected the inbounds throw with 5.9 seconds left after Florida
State center Jacinta Monroe connected on a pair of free throws to push the
Seminoles ahead by a point.
Virginia (20-7, 8-4 ACC) could have called a timeout, as it did in the final
seconds of a loss at home to Maryland.
With that game in mind, Virginia coach Debbie Ryan did not stop play, allowing
her second option to attack the basket.
I couldnt have asked for a better situation, Ryan said. We were just going
to take it to the rim. I felt like they couldnt come near us because they were
going to call the foul.
Just by the way that they were calling it, I felt like, Just take it to the
rim. I have just as much confidence in Ariana Moorer as I have in Monica Wright
in that situation.
The victory capped off a remarkable rally for the Seminoles (24-4, 10-2), who
trailed by 16 points, at 22-6, with just over eight minutes left in the first
half.
It was just another game in the ACC, right? Wow, FSU coach Sue Semrau joked.
Those were two teams that wanted to win very badly going at it. We are very
fortunate to come out with that win.
The fact that Virginia had a chance to win the game was rather remarkable in
itself.
Trailing 57-50, Virginia used a flurry of Seminole turnovers to chip away and
eventually took a 58-57 lead after Chelsea Shine had her shot blocked by Monroe
and then stole the ball from Courtney Ward. Shine promptly dished a bounce pass
to Monica Wright on the baseline for an easy layup.
FSU almost lost the ball on its following possession after a loose ball at the
top of the key rolled into the backcourt with 14 seconds left. But Ward chased
the ball down and used a nifty behind-the-back dribble to create enough
separation to force up a leaning jumper.
That attempt bounced off the rim and into the hands of Monroe.
Virginia center Telia McCall was then whistled for a foul as Monroe tried to get
off a follow shot, leading to the pivotal final free throws.
Monroe made both shots with near perfection.
I have done it before, said Monroe, who had eight points and five rebounds. I
dont really get nervous. They are just free throws. Coach puts us in that
predicament all the time in practice.
Monroe raced back to the defensive end just in time to set up before Moorers
final attempt, but the 6-foot-5 center made sure she avoided contact.
I had a hand in her face, she said, but I didnt want to foul.
The fact that Moorer reminded herself not to come up short on the shot was
troublesome for Ryan.
You cant say that, the coach pointed out. If that is what you are thinking,
thats what is going to happen. Its kind of the way it works.
Your body is controlled by your mind.
It was not the reason for the fourth loss of the season against a ranked
opponent.
It didnt come down to the last play, said Wright, who paced Virginia with 23
points and four steals. There were several plays in the first half that we
didnt take advantage of, we didnt convert or we let them get second chances of
offensive rebounds.
It didnt have anything to do with Aris play.
For the game, Virginia shot just 38 percent (19 of 50) from the field and was
beaten on the glass for rebounds 35-28.
Despite shooting just 2 for 9 from the field, Moorer managed to join Wright in
double figures with 12 points.
The Cavaliers, hoping now to finish in third place, return to action on Friday
at 8:30 p.m. at Duke. The final home game will follow on Sunday at 1 p.m.
against Virginia Tech.