U.Va. shoots to win
Fans clamor for more; Cavaliers excel from 3-point range in rout
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Dec 24, 2005

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- A few half-hearted boos were heard as the final seconds ticked away at University Hall last night.

These fans were not unhappy with Virginia's performance against Loyola (Md.). They simply wanted to see the Cavaliers try to hit the 100-point mark.

Alas, freshman forward Laurynas Mikalauskas refrained, dribbling out the clock in U.Va.'s 98-59 romp before a festive crowd announced at 7,490.

"If Virginia shoots like that, it's going to be a tough out in the ACC," said Loyola's second-year coach, Jimmy Patsos.

The Cavaliers' overall field-goal percentage -- 46.3 -- wasn't impressive. But U.Va. was 13 for 21 from 3-point range, a stunning 61.9 percent.

"I've never seen anything like that in this building before," said Patsos, who spent 13 seasons as a Maryland assistant before moving to Loyola.

Junior guard J.R. Reynolds and sophomore swingman Adrian Joseph hit five treys apiece to help Virginia (4-4) snap a three-game losing streak. Reynolds, who'd been slumping since a 23-point outburst at Richmond on Nov. 22, finished with a season-high 25 points and added six assists. Not bad for a guy whom first-year coach Dave Leitao benched for about two-and-a-half minutes early in the game.

Joseph needed only a half to match his career high, with 19 points, and ended with 24. Mikalauskas (10 points) and 6-10 junior Jason Cain (15 points, career-high 16 rebounds) also played well for the Cavs.

"A lot of people have been saying that they're a one-man team," Patsos said. "I think that they're proving that wrong."

That one man, of course, is sophomore point guard Sean Singletary, who came in averaging 20.2 points and scored 35 in a loss at Gonzaga last week.

Last night, Virginia scored 60 first-half points, and none came from Singletary. He finished with only four points (on 1-for-6 shooting), though he added seven assists and five rebounds.

"Today we did it without him," said Leitao, who had seven scholarship players in uniform.

With U.Va. leading 21-14, Singletary went to the bench with his second foul at the 10:36 mark of the first half.

"I thought we might have a chance then," Patsos said.

No chance. Reynolds scored the first eight points in what became a 25-2 run, and the Greyhounds (5-2) eventually limped into halftime down by 31.

Loyola's best players are Maryland transfers Andre Collins and Hassan Fofana. Collins, a 6-0 senior, came in averaging 24 points. Harrassed by Reynolds, among other Wahoos, Collins (16 points) missed 14 of 20 shots from the floor.

Fofana fared better. The 6-10, 270-pound junior muscled his way to a final line of 12 points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots.

For Virginia, Joseph's performance was a revelation. He'd averaged 8.3 points through the first seven games and came in shooting 36.8 percent from the floor. Against Loyola, he shot well (9 for 14), defended aggressively and grabbed four rebounds.

Leitao said Joseph "took the last four days of practice and applied what he has been doing to the game today. Not just making shots, but he played with a much better understanding of what we've asked him to do."


 

U.Va. easily outguns Loyola
Adrian Joseph keys Virginia's offensive explosion as the Cavaliers snap a three-game losing streak.
BY MELINDA WALDROP
247-4634
December 24, 2005
CHARLOTTESVILLE -- The 3-pointer took a disobedient bounce away from the rim, but came to its senses and swished through the net.

On a career night, everything goes your way - and you don't have to call any banks.

Virginia sophomore forward Adrian Joseph scored a college-high 24 points and sparked an offensive onslaught with five 3-pointers - including a late one that bounced in from the baseline - as the Cavaliers dismantled Loyola of Baltimore 98-59 Friday night at University Hall.

It was a memorable performance that at least one of Joseph's teammates saw coming.

Junior guard J.R. Reynolds, who scored a game-high 25 points, joined Joseph and reigning ACC player of the week Sean Singletary in a shooting contest this week at practice after the Cavs lost 80-69 at No. 10 Gonzaga on Dec. 17 in Spokane, Wash. Each player had to make five 3-pointers from one spot before moving on in a competition that seemed light-hearted on the surface but produced big dividends as U.Va. snapped a three-game losing streak in emphatic fashion.

"We did it the whole week, and it was very competitive," Reynolds said.

"It made us focus and made us concentrate a lot, and I could tell from the whole week of practice, coming into this game, that (Joseph) was going to have a good game."

Joseph and Reynolds each hit four of the five 3-pointers they attempted in the first half as the Cavs outscored the Greyhounds 49-17 over the final 12:47 of the opening period to erase any thoughts of an upset at the hands of their Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponent.

"After the Gonzaga game, we've been practicing twice a day, and in the evenings, we put up so (many) jump shots, we felt so much more confident," Joseph said. "I felt so much more confident, too, and good things happened tonight."

Such as a 60-point first half in which U.Va. shot almost 53 percent and made eight of its 13 3-point attempts. Such as a return to prolific post play for junior forward Jason Cain, humbled by Gonzaga after back-to-back double-doubles. And such as a resounding declaration that the Cavs (4-4) are not a one-horse show.

Singletary, who poured in a career-best 35 points against Gonzaga, was saddled with foul trouble early and managed just four points on one field goal. But his teammates made sure the sophomore guard, who did record a college-high seven assists, wasn't missed.

Cain notched his third double-double of the season with 15 points and a college-high 16 rebounds (he had 10 points and nine rebounds at halftime). Laurynas Mikalauskas and Mamadi Diane also scored in double digits as the Cavs threatened the century mark, but settled for Mikalauskas dribbling the final seconds off the clock.

"A lot of people have been saying that they're a one-man team," said Loyola coach Jimmy Patsos, whose team opened the season with a five-game winning streak for its best start since 1980. "I think they're proving that wrong."

With Singletary and his two fouls on the bench for most of the first half, visions of the Cavs' 62-60 loss to Fordham in their last home game on Dec. 7 may have danced through a few fans' heads. But after the Greyhounds (5-2) took a 12-11 lead with 12:59 to play, Reynolds went to work.

His first 3 of the game began the Cavs' obliterating run - capped by his trey from way beyond the arc - that gave the Cavs a 60-29 locker-room lead and complete control.

"We took a huge margin going into halftime, and essentially that was the story," first-year Virginia coach Dave Leitao said.

Well, not really. There was the way Reynolds held Loyola senior guard Andre Collins, a Maryland transfer who came into the game putting up 24 points per outing (sixth-best in the nation), to eight points below his average. There was the way the Cavs, despite an occasional lapse in toughness inside, outrebounded the Greyhounds 51-32. There was the way that, even with an odd concentration deficiency that led to a turnover or a shot-clock violation, Diane still sprawled full-length to the floor in pursuit of a loose ball with less than two minutes to play and U.Va. up by 40.

"Piece by piece, as the season went along, certain people had good spurts here, good spurts there, but it seems like it's all starting to come together now," Cain said. "That was our problem against Georgia Tech and Fordham. When Sean wasn't playing or he wasn't playing well, we really didn't have everybody stepping up and trying to help Sean out. But this game shows that we can all help him out."

The Cavs, 0-1 in the ACC after a 63-54 loss in Atlanta, will have to continue that trend when conference play begins again Jan. 7 as Clemson comes to town. Consider at least one person convinced it can happen.

"I've never seen anything like that in this building before," said Patsos, who spent 13 years as a Maryland assistant and was still reeling from Virginia's first-half 3-point barrage after the game. " ... If Virginia shoots like that, they're gonna be a very tough out in the ACC."
 

Cavaliers get the message
J.R. Reynolds scores 25 and Adrian Joseph adds 24 as UVa wins for the first time in December.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129
The Roanoke Times

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- J.R. Reynolds wasn't on the floor for two minutes Friday night before Virginia basketball coach Dave Leitao substituted for him.

So, it was going to be one of "those" nights?

"I was thinking, 'Why is he taking me out?' " Reynolds, a junior from Roanoke, said.

Considering that the Cavaliers had seven scholarship players in uniform, Reynolds had to know he wouldn't be out of the game long, but a two-minute, 35-second stay allowed him to clear his head.

He responded with his best game of the season, finishing with a season-high 25 points and matching a career high with six assists -- without a turnover -- as the Cavaliers won for the first time in December, 98-59, over Loyola of Baltimore.

Loyola came to University Hall off its best start (5-1) in 25 years and was unveiling 6-foot-10, 270-pound Hassan Fofana, making his first appearance for the Greyhounds since transferring from Maryland.

Fofana's ex-Maryland teammate, Andre Collins, had averaged 24 points in the first six games and when UVa point guard Sean Singletary picked up his second foul with 11:29 remaining in the first half, trouble was brewing.

The Cavs were leading 21-14 and second-year Loyola coach Jimmy Patsos could see an opening, but it closed in a hurry. Led by Reynolds and sophomore forward Adrian Joseph, Virginia outscored the Greyhounds 25-2 over the next 5:04.

"They learned from playing without him; they learned from losing without him," said Patsos, a former Maryland assistant. "I've never seen anything like that in this building before."

Reynolds and Joseph were both 4-for-5 from 3-point range during the first half and UVa took a 60-29 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Singletary, who was scoring a team-high 20.2 points per game, did not score in the first half and finished with one field goal and four points in the game.

Singletary had missed the Cavaliers' most recent home game, a 62-60 loss to a Fordham team that had lost six of its previous seven games.

"I was hoping we'd be another Fordham," Patsos said.

The Cavaliers (4-4) swarmed Collins, who finished with a team-high 16 points and 10 assists, but was only 6-of-20 from the floor.

Fofana had 12 points and eight rebounds, but missed all four of his free-throw opportunities, providing rebounding opportunities for fellow 2003-04 ACC freshman, UVa junior Jason Cain.

Cain, who has taken over the starting center spot from Tunji Soroye, finished with 15 points and 16 rebounds for his third double-double in the last four games.

"I've worked hard in the weight room," Cain said, "but I'm not 270. I've got to take advantage of my footwork and quickness."

Joseph, who had made a total of six 3-pointers in UVa's first seven games, finished 5-for-7 from behind the arc and finished with a career-high 24 points.

"He's starting to respect what we're asking him to do," Leitao said. "As I told him in front of the team, when you do that, good things are going to happen."

Despite a lack of team depth, Reynolds' playing time has dropped slightly this year and there have been games in which he has been benched repeatedly.

Not so Friday night.

"Usually, I'm in some guy's ear," Leitao said. "He didn't start off the game the way I wanted, so I took him out.

"I think that taking him out was more of a reminder than even getting in his ear. I kind of left him alone and let him ponder what he needed to do. He got the message pretty clear."

 

Cleaning my notebook for the holidays
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
December 24, 2005

Scattershooting around the sports world, while emptying the notebook and wishing all you scattershooters out there a Merry Christmas ...
Minnesota's prowess on offense has certainly gotten the attention of Virginia's coaching staff. Listening to coach Al Groh's comments about the Gophers, they sound almost as prolific on that side of the ball as Peyton Manning's Colts.

"They're second in the country rushing the ball and what is eye-catching about that is that usually teams that are up there have been the teams like Air Force, Navy (which is No. 1 this season), Rice, teams that run the ball 65 times a game and run four passes," Groh said.

"Clearly [Minnesota] is a run-dominated team, but they've got their 24, 25, 26 passes a game," Groh continued. "So, they're doing it with a very high yards per carry number that has led to a lot of points (the Gophers are 10th in the country in scoring). What has gotten our attention is that some of those run-a-lot teams often grind it out and win 17-14, but don't end up with 45 or 50 points [like Minnesota]. But they have gotten the type of long-gainer, big-play touchdowns from their running game that most teams have to rely on their passing games to get."

Groh pointed out that the Gophers have also owned possession of the ball for a great deal of time in many of their games. Minnesota has rushed for more than 3,000 yards this season compared to UVa's 1,608 and yet out-passed the Cavaliers 2,397 yards to 2,319 in the process.

Just personal observations, it seemed to this columnist during Thursday's interviews with UVa players that All-ACC linebacker Kai Parham's body language made it hard to believe that he will come back for another season with the Cavaliers. ... Groh said that just as a red-shirted Parham benefited from bowl practice his first year at UVa, so have at least three young players on this year's roster: wide receiver Brandon Woods, who has also been getting experience at defensive back; linebacker Rashawn Jackson; and Vic Hall, who was recruited as a quarterback, but has practiced part of this season as a corner.

We've all heard stories of how fast Alvin Pearman's younger brother, Andrew is, and now it has been confirmed by Groh. Andrew Pearman, who transferred to UVa after red-shirting the 2004 season at Hawaii, and sat out this season with the Cavaliers, will play next season.

Asked what Pearman is doing in practice, Groh grinned and replied: "Runs fast. He's a little dynamo, a little faster than [Alvin, now a tailback for the Jacksonville Jaguars). He has practiced some at wide receiver and tailback and he kind of makes us go 'Wow' each day."

Another redshirt freshman back, Mikell Simpson, the Pennsylvania prep star who chose UVa over Alabama, has looked good in practice but suffered an injury.

"Guess which injury?" Groh asked sportswriters.

Obviously, an ankle, which has been the injury of the year for the Cavaliers.

THE GOLD LIST: Our 13th annual Gold List will be published on Christmas Day, featuring the top 50 senior high school football prospects in the state along with the top 20 juniors to watch and a super sophomores list.

As usual, Rivals and ESPN national recruiting analyst Mike Farrell has been invaluable to us in compiling the list and Zirkle Blakey, editor and publisher of Virginiapreps.com, has helped us with the junior and sophomore lists along with Farrell.

Also, readers will be able to follow the Gold List's prospects as they make their college decisions (we will keep it updated online at www.DailyProgress.com) through national signing day in February.

GRIDIRON NOTES: Apparently any ill feelings between UVa coach Al Groh, Fork Union coach John Shuman and Hampton High coach Mike Smith, have been patched up this year. Shuman has tried to help the Cavs recruit speedy wide receiver Jacoby Ford and also worked UVa's football camp.

Meanwhile, Smith perhaps broke the ice by calling up Groh to recommend former Kecoughtan coach Curt Newsome, now an assistant at JMU, for one of Groh's openings. Newsome is well respected on the peninsula among his high school peers, which could help Wahoo recruiting efforts there.

The Cavs have lost committed recruit Cedric Jeffries, a wide receiver/safety from Egg Harbor, N.J. Jeffries, who committed to UVa in August, de-committed to the Wahoos and committed instead to Penn State last week. He will be a strong safety for JoePa, while UVa wanted him as a receiver.

Minnesota coach Glen Mason has one year remaining on a seven-year contract and the school is trying to get him to sign a new one before the Gophers arrive in Nashville next Monday to prepare for their Dec. 30 Music City Bowl date with Virginia. Mason's new contract should be worth in the neighborhood of $1.5 million annually.

N.C. State coach Chuck Amato has granted sophomore running back Bobby Washington a release from the program so that he can transfer, but Amato has denied a request from Washington to transfer to the University of Florida. ...

The Wolfpack have sold more than 21,000 tickets to the Meineke Car Care Bowl vs. South Florida in Charlotte.

THE PRO LINK: Remember how everyone was jumping on former UVa star tailback Tiki Barber a couple of years ago about fumbling?

Well, Tiki has shut a lot of people up this season. He has 356 touches so far this season and only one fumble.

Remember former Wake Forest head coach Jim Caldwell, the first African-American head football coach in the ACC? Well, now he is filling in for Tony Dungey as temporary head coach of the Indianapolis Colts due to the death of Dungey's 18-year-old son.

AROUND TOWN: Our friend Phil Gates informs us that UVa's student athletes delivered a check of $1,244 to The Daily Progress' Santa Fund this week, with the donations going toward the needy in our area. The Cavalier athletes also raised $600 this year for Hurricane Katrina victims and regularly visit the University of Virginia children's hospital. Who says athletes are selfish?

Former Western Albemarle star Marcus Washington, who led Bridgewater College to the Division III playoffs this season, had nine carries for 46 yards and also had two catches for 29 yards to help a United States all-star team defeat Mexico, 53-15, in the annual Aztec Bowl last Saturday in Cancun. ...

Meanwhile, another Charlottesville star, Terrell Mulford (North Garden), has also received multiple honors for Ferrum College. Mulford was first-team All-USA South Athletic Conference after helping his team win the conference and an NCAA Division III playoff spot. He was Ferrum's first player to rush for more than 1,000 yards since the 1989 season. Mulford rushed for 1,079 yards and 15 TDs for the 9-2 Panthers and earned a spot on the All-South Region Team as named by D3football.com.

GOLF AND TENNIS: Glenmore Country Club's director of golf Kandi Comer has been honored as the 2005 Junior Golf Leader by the Mid-Atlantic section of the PGA of America. Everyone in Central Virginia knows about Comer's dedication to junior golf and some of the rising stars she has worked with.

"I am very proud to have received this honor from the PGA," Comer said. "Since becoming a coach, I have made a special commitment to help young players learn to play and love the game that has meant so much to me."

An outstanding golfer herself, Kandi has coached young golfers who have received scholarships from UVa, Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Michigan State, N.C. State, Kentucky and William & Mary.

If you're a tennis fan, then you'll remember Ashley Harkleroad's comeback at the Boyd Tinsley USTA event at the Boar's Head Sports Club last May. She won the doubles title here with Lindsay Lee-Waters.

Harkleroad started the year injured and considered retirement but finished as the USTA Pro Circuit's leading money winner with $41,153. She won two singles tournaments on the circuit, was runner-up in another, and paired with Lee-Waters for two doubles titles. She also qualified at Wimbledon and finished the year ranked No. 119 in the world after starting out No. 209.
 

Dining on a cupcake
Joseph, Reynolds step up
By Whitelaw Reid / Daily Progress sports writer
December 24, 2005

The last few weeks, Adrian Joseph and J.R. Reynolds have played with all the confidence of a 16-year-old boy going to pick up a prom date who is two years older.
Last night at University Hall, the duo played as if they had just watched a Tony Robbins video.

Joseph and Reynolds both snapped out of huge funks to have their biggest games of the season as the University of Virginia rolled to an easy 98-59 win over Loyola (Md.).

Reynolds, who has shot just 36 percent from the floor this season, scored a season-high 25 points. Joseph, who came into the game averaging 8.3 points, had a career-high 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Each drilled four 3-pointers in the first half.

"We've been putting up so many jump shots in practice," Joseph said. "He feels much more confident, and I feel more confident, too."

It definitely looked that way. Coupled with Jason Cain's monster 15-point, 16-rebound night, the Cavs (4-4) broke a three-game losing streak. That made for a pleased coach Dave Leitao after the game.

"I think it's obvious I'm happy," said Leitao, whose team next plays UMBC at Richmond on Wednesday night. "It was a pretty good display of basketball in the first half in terms of our intensity and ability to attack."

Leitao was particularly pleased with Joseph, who has received sporadic playing time recently.

"He took the last four days of practice and applied it to today," Leitao said. "He's starting to respect what we're asking him to do. When you do that, good things will happen."

One of the more remarkable things about the win was the fact Cavs point guard Sean Singletary, the team's leading scorer, didn't make a basket until midway through the second half. Singletary, coming off a career-high 35 points at Gonzaga, finished with just four points. However, he did have a season-high seven assists.

For the game, the Cavs shot 46 percent from the field, their highest since the season-opening win over Liberty (47 percent). The team's 13 3-pointers were a season-high.

"If Virginia shoots like that, they'll be a pretty tough out in the ACC," said Loyola coach Jimmy Patsos, whose team dropped to 5-2. "They played well. They came out ready to play. After the road [games] at Arizona and Gonzaga, they were obviously a little angry."

The Cavs did an excellent job of shutting down the Greyhounds' top guns - guard Andre Collins and big man Hassan Fofana, transfers from Maryland.

Collins, who came into the contest averaging 24 points - sixth in the nation - finished with just 16 points on 6-of-20 shooting. Fofana scored 12 points, half of which came during garbage time in the second half.

"We just stayed in [Collins'] face," Reynolds said, "and made him put it on the floor. We left it to our help defense."

Loyola led early in the first half, 12-11. But then UVa exploded, going on a 25-2 run. The Cavs exploited the Greyhounds' porous full-court press for easy baskets and open looks from 3-point range. They led 60-29 at the break.

Two of Reynolds' first-half 3-pointers were from several feet behind the line. His performance was easily his best since the team's second game of the year against Richmond when he scored 23.

"I got a lot of shots up this week and just stayed in the gym," Reynolds said. "I've been feeling comfortable all week."

Reynolds, who also tied a career-high with six assists, said a shooting drill he's been doing with Joseph after practices helped. In the drill, each player has to sink five 3-pointers in a row from several spots around the floor.

"It helped our focus," Reynolds said. "I could tell he was going to have a good game tonight."

Joseph also drove to the basket several times - something that had to please Leitao. And, in the first half, he converted on an alley-oop from Reynolds - by far the team's most exciting play this season.

"Piece by piece," Reynolds said, "it seems like things are starting to all come together."

DUNKS: Freshman Laurynas Mikalauskas had one of the best moves of the night. The Blue Ridge product faked Fofana out of his sneakers on a pump fake, then drove hard to the hole and dunked. However, he got nailed with a technical for hanging on the rim. He appeared to take some playful ribbing from his teammates on the bench.