The end of the Singletera
Paul Montana, Cavalier Daily Senior Associate Editor

It has been a rough season for Virginia. High hopes of another trip to go dancing were slowly demolished in the cruelest of fashions as the Cavs consistently lost to conference foes by the smallest of margins. The uproar from Sean Singletary's return from the cusp of an NBA draft entrance became quieter with each loss, even as he put up heroic numbers while fighting the physical pain of a hip pointer and the emotional pain of a losing season. Plagued by injuries and devoid of confidence for most of the season, the triumphant return of Lars Mikalauskas only boosted the Cavaliers out of the cellar and into 10th place in the conference. Virginia and its fans were only left to wonder what could have been.

The ending, however, could not have been sweeter. The sold-out crowd at Sunday's season finale against Maryland, simultaneously eager and saddened at the prospect of Singletary's last game at JPJ, was treated to a breathtaking performance, and, in a much rarer occasion this season, a win.

The precision of Singletary's onslaught was stupefying; coach Dave Leitao called him a "one-man wrecking crew." He needed 25 points to become the fifth Cavalier to reach the milestone of 2,000; he scored 27. Always brilliant in transition, his array of deftly quick moves, timely passing and savvy ball-handling was better than ever. His final line: 27 points, eight assists and six rebounds. And, to top it off, with an 80-73 lead with 2:30 left on the clock and Maryland making one last effort to claw its way back, Singletary stole the show. He started with one of his typically dazzling, hanging layups after beating the field down court. After getting a quick, 24-second rest, he found a steal, tore down court once again and lofted a soft, underhand alley-oop pass that junior Mamadi Diane and Jamil Tucker simultaneously leaped for, with Diane taking the dunk and the credit.

"I wonder if I got two assists for that," Singletary joked.

Points 26 and 27, however, were the sweetest of all. With Virginia up 10 and just more than a minute left, Singletary once more found a loose ball and led the break. With Mikalauskas ahead of him and only Maryland's Bambale Osby to beat, Singletary gave a simple pass-fake that had Osby convinced he had dished to Mikalauskas, only to discover too late that Singletary had kept it for himself for a sweet finger roll to put the game away.

If there is one way fans should remember Singletary, it is the image of him faking a big man out of his shorts on his way to a graceful layup that brings the crowd to its feet. If he did intend exactly that with that shot, however, Singletary was too humble to admit it.

"I'll let you be the judge of that," he said.

Well, Sean, I will be the judge of that and more. If Sean is too shy, then I will eagerly say for him that he is the best Cavalier basketball player that I will ever lay eyes on in my time at Virginia.

I am also not shy of remarking on how impressive Singletary is off the court. It seems cliché to talk about what a great competitor he is, or how he was just as good a person as he was a basketball player. And, let me be clear, I will make no such claim. To say that I know Sean personally after being a member of the media would be short-sighted; knowing Sean in the press room is a great leap from knowing him on a personal level.

After speaking with Singletary in a one-on-one setting before the season, and in postgame interviews since, I do nevertheless feel compelled to offer my impression of Singletary the person in my limited relationship with him.

To date, he could not have impressed me more. He was always convinced that Virginia was going to make a run at the NCAA Tournament, and in fact, still is. He never had a bad word for his teammates. He never hinted in the slightest that, in hindsight, he would rather have entered the draft last June than suffer through a losing senior season. He never made excuses when he had the flu bug in December, the hip pointer in January and February or what I imagine is a wide assortment of other nicks and bruises obtained after getting knocked around game in and game out.

When a writer jokes with him, he jokes back. When someone thanks Sean for his time, he says, "No problem." To my journalistic dissatisfaction but personal delight, he never used the media to vent his frustration, but rather utilized it as one more mechanism to demonstrate his maturity as the leader of a struggling program.

Say what you will about compromising my journalistic integrity; if I get the chance, I will tell him all that. I will tell him that people don't know just how lucky they were to witness a player as exciting as him. I will tell him that his game is a joy to watch, from the perspective of a basketball aficionado and a competitor.

He'll probably just give a shy smile, and, say, "Thanks, I appreciate it." After being on the receiving end of countless compliments during his career from people of much greater stature, it probably won't mean much to him to hear that from a skinny little reporter like me.

Then again, maybe it will. It was Sean himself, after all, who reminded us to never underestimate the value of the little guy.

 

Defining Sean
Eric Strow

How does one really describe what Singletary means? Let's check the dictionary:

Singletary (v.) – to cross over, embarrass and drive past for a layup; to make a ridiculous shot (i.e. fading away from the basket or ducking under a defender while approaching the rim). Example: "Did you just see him Singletary that guy?" or "His ability to Singletary when the game is on the line is unmatched."

Singletary (adj.) – having superb ball-handling skill, 3-point shooting accuracy or the ability to put crowds in a frenzy. Example: "He's so smooth and Singletary out there on the court tonight!"

Singletary (n.) – fan favorite, All-American basketball player. Example: "That kid is the real deal, a true Singletary." Synonyms: 44.

While using Singletary as a verb or adjective may be a little farfetched for some, the people at Merriam-Webster should find some way to add this word to the dictionary, considering the way Number 44 has put his mark in the history books of Virginia basketball.

Since he arrived in 2004, when he was an ACC All-Freshmen Team selection, the Philadelphia native has been a menace for ACC opponents, and definitely a crowd pleaser. I'm just guessing here, but I would have to imagine that the 44 jersey has been the biggest seller at any of Virginia's merchandise retailers in quite some time.

As a sophomore, Singletary led the team in scoring, assists, steals, free-throw percentage and minutes played, en route to being a First-Team All-ACC selection. Last year, Singletary repeated that feat and was an honorable mention on the Associated Press All-America team. Again, he led the team in scoring, assists, steals, free-throw percentage and minutes played, and even added 3-point field goals made to the mix, just for fun.

This year, Singletary was on the preseason watch list for numerous awards and was a preseason All-American, but more importantly, he was chosen to be the team co-captain for the third consecutive season. In doing so, he became only the second player in the history of Virginia basketball to be a team captain three years in a row, an accomplishment that shows just how much he means to the program.

In his senior season, Singletary finished third in the ACC in points per game (19.9), second in assists per game (5.9), fifth in free-throw percentage (85.6 percent) and seventh in steals per game (1.79). Looking down the lists of ACC statistical leaders, few names appear as often as he does; yet, in the unquantifiable categories of "heart," "hustle," "toughness" and "grit," Singletary is sure to be alone at the top.

As a testament to not only his ability to put up jaw-dropping numbers but also to his mental fortitude, Singletary was named to the First-Team All-ACC team for a third consecutive season, joining former Cavaliers Ralph Sampson and Bryant Stith as the only three-time selections from Virginia.

His last home game was simply magical. Before Sunday night's game against Maryland, he was honored along with fellow seniors Adrian Joseph, Ryan Pettinella and Tunji Soroye, and his jersey was retired; during the game, he scored 27 points, including career point 2,000; and after the game, he was given a standing ovation by a crowd that hung around much later than usual, just to say goodbye to 44.

To put this in perspective, Singletary is one of just eight players to have his number or jersey retired. He is one of just five players to score 2,000 points in a Virginia uniform and is the first to do so since Bryant Stith became Virginia's all-time leading points scorer in 1992. And anyone who can get the Virginia crowd to either show up early or stay late -- well, that may be more impressive than anything else.

Singletary can still add to his legendary four years at Virginia by leading the Cavaliers to victory in the ACC Tournament and perhaps even more postseason play. While the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee might not be calling Virginia's name this year, the NIT or the CBI? (whatever that is) might request the presence of Singletary and Co. for a few more games.

But, regardless of what happens the rest of this season, I'd like to thank Singletary for four hard-fought and simply special years at Virginia, even if I only personally experienced two of them. He ushered in the JPJ era, led the Cavaliers to an NCAA Tournament appearance and brought us fans to many cheers.

 

Singletary named All-ACC
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
March 10, 2008

To be named to the All-ACC team just once is a special accomplishment for any basketball player.

But what about being a three-time selection?

Well, that’s just showing off.

On Monday, Virginia guard Sean Singletary pulled off the rough equivalent of a Dwight Howard behind-the-backboard dunk.

A day after an electrifying 27-point performance versus Maryland on Senior Night, Singletary was named to the All-ACC team for the third straight season. Virginia’s co-captain became just the third player in school history to do so, joining Ralph Sampson and Bryant Stith.

“It’s only fitting that at the end of a brilliant career, Sean be named first-team All-ACC for the third time,” said Virginia coach Dave Leitao in a press release. “That speaks not only to the success he’s had individually or the success the program has had, but most importantly the consistency of his performance. To be linked with Ralph Sampson and Bryant Stith is a tremendous honor that will live on in Virginia basketball lore.”

Singletary received 80 first-place votes. He was joined on the squad by the only unanimous selection, North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough (90 votes) and Boston College’s Tyrese Rice (82), Duke’s DeMarcus Nelson (74) and Miami’s Jack McClinton (37).

“He was a big part of this school and the history of Virginia basketball,” said Virginia junior Lars Mikalauskas, when asked to reflect on Singletary’s career. “He was a great player for four years and one of the top point guards we’ve ever had at Virginia.

“He’s a warrior. He always brings 100-percent effort and intensity. He played with the biggest heart that I’ve ever seen.”

This season, Singletary finished third in the ACC in scoring (19.9 points per game), second in assists (5.9), fifth in free-throw shooting (85.6 percent) and seventh in steals (1.79).

With the graduation of former backcourt-mate J.R. Reynolds, Singletary was forced to pick up much of the slack. As his assist total would attest - he increased it by more than one per game from the previous year - he became more of a playmaker.

Although Virginia finished 10th in the 12-team ACC, it wasn’t become of any Singletary shortcomings.

UVa suffered a slew of injuries to its big men and several players did not have the kinds of seasons that were expected of them.

“I think the thing that Singletary should get the most credit for is coming back to school this year because he would have been drafted in the first round [of the NBA Draft],” said Maryland coach Gary Williams, following his team’s loss to Virginia on Sunday. “I really believe that. It was a pretty mature move to come back.”

Williams and his fellow ACC coaches, no doubt, would have been delighted if Singletary had departed.

On Sunday, Singletary drove around Maryland defenders as if they were cones. Last Wednesday, the 6-foot dynamo single-handedly forced Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski - long renowned for his aggressive man-to-man defense - to play zone.

“He’s so good,” said Krzyzewski, who knows a thing or two about good ballers, having coached the latest installment of the Dream Team at the World Championships last summer. “He’s so fast.

“He has incredible speed and [is] daring. When you have speed, daring and talent, you end up being one of [three] players to do what the hell he’s done with all those stats.”

Krzyzewski was referring to the select group - Singletary, Johnny Dawkins and Danny Ferry - who have amassed 2,000 points, 500 assists and 400 rebounds in their careers.

“He’s in that company,” Krzyzewski said. “He’s damn good. He’s going to be playing for a long time.”

A three-time team co-captain, Singletary ranks in the top 10 in Virginia men’s basketball history in six different career categories. On Sunday, he became the fifth UVa player to score 2,000 career points.

He ranks second in steals (192), third in assists (556), fourth in three-point field goals made (216), fourth in free throws made (550), fifth in scoring (2,002 points) and ninth in field goals made (618).

 

Cavs prepare for Jackets...again
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com
March 11, 2008

Scattershooting around the ACC, while figuring that Virginia can’t be too upset at drawing Georgia Tech in the opening round of this week’s tournament ...

Both of the Cavaliers’ games with the Yellow Jackets have been thriller-dillers this season. Tech beat UVa in overtime in the first meeting in Charlottesville, then the Cavs nipped the Jackets on a last-seconds jumper by reserve guard Calvin Baker in Atlanta last week.

Oddly enough, this will be the fourth time that coaches Dave Leitao of Virginia and Paul Hewitt of Georgia Tech have prepared for one another this season. UVa’s rematch at Tech was scheduled for Feb. 21, but was postponed due to a leaky roof in Alexander Memorial Coliseum.

The Cavs made a second trip to Atlanta on March 3 and got the road win.

“It’s funny,” Leitao said of getting ready for Georgia Tech once again. “We’ve had three walk throughs, had three chalk talks, and pre-game talks three times.

“We have a high familiarity with their personality, their style, the plays that they run,” Leitao said. “That means when the ball goes up, those other intangibles that help teams win or not win become important.”

The UVa coach said he noticed in the second meeting that the Jackets turned up the heat on defense and came after the Cavs with defensive pressure for almost the entire 40 minutes, something that Leitao would probably welcome should Tech choose that strategy again on Thursday night in Charlotte.

“It has been difficult [for opponents] to press Sean [Singletary, UVa’s point guard] like that,” Leitao said. “But we have to prepare for it just in case.”

Hewitt joked about the fourth preparation by noting: “We know them well, let’s put it that way.”

The Tech coach said the biggest difference between the Cavaliers in the two meetings was junior center Lars Mikalauskas.

“He makes a difference,” Hewitt said of the UVa center. “If he’s healthy the whole year, [Virginia] is probably looking at a whole different year.”

Mikalauskas (see Stat of the Week below) missed 13 games with a shoulder injury during one stretch of the season.

Greenberg again?

There wasn’t much suspense to the All-ACC team announced Monday, and there won’t be any for the league’s player of the year honors, which will go to North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough by a landslide.

However, the coach of the year voting could be interesting. Most seem be favor Virginia Tech’s Seth Greenberg, who won the honor three seasons ago. Some lean toward Roy Williams for compiling a 29-2, 14-2 record and a No. 1 national ranking despite losing his top two point guards.

There could be a few votes for Miami’s Frank Haith or Wake Forest’s Dino Gaudio, but generally it’s a Greenberg/Williams horse race. Williams won it two years ago.

Asked about being picked 10th in the ACC media preseason poll and finishing fourth, Greenberg said he didn’t get caught up in all that stuff.

“You’ve got to pick someone ninth, 10th, 11th, and 12th,” he said. “You can’t spend time worrying about those things. Why waste time on that stuff? Hey, all the magazines picked us 11th or 12th, so the media guys were a little kinder to us.”

Expansion?

Maryland coach Gary Williams said he is strongly in favor of expanding the NCAA Tournament field of 65 to include more teams.

This columnist agrees with Williams. Personally, I think the NIT and the new CBI (what a ridiculous idea ... one of our favorite ushers at JPJ tagged it the ‘Can’t Believe It’ tournament, and he’s right) should be junked in favor of expanding the NCAA field. There’s 340 Division I-A teams and there’s more quality basketball being played out there than ever before, so it’s time to add teams.

“I’ve been through 16 [NCAA teams in the tournament] to 32, to 48 with a play-in game, to 64, then 65,” Williams said. “Each time they expanded there wasn’t enough spots. I think we’ve reached another point in basketball where there’s more teams that deserve to get in. It’s not right to keep them out because there’s not enough spots. If we’ve expanded it previously, then why not expand it now where there’s a need for expansion.”

Hear, hear.

Quote of the week

Virginia’s Sean Singletary on Sunday night after he lobbed an alley-oop pass toward teammates Jamil Tucker and Mamadi Diane, who both seemingly caught it before Diane ripped the ball from Tucker and slammed it for a dunk in the win over Maryland:

“Does that mean I get two assists?” Singletary said with a wide smile.

Stat of the week

Since the big Lithuanian, Lars Mikalauskas, has rejoined Virginia’s team, the Cavs are 4-3 after going 4-9 during the 13 games he missed. Over the last four games, Mikalauskas is averaging 13 points and seven rebounds.

Oh, what might have been…

No more Mr. Nice Guy

Duke guard Greg Paulus can’t figure out what he’s done wrong, but has apparently inherited a role from former teammate J.J. Redick as the ACC’s most detestable player.

Fans have been on his case all season long, some irritated by his style of play, which includes what critics would classify as an unusually high amount of “flops.”

When he tried to draw a charge from rival Danny Green in the loss to North Carolina on Saturday night, and didn’t get the call even though he hit the floor when Green dunked the ball on him, it drew a comment from the Tar Heel, who said that he was sure people enjoyed the play because of their distaste for Paulus’ tactics.

“I’m not really sure what has caused all this,” Paulus said. “I just try to play hard and make a few plays out there.”

Former Hoos

Two former UVa basketball coaches are in the news. Former player and head coach Jeff Jones has coached American University into the Patriot League championship game later this week, and a win would send the Eagles to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.

Meanwhile, former Pete Gillen assistant Tom Herrion could be in the mix for the vacated JMU head coaching job. Herrion is now the lead assistant at Pittsburgh in the Big East and would be a good fit for the Dukes.

He knows the state of Virginia for recruiting purposes and has head coaching experience, having led the College of Charleston to an 80-38 record in four seasons from 2000-06. His Cougars made an NIT appearance and earned a national Top 25 ranking as well as captured the Great Alaska Shootout title.

Free throws ...

...This is shaping up to be an entire season that Maryland will not be ranked a single time, which hasn’t happened since 1992-93, the year before Joe Smith arrived and began an 11-season run of NCAA Tournament bids. ...Clemson coach Oliver Purnell said his Tigers wouldn’t know what to do if one of their starters weren’t injured going into the ACC Tournament (Cliff Hammonds has an injury on his shooting hand). “We’ve gone through a high ankle sprain, a sprained hip, two broken hand/wrist deals, two arthroscopic knees, and even a sty in the eye had to be taped open,” Purnell chuckled Monday.

A Long list

Virginia’s All-American defensive end Chris Long added yet another award to his trophy case when he was presented the Norfolk Sports Club Jamboree’s Gen. Douglas MacArthur Memorial Trophy for the best college athlete in the country who hails from a Virginia high school.

Long, always a class act, brought along John Blake, his high school coach at St. Anne’s-Belfield, as his presenter.

“He’s my guy,” Long said of Blake. “I thought it would be nice for him. He’s as responsible as anyone for my success.”

Reports are that Blake teared up when it was time to present the trophy to his former star.

Pruett on the move

New UVa defensive coordinator Bob Pruett represented the Cavaliers at the Norfolk club’s 63rd annual event.

Apparently it was the first of many trips the former Marshall University head coach will be making to the Hampton Roads area, the so-called, talent-rich, area that is referred to in football recruiting circles as “the 757.” Pruett said he is the Cavaliers’ lead recruiter in that area of the state.

Pruett, who came out of a three-year retirement to coach for UVa, has hit the ground running.

“I was kidding that my boat’s full and I’m bailing with a teacup,” the 64-year-old veteran coach deadpanned. “I’m trying to catch up and get going.”

Charlottesville Sports Reporters

If you can’t get enough local sports and you’d enjoy a high-quality TV show to view on your computer, then check out “Charlottesville Sports Reporters” on our web site (a new show will be webcast later this evening) at www.dailyprogress.com. Click on sports and look for the screen on the right-hand side of the page.

It’s chock-full of in-depth discussion and opinion about local sports, including Virginia, Virginia Tech, the ACC, local high schools and more.

 

For Singletary, three-peat award
Hansbrough joins U.Va. guard in making first-unit all-ACC three years in row
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 - 12:07 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

For the third straight season, the all-ACC first team for men's basketball includes North Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough and Virginia guard Sean Singletary.

They've joined an elite group. In ACC history, only 25 players have made the first team three times, including such luminaries as Tim Duncan, Ralph Sampson, Phil Ford, David Thompson, Charlie Scott and Billy Cunningham. Three represent U.Va. -- Sampson, Bryant Stith and, now, Singletary.

"That speaks not only to the success he's had individually or the success the program has had," Virginia coach Dave Leitao said in a release, "but most importantly the consistency of his performance."

Ninety ballots were cast by members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. Players received three points for a first-team vote, two points for a second-team vote and one point for a third-team vote.

Hansbrough, a 6-9 junior, was the only unanimous first-team choice. The second-leading vote-getter was Boston College guard Tyrese Rice, a junior who starred at L.C. Bird High. Singletary, a 6-0 senior from Philadelphia, was third.

Rounding out the first team are Duke senior DeMarcus Nelson and Miami junior Jack McLinton, who moves up from last year's third team. Nelson, a 6-4 guard, was the leading vote-getter for the ACC's all-defensive team.

The all-ACC second team includes Virginia Tech's A.D. Vassallo. A junior swingman, Vassallo led the Hokies, who were picked to finish 10th, to a No. 4 seed in the ACC tournament, which begins Thursday in Charlotte, N.C. Virginia Tech senior Deron Washington received all-ACC honorable mention.

Another Hokie, Jeff Allen, was named to the ACC's all-freshman team, which includes unaminous selections Kyle Singler (Duke), James Johnson (Wake Forest) and J.J. Hickson (N.C. State). Singler and Johnson also made the all-ACC third team.

Allen and Washington were honorable-mention picks for the all-defensive team.

 

U.VA. NOTES
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 - 12:07 AM

More honors await Singletary this year
The ceremony held Sunday night at John Paul Jones Arena isn't likely to be the last one there involving Sean Singletary.

Singletary became the second basketball player from U.Va. to have his jersey "retired," and his name is now next to Curtis Staples' on a banner in the JPJ.

Only six players have had their numbers retired at Virginia -- Jeff Lamp (3), Buzzy Wilkinson (14), Bryant Stith (20), Barry Parkhill (40), Wally Walker (41) and Ralph Sampson (50) -- but Singletary may join that group after he graduates, Athletic Director Craig Littlepage indicated yesterday.

The 6-0 guard from Philadelphia yesterday was named to the all-ACC first team for a third time, and he is on schedule to earn his bachelor's degree in May.

Singletary, one of five players in school history to score 2,000 career points (2,002), stands 38th on the ACC's all-time list after passing six players Sunday night. In the regular-season finale, he scored 27 points and added eight assists in a 91-76 romp over Maryland.

His most memorable pass came after he stole the ball late in the game. On the break, Singletary tossed the ball toward the rim, and teammates Mamadi Diane and Jamil Tucker leaped for it. Diane outjumped Tucker, grabbed the ball and dunked.

"I'm wondering if I got two assists for that," Singletary said.

Mikalauskas healthy and helping Cavs win
Virginia (5-11, 15-14) won four of its final six regular-season games, in part because of Laurynas Mikalauskas' inspired play after his return from a shoulder injury. Of the 13 games that the 6-8, 246-pound junior missed, U.Va. won only four, and those victims included Hampton, Elon and Hartford.

Maryland coach Gary Williams praised the passing of Mikalauskas, who tied his career high with three assists Sunday night. Singletary had kind words for the popular Lithuanian, too.

"He can't jump over a sheet of paper, but he's really smart, and he makes the right play 90 percent of the time," Singletary said, smiling. "That losing streak we went on, we were missing something, and I think it was definitely Lars' energy and his intelligence."

Recruit earns MVP, leads N.Y. team to title
U.Va. recruit Sylven Landesberg capped a storybook senior season Sunday in the Bronx, N.Y. Landesberg, a 6-5 guard from Queens, scored 24 points to lead Holy Cross High to a 56-48 victory over Christ the King in New York's Catholic High Schools' Athletic Association AA championship game.

The title was Holy Cross' first since 1968, and Landesberg was named the tournament MVP. He was selected as a McDonald's All-American last month and repeated as CHSAA player of the year.

Landesberg was one of three players who signed with Virginia in November. Underclassmen in Virginia who interest the Cavaliers include two members of the all-Central Region first team: Cadarian Raines and Travis McKie. Raines is a 6-8 junior at Petersburg High School; McKie, a 6-6 sophomore at John Marshall High School.

Former player finds success with UMass
After leaving U.Va., Derrick Byars became a basketball star at Vanderbilt. Another former Cavalier, Gary Forbes, has had similar success at Massachusetts.

Forbes, a 6-7 swingman, yesterday was named the Atlantic 10 player of the year. The fifth-year senior from Brooklyn, N.Y., is averaging 20.3 points and 7.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists for UMass (21-9).

At U.Va., Forbes played for coach Pete Gillen in 2003-04 and 2004-05. Forbes started 17 games as a freshman, when he averaged 7.6 points. He started only four games as a sophomore but raised his scoring average to 9.4.

Forbes never played at Virginia for Dave Leitao, who succeeded Gillen after the'04-05 season. In September 2005, Forbes was ruled academically ineligible at U.Va. Rather than sit out a year on suspension and try to re-enroll at Virginia in 2006, he opted to transfer to UMass, where he sat out the 2005-06 season. -- Jeff White

 

Thrice as nice
Virginia's Sean Singletary and Tech's A.D. Vassallo earn All-ACC honors.
By Doug Doughty and Mark Berman

Virginia senior Sean Singletary entered select company Monday when he was named to the All-ACC men's basketball first team for the third time.

Singletary and North Carolina junior Tyler Hansbrough became the 24th and 25th players in ACC history to be so recognized. Maryland's Juan Dixon, in 2002, had been the most recent.

Hansbrough became the first three-time unanimous selection, receiving first-team votes from all 90 voters in the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.

Virginia Tech junior guard A.D. Vassallo was named to the All-ACC second team, with senior forward Deron Washington earning honorable mention. Tech's Jeff Allen made the ACC all-freshman team. Both Washington and Allen received honorable mention for the ACC all-defensive team.

Hansbrough had 270 points in the All-ACC balloting, followed by Boston College junior Tyrese Rice with 261 and Singletary with 257. Duke senior DeMarcus Nelson and Miami junior Jack McClinton rounded out the first team.

Singletary joined Ralph Sampson (1981-83) and Bryant Stith (1990-92) as the only Virginia players to make first-team All-ACC three times.

Singletary is the only Virginia player to be named to the All-ACC first team in the last 16 years.

"It's only fitting that, at the end of a brilliant career, Sean be named first-team All-ACC for the third time," UVa coach Dave Leitao said. "That speaks not only to the success he's had individually or the success the program has had, but, most importantly, the consistency of his performance.

"To be linked with Ralph Sampson and Bryant Stith is a tremendous honor that will live on in Virginia basketball lore."

Singletary was the only player from Virginia (15-14, 5-11) to be recognized when the ACC announced the postseason awards Monday.

Vassallo has been a big reason the Hokies (18-12, 9-7) finished in fourth place in the ACC. He ranks sixth in the ACC in scoring at 16.6 points per game, up from 11.1 last season. He is tied for fourth in the league with an average of 2.4 3-pointers per game. He also averages 4.8 rebounds.

"His game has really grown," Tech coach Seth Greenberg said. "I'm really proud of his development. He came in as a shooter. He is a basketball player now.

"He rebounds. He can make plays going at the rim. He can make plays off the dribble for others. He competes hard defensively. ... He can get to the basket -- people don't understand how strong he is. And his rebounding is not as appreciated. He's really rebounding the ball."

Vassallo comfortably made second-team All-ACC as the ninth-leading vote-getter overall.

Allen received 82 votes for the all-freshman team, on which Duke's Kyle Singler, Wake Forest's James Johnson and North Carolina State's J.J. Hickson were unanimous selections by the 89 people who voted for that team. Wake's Jeff Teague had 69 votes.

Allen had 11 points and 12 rebounds in Sunday's loss at Clemson, his ninth double-double of the season. He averages 12.4 points and ranks fifth in the ACC in rebounding (7.8 rpg).

Although Allen is a power forward, he ranks second in the conference with an average of 2.1 steals.

"He's got long arms and good anticipation," Greenberg said. "He's got quick hands. I think he's got a feel for [steals]. He's always poking it away."

Washington is averaging 12.7 points and 6.5 rebounds. He is only the third player in Tech history with at least 1,300 points, 600 rebounds, 100 blocks and 100 steals in his career, joining Bobby Beecher and Bryant Matthews.

Balloting did not end until 8 a.m. Monday, but many of the votes had been cast before UVa took the floor for a 7:30 p.m. game with Maryland.

It was Singletary's final home game and he did not disappoint, finishing with 27 points, eight assists and six rebounds in a 91-76 UVa victory.

His next-to-last basket gave him 2,000 points in his career, putting him in a class with Danny Ferry and Johnny Dawkins as the only players in ACC history with at least 2,000 points, 500 assists and 400 rebounds.

He also scored in double figures for the 51st straight game.

Singletary's final basket of the game gave him 2,002 points in his career, one more than Hansbrough, who had topped the 2,000-point mark one night earlier.
 

Singletary All-ACC for a third time
Tech's A.D. Vassallo named to the second team and the Hokies' Deron Washington is on the third team.
BY MELINDA WALDROP | 247-4634
5:33 PM EDT, March 10, 2008
 

Virginia senior guard Sean Singletary was selected to the all-ACC first team for the third straight time on Monday, joining Ralph Sampson and Bryant Stith as three-time all-conference Cavalier honorees.

Singletary and North Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough, the third player in ACC history to be voted to the team unanimously three times, are the 24th and 25th three-time first-team picks in league history and the first since Maryland's Juan Dixon in 2002. N.C. State's David Thompson (1973-75) and Duke's Art Heyman (1961-63) are the only other three-time unanimous selections.

Also on the first team were Boston College's Tyrese Rice, Duke's DeMarcus Nelson and Miami's Jack McClinton. Rice is second in the ACC with 21.3 points per game, while Singletary is third with 19.9 and second with 5.9 assists. Hansbrough leads the league with 23.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

Virginia Tech's A.D. Vassallo, sixth in the conference with 16.6 points per game, was named second-team all-ACC, along with Maryland's Greivis Vasquez and James Gist, North Carolina's Wayne Ellington and Clemson's K.C. Rivers.

The Hokies' Deron Washington made the third team and teammate Jeff Allen is on the all-freshman team. Washington and Allen also are on the honorable mention all-defensive team.

In Virginia's 91-76 win against Maryland on Sunday, Singletary scored 27 points, earning ACC player of the week honors for the second time this season. But even after having his No. 44 jersey retired at John Paul Jones Arena and scoring his 2,000th career point, his focus was on Virginia's next game, against Georgia Tech on Thursday in the first round of the ACC tournament in Charlotte, N.C.

"It felt good, in that this is the game that's gonna set us up for the ACC tournament," Singletary said. "I wasn't considering that this was my last game (at home). I just wanted to go out there and have fun." Singletary now has 2,002 career points, 38th on the all-time ACC scoring list, and has scored in double digits in 51 straight games, best among active conference players.

Singletary is one of just five players in league history to have 1,500 points, 5000 assists and 400 rebounds in a career. He's a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award, given to the nation's top point guard, and on the midseason list for the Wooden Award and the Naismith Trophy.

"It's only fitting that at the end of a brilliant career, Sean be named first-team all-ACC for the third time," Virginia coach Dave Leitao said in a release. " ... To be linked with Ralph Sampson and Bryant Stith is a tremendous honor that will live on in Virginia basketball lore."

Singletary is the fifth Cavalier to score 2,000 career points and ranks in the top 10 in six career categories. He's second in steals with 192, third in assists with 556 and fourth in both 3-point field goals made (216) and free throws made (550). He's fifth in scoring and ninth in field goals made (618).

 

ACC Roundup: Empty lockers, family ties and position changes
By Heather Dinich
ESPN.com
Updated: March 10, 2008, 3:37 PM ET

Out Of PracticeThere's no shortage of drama in Charlottesville, Va., and spring practices haven't even begun. When the Cavaliers finally do start practice on March 21, a significant number of lockers will be empty.

Four players -- including starting quarterback Jameel Sewell, cornerback Chris Cook, linebacker Darnell Carter, and wide receiver Chris Dalton -- are in academic trouble and are not currently enrolled in the spring semester. Defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald, who was the Cavaliers' best hope at filling the crater left by All-American Chris Long, is also no longer in school. Patrick Kane, Fitzgerald's coach at Hermitage High School, said Fitzgerald is transferring for personal reasons. And junior defensive back Mike Brown is facing criminal charges.

"We're hoping that if [Sewell] does everything he needs to do, they'll let him come back next semester, but that's a UVA deal," said Kane, who also coached Sewell. "In the past, their policy has been two semesters."

Brown's future remains uncertain, too.

According to Lt. Melissa Fielding of the University of Virginia oolice department, Brown was charged with one count each of grand larceny, possession of stolen property with intent to sell, altering serial numbers and possession of marijuana. On Feb. 6, police responded to a call from the Central Grounds Parking Garage, where the victim reported four items worth more than $3,400 stolen from his vehicle.

Virginia coach Al Groh, who was on the road last week, has declined to address the media until his spring practice press conference later this month, but did issue this statement about Brown through assistant director for media relations Jim Daves:

"We take allegations of this nature very seriously," Groh said. "At this time we are currently gathering the facts. In view of the nature of the allegation, Mike Brown is not participating with the program at this time."

Here's a breakdown of who will be missing and possible candidates to replace them:

Out: QB Jameel Sewell: Threw for 2,176 yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2007. Completed 58.8 percent of his passes and started all 13 games.
IN? Peter Lalich: Played in eight games as a true freshman in 2007 and threw the ball just 61 times. Threw for 321 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Marc Verica or Scott Deke could also earn time.

Out: Cornerback Chris Cook: The senior played in nine games last season, had one interception and six passes defended.
In? Ras-I Dowling started several games while Cook was hurt, as did Mike Parker (four pass breakups, two fumble recoveries). As a true freshman last season, Dowling played in 12 games, had nine pass breakups and two interceptions.

Out: Linebacker Darnell Carter: A backup to leading tackler Jon Copper, earned just one tackle in six games.
In? Copper returns.

Out: WR Chris Dalton: Did not play last season.
In? All of the receivers are back, including Kevin Ogletree, Virginia's leading receiver in 2006 who missed last season with a torn ACL. Dalton's status would have remained the same this season unless he made huge improvements.

Out: Defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald: The No. 4 tackler on the team, with 73 total tackles, including 11½ for loss and seven sacks. Will be sorely missed, especially with the departure of All-American Chris Long.
In? Alex Field and Sean Gottschalk both played sparingly last season. Field finished with 11 tackles and 1½ sacks. Gottschalk had four tackles in nine games.

Out: Cornerback Mike Brown: Redshirted in 2007 after suffering a season-ending knee injury.
In? Losing Brown and Cook hurt the depth in the secondary, but Vic Hall, Parker and Dowling have some experience. Trey Womack might also get a chance to play a more significant role.

 

A time to look within for UVa
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
March 11, 2008

In football, it would be considered a self-scouting period.

Without the aid of a completed NCAA Tournament bracket, Virginia women’s basketball coach Debbie Ryan will welcome her players back into practice today to take an internal look.

And after Saturday’s 15-point loss to top-seeded North Carolina, the eventual ACC Tournament champion, Ryan knew there were areas of concern.

The coach pointed towards her team’s 26 turnovers - some of which were unforced - and the failure to keep UNC’s powerful post players away from offensive rebounds.

Even still, the Hall of Fame coach knew she needed to give her squad some time away from organized team activities as Spring Break for the school’s general student population came to an end.

“We have things to work on,” Ryan said. “We will have to get their legs back and then do the things that we have to do, but you have to give them some time away and then you bring them back.

“Then you give them some more time away and bring them back.”

Such is life in the world of women’s basketball with nothing more than projected pairings for the NCAA Tournament to base scouting upon.

While a pool of potential teams can be determined, nothing will be official until the tournament selection show airs next Monday at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

Thanks to an impressive RPI, Ryan can sleep easier - the 24th-ranked Cavaliers are considered a lock to land one of the 33 at-large bids up for grabs, and the most common placement amongst analysts centers upon a No. 6 seed.

Virginia (23-9) was paired against 11th-seeded Auburn in an opening-round contest in Stanford, Cal., in the latest projection released by ESPN, and collegerpi.com pitted the Cavaliers against 11th-seeded in-state rival James Madison in Fairfield, Conn.

Two other possible destinations - College Park, Md., and Norfolk - should be intriguing to the team’s fan base. UVa could be shipped to Albuquerque, N.M., Baton Rouge, La., Des Moines, Iowa, or West Lafayette, Ind.

Regardless, the Cavaliers should avoid an opening weekend offering anything quite as challenging (UNC) or as physical (Georgia Tech) as they experienced in the ACC Tournament.

“We all know that and Coach reminded us of that after the game,” said Virginia guard Monica Wright. “It is not going to be like that starting off in the tournament.”

Ryan added: “There is nobody in the country that is as physical as those two teams.”

Inside the rotation

Throughout the season, Ryan employed different playing rotations to counter an opponent’s strengths.

That was obviously the case at the league tournament.

Kelly Hartig, a freshman forward, played 13 minutes against North Carolina while junior forward Abby Robertson failed to play.

“It was really based on who we played,” Ryan said. “In a game like this you need long and lean and somebody who can move. Abby is going to give you some muscle in there, but she doesn’t really rebound the ball.

“I needed somebody who could rebound and Kelly gives you a few rebounds in there. She tips the ball a little bit, she is long and she has gotten better at some things since she got stable and understands the program a little better.”

Hartig did not attempt a shot offensively, but grabbed three rebounds, including one on the offensive end, and had a steal.

“She made some great plays,” Ryan said. “She came after it. She knew that was what we needed, she boxed out, she rebounded and that’s really what I needed in that stretch she was in.”

Inside the attendance

With an average of 3,439 fans per game at John Paul Jones Arena, Virginia finished the regular season ranked fourth in the ACC.

The Cavaliers were ranked 35th in the country, just ahead of Old Dominion.

In terms of attendance, Virginia trails No. 8 Maryland (7,926 per game), No. 11 Duke (6,750) and No. 21 UNC (5,143) among league opponents.

Tennessee was tops in the country, averaging 15,796 fans per home game.