UVa hoping for miracle run
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
March 13, 2008

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - On Wednesday afternoon, at around 3:13 p.m., Virginia guard Sean Singletary admitted he had thought about the thing that UVa fans have been dreading almost since the day he stepped foot on campus - his last college game.

“It’s in the back of my mind,” said Singletary, following Virginia’s ACC Tournament practice at Charlotte Bobcats Arena, “but I’m just interested in winning and keeping my career alive.

“I’ve told everybody since we got here that we want to go out and try and win this thing. We’ve played each of these teams close and competed with all of them. We feel like we can come out and win it.”

As optimistic as Singletary is, a more plausible scenario - given the season Virginia has had - would be to beat seventh-seeded Georgia Tech in its first round tilt today, then try and pull off a miracle against Duke (or at least be competitive) in hopes of garnering an NIT bid.

Tenth-seeded Virginia (15-14,

5-11) split two regular-season meetings with the Yellow Jackets, losing the first at home, then won in Atlanta 10 days ago thanks to a

3-pointer by Calvin Baker in the final seconds. That game was a make-up of a Feb. 21 contest that had been postponed due to a leaky roof at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.

In essence, Virginia will have prepared for the Yellow Jackets four times by tonight’s tip-off.

“We’ve gone over their offensive sets and what they like to do so many times,” said junior Mamadi Diane. “That’s an advantage in that way.

“They’re a good team that has lost a lot of close games like us, so it’s going to be a good matchup.”

Two players Virginia will have to do a good job of defending are guard Matt Causey and forward Zack Peacock.

On Jan. 27, Causey engineered an overtime victory, outplaying Singletary for much of the contest. The Yellow Jackets senior scored 12 of his 18 points in the extra session.

Singletary said he doesn’t feel as if he has anything to prove against Causey, who didn’t play in the second game against Virginia because of a concussion he had previously sustained.

“It’s more of a team thing,” said Singletary, who is coming of a 27-point, eight-assist effort over Maryland. “If I get my team going, we’ll be in better shape. He’s a good player and a veteran, but I haven’t really thought about the personal matchup.”

Virginia coach Dave Leitao, whose team has won four of its last six, is a believer in the notion that good defensive teams don’t allow opposing players to knock down desperation shots as the shot or game clock is about to expire - something Causey did on multiple occasions in the January meeting. It’s a surefire sign that the opposition feels too comfortable, Leitao says.

“[Causey] obviously gives them a really good dimension with his intelligence and aggressiveness,” Leitao said.

Peacock, meanwhile, has really come on of late. The sophomore has averaged 17.6 points and 5.1 rebounds in his last three games.

“He’s a fierce competitor and can play on the perimeter which is kind of unique,” said Virginia senior Ryan Pettinella. “It’s tough for a 5 or a 4-man to guard him. He’s a really dynamic player.”

Leitao, who says his team’s transition defense will also be a big key for his team, believes Peacock is too perimeter-minded for a 5-man like Pettinella or Lars Mikalauskas to guard. Therefore, Mike Scott, Jamil Tucker and Adrian Joseph will likely draw the assignment.

“If you look at him, you wouldn’t be able to think he could shoot,” said Singletary, when asked about the 6-foot-8, 235-pound Peacock. “Sometimes we lose him in the mix, so we’ll definitely have to get on him and contest his shot.”

On the offensive end, Virginia will look to build on its Senior Night performance - a game in which six players scored in double figures.

Diane, who had 12 points and five rebounds versus the Terrapins, echoed Singletary’s sentiments about making a run in the tournament.

“It’s a different type of basketball because it’s almost like a new season,” Diane said. “Everyone has new hopes all over again. Any team can beat any team more than ever right now.”

 

Cavs carry momentum into ACC's first round
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
March 13, 2008

CHARLOTTE -

The night of Feb. 7 represented somewhat of a sea change in Virginia’s basketball season.

Coach Dave Leitao’s expression was blank when he entered the media room after he had watched the Cavaliers completely unravel in a home loss to Clemson. It wasn’t really the loss, but rather how his team lost.

The visiting Tigers had used a 22-3 run to roll up a 36-14 lead 15 minutes into the first half, then extended their lead to 38 points (79-41) late in the second before closing out a 31-point victory, 82-51.

UVa’s loss was the fifth straight in the midst of a seven-game losing streak as the Cavs finished the halfway point of the ACC season at 1-7.

Even if his team hadn’t hit rock bottom, Leitao certainly didn’t want to dig any deeper.

A better second half

While the Cavaliers wouldn’t be mistaken for a Top 10 team, the bunch that Leitao watched practice on Wednesday at Charlotte Bobcats Arena for tonight’s matchup against Georgia Tech in the opening round of the ACC Tournament didn’t resemble the same team that was pounded by Clemson five weeks ago.

Virginia has won four of six games since that seven-game skid, and one of those two losses was a two-point defeat at Miami when the Cavs scored 93 and still lost.

The Cavs have become somewhat dangerous since then, having beaten Boston College and Georgia Tech on the road, and having exploded in the second half against Maryland four days ago. Even during the losing streak, the Cavs found a way to bounce back and scare the daylights out of visiting North Carolina, dropping yet another two-point game (they lost seven times by two points or less, or in overtime).

Showing some potential

Perhaps that’s the only reason the fiery Leitao hasn’t gone completely off the deep end. The team had already pushed the envelope on his patience, which caused him to lock them out of their locker room, take away their Virginia practice jerseys and cancel other privileges in order to get their attention.

“Each day that you get back on the court, regardless if it was a good or bad day that you had previous to that, as a staff you have to figure out a way to keep the team motivated whether it’s good or not so good,” Leitao said. “I think we tried our best to do that. Most of the credit goes to the guys because all year long they have been able to bounce back and come to practice every day and practice hard regardless of the circumstances.”

Because his team kept that attitude, Leitao is proud. The losing has been frustrating, but that attitude

has kept the program afloat during its darkest days of the campaign.

“I would be more frustrated if I had to try to motivate them to work hard or play hard,” the UVa coach said. “That happens to a lot of teams that have accumulated the number of losses that we have.”

Maybe that Clemson game had to happen in order for this team to experience some type of awakening.

“What happened in the Clemson game is that we lost the ability to compete,” Leitao said. “Reminding ourseles of that was important and I think that is what helped us after that game. Because there were so many close losses during that [losing] stretch, we still had enough optimism that if we kept playing hard, hopefully things would turn around.”

Heading into tonight’s game, Leitao’s biggest concern about playing the Yellow Jackets is a familiar one: defense.

Georgia Tech has been one of the ACC’s highest scoring teams all season, while Virginia has been one of the league’s worst defensive teams. So, transition defense and overall defense is the big worry. The Cavs got Tech a little out of sync, a little off balanced in Atlanta last week, but duplicating that effort won’t be easy.

Defense has been the burr in Leitao’s saddle all season long. There hasn’t been a loss without him pointing the finger toward poor defense as the culprit. Still, he believed the team would come around in that way, just as every team he has been associated with, that eventually they would “get it.”

Well, this one hasn’t and the Ides of March are almost upon us.

“I don’t say confidently that we’re anywhere close to the ability to trust each other that we’re there defensively,” Leitao said on the tournament’s eve. “Even in the Maryland game there were a lot of instances where they were getting high percentage points in the paint.

“It’s a mindset we have not grabbed control over like we have in previous years, and so it’s something that continues to be a work in progress, even at this late date,” he explained.

The return of center Lars Mikalauskas has infused some energy, communication and enthusiasm into Virginia’s defensive effort, but in order to make some noise in this tournament, that energy will have to spread through the ranks.

Virginia is now playing the way many of its followers expected it to at the beginning of the season when everyone believed it was an NCAA bubble team. But not Leitao.

“A little bit, but not completely,” the coach said. “A guy like Will Harris, that we haven’t talked about all year long because of his (back) injury ... how would he fit? The ability to have (freshman backup point guard) Sammy Zeglinski in there for the year ...

“I think we would look a little differently and we’d be a little faster and maybe have created more open shots,” Leitao said. “So, we’re still not the team I had envisioned back in September, but we’re obviously closer to that than we were a month ago. We’ll take that as a step and go from there.”

One big step would be a win over the Yellow Jackets tonight.

 

Close encounter?
Surging Cavs, Jackets expect another tight game tonight
Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 - 12:07 AM Updated: 02:01 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Virginia, meet Georgia Tech.

Georgia Tech, meet Virginia.

Yet again.

In the post-expansion era of ACC men's basketball, some conference foes play each other only once during the regular season. When Virginia and Georgia Tech take the court for warmups tonight at Charlotte Bobcats Arena -- home of the 55th annual ACC tournament -- it will mark the fourth time they've prepared to face each other this season.

Their Feb. 21 game in Atlanta was rained out, thanks to a leaky roof that was discovered during warmups, and eventually rescheduled for March 3. The seventh-seeded Yellow Jackets (14-16) face the 10th-seeded Cavaliers (15-14) in a first-round game tonight at 7 o'clock.

"We know 'em well, let's put it that way," Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt said with a laugh.

"If anything, it makes it a little easier on our kids, because it's not like we're playing a team we haven't seen since the first or second game of the year. At the same time, they'll be very familiar with us."

The Jackets won 92-82 in overtime at John Paul Jones Arena on Jan. 27. When the rematch finally was played, U.Va. rallied to win 76-74 at Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Sophomore guard Calvin Baker's 3-pointer with 4.2 seconds left proved to be the winner.

"I expect it to be a one-possession game again at the end this time," Hewitt said.

That wouldn't surprise Virginia coach Dave Leitao. Given the way the first two games went, Leitao said, his team's "margin of success or margin of error is very slim. As much as we can say we're playing with more energy and more intensity and those kind of things, Georgia Tech can say the same thing."

The Jackets won three of their final four regular-season games. The Wahoos won four of their final six. Not coincidentally, those victories came after Laurynas Mikalauskas returned from a shoulder injury. The 6-8, 246-pound junior hasn't supplanted senior Ryan Pettinella in the starting lineup, but Mikalauskas has been by far the more productive of the two.

The Lithuania native has scored at least 10 points in each of Virginia's past four games and tied his career high with three assists Sunday night against Maryland.

"Mikalauskas makes a difference," Hewitt said. "Like so many teams in college basketball now, the margin for error is so slim that if you have an injury or you have somebody miss a couple of games, it can make all the difference in your season. I think if Mikalauskas is healthy the whole year, they're probably looking at a whole different year."

Had that been the case, Virginia might well be headed to the NCAA tournament for the second straight season. The reality, though, is that unless the Cavaliers defy the odds and win four games in four days to capture the ACC crown in Charlotte, they'll have to hope for an invitation to the NIT or the new College Basketball Invitational. And U.Va. isn't a lock for either tournament.

For now, the Cavaliers aren't worried about that. They're coming off a Sunday night rout of Maryland in which they played as well as they have all season. All-ACC guard Sean Singletary, in perhaps his final appearance at the JPJ, totaled 27 points, eight assists and six rebounds against the Terrapins.

"You definitely have to move on, win or lose, but I think this game definitely gives us a lot of confidence," Singletary said.

 

Like Pack in '83, U.Va., Tech dream
Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 - 12:07 AM Updated: 02:59 AM
By BOB LIPPER
TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST

The year was 1983, and there was a whole lotta ground-breakin' goin' on . . .

Twenty-five years before Barack vs. Hillary, Chicago elected its first black mayor and Sally Ride took the first ride in space by an American woman.

Twenty-five years before Neverland Ranch went on the block, Michael Jackson slam-dunked the Grammys with "Thriller."

Twenty-five years before he faded into the sunset, Joe Gibbs won his first of three Super Bowls for the Skins.

Oh, and 25 years ago, Virginia and Virginia Tech hoops were in the midst of glory-days runs.

And Jimmy V. and a bunch of flutter-inducing heart tormentors made a bold statement for underdogs everywhere.

That last item will be commemorated this weekend when the ACC stages its 55th big-donors convention, otherwise known as the league's basketball tournament. Jim Valvano died too young, but dreams don't. They endure. They're eternal. This side of North Carolina and Duke, that's what everyone in the ACC will be thinking starting today:

Maybe this is our year.

Maybe this is the year our dream comes true.

It did for N.C. State in '83. The Pack wobbled through the regular season but found its groove in March.'Course, it helped that State had the all-senior backcourt of Dereck Whittenburg and Sidney Lowe, now its coach. It also helped that an 84-percent foul-shooter from Pepperdine misfired twice from the line in the first of two overtimes in the opening round of the NCAAs.

Otherwise, there would've been no dunked air ball at the buzzer to punctuate a national championship.

Otherwise, there would've been no legend of Jimmy V.

Otherwise, the Pack wouldn't have been around to doom U.Va. for the second time in two weeks.

State already had upended the Cavs in the ACC final. Thirteen days later in a regional final at Ogden, Utah, the Pack repeated the stunner. State would proceed to Albuquerque and a trophy presentation. U.Va. went home. Its season -- and Ralph Sampson's career -- was over.

In 1983, the most renowned players in Virginia and Virginia Tech history -- Sampson and Dell Curry -- were on campus. Curry was a freshman sharpshooter for the Hokies, who'd been forever an ACC wannabe and at the time were hanging out in the Metro Conference. Sampson, meanwhile was a 7-4 star-crossed colossus and three-time ACC player of the year.

Those were dizzy times for Cavs and Hokies. An NCAA participant only once from the ACC's launch in 1954 through 1980, Virginia would reach two Final Fours during 1981-85 and become a postseason regular. Tech, meanwhile, made it to four NCAAs and three NITs during 1979-86 -- by miles its most successful stretch ever in basketball.

Both schools have endured dry spells -- and a combined eight coaching changes -- since then. The Cavs advanced to a regional final in 1998. The Hokies swept to an NIT championship in 1995. Both teams were top-four in the ACC standings last season and reached the NCAA's second round. But by and large, they've been spectators while other teams in their league(s) pushed deep into March.

That figures to be the case again. U.Va. is one loss from the end of a humdrum season and the conclusion of Sean Singletary's glittering career. Tech has fared better with a mix of holdovers and spunky rookies and gets a first-round bye today, but it's 0-6 against top-50 opponents and routinely fades against the league's upper tier.

Back in 1983, the two state teams were on top of their game.

Twenty-five years later, they're among the dreamers.

 

Cavalier curtain call
After deciding to return for his senior year, is Sean Singletary ready for the next level?
By Doug Doughty

It wasn't Sean Singletary's Senior Night performance that struck Maryland men's basketball coach Gary Williams.

It was the fact there was a Singletary Senior Night.

"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," Williams said last Sunday night following a 91-76 Virginia victory at John Paul Jones Arena.

"I really believe that."

Williams probably would get some debate on that count, but nobody could have found fault with Singletary on Sunday, when he had 27 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

"I can't think of a single mistake he made all night," teammate Calvin Baker said.

Singletary's fans showed their appreciation with pregame and postgame ovations. It truly was a special night for one of the most popular players to come through UVa's program.

Senior nights -- or days -- don't always have happy endings -- witness UVa's final game at University Hall, when Singletary was a sophomore in 2005. Maryland beat the Cavaliers in that game, 71-70.

Singletary single-handedly made sure that his final home game had a happy ending, but there is no guarantee that his decision to stay in college will translate into NBA millions.

Sometimes, Singletary had to wonder if anybody was paying attention, but Sunday night there was.

Singletary couldn't have known that former NBA coach of the year Rick Carlisle would be in the crowd.

"That's the first UVa game I've seen live since I played there," said Carlisle, who is working as an NBA studio analyst for ESPN. "I've always been playing and coaching.

"I saw him play against Arizona earlier in the year and he was great in that game, but I always place more weight on seeing somebody in person. You get more of a feel for the presence they have on the floor, their leadership ability and will to win.

"This guy is a tremendous player, a terrific little player. He'll be in the league. I can just tell by the way he handles himself that he's going to find a way to make a career in the NBA and be successful."

Presumably, Carlisle could be coaching in the NBA in the future.

"I'd love to have 12 guys like him on my team, guys who played with his kind of energy and unconditional commitment," said Carlisle, a senior on UVa's 1984 Final Four team. "He's just about the right things. There's no extra, excess nonsense with him. It's all about the game.

"After 23 years in the NBA, I believe that you have to have enough size and enough ability, but there are very few players that enter the NBA draft that have as big a heart as Sean Singletary."

It was heartwarming for Singletary's mother, Jacqui, to hear somebody at the next level say something kind about her son. It hasn't been the kind of year that Sean or his family had hoped for, with the Cavaliers struggling to stay at the .500 mark and almost certain not to make the NCAA Tournament.

"I felt hurt for him as well as the team and the coaches because I know the effort was there," she said. "Quite frankly, I don't want to see anyone fall short of their goals, let alone my own child.

"I think it's hurt him tremendously in that way, and I also think it has hurt him in the eyes of people who will make decisions about him at the next level. I'm not sure that a lot of people have seen him play, and they might not see him. Statistics don't tell his story."

Singletary's statistics do speak loudly, though. He is one of eight players in ACC history with 2,000 points and 500 assists, and only three of them -- Singletary and ex-Duke Blue Devils Danny Ferry and Johnny Dawkins -- also have 400 rebounds.

"It was a pretty mature move to come back," Maryland's Williams said.

"Some people say, 'Well, he might hurt himself,' but I disagree with that. The people that watch and really know his game know what he means to Virginia and tonight [was] a good example of how he gets other players involved in the game."

Virginia fans held their collective breath last spring after Singletary made himself available for the NBA draft and did not remove his name until hours before the deadline. However, the Singletary family needed to take that approach in order to get a realistic evaluation from NBA scouts.

"We knew he was going to come back," Singletary's mom said.

"He was coming back to get his degree."

By going through the NBA pre-draft camps and individual workouts last year, Singletary has a better idea what he can expect this year. He said he will benefit from having an agent.

"It was tough last year because I never knew what teams were thinking," he said.

"I couldn't hire a trainer. I wasn't able to schedule my own workouts. All in all, it was an experience I learned from."

For all of his positive observations, Carlisle can't promise Singletary that he will be a high pick or even a first-round pick.

"It's quite possible that, had he come out last year, that he would have been a higher pick than he will be now," Carlisle said, "but there's no doubt in my mind that he's a much better player this year."

If Singletary had not returned for his senior year, his final home game would have been spent watching J.R. Reynolds and Jason Cain hailed at the end of their four years.

"I think it meant a lot to him," Jacqui Singletary said. "It was very emotional because he knew that a portion of his life was coming to an end. I did worry that it might be difficult for him. I've seen Sean be anxious before, but the way he played was pretty phenomenal."

There have been other memorable Senior Nights at Virginia, most notably Ralph Sampson's game-winning stickback in 1983 and Richard Morgan's dash into the stands to hug his mother in 1989. Singletary's last dance ranks with the best.

"I think a lot of young kids will remember this night," Leitao said. "They can say, 'I was there and saw Sean get his 2,000th point.' 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."
 

Cavs get deja vu all over again
Virginia meets Georgia Tech for third time this season.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Virginia-Georgia Tech men's basketball series is starting to take on the appearance of the movie "Groundhog Day."

Every time the Cavaliers and Yellow Jackets wake up, they're playing each other.

Not only did Georgia Tech and Virginia play twice during the regular season, but there was another time when the Cavaliers ventured to Atlanta for a game that was postponed due to a leaky roof.

Today, they meet again at 7 p.m. in the opening round of the ACC Tournament at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

"It's funny because we've had three [Georgia Tech] walkthroughs," UVa coach Dave Leitao said.

"We've had three chalk talks. So, there's a high level of familiarity with their personnel and style."

It was a 92-82 overtime loss to Georgia Tech in Charlottesville that hastened a downward spiral in which the Cavaliers lost seven games in a row and nine of 10.

More recently, Virginia prevailed 76-74 in Atlanta, one of the Cavaliers' four victories in the past six games,

"Both games went down to the wire, so I expect it to be a one-possession game again," Yellow Jackets coach Paul Hewitt said.

Georgia Tech (14-16, 7-9) is one of two ACC teams with a losing overall record, but the Yellow Jackets ended the regular season with victories over Clemson and Boston College, the latter on the road.

A tie-breaking formula gave the Yellow Jackets the seventh seed over Wake Forest and Florida State.

Virginia (15-14, 5-11) was in last place for almost the entire season before edging past BC and North Carolina State in the final week and claiming the No. 10 seed.

Second-seeded Duke awaits the UVa-Georgia Tech winner in the quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Friday.

Both the Yellow Jackets and Cavaliers will have the services of key players who missed one of the previous games, junior post man Laurynas Mikalauskas for Virginia and fifth-year point guard Matt Causey for the Yellow Jackets.

Causey, who scored 18 points off the bench in the first Tech-UVa game, missed two late-season games after suffering a concussion at Duke.

Mikalauskas, who has scored in double figures in five of Virginia's last six games, previously had been sidelined for two months with a bum shoulder.

"If Mikalauskas is healthy the whole year, you're probably looking at a whole different year," Hewitt said.

Tonight's reunion will be the teams' third in less than a month, counting the Feb. 21 postponement, but Leitao said it's a different Tech team.

"They changed even after they played us the second time," Leitao said.

"They played both Boston College and especially Clemson and they came after them full court for almost the whole 40 minutes. Whether they do that against us remains to be seen. It's been kind of difficult to press Sean [Singletary]."

On top of the teams winning on each other's home floor, they have split eight previous ACC Tournament meetings.

Not surprisingly, oddsmakers had the game as a pick-'em as of Wednesday afternoon.

"As well as we know them, you almost feel like you're part of their team by now," UVa senior Adrian Joseph said.

"Of course, they could say the same thing about us."
 

Singletary shines as he wraps up college career
Posted to: Men's College Basketball Sports
The Virginian-Pilot
© March 13, 2008

He’s scored his 2,000th point. He’s had his jersey raised to the rafters. It may be some time before the University of Virginia has a player the likes of Sean Singletary again.

“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,” coach Dave Leitao said.

Not many 5-foot-11 guards can carry a team the way Singletary has. He’s left more of himself on the floor than any Cavalier in recent memory. For four years, he’s been the face of the program.

That face has often been twisted in pain and frustration. There have been more ACC losses than wins, more somber locker rooms than celebratory ones, two off-season surgeries, countless bumps, bruises and floor burns.

Through it all, Singletary has played on, the undersized guard with the oversized heart. He’s missed one game in four years. He might have just one remaining, tonight against Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament.

As his career draws to a close, Singletary’s been in no mood to look back – not as long as there’s another game to be played. But others have been doing it for him. A few of the chapters in the Singletary story:

The Beginning

“Sean was born very ill,” said his mother, Jacqui. “I have a rare blood type, and there were issues that resulted from his father’s and my blood mixing.

“He spent many weeks in the hospital. It was touch and go; the prognosis was not good. We didn’t know if Sean was going to live. He turned the corner when he was about 8 months old.”

The First Love

Singletary’s best sport entering high school was football. He played receiver for two years at Penn Charter High, where his quarterback was Matt Ryan, the Boston College star who’s likely to be the first quarterback selected in the NFL draft.

“He used to throw me the ball all the time, and every time I’d get the ball, I’d score,” Singletary said before the season.

He was kidding. But to this day, Singletary is convinced he could have been a Division I-A receiver.

The Recruit

When Virginia began recruiting Singletary in high school, the Cavaliers were also courting Nansemond River High star Marquie Cooke. Former coach Pete Gillen made a decision to back off Cooke and concentrate on pursuing Singletary.

Wise move. Cooke was dismissed from the team at Virginia Tech after one season. He transferred to Colorado State, but was dismissed there before playing.

The Flirtation

Singletary entered his name in the NBA draft last summer and worked out for scouts before deciding to return for his senior year.

Singletary performed well in individual workouts but not at the pre-draft camp in Orlando. He said he was hampered by not having an agent to schedule his workouts or give him feedback from NBA teams.

“I think it was an experience that I can learn from and I think I’ll be in better shape this year,” he said.

The Decision

Singletary chose Virginia over Kansas in part because his mother, father and grandmother in Philadelphia were all battling cancer, and he wanted to stay fairly close to home.

“We were at our worst then,” Jacqui Singletary said. “We’re all a lot better.”

The Medical Marvel

Singletary had shoulder surgery after his freshman season. He had hip surgery after his sophomore year and developed tendonitis in his knee from favoring the hip. This year, he’s played through a hip-pointer and a bruised knee.

“I cringe every time he gets knocked down,” his mother said.

That happens about 10 times a game.

“He’s like a professional stunt man,” said Virginia’s strength coach, Sean Brown.

The Competitor

Since Leitao arrived in 2005, Virginia has had a mandatory daily team breakfast at 7:30 a.m. during the school year.

“For three years, Sean has been the first kid there,” Brown said.

During competitive conditioning drills, Singletary invariably waits until everyone is finished, to see what number he’s got to beat, Brown said.

“We’ll be running on the track, and he’ll wait until the last group is done, and then he’ll win it,” Brown said. “Limping across the finish line, willing himself to win.”

The Kindred Spirit

Singletary is friendly with Chris Long, his alter ego on the football field. He and Long arrived and finished their careers at the same time, and that’s not all they have in common.

“You talk about Chris and it’s his motor; his motor is always going,” Leitao said. “When Sean steps on the court, his motor is always going. I think they both do it with a tremendous amount of humility. They are great players on the court, but humble players off. In this day and age, that’s refreshing to see.”

The Shot

Singletary’s backward-leaning baseline floater over Duke’s Josh McRoberts lifted Virginia to a 68-66 win over the Blue Devils last year. In a career-wrapping interview a couple weeks ago, however, he wasn’t ready to call it the most memorable shot of his career just yet.

“Hopefully, it won’t be the last memorable thing that’s happened,” he said.

It wasn’t. Singletary scored his 2,000 career point on a hanging layup Sunday night to put Maryland away in his final regular-season game.

The Last Word

Singletary on how he wants to be remembered:

“Just that first and foremost I was a good individual off the court. And on the court, just a warrior. I always wanted to win and will pretty much do everything that’s legal to win. Just somebody that gives his all at all times.”

 

More All-ACC Voting Shenanigans
By Adam Kilgore

Adam Kilgore here, debuting from Bobcats Arena in Charlotte. Both Eric Prisbell and I will be checking in throughout the week with notes, quotes, scenes, media hijinks, game updates and general nonsense from the ACC tournament.

Right now, potential second-round Virginia Tech opponent Miami is running through a shootaround, and eight other teams will follow. Duke, North Carolina and Georgia Tech will not be shooting here today. Not a whole of material yet, so we'll revisit an intruiging subplot from last year.

You may recall last year when the ACC redefined the word unanimous and announced that Tyler Hansbrough was a "unanimous" first-team all-ACC choice even though Washington Times scribe Patrick Stevens put Hansbrough on the second team.

Stevens abstained from voting this year, and in fact did not even join ACSMA this season. "I didn't even bother to pay the $15 this year," said Stevens, who is sitting next to me right now in the bowels of Bobcats Arena. (Charlotte, suffice to say, is no Tampa. More on this later.)

Stevens's absence did not prevent some funky voting choices. I think the teams, listed below, were overall very fair. It's three points for a first vote, two for a second and one for a third:

First Team (1st Team Votes), Points
Tyler Hansbrough, Jr., North Carolina* (90), 270
Tyrese Rice, Jr., Boston College (82), 261
Sean Singletary, Sr., Virginia (80), 257
DeMarcus Nelson, Sr., Duke (74), 250
Jack McClinton, Jr., Miami (37), 208
*unanimous 1st team

Second Team, Points Greivis Vasquez, So., Maryland, 199
James Gist, Sr., Maryland, 186
Wayne Ellington, So., North Carolina, 158
A.D. Vassallo, Jr., Virginia Tech, 120
K.C. Rivers, Jr., Clemson, 115

Third Team, Points
Kyle Singler, Fr., Duke, 107
Cliff Hammonds, Sr., Clemson, 101
Toney Douglas, Jr., Florida State, 98
James Johnson, Fr., Wake Forest, 69
Greg Paulus, Jr., Duke, 64

Honorable Mention (20 or more points), Points
Ty Lawson, So., North Carolina, 59
J.J. Hickson, Fr., N.C. State, 43
Deron Washington, Sr., Virginia Tech, 28
Anthony Morrow, Sr., Georgia Tech, 25

A few somewhat minor and extremely egregious votes stuck out most. You'll notice that Sean Singletary received 80 first-place votes, comprising 240 of his 257 points. That leaves 17 points to be divvied between the other 10 votes. A little third-grade math tells us Singletary must have also received seven second-team votes (14 points) and three third-team votes (three points). This means three people voted Singletary on the third team.

Now, I don't understand how anyone would say Singletary was anything less than the third-best player in the conference. I would love to hear the argument for there being 10 ACC players better than Singletary. Really, there are 10 better players than Sean Singletary in this four-bid league? Singletary, in league games, is third in scoring, eighth in field-goal percentage, fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio, third in steals, third in assists and third in free throws made. What else do you want?

Perhaps some voters punished Singletary for the Cavaliers 5-11 conference finish. How many games would the Cavaliers won without Singletary? Not 10, is my guess.

What would your first, second and third teams have been?

For some brief Commonwealth balance in this post, Virginia Tech is in dire straits, with several of the mid-major favorites being upset and falling on to the bubble. Bad news for fans of the Hokies, good news for fans of Seth Greenberg's work as an analyst for CSTV.

 

Confident Cavs face Jackets in ACC Tourney
Teams meet for third time this season after splitting two regular-season games
Dan Stalcup, Cavalier Daily Staff Writer
 

With less than a week until the 65-team field for the NCAA Tournament is picked, the Virginia men's basketball team has one last shot to earn a bid: a run at the conference title in the ACC Tournament this Thursday through Sunday.

The Cavaliers (15-14, 5-11 ACC) are scheduled to play seventh-seeded Georgia Tech (14-16, 7-9 ACC) Thursday at 7 p.m. ESPN2 will air the game, which will, along with all of the other games in the tournament, be played in Charlotte, N.C. at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

Virginia, seeded 10th in the 12-team field, has won four of its last six games, including a 76-74 victory against Georgia Tech March 3. Its most recent game was an impressive 91-76 March 9 victory against Maryland in which senior point guard Sean Singletary scored his 2,000th point and had his jersey retired.

Offensively, the Cavaliers were dominant and balanced, with six players scoring in double figures. Also important to Virginia's success was a solid defensive effort that refused to yield a comeback to the Terrapins; Singletary said a similarly effective defensive effort will be a key to the Cavaliers' success Thursday.

"We're capable of beating [Georgia Tech]; it just all depends on how well we defend the ball," Singletary said. "If we defend and hold them to a low field-goal percentage, then we'll be able to run and play our game."

Though the game against Maryland was an emotional one, another key to victory will be moving on from Sunday's game to focus on the ACC Tournament.

"You definitely have to move on, win or lose," Singletary said.

Both Singletary and coach Dave Leitao acknowledge, though, that Sunday's game was an important contest in terms of building confidence and momentum going into the ACC Tournament.

"Having six guys in double figures, and playing, especially in the second half, [like] we did... is a tribute to team basketball, is a tribute to our leadership and a tribute to our aggression overall," Leitao said.

Should the Cavaliers beat Georgia Tech, they would face second-seeded Duke. Further down the bracket, potential matches against third-seeded Clemson and first-seeded North Carolina loom.

The ACC Tournament holds a particular finality for the lower-seeded teams, including Virginia, because college basketball experts project the ACC will earn no more than five bids. Despite recent success, Virginia's overall season performance has not been impressive enough to earn an at-large bid, so the Cavaliers likely will only land a spot if they take home the ACC Championship and the guaranteed bid in the NCAA Tournament that comes with it.

"I'm sure the prohibitive favorites will be Duke and Carolina," Leitao said. "But at the same point in time there [are] 10 other teams that feel like -- and we're one of them -- that any given day, it could be their day."

The tournament is the last chance for seniors Singletary, Adrian Joseph, Ryan Pettinella and Tunji Soroye to show they deserve a shot at the NCAA Championship.

"Whether I score a few points or a lot of points, or whether I make a lot of plays or a [few] plays, I just want to get to that NCAA Tournament again," Singletary said. "I want to make an imprint as best as I can."

With the third-worst seed in the ACC Tournament and a location that will likely draw more fans from universities whose campuses are in North Carolina, the Cavaliers face an uphill battle to an ACC title; however, with leadership from upperclassmen such as Singletary, confident coaching from Leitao and his staff, and recently improved performance, a glimmer of hope remains.

 

UVa’s Singletary deserves to be singled out
By Andrew Bitter
Published: March 12, 2008

That’s when his mother Jacqui imparted to him a phrase she’d repeat throughout his life, wisdom he remembers every time he drives to the basket, every time he undertakes another monumental challenge.
“The only giants in life are in your head,” she told him. “And you can erase them. You can conquer anything if your approach is right and you really set your mind to it.”
That’s how somebody who is 6 feet tall in platform shoes carved out one of the most memorable careers in ACC history. Singletary came to UVa four years ago with big expectations and delivered, leading the moribund Cavaliers back to relevancy while becoming one of five players in school history to top 2,000 career points.
And when his career finishes, which could be as early as today, when Virginia plays Georgia Tech in the first round of the ACC Tournament, his legacy will compare favorably with UVa greats like Ralph Sampson, Bryant Stith and Barry Parkhill.
In the last few years, the guard has been every bit as integral to the Virginia basketball program as coach Dave Leitao or the $130 million John Paul Jones Arena.
“What he does for our program — not just this team — is insurmountable,” Leitao said. “I don’t think I can imagine where we’d be in our building process if we did not have him. He’s legitimized us.”
A natural athlete
Harold and Jacqui Singletary knew they had a competitor on their hands almost immediately. By age 2, Sean was already dribbling a basketball and doing pushups. By 4, he was participating in the Junior Olympics (his parents had to get their own insurance because the team wouldn’t cover anybody under the age of 6). At the race, Sean won a sixth-place ribbon in the 400 meters against a group of mostly 8-year-olds.
“The biggest thing on him coming around the track was his head. It was so cute,” Jacqui said. “But we were shocked that he came in sixth place. A lot of people were shocked.”
It wasn’t long before Sean was waking up his father, a detective in the Philadelphia police department, to bum along during his 6 a.m. workouts. Harold, who boxed in his spare time, would hit the heavy bag with his two older sons. Sean would join in. They’d run and Sean would bolt out in front.
“He didn’t like me running in front of him because he thought he was the fastest runner,” Harold said.
Soon, basketball and football became his true loves. He’d sleep with either a dirty basketball or football in his bed depending on the season, despite his mother’s objections.
She encouraged his sporting interests in every other way, though, going as far as taking him to the roughest neighborhoods Philadelphia had to offer because, well, that’s where the toughest players were. But Jacqui bristles when she reads stories that Sean grew up on the mean streets of Philly.
“Far from it,” she said. “Sean went to a private school. Sean was raised in an 18-room home. Now, Sean was exposed to all of Philadelphia, because we wanted him exposed to all of Philadelphia.”
Those trips — always chaperoned by a family member — proved crucial in Sean’s development as a basketball player. He honed his skills against the best, getting knocked to the ground but bouncing right back up. The first half season of rec ball he played, the older, taller players blocked nearly every one of his shots. But he adjusted, showing glimpses of his current creativity to get a shot off in the lane.
His game grew and he spent his first two years of high school making a name for himself at Perkiomen, a boarding school an hour north of Philly. But he moved on to William Penn Charter School for his junior and senior seasons to get more exposure as a basketball player.
Though he still loved football and got serious offers from schools to play as a wide receiver in college, basketball won out. He’d always imagined himself playing in the NBA, just like his idols, Isiah Thomas and Allen Iverson, small guards with big aspirations whose pictures dotted his room.
His dad recalled what Sean used to say to him as a youngster: “One day, I’m going to be just like all these guys.”
No regrets
The Singletarys are not a “What if?” kind of family. The soft-spoken Sean does not dwell on how life would have been different had he chosen Kansas over Virginia, how things would have been easier had his brother not been sent to war and his parents diagnosed with separate forms of cancer in the same year, or how his career might have been altered if Leitao never replaced Pete Gillen as UVa’s coach.
He’s like his mother in that respect. To her, there’s a natural progression to life. You work hard to get to college, you get your degree and move on to the next step, whatever it may be.
Basketball’s no different. There’s a progression. Sean excelled his freshman season at Virginia, playing in all but one game and earning ACC all-Freshman honors, but he took his occasional lumps going against veteran ACC point guards and future NBA lottery picks like Chris Paul and Raymond Felton.
“I just saw it as a learning experience,” he said. “I never really stressed out about it. My answer to whatever was happening was that I just needed to work harder and make myself a better player and a better person.”
When Gillen was fired and Leitao came on board, Sean didn’t have any thoughts one way or another. It was happening regardless of what he thought. It just so happened the two are of identical mindsets, humble advocates of hard work who are aggressive on the court and in life.
When Sean had to decide whether or not to jump to the NBA after a junior season in which he earned first-team all-ACC honors for the second straight year, he, his parents and Leitao were all in accordance.
He should go to the NBA camps for the same reason he trekked to the tough neighborhoods of Philly — because that’s where the best competition was.
Jacqui did most of the research for Sean’s NBA draft foray, just like she did when he was sifting through college offers. Though scouts told him he could go as high as a late first-round pick, Sean, a lifelong scholar whose interests range from math to economics to music, returned to finish his degree in anthropology and lead Virginia back to the NCAA Tournament.
His senior season has not gone to plan, to say the least. NBA scouts wanted to see him play a more controlled game and increase his shooting percentage. But Leitao needed him to mask many of the Cavaliers’ deficiencies. As a result, Sean had to force things to happen on offense and look for his shot more often.
Sean’s reached several statistical pinnacles — he joined Duke’s Johnny Dawkins and Danny Ferry as the only ACC players with 2,000 points, 500 rebounds and 400 assists in a career — but the team has struggled far more than he would have imagined. Still, he doesn’t wonder what life would be like if he had left for the NBA.
“I don’t think like that,” Sean said. “I never live with regret.”
Unfinished business
The conclusion of most of Virginia’s games this season have followed a similar script. The opposing coach (usually victorious in what has been a long season for the Cavaliers), seeks out Singletary, pulls him close and whispers words of praise into his ear, probably thankful that he won’t have to face the guard again.
Virginia Tech’s Seth Greenberg did it. North Carolina’s Roy Williams told Singletary he was one of the best players he’s coached against.
If the coaches didn’t do it on the court, they did in the post-game interview.
“Incredible speed and daring,” a complimentary Mike Krzyzewski said after Duke beat Virginia by 16 last week.
“You have speed, daring and talent, you end up being one of (three) players to do what he’s done with all those stats. … He’s damn good. I love the kid. He’s going to be playing for a long time.”
In the NBA? Probably. But that’s for later. Singletary has refused to give up on this season, even as the Cavaliers enter the ACC Tournament as the 10th seed, an unfathomable four wins in four days separating them and an NCAA berth that seems impractical to even talk about.
But Singletary, ever the optimist, talks about it as though it can happen, a form of denial, possibly, but more likely a stubborn refusal to admit defeat, no matter the odds, no matter the obstacles.
There are giants ahead, you see, and Singletary hasn’t given them one thought.


 

Tech can't be counted out
ACC Tourney sees Jackets on upswing
By MATT WINKELJOHN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/12/08

Jackets and Cavaliers rolling, seriously!

Strangely, when Georgia Tech and Virginia play Thursday night, it will be a meeting of two relatively hot teams.

The Cavaliers spent much of the season in last place, but have won four of their past six games, and Tech won three of its past four — losing only on a 3-point shot to Virginia with four seconds left.

Virginia's first-team All-ACC point guard Sean Singletary is as healthy as he's been, and the 15-14 Cavs — like the 14-16 Jackets — are playing as if they have nothing to lose. They might, however, lose an NIT bid. Tech?

"As much as we're saying we're playing with more intensity and energy, Georgia Tech can say the same thing," said Virginia's Dave Leitao.

Virginia reserve junior forward Laurynas Mikalauskas of Lithuania chalked up career highs of 16 points and 13 rebounds March 1 in a narrow loss at Miami, and came back two days later with 13 points and seven rebounds in a win at Tech. He's playing like a man let out of jail.

Leitao said Tech — like Mikalauskas — is morphing.

The Jackets were one of the ACC's most turnover-prone teams only to find a handle in the past two games (turning the ball over 25 percent less frequently than in their first 14 ACC games).

Tech also improved as burglars, forcing a whopping 41 turnovers (with 28 steals) in consecutive wins over Clemson and Boston College. Perhaps the Jackets have finally figured out how to play coach Paul Hewitt's pressure defense.

Leitao said: "They're changing the way they play, a little bit more up-tempo, which is scary because they fast-broke all year, but they're forcing things with their defensive pressure."

Nevermind the run-on.

It's what Hewitt has in mind.

Keeping it close

Many suggest that the ACC is top-heavy with North Carolina (29-2) and Duke (26-4), but 35 of the 96 conference games were decided by three points or less, or in overtime. A single-season record 12 went to overtime.

A young vibe

While the ACC may not be overloaded with freshman who show up nightly on ESPN's Sportscenter, there are plenty who are talented.

Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg started freshmen 65 times this season, most in the league. Forward Jeff Allen made the All-Freshman team for the Hokies after registering nine double-doubles and finishing second in the conference in steals (2.1). VT freshmen average 35.1 points.

He was joined on the All-Frosh team by N.C. State's J.J. Hickson (of Marietta's Wheeler High), Wake Forest's Jeff Teague and James Johnson, and Duke's Kyle Singler.

Teague, from Indianapolis, leads all ACC freshmen in scoring in league games (16.4). ACC freshmen registered 32 double-doubles, as Johnson also had nine.

Battling on the boards

Virginia Tech, which just missed finishing in third place after a one-point loss at Clemson Sunday, has out-rebounded its past four points by an of 16.3 per game. The Hokies have a bye Thursday, and will play the winner of Thursday's Miami-N.C. State game.

"We've played a little bit bigger [lineup], and when we compete with people on the boards, our wing guys got to rebound," said Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenburg.

"Now everyone says there's even a greater importance [in conference tournaments] ... these are like play-in games [because of the increased number of mid-major schools earning bids in recent years]."

Rising & falling stocks

Here's a look at preseason ACC media predictions vs. actual finish:

Predicted order Actual order (relative to prediction)

North Carolina North Carolina —

Duke Duke —

N.C. State Clemson +1

Clemson Virginia Tech +6

Virginia Miami +7

Maryland Maryland —

Georgia Tech Georgia Tech —

Boston College Wake Forest +3

Florida State Florida State —

Virginia Tech Virginia -5

Wake Forest Boston College -3

Miami N.C. State -9

Bubble watch

North Carolina, Duke and Clemson have all but punched their tickets to the NCAA tournament, and although any team in Charlotte can earn a trip by winning the ACC tournament, the fates of Virginia Tech, Miami, Florida State and Maryland likely rest on what happens in Charlotte.

• The Hurricanes (21-9, 8-8) have won six of their past eight games, and have a win over Duke on their resume. Four of Miami's losses were by six points or less, including two in overtime on the road.

The 'Canes also have a marquee player in All-ACC guard Jack McClinton, who is averaging 18.8 points per conference game while leading the ACC in 3-point (44.2 percent) and free throw shooting (90).

"I like the way history stands in terms of us being .500 and winning 20 games," Miami coach Frank Haith said. "Since the [NCAA] field expanded to 65 teams, no team from our league has not gotten in [with those accomplishments], and with our strong RPI [28] and our strength of schedule [32] I've got to believe we're going to be in."

• Virginia Tech (18-12, 9-7 ACC) has won four of its past five games. The Hokies' RPI is 57, and strength of schedule 45th.

• Florida State (18-13, 7-9) has won four of its past five, suffered six losses by three or fewer points, has an RPI of 63 and a strength of schedule of 18th.

• Maryland (18-13, 8-8) has lost four of five, and five of seven, recently blowing a 20-point second-half lead against Clemson and a 14-point second-half lead against Virginia Tech — both at home.

Of local interest

There will be quite a few players with Georgia connections in the ACC tournament beyond Matt, Causey, Lewis Clinch, Alade Aminu, Ty Anderson, Gary Cage, Gani Lawal and Lance Storrs of Georgia Tech. Here's a glance at some who play prominent roles on their teams:

Guard Cliff Hammonds Clemson Cairo

Third-team All-ACC senior is averaging 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, four assists, and is one of just five players in ACC history to total 1,400 points, 400 rebounds, 400 assists and 200 steals. Georgia Tech's Bruce Dalrymple was the first.

Point guard Toney Douglas FSU Jonesboro Third-team All-ACC junior is averaging a team-high 15.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.8 steals.

Center J.J. Hickson N.C. State Wheeler

Member of the ACC All-Freshman team. Averaging 14.4 points and 8.3 rebounds, both team highs.

Forward Landon Milbourne Maryland Roswell Former St. Francis High player (later went to Oak Hill in Virginia) is averaging 8.5 points and 3.7 rebounds.

Others:

Florida State forward Jordan DeMercy of Norcross; Maryland forward Jerome Burney of Atlanta

Virginia Tech forward Terrell Bell of Stone Mountain forward Terrance Vinson of Valdosta.


Inside the numbers

1 - The number of times the lower-seeded teams have won all first-round games (last year)

39 - Consecutive ACC games in which Georgia Tech's Anthony Morrow has made at least one 3-pointer

32 - Career double-doubles by North Carolina center Tyler Hansbrough

0-4 - Georgia Tech's record in ACC tournament first-round (Thursday) games

11.1 - percent of ACC tournaments won by non-North Carolina teams when the tournament is played in North Carolina

0-0 North Carolina's record in first-round games

 

Cav is low key on tall play COLLEGE BASKETBALL
March 13, 2008 12:15 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.

Sean Singletary isn't an attention seeker.

After Virginia's senior night victory over Maryland was complete Sunday, Cavaliers coach Dave Leitao heaped praise on his star point guard, who had just finished one of the finest performances of an outstanding career.

But while Leitao was telling media members gathered in John Paul Jones Arena how much of a joy it's been to teach Singletary, the player hovered around the corner, appearing restless and uneager to follow Leitao to the podium to talk about his 27 points, six rebounds and eight assists.

In his four years leading the Cavaliers and wowing their fans, that's just how Singletary likes it: If it's not friendly trash talking on the court, he'd rather his basketball ability speaks for itself.

Singletary is already one of the most revered players in Cavaliers history, standing alongside such heavyweights as Ralph Sampson and Bryant Stith, but if it was up to him, he'd remain in the background.

"I'm not a social butterfly or anything," he said. "I don't really go out. Sometimes I go out and I appreciate the attention I get, but right now things haven't really set in. I'm just happy that I've had a positive effect on people's lives."

Singletary may be understated off the court, but there's nothing bashful about his game.

He'll lead the 10th-seeded Cavaliers (15-14) into tonight's Atlantic Coast Conference tournament first round contest against No. 7 Georgia Tech (14-16) at 7 p.m. at Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

Singletary said despite Virginia's poor showing in the conference, he doesn't regret coming back for his senior season after initially declaring for the NBA Draft last year. He's used this season to work on the weaknesses that were exposed in his workouts last year, namely defense and ball-sharing.

"You can always improve on your leadership, and I've definitely been working on my defense," Singletary said. "I'm able to do a lot of things because I was able to work out in the offseason, and I think that was real big for me."

The season has featured plenty of individual honors for Singletary, who is averaging career-bests of 19.9 points per game and 5.9 assists.

On Sunday, he became just the fifth player in Virginia history to score more than 2,000 points in his career.

He's also the only player in Division I this year to have a 40-point game, a 10-rebound game and a 10-assist game.

He had his jersey retired one day before he was chosen first-team all-ACC for the third consecutive season, joining only Stith and Sampson as Cavaliers who have received that type of conference recognition.

"That speaks not only to the success he's had individually, but most importantly the consistency of his performance," Leitao said. "To be linked with Ralph Sampson and Bryant Stith is a tremendous honor that will live on in Virginia basketball lore."

Singletary's had plenty of moments that fans won't soon forget.

There was his game-winning shot while falling to the floor in an overtime upset victory over Duke last season.

There was a 37-point performance in a blowout win over Gonzaga last year, and then there was his career-high 41-point effort in a loss to Miami this season.

He's certainly earned the respect of his opponents, especially ACC coaches.

Duke's Mike Krzyzewski said Singletary is in the same league as two of his all-time greats--Danny Ferry and Johnny Dawkins. He said what separates Singletary is his "incredible speed" and willingness to take chances.

"He's damn good," Krzyzewski said. "I love the kid."

Leitao and his teammates love Singletary, too.

Sophomore guard Calvin Baker said Singletary didn't initially offer him advice when he transferred from William & Mary two years ago, but once he asked a question, the encouragement was never-ending. Baker was particularly interested in how effective Singletary is using ball screens to free himself.

"He's really helped me become a better point guard, a better player," Baker said. "I've learned a lot from him."

Baker isn't the only one who has learned from Singletary.

While he and Leitao often clash because of their competitiveness, the student and the teacher learn from each other.

Baker calls Leitao "The President" and Singletary "The Vice President."

Singletary doesn't back down when challenged by his coach.

"He yells at you to get your attention and to get a point across, but he really appreciates when a guy comes back at him after being challenged," Singletary said. "Because in a game, you're going to be challenged by the other team, so he wants a response."

Since Singletary chose Virginia over Kansas after graduating from Penn Charter High School in 2004, he's provided all the right responses.

Beginning tonight, he'll see if he can propel Virginia to an ACC tournament run similar to the one another No. 10 seed (North Carolina State) made last year when it reached the championship game.

"I always want to win and will pretty much do everything legal to win," Singletary said of how he wants to be remembered at Virginia. "I'm just somebody that gives it his all at all times."

 

Team weathers fourth inning in win
Arico earns win after coming in for Poutier, battles with best Navy hitter to earn third out
Paul Montana, Cavalier Daily Senior Associate Editor

It was the top of the fourth, and Virginia freshman pitcher Kevin Arico had worked the count full on Navy freshman leadoff hitter Jonathan Wright. Arico walked off the mound and stared into the outfield. Tied 4-4and facing the Midshipmen's most potent offensive threat in Wright, a .438 hitter, Virginia needed an out. Arico, in just his fourth inning as a college pitcher, paced around the mound some more. The home plate umpire gave two quick claps and nodded toward Arico, urging him to toe the mound and move the game along. The freshman slowly retreated to the top of the hill, found the ball in his glove, took a deep breath and stared toward sophomore catcher Ryan Smith for the signal. He returned to the stretch, nodded, paused and began his windup. Arico reared back and fired a devastating breaking ball that Wright could only watch as it snaked its way over the inside corner to end the inning. Pumping his fist, Arico raced off the mound and back into the Virginia dugout on his way to a well-deserved win after the Virginia offense surged to a 11-5 final score.

"One of the biggest things is, collect yourself together ... It's a critical pitch to make," Arico said of the 3-2 pitch that ended the top of the fourth. "It has to be a strike."

After the first batter Arico faced in the inning, the freshman had every reason to be rattled. With no outs and runners on first and second with the Cavaliers leading 4-2, Virginia coach Brian O'Connor pulled senior starter Robert Poutier in favor of Arico. With freshman Nick Driscoll at the plate, however, things went haywire. First, on a double-steal attempt, Smith launched a throw into center field with nobody covering second, scoring one runner and leaving the other on second. Driscoll then slapped a single to right-center field, scoring the second runner, and landed on second after an errant throw home. Just like that, the score was tied.

Facing the next three batters, however, Arico showed poise unbecoming of his rookie status and struck out the side, an effort capped by his battle with the dangerous Wright to end the threat.

Arico "is very, very mature beyond his years," O'Connor said. "That's a tough situation. We weren't handling the ball very well defensively, and here you are out on the mound trying to get outs, but fortunately he hung in there and kept the game in check."

That was all Virginia needed from its young pitcher, as the veterans took over in the bottom of the inning to give Arico a cushion. Senior Patrick Wingfield got things rolling when he reached on a textbook bunt down the third-base line that received no throw. After Wingfield advanced on a fielder's choice, sophomore Tyler Cannon singled through the right side of the infield to score Wingfield. After Cannon stole second, junior David Adams singled to left, scoring Cannon. With freshman Dan Grovatt at the plate, Adams stole second and took third on a low throw that scooted past second base and into center field. After Grovatt struck out, junior Jeremy Farrell added to the surge, doubling to right-center, allowing Adams to trot home for the third and final run of the inning.

All told, Virginia had five hits in the inning from five of the six veterans in the lineup as the team regained a lead it would never lose.

"That's why they call them veteran players," O'Connor said. "They can recognize when the team needs them. At that point, when Navy had tied the game 4-4, they stepped up and responded, and that's what you want your leaders to do."

On the game, Adams and Farrell both had big days, as Adams hit a perfect 4-4 with a walk and collected four RBIs, while Farrell went 2-3 with two walks and drove in three.

On the mound, Virginia had a shaky start from Poutier, as he allowed five hits and was charged with four runs in three-plus innings. The rest of the staff, however, kept the Midshipmen at bay, allowing just one unearned run and two hits in the last six innings.

After this two-game home midweek sweep against Radford and Navy, Virginia next travels to Duke for its second ACC series this weekend.

 

No. 16 Baseball Sinks Navy, 11-5
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/12/2008
Courtesy: Jim Daves/UVa Media Relations

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – David Adams (Jr., Margate, Fla.) went 4-for-4 to lead a 12-hit attack as the Virginia baseball team knocked off Navy, 11-5, Wednesday at Davenport Field. Adams reached base in all five plate appearances, as he was intentionally walked in his final at bat. He drove in four and scored twice.

Jeremy Farrell (Jr., Westlake, Ohio) added two hits and three RBI, while Dan Grovatt (Fr., Tabernacle, N.J.) hit his first career home run in the first inning. The Virginia running game was in full gear as the Cavaliers stole five bases, led by Greg Miclat (Jr., Concord, N.C.) with two.

On the mound, the Cavalier bullpen stepped up, as Kevin Arico (Fr., Flemington, N.J.), Jeff Lorick (So., Duluth, Ga.) and Robert Morey (Fr., Virginia Beach, Va.) combined to go six innings and allow just an unearned run and two hits while striking out eight. The Cavaliers did not issue a walk in the game.

Arico (2-0) picked up the win, while Morey pitched three perfect innings and struck out four to earn his first save. Kevin Heasley (0-1) took the loss for Navy after allowing three runs, five hits and a walk in 2.2 innings out of the bullpen.

Virginia (13-2) took an early 4-0 lead with a four-run first inning against Navy starter Alec Thomas, highlighted by a two-run double by Adams and a two-run home run to right field by Grovatt.

Navy (6-6) rallied to knot the score with a two-run third inning and two more runs in the fourth inning against Virginia starting pitcher Robert Poutier (Sr., Yorktown, Va.). Poutier went three innings and allowed four runs (three earned) and five hits while striking out two.

Virginia came right back to score three in the bottom of the fourth inning. Tyler Cannon (So., Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) and Adams hit back-to-back run-scoring singles and Farrell ripped a two-out double to score Adams and give UVa a 7-4 lead.

The lead expanded to five in the fifth inning, as David Coleman (Fr., Richmond, Va.) scored on a balk and Adams hit an RBI double.

Navy scored a run in the sixth inning on a Virginia error, but the Cavaliers got the run back in the seventh inning when Farrell stroked a two-run single to push the lead to 11-5.

Thomas Hamilton and Steven Soares led the Midshipmen with two hits apiece.

Virginia returns to ACC play this weekend, traveling to Duke for a three-game series. Game one is at 3 p.m. Friday.

 

No. 3 Cavaliers Hold Off Feisty Tribe, 14-11
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/12/2008
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The No. 3 Virginia Cavaliers used a balance scoring attack to hold off a feisty William & Mary squad, 14-11, Wednesday evening at Albert-Daly Field in Williamsburg, Va.

Eight Cavaliers recorded points for Virginia, led by sophomore Kaitlin Duff’s three goals. Junior Jenny Hauser, redshirt-sophomore Whitaker Hagerman, senior Megan O’Malley and senior Kaitlin Swagart each tallied two goals, while sophomore Brittany Kalkstein, and juniors Ashley McCulloch and Katie Shannon each contributed one score.

Defensively, Duff scooped up three ground balls and senior Claire Bordley won three draw controls. Hauser had four caused turnovers, a career-high.

For William & Mary, Jaime Sellers notched five goals, the most a single player has scored against the Cavaliers all season.

The game opened on a scoring spree with 10 goals scored in the first 13 minutes of play. For the fourth time this season, Virginia gave up the first goal of the game. But the Cavaliers responded with the next three scores to take a 3-1 advantage by the 25:06 mark.

Duff tallied the first goal for Virginia before O’Malley and Hagerman tallied marks also. William & Mary notched their second score at the 24:57 mark and Hauser then found the back of the net with 24:08 left in the half, firing a pass from Kalkstein past Sara Beckstead.

The Tribe responded again with a second goal from Sellers, before Hauser put Virginia up 5-3 with her second of the day. Hagerman and Duff tallied two straight for the Cavaliers forcing the Tribe to call a timeout, down 7-3 with 17:11 remaining.

Out of the break, William & Mary fired two past Cavaliers’ goalie, senior Kendall McBrearty, forcing a Virginia to take a timeout.

The Cavaliers went on to score the final three goals of the half, to take a 10-5 advantage into halftime.

McBrearty came up big for Virginia to open the second half with two big saves. Kalkstein then notched a score for the Cavaliers 2:47 after play resumed. It was at the 24:31 mark that Shannon tallied the first goal of her career.

The Tribe went on a three-goal scoring spree to cut Virginia’s lead to four by the 10:23 mark, but a quick goal from Swagart after the Cavaliers’ second timeout put Virginia up 13-8.

William & Mary scored two more, but a goal from O’Malley, assisted on by McCulloch, marked the final goal of the contest, giving Virginia a 14-10 win.

The Cavaliers (5-1, 1-1 ACC) will return to action this Sunday at 1 p.m. Virginia will play host to ACC-rival North Carolina at Klöckner Stadium.