Supporting Cavs show for sendoff
Six U.Va. players, including Singletary, score in double figures in beating Maryland
Monday, Mar 10, 2008 - 12:07 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- His teammates, who too often have stayed in the shadows this season, made sure it wasn't all about Sean Singletary last night at John Paul Jones Arena.

Six players scored in double figures -- led by Singletary, naturally -- to lift the University of Virginia men's basketball team to a resounding 91-76 victory over Maryland in the regular-season finale last night.

"You'd like to think it was a one-for-all, all-for-one kind of mentality today," U.Va. coach Dave Leitao said.

"The fact that those other guys did what they did . . . is a tribute to team basketball, it's a tribute to our leadership and a tribute to our aggression overall."

Not since Dec. 30, 2001, had six Cavaliers scored at least 10 points apiece in a game. And that was against an overmatched Grambling squad. This was against a Maryland team that won at North Carolina and desperately needed a victory last night to bolster its fading hopes of reaching the NCAA tournament.

U.Va. was happy to play the role of spoiler. On a night when Singletary's jersey was retired, and fellow seniors Ryan Pettinella, Adrian Joseph and Tunji Soroye also were honored before the game, No. 44 told Virginia's younger players to not put too much pressure on themselves.

"Just go out and play hard and have fun," Singletary said, according to sophomore forward Jamil Tucker.

It's hard to imagine the Cavaliers (5-11, 15-14) having much more fun they did in the final seven minutes last night. After Maryland (8-3, 18-13) pulled to 67-64, Virginia scored 10 of the next 12 points. Singletary hit the 2,000-point mark for his career with a fast break layup that made it 82-73 with 2:26 left, and he threw an underhanded lob pass that junior forward Mamadi Diane caught, after outleaping Tucker for the ball, and turned into a thunderous dunk 37 seconds later.

"We got in the open court for the majority of the game, and that's what we like to do," Singletary said.

After one final basket, Singletary left the game, with 36.6 seconds left, to a standing ovation from the adoring crowd of 14,154.

"Tonight was a great way of sending the seniors out," said Diane, who scored all 12 of his points in the second half. "It was almost like a storybook ending."

Singletary, a lock to be named to the all-ACC first team for the third time, finished with 27 points, eight assists, six assists and one steal in 38 minutes.

"He saved his best for last," Leitao said.

So did the Wahoos, who closed the regular season with their fourth victory in six games. Virginia, seeded No. 10 in the ACC tournament, will meet No. 7 seed Georgia Tech (7-9, 14-16) in a first-round game Thursday night at Charlotte, N.C.

"Dave did a great job of keeping them motivated down the stretch," Maryland coach Gary Williams said.

The sixth-seeded Terrapins will face No. 11 seed Boston College in the ACC tourney late Thursday night. Four players scored in double figures for the Terps last night, including former Benedictine High star Bambale Osby (14 points, five rebounds), but their balance was no match for that of the Cavaliers.

"We had to do a good job of helping on Singletary, yet still be able to shut [his teammates] down, which teams have done this year against Virginia," Williams said. "And we were not able to do that."

Joseph scored 13 points, his first game in double figures since Feb. 7, and grabbed six rebounds. Tucker had 13 and six, too, off the bench, and two other reserves, sophomore guard Calvin Baker and junior center Laurynas Mikalauskas, contributed 11 points apiece.

"It was a team effort," Williams said. "It wasn't just about Singletary tonight."

 

Saving the best for last
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
March 10, 2008

If Sean Singletary were to never pick up a basketball again and spend the rest of his life training to become a novelist, he might not be able to come up with a story as good as the one he penned on Sunday night.

Playing on Senior Night, Singletary had one of the most electrifying performances of his career. His teammates were pretty solid, too.

Virginia, behind 27 points from its senior captain and strong all-around games from Adrian Joseph, Jamil Tucker and Lars Mikalauskas, put a dent in Maryland’s Big Dance chances with a scintillating 91-76 win in front of a sold-out crowd at John Paul Jones Arena.

“It’s hard to come up with more words and superlatives,” said Virginia coach Dave Leitao, referring to Singletary’s performance. “He saved his best for last.”

Singletary, who became the fifth Virginia player to score 2,000 points in his career, was removed from the game with 36 seconds left. During a timeout, he walked to center court, saluted the crowd and then retreated to the bench where he was mobbed by teammates.

“It feels real good,” Singletary said. “The guys played really well and made me proud, but I’m happy anytime we win.

“Scoring 2,000 points and [winning on] Senior Night was just extra.”

Virginia (15-14, 5-11 ACC), which plays Georgia Tech in the first round of the ACC Tournament on Thursday, had six players who scored in double figures.

Maryland (18-13, 8-8) was led by Greivis Vasquez’s 16 points and nine assists.

“I’m really disappointed,” said Maryland coach Gary Williams. “We competed in the first half, but in the second half we couldn’t play defense.

“As they scored, their confidence picked up.”

After trailing 41-38 early in the second half, it was Singletary who ignited a UVa run with one of his patented whirling dervish moves around Maryland’s James Gist that resulted in a layup.

A few possessions later, Mikalauskas, with Bambale Osby defending him, shouted for the ball in the post. When Singletary obliged, the Lithuanian found a cutting Adrian Joseph on the baseline, who threw down a vicious reverse slam.

On the way back down the court, Mikalauskas gave Joseph a chest bump that almost knocked him over.

Joseph, who hadn’t scored in double figures in his previous seven games, scored a few minutes later on an offensive rebound to put Virginia up 55-49.

UVa, behind sweet inside moves from Mikalauskas, energetic play from Tucker and a 3-pointer from Diane, spread the lead from there.

A dunk by Tucker put Virginia up 76-66 with just over 4 minutes to play.

At that point, it appeared UVa would just try and cling to its lead - but Singletary seemed determined to send his senior class (that included Joseph, Ryan Pettinella and Tunji Soroye) out with a bang.

A coast-to-coast layup off a steal gave Singletary 2,000 points for his career, putting him in elite company in UVa lore with Bryant Stith, Jeff Lamp, Buzzy Wilksinson and Ralph Sampson.

With under two minutes to play, Singletary snatched a loose ball. The prudent play might have been to just pull the ball back out and run clock. However, Singletary lofted an alley-oop pass toward streaking teammates Tucker and Mamadi Diane. Both jumped for the ball, but it was Diane who flushed the ball down with two hands as the crowd went crazy.

“I should have gotten two assists for that one,” Singletary joked.

Singletary, who spurned an opportunity to go to the NBA after last season, was showered with love from the opening tip when his No. 44 jersey was retired.

In the first half, he started slowly. He had a turnover the first time he touched the ball and then launched two airballs as Maryland took a 14-11 lead on a basket by Bambale Osby.

Singletary didn’t score until nearly 11 minutes had elapsed, eventually finding his groove at the free-throw line, knocking down two freebies to tie the game at 16. He hit a 3-pointer, a pull-up jumper and knocked down two more free throws to give Virginia a 23-19 lead.

Singletary provided the biggest oohs of the half when he went coast-to-coast for a layup. But Maryland, after a thunderous dunk by Jerome Burney, took a 37-36 lead into the locker room.

UVa seemed in danger of finishing the regular-season with an under-.500 record for the first time since 1999.

Then Singletary went to work.

“I’m not sure in our lifetime, we’ll see a guy perform like he did for four years,” Leitao said. “I thank God that I was a part of it.”

 

Virginia's grand finale
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com
March 10, 2008

Certainly it would have been understandable if Sean Singletary were an emotional wreck in his final home game at Virginia on Sunday night. Senior nights can have strange effects on players, positive or negative because of the pressure, the hoopla surrounding the event.
As usual, Singletary was as cool as the other side of the pillow.
Even when mom and dad, Jacqui and Harold Singletary, were introduced to the 14,000 in the pre-game ceremony, and spotlights revealed the All-ACC point guard’s retired jersey in the rafters of John Paul Jones Arena, No. 44 didn’t crack.
Later, after he put on a memorable, last-game performance in the Cavaliers’ 91-76 win over Maryland, Singletary joked that he had cried so much after the team’s losses this season that he didn’t have any tears left.
A historic finish
Singletary’s goodbye was one of the most impressive swan songs of any Wahoo in memory, perhaps matching legendary Ralph Sampson’s heroics against Lefty Driesell’s Terrapins 25 years ago.
For the record, the Philadelphia native scored a game-high 27 points, putting him at 2,002 for his career, making him one of only five Cavaliers to ever reach that scoring plateau.
He also dished out eight assists, grabbed six rebounds, played a braveheart style of defense and inspired his teammates to win a game they had to have.
“He saved his best for last,” said UVa coach Dave Leitao, who has been like a father figure to Singletary the past three seasons. “In that second half, he was a one-man wrecking crew: half court, full court, offense, defense, he did it all.”
This time he had help as six Cavaliers scored in double figures (including Singletary extending his streak to an ACC-leading 51 consecutive games), the first time a UVa team has exhibited that type of scoring balance since December of 2001 in a rout of Grambling.
Too much to handle
The overwhelming performance was more than Maryland could withstand. Coach Gary Williams’ Terps (18-13, 8-8) came to town in desperate need of a victory, but left with their NCAA Tournament hopes seriously in doubt.
Virginia, not exactly known for its shooting accuracy, shot 50 percent for the game (31 of 62), and a blistering 62.5 percent (20 of 32) in the second half. It was the first time in the last 43 games that a Maryland opponent had managed to shoot 50 percent or better, the longest such streak in the ACC.
One must wonder what Singletary might have done had it not taken him so long to warm up. He didn’t make his first basket of the game until there was 8:55 remaining in the first half.
Once he started, he didn’t slow down. Singletary had 14 at the half as UVa trailed 37-36.
He turned JPJ into his personal shooting gallery in the second half, putting on a show.
His coast-to-coast, spinning layup brought the crowd to its feet, followed by a foul on a drive that reaped two free throws and a 42-41 Cavalier lead. Moments later he bolted past a Terp defender to score on a scoop shot, then dished to teammate Jamil Tucker in the corner for an open 3-point and the Wahoos were on their way, 51-44 with 15:40 to play.
His teammates took care of the scoring until Maryland cried uncle and then Singletary finished them off with an assortment of daggers into the hapless Terps.
He hit a 3-pointer, then the coup de grace came with 2:27 remaining when he struck gold - his 2,000th points - on a fastbreak layup.
With the game in hand, Leitao pulled his prized guard out to a standing ovation.
The crowd chanted “Single-Tary, Single-Tary,” and fans wearing replicas of the No. 44 jumped up and down with excitement as the Cavaliers finished the regular season at 15-14, 5-11 in the ACC.
Immediately after the game, Leitao presented Singletary with a commemorative basketball to celebrate the 2,000-points feat. The moment offered up a kaleidoscope of memories as the giant screen showed close-ups of Singletary’s parents in tears and Leitao waved four fingers on each hand to the delirious crowd.
Through it all, Singletary was, well, Singletary. He enjoyed the moment, drank it all in, taking the kind of mental photographs that football pal, Chris Long, often spoke of.
Teammate Lars Mikalauskas rubbed Singletary’s head in an atta-boy manner as the jubilant Cavaliers celebrated their best win since November in Tucson.
“It’s a great way for [Singletary] to end his career,” Leitao said. “I’m not so sure in our lifetime that we’ll see a guy perform night in and night out the way he has over four years.”
Leitao, who has heaped praise on the star guard for three years, couldn’t say enough about his accomplishments.
“At this university, we honor our past and when you talk about Ralph Sampson, people remember certain things,” the coach said.
“Or, when you talk about Bryant Stith or other great players here. A lot of young kids will remember this night and say ‘I was there ... I saw Sean get 2,000 points in a great performance and the team won and I was witness to one of the greatest basketball players that this university and this league has ever seen.”
Singletary, being the modest kid he is, credited his teammates, coaches and parents for his deeds, that his jersey would not have been honored without their hard work, sacrifice, and dedication.
In the end, he said he just did what he always has, “I just wanted to go out there and give it my all ... we had everybody knocking shots down, playing defense, so it made it even sweeter for me.”
For No. 44, it couldn’t have ended any better.
Well, except maybe for a magical run in the ACC Tournament in Charlotte this week ...


 

Singletary gave his all, every game
Monday, Mar 10, 2008 - 12:07 AM 
By BOB LIPPER
TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST

CHARLOTTESVILLE Sean Singletary is listed at 6-0 in Virginia's media guide, is closer to 5-11 and has played bigger ever since he set foot on campus four years ago, which basically tells you most everything you need to know about the young man.

He's stood tall, in other words. He's played hurt. He's played sick. He's played double-teamed. He's played complemented. He's played short-handed. He's played great. He's played subpar.

But he's played. And competed. Always. Full bore. Nonstop. Passionately and electrically through 119 games -- every one of them a start -- 2,002 points, numerous highlight-reel moments and countless dings and dents as he's hurtled that compact body of his toward the rim and a legacy.

U.Va. "retired" his jersey last night, meaning other players will wear No. 44. But no one, you'd suspect, will wear it as well. And none surely will wear it with quite as much flair -- a quality Singletary demonstrated once again in this home-arena farewell and 91-76 defeat of Maryland.

Cavs rooters can debate which of his moves was most "SportsCenter" worthy -- was it his whirl-around-James Gist layup or his freeze-Bombale Osby drive? -- but the bottom line is that the win, like so many others during his time, had Singletary's imprint all over it.

His line -- 27 points, eight assists, six rebounds -- was impressive. Most important were his contributions -- six points and an assist -- during the 13-3 surge that created a 51-44 cushion that held up the rest of the way. Fifteen minutes later, Singletary got a group hug from his teammates and a huge ovation from the home crowd when he headed to the bench, his night's work done.

"He saved his best for last," U.Va. coach Dave Leitao observed. "I'm not sure in our lifetime we'll see someone perform night in and night out like this guy."

How will he be remembered in C'ville? As a little giant. He wasn't as towering as Ralph Sampson. He wasn't as influential as Barry Parkhill or Jeff Lamp. He wasn't as smoothly proficient as Bryant Stith. But no one this side of Sampson was as dynamic. And nobody this side of Atlas could've shouldered as heavy a load. He got more aid than usual last night. But this was still a Sean Singletary production.

"It feels good to win," he said afterward. "The way the guys played really made me proud. Anytime we win, it really makes me happy. The points and senior night made it even better."

That's Singletary in a nutshell -- and there's not a shred of phony about it. Cracking the 2,000 barrier? Sure, that's nice. But he's never been about him. The U.Va. teams he's spark-plugged are a humdrum 64-55. But he hasn't sulked. Never whined. Never called out his teammates. He just put on the uniform and did his thing. Would that every athlete so go about his business.

"I don't think I could imagine where we would be in our building process if we did not have him," Leitao said the other day. "He's legitimized us. He's given us somebody that young people can emulate and talk about."

By my count (and I'll confess I wasn't a math major), there have been 2,452 players to pass through the ACC since it opened for business in 1953-54. Come today, Singletary and UNC's Tyler Hansbrough will be among 25 of them to have made all-ACC three times. The list includes Sampson and Stith. And Len Chappell. And Charlie Scott. And David Thompson. And Phil Ford. And Tim Duncan.

It's a select group. And while the pool of applicants has thinned over the past decade or so with NBA bailouts, three all-ACC plaques is glossy stuff. Not that Singletary is into buffing his image. His orientation has always been more basic than that.

"I was just going to go out there and try and give it my all as I usually do," he said.

As epitaphs go -- and it ain't quite over yet -- that'll do quite nicely. Some career. Some player.

 

Singletary's finale memorable
The UVa senior scores 27 points in a victory after having his jersey retired.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- For all the thrills that Sean Singletary has given Virginia basketball fans over the years, he found room for one more lasting memory Sunday night.

The final home game in his illustrious four-year career was vintage Singletary.

At the end of a season that has met few expectations, all was forgotten as Singletary orchestrated a 91-76 victory over Maryland.

Singletary was recognized in a pregame ceremony in which his jersey was retired, and there was another presentation after the game, when coach Dave Leitao handed him a ball commemorating his 2,000th point.

"It's hard to come up with more words and more superlatives," Leitao said, "but he saved his best for last."

Singletary, who needed 25 points to reach the 2,000-point mark, reached the milestone in a fitting fashion when he hit a scoop shot with 2:24 remaining.

He then assisted on two of Virginia's next three baskets, including an alley-oop dunk by Mamadi Diane.

Singletary finished with 27 points, eight assists and six rebounds on a night when six Cavaliers scored in double figures.

Maryland (18-13, 8-8 ACC) entered the game with a possible at-large NCAA tournament bid hanging in the balance, but the Cavaliers (15-14, 5-11) were the aggressor, particularly after falling behind 37-36 at the half.

Virginia shot 62.5 percent from the field during a 55-point second half and became the first team in 44 games to shoot 50 percent or better against the Terps.

"I knew we were not going to be able to shut down Singletary, but it was not a good effort defensively," Maryland coach Gary Williams said. "To their credit, [the Cavaliers] were ready to play. Dave did a good job of keeping them motivated."

It was the fourth victory in the last six games for the Cavaliers, who finished the season alone in 10th place in the ACC. The Cavaliers knew beforehand that they would have the 10th seed for the ACC Tournament and play seventh-seeded Georgia Tech at 7 p.m. Thursday in Charlotte, N.C., but that was because of tiebreakers.

The win Sunday night moved the Cavaliers out of a last-place tie with Boston College and North Carolina State.

UVa was a 1 12-point underdog, mostly because of the homecourt advantage, but John Paul Jones Arena hasn't been the favorable venue it was in 2006-2007, when the Cavaliers were 16-1 in their first season in their spacious new home. They were 10-6 at home this year before Sunday night.

The teams traded baskets in the early going and Singletary didn't score until 9:17 remained in the first half, when he was fouled on a rebound and hit both ends of a one-and-one.

He followed that with a 3-pointer on the next trip down the floor and was to score nine minutes in a 2:40 span as the Cavaliers pulled ahead 23-19.

He had 14 by the half, but Maryland scored the last two baskets of the first half and seemingly had some momentum. The Terps then came out and scored the first basket of the second half, but UVa was relentless thereafter.

One of Singletary's fellow seniors, Adrian Joseph, had not scored in double figures in nine consecutive games but had seven points at the half and electrified the crowd early in the second half with a reverse dunk.

Joseph had 13 points and the Cavaliers also got double figures from four non-starters. Jamil Tucker scored 13 points, Diane had 12, and Lauris Mikalauskas and Calvin Baker totalled 11 apiece.

It was the fifth double-figure scoring effort in the last six games for Mikalauskas, whose inside passing also set up teammates for several easy baskets.

Mikalauskas did not play against Maryland when the Cavaliers lost 85-75 in College Park, Md., in late January, and "compared to the first time we played Virginia, he makes a big difference," Williams said. "I don't what the block of time he plays, he never quits on a play. He goes after every rebound."

Maryland was in foul trouble most of the game and eventually lost All-ACC candidate James Gist, who was limited to six points in 30 minutes. Sophomore guard Greivis Vasquez had a team-high 16 points for Maryland, which got 15 points in 20 minutes from back-up freshman guard Adrian Bowie.

Maryland shot 49.3 percent from the field, did not have an excessive number of turnovers (14) and played Virginia fairly evenly on the boards, but it was the Cavaliers' and Singletary's night.

"This hasn't been the best season since I've been here," said Singletary, who became the fifth 2,000-point scorer in UVa history. "After all we've been through, it feels good to win whether it's senior night or any other game."
 

On league's final weekend, Cavs' Singletary takes a bow
Posted to: Men's College Basketball Sports
By Ed Miller
The Virginian-Pilot
© March 10, 2008
CHARLOTTESVILLE

The outcome was still in doubt when Sean Singletary ran hard on the right wing, filling the lane on a Virginia fast break.

Singletary caught a bounce pass from Mamadi Diane, hung in the air and flipped in a layup with 2:28 left.

On senior night at the John

Paul Jones Arena, the basket gave Singletary 2,000 career points and his team a nine-point lead on the way to a 91-76 victory against Maryland.

The crowd of 14,154 erupted when Singletary hit the basket, but the senior guard from Philadelphia wasn't done. About 30 seconds later, he stole a pass at midcourt and tossed an underhand alley-oop pass to a leaping Diane for a dunk.

Then he drove the lane, faked a pass and scored on a layup.

He added a rebound and set up Calvin Baker for a 3-pointer before walking off his home court for the final time with 36.6 seconds to play.

"He saved his best for last," coach Dave Leitao said. "I'm not sure any coach or any person could have been given more by an individual than I've been given in the three years we've been together."

Indeed, in a career characterized by unceasing effort but often filled with frustration, Singletary couldn't have scripted a better ending.

"It feels really good to win my senior game - or any game," Singletary said. "Any time we win, I'm happy. The points, and senior night, was just extra."

Singletary scored 27 to leave his career tally at 2,002 heading into this week's ACC tournament in Charlotte, N.C. He was one of five players in double figures. The No. 10 seed Cavaliers play No. 7 Georgia Tech in the opening round Thursday night.

The normally jump-shot-loving Cavaliers turned the game in the second half by getting the ball inside on 11 straight possessions and scoring on 10. Virginia (15-14, 5-11) won for the fourth time in its past six outings and enters the tournament playing as well as it has all season.

Maryland (18-13, 8-8) dropped its fourth in its past five and probably fell out of contention for an NCAA tournament at-large bid.

"We win the ACC tournament and we go the NCAA tournament," coach Gary Williams said. "That solves it."

Not much was left to be decided in the conference standings by the time the game, the last one of the ACC's regular season, tipped off.

The only uncertainty was whether Maryland would be the No. 5 or No. 6 seed. Win or lose, Virginia was No. 10.

A wild final weekend sorted most things out before Maryland and Virginia met.

North Carolina locked up the tournament's top seed with its 76-68 win Saturday night against Duke. The Tar Heels scored the final 10 points while holding Duke scoreless in the final 5:42 to avenge a Feb. 6 loss to the Blue Devils.

"I think we have gotten better defensively," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said. "We've been drilling it from the first day until yesterday. I don't think anybody works on it any harder. Our kids have taken the challenge to try to be a really good defensive team."

North Carolina won its eighth straight and likely locked up a No. 1 seed and home-state advantage through the first four rounds of the NCAA tournament. The Tar Heels will almost certainly play their first- and second-round games in Raleigh. The East Regional will be played in Charlotte.

Duke lost for the third time in its past seven games but overcame a 14-point deficit to lead North Carolina 68-66 before missing its final 11 shots.

"This is definitely not how we wanted to leave the gym tonight. But it will keep us hungry and we'll get back to work and play with a chip on our shoulder," guard Greg Paulus said.

Virginia Tech hurt its NCAA tournament chances with a loss to Clemson, falling 70-69 in a game to decide third place. As the No. 4 seed, the Hokies will get a bye into Friday's quarterfinals, where they'll face the winner of Thursday's game between Miami and North Carolina State.
 

Team effort carries Cavs
Sean Singletary gets plenty of help in Virginia's home win over Maryland.
By MELINDA WALDROP | 247-4634
11:34 PM EDT, March 9, 2008
 

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Sean Singletary wasn't going out a loser. His teammates made sure of it.

Singletary scored 27 points and topped the 2,000-point mark for his career in Virginia's 91-76 victory against Maryland in Sunday night's regular-season finale, but five other Cavaliers scored in double digits as U.Va. became the first team to shoot 50 percent against the Terrapins this season.

"Singletary got loose a couple of times, but they also made some good shots," Maryland coach Gary Williams said. "I thought it was a team effort. It wasn't just about Singletary tonight."

After having his No. 44 jersey retired on Senior Night, Singletary didn't score until making a pair of free throws with 9:17 left in the first half. But he quickly added a 3-pointer and finished the first half with 14 points to run his streak of consecutive games in double digits to 51, best among active ACC players.

Senior forward Adrian Joseph, also recognized before the game, had 13 points, as did sophomore Jamil Tucker. Junior guard Mamadi Diane had 12, while Calvin Baker and Lars Mikalauskas each had 11.

Singletary, whose career total of 2,002 points ranks 38th in ACC history, said none of his teammates told him they were determined to help him win in his final game at John Paul Jones Arena, "but I think their actions spoke louder than anything they could have said," he said. " ... It feels real good to win, a Senior (Night) game or any other game, and the way the guys played really made me proud."

Singletary also had a game-high eight assists and six rebounds in 38 minutes.

"He saved his best for last," Virginia coach Dave Leitao said. "I'm not sure that any coach or any person could be given more by an individual than I've been given in the three years we've been together. Somebody had asked me the question, do you think with all the festivities and distractions that it might throw a guy off, as it sometimes does. ... I bet dollars to doughnuts that Sean only uses it as motivation."

Virginia (15-14, 5-11 ACC) trailed by a point to open the second half and by three after Bambale Osby's slam early in the period. That's when Singletary pulled down a rebound and went coast-to-coast, finishing with a crossover dribble and a layup that ignited the crowd.

Singletary's free throws with 17:48 to play gave Virginia a 44-43 lead, and the Cavs wouldn't trail again. The Terps (18-13, 8-8), fighting to keep their flickering NCAA tournament hopes alive, closed within two on Landon Milbourne's bucket with 10 minutes left, but Singletary fired a no-look pass to Mike Scott for U.Va.'s answer.

Virginia broke the game open with a 6-0 run that saw Maryland senior forward James Gist, held to just six points, foul out with 4:31 to play. Thirty seconds later, Jamil Tucker's slam gave the Cavs an 11-point lead.

Singletary's 3-pointer after a basket by Greivis Vasquez, who led the Terps with 16 points, returned U.Va.'s lead to double digits, and with 2:25 to play, his layup gave him his 2,000th point and drew a long, loud ovation.

Though no one may have mentioned it to him, the Cavs accomplished their goal.

"Even before the game, we talked about (winning for Singletary)," Joseph said. "The momentum and the energy everyone was going out there with — ain't no way we could have lost that game."

 

Work in regress: Terps lose again
ACC tournament will be crucial to NCAA chances
By Don Markus | Sun Reporter
March 10, 2008
 

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - A week after blowing a 20-point second-half lead to Clemson at Comcast Center on Senior Night, Maryland showed signs it had recovered sufficiently during last night's game against Virginia.

Yet when it mattered, down the stretch at John Paul Jones Arena, the Terrapins showed they have more work to do. Foul trouble, defensive lapses and poor rebounding turned a close, winnable game into a 91-76 defeat to the Cavaliers.

"I'm really disappointed," Maryland coach Gary Williams said after his team's fourth defeat in its past five games and fifth in the past seven. "I thought we competed pretty well the first half. The second half, we couldn't play defense. We didn't get a good effort defensively, and Virginia gained confidence."

Virginia (15-14, 5-11 Atlantic Coast Conference) fed off the performance of senior guard Sean Singletary, who had his jersey number retired before the game. He finished with 27 points, eight assists and six rebounds. The Cavaliers scored 55 points in the second half, the second most against Maryland in a half this season.

The loss means Maryland (18-13, 8-8) finished tied with Miami for fifth place in the ACC and, because of its loss to the Hurricanes, will go into this week's ACC tournament in Charlotte, N.C., as the sixth seed. The Terps will play 11th seed Boston College in Thursday's final opening-round game.

It also means Maryland has more work to do to improve its NCAA tournament resume. Despite being mentioned in all the projected brackets as of late last week, the Terps probably will have to win at least two games at Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

Asked what his team must do to make the NCAA tournament, Williams said: "Whatever it takes. We win the ACC tournament, we go to the NCAA. That solves it."

Williams was smiling when he said it, but he knows his Terps face an uphill struggle to avoid their third appearance in the National Invitation Tournament in the past four seasons.

Maryland got decent efforts from sophomore guard Greivis Vasquez (16 points, nine assists) and senior center Bambale Osby (14 points), and a lift off the bench from Adrian Bowie (career-high 15 points)

But the Terps got little else.

Senior forward James Gist struggled at both ends, finishing with six points on 3-for-13 shooting before fouling out. Sophomore guard Eric Hayes made only one shot, finishing with three points and one assist in 22 minutes.

Gist has seemingly reverted to the way he was playing earlier this season, settling for jump shots - and not hitting them - rather than going to the basket. For the second straight game, Gist failed to get to the free-throw line.

"We need his inside presence," Williams said of Gist. "I thought Bambale Osby really tried to get inside for us, but he needed some help in that situation. We shot 33 percent from the three-point line [seven of 21]. We're not that type of team to take 21 threes. We kind of went away from going inside."

The Terps also went away from playing defense. "We played horrible defense today, and it cost us the game," Vasquez said. "We're playing a team that is 4-11 in the league, and we didn't play hard enough. We have to show up in the ACC tournament. We need to win the ACC tournament if we want to make it [to the NCAA tournament]."

 

Cavaliers throttle Terps
Singletary soars at final regular-season home game
By Hubert F. Grim III/staff
hgrimiii@newsleader.com

CHARLOTTESVILLE — This night belonged to Sean Singletary.

The Virginia senior, playing his final regular-season home game, was determined not to go out with a loss. He and the rest of the Cavaliers didn't disappoint.

Singletary, who had his No. 44 retired before Sunday night's game, scored 27 points in sparking the Cavaliers to a dazzling 91-76 romp over the Maryland Terrapins in the final contest of the ACC regular season.

Singletary and friends stamped a positive end to a regular season that had been until Sunday rather disappointing. Since the calendar flipped ushering in 2008, Virginia had won only three games.

The victory over the rival Terps will give the Cavaliers momentum heading into this week's ACC Tournament. Virginia still needs to win the tourney to receive a dance ticket to March Madness, but it is still in line for a berth into the 32-team NIT or the newly formed, 16-team College Basketball Invitational. For those counting, that's 113 Division I teams that will be playing postseason basketball. Virginia should fit in that mix somewhere.

But for at least a day, the Cavaliers can savor a sweet season-ending victory that saw them become the only team to shoot 50 percent against the Terps.

Unlike so many games during the regular season where Singletary received little, if any, support from his teammates, he had ample scoring help as five other Cavaliers reached double figures.

Fellow senior Adrian Joseph had 13 points, his best offensive explosion since a 19-point effort Feb. 7 against Clemson. He hadn't scored in double-digits since that early February home game.

And then there was the bench, which outscored the Terps 47-25. Jamil Tucker led the reserves with 13 points, while Mamadi Diane added 12. Calvin Baker and Lars Mikalauskas each contributed 11.

But the spotlight shown the brightest on Singletary, who became only the fifth Virginia player to score 2,000 career points when he scored a layup with 6:45 remaining. Besides the 27 points, he had eight assists and tied for a team-high with six rebounds. He also was 9-of-9 at the foul line.

Singletary downplayed his Senior Night heroics, deflecting the praise to those around him.

"I just try to give my all every time on the court," he said. "Fortunately we had everybody knocking down shots and playing team defense. That made it even sweeter. I wasn't thinking about a special game. I just wanted to go out with the win.

"It feels real good to win whether it was tonight or any other game. The points and Senior Night were just extras," Singletary said.

Virginia coach Dave Leitao said he was blessed to have the opportunity to coach his star for three seasons.

"Sean saved his best for last. He was a one-man wrecking crew in the second half," Leitao said. "I not sure in our lifetime we'll see a guy perform night in and night out like he has for four years. He was a special player that doesn't come along very often."

The Terps led 37-36 at the break after a first half that saw five ties and eight lead changes.

Singletary and his friends took over in the last 20 minutes. After Maryland took its last lead at 43-42, the Cavaliers broke it open with a 9-1 spurt.

After Jamil Tucker had a stickback, Joseph a dunk, Singletary scored on a layup, and on Virginia's next possession, he drove the lane and flipped a left-handed pass to a wide-open Tucker in the right corner, who drilled the triple for a 51-44 lead with 15:43 left.

The Terps, who entered the game on the NCAA bubble, which is more deflated now, kept within striking distance before the energetic Mikalauskus, Tucker and Singletary sealed the deal with a 13-4 run that turned a 67-64 lead into an 80-68 advantage with 3:28 left.

Mikalauskus, who has been hampered by injuries most of the season, and Tucker each had four points during the spree, while in true Singletary form, he dropped a 3-pointer from the left wing for the 80-68 cushion.

And to finish off he his dazzling night, he lobbed an alley-oop pass to two Cavaliers on the break that Diane grabbed in front of Tucker for the slam.

"Maybe I should get two assists for that one," Singletary deadpanned.

Maryland coach Gary Williams said he's team poor defense in the second fed into Virginia.

"Virginia gained confidence, which always happens in that situation," Williams said. "I take a lot of pride in coaching defense, and I was really frustrated with what I saw in the second half."

Williams praised Singletary more for what he did in the offseason than on the court.

"I give him most of the credit for coming back to school. He most certainly would have been a first-round pick," Williams said. "That was a very mature move to come back. I know some questioned his decision, but that was the best one."

Virginia (15-14, 5-11) begins tournament play 7 p.m. Thursday as the No. 10 seed against No. 7 Georgia Tech.

"The tournament is an opportunity for 12 teams," Leitao said. "Today gives us the chance to go in on a positive note."

Singletary echoed his coach's sentiments.

"This is a good that sets us up for a good tournament. We have take a lot of confidence in there," he said.

 

In last game in Charlottesville, Singletary goes out a winner
March 10, 2008 12:15 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE--

Senior night couldn't have gone much sweeter for Sean Singletary.

The Virginia star point guard had his jersey retired before the final regular season home game of his career.

Then, he went out and became the fifth player in school history to score 2,000 points as the Cavaliers pulled away late for a 91-76 Atlantic Coast Conference victory.

Singletary scored 27 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out eight assists in a fitting end to a stellar career.

He exited the game with 36 seconds left to a rousing ovation from the crowd of 14,154 at John Paul Jones Arena.

Singletary will now lead the 10th-seeded Cavaliers (15-14, 5-11 ACC) into Thursday's ACC tournament first-round game against No. 7 Georgia Tech at 7 p.m.

"He saved his best for last," Cavaliers head coach Dave Leitao said of last night's performance. "I'm not sure any coach or any person can be given more by an individual than I've been given in the three years that we've been together."

Singletary gave Leitao plenty last night against the Terrapins (18-13, 8-8).

He needed 25 points to reach 2,000 and he got it on a circus layup over a Maryland defender with 2:28 left in the game to give the Cavaliers an 82-73 lead.

In the final minutes, he added another layup and a lob pass to Mamadi Diane for a dunk to put the exclamation mark on the win.

"I was just going to go out and try to give it my all as I always do," Singletary said of his memorable night. "Fortunately we had everybody knocking shots down, playing defense and playing with a lot of energy. So that made it even sweeter for me."

The Cavaliers had six players reach double figures in scoring, including Jamil Tucker and senior Adrian Joseph, who scored 13 each.

Singletary said his teammates didn't talk openly about wanting to play well for him, but he could tell it meant something to them.

"They didn't say it, but I think their actions spoke louder than anything they could've said," Singletary said. "They just came out and defended real well. We defended and we were able to get the rebound and run."

They ran Maryland right out of the arena. The Terrapins lost for the fourth time in their last five games. Head coach Gary Williams said his team must now win the ACC tournament to gain a NCAA bid.

"I'm really disappointed," Williams said. "I thought we competed pretty well in the first half. In the second half, we couldn't play defense, and we've been a good defensive team."

It may not have mattered against Singletary last night.

He scored his first points on two free throws with 9:17 left in the first half.

He then closed the half with 12 more points, but the Cavaliers still trailed 37-36 at intermission.

Maryland went ahead 41-38 on a dunk by Bambale Osby early in the second-half, but the Cavaliers went on a 13-3 run to take a 51-44 lead on a Tucker 3-pointer off a dish from Singletary.

The Cavaliers never relinquished their lead thanks in large part to the player who has meant so much to Leitao in his brief tenure as head coach.

Leitao hand-signaled Singletary's No. 44 to the crowd as time wound down, setting off even more applause.

He said Singletary was "a one-man wrecking crew" last night.

"I hope we all zeroed in because I'm not so sure in our lifetime we'll be able to see a guy perform night in and night out like we've watched him for four years," Leitao said. "I just thank God that I've been placed here at this time so I can be a part of it."

 

In desperate need of a lift in the paint, Cavaliers turn to Lithuanian
March 10, 2008 12:15 am
CHARLOTTESVILLE--

He'll never get his jersey retired, and he's nearly 1,600 points behind Sean Singletary on Virginia's career scoring list. But if Singletary gave Virginia fans reason to watch during a moribund season, Lars Mikalauskas gives them reason for hope in the postseason.

Mikalauskas is the Cavaliers' fifth-leading scorer and No. 4 rebounder. But it's no coincidence that Virginia went 4-9 in the games the junior center missed--and a respectable 4-3 since he returned, with all three losses to probable NCAA tournament teams (including two by a combined three points).

"Lars is a critical part of this team," teammate Jamil Tucker said after the Cavaliers closed their regular season with a 91-76 win over Maryland last night at John Paul Jones Arena. "We all knew that when he got back, he'd bring such a burst of energy. He lifts everybody's spirit."

And he raises Virginia's level of play (and excitement) by more than a few notches.

Without him, the Cavaliers were a one-dimensional team that relied far too much on Singletary. As good as the senior guard is--and all his skills were on display last night as he surpassed 2,000 career points--he couldn't do it alone.

Mikalauskas averages a mere 7.3 points per game, but he gives the Cavaliers the inside presence they lacked for most of December and January. The Lithuanian also injects more instant energy than a pot of coffee.

"He makes a big difference," said Maryland coach Gary Williams, whose team handled Virginia 85-75 in College Park in January during Mikalauskas' absence. "I don't know how many minutes he can play in a row. But for whatever that block is, he never quits on a play. He goes after every rebound.

"And he knows their offense really well. He's a really good passer."

That talent was evident last night, as Mikalauskas had three assists to go along with his 11 points and four rebounds in a season-high 30 minutes.

Each time, he fed a cutting teammate for a layup or dunk. That speaks not only to his vision and unselfishness, but to the respect he's earned from opponents for his offensive skills.

"I hope so," he said with a smile. "They don't tell me, but I think I can be a scorer."

Virginia doesn't need double-figure points from Mikalauskas to be competitive. The Cavaliers desperately lacked his emotion and passion, though, during a seven-game Atlantic Coast Conference losing streak.

"When I was injured, I kind of noticed that we were lacking energy," Mikalauskas said. "Especially when you're losing, it's hard to have much energy. When you're losing, somebody's got to [provide a spark]."

Enter Mikalauskas, who started 12 games as a sophomore last season. In this era of drug-testing, someone should check his bloodstream's caffeine level.

Every basket, every rebound is followed by a mini-celebration. When he put the Cavaliers ahead of Duke with a rebound basket on Wednesday night, he flexed his biceps like a heavyweight boxer, invigorating a normally placid JPJ crown.

Energy isn't the only fortunate byproduct of Mikalauskas' return. While he and senior Tunji Soroye (knee) were out, coach Dave Leitao was forced to play 6-8 freshman Mike Scott at center and 6-7 Adrian Joseph at power forward. Both were out of position, and it often showed.

Lately, both have moved to their more natural spots, and have been more productive. Joseph scored 13 points last night, breaking a streak of seven straight games in single digits.

Can a 10th seed that went 5-11 in ACC play be considered dangerous? Consider that last season, N.C. State rode a wave of momentum from that same record and seed to the ACC tournament final.

There's no guarantee that this edition of the Cavaliers can duplicate that feat. They still need huge games from Singletary to have a chance. But one thing's for sure: now that Mikalauskas is back, they're a lot more competitive--and a lot more fun.

 

Cavaliers Leave Terrapins Reeling
Singletary Dominates Backpedaling U-Md.: Virginia 91, Maryland 76
By Eric Prisbell
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, March 10, 2008; E01

CHARLOTTESVILLE, March 9 -- In a final virtuoso performance before his home crowd, Virginia senior Sean Singletary provided his fans with a lasting memory on Sunday and dealt Maryland's season a devastating blow.

The drama that was expected to surround the final six days before Selection Sunday is now gone for the Terrapins, who saw their NCAA tournament at-large hopes all but crushed with a 91-76 loss to Virginia before a raucous crowd of 14,154 at John Paul Jones Arena.

Singletary had 27 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds, and the guard seemed instrumental in almost every basket Virginia scored. Five other players scored in double figures for the Cavaliers, who finished an otherwise sour regular season by likely ruining another team's season.

Maryland's only path to the NCAA tournament might be to win the ACC tournament and claim the conference's automatic berth. The Terrapins (18-13, 8-8) have seen their postseason hopes slowly fade by losing five of their past seven games.

When asked how his team could reach the NCAA tournament, Maryland Coach Gary Williams said: "Whatever it is. We win the ACC tournament, we go to the NCAAs. That solves it."

Maryland is the No. 6 seed in the ACC tournament and will play No. 11 seed Boston College late Thursday night. Virginia (15-14, 5-11) is the No. 10 seed and will play No. 7 Georgia Tech on Thursday night.

After Sunday's game, Maryland players talked optimistically about their chances of winning the ACC tournament because the Terrapins won it in 2004. They said they would hold a team meeting Monday. But that did little to offset the disappointment of a poor defensive second half against Virginia.

Strong defensive play had been a touchstone for Maryland for much of the season, but the second half Sunday was filled with lapses that enabled the Cavaliers to make 62.5 percent of their shots in the half.

In a play that epitomized the breakdown, Virginia's Jamil Tucker easily dribbled around Maryland's Jerome Burney and converted a two-handed dunk that gave the Cavaliers an 11-point lead with about four minutes remaining. Maryland called a timeout and Bambale Osby grabbed the jerseys of teammates, imploring them to be more aggressive. "I'm like, 'Man, trip him up, push him, do something, dude,' " Osby said after the game. "Don't just let him get that, man. The guys' faces were just blank. That's not the response you want, not at this stage of the game."

Guard Greivis Vasquez said, "There was absolutely no effort on defense."

Offensively, Maryland relied on unlikely contributors to keep the game close until the final minutes. Osby scored 14 points and reserve guard Adrian Bowie had 15, but both battled foul trouble late in the game.

Maryland's James Gist fouled out with a little more than four minutes to play, finishing with only six points. He made 3 of 13 shots, mostly from outside, and did not shoot any free throws.

One month ago, Maryland was in good position to return to the NCAA tournament. But instead of a strong finish to the regular season like last year, when it won seven consecutive games, Maryland's season has unraveled. The Terrapins can look back on second-half meltdowns against Virginia Tech and Clemson at home and the many defensive lapses in the second half of Sunday's loss.

"We have not been good at finishing games," Osby said.

On Sunday, Virginia outscored Maryland 21-10 over the final six minutes. Throughout the game, Singletary demonstrated his arsenal of skills. He wowed the crowd with a whirling spin move around Gist for a layup. He befuddled defenders with change-of-pace dribbles and stutter-steps. And he pulled up without hesitation for three-pointers.

"He saved his best for last," Virginia Coach Dave Leitao said. "In that second half, he was a one-man wrecking crew -- half-court, full-court, offense, defense, he did it all. I am not sure in our lifetime that we will see a guy perform night in and night out the way he has over four years."

The night began with a rousing ceremony to honor four seniors, including Singletary, who had his jersey retired. He said he managed to keep his composure during the ceremony because he had cried after so many losses. "I didn't have any tears left."

"Fortunately, we had everybody knocking shots down, playing defense, and playing with a lot of energy so it made it even sweeter for me," said Singletary, who scored his 2,000th point.

"The thing he should get the most credit for is coming back to school this year," Williams said. "Because he would have been drafted in the first round, I really believe that. That's a pretty mature move to come back. People say he might have hurt himself [in the draft]. But the people that really know, they know what he means for Virginia and tonight was a good example."

 

Cavaliers stumble against Wolfpack
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
March 10, 2008

RALEIGH, N.C. -Doak Field remains a house of horrors for the Virginia baseball program.

Spotty defense that led to three errors and untimely walks haunted the 14th-ranked Cavaliers on Sunday, allowing North Carolina State to rally for a 4-2 win in the rubber game of the opening ACC series for both teams.

Virginia, after opening the season with 11 straight wins, dropped the final two games in the low-scoring series in similar fashion to a program that has won 13 of the last 18 games in the rivalry.

“You preach to your players all the time that the

difference between winning and losing in this league is very, very small,” said Virginia coach Brian O’Connor. “Unfortunately, when you have five new guys in the lineup, it is going to be hit and miss some days early on.

“We just didn’t have it today.”

The Cavaliers had chances early off N.C. State starter Eryk McConnell, a 10th-round draft pick last summer by the Baltimore Orioles that went unsigned. But UVa failed to score more than a lone run in the second inning on an RBI double from designated hitter Phil Gosselin.

In fact, the Cavaliers left a runner stranded in scoring in both of the first two innings.

The offensive woes allowed McConnell time to settle into a groove - the right-handed pitcher retired 10 of 11 batters during a stretch that started in the third inning.

Virginia starter Andrew Carraway, after facing just nine batters through the first three innings, ran into trouble in the bottom of the fourth.

After Dallas Poulk reached on an error by Virginia second baseman David Adams, Nick Stanley slapped a single into left-center field for N.C. State’s first hit.

Carraway blamed himself for what transpired next. The junior walked Marcus Jones, who was initially trying to lay down a sacrifice bunt, on just five pitches. That set the stage for a two-run inning for the Wolfpack.

“It was completely my fault that I walked Jones when he was trying to bunt the ball,” Carraway said. “He was trying to give us an out and I walked him.

“I put two guys in scoring position for no reason.”

The Cavaliers finally solved McConnell in the sixth, tying the game in the process. After Adams reached on an error with two outs, rookie left fielder Dan Grovatt drove in the veteran with a double into the corner in right field.

“I just turned on it,” Grovatt said. “I have been seeing a lot of balls away and when I see a ball in I just try and turn on it and, luckily, that time I got a chance to.”

N.C. State answered moments later when Poulk drilled the first pitch in the bottom of the sixth over the left field wall off Carraway for his second homer of the season.

“It was a change-up that got over the middle,” Carraway said. “I don’t know if he was sitting on it or what, but he was all over it.”

The Wolfpack added a run in the bottom of the seventh and held on the win as Virginia stranded a runner on first in both the eighth and ninth inning.

Carraway, who allowed two hits and two walks in six innings, took the loss, dropping to 2-1 on the season. Only one of the three runs he allowed were earned.

“Because the margin of victory is so small, you expect so much out of a guy,’ O’Connor said. “For him to go six innings and only give up three runs on a Sunday, in the third game of a series … we have to find a way to win that kind of ballgame.”

O’Connor said both pitching staffs should be praised, as they dominated the entire series (Virginia hit .184; N.C. State hit .207).

“Both clubs got really good pitching,” he said. “There will be some ups and downs for us with these teams and this league because of our youth, but with great pitching and as we progress each weekend, these guys will learn more and more and get more productive.”

With eight first-year players on the trip, Carraway said the end result, as painful as it was, could be a blessing in disguise.

“We have a really bad taste in our mouth right now, but it was a good experience for everybody,” he said. “A lot of guys got some good experience on the road that will stay with them and they will have that for the big games.

“By the end of the year, we are going to win all three of those games.”

UVa has lost 12 of 15 games at N.C. State dating back to 2000.

Virginia returns to action Tuesday against Radford at 4 p.m. O’Connor said he had not determined which pitcher would start.