Player praises coaches' game plan
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
November 12, 2007

One of Virginia’s seniors, pleading to go unnamed in the process, said his coaching staff deserved a collective game ball Saturday night.

Few, inside or out of the Orange Bowl, could argue with that.

The Cavaliers, having never previously won in the state of Florida in 15 contests, delivered the unthinkable: a shutout.

En route to an easy 48-0 win, Virginia clicked on all cylinders in all three facets of the game and quickly saw the direct results nationally - the Cavaliers climbed to 16th in the AP poll, 17th in the coaches poll and stand 14 in the latest Bowl Championship Series standings.

When the dust - and meaningless postgame confetti - settled, Virginia had given Miami its worst loss at the Orange Bowl since 1944, when the Hurricanes lost 70-14 to Texas A&M.

When told Sunday of the player’s request to honor the coaching staff for one of the “better“ game plans and the ability to focus in a wild environment, once-embattled Al Groh elected to remain modest.

“I wouldn’t say ‘better.’ That would slight some of the others,” Virginia’s coach said. “Because we had a big margin last night, I

wouldn’t necessarily say that meant the staff did any bit more in our planning or calling than we have in some of the other games.

“Just to get one more point than the other guys took a maximum effort on the part of the staff.”

And then some.

Virginia intercepted three passes in the first 17 minutes of the game, corralled two fumbles later on, got a blocked punt from former walk-on Josh Zindenberg and calmly picked the Hurricanes’ defense apart for 419 yards of total offense from a balanced attack.

It was anything but business as usual for the “Cardiac Cavs,” who improved to 9-2 overall and 6-1 in the ACC. With a 17-16 win over Wake Forest a week prior, Virginia set the Division I-A record for one- and two-point victories in a single season.

“People will probably still call us lucky and what-not, but I think we just came out and played a complete ballgame,” Virginia defensive end and captain Chris Long said. “You play the game for respect, but at the same time when people don’t give it to you, you just keep playing.”

Virginia, one win away from clinching its first-ever berth in the ACC Championship game, will have to wait a full week for its next game.

And it raised an appropriate question: Would Virginia prefer to ride its wave of momentum or rest up for the Coastal Division title game against Virginia Tech on Nov. 24.

“We would happy to go on and play if we were asked to do so,” Groh said. “I don’t think anybody would complain about doing that, but we see the benefits if it this way, too.

“We have played against teams that have extra time between their last game and when they played us and we have seen some of the disadvantages that it has put us at, so I think everybody, players and coaches, know that there is the possibility that we do a good job with it of perhaps having ourselves better prepared than we might otherwise be.”

Virginia will not return to practice until Thursday, Groh said.

 

Cavs cruise in opener
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
November 12, 2007

When the walking M.A.S.H. unit that is the Virginia men’s basketball team eventually returns to health, UVa coach Dave Leitao will have a decision to make.

Does Leitao go with a conventional lineup – featuring someone like Will Harris or Lars Mikalauskas at the power forward? Or does he go with a “small ball” configuration featuring Adrian Joseph?

On Sunday afternoon at John Paul Jones Arena, Joseph may have helped Leitao solve his dilemma. The senior from Trinidad was in the starting lineup and tied a team-high with 19 points, pacing Virginia to an easy season-opening 90-72 victory over Vermont.

“I’m beginning to think that [Joseph] can be a pretty vital piece,” Leitao said. “Not just because he can shoot the ball, but he’s attached emotionally and mentally. He wasn’t always that way. When you do that, you’re going to be a better player and person for that.”

Joseph, who came off the bench in all but three games last season, was 7 of 11 from the field, including a blistering 5 of 8 from 3-point range.

He also had six rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot in his 31 minutes of action.

“He shot the ball well, and helped guys on defense when they got beat,” said Virginia senior Sean Singletary, who also had 19 points. “He had a good showing for his home opener.”

Virginia (1-0), which never trailed, stormed out to a quick 7-0 lead after Joseph banged in a triple from the elbow.

UVa, which hosts Howard on Wednesday before a tough road test at Arizona on Saturday night, led 46-32 at the half.

Vermont sharpshooter Mike Trimboli shot mostly blanks all game long. The junior America East preseason Player of the Year candidate finished with a respectable stat line – 16 points and three assists – but was just 7 of 17 from the field and basically a non-factor.

Fourteen of Virginia’s 16 players got into the game, which featured plenty of garbage time late in the second half. The game marked the freshmen debuts of Jeff Jones, Sam Zeglinski, Mustapha Farrakhan and Mike Jones.

Jones, who started, was the most effective, scoring eight points and grabbing six rebounds.

Sophomore Calvin Baker also played his first game in a Virginia uniform. Baker, who sat out all of last season per NCAA transfer rules, was the first guard off the bench. He made a nice first impression, notching 11 points.

Leitao started senior Ryan Pettinella in place of the injured Tunji Soroye at center. Pettinella, who only played nine minutes, had an efficient four-point, five-rebound effort.

Will Harris, who was thought to have the inside track on the starting power forward but has been hampered by injuries, came off the bench.

Joseph, who started the first three games of last season, got the nod. Starting is something Joseph clearly likes.

“Just coming off the [pregame] layup line, you know your blood is still warm and you can get right into the flow of things,” he said. “You can just start playing [well] right away.”

Joseph feels that it’s his time to shine.

“Being one of the seniors and having been through the wars, I think it’s about time to help lead and show the freshmen what it’s all about,” he said. “Two of our best players – Jason Cain and J.R. Reynolds – left, and they were both leaders. We know we need another leader and I’m comfortable in that role.”

Leitao loves the transformation Joseph has made from a leadership standpoint.

“It’s his turn,” Leitao said. “He’s learned from the guys who have done it before him and he has a sense of urgency because it’s his last go-around.”

Dunks

Junior Lars Mikalauskas had a solid eight-point, four-rebound performance. … Harris, who was questionable coming into the game because of back and ankle injuries, only played two minutes off the bench. He was yanked from the game after jacking up a quick jumper in the second half. … Several members of the Virginia football team were in attendance, including quarterback Jameel Sewell. They drew a loud ovation when shown on the video board.

 

Baker finally gets his shot for Cavaliers
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com
November 12, 2007

Last basketball season was the longest six months of Calvin Baker’s young life.

The Newport News native (Woodside High School) was paying his penance for a chance to live his dream. After putting together an impressive freshman season for William & Mary in 2005-06, making the Colonial Athletic Conference’s all-rookie team, Baker decided he could do better and rolled the dice.

He transferred to Virginia and had to sit out the ‘06-‘07 season, which happened to be the Cavaliers’ best in years. Oh, he was a part of it, but he played a silent role.

Baker was allowed to practice with the team, to learn coach Dave Leitao’s way, to take the daily lumps from trying to go up against the likes of Sean Singletary and J.R. Reynolds. But that was it.

He couldn’t play in the games or even travel with his teammates.

Skeptics offered their opinions that he wouldn’t make it at Virginia, why not stay in Williamsburg where he had already proven himself. Even a year after he got here, critics pointed out that the Cavaliers signed three guards, so what future would there be for a non-scholarship walk-on? The 6-foot-2, 186-pound guard remained confident that his day would come, that he would show ‘em.

Sunday, that day came.

During Virginia’s season-opening game against Vermont, the first guard off the Cavaliers’ bench was the sophomore Baker.

He played 14 minutes, scored 11 points, hit 4 of 6 field goal attempts and played some decent defense against Vermont’s most dangerous weapon, guard Mike Trimboli, who finished with 16. Overall, it was a good way to kickstart his career in Hooville.

“I know I’ve got to earn my keep right now,” Baker said later. “I’ve heard those skeptics ever since I made the decision to come [to UVa], that it would be a risky choice. But, it was a risk I was willing to take and that I would have to live with. But I want to live my life for me.”

But first he had to convince two key people, Leitao and Baker’s mother, Wanda. Leitao was the easy one.

All the Virginia coach wanted was blood, sweat and tears ... and oh, yes, defense. He had to play defense, which was the key reason Baker made the floor for so long on Sunday. After a long discussion, Leitao could see this kid was serious.

“He saw my hunger and I think he respects that,” Baker said.

Now, for Wanda, well it was a tougher sell. Once he convinced her it was a risk worth taking, she gave him her blessing.

“My mother told me that if I made that decision, then don’t ever look back,” Baker said.

He hasn’t.

Instead, he learned daily from Singletary and Reynolds about how to

create his own shot, how to become a better defender and just general hoops knowledge. Strength coach Sean Brown helped Baker beef up physically, but at the same time improve his quickness with lateral movement drills and jumping rope.

“Everybody knows that Leitao is a defensive coach,” Baker said. “That’s all he preaches. So, if you want to play on his team, that’s part of it.”

A part that Baker confesses was his weakness when he broke into the William & Mary lineup as a rookie. But he’s worked hard to improve it and Leitao trusted him enough to sic him on Trimboli.

All those UVa scholarship guards with impressive resumes weren’t ready for the challenge in Leitao’s eyes, so he turned to Baker without hesitation.

“I made the decision that Calvin was a better option than either of the freshmen because of his experience,” Leitao said. “We had to guard Trimboli today. To have any younger person for any length guard him was going to be a recipe for something that wasn’t good for us.”

The college basketball landscape is already strewn with upsets and the Virginia boss didn’t want to join the crowd.

Leitao knew that Baker, who would be the equivalent of a college junior had he not transferred, was comfortable on the court and had some maturity behind his aggressive nature. The points were a bonus, but the defense was a necessity.

Leitao and his assistants encouraged Baker all last season when the kid was putting in the work but not sharing the glory of Virginia’s ride to an ACC regular season co-championship and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

“[Baker] was a little bit lost mentally last year,” the coach said. “You’re used to playing games every year of your life and that’s taken away. So, you kind of wander around, you wonder why you’re practicing and you don’t get ready for anything.”

Baker said it was challenging to sit out and find ways to motivate himself. When the Cavaliers would leave for a road game, Baker was left behind. If the game wasn’t on TV, he couldn’t even see the action.

“It was frustrating, it was hard, but I knew that’s what I had to do,” Baker said.

Once that season ended, he forged ahead. He knew he’d get a chance if he continued to work hard. When he heard his name called Sunday and he reported to the scorer’s table, Baker was so nervous he could hardly breathe.

“Heck, I had been playing against our players and nobody else for a year and a half,” Baker said. “I just didn’t want to get in the game and start messing up because I let my emotions get the best of me.”

Not on Sunday. No way, no how. As far as he was concerned it was Calvin Baker Day.

And after a year and a half, he deserved it.

 

For Cavs, rout is one to savor
Long says complete effort against Miami a 'long time coming'
Monday, Nov 12, 2007 - 12:06 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- To the Virginia Cavaliers, it was a football game. An important one, yes, but still only a game.

To the Miami Hurricanes, it was much more than that. And as the Wahoos prepared to be part of the final Miami game at the storied Orange Bowl, they "thought there was certainly a built-in opportunity for us," Al Groh said last night.

"We had a very simple week. All our week consisted of was studying the opponent and preparing to play the game. Whereas Miami, to whatever degree . . . had to deal with all the talk about issues that weren't going to determine the game, and deal with all the hoopla and dog-and-pony show that accompanied it."

Maybe the pressure and distractions got to the 'Canes. Whatever the case, Virginia embarrassed ACC foe Miami 48-0 on Saturday night with a performance that ranks among the finest -- and most unexpected -- in Groh's seven seasons as coach at his alma mater.

U.Va. (6-1, 9-2) forced five turnovers, blocked a punt and outgained Miami 418 to 189 in total yards.

"It's been a long time coming for us," senior defensive end Chris Long said late Saturday as a postgame laser show continued in the 70-year-old stadium. "We've been working and trying to improve. We can still improve. We're not going to sit on this and be satisfied."

In the latest Associated Press poll, U.Va. moved up seven spots to No. 16. In their joyous locker room in the bowels of the Orange Bowl, however, the Cavaliers didn't talk about national rankings or postseason possibilities. They wanted to savor the moment.

"With two weeks to bring all that into discussion, we thought that last night it was just appropriate to point out and celebrate what had brought [the rout of Miami] about," Groh said.

Virginia closes the regular season Nov. 24 against No. 10 Virginia Tech at Scott Stadium. Win that game, and U.Va. will represent the Coastal Division in the ACC championship game Dec. 1 at Jacksonville, Fla. But before they begin to prepare in earnest for Tech, the Cavaliers -- at least the players -- will have an opportunity to heal and rest.

After playing on 11 consecutive Saturdays, Virginia is off this weekend. For a team that's coming off a 48-point victory, could be the bye week be coming at a bad time?

"I wouldn't say that," Groh said. "We'd be happy to go on and play Saturday, if we were asked to do so -- I don't think anybody would complain -- but we see the benefits of it, too."

Under Groh, U.Va. has won nine of 11 games following a bye week. At home after a bye week, the Cavaliers are 7-0 during Groh's tenure.

Long yesterday was named one of eight semifinalists for the fourth annual Lott Trophy, which is named for legendary defensive back Ronnie Lott. It's awarded annually to a college player who has the greatest impact on defense.

The other semifinalists are Arizona cornerback Antoine Cason, Colorado linebacker Jordon Dizon, LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, Southern California defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis, Illinois linebacker J Leman and Kentucky linebacker Wesley Woodyard.

 

Baker shines in Cavs' debut
Transfer from W&M helps U.Va. thrash Vermont in opener
Monday, Nov 12, 2007 - 12:06 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- A year ago this month, the University of Virginia announced that guards Jeff Jones, Sammy Zeglinski and Mustapha Farrakhan would be joining the men's basketball program in 2007-08.

It was easy for U.Va. fans to forget then, in their excitement over those recruits, that coach Dave Leitao had added another talented guard for 2007-08: Calvin Baker.

Baker, who sat out last season after transferring from William and Mary, made his U.Va. debut yesterday, and it was one to remember. The 6-2 sophomore from Newport News, a member of the Colonial Athletic Association's all-rookie team in 2005-06, scored 11 points in 14 minutes as Virginia opened the season with a 90-72 win over Vermont before 11,893 at John Paul Jones Arena.

"I was a little nervous, but I just channeled it into the right place, and it felt real good," said Baker, who isn't on scholarship and so technically is a walk-on.

Jones started alongside senior point guard Sean Singletary and had eight points and six rebounds in 23 minutes, but Baker (14 minutes) played more than either Zeglinski or Farrakhan.

"Calvin comes to mind as a guy off the bench who really contributed on both ends, offensively and defensively," Leitao said. "He's had a year of understanding what is required of everybody in this program."

Baker got beaten up in practice daily by Singletary and J.R. Reynolds, Leitao added, "but he's better for those experiences . . . He creates a healthy situation in the backcourt where the three guys -- Jeff, Mustapha and Sammy -- can go through their normal freshman paces, and we can be stable with a guy like him."

Vermont guards Mike Trimboli and Kyle Cieplicki scored 29 points between them, but they were a combined 12 of 29 from the floor, in part because of the tenacious defense of Singletary and Baker. Singletary turned the ball over six times, but he did much more good than bad, totaling 19 points, six assists, five rebounds and four steals.

Such performances are routine for the All-America candidate from Philadelphia. Leitao hopes Adrian Joseph can continue to play as well as he did against Vermont (0-2).

Joseph, a 6-7, 201-pound forward, is one of four seniors on the U.Va. roster, and his role has changed.

"What happens for most guys, and Adrian being one of them, is that they get a sense of urgency in their last year of college," Leitao said.

A season ago, Joseph lost his starting job after the third game. His talent was obvious, but so was his inconsistency. The Trinidad native is a team captain this season, along with Singletary, and he was back in the first five yesterday.

Joseph tied with his career high by hitting five 3-pointers and made 7 of 11 shots from the floor overall. He finished with 19 points, six rebounds, three assists and one block.

"I'm beginning to think that he can be a pretty vital piece," Leitao said. "Not just because he can shoot the ball or he's had two good games to get out of the gate" -- including U.Va.'s exhibition win over Carson-Newman -- "but he's attached emotionally and mentally, where he wasn't always that way."

 

Cavs outgun Catamounts COLLEGE BASKETBALL
November 12, 2007 12:35 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.

CHARLOTTESVILLE--Sean Singletary is in need of a running mate this season. Adrian Joseph's campaign to be that man got off to a quick start yesterday.

In Virginia's men's basketball season-opener in John Paul Jones Arena, Joseph, a senior swingman, demonstrated that he would like to take the job formerly held by standout shooting guard J.R. Reynolds, who graduated last year and took his 18.4 points per game with him.

Joseph tied the preseason All-America Singletary with a team-high 19 points in the Cavaliers' 90-72 victory over Vermont.

He made five 3-pointers, including three in the first seven minutes of the game.

"Being one of the seniors and being through the wars, I think it's my time to help lead," Joseph said. "I have to show the freshmen what it's all about."

The Cavaliers (1-0) also got double-figure scoring outputs from reserve sophomore guard Calvin Baker (11 points) and junior guard Mamadi Diane (10 points).

They built a 46-32 halftime lead behind 11 points from Joseph on 4-of-5 shooting. Virginia head coach Dave Leitao said Joseph has shown "a sense of urgency" early in his final season.

"I'm beginning to think he can be a pretty vital piece," Leitao said. "Not just because he can shoot the ball, but he's attached emotionally and mentally. He wasn't always that way."

Vermont (0-2) played Virginia just two days after losing 60-53 at George Mason.

Catamounts head coach Mike Lonergan said the program decided to double up on an early season trip to Virginia because of "budget constraints."

While Vermont lost both games, Lonergan said fatigue wasn't a factor.

Yesterday, his team allowed Virginia to shoot 55 percent from the floor, including 9-of-19 from 3-point range.

Lonergan said he's close friends with Joseph's cousin, and he warned his players about the Trinidad native's outside shooting prowess.

"We just did a poor job guarding the 3-point line, especially in the first half," Lonergan said. "That is why they got off to such a great start."

The Cavaliers' largest lead was 19 points. They built a 32-19 first-half lead on a Singletary pull-up jumper, but Vermont rallied to trim the deficit to 36-30 on two Marqus Blakely free throws.

Blakely finished with a game-high 24 points, and helped his team prevent an embarrassing blowout loss.

"This could've been 40 if we packed it in," Lonergan said. "Virginia was very confident and they were shooting the lights out. We just couldn't make a run."

Nine points was the closest Vermont was able to get in the second half.

The Cavaliers out-rebounded the Catamounts 46-25. In addition to his 19 points, Singletary had five rebounds, six assists and four steals, but also committed six of Virginia's 18 turnovers.

Still, he said yesterday's victory increases his confidence that the Cavaliers have what it takes to defend their Atlantic Coast Conference title.

They avoided the upset bug that has plagued Kentucky, Georgia Tech and Southern Cal, among others, early in the college basketball season.

"People really don't believe we have enough to defend our title or even to contend," Singletary said. "I have the utmost confidence in my teammates that we can contend."

 

No hoopla for all-business Cavs
UVa overshadows Miami and the Orange Bowl finale.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

MIAMI -- The scoreboard was the centerpiece of a postgame gala Saturday night at the Orange Bowl, which served as host to a University of Miami football game for the last time.

However, there was one thing missing as banners were unfurled from end zone and confetti was shot through the air, not unlike the scene following a typical Super Bowl.

The scoreboard was lit, but there was no score.

All evidence of a 48-0 Virginia rout was erased as quickly as possible.

That was fine with UVa coach Al Groh. Groh and the Cavaliers had been laying low all week.

"We thought there was a built-in opportunity for us," Groh said. "We had a very simple week. All our week consisted of was studying the opponent and preparing to play the game.

"I don't know to what degree it affected even one Miami player or one coach, but the possibility [for distraction] was out there with all the talk of issues that weren't going to determine the game. There was all the hoopla and the dog-and-pony show that accompanied it."

Miami had not been shut out at home since 1974 and it was the Hurricanes' most lopsided loss at the Orange Bowl since a 70-14 setback against Texas A&M in 1944.

"It is kind of shocking," Miami offensive lineman Derrick Morse said. "Virginia played a great game. I'm not taking anything away from them, but we played really bad."

Hurricanes quarterback Kyle Wright received little help from his receivers and finished 7-of-21 for 94 yards. He was intercepted three times and sacked four times.

"I'm disappointed that we couldn't get it done tonight," Wright said. "We haven't gotten it done all year. It was such a historic night and for us not to play well and [not] get it done, it's probably the worst loss I ever had to deal with."

Miami (5-5, 2-4 ACC) has lost four of its last five games and now faces the challenge of going on the road for its last two games, against Virginia Tech and Boston College.

Virginia (9-2, 6-1) is off until Nov. 24, when it plays host to Virginia Tech for the Coastal Division championship.

"When you go back and look at it and you say, 'What can you do any better? Any different?' " Hurricanes coach Randy Shannon said. "You just don't know. Everything we ran in practice -- and this is the hard thing -- is what they showed us in the game offensively and defensively."

The Hurricanes could have started by covering the tight end. Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell completed 20 of 25 passes for a career-high 288 yards, and 10 of his receptions went to tight ends John Phillips, Tom Santi and Jon Stupar.

Santi caught a 24-yard pass on Virginia's first possession, Phillips had receptions for 25 and 30 yards, and Stupar caught an 18-yarder.

"Obviously, to have that many plays set up for them, there were some things that we thought we could manufacture," Groh said.

"Certainly, it was the staff's feeling and the anticipation of the tight ends that they would have a major role in the game."

Phillips, a junior from Bath County, had four receptions for 77 yards. Both were career highs and twice he was tackled at the 1-yard line, or he might have scored two touchdowns as well.

Sewell's accuracy was a far cry from his 20-for-43 outings one week earlier against Wake Forest, "but they were all easy passes," he said Saturday, "a lot of screens and a lot of short balls. When people were open, I just made sure I got it to them."

Everything seemed to come easy to the Cavaliers, who blocked a punt and benefitted from five Miami turnovers. The Hurricanes couldn't get out of their own way.

"We knew the pressure wasn't on us," Virginia offensive lineman Branden Albert said.

"The pressure was on them. The old players were calling them and saying, 'You've got to win this game.' Everyone was on their backs. All we had to do was play ball."
 

Baker buys UVa time
William and Mary transfer Calvin Baker provides experience off the bench for Virginia.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- As he evaluated the skills of three freshman candidates to join Sean Singletary in Virginia's backcourt, men's basketball coach Dave Leitao always had a fall-back plan.

Leitao had been watching transfer Calvin Baker for a year in practice and knew that Baker offered what the three freshman didn't -- experience.

Baker led William and Mary in scoring and assists two years ago as a freshman, and he logged 14 minutes Sunday afternoon in Virginia's season-opening 90-72 victory over Vermont.

Freshman Jeff Jones started at the backcourt spot vacated by four-year starter J.R. Reynolds, but Baker was the first guard off the bench.

Baker finished with 11 points and took defensive turns on Mike Trimboli, the Catamounts' point guard and top returning scorer.

"If [Baker] was on a regular course, he would be a college junior," Leitao said, "and, regardless of what level he was playing at, he would be very comfortable on the court."

Baker was enrolled at Virginia during the 2006-07 season and was allowed to practice with the team.

"He's had a year of being successful, individually, on a team," Leitao said. "He's had a year of understanding what's required of everybody in this program. He's gotten beat up for one straight year by both J.R. and Sean, so he's better for those experiences.

"He has a chance, at least coming out of the gate, to be a pretty solid contributor. While those three [freshmen] go through their normal paces, we can be stable enough with a guy like him."

That's all Baker wanted -- a chance.

"I've heard since I made the decision to come here that it was a risky choice," said Baker, a 6-foot-2, 186-pounder from Woodside High School in Newport News. "It was a risk I was prepared to take."

The hardest part of sitting out the 2006-07 season was not being able to accompany the team to games.

"There was plenty of anticipation coming into our first scrimmage, not to mention the games," Baker said. "I'd been playing against nobody but our own players for a year and a half."

Baker acknowledges that defense was one of his weaknesses at William and Mary, where he averaged 11.6 points in 2005-06, and he knew he had to get better if he wanted to play.

"Coach Leitao [is] a defensive coach; that's all he preaches," Baker said. "If you want to play on his team, that's a big part of it. He always told me, 'You never know when your name's going to be called.' He puts a lot of trust in me that I won't break down at the defensive end."

The Cavaliers had problems with 6-5 Marqus Blakley, who scored a game-high 24 points, mostly around the basket. However, Trimboli was limited to 16 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the field.

Vermont shot 41.5 percent from the field, compared to 54.7 percent by the Cavaliers, who got 19 points apiece from Singletary and Adrian Joseph. Joseph was 5-for-8 on 3-pointers and Virginia was 9-for-19 behind the arc as a team.

Virginia used 14 players, not including senior center Tunji Soroye, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery last week, and his fellow Nigerian Solomon Tat, who underwent surgery earlier this fall for a sports hernia.

Playing time was limited for three other players who have missed considerable practice time because of injury: sophomore Will Harris (ankle), freshman Mike Scott (ankle) and freshman Mustapha Farrakhan (hand).

It was Virginia's 10th straight victory in a season opener, while Vermont fell to 0-2 after dropping a 60-53 decision Friday night at George Mason. The Catamounts finished 25-8 last year, winning 20 of 21 games after a 5-5 start.

"I've had a lot of conversations with people about the word that will come up all year long ... parity," Leitao said. "You've look at Kentucky and they get beat. You look at Georgia Tech and they get beat. Southern Cal gets beat. All in the first weekend. Obviously, 1-0 is a better way to get started than 0-1."

 

Baker shows strength
William & Mary transfer gets first UVa playing time
By Andy Bitter
abitter@newsadvance.com
November 12, 2007

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Was Virginia transfer Calvin Baker frustrated at times last year? Of course.
All those hours in the gym, dripping sweat trying to keep up with Sean Singletary and J.R. Reynolds, produced little payoff. He got to sit at the end of the bench in street clothes during home games as a spectator. Even worse, per NCAA rules, he couldn't travel with the team for road games, having to find the Cavaliers on television just like everyone else.

Through it all, he reminded himself of his mother's advice when he took a chance and transferred from William & Mary last year: Never look back.

Baker finally got to enjoy the fruits of his labor in the Cavaliers' season-opening 90-72 win over Vermont at the John Paul Jones Arena on Sunday. Coming off the bench, Baker scored 11 points and had a steal in 14 minutes.

"I know I've got to earn my keep," said Baker, who has three years of eligibility remaining. "Coach (Dave) Leitao says if you earn your spot, you're going to play."

The Cavaliers (1-0) avoided the early-season upset bug that's plagued some of the country's big-named schools. Adrian Joseph and Singletary led the way with 19 points apiece. Mamadi Diane added 10 points and eight rebounds.

The Cavaliers shot 47 percent from 3-point range (9-for-19) and had a rebounding advantage of 46-25 against the frontcourt-light Catamounts (0-2), who went 25-8 last season.

"You just don't go in and yawn and say we're going to win by 35 and everybody goes away happy," Leitao said. "It was going to be a test."

Baker played a big role. The sophomore gave Virginia a spark when Singletary went to the bench midway through the second half, going on a personal 6-0 run to extend the Cavaliers' lead to 18 at 72-54.

Baker was 4 of 6 from the field and scored eight of his 11 points after halftime.

It was an important contribution. Virginia has three freshman guards - Jeff Jones, Mustapha Farrakhan and Sammy Zeglinski - who will likely take their lumps adjusting to the college level. With Reynolds gone, somebody will have be an option in the backcourt, and Baker brings a veteran's mentality.

"He's had a year of being successful individually on a team," Leitao said. "He's had a year of understanding what is required of everybody in this program. He's gotten beaten up for one straight year by both J.R. and Sean.

"So he's better for the experiences and it allows him at the very least to come out of the gate to be a very solid contributor."

Baker led William & Mary in scoring (11.6 ppg) and assists (3.6 apg) as a freshman in the 2005-06 season, earning a nod on the Colonial Athletic Conference all-rookie team. He fit in, but he wanted more.

"My mentality was, to be the best, you've got to play against the best," Baker said. "I wanted to get to a higher conference and really prove myself."

The 6-foot-2 guard transferred to UVa prior to 2006's fall semester and had to sit out the requisite year. He honed his admittedly lacking defensive skills against two of the ACC's best guards, but found it difficult to get excited about practice with no games on the horizon.

"You're used to playing games every day of your life, and that's taken away," Leitao said. "You wonder why you're practicing."

Playing time was never guaranteed, pushing Baker even more. He knew transferring was a risk but felt it was worth the gamble.

It certainly seemed so after Sunday's win, when he was surrounded by reporters after contributing in an actual game for a change.

"It was a chance that I was willing to take," he said, heeding his mother's advice of not looking back. "No one can live my life but me."