2009.02.26
Cavs go cold
Nobody could understand why Virginia sophomore Jeff Jones spent nearly seven minutes on the bench Thursday night after giving the Cavaliers a 43-40 lead on a three-point play with 11:16 remaining.
Jones re-entered the game with 4:13 left and almost immediately hit a 3-pointer to force a 55-55 tie, but visiting Miami scored the last seven points for a 62-55 victory.
The Cavaliers' Calvin Baker did a masterful job on 20-point-per-game scorer Jack McClinton, who scored five of his 11 points in the final minute, including a 3-pointer to make it a 60-55 with 47.3 seconds left.
Miami improved to 17-10 overall and 6-8 in the ACC. Virginia fell to 9-15 and 3-10 with its 10th loss in 11 games.
Jones led all scorers with 16 points.
Why is it that EVERY ACC coach respects their colors and wears at least a tie with colors of their respective schools.....leitao wears a beautiful drab grey suite with a beautiful (no color) grey?? tie ....give us ALL a break!!!! At Least try to DRESS THE PART!!!!Have You ever heard of Rugby Road....know you never heard of ELJO'S....
Comment by Sam — February 27, 2009 @ 1:24 am
I've been wondering about the coaches decision on Jeff Jones the whole year! Why take him out because he misses a couple assignments on defense. Your stinking team is 9-14 (Now 9-15) and needs a spark off the bench on offense? What the? The patience on Wahoo fans for basketball is running thin. At least the women's team is something Cav fans can put their hope in. I guarantee if Jeff Jones played 36 minutes a game the whole season UVA would be 13-11 right now at least.
Comment by Dan — February 27, 2009 @ 2:17 am
I feel that Leitao needs more time. For one thing, just to get an audience with the best players in the country takes several years. He got a job with no basketball "name" compared to other ACC schools, and it takes time to even get blue-chip players around the country to even take your phone calls! High school players don't care what UVa did in the 1980's!
Comment by Nelson — February 27, 2009 @ 2:34 am
Another nice coaching job Leitao! Nelson, I'm glad you like the coach.
Comment by Nita — February 27, 2009 @ 9:47 am
Oh, Nelson, I love your optimism.
So much for the rebirth of Mamadi Diane.
It's sort of funny to even be nitpicking about this because it wouldn't make much difference, but why has Assane Sene continued to start? He has deteriorated into statistical non-existence. I like his height and hustle and maybe his potential (not so sure, actually), but the man is averaging 2.8 points and 5 rebounds a game. He's hitting 28.6 percent of his free throws and shoots 39 percent from the field even though he's seven feet tall and never shoots outside of two feet away. His last five games he's scored a TOTAL of 8 points on 4 of 13 shooting - with a whopping 15 rebounds. And he gets utterly dominated by ACC big men, so it's not like he's bringing some intimidating defensive presence (six blocks and eight fouls over that same stretch).
I know, I know, who cares at this point, but, still, what's the use of rolling him out there every night for, literally, no reason at all?
Comment by Ron — February 27, 2009 @ 10:00 am
Nelson,
You may be a perfectly nice guy, and great fun to go have a beer with. However, you're clueless if you think Leitao should get another year. He's a bad coach and a jerk on top of it. Tell me how many shots Landesburg took yesterday. 5,6? Here is the best player on the team not getting a play called for him so he can attempt a shot. Good coaching?Jeff Jones is the Philly Catholic League HS scoring champ and it takes him over 1/2 a season to get significant minutes on one of the worst teams in the ACC. Good coaching? Sene has been playing most of the last couple months with a damaged left wrist, yet he continues to get significant minutes with 0 offensive production. Good coaching? He needs to heal and be bulked up for next year. Tucker has the highest % of made 3pointer on the team. I think he took 2 shots before fouling out.
Did anyone notice that UVa ran the same play vs the man to man and the zone set up last night? The Scott high screen on the wing. That's just silliness to think you can run a pick and roll vs a match up zone. Leitao couldn't each coach a YMCA team to victory. (unless of course, somebody recruited pro talent for him before he got the the job)
At least the lacrosse and baseball teams have started their spring season. Those teams have very good coaches.
Comment by Henry — February 27, 2009 @ 10:16 am
Nelson, you must be a Hokie. Only hokies think Leitao should stay!
Comment by Robert — February 27, 2009 @ 10:46 am
By the way, Nelson, have you looked at next year's recruiting class? We have what appears to be a borderline D-I point guard to go with the two we already have (paging Keith Jenifer, paging Keith Jenifer) and an undersized power forward who is fairly highly regarded but could just as easily be Will Harris as Travis Watson.
In other words, I don't see a lot of help on the horizon despite all his work getting "blue-chippers." Not that we'd want any top recruits anyway - they seem less likely to play than anyone.
Comment by Ron — February 27, 2009 @ 1:22 pm
I ve been saying it all year ...The guy cannot settle on who he wants to play ...It's CRAZY ! Give Orrie a shot a the job !!!!!
Comment by Orrie — February 27, 2009 @ 2:51 pm
Y'all ain't gotta worry about Jontel Evans. He's used to playing for an incompetent coach, so he'll be fine at UVA. He'll be the best point guard on the team his first day on campus. He'll also be the best tailback on grounds, but that won't help sorry Al Groh.
Comment by Homer — February 27, 2009 @ 3:14 pm
You guys summed it all up. He can't coach, has no clue how to use his players. Nelson, come clean, are you a Hokie????????
I talked to Leitao's mom this morning. She is embarrassed about yanking Jeff Jones out during crunch time. Said she's going to give him a lashing if he comes home this summer to visit. Hopefully for the fans, he will have plenty of time to visit, starting in early March.
Comment by Nita — February 27, 2009 @ 4:40 pm
Leitao has has all the time in the world to make UVA good. The basketball team has gone the way of the football team, and as Ron so eloquently put it, deteriorated into statistical non existence. Paging the next coach in the coaching carousel.
Comment by John — February 28, 2009 @ 2:43 pm