One last roar for No. 44
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
March 9, 2008

Sean Singletary still remembers his first confrontation with a basketball court. He was only about six years old and was so timid, so unsure of himself, that he refused to go into the game, leaving his mother no other option but to take him home.

The All-ACC point guard will not require such prompting to take the court tonight in his final home game as a Virginia Cavalier. Singletary will be accompanied by his parents, Jacqui and Harold, as No. 44 will have his jersey retired in a special pre-game ceremony.

As usual, Singletary will be prepared, but he admitted that this will be a special moment in his basketball career.

“It won’t be just another game like I tend to say,” Singletary said about the Senior Night game against Maryland. “I know last year was emotional for me, seeing J.R. [Reynolds] and Jason [Cain] go out in a positive way [beating Virginia Tech].”

Tonight’s game - surrounded by all the hoopla of the jersey retirement and the last game for No. 44 and fellow seniors Adrian Joseph, Ryan Pettinella and Tunji Soroye - will be more about winning, from Singletary’s point of view, than all the pomp and circumstance. A win would give the Cavaliers a 15-14 record headed into this week’s ACC Tournament in Charlotte, N.C., where Singletary is counting on something magical to happen.

Magic is not something that the rugged guard from Philadelphia relates to. His career has been more about hard work, toughness, and a burning desire to succeed than anything supernatural.

The numbers he has produced speak volumes of what Singletary is all about.

He ranks among the top 10 in Wahoo history in six categories:

l Fifth in scoring, 1,975 points

l Second in steals, 191

l Third in assists, 548

l Fourth in 3-point field goals made, 214

l Fifth in free throws made, 541

l Ninth in field goals made, 610

As a result, he is a shoo-in to be named first-team All-ACC for the third straight year (voting ends today), becoming the first Cavalier to do so since Bryant Stith. After becoming the first Wahoo since Ralph Sampson in 1983 to make a first, second, or third team All-America last season, he’s likely to repeat.

He’s the only player in Division I this season to record a 40-point game, a 10-rebound game and a 10-assist game. He’s also only the fifth player in ACC history to score at least 1,500 points, have 500 assists and 400 rebounds in a career, a feat that didn’t escape Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.

“[Singletary] has incredible speed and daring,” Coach K said. “You have speed, daring, and talent, you end up being one of five players to do what the hell he’s done.”

Krzyzewski was referencing the statistic above, where Singletary joined Duke’s Johnny Dawkins and Danny Ferry and with Georgia Tech’s Tony Akins and Brian Oliver as the only five to rack up those numbers.

“He’s in that company,” the Duke coach said. “I mean, c’mon. He’s damned good. I love the kid. He’s going to be playing for a long time.”

Certainly, that’s Singletary’s intention - to play for a long time. But he has some unfinished business.

He’s not the kind of player that suggests that he will have to wait down the road for the impact of playing his last home game or last season to hit him, which is somewhat refreshing. He’s well aware of what this season, tonight’s game means to him.

“I feel as though that throughout this whole season, as soon as I set foot back on campus, that it was almost over and I’ve been doing a good job of going about things with a sense of urgency,” Singletary said. “It has definitely hit me. It did a while ago and time is running down. I see that it’s almost over.”

He cherished every last visit to each ACC arena and every last game against conference opponents, including opposing coaches praising him in private courtside conversations after those last meetings.

“I definitely thought about things after every game, even though I try to give it my all no matter what,” Singletary said of those last visits. “I learned from Coach [Dave] Leitao and my parents that you should never live with regret, but after you lose somewhere that you’re never going to play again, it’s kind of tough. The fact I won’t be playing in some of these places has settled in.”

And, about those short post-game chats with other coaches? They’ve all been similar to Krzyzewski’s aforementioned comments.

Most of them call him a competitor, a warrior that they love to watch play. Most of them just hope he doesn’t put up 40 against them. Most of them set up their defenses to try to assure that doesn’t happen.

“Throughout my career, coaches have said for me to keep my head up, or that I was doing a good job, or that I’m one of their favorite players to watch, or something like that,” Singletary said. “I just appreciate it. Now, things like that probably won’t him me until sometime down the road.”

North Carolina coach Roy Williams wouldn’t divulge what he told Singletary after the Cavaliers nearly knocked off the Tar Heels a few weeks ago in John Paul Jones Arena, but Singletary shared Williams’ comments.

“In a nutshell, he said that I was one of the better players that he’s coached against,” Singletary said.

That’s quite a compliment considering Williams’ background as head coach at Kansas and UNC, where he was also an assistant under Dean Smith.

Kansas was Singletary’s other final school when he chose Virginia out of Philadelphia’s William Penn Charter School, where coach Jim Phillips predicted greatness for the six-foot guard.

“I figured anywhere I went, I would have an impact because of my will to get better and my will to work,” Singletary said. “I think the deciding factor was that my mother and father were sick, so I wanted to be somewhere they could see me play.”

It has been gratifying to him that his parents have been healthy enough to see about 85 percent of his games the past two seasons, including tonight, when numerous family members and friends will be in the house.

“All the sacrifices have paid off and I know my parents are happy,” Singletary said. “I’m happy I can make them smile and appreciate all they’ve done for me.”

His mother, who blazed the educational trail for her family, is also comforted by knowing her son will graduate on time this May, something very important to both her and Sean.

When former UVa coach Pete Gillen and assistant Walt Fuller began to lure Singletary to Charlottesville, there was a sense from Wahoo Nation that the tough-minded guard would be the savior of Virginia basketball. Last year, he helped lead the team to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2000-01 and came within inches of beating Tennessee in the second round.

Singletary said he still talks to Fuller and has thanked him for recruiting him to UVa. He said that he recently received an e-mail from Gillen and his wife, both of whom have been supportive of his career.

There was no question that Singletary was destined for a leadership role, having been thrust into that situation as a freshman when he questioned the heart of some of his teammates after a lopsided loss to North Carolina. He has been the face of the program ever since and hasn’t let anyone down.

That will be as big a part of his legacy as his on-court production - that he has displayed the type of character than every coach admires.

“First and foremost, I’d like to be remembered as a good individual off the court, and on the court as a warrior who always wanted to win and did everything that’s legal to win,” Singletary said. “...Somebody that gives his all at all times.”

When Leitao replaced Gillen between Singletary’s freshman and sophomore campaigns, the two clicked immediately. Their personalities meshed from Day One.

Leitao never neglects to point out what an honor it has been to coach Singletary and what he has meant to the Virginia program, something the guard will shy away from in an aw-shucks, All-American way.

Admittedly not a social butterfly, Singletary isn’t spotted around town that much. When he does go out and gets noticed, he appreciates the attention but doesn’t thrive upon it.

Rather, he wishes he could have matched the accomplishments of some of UVa’s standout athletes in other sports, such as football’s Chris Long and tennis star Somdev Devvarman.

“I’m real good friends with them and I can call them and talk to them about tennis and football,” Singletary said. “I follow their progress. I wish that my impact would be as great as theirs because Chris will probably be a lottery pick and Somdev is national champion. They’re pretty good names to be mentioned with.”

When it’s all said and done this evening, Singletary’s name will be mentioned in the same breath. Only the great ones have their names and jerseys lifted to the rafters in basketball.

Virginia is forever grateful for counting Sean Singletary as a Wahoo, for representing the school as every athlete should and for never leaving anything on the athletic field of battle.

Isn’t that what warriors do?

Seniors end JPJ careers
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
March 8, 2008

Tonight, when Senior Night festivities take place prior to the Maryland game at John Paul Jones Arena, the spotlight, as it should be, will be on Virginia captain Sean Singletary.
In his four years in Charlottesville, the UVa guard - who will have his jersey retired - has provided Wahoo Nation with countless memories.
Who can forget No. 44’s game-winning circus shot versus Duke last season, or his 35-point outburst at Gonzaga in 2005 - a performance that Zags coach Mark Few called one of the best he’d ever seen?
However, Singletary’s fellow seniors should receive their props, too.
Adrian Joseph, Ryan Pettinella and Tunji Soroye have all had their moments. They just haven’t been as plentiful.
It was Trinidad native Joseph who nailed that huge go-ahead 3-pointer at Virginia Tech during the 2005-06 season that paved the way for a (three-game) season sweep of the Hokies.
Joseph’s favorite memory is the win at Clemson last season when Virginia overcame a 16-point deficit with less than 9 minutes to play. “Doing that on the road felt so good,” Joseph said, “and helped us get into the NCAA [Tournament].”
This season, Joseph started strong but has stumbled down the stretch. In his defense, he’s been playing out of position at power forward.
Pettinella, who gave up his scholarship for this season, is another guy who’s always sacrificed for the good of the team.
In the game against Duke at JPJ last season, it was Pettinella - a career 24 percent free-throw shooter - who nailed the free throw that paved the way for Singletary’s heroics.
This season, Pettinella had another strong outing against the Blue Devils. Playing at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Rochester, N.Y. native had nine points in a loss.
But the game that Pettinella says he will always remember will be his first in a Virginia uniform when he heard Michael Buffer announce his name. After transferring from Penn, Pettinella had earned a spot in the starting lineup for UVa’s inaugural game in JPJ against Arizona.
“I had high expectations when I came in,” said Pettinella, who had four points and two rebounds, “so it just felt great to be able to start and then beat them. It was an unbelievable experience.”
Soroye has had an injury-riddled career, but his 11-rebound, four-block performance propelled the Cavs to a huge win at Maryland last season.
Soroye’s fondest highlight, however, was scoring the game-winning basket in a home win over Georgia Tech.
“I was playing terrible and coach [Dave Leitao] said, ‘What have you done for the team in this game?’” Soroye recalled. “He put it all on my shoulders and I was able to get a deflection and a big rebound. I will never forget that game.”
Unfortunately, Soroye and Joseph’s parents won’t be able to make it to tonight’s game.
“It’s too tough for them to be able to make it to America,” said Joseph, who will be accompanied onto the court by his cousins. “The price to come here and the process of trying to get a visa and passport were going to take too long.”
Soroye’s guardians, Herman and Catherine Hewitt, will be on hand with their 3-year-old daughter, Arianna, to lend their support to their favorite Nigerian.
Soroye and Joseph, who are close friends, said they expect to have a lot of mixed emotions during the Senior Night ceremonies.
“I’ll be going on and living a different life,” said Joseph, who has started all 28 games this season. “Most likely, it’s going to be a basketball life, but it’s going to be more of a business aspect.”
Soroye, who told The Daily Progress on Friday that he may attempt to return for a fifth year if he is granted a medical redshirt, says his four years flew by.
“It feels weird,” he said. “It feels like just yesterday that I got here.”
Dunks
Maryland (18-12, 8-7) leads the all-time series, 102-66, including an 85-75 win on Jan. 3. Virginia (14-14, 4-11) won last season’s game in Charlottesville, 103-91. In that game, Mamadi Diane had a career-high 26 points.….UVa guard Calvin Baker said he still feels pain in his sprained right thumb that he sustained in Wednesday’s loss to Duke. However, he doesn’t expect the injury to keep him out of the lineup.


 

Uniform decision at U.Va.
To honor Singletary for standout career, school retiring jersey tonight
Sunday, Mar 09, 2008 - 12:07 AM Updated: 03:25 AM

SINGLETARY AND THE RECORD BOOK
One for the ages

Heading into his final regular-season college basketball game, senior guard Sean Singletary is all over the University of Virginia record book. Here's where Singletary stands in
several major categories:
POINTS
1. Bryant Stith (1989-92)2,516
2. Jeff Lamp (1978-81)2,317
3. Buzzy Wilkinson (1953-55)2,233
4. Ralph Sampson (1980-83)2,228
5. Sean Singletary (2005-) 1,975

STEALS
1. Othell Wilson (1981-84)222
2. Sean Singletary (2005-) 191
3. Jeff Jones (1979-82)189
Chris Williams (1999-2002)189
5. Harold Deane (1994-97)179
Donald Hand (1998-2001)179

ASSISTS
1. John Crotty (1988-91)683
2. Jeff Jones (1979-82)598
3. Sean Singletary (2005-) 548
4. Donald Hand (1998-2001)529
5. Othell Wilson (1981-84)493

3-POINTERS MADE
1. Curtis Staples (1995-98)413
2. Harold Deane (1994-97)237
3. J.R. Reynolds (2004-07)221
4. Sean Singletary (2005-) 214
5. John Crotty (1988-91)179

FREE THROWS MADE
1. Bryant Stith (1989-92)690
2. Buzzy Wilkinson (1953-55)665
3. Jeff Lamp (1978-81)635
4. Harold Deane (1994-97)546
5. Sean Singletary (2005-) 541

By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE When he's asked about the legacy he'll leave at the University of Virginia, Sean Singletary answers the same way: He'll think about that after his college career ends.

"When I look back on it, maybe a few years down the line, I'll see the significance of what I've done," Singletary said recently.

His university, however, already has weighed in. U.Va. announced yesterday that Singletary's jersey will be retired before tonight's regular-season finale at John Paul Jones Arena.

Such a ceremony has been almost inevitable since Singletary decided in June to withdraw from the NBA draft and return to U.Va. for his senior year. The 6-0 point guard from Philadelphia is a virtual lock to become only the third Cavalier -- the others were Ralph Sampson and Bryant Stith -- to make the all-ACC first team three times. His injury-ravaged team has struggled this season, but Singletary ranks third among ACC players in scoring, second in assists, sixth in steals and sixth in free throw percentage.

"I'd say he's far and away, the best point guard to play at the University of Virginia," said Barry Parkhill, another legend there, "and I don't want to take anything away from John Crotty. [Singletary is] such a warrior."

Virginia (4-11, 14-14) hosts Maryland (8-7, 18-12) tonight, and Singletary's fellow seniors -- Ryan Pettinella, Adrian Joseph and Tunji Soroye -- also will be recognized. The spotlight figures to shine brightest, though, on Singletary, before and during the game. Unless the Cavaliers should host a game in the NIT or the new College Basketball Invitational, this is his farewell party at the JPJ.

"You get reflective going into his final game, and it's my hope that this could be the crowning jewel of his career," U.Va. coach Dave Leitao said, "and that he could go out as a winner and go out having a game like we've become so accustomed to seeing him have over his career here."

Singletary, a sociology major, is on track to graduate this spring. His degree from U.Va. will please his parents, Jacqui and Harold Singletary, as much as his feats on the basketball court.

"My mother always told me, if you work hard and put extra work into something that you're doing, then you're going to have success," Singletary said.

The numbers of six men's basketball players have been retired at Virginia: Jeff Lamp's 3, Buzzy Wilkinson's 14, Stith's 20, Parkhill's 40, Wally Walker's 41 and Sampson's 50. Singletary's number -- 44 -- will remain active, but as it did with former star Curtis Staples, U.Va. will honor Singletary on a banner at the JPJ.

"You know he'll be a name that'll be talked about here forever," said Leitao, who took over as the Cavaliers' coach after Singletary's freshman season. "He's a guy who's put his heart and soul in this program from day one."

As a schoolboy at Penn Charter, Singletary chose U.Va. over Kansas, in part because he wanted his parents, who were battling illnesses, to be close enough to see him play in college. Virginia's coach then was Pete Gillen, and Walt Fuller was the assistant who led the recruitment of Singletary.

"We knew he was special," recalled Fuller, now an assistant at La Salle.

Singletary has started every game he's played for Virginia, and he's in his third year as a team captain. His first three seasons, his backcourt mate was J.R. Reynolds, who's now playing pro ball in Italy.

"We were determined to bring Virginia basketball back," Reynolds said yesterday.

In 2006-07, the Cavaliers advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time in six years. Barring a miraculous run through the ACC tournament, U.Va. won't be returning to the NCAAs this season.

"I know what type of competitor he is, and I can just imagine how he feels this year," said Reynolds, who stays in touch with Singletary through e-mails and text messages. "I try to encourage him to stay up. I know it's been tough, but he's taken a lot from it."

It's become customary this season for opposing coaches to track down Singletary after games and congratulate him on his illustrious career. Tonight, thousands of U.Va. fans will have perhaps their final chance to show their appreciation, too.

"It'll be an emotional night," Singletary said. "I'm just happy I've had an effect on people's lives in a positive way."

 

No-look past: Terps try to stay in present
UM aims to focus on Virginia, not NCAA tournament
By Don Markus | Sun Reporter
March 9, 2008
 

Before they even step on the court at John Paul Jones Arena to play Virginia tonight, the Maryland Terrapins find themselves in a tense battle - as in not thinking about the past or getting too caught up in the future.

A week after losing a 20-point second-half lead at home to Clemson, and a week before bids to the NCAA tournament will be announced, the Terps will take on the Cavaliers in Charlottesville, Va.

Though the Terps are still being mentioned in many bracket projections as a tournament team - a 12th or 13th seed, meaning they are hanging on for dear life - the Virginia game is almost a must-win situation for Maryland to remain there.
 
"You can't talk about those things to your team right now. You talk about Virginia, and you keep it there," coach Gary Williams said Friday. "There's no sense in it. What do you gain by talking about it now? It just takes away from preparing."

Asked what he could tell the tournament selection committee to build Maryland's case, Williams said: "League-wise, it's the No. 1-rated league RPI; we don't have opportunities to pick up easy wins in this league, like a lot of leagues do. We beat the No. 1 team in the country [North Carolina] on their court. And the worst we'll be would be 8-8 in the league. A lot of teams are in the same position. It's whoever plays well from here."

That's the future, but how about the past? Williams said it has been difficult for his team to get over last Sunday's 73-70 loss to the Tigers at Comcast Center. He gave the players the day off Monday, and after doing some light shooting Tuesday, they returned to practice Wednesday.

"It was hard. There's no doubt about it," Williams said, adding that his team's recovery has been hindered by a flu bug running through the roster. "It's a hard situation ... and you have to recover from it. It's certainly another test to see how strong we are mentally as well as physically."

Williams said he hasn't watched tape of the game that was decided on a three-pointer by freshman guard Terrence Oglesby with 2.3 seconds left, but that doesn't mean he hasn't gone over every play in the final 11 minutes when he saw a 59-39 lead disintegrate.

Could the Terps have done anything differently down the stretch?

"Offensively, I thought we shot the ball quickly and we then stopped attacking their [full-court] pressure," Williams said. "We were just tentative. It's a team thing. It wasn't one guy."

Williams said his goal is to get his team back to the way it played when it beat Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C., three days before the Clemson game, and how the Terps played for the first 30 minutes or so against the Tigers.

"We played great, probably as good as we played all year," Williams said.

Exactly how the players feel isn't certain because Williams does not make his players available to the media between games after a loss. But Williams said his players should be ready to play against the Cavaliers, who are fighting to get out of second-to-last place in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

"A lot of times, they're a lot more elastic in the way they react to things," he said. "They can get really down quick, but they can get up again pretty quick, too, because they don't have all that stuff in the background of the various games over the years. It's easier to come back when you're a player, because you can take out your frustration on the court."

As for his own resolve, Williams said he has had plenty of experience coming back from tough losses in his 30-year coaching career.

"My heart's been ripped out too many times," Williams said. "I've lost games from half court in the [Carrier] Dome at Syracuse, at Tennessee. I lost on a last-second shot to go to the Elite Eight. We missed a last-second shot to go to the Elite Eight. It's hard, but I've had practice."

 

U-Va. Has Struggled From Top To Bottom
Several Reasons Cited for Poor Year
By Adam Kilgore
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, March 8, 2008; E01

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- One year ago this weekend, the Virginia men's basketball team claimed a share of the ACC regular season title. On Sunday, it will play the final game of its lost regular season against Maryland, the outcome of which will help determine only whether the Cavaliers finish 10th, 11th or 12th in the ACC.

Through all the losses and all the issues, the Cavaliers (14-14, 4-11) never fractured, allowing for their recent resurgence -- three wins in five games, with one loss decided by two points. But the improvement couldn't overshadow the season's disappointment.

As the losses piled up -- six in a row and 10 of 11 at one point -- the reasons for them did, too. Injuries shifted roles and forced players out of positions. A string of close losses bruised confidence. Leadership waned while inexperienced players struggled to find consistency and adjust to losing. The problems combined to create an atmosphere of uncertainty and confusion, and that exacerbated the existing issues and caused a promising season to spiral.

"There was a stretch there where we got a couple losses in a row, and we sort of let that mind-set stick with us," junior guard Mamadi Diane said. "There were a couple games you could really see that our spirits were down. We would give our best effort and lose by a last-minute shot. You could tell we were letting that get to us. Guys got the feeling that no matter what the effort we put out, it wasn't going to be enough.

"Just having such high goals and high expectations, we came in with the mind-set we wanted to go a step further. As soon as we started losing, we had the mind-set that we're not going to be able to reach our goal. That affected us. All along, we should have been focusing on just playing one game."

Virginia began its season with the goal of surpassing last season's appearance in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Nothing about it seemed outlandish: Point guard Sean Singletary was one of the best returning players in the nation, and he was surrounded by outside shooters (Diane and Adrian Joseph) and inside muscle (Laurynas Mikalauskas and Tunji Soroye).

Even from the start of practice, though, something seemed off. The Cavaliers adjusted to playing without departed seniors Jason Cain and J.R. Reynolds, leaders who served as the team's emotional bedrock along with Singletary. Coach Dave Leitao named Joseph a captain and also hoped for Diane to provide leadership, urging the introverts to become more vocal.

"Coach always talked to us about stepping outside our box," guard Calvin Baker said.

Teammates raved about Joseph's leadership at season's outset, but as the year wore on, "I think it sometimes waned," Leitao said.

"I definitely stepped up as being a more vocal leader," Joseph said. "I'm not great at it."

Throughout the preseason, Leitao worried about the consistency of Virginia's "emotional input" into practice each day. The Cavaliers struggled to develop a clear team personality, Leitao said.

"It was something we had to address a lot," Leitao said. "When you have to talk about it, that means there's an issue with it. You have to understand your own personality and the personalities of your teammates and integrate each person's strength and weaknesses."

His concerns surfaced most in close games. Last season, Virginia won five games by four points or less, highlighted by memorable comebacks against Clemson and Duke. Apprehension replaced that assuredness this season. The Cavaliers are 2-6 in games decided either in overtime or by one possession. Their stretch of 10 losses in 11 games included five of the close losses, each one compounding the next.

"Last year, you could tell that everyone really believed we were going to win," Baker said. "When we lost a few close games, the look on people's face was like, 'We gotta win.' But we didn't know if we would. We had a lot of inexperienced people who had never been in that situation before. It was like a hope that you do the right thing, not knowing what you're going to do is right."

The uneasiness only worsened when injuries sidelined experienced players. Sophomore Will Harris never became a factor because of a bad back. Soroye, a senior also saddled with chronic back problems, played in just two games. Virginia lost Mikalauskas to a left shoulder injury Dec. 7. His absence thrust freshman forward Mike Scott into the center position and Joseph into power forward. Both wore down while guarding taller, heavier players in the post.

The injuries shredded Leitao's preseason plans, forcing him to make instant personnel adjustments. Young players and veterans were asked to fill unexpected roles, making several players unsure or uncomfortable, Leitao said.

"It's not a knock on the guys to say they didn't have camaraderie or togetherness," Leitao said. "You have to trust yourself and trust the people around you. It's hard, when you're making adjustments on the fly, to develop the bottom-line trust for one another when you're dealing with so many different situations."

While freshmen tried to make sense of their new roles, they also learned how to contend with Leitao's sometimes volcanic demeanor. After an overtime loss at Virginia Tech, Scott suggested Leitao's substitution pattern sapped the Cavaliers confidence.

"You have to understand how Coach Leitao is," Baker said. "You just can't take things personal. His tactics are different from a lot of coaches. He loves all his players, but I think it is hard for [freshmen] to understand. They don't see the benefits right away. I've seen the benefits."

Leitao's approach, in a way, also helped the team stay together.

"When Coach comes into the gym and he's mad at us, we've got to pull each other through practice," Baker said. "We know that Coach Leitao will always be in our corner. But during practice, it's like us against him. He's so powerful, not one player can overcome him. That really brings us together."

On Sunday, for one day, the season's disappointments will yield to pleasant memories. In his final game at John Paul Jones Arena, Singletary will be remembered, rightfully, as one of the best players in school history.

Singletary remained relentlessly optimistic this year, and he still believes the Cavaliers can make a run through the ACC tournament and into the postseason. Still, once the ceremony ends Sunday, it seems he'll likely be remembered, for this season, as a player who deserved better.

"I think just being able to go through these past few years, I've seen a high followed by a low," Diane said. "Unfortunately, the seniors won't get another chance. For the rest of us, this was really a learning experience."

 

Terrapins Face a Final Test of Their Ability to Bounce Back
By Eric Prisbell
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, March 9, 2008; Page D01

During a 30-year head coaching career, Maryland's Gary Williams has experienced his share of heartbreaking losses involving buzzer-beaters, controversies or collapses, which could make him uniquely equipped to rebound from last Sunday's second-half meltdown against Clemson.

"My heart has been ripped out too many times," Williams said. "It is hard, but I've had practice."

But Williams won't be able to gauge the resiliency of his players until they take the floor tonight for a critical matchup against Virginia in the regular season finale at John Paul Jones Arena. The Terrapins have not played since squandering a 20-point lead in the final 11 minutes of a 73-70 home loss to Clemson this past Sunday.

A win against the Tigers would have significantly bolstered Maryland's NCAA tournament hopes. Instead, an erratic season will hinge on the next seven days before the tournament selection committee unveils the 65-team bracket March 16.

Maryland (18-12, 8-7) needs to win at least its next two games, which includes its ACC tournament opener, to have a reasonable chance to earn one of the final at-large tournament berths. With a win tonight, Maryland will be the No. 5 seed in the ACC tournament and play Thursday afternoon. A loss tonight would mean a No. 6 seed and a late-night game Thursday, because the Terrapins lose the tiebreaker with Miami. Because players are constantly bombarded with tournament speculation, Williams said they understand the importance of the immediate future, adding: "There is no 'Big Dance' unless you win. A lot of teams are in that situation: They have to win. Why sugarcoat it?"

More than a dozen teams are contending for the final few at-large berths over the next week, meaning the smallest differences in postseason profiles will be accentuated by the selection committee. Maryland's body of work is strengthened by a Jan. 19 victory at North Carolina. The Terrapins also have ensured at least a .500 record in the nation's top-rated conference.

But the Terrapins are 1-6 against top 50 teams and rank 63rd in the Ratings Percentage Index, the mathematical measurement of a team's strength. Since the formula was adjusted three years ago, no team with an RPI ranking worse than 63rd has earned an at-large berth.

While Maryland was idle last week, a few other teams competing with the Terrapins for at-large berths -- Saint Joseph's, Ohio State and New Mexico -- posted victories over tournament teams to enhance their postseason profiles. Williams said he looks at some results from other games, but he resists taking a rooting interest.

"I've got a lot of friends in coaching, and it is hard to root for or against someone," Williams said. "Plus, you go crazy if you start doing that. A lot of wasted energy."

Williams's sole focus is Virginia, which has won three of its past five games after struggling throughout the season. The Cavaliers (14-14, 4-11) have lost two of their past six games by a combined three points. The other loss was against Duke. The Cavaliers also should get an emotional lift because they are honoring standout guard Sean Singletary during a pregame senior night ceremony.

During the week, Williams only emphasized the game against Virginia with players, choosing to spare them the chance to watch a replay of the Clemson game. But during private moments reevaluating the final minutes of the game, Williams noted that players shot too quickly and became tentative against Clemson's pressure defense.

Clemson rallied from a 59-39 deficit with 11 minutes remaining to tie the score in the final minute and take the lead when freshman Terrence Oglesby sank a long three-pointer over the outstretched arm of Landon Milbourne with 2.3 seconds remaining.

Maryland made only 12 of 21 free throws and 2 of 15 three-point shots. In the locker room afterward, players called it the worst loss of their careers, shaking their heads in disbelief.

"We won't point fingers at anybody, and everybody will take responsibility for their mistakes," guard Greivis Vasquez said after the game. "We will move on. That is how it is. That is how sports are. You get another chance."

For Maryland, it could be a final chance. And while the Clemson game is behind them, it remains to be seen whether any residue from the devastating loss remains.

"They are people," Williams said. "They are 18 to 22 years old. You get affected by things. It's hard. Your job as a coach is to try to get them back to where they were before the Clemson game."

Note: Singletary's jersey will be raised to the John Paul Jones Arena rafters, but his number will remain active. Curtis Staples is the only other Cavalier to have his jersey retired; six have had their numbers retired.
 

Second Half Run Propels Wahoos Past Princeton 12-10
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/08/2008
Courtesy: David Petkofsky/UVa Media Relations
Brian Carroll's 3 third quarter goals helped lead UVa to a win over Princeton.

PRINCETON, NJ—Virginia scored four goals in the first three-and-a-half minutes of the second half to break open a tight contest and defeat Princeton 12-10 in the rain at Princeton Stadium.

The game was an historic occasion for lacrosse as the first regular-season game televised on ESPN.

The win is the sixth in a row without a defeat for the third-ranked Cavaliers, while Princeton lost for the second week in a row to fall to 1-2 overall.

Brian Carroll paced the Cavalier offense with three goals and an assist to become the first UVa midfielder with at least six multi-goal games since David Curry had seven in in 1997. Ben Rubeor, coming off a knee injury in only his third game, also scored three times. Danny Glading continued his fine work directing the Virginia attack with two goals and two assists.

“I think it was a good win against a quality team in adverse conditions on the road,” said Virginia head coach Dom Starsia. “We’re still working through some things, but we played much harder and smarter in the second half and I’m glad we were able to take control of the game and get the W.”

Shamel Bratton opened the third quarter scoring a minute-and-a-half in with a nice dodge move to beat goalie Alex Hewit to give the Cavaliers a 7-5 lead. Carroll scored in front 22 seconds later and was followed by Glading’s wraparound at the 12:39 mark as Virginia extended the lead to 9-5.

Virginia’s lead grew to 10-5 on Carroll’s extra-man goal at the 11:43 mark of the third quarter. The goal was UVa’s first extra-man goal against Princeton in four years. Brian McDermott got three of his seven faceoff wins during the run as Virginia scored on four of five shots to double up the Tigers.

“(At halftime) we talked about picking the ball up off the ground,” said Starsia about his team’s second-half play. “I thought in the first half Princeton beat us to the ball consistently all over the field. I was really disappointed in our effort (and) I think we responded in the second half.”

Princeton scored three in a row over the next 7:43 to pull within 10-8, but Carroll’s third goal of the quarter gave the Cavaliers some breathing room heading into the fourth quarter.

Rubeor opened the final period with an extra-man goal to put UVa ahead 12-8. Bob Schneider notched his second of the game at the 8:58 mark and Mark Kovler’s fourth of the game with 2:07 left cut Virginia’s lead in half at 12-10. Alex Berg won the ensuing faceoff for Princeton but Adam Ghitelman made a terrific save of Dan Cocoziello’s shot to stop the Tigers’ momentum. Ghitelman finished with 12 saves, including nine in the first half.

The Cavaliers stay on the road with a game at Mount St. Mary’s Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m.

Virginia 3-3-5-1—12 record: 6-0
Princeton 2-3-3-2—10 record: 1-2
att—1125

Scoring (G-A)— V: Brian Carroll 3-1, Ben Rubeor 3-0, Danny Glading 2-2, Garrett Billings 1-1, Shamel Bratton 1-0, Brian McDermott 1-0, Mike Thompson 1-0, Will Barrow 0-1, Peter Lamade 0-1. P: Mark Kovler 4-0, Bob Schneider 2-0, Rob Engelke 1-0, Alex Haynie 1-0, Chris McBride 1-0, Jack McBride 1-0, Scott MacKenzie 0-2, Tommy Davis 0-1, Josh Lesko 0-1, Rich Sgalardi 0-1.

Goalie Summary—V: Adam Ghitelman 60 mins., 12 saves, 10 goals allowed. P: Alex Hewit 60 mins., 10 saves, 12 goals allowed

Shots: V—41, P—32
Ground Balls: V —24, P —25
Clearing: V —12x15, P —12x14
Faceoffs: V —9, P —16
Penalties: V —3-2:30, P —2-2:00
EMO: V —2x2, P —2x3

 

Tigers fall to second-ranked Cavaliers
By Joe O'Gorman, Staff Writer

PRINCETON — When the season began it was felt that the defense would carry the Princeton University lacrosse team until the offense came along.

Ironically, through three games the attack seems to be holding its own and it’s the defense that is looking to find its niche.

It needs to be noted that the Tigers have faced the top-two ranked teams in the country, Johns Hopkins and Virginia, the last two games.

But the Tigers expect to be one of the top teams in the nation, too.

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Playing in a steady and often torrential rain, the Tigers battled Virginia tough, but the Cavaliers used a four-goal stretch in the third period to gain control and splash their way to a 12-10 win yesterday on the turf of Powers Field at Princeton Stadium before 1,125 who braved the elements.

The No. 2 Cavaliers (6-0) scored four goals in one-minute-and-38-second span of the third period to turn a 6-5 halftime lead to a 10-5 advantage. Princeton (1-2), which is ranked 11th, cut it to two goals twice, but the Cavs held on for the win.

Last week against No. 1 Hopkins, the Tigers gave up 14 goals. The 26 goals allowed in the last two games are the most given up in two straight games since the start of the 2000 season when they defeated Hopkins, 15-11, and lost to UVA, 15-8.

“We gave up far too many goals again and I just can’t figure that out,” said Princeton coach Bill Tierney. “For a team that has five of their six top defensive players back, giving up 12s and 14s is … I just don’t understand what is going on at the defensive end.”

Mark Kovler, who has a team-high seven goals, led the attack with four goals and Bob Schneider added two, while Chris McBride, Jack McBride, Alex Haynie and Rob Engelke all had solo tallies. Scott MacKenzie added two assists.

“The offense is doing their job,” said Princeton ’keeper Alex Hewit, who came into the game with a career 7.00 goals against average against UVA. “They are putting balls in the goal and personally I think I have to play better if this defense is going to be the best in the country. Whatever it is we have to keep working and get better.”

The sticks of Brian Carroll and Ben Rubeor allowed the Cavaliers to get better as each had three goals and Danny Glading added two goals and two assists.

Virginia got a late goal at the end of the first period by Glading to take a 3-2 lead and then the Tigers got a goal just before the half by Kovler to cut the UVA lead to 6-5.

But then came the disastrous 1:38.

“I take the blame for that,” Tierney said. “I clearly didn’t have them ready coming out of the timeout. I misjudged the time we had left. We just didn’t play well and it we are going to get better we have to stop having spurts like that.”

The Tigers will continue to get better.

 

No. 11 Princeton Drops Decision to No. 3 Virginia

One week after being done in by a big start to the first quarter, the Princeton men's lacrosse team found itself trying to climb out of a hole after a big start to the third quarter. With the way the rain was falling, a big hole was no place to be.

Virginia scored four goals in a 1:38 span early in the second half and then held off Princeton 12-10 in a game played in a massive rainstorm that saw almost three inches of rain fall during the two hours of play. The game, which drew a crowd of 1,125 of the heartiest fans anywhere to Powers Field at Princeton Stadium, was the first regular season college lacrosse game ever shown on ESPN.

Mark Kovler tied his career high with four goals for Princeton. Carroll and Ben Rubeor led Virginia with three gaols each. The Cavaliers, ranked third this week in both polls, improved to 6-0 with the win. Princeton, ranked 11th in both, fell to 1-2.

Princeton fell to Johns Hopkins a week ago after falling behind by an 8-0 score by the middle of the second quarter. This time, the first half was a tight, back-and-forth affair that ended with the Cavs ahead 6-5 at intermission.

By the time four minutes had elapsed in the third quarter, that lead was up to five at 10-5, as Shamel Bratton, Brian Carroll, Danny Glading and then Carroll again scored in a 1:38 stretch that seemed to break the game open.

Princeton, behind Kovler and Bob Schneider, tried to rally, first getting to within 10-8 before UVa scored two straight and then to 12-10 on Kovler's fourth with 2:07 to play. Princeton would have a few opportunities after that, but the Tigers would get no closer.

Garrett Billings and Rubeor scored to give the Cavs a 2-0 lead midway through the first, but Tiger freshman cousins Chris McBride and Jack McBride answered to tie it at 2-2 before Glading scored a huge goal with 2.5 seconds left in the quarter to make it 3-2. Princeton would tie the score at 3-3 and 4-4, and a Kovler goal with 24 seconds left in the first half made it 6-5 at intermission.

Adam Ghitelman made 12 saves for UVa, with his final one coming against Dan Cocoziello in the final two minutes as Princeton tried to come back. Schneider scored two goals for the Tigers. The senior now has 23 career goals, of which six have come against Virginia. Alex Berg won 15 of 24 face-offs for Princeton.

The Tigers will host Hofstra next Saturday, March 15, at Princeton Stadium. The long-range forecast is for 53 degrees and sunny.

* * * *

PRINCETON, NJ-Virginia scored four goals in the first three-and-a-half minutes of the second half to break open a tight contest and defeat Princeton 12-10 in the rain at Princeton Stadium.

The game was an historic occasion for lacrosse as the first regular-season game televised on ESPN.

The win is the sixth in a row without a defeat for the third-ranked Cavaliers, while Princeton lost for the second week in a row to fall to 1-2 overall.

Brian Carroll paced the Cavalier offense with three goals and an assist to become the first UVa midfielder with at least six multi-goal games since David Curry had seven in in 1997. Ben Rubeor, coming off a knee injury in only his third game, also scored three times. Danny Glading continued his fine work directing the Virginia attack with two goals and two assists.

“I think it was a good win against a quality team in adverse conditions on the road,” said Virginia head coach Dom Starsia. “We're still working through some things, but we played much harder and smarter in the second half and I'm glad we were able to take control of the game and get the W.”

Shamel Bratton opened the third quarter scoring a minute-and-a-half in with a nice dodge move to beat goalie Alex Hewit to give the Cavaliers a 7-5 lead. Carroll scored in front 22 seconds later and was followed by Glading's wraparound at the 12:39 mark as Virginia extended the lead to 9-5.

Virginia's lead grew to 10-5 on Carroll's extra-man goal at the 11:43 mark of the third quarter. The goal was UVa's first extra-man goal against Princeton in four years. Brian McDermott got three of his seven faceoff wins during the run as Virginia scored on four of five shots to double up the Tigers.

“(At halftime) we talked about picking the ball up off the ground,” said Starsia about his team's second-half play. “I thought in the first half Princeton beat us to the ball consistently all over the field. I was really disappointed in our effort (and) I think we responded in the second half.”

Princeton scored three in a row over the next 7:43 to pull within 10-8, but Carroll's third goal of the quarter gave the Cavaliers some breathing room heading into the fourth quarter.

Rubeor opened the final period with an extra-man goal to put UVa ahead 12-8. Bob Schneider notched his second of the game at the 8:58 mark and Mark Kovler's fourth of the game with 2:07 left cut Virginia's lead in half at 12-10. Alex Berg won the ensuing faceoff for Princeton but Adam Ghitelman made a terrific save of Dan Cocoziello's shot to stop the Tigers' momentum. Ghitelman finished with 12 saves, including nine in the first half.

The Cavaliers stay on the road with a game at Mount St. Mary's Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.
 

Wrestling Narrowly Takes Second at ACC Championships
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/08/2008
Courtesy: Jim Daves/UVa Media Relations

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Virginia wrestling team took runner-up honors Saturday at the 2008 ACC Championships, held at Comcast Center in College Park, Md. Virginia narrowly missed its first championship in 31 years, finishing two points behind 22nd-ranked Maryland for the title. The Terrapins, who won five individual championships, earned their first title since 1973 with 86.5 points, while the Cavaliers scored 84.5 points.

The second-place finish was Virginia’s best ACC finish since 2004. It marked the third-closest championship in the tournament’s 53-year history. The championship was decided by one point in 1980 and 1993.

The tournament lead see-sawed through much of the championship round matches, with the lead changing hands three times between the Terps and Cavaliers before Maryland’s Hudson Taylor recorded a win at 197 pounds to clinch the two-point win. Virginia held a slim 4.5-point lead over North Carolina and a seven-point advantage over Maryland entering the final round.

Nine Virginia wrestlers finished among the top three of their respective weight classes, highlighted by championships by Ross Gitomer (So., Flemington, N.J.) at 133 pounds and Rocco Caponi (Jr., Uniontown, Ohio) at 184 pounds. Caponi won his second-consecutive 184-pound title and improved to 37-2 this season.

Five Cavaliers rallied through the consolation bracket to nab third-place finishes – Eric Albright (Jr., York, Pa.) at 133, Shawn Harris (Fr., Cleveland, Ohio) at 149, Drew DiPasquale (Jr., Bloomsburg, Pa.) at 157, Michael Chaires (Fr., Scotia, N.Y.) at 165 and Jack Danilkowicz (So., Green Oaks, Ill.) at heavyweight.

Gitomer, the No. 3 seed at 125 pounds, won three times on the day. He took down No. 2-seed Brandon Byrne of Maryland in the semifinals before downing No. 1 seed Drew Forshey of North Carolina in the championship match. Gitomer earned his first berth in the NCAA championships.

Caponi dominated NC State’s Ryan Goodman, 7-2, in the championship. He will compete in his third NCAA championships after also advancing in 2005 and 2007.

Nick Nelson (Fr., Pittsburgh, Pa.), seeded No. 4, took second at 141 after dropping a 3-0 decision to Maryland’s Jon Kohler in the championship. Nelson posted the tournament’s biggest upset as he shocked No. 1-seed and ninth-ranked Joe Caramanica of NC State in the semifinals.

Chris Henrich (Fr., Lansdale, Pa.) took runner-up honors at 174 after falling 4-3 in the championship to top-seeded and ninth-ranked Mike Letts of Maryland. Henrich just missed a last-second reversal as time expired in the third period that would have given him two points and the championship.

Caponi and Gitomer now will represent the Cavaliers as they move on to the NCAA Championships, which will be contested March 20-23 in St. Louis. The 10 individual champions will go on to represent their schools in the NCAA Championship while the four wild cards will be determined on Sunday morning by the coaches.

2008 ACC Championships
Team Standings
1. Maryland, 86.5
2. Virginia, 84.5
3. North Carolina, 77
4. Virginia Tech, 40
5. NC State, 37.5
6. Duke, 11.5

 

McCants, Heels send Cavs packing
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
March 9, 2008

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Sixteen of the seventeen boxes on North Carolina’s preseason to-do list have been now checked.

With smooth precision, the top-seeded and second-ranked Tar Heels cruised into the spot that many had expected: the championship game of the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament.

UNC moved one step closer to pulling off perfection at Virginia’s expense, downing the No. 25 Cavaliers, 80-65, in the semifinal round of the tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum.

The Tar Heels (29-2) had four scorers in double figures, including a heroic 23-point effort from forward Rashanda McCants, and helped force Virginia (23-9) into 26 turnovers.

“I think all the credit goes to Carolina today,” said Virginia coach Debbie Ryan. “They came out very aggressive, very focused.

“We turned the ball over way too much just trying to make plays that just weren’t there. That’s really the tale of the game.”

Fourth-seeded Virginia, after falling behind by 14 points early in the second half, tried to mount a rally midway through the session.

UVa sophomore Monica Wright, who scored a career-high 31 points, hit a layup with 10:21 left to trim the Tar Heels’ lead to eight, at 58-50. But the Cavaliers had eight turnovers over the ensuing three minutes, allowing North Carolina to race ahead 67-50.

“There were a couple of spurts where we had about three or four turnovers in a row,” said Virginia point guard Sharnee Zoll. “We had gotten the stops that we needed to get and we were just turning the ball over because we were playing too fast.”

Virginia, which shot 41 percent from the field in the game, fell behind by as many as 22 points before a late flurry left the score at its final margin.

Despite the run in the middle of the second half, the Cavaliers’ fate may have been determined in the opening session by a roll of athletic tape and the hands of North Carolina’s athletic trainer.

With 13:12 left in the first half and UNC up 15-9, McCants rolled her left ankle after stepping on another player’s foot. After being helped from the floor, the junior could be seen screaming in pain on the Tar Heels’ bench as she removed her sneaker.

“It hurt real bad, but the trainers just taped it up really tight,” McCants said. “I just told them ‘Give me some medicine, some Tylenol or something, and I’ll be right back out there.’”

She returned with a vengeance.

Virginia, which had taken a 21-20 lead on layup by center Aisha Mohammed, did not have an answer defensively for McCants’ timely return. And over the final 5:30 minutes of the first half, she scored 11 of her 19 first-half points, pushing North Carolina’s advantage to nine, at 40-31, at halftime.

“McCants was really outstanding today in every way, shape and form,” Ryan said. “Every time we thought we had the ball she would come and take it away from us. She is really a great player.

“She was the X-factor in the game.”

For the game, Virginia lost the battle on the boards, 46-40, and allowed UNC to convert 22 offensive rebounds into 17 second-chance points.

“I think we played defense for 28 seconds [on possessions] and then gave them five offensive rebounds,” Zoll said, “and that is kind of deflating to your energy when you play that hard on defense and give up an easy layup after working so hard.”

Virginia’s players seem upbeat despite the loss, quite a different display of emotions from the two previous exits from the ACC Tournament. In those seasons, of course, the Cavaliers were fearful - and rightly so - that their postseason fate would be the Women’s NIT.

That will not be the case this season. The Cavaliers are expected to land a seed as high as No. 4 or as low as No. 6.

Ryan admitted it was hard, however, to look at the big picture moments after losing her sixth game of the season against a ranked opponent.

“It is hard to do after a loss because we felt really good coming into this game,” she said. “Obviously this team has done extremely well this year and really played almost every single night to its capabilities.

“I didn’t feel like we put our best foot forward today. This was not our best effort. I have really not felt that way at all about this team.”

For now, Virginia will play the waiting game. The pairings for the NCAA Tournament will not be announced until March 24.

“I think it is great that you have that in your back pocket, but that’s not a guarantee,” Ryan said. “You still have to be selected by the NCAA and we do feel very strongly that we will be, but I am not really focused on that yet.”

 

Jeff Jones chases American dream
David Teel
5:30 PM EST, March 8, 2008

Jeff Jones had just read another installment of "Jocks Behaving Badly," the seemingly endless tales of college athletes running afoul of the law.

Any such issues with his American University basketball squad?

"Every once in a while someone might go 91/2 hours to study hall (in a week) instead of 10," Jones said with a laugh, "and we really have to crack down."

It's been that kind of season for Jones, American's eighth-year coach.

Entering this afternoon's Patriot League tournament semifinal against Army, the Eagles boast their finest record (19-11) since 1990. They upset capital neighbor Maryland, won the Patriot regular season and are two victories shy of securing the program's first Division I NCAA tournament bid.

Moreover, they have not given their coach a moment's trouble off the court.

Not that Jones considers himself or his team above such issues. He knows too well that all coaches are a phone call away from crisis.

In fact, player misconduct contributed to a malaise that 10 years ago doomed Jones' first head-coaching gig — at the University of Virginia, his alma mater.

Yes, it's been a decade since a last-place ACC finish prompted then-athletic director Terry Holland, who as the Cavaliers' coach recruited Jones and hired him as an assistant, to orchestrate a messy divorce.

And it's been eight years since Jones resurfaced as a big whistle at American, an internationally flavored school near Washington's Embassy Row.

His success — the Eagles have six winning records and three Patriot regular-season titles under Jones — should surprise no one. During Jones' eight seasons at Virginia, the Cavaliers won six NCAA tournament games in five appearances, earned an NIT championship, and for only the second time in program history boasted four consecutive .500-or-better ACC finishes.

But the success of this American team surprises even Jones.

"We had no idea," he said.

No idea that junior-college transfers Frank Borden and Bryce Simon would contribute immediately at small forward. No idea that heretofore bit players such as wing guard Garrison Carr, center Cornelio Guibunda and power forward Brian Gilmore, a Norfolk Collegiate graduate, would mesh so well with veteran point guard Derrick Mercer, all 5-foot-9 of him.

But they have, and like Jones' Virginia squads, they play principled, no-frills man-to-man defense. Unlike Jones' Virginia teams, they hoist 3-pointers without reservation — American ranks sixth nationally in 3-point percentage at 40.8 and averages nearly 20 attempts per game.

Jones said a former Virginia player living in Washington, Junior Burrough, stops by frequently and marvels at the Eagles' style of play. Jason Williford, one of American's assistant coaches and a Virginia teammate of Burrough's, marvels instead at the changes in Jones.

"He's mellowed some," Williford said. "He doesn't chew the players out as much as he did me and Junior."

But isn't that to be expected? At Virginia, Jones was the youngest head coach (29) in ACC history, hired in a pinch to replace Holland. At American, he's a scarred and seasoned 47.

"I think Jeff has found a way to tap in and get the most out of each kid, whereas in the past he might have jumped us at Virginia," Williford said. "He's more thorough in his thought process. He knows some guys he can jump and some guys he can't."

Jones guides a diverse and eclectic bunch. Players hail from New Mexico, Washington state, New York, Indiana, Minnesota, Kansas, Texas, suburban D.C., New Jersey, Mozambique and Croatia.

Guibanda immigrated from Mozambique and transferred from Georgetown, and his father sits on the Supreme Court of the family's homeland. Mercer and Jordan Nichols played for marquee high school programs: St. Anthony in Jersey City, N.J., and DeMatha in Hyattsville, Md.

"It's certainly turned out to be a fun mix," Jones said. "I'm not sure I've coached a team that likes one another top to bottom like this group. So many coaches say it, but this group really likes one another."

Gilmore, a Boo Williams Summer League alum, has been the late-game drama king — his two free throws beat Jacksonville 52-50 in December, and his 3-point play with 18 seconds remaining Wednesday lifted American over Holy Cross 62-60 in Wednesday's Patriot quarterfinals. Carr leads the team in scoring at 18 a game, and eight Eagles average at least 13 minutes a game.

But Mercer, a three-year starter, is the linchpin.

"When he wants to be, he's a terrific defender," Jones said. "My only problem with him his first two years was he was too willing to take a back seat offensively to the older guys. We told him this season he could not defer.

"He's not the typical Northeast point guard creating off the dribble. He's not exceptionally fast. He's more of a thinker than an athlete."

Sounds like Virginia's point guard circa 1981.

As a Cavalier, Jones played in the '81 Final Four. As the program's coach, he guided the Cavs to a Sweet 16 and an Elite Eight. As a child, he watched his dad, Bob, coach Kentucky Wesleyan to the 1973 Division II national championship.

American has not made the NCAA tournament since upgrading to Division I in 1967 — the Eagles advanced to the Division II field in 1958, '59 and '60. From 2002-04, American fell one victory shy of the NCAA tournament, losing three consecutive Patriot finals and the accompanying automatic bid.

"It would be huge," Jones said of a tournament appearance. "A lot of folks in the university community have been waiting for this to happen. ... But because it would be such a big deal, I find myself really discouraging the team from thinking about it.

"We want to be greedy and not content and not look beyond the next challenge. ... I just want to beat Army."

The Eagles bested the Cadets twice during the regular season, and a third victory today at home would allow them to host the league title game Friday against either Bucknell or Colgate.

And if a conference championship and NCAA bid would be "huge" for American, what would they mean for Jones?

"I wouldn't know how to adequately describe it," he said.

Why?

"Because," he said, "it's been awhile."

Eleven years, to be exact, since he last coached a team to the NCAA tournament. The wait could be over in less than a week, and with only one senior among his top eight, Jones and American could be poised for an extended stay among the Patriot elite.

"You just can't assume that," Jones said, "but the pieces certainly are in place."

The Jones file
AGE: 47.

HOMETOWN: Owensboro, Ky.

COLLEGE: University of Virginia ('82).

EXPERIENCE: Virginia assistant coach 1982-90; Virginia head coach 1990-98; Rhode Island associate head coach 1999-2000; American head coach 2000-present.

RECORD: 146-104 at Virginia; 123-112 at American; 269-216 overall.