7/27/03 - Benedict

It passes on the transaction wires almost anonymously: Player X is transferring from school Y to school Z.
In some cases it’s major news, in some cases not.
While such moves frequent the news at the conclusion of the basketball season, little thought is given to them after the fact.
NCAA regulations mandate that a player has to sit out a year when transferring. Thus, transfers almost become an afterthought until they actually return to the court.
It’s that simple, except for the players who have to endure the process.
For them, the transition is tough and the year away from competitive basketball even tougher, considering most have spent a large bulk of their lives playing in games constantly.
Such is the case for UVa senior guard Todd Billet, who transferred from Rutgers in April 2001, sat out the 2001-02 season and returned to the court last year.
Billet averaged 13.5 points per game last season and made 41.8 percent of his 3-point attempts. The numbers were good — but not gaudy or overly impressive — and Billet’s play was solid, but not necessarily consistent.
The 3-point shooting touch that was praised upon his arrival from Rutgers was sometimes there, sometimes not, as Billet’s initial season at UVa was marked with as many peaks as valleys.
In Billet’s mind, it’s clear why.
“I think sitting out a year really kind of messes with your rhythm. The transition from my freshman to sophomore year at Rutgers was so small. I came out of the gates my sophomore year and was head and shoulders above what I did as a freshman,” Billet said. “I think that’s very important. If you can take your confidence from one year to the next, you can come out and hit the ground running.”
Billet, a self-proclaimed gym rat from a basketball-playing family, falls short of letting the word rusty enter his vocabulary when discussing this past season, but a subtle inference can be made.
Billet graduated from UVa in May with a degree in economics and will compete next season as a graduate student. He has no more academic commitments until the fall, but still spent the first summer session in Charlottesville, working on his game and playing pickup games with teammates, both old and new.
“I just wanted to play with the guys and hang out with the new freshmen and make sure everyone is on the same page and working in the right direction,” Billet said. “The whole team was around and it went pretty well.”
All of Virginia’s five incoming freshmen were there for at least part of the session and Billet tried to keep a watchful eye out for their progress.
“When the freshmen are coming in, they need some direction. They’ve just come out of high school and it’s a whole new game. They’re away from home and there’s a lot of freedom,” Billet said. “It’s important for the older guys who know what it takes to be successful on the court and in the classroom to help them out. … Just give them a positive influence.”
Billet was pleased by the effort, not just of the newcomers but the returnees as well.
“There were no missed classes and they weren’t late for any workouts. … Everyone was pretty serious about their classes and their workouts, too. It was definitely at a high level,” Billet said.
Billet returned to his native New Jersey earlier this month and is currently competing in the Jersey Shore League, a league comprised of several former and current collegiate players.
If there is one point of emphasis for Billet this summer, it’s refining his point guard skills. Billet was trapped between the two backcourt positions last season for the Cavaliers, whose lack of a true point guard had Billet swapping between two dual roles. The end result was a struggle at times in both areas. Billet compiled 108 assists but also committed 93 turnovers.
Even with the addition of freshman T.J. Bannister, Virginia’s point guard situation remains uncertain because of several factors, including the status of Majestic Mapp, who is still not 100 percent after multiple knee surgeries caused him to miss two and a half seasons.
While Billet’s role for next season is undefined, he’s resolved to make himself a viable option at either position.
“I think my role will be a little more defined. I’m just preparing myself. I want to be a leader on the team, getting guys together on the court, prepared for situations and know what has to be done,” Billet said. “As far as position, I’ve been working on getting better with the ball and ballhandling and all that kind of stuff so I’m ready to play point guard. Ready to shoot the ball. I want to be ready to do all the things I might have to do.”
One role that should change next season for Billet is on the perimeter. With swingman Devin Smith as Virginia’s only other consistent outside shooter, opposing defenses were able to key on Billet, a 6-foot shooter who would be aided by a little more space to square to the basket.
Of Virginia’s three incoming perimeter players, two — J.R. Reynolds and Gary Forbes — were solid 3-point shooters during their high school careers.
“I think they will bring a lot to the team. We have three perimeter players who are all good athletes and can shoot the ball. I think they can give the backcourt a big boost,” Billet said. “On offense, you want to be able to spread the defense out and the more weapons you have on the perimeter, the better it’s going to be. Not just for the other shooters but the big guys inside as well. It will create more opportunities for teammates to get open looks and shots.”
According to Billet, those newcomers bring something other than just additional talents. Their arrival, coupled with the departure of four players that began the season on the roster last November, gives the team a new look of sorts after a 16-16 season in 2002-03.
“Any time there is a new season, there’s new life. We have a 0-0 record and new guys on the team. They’re guys that are hungry and eager to play. That’s always exciting and every team should be optimistic at this time. It’s up to us to capitalize on this opportunity and take advantage of it,” Billet said.
“I think that the goal of this year’s team is to try to overachieve. You can do that by working a little harder than the rest of the teams and playing together and unselfishly. That would be a sign for a great year for us, I think.”