U.Va. slips past UR
Down 12, Cavs hold Spiders to 3 points in final 8 minutes
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 - 12:07 AM Updated: 01:54 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Defense, of all things, saved the University of Virginia men's basketball team last night.

With 8:40 remaining, the University of Richmond had hit 51 percent of its field-goal attempts, led by 12 points and appeared ready to add its name to the long list of opponents that have shredded U.Va.'s defense this season.

Without warning, though, the Cavaliers clamped down on the Spiders, and the crowd of 4,022 at John Paul Jones Arena finally came to life. Richmond found passing lanes clogged and shots contested. Virginia held UR to three points in the final eight minutes and rallied to win 66-64 in the first round of the inaugural College Basketball Invitational.

By game's end, the Spiders' field-goal percentage had dipped to 42.6.

The Cavaliers played with a sense of urgency late in the game, all-ACC guard Sean Singletary said. "We just got in the huddle and were like, 'We need to get these stops right here,' and that's just what we did."

Third-year coach Dave Leitao wasn't happy with his team's overall defensive effort, but he has five days to try to fix those problems. Virginia (16-15) will host Old Dominion (18-15) in a CBI quarterfinal Monday night.

"We're fortunate enough to keep playing," said Singletary, whose basket with 1:15 remaining put the Wahoos ahead for good last night. "A lot of teams aren't playing now."

U.Va. very nearly became one of those teams. With only one day to prepare for the Spiders' version of the Princeton offense -- the 16-team CBI field wasn't announced until around 2 a.m. Monday -- Virginia found itself "exposed and carved up," as Leitao put it, for much of the game.

UR's sixth backcourt layup pushed its lead to 61-49 with 8:40 remaining.

"We were handling their pressure well, making the extra pass, through the first 35 minutes," said 6-9 sophomore Dan Geriot, who led the Spiders (16-15) with 22 points. "Things were looking good."

Not for Virginia. "I thought probably, including myself, most people in the arena thought it was over," Leitao said.

But the Cavaliers' shots started to fall, and the Spiders' fouls started to mount. The officiating crew called only three personals on U.Va. in the second half, to 10 for Richmond. The Wahoos shot 13 more free throws than UR after intermission.

One noncall in particular irked the Spiders. Richmond forward Kevin Smith drove into the lane and put up a shot with about 10 seconds left. There was contact, but to UR's disbelief, no foul was called, and Virginia forward Adrian Joseph grabbed the rebound.

"I actually thought I heard a whistle," U.Va. swingman Mamadi Diane said, "and for a second I froze. Then I saw my teammates scrambling for the ball."

Little came easily for the Cavaliers in this game, and the ending was no exception. Joseph hit the first of a one-and-one with 7.8 seconds left to make it 66-64, but then missed the second.

A long pass intended for Smith went off his hands and out of bounds, and Virginia guard Calvin Baker went to the line with 4.2 seconds left. He missed both shots, but the final seconds ticked off in the battle for the rebound.

Off the bench, Diane contributed 15 points and five rebounds, and forward Jamil Tucker added 10 and five. Tucker, a 6-8 sophomore, also helped quiet Geriot, who proved a difficult matchup on the perimeter for centers Ryan Pettinella and Laurynas Mikalauskas.

"I thought once we switched Jamil onto Geriot, a lot of [UR's success] subsided," Leitao said.

 

Spiders built a lead, Cavs took their win
Richmond upset by lopsided number of 2nd-half foul calls
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 - 12:07 AM Updated: 02:03 AM
By JOHN O'CONNOR
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- When it seemed last night that CBI might stand for Clear Boost In-state for the University of Richmond, Virginia took over. From the free-throw line.

That bugged the Spiders, who lost 66-64 in this College Basketball Invitational first-rounder after leading by 12 with 8:30 left, starting at the top of the UR athletic department.

"It's a shame to see a game where the [Spiders] played so hard, and gave all they had, to lose that way," said Jim Miller, Richmond's athletic director.

He referred, Miller emphasized, to the officiating. Virginia shot 11 free throws (six made) in the final 7:57, during which UR tried two foul shots (one made). In the second half, U.Va. attempted 17 free throws to Richmond's four. After committing 11 fouls in the first half, Virginia was called for three personals in the second half. One came in the last few seconds. Its purpose: break UR's offensive rhythm. U.Va. was at no risk of putting Richmond on the line.

At the buzzer, UR coach Chris Mooney didn't go directly to the hand-shaking line. First, he walked onto the court to unleash an earful on one of the officials from the Midwest-based crew. Mooney became so agitated that he needed to be restrained by two of his assistants after Spider Kevin Smith drove to the basket with UR down 65-64 and 10 seconds remained.

Smith penetrated from the left side and while trying a layup appeared to be bumped. His shot missed badly. No whistle. "I thought I got hit, but it really doesn't matter what I think," Smith said. "The officials didn't call it, and that's the way it stood."

The Spiders (16-15) were whipping Virginia with back-door buckets (six of them) and three-pointers (six of them) through about 31 minutes. One day of preparation for both teams was UR's friend. Richmond's version of the Princeton offense and its matchup zone frustrated Virginia.

Then UR went from 8:41 left to 3:30 left without a field goal.

"I think we got a little tight," said UR center Dan Geriot (22 points on 9-of-12 shooting). "I don't know what that was, because we haven't been like that for a while. I don't know if it was lack of experience in postseason play, or something along those lines."

Sean Singletary scored 18 for U.Va. and was highly instrumental in the Cavaliers' comeback as a set-up man and rebounder. "It's kind of hard to stop him from penetrating," said UR guard David Gonzalvez. "And if he missed a shot, he went and got the rebound. That's what surprised me. I was like 'Dang, I didn't know he was that strong.'"

Added Smith, speaking of the Cavaliers: "We let them in. And after we let them in, they took off with it."

Mooney said that if UR had been able to hit a shot or two during its dry stretch, the Spiders' lead may have been large enough that Virginia's free throws wouldn't have been a significant factor. But they were.

"In the last six minutes, it just seemed they were able to get to the foul line," Mooney said. "I think that changed the game, their ability to get to the foul line.

"I wish we had played better and were able to get to the line more ourselves."

 

Cavs escape Spiders' web
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
March 19, 2008

On Monday, when Virginia coach Dave Leitao was asked about the advantages of playing in the inaugural College Basketball Invitational, he responded with a question of his own.

“What are the disadvantages?” Leitao retorted.

On Tuesday night at John Paul Jones Arena, Leitao nearly found out.

Virginia played one of its most lethargic, uninspired games of the season before getting its act together late and pulling out a 66-64 win over Richmond in front of a season-low 4,022 fans.

“For a better part of the game we were more listless than anything else,” Leitao said. “We were kind of getting exposed and carved up on the defensive end.

“That is obviously not too pleasing.”

A loss to Richmond wouldn’t have been too satisfying, either. It would have put a further damper on Virginia’s disappointing season.

Losing to a mid-major in your own building is bad enough. Falling to a school from just up the road would have been even worse.

A defeat would have given Virginia a losing record for the first time since Pete Gillen’s final year and would have demoralized a fan base that had already suffered through some painful displays of basketball this season.

However, some strong defense down the stretch and some timely buckets by Sean Singletary (18 points) and Adrian Joseph saved Leitao from a huge embarrassment.

“Down the stretch, the look in everybody’s eyes was like, ‘Hey, we can’t go out like this. We need to win this game,’” Singletary said. “And we won.”

For their efforts, they get to play another game. UVa (16-15) will host Old Dominion in the CBI quarterfinals Monday

Joseph, who appears to have landed in Leitao’s doghouse as his career winds down - he was benched just a minute into the second half - said the team may have struggled to get up for the game.

“It’s always a privilege to play another basketball game, especially a postseason one,” Joseph said. “But knowing the CBI and that it’s a new [tournament] and is not the NCAAs - it’s a whole different mindset and you’ve got to be mentally strong.”

Singletary agreed.

“It’s a human reflex,” he said. “You’re playing in the lesser of the three tournaments and know you’re not playing in front of a packed crowd, so you tend to play down. But in the end, we got together and got on the same page.”

Virginia (16-15) trailed by two at the half before Richmond - thanks to some nifty backdoor baskets that the Princeton-style offense is known for - went on a 13-3 run to take a 61-49 lead with under 8 minutes, 41 seconds left.

“Most people in the arena, including myself, just about thought it was over,” Leitao said.

A major turning point occurred at the 7:57 mark when the Spiders’ Dan Geriot (22 points) was called for an intentional foul for grabbing Singletary on a drive. Singletary made only one of two free throws, but Virginia corralled the second miss, which led to a Mamadi Diane 3-point play that pulled UVa to 61-55.

The Cavaliers cut the lead to 64-63 when Joseph - who had been on sabbatical until that point - nailed a 3-pointer.

“I was frustrated; I was [expletive] that I wasn’t in the game, so when I got the [call] to go in, I just tried to step up,” Joseph said.

Joseph’s demeanor was pretty evident a few minutes before he knocked down the ‘3’ when he missed a driving baseline dunk. “I wanted to break the rim,” he said.

Virginia took its first lead since the first half when Singletary scored on a drive to the basket.

UVa, which had played horrendous defense in its ACC Tournament loss to Georgia Tech, was able to hold Richmond scoreless over the last three minutes. However, Joseph and Calvin Baker missed three of four free throws in the final minute that left the door open for the Spiders.

Richmond’s last gasp came with 4.2 seconds left. Realizing that the Cavs had fouls to give, they tried a low-percentage pass from 3/4-court that went out of bounds.

Shortly after, Leitao and Wahoo Nation could breathe a collective sigh of relief.
 

Cavs turn it on just in time
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com
March 19, 2008

Better late than never.
Most of Virginia’s frustration on the basketball court this season could easily be traced to its defensive shortcomings. Players are tired of hearing about it, sportswriters are tired of writing about it, and fans are tired of reading about it.
However, just when it seemed the Cavaliers were on the brink of elimination from the College Basketball Invitational on Tuesday night, a light switch of the defensive variety seemed to click on for UVa.
If accepting a bid to play in the CBI - don’t confuse it with one of those CSI Miami, Las Vegas or New York TV shows - wasn’t embarrassing enough, losing in the first round at home, as a No. 1 seed, to an in-state team that you dodge during the regular season, certainly would have been.
Dodging embarrassment
While critics - including this one - would have preferred Virginia to join several other schools in declining a bid to a third-rate postseason tournament, at least the Cavaliers had the chutzpah to come back and win the darned game.
Perhaps reality called timeout with just under 11 minutes to play and coldly slapped every Cavalier in the face. They were down 57-46 to the deliberate, Princeton-styled Richmond offense with perhaps just enough time left for a comeback.
Didn’t look good, didn’t feel good.
“To see yourself down 10 [actually 11] and realize it could be over - I thought that probably most people in the arena, including myself, just about thought it was over,” said Virginia coach Dave Leitao.
Certainly the Spiders must have thought so because in a few short minutes from that moment, their offense took the night off. Meanwhile, Virginia’s defense finally woke up. I said, FINALLY WOKE UP.
Those factors, parlayed with some officiating that seemed determined to keep one of the fledgling tournament’s top seeds (and we assume top draws) from drowning in an ankle-deep pool of humiliation, saved the day.
Winning with defense
The Cavaliers did their part, taking advantage of the breaks and making some of their own. After trailing 61-49 with 8:41 to play, the complexion of the game changed for good.
Virginia shut down Richmond’s offense, stopped the backdoor layups that are so prominent and essential in its style of play, and held the Spiders to three points on their last 12 possessions of the game.
“To respond like that tells me we have the ability to [play defense], but we have to be locked in a whole lot more,” Leitao said. “We decided at that moment to control it. All of a sudden, we’re jumping to the ball more, guys weren’t penetrating as much, we were covering back to shooters quickly, and if [UR guard Kevin] Anderson drove baseline we were getting there earlier, and we got to spots a whole lot better than we had for the first 30-some odd minutes.”
The change of events was somewhat inexplicable, so much in fact that Leitao joked if he knew why that he’d probably be living with John Wooden, the legendary UCLA coach, Xing and Oing with the Wizard of Westwood every day.
“It has been one of the more challenging things to me in a long, long time, to be able to get inside and read the mindset of our guys constantly,” the UVa coach said.
Singletary had a simpler explanation.
“It was just a sense of urgency,” said the Cavaliers’ star guard, who led the way with 18 points. “We got in the huddle and said ‘We need to get these stops.’ The look in everyone’s eyes was that we didn’t want to lose, especially not at home and in our last game.”
More than a couple of questionable non-calls, including a Singletary steal off Anderson and a subsequent layup that drew UVa to within 62-60 with four minutes to play, didn’t hurt the Cavaliers’ effort. There’s been less contact in muggings down on The Corner.
All of this left Richmond coach Chris Mooney a bit undone.
“The game had been physical, and the last six minutes it just seemed like they were able to get to the foul line,” said a bewildered Mooney, who spent much of those last six minutes screaming and pointing at the officials. “...That really changed the game, [UVa] being able to get to the foul line.”
Translation: he wasn’t too pleased with the disparity of foul calls the second half - 10 on the Spiders, 3 on the Cavs. In some past games, Leitao’s defense could have been, ‘Hey, if you don’t play defense, you don’t foul.’
He had no such backup this time and he wasn’t complaining.
Instead, Adrian Joseph’s trey drew the Cavs within 64-63, the Cavs got three more stops in a row, leading to Singletary’s drive that put UVa up 65-64, its first lead since late in the first half.
4,022 paying customers got their monies worth, although it’s some question as to whether Virginia did. The school, which was required to pay $60,000 in order to host the game, figured it needed to sell between 7,000 and 10,000 tickets to break even.
The Cavaliers, who have averaged just under 13,000 fans at home, improved to 16-15 on the season and lived to play another day. They will host another state school that Virginia tends to ignore, Old Dominion (a 68-65 winner over Rider) next Monday night.
Just maybe, the Cavaliers won’t forget how to play defense in the meantime.
 

Cavs rally past Spiders
Virginia comes back from 12 points down to advance.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- In the final 10 minutes of Virginia's 31st men's basketball game of the season, the Cavaliers discovered the value of good defense.

Virginia shut down Richmond down the stretch Tuesday night as the Cavaliers rallied for a 66-64 victory before a crowd of 4,022 that was the smallest in UVa's two seasons in John Paul Jones Arena.

Richmond (16-15) led 61-49 following a Ryan Butler layup with 8:41 remaining but scored only one field goal the rest of the way.

The Cavaliers (16-15) did not have the lead at any stage of the second half until senior point guard Sean Singletary scored in traffic to make it 65-64 with 1:16 left.

"We've come back before, but we haven't done it often enough " said Singletary, who had a team-high 18 points. "We got in the huddle and we were like, 'We've got to get these stops right here.'

"The look on everyone's eyes was, 'We don't want to lose, especially not at home and not in our final game.' "

It was the largest deficit Virginia had overcome in a victory this season and set the Cavaliers up for a second College Basketball Invitational home game Monday night against Old Dominion, which defeated Rider 68-65.

"We're a team that sometimes needs things to be very literal," said UVa coach Dave Leitao, who had feared the unfamiliarity of Richmond's Princeton-style offense. "We kept getting caught and before you know, you're down 10 and everybody in the arena, including myself, thought it was over."

Richmond hit 22 of its first 43 shots from the field against a Virginia team that was 0-9 when its opponents had shot 50 percent or more, but the Spiders connected on only one of their last 11 attempts.

There was no special wizardry that accounted for UVa's defensive turnaround.

"If I had that answer, I'd probably be living with John Woodden right now, 'X' and 'O-ing' with him," said Leitao, referring to UCLA's venerable ex-coach, known as the Wizard of Westwood.

The Cavaliers opened the game with a 7-0 run and had a chance to add to their lead before committing back-to-back turnovers, which served as an omen for the rest of the game.

Virginia aided the Spiders by committing 10 first-half turnovers and 11 personal fouls, two by Singletary, whose exit with 4:30 remaining coincided with a 9-0 Richmond burst.

The Spiders capitalized by making nine of 10 free throws in taking a 33-31 halftime lead, but the Cavaliers committed only three personals in the second.

Indeed, UR coach Chris Mooney felt the Spiders let the Cavaliers get back into the game by sending them to the line. Virginia's comeback started when Dan Geriot was called for an intentional foul, sending Singletary to the line with 7:57 left.

Singletary made only one of two free throws to cut the deficit to 61-52, but the Cavaliers retained possession and Mamadi Diane converted a three-point play to make it a six-point game.

Diane played 33 minutes off the bench and finished with 15 points, his fifth straight game in double figures.

"Going back half a dozen games or so, we had a little tete-a-tete," Leitao said. "I had some choice words for him and he gave it right back to me."

Said Diane: "Yeah, I do remember what Coach [Leitao] was talking about. It was something specific and we got really emotional. That's what he likes, but it's not really in character for me."

Diane's increased playing time has come at the expense of senior Adrian Joseph, who continues to start but played only 14 minutes. Joseph, benched for a defensive lapse early in the second half, did not re-enter the game until 7:57 remained but hit a 3-pointer that cut Richmond's lead to 64-63 with 3:04 left.

After that, Joseph had a turnover, missed a dunk and made only one of two free throws with 7.8 seconds left, although he did corral the rebound after the Spiders' Kevin Smith missed on a drive through traffic.

"On the one hand, this is the time of year when you just win and move on," Leitao said, "[but] what I saw for the better part of the game was listlessness more than anything else."

 

It my just be the CBI, but for UVa it’s still a victory
By Andy Bitter
Published: March 18, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE — As far as March basketball is concerned, it’s certainly not the NCAA Tournament. The NIT is a prize by comparison.
But the new College Basketball Invitational is still postseason play, and after Virginia’s 66-64 come-from-behind victory against Richmond in the first round at the John Paul Jones Arena on Tuesday, it means one thing.
“We’re fortunate enough to keep playing,” said Cavaliers guard Sean Singletary, who led all scorers with 18. “A lot of people aren’t playing right now.”
Virginia (16-15) shook off a listless first 32 minutes to score 17 of the game’s final 20 points, erasing a 12-point deficit to advance to the CBI’s second round on Monday, when it will host Old Dominion. A game time has not been announced.
The Cavaliers used an 11-3 run to get within 64-60 before Adrian Joseph sank a 3-pointer with 3:04 left to make it a one-point game. They got two straight defensive stops before Singletary made a runner with 1:16 left to give UVa its first lead since the first half at 65-64.
Virginia nearly gave the game away after Joseph missed a layup with 19 seconds left. Spiders forward Kevin Smith drove to the basket with nine seconds to go and drew contact as he went to the hoop.
“What was going through my mind is that I’ve seen this scene before,” Virginia coach Dave Leitao said. “A guy driving against us late in the game and something negative happens again. I was kind of hoping that that wasn’t going to be like that.”
Leitao’s worries were put to rest. Smith didn’t get the call and missed the layup. Joseph was fouled after getting the rebound and made one of two from the line to push the lead to two with 7.8 seconds remaining.
The Spiders (16-15) were in a tough spot. Virginia only had two team fouls in the half and planned to foul them all the way down the court until time ran out. Instead, Richmond tried to throw a pass down court. It was a tad long for Smith and went out of bounds under UVa’s hoop, ending any last-second miracle.
“This is the time of year where you just try to win and move on,” Leitao said. “However you can scratch, claw and fight your way to a victory, half a point, a whole point better than the other team, you try to do that.”
The Cavaliers didn’t play like they wanted their season to continue during the first 32 minutes, falling victim to the Spiders’ back-cut offense numerous times. Kevin Anderson found Ryan Butler for a backdoor layup to make it 61-49 with 8:41 left.
But Virginia clamped down defensively. Leitao went with a small lineup, putting forward Jamil Tucker on Richmond big man Dan Geriot, who scored 22 points on 9-for-12 shooting and drew UVa’s post defenders away from the hoop with three 3-pointers.
The Spiders made one field goal the rest of the way. Virginia made defensive stops on nine of Richmond’s last 10 possessions.
Mamadi Diane scored 15 points and Tucker added 10 off the bench for the Cavaliers, who admittedly found it difficult to get up for the game.
The crowd of 4,002 was the smallest for a men’s game in the two-year history of the John Paul Jones Arena, not a promising sign for a tournament that hopes to some day compete with the NIT for non-NCAA Tournament teams.
“Mentally, in some instances it was (tough),” Joseph said. “You think about not being in the NCAA, not even the NIT. You’ve definitely got to get your mind set, get focused to play in the CBI.”

Second-half fouls entangle Spiders
Cavaliers rally late, will face Old Dominion next in first CBI tournament
Anders Sleight, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor

A somewhat dull game quickly became exciting as the Virginia men's basketball team rallied from a 12-point deficit to defeat Richmond 66-64 last night in the first game of the new College Basketball Invitational. The Cavaliers recorded a season-high eight blocks and used a 17-3 run over the final 8:30 to erase the Spiders' lead and squeak out a close win.

Virginia's first-round victory allows the team to advance to the second round, where the Cavaliers will face Old Dominion, which beat Rider 68-65 Monday at John Paul Jones Arena.

Senior Sean Singletary again carried the Cavaliers. The standout guard gave Virginia the lead in the closing minute when he penetrated into the lane and dropped in a tear-drop shot. Singletary's basket gave Virginia its first lead of the half. Richmond had two opportunities in the final minute to answer Singletary's basket, but the Spiders were unable to get past Virginia's defense. Singletary finished the game with 18 points on 6-13 shooting from the field, and junior forward Mamadi Diane added 15 points.

"I feel a bit off-balance now," Virginia coach Dave Leitao said. "This is the time of year where you just win and move on."

The first half was full of back-and-forth action but was short on energy and excitement. The crowd at John Paul Jones Arena was noticeably sparse and lacked the energy and excitement normally characteristic of JPJ. Furthermore, the Cavaliers put in a lackluster performance in the opening half.

"We were more listless than anything else for a better part of the game," Leitao said. "Because of that we got carved up a bit defensively. We'll chalk [the victory] up to our ability to find a way to win."

Virginia committed 11 first-half fouls, and the Spiders connected on 90 percent of their free throws. Richmond's performance at the free-throw line allowed the Spiders to stay within striking distance throughout the opening half.

Virginia, on the other hand, shot the ball well early on and came up with a number of turnovers that led to several easy Virginia points. Freshman center Mike Scott put the exclamation point on a Virginia steal with 5:30 left in the half. Scott received an outlet pass off a steal, accelerated towards the basket and slammed the ball home for the bucket and a foul, which brought the crowd at JPJ to its feet. A minute later, the freshman was able to complete the 3-point play to give Virginia a 27-20 lead.

Late in the first half, however, Singletary received his second foul, which forced Leitao to remove his star senior from the game. Singletary's absence led to sloppy and inconsistent play on Virginia's part and allowed the Spiders to pull ahead of Virginia in the closing minutes of the half. The Spiders ended the first half on an 11-2 run to give Richmond a 33-31 lead at halftime. Because of his foul trouble, Singletary was held to only 6 points in the period, despite shooting 60 percent from the field.

The second half did not begin well for the Cavaliers. Richmond came out of the locker room with a tremendous amount of energy and promptly drilled two 3-pointers on its first two possessions. Virginia faced a 6-point deficit less than two minutes into the half.

Singletary and Diane, however, answered Richmond's hot hand by hitting two 3-pointers themselves. Singletary and Diane's heroics drew Virginia to within 1 point of Richmond, 41-40, with a little more than 17 minutes remaining.

For the next several minutes both teams traded baskets and kept the game close; however, Richmond began to pull away from Virginia after making two 3-pointers and converting a Cavalier turnover into an easy layup. With less than 11 minutes remaining, the Spiders led Virginia 57-46.

Defensively, Virginia struggled to contain Richmond's potent outside shooters. The Spiders maintained their large lead over Virginia by continuing to find the open shooter and knocking down those shots. At times, Virginia appeared sluggish on defense, which led to several easy Richmond points. With less than nine minutes remaining, Richmond held an 12-point lead over Virginia, 61-49.

Richmond ran into the same problem Virginia encountered in the first half: foul trouble. Virginia crawled its way back into the game by connecting on a series of free throws over a two-minute span, and with six minutes remaining, Virginia had narrowed the Spiders' lead to 4, 62-58.

After the teams traded baskets during the next three minutes, senior forward Adrian Joseph drilled a huge 3-pointer from the corner. Joseph's bucket pulled Virginia to within 1, 64-63, with 2:32 remaining. Singletary's basket about a minute later gave Virginia the lead for good.

"They were able to get to the foul line" in the last six minutes, Richmond coach Chris Mooney said. "In the last minute they had four fouls to give, and we were in the double bonus. I think that changed the game."

 

Can you Believe It?

I don't know about you, but last night I was a ball of nerves. For last night's opening round of the Cut-Below Invitational -- or maybe it's the Contemptible Business Initiative, my memory's a bit fuzzy -- there was a good deal of excitement in John Paul Jones Arena. There were hundreds -- literally, hundreds -- of Virginia fans who Celebrated Being Inaugural in the first year of the tournament and watched the Cavs Battle In their matchup with the fearsome Spiders of Richmond. Crazy, But Indubitable.

Coming into the game, I fully expected the Cavaliers to win handily.

A Clearly Baseless Intuition.

Though Richmond Came Booming Into JPJ, taking a double-digit lead in the second half, the Cavs Barely Induced a win with a late run, 66-64.

Down 12 with 8:41 left in the second half, Virginia Creeped Back Insidiously behind its defensive effort, allowing just one field goal with time Collapsing Back Into zero.

"Probably, including myself, most people in the arena thought it just about was over," Virginia Coach and Basketball Insider Dave Leitao said. "We have the ability to do it, we've just got to be locked in a whole lot more."

With Clutch Basketball Instinct, Singletary led the Charge, Breaking Inside his defender for a soft floater in the lane. Richmond had a layup to take the lead, but Carelessly Bricked the Inside shot, and the Spiders were forced to foul.

"What was going through my mind was, I've seen this seem before; a guy driving against us late in the game, and something negative happens," Leitao said. "We got fortunate, and got the loose ball."

The Spiders had one final Chance to Break Into the lead once more with five seconds remaining, but Virginia had Collectively Been Indicated for only two team fouls in the half, so it simply Committed Basic Infringements, fouling the Spiders continually with time winding down. Richmond's last-ditch effort was Creative But Ineffective; the team launched a pass down Court, But Its point guard, Kevin Smith, Couldn't Bring It into his reach.

"Kevin Smith is a great athlete, and we thought that if he threw it up there, someone might be able to catch it," Richmond College Basketball Insider and coach Chris Mooney said. "I thought maybe we could catch them a little bit with Kevin's athleticism."

At the outset, it seemed it would be a Cavalier slaughter in the first-round game, as the team Cruised Behind Its fearless leader Singletary early. He Caused Big Issues for the Spiders' Collective Backcourt In the early going, coming up with an early steal and a layup en route to a 7-0 lead. Richmond, however, Came Back, Illustrating a feistiness that Can Benefit Inferior teams talent-wise, and Richmond took the lead back, 9-8.

Fortunately, Calvin Baker Instantly sparked Virginia Conveniently Back Into the lead with a layup and an assist in the next two minutes, and the Cavs bounded to a 7-point margin, their largest of the game, Capped By an Intense Mike Scott throw-down. But Richmond, Continually Begrudging Its foe's attempt to extend the lead, Clawed Back Into it, going on a 7-0 run on its way to a 33-31 halftime score.

It has been zone that has Customarily Been Iffy for Virginia's offense, and it was no different in the first half. Richmond's defense was Combative But Intelligent on the Virginia perimeter. The Spiders' Competitors Bore Into Virginia shooters, giving inside players open space, of which Virginia couldn't take advantage.

Defensively, as has Created Big Impediments for Virginia all season, the defense Consistently Behaved Idly, allowing numerous Careless Buckets, Irking Leitao to no end. The Spiders, which feature a Princeton-style offense with Continuous Backdoor, Inside action, frustrated the Cavalier Backcourt Intermittently.

"We didn't have enough preparation time, nor were we psychologically ready to defend that," Leitao said. "Those kinds of things will come back and bite you in your rear end if you're not ready."

So, Virginia gets to Come Back Into JPJ at least once more in its second-round game Monday. Whew! If Virginia had lost, I think this game would have made this season inComplete, Baseless and Inefficient.

It might not be the NCAA, it might not be the NIT. But, by golly, it's the CBI, and every game Could Be It.

 

The top (and bottom) of their class

They're about as different as night and day, fire and water, chalk and cheese, Mario and Luigi and, well, Charlottesville and Blacksburg.

Virginia coach Dave Leitao and Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg, both talented bench generals, have done pretty well for themselves over the past few years. Each has been named the ACC Coach of the Year for his efforts, Leitao winning it after the Cavaliers blitzed through the conference last season and Greenberg getting the honor twice in four years for raising the Hokies from the dead. And that's about where the similarities end.

Last weekend, with Tech on the bubble to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament after losing to No. 1 North Carolina by 2 points in the ACC semifinals, Greenberg was making his case for the Hokies to be in the Big Dance. At the postgame press conference, he cried. On ESPN, he declared, "If you don't think [Virginia Tech] is one of the top 65 teams in country, you're certifiably insane."

[Note: Greenberg got this wrong. In fact, after automatic bids are given to conference champions, the Hokies would have to have been one of the top 34 at-large teams to receive a bid.]

When ESPN bracketology guru Joe Lunardi (who knows more about tournament selection than almost anybody) counted Tech out of March Madness, Greenberg blasted him.

"Who cares? You think Joe Lunardi knows the exact field?" he said. "You think that his word is bond, and they're sitting there in Indianapolis going, 'Virginia Tech, they're out now?'"

Settle down, Daddy Warbucks. Something tells me the 10-person tournament selection committee sequestered on the 15th floor of the Indianapolis Westin surrounded by stats and computer printouts didn't appreciate its sanity being called into question. And I'm sure Greenberg's not getting an apologetic phone call from Lunardi anytime soon.

Let's flash back a year to see how he should have acted.

Last March, Leitao (a coach known for his outward composure and stoic demeanor with a few foot-stomping exceptions) broke down the Cavaliers' first-round tournament game against Albany.

Albany "has been to the tournament more times than we have, so they are going to come in with a very high air of confidence," Leitao said when asked about the Cavaliers' 13-seed opponent. "I'm sure they are looking at us as a team they know they can beat. ... We are going to have to make sure in gathering up the information that we need to, that we are prepared for what we will see on the floor and as much as anything, we have to be prepared psychologically to know we are in for a heck of a fight."

With that kind of deference, you'd think Leitao was coaching the Washington Generals against the Harlem Globetrotters.

Contrast this with Greenberg's miles-from-humility statement heading into the postseason.

"We whup up on the Big Ten every single year in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, and they're talking about maybe a fifth team in [the Big Ten included in the NCAA Tournament]?" Greenberg fumed after losing to the Tar Heels. "It's absolutely absurd. It's ludicrous."

Something was definitely ludicrous about this situation, but it wasn't the bracket selection. After all, it's not like the Hokies have been snubbed by the selection committee over and over. Last year, they were a five-seed in the Big Dance. Five! I'm perfectly willing to admit that the Cavaliers did not deserve to be a four-seed in that tournament, but the Hokies sure as hell didn't deserve to be a five-seed. The selection committee giveth and the selection committee taketh away – a lesson Greenberg doesn't seem to have learned.

There's no doubt that a coach should stand up for his team and his players. A man who lets his squad get crucified in the media without firing back is not a good coach. That said, Greenberg's begging, pleading, crying and ranting crossed the line by attracting attention for all the wrong reasons. Tech is a good team this year (better than the Cavaliers, unfortunately) but Greenberg stooped pretty low – crossing the line between passionate and (dare I say it) certifiably insane.

Had a coach like Leitao been in the same situation with Virginia on the bubble, I'm sure he would have handled it with his usual realism. The media might have wished for juicier quotes, but at least Leitao would be left with a shred of dignity in case things didn't roll the Cavaliers' way.

Greenberg was right to fight for his team, but in the end he became the show and the distraction. Now instead of dancing in March, the Hokies can watch their coach try to extricate his foot from his mouth.

 

Long shows linebacker skills
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
March 19, 2008

While Tuesday’s Pro Day at UVa wasn’t as thorough as last month’s NFL Combine, a horde of NFL scouts, coaches and general managers showed up in Charlottesville to get yet another close-up look at All-American defensive end Chris Long.

Projected in some circles as the No. 1 draft choice next month, Long did offer up some variety, participating in some linebacker drills, which he skipped in Indianapolis. While at the NFL Combine, Long said he wanted to get back to UVa and work on some linebacker drills with Cavaliers’ head coach Al Groh, who has a strong background with linebackers.

“We’ve been working on those drills for about two weeks,” Groh said. “The drills we showed today were the ones I would have put him through if I had been down here as a scout in a private workout, so hopefully it showed everyone what they wanted to know.”

A lot of it was Groh and Long, one-on-one, showing the prospect’s ability to move, change directions, hunt down a pass (sometimes on the wobbly side), hand strength and initial punch, among other drills.

Jokingly asked if he had bruised his former head coach during the drills, Long chuckled.

“I don’t want to see it if I did,” the defensive star said. “I think I bruised him last week. But Coach loves it as much as I do, to get out there and run around.”

Apparently the scouts liked what they saw from the player who was described at the combine as “freakishly athletic.”

Scott Linehan, head coach of the St. Louis Rams, who pick second in the draft behind the Miami Dolphins, was personally on hand to chat with Long and to view the workout.

“I can only speak for one team, but you can’t go wrong with a player like this,” Linehan said. “He’s got an unbelievable amount of football ability, but his character on top of that is unbelievable. So, when you get that kind of a package, you’re looking at a guy that could impact the team right away.”

Linehan said that while the Rams play a 4-3 scheme, Long’s versatility is his strength and that should St. Louis select the defensive end, that he would probably be used as an end that lines up with his hand on the ground in a three-point stance as opposed to a stand-up end.

“He would fit in right away,” Linehan said. “What’s great about him is he pretty much can play anywhere. He moves around so much in this system.”

Tuesday was as much an information gathering mission for several of the NFL clubs as anything else. Linehan said it was more about spending time with the prospect, his coaches, and trainers that worked with him during his college career.

“You can always find a little nugget about a guy,” Linehan said. “These workouts usually don’t hurt a player, it usually helps.”

Long, who said he is skipping classes this semester to focus on getting ready for the draft, believes that one would take away from the other. He plans to spend the spring getting ready, while still working out and watching UVa’s spring drills rather than participating for a change.

He also spent time talking to the Rams and some other organizations the past couple of days.

“We just talked football,” Long said. “A little bit about what I like to do off the field. They just want to get to know you. If a team is considering making an investment in you of that magnitude they have every right to do that. I really enjoyed the meeting with some great guys and I’m looking forward to going out to St. Louis for another meeting.”

While he is expected to play defensive end in the NFL, he hasn’t discounted the possibility of becoming an outside linebacker, though at 270 pounds, he would probably have to drop some weight, something he said would be no problem.

“I’ve always known that I could do it [play linebacker],” Long said. “It’s been pretty easy to pick up, but when the bullets are flying in pro football it’s going to be different. I feel like I can do anything they want me to do defensively.”
 

Long doing LB drills
Cavaliers' DE returns to Charlottesville, shows his versatility to NFL coaches
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 - 12:07 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE And with the first pick of the 2008 NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins take . . . "

The young man who could well have that distinction April 26 was back in town yesterday. Chris Long isn't enrolled at the University of Virginia this semester - he says doesn't want to have to neglect his schoolwork while preparing for the draft - but yesterday found him back on the practice fields next to the McCue Center.

"It's been awesome to be at home," said Long, a consensus All-American at defensive end for the Cavaliers last season. "I feel comfortable here. I'll work out anywhere, but it's good to be around my guys, and it was fun watching them compete today."

Forty-nine representatives from NFL teams, including St. Louis Rams head coach Scott Linehan, showed up to see about a dozen former U.Va. players get measured and tested and timed, among them tight ends Tom Santi and Jonathan Stupar, linebackers Jermaine Dias and Kai Parham, offensive lineman Ian-Yates Cunningham, special-teams standout Josh Zidenberg and safety Nate Lyles. The NFL contingent also included Dolphins assistant Jim Reid, former head coach at the University of Richmond and Virginia Military Institute. Reid now coaches Miami's outside linebackers.

Long and offensive guard Branden Albert, another potential first-round pick, participated in the NFL scouting combine last month in Indianapolis, and so each limited his work yesterday.

Joe Bugel, the Washington Redskins' venerable offensive-line coach, ran Albert through various blocking drills. Virginia head coach Al Groh put Long through drills for linebackers.

Linebacker? That's right. The 6-4, 270-pound Long, renowned for his pass-rushing prowess in U.Va.'s 3-4 defense, probably is too small to play end full time in that scheme on an NFL team. He could end up as a 4-3 end or, at least part time, as a 3-4 outside linebacker.

Groh, who coached linebackers for the NFL's Giants, Browns, Patriots and Jets, has been tutoring Long at that position recently. Long focused on defensive-line drills at the combine last month. He switched positions yesterday.

"I feel like I can do anything they want me to do defensively," Long said. "I just have to work at it."

Before he joined Long on the field yesterday, Groh told reporters that Long's body of work speaks for itself.

"I don't think there's going to be any great revelation to his skills," Groh said. "His skills have been so apparent for quite some time here that they'll show up in these drills, just like they did in others. This is for the satisfaction of [NFL] people who are saying, 'Can he do this or can he do that? We think he probably can, but we haven't seen him do it.'

"After today, they'll be able to say, 'Can he catch, can he change direction, how's he look in pass drops? Yeah, we clearly saw him do those things.'"

The Rams, whose base defense is the 4-3, hold the No. 2 pick this year.

"I think you can't go wrong with a player like this," Linehan said of Long. "He's got an unbelievable amount of football ability, but his character on top of that is unbelievable. When you get that type of package, you're looking at a guy who's going to impact a team right away."

Long, whom Sports Illustrated recently profiled, knows he might be drafted No. 1 overall next month. But the eldest of Pro Football Hall of Famer Howie Long's three sons says that possibility doesn't dominate his thoughts.

"It is what it is," Long said. "I'm just going to keep working and see what happens. I have no preference where I go, I have no preference where I'm picked. What's important is the career after that, whether you're picked 1 through 30 or after that."

 

NFL gives top Cavsa closer inspection
March 19, 2008 2:02 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE--

Al Groh has constantly preached versatility at Virginia.

The Cavaliers head coach's mind-set could pay off for Chris Long and Branden Albert in next month's NFL Draft.

Long, a star defensive end, worked out at linebacker yesterday at Virginia for 49 NFL scouts, including one head coach--Scott Linehan from the St. Louis Rams.

The pro timing day workout came one month after Long performed at his natural position at the NFL combine in Indianapolis.

"I did d-line at the combine and I thought I'd show [the scouts] linebacker today," Long said. "It's just to show versatility. I feel I can do anything they want me to do defensively. I just have to work at it."

Long is expected to be a top five pick in the draft, and perhaps the Cavaliers' second No. 1 overall selection in their history, joining Bill Dudley in 1942.

Long never played linebacker at Virginia, but as the Cavaliers prepared for the Gator Bowl, he practiced there under Groh's tutelage.

"Coach Groh and I had about five sessions to practice," Long said. "It's been pretty easy stuff to pick up, but when the bullets are flying, it's going to be another thing."

Groh and Long did linebacker drills together yesterday in front of the NFL scouts. Groh said yesterday's workout was important to show that Long can catch and change direction.

"We clearly saw him do those things," Groh said.

Long said he weighed in at 267 pounds yesterday, but that he'd willingly go up or down depending on where he'll play in the NFL.

Groh said Long can play defensive end in a 3-4 scheme in the NFL on a "play-to-play basis" but that it may be a challenge for him to play an entire season there. He called it a "grind."

That's why it's important Long can play another position.

Linehan and the Rams are certainly interested with the No. 2 overall pick after the Miami Dolphins choose first. St. Louis runs a 4-3 scheme.

"We would probably spend most of our time having him play defensive end," Linehan said. "He would have his hand on the ground most of the time, but what's great about him is he can play anywhere. He moves around so much in the system. His versatility is his strength."

Albert's is, too. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. rates him as the No. 1 offensive guard in the draft. However, he also started two games at left tackle last season when Eugene Monroe was injured, and did well.

Albert (6-foot-7, 315 pounds), who left school as a junior, only performed position drills yesterday. He spent nearly all his time with Redskins offensive line coach Joe Bugel. Albert said he and Bugel formed a bond at the combine. The Redskins pick 21st in the draft, two spots ahead of where Kiper slotted Albert to go to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"I think a lot of people like the versatility," Albert said. "I can play both [guard and tackle]. If somebody goes down, I can replace another guy. So I think that's helping my stock out."

Long and Albert were among 11 Virginia senior performers at pro timing day yesterday, not including former players Kai Parham and Ryan Best (who transferred to Liberty). Safety Nate Lyles had the most impressive showing. He placed ahead of all his teammates in the bench press (22 reps), 40-yard dash (4.46) and vertical jump (36 inches). He said he expects to be an undrafted free agent. Tight end Tom Santi improved his 40 time from a 4.76 at the combine to a 4.57 yesterday.

He said he was more comfortable on Virginia's campus than he was at the combine.

"You're really cattle there," Santi said of the combine. "It's just a big meat parade. But out here, we're on our home turf. We've got all the guys around. So this was just fun to be out here."

 

U.Va.'s Long shows off his linebacking stuff for NFL scouts
Posted to: College Football Sports
Roanoke Times
© March 19, 2008
By Doug Doughty
CHARLOTTESVILLE

The Chris Long teams evaluated at the NFL Scouting Combine was exclusively a defensive lineman.

Tuesday at the University of Virginia's pro timing day, Chris Long the linebacker was on display.

Of course, NFL teams might have projected Long as a linebacker when they saw him at the combine, but he participated in drills for defensive linemen.

"To those people who wanted him to work out at linebacker, he said, 'I'm going back home (to) work on those things and I'll do all linebacker drills when U.Va. has their pro day,'" coach Al Groh said.

Long weighed 267 pounds when he arrived at U.Va.'s practice field Tuesday morning. He was listed at 284 during the season.

Neither Long nor offensive tackle Branden Albert participated in the testing, having been satisfied with their performance at the NFL scouting combine in February.

Tight end Tom Santi also went to the combine but wanted to see if he could better his numbers. He lowered a 4.75-second 40-yard time to just under 4.6.

Also working out were offensive lineman Ian-Yates Cunningham, linebacker Jermaine Dias, tight end Jonathan Stupar, safety Nate Lyles and fullback Josh Zidenberg.

Lyles might have been the surprise of the session, running the 40 in 4.46 seconds, doing 22 repetitions at 225 pounds, recording a 36-inch vertical leap and going 9 feet, 10 inches in the broad jump.

"He was awesome," Long said.

When the testing was done, Long and Albert did individual drills. Albert worked under the watchful eye of Washington Redskins line coach Joe Bugel while Groh worked out Long.

"It was the drill I used in going to schools to work out linebackers many times," said Groh, a linebackers coach for 10 years in the NFL. "If I was here all by myself, this is the workout we would do."

Long, the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American, played defensive end in a 3-4 scheme at Virginia. However, some teams might feel he lacks the bulk to be a 3-4 defensive lineman in the NFL.

Long could be the first player taken in the draft. Miami, which has that pick, was represented Tuesday by new linebackers coach Jim Reid. No stranger to the surroundings, Reid is a former coach at Richmond and VMI.

There were 49 coaches or scouts representing 29 teams. Scott Linehan of the St. Louis Rams, who have the second overall pick, was the only head coach on the premises.

"I have no preference where I go; I have no preference where I'm picked," Long said "What's important is the career after that, whether you're picked (No.) 1 through 30."

 

NFL scouts descend on UVa
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
March 19, 2008

Typically, the sighting of an NFL head coach and a Pro Bowl kicker would make a big splash in Charlottesville.

That was not the case, however, on Tuesday.

A different target - a 270-pound specimen - was the focus for St. Louis Rams coach Scott Linehan and the large collection of football scouts on hand at Virginia’s annual Pro Day.

“It was the Chris Long show,” said former Virginia punter Ryan Weigand. “As soon as Chris Long was done with his stuff, most of the guys just packed up and took off and headed down to the University of Richmond for that Pro Day.”

Long, considered one of the top targets for April’s NFL Draft, worked solely on linebacker drills with UVa coach Al Groh, having completed most of the previous tests at the league’s combine in Indianapolis.

“I was just hoping to have fun today,” Long said. “I told somebody last night this is the easiest thing I will do. This is relaxing. It’s fun to go out here and see all the guys competing and running great times.

“It felt like we were on the same team for a couple of hours, which we really are. It was good to see everybody.”

The other former Cavaliers that took part in the drills, which included the bench press, jumping drills and the 40-yard dash, were thankful that Long was in attendance.

“I was happy that Chris came out and worked out,” said former Virginia kicker and punter Chris Gould. “He gave us an opportunity to perform in front of those scouts and, hopefully, those scouts maybe took notice of some people that would not have been looked at normally.”

Nate Lyles and Tom Santi may have been the biggest beneficiaries.

Lyles, a safety, sparkled in the vertical leap (36 inches), the bench press (22 reps with 225 pounds) and the 40-yard dash (4.48 and 4.42).

“I’m glad that [Lyles] got to show his stuff,” Long said. “As good as he might work out, he is a better teammate and a tough kid.”

Lyles’ stock for the NFL Draft remains uncertain, but Santi, who joined offensive lineman Branden Albert and Long at the combine, helped his draft stock further, which was needed with a talented pool of tight ends available this year.

“I did my 40 and my bench again and I did a lot better,” Santi said. “I ran better. I ran a 4.57. At the combine, my best was 4.76.”

Santi said he also had 18 reps with the bench press - four more than he did at the combine.

“You just kind of hit a wall late and you have to grind through it,” he said, “but that’s part of the test I guess.”

Santi was pleased with his lifting since Virginia’s coaching staff does not put a strong importance during strength training on the bench press.

“Other places put a huge emphasis on it and you will see guys doing 30, 35 reps … 35 is an elite number,” Santi added. “That’s not something we do here.”

What all of the recorded numbers mean, Santi said, are different in the eyes of the beholder.

“Different organizations put more emphasis on certain stuff,” he added, “but the way I look at it, if it is a test, I want to be as good as I can. I was happy to do that today.”

Albert, who declared for the draft with a year of eligibility remaining, said he felt he proved his case to be a middle-to-late pick in the first round with his performance at the combine. The versatile 313-pounder could be drafted to play tackle or guard, but worked only in positional drills for the onlookers, which included Washington Redskins offensive line coach Joe Bugel.

The Redskins have the No. 23 pick in the first round.

While Long and Albert should not have to wait long to hear their names called, the other players know they will not likely be as fortunate. Those players, however, are just hoping for a chance to shine in a team’s training camp.

“I would like to go as early as I can, obviously, and everybody would, but I just want to get on a team and put the pads on and play football again,” Santi said. “The earlier you get drafted, generally you make more money, but once you put on the pads, everybody is the same.

“You have to perform whether you are a free agent or the first pick. I am just ready to go play.”

Gould echoed Santi’s thoughts.

“One team only needs to take notice of me and then I can go in there and impress them with my field goal skills or my kickoff skills and then they will write up good reports and hopefully I can stick with a team,” he said. “I am just out there working now hoping that someone takes notice.”

Gould had a special guest there to watch - his brother, Robbie, the placekicker for the Chicago Bears was in attendance.

“He took a hands-off approach,” Gould said. “If I am going to make it, he told me, you have to make it on your own, and that the way I want it. I wouldn’t want him doing all the work for me.”

Gould expected to kick a number of field goals and Weigand expected to showcase his punting skills, but a scout from the New York Giants had the two showcase other talents and passed the numbers on to the scouts that were focused intently on Long.

“They were asking us to do jobs that we didn’t think we were going to do out here,” Gould said. “You have to be ready for that just like it is a game.

“Overall, you just have to come prepared for everything.”

Waiting to walk

Many found it odd earlier this month when a story in Sports Illustrated pointed out that Long was not currently taking classes at UVa and would not graduate on time this summer.

Long, a former standout at St. Anne’s-Belfield, explained the decision and said he was hopeful to complete the requirements for his degree next year.

“I am just working on [training for the draft] and doing whatever else this process calls for, because this is a time where I don’t want either to take away from the other,” Long told reporters. “As far as class goes, the university and I are going to working on a way that I can get my degree next fall.”

Part of Long’s duties recently included signing 2,000 autographs for trading cards printed by Topps.

Getting back at it

The new-look Cavaliers are scheduled to start spring practice on Friday.

Virginia has not released a schedule for open practices, but NCAA rules allow the program to hold 15 practice sessions, including three scrimmages, one of which will be the spring game on April 12.

 

Cavs sweep doubleheader from Seawolves
From staff reports / Charlottesville Daily Progress
March 19, 2008

It took far more heroics than many expected, but Virginia swept a doubleheader in baseball with Stony Brook on Tuesday at Davenport Field.

After winning the first game, 3-0, the Cavaliers used a five-run rally in the eighth inning to secure a 6-4 victory in the nightcap over the Seawolves (4-7).

With the wins, the 24th-ranked Cavaliers improved to 16-4 overall and remained perfect at home on the season.

"It was important for our team to find a way to win," said Virginia coach Brian O’Connor. "Fortunately at the end of the ballgame we executed some bunts, put some pressure on them and found a way to win the game. That’s what is important with this team right now.

"We have to grind it out and find a way to win."

Virginia (16-4) got wins on the mound from sophomore Jeff Lorick (2-0) and junior Jake Rule (1-1) in the first and second game, respectively, and had good pitching throughout the two games.

"Lorick gave us a solid start and [Jake] Cowan pitched really well and I thought we pitched pretty well out of the bullpen all day long," O’Connor said. "I thought we pitched pretty well against a team that would not back down."

The two teams were originally scheduled to play one game Tuesday and another today, but altered the schedule and pushed up the final game due to threatening weather.

"It makes for a long day in the middle of the week but you have to do what you have to do to get the games in," O’Connor said. "The priority is to play the games, but I am glad it is over."

Virginia started both games without junior second baseman David Adams, who was battling flu-like ailments, which forced O’Connor to adjust the top half of the lineup for the first time all year.

Virginia hosts Boston College on Friday in its first home ACC game.
 

Football players work out for NFL teams at Pro Day
Long projected as top-five pick while Albert projected in top 25; Santi, Billyk hope to be picked in draft's later rounds; 29 of 32 NFL teams attend
Eric Kolenich, Cavalier Daily Senior Writer

"Come on, Al," they yell. "Let's go, Al."

Dozens of large men donning every NFL logo on their backs stand in a padded weight room, circled around the bench with pens and clipboards in their hands. Wahoo footballers dressed in blue and orange lean forward with clenched fists, encouraging their teammate on his back with 225 pounds in his hands.

"You got it, Al," they shout.

His brow sweats, his neck bulges and the red veins push against his skin. His arms, carved like marble, rapidly push the weights up, then let them fall, over and over. His pace soon slows, and he struggles to extend the barbell above his chest.

"Finish it!" the coach above him screams.

His arms go weak, and the weights are taken from his hands and returned to the rack. He stands up, his chest heaving, and he curses, having completed 18 reps. At the same time, Virginia coach Al Groh walks by smiling, congratulating him. "Way to go Al," the coach says. Chris Long and Branden Albert pat nose tackle Allen Billyk on the back as he retreats from the bench.

For most of Tuesday morning, this was the scene at the McCue Center and surrounding practice fields. Graduates and ex-players returned to Virginia to display their skills – lifting, running, jumping and catching – in front of NFL scouts and coaches. One observer compared the events to herding cattle – weighing them, measuring them and testing them for desirability.

Former tight end Tom Santi pointed out, however, there weren't as many bulging young men lined up to follow commands as there were at the NFL Combine, which he called "a big meat parade."

Throughout the morning, a New York Giants scout took a long look at punter Ryan Weigand and kicker Chris Gould. Redskins assistant coach Joe Bugel worked with offensive linenmen Ian-Yates Cunningham and Branden Albert. But most of the NFL's representatives were there to see the prize pig, the man of the hour, Chris Long.

"You can't go wrong with a player like this," St. Louis Rams coach Scott Linehan said. "He's got an unbelievable amount of football ability, but his character on top of that is unbelievable. So when you get that kind of package, you're looking at the kind of guy who's going to impact the team right away."

Linehan and the Rams get the second pick of draft in April. But standing in front of them is Bill Parcells and the Miami Dolphins. Long would make an interesting pick for the Dolphins, who will run either a 3-4 or 4-3 defense -- the former is used at Virginia. Given Long's size, (6-foot-3, 243 pounds) many in the NFL think Long would make a great 3-4 outside linebacker or a 4-3 defensive end. Groh used to coach under Parcells, and Long's attitude and demeanor seem to fit just what Parcells is looking for.

"What's great about him is he can pretty much play anywhere; his versatility is his strength," Linehan said. "We don't have any question in our mind that he can do pretty much either system. He's a great kid to spend time with and we'd love to have him."

Though Long displayed his skills as a defensive lineman at the NFL Combine last month, he took the opportunity yesterday to display his linebacker skills after taking some time to train with Groh. Tuesday, Long took the opportunity to push, hit and catch footballs from his former coach.

"This is the workout that I did when going to schools to work linebackers out many times," Groh said. "If I was here all by myself and there was nobody to observe, this is the workout we would do."

While Long and Albert have already secured their places as first-round draft picks, other players are just hoping to get noticed by the NFL scouts.

"If they see something they like and can give me an opportunity – great," fullback Josh Zidenberg said. "If not, then that's my answer, and I move on to the next part of my life. I have nothing to lose by doing it and everything to gain. So why not?"

Groh said the main thing the workout provides is a real-life example of what the players have been doing for years and what the scouts have already seen on tape.

Run. Jump. Catch.

 

Junior Barrow impresses in short-stick midfielder position
Meryem Karad

Although statistics may not reflect his importance to the team, 6-foot captain junior short-stick midfielder Will Barrow has proved vital to an undefeated 8-0 Virginia men's lacrosse team.

"There has never been any doubt in my mind of what Will's value to the team is; when we don't have him, there is a big hole to fill there, and it's not usually filled by one guy but by committee," Virginia coach Dom Starsia said. "When he is on his game and in shape and healthy the way he has been recently, I am not sure there is a better player in the country to do what we ask him to do."

Barrow plays a position that traditionally is not glorified, yet requires the most versatility. Although coaches and true lacrosse fans may understand what the position demands, it often goes unnoticed. As a midfielder, Barrow is a key component to both sides of the ball, defensively as well as offensively, allowing him to become a pivotal component in ball transition.

"The position entails the full range of what we try to do as a program," Starsia said. "Those guys [midfielders] epitomize Virginia lacrosse as much as anyone else in terms of playing the full field and getting from end to end as quickly as possible."

Barrow has enabled Virginia to continue playing in that style, which Starsia explains as the core of the team's strategy.

"A lot of teams will take that defensive middie and run him off the field after they have regained the ball," Starsia said. "We like to leave that guy out there, and if we can catch the other team's offensive midfielders on the field on defense, we feel like we can take advantage of that."

In Virginia's overtime 14-13 win against Syracuse March 1, Barrow depicted his indispensability with his OT clearing play, where he was knocked to the ground while picking up a bouncing, clearing pass yet hung onto the ball and cleared it himself.

On a team that has outscored opponents 129-67 this season, it is not difficult to get lost in the numbers; however, one of the most fundamental components of lacrosse is ball movement. Barrow's three goals, two assists and 17 ground balls this season are not representative of his efforts.

"Will pushes the ball on transition and beats guys when he has it in his stick; he's definitely an unsung hero," fellow midfielder junior Danny Glading said, "What he does doesn't necessarily show up in the stats, but he definitely adds another threat for us offensively."

According to Starsia, Barrow has stepped up to the task and has "picked up more of the load" after having graduated Ricky Smith, a defender crucial in ball transition last year.

"Losing Ricky was big – he used to start our transition game, starting fast breaks and flipping the field quick," sophomore defender Ken Clausen said. "It helps this year that our defensive middies are really fast and all our midfielders are two-way middies."

Though the team is young, Starsia said he expects a lot from his players, especially the captains.

"We are little young with our long-sticks back there so we rely on [Barrow] and junior Mike Timms to get the ball out of our end and make some of those plays going from defense to offense," Starsia said.

Barrow is rated the nation's No. 48 player and second-best defensive midfielder by Inside Lacrosse. In the preseason, he was also named First-Team All-American and First-Team All-ACC by Face-Off Yearbook. With the season well underway, Barrow is expected to continue to be a prominent force.