2009.03.12
Season ends for UVa
ATLANTA -- The Virginia men's basketball season came to a merciful close Thursday night as sixth-seeded Boston College defeated 11th-seeded UVa 76-63 in the first round of the ACC Tournament at the Georgia Dome.
On a night when UVa's Calvin Baker held high-scoring Tyrese Rice to one field goal, sophomore Rakim Sanders had 25 points to lead the Eagles (22-10). Senior Mamadi Diane had a team-high 24 points for the Cavaliers (10-18).
UVa's season-ending winning percentage is the worst since 1965-66, when the Cavaliers were 7-15.
ACC freshman of the year Sylven Landesberg said earlier this week that he has plans to explore the NBA Draft and sophomore Mike Scott, the team's leading rebounder, said "he will definitely be back" in 2008-2009.
--DOUG DOUGHTY
Okay Cavalier fans....... Let it out!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Oh, and Ralph Sampson the 3rd had 9 points 6 rebounds and 5 blocks in their tournament win against Northwestern.
So be it! Let's hope that the 2008/2009 season goes down as the worst ever, for if it gets worse next season..I can't even fathom the thoughts.
30-55 in the ACC Tournament Wahoos! Way to go!
*Sighs*.
I love Jeff Jones game, but am wondering if he'll come back next season as he only logged 10 minutes in Thursday night's game.
At least the Cavaliers are looking good in Baseball, Men's and Womens Lacrosse, Tennis, Swimming, and yes even Golf!!
Comment by Dan — March 13, 2009 @ 1:55 am
Landesberg in the NBA? That's pretty funny. He has no outside shot, isn't tall or long and I see no evidence that he's much of a leaper. I mean, really Sylen? Once ACC defenses figured you out you became almost a non-factor. Think it'll be easier against guys five inches taller and twice as athletic?
Who advises these guys?
Comment by Ron — March 13, 2009 @ 5:40 am
My favorite lineup last night was the one with Landesberg, Jones, Scott and Diane all on the bench at the same time. As if this team doesn't have a hard enough time scoring.
Comment by Ron — March 13, 2009 @ 5:44 am
Ron is right, that's what Leitao does as a coach. Baker as the point guard is suicide. Look at his stats last night. His defense can not make up for his ineptness at the point.
Comment by Nita Change — March 13, 2009 @ 8:20 am
So Diane has back to back 24 point games, but sits on the bench for the better part of the season. Yes he got off to a terrible start probably trying to get his legs back from foot surgery, but was he really not capable of playing this well the last 10-12 games of the season. You do realize if Diane was a junior, he likely wouldn't have played in either of these last two games because Leitao had totally given up on him.
I really don't know how much more evidence is needed to prove that Leitao really doesn't have a clue how to coach a basketball team or recruit players that don't have major flaws in their games. Baker doesn't make good offensive decisions, while SZ is too slow of foot to defend. Mike Scott is too lean to hold his position inside. Sene can't make a shot farther away from the basket than a dunk. JJ and SL are pretty bleak on the defensive end of the court.
But I guess that Leitao will get one more year to convince the rest of the hold outs that he's not capable of coaching in the ACC. At least then we'll have bi-partisanship on one topic.
Comment by Henry — March 13, 2009 @ 9:31 am
Ron you're an idiot. The NBA reps are the ones saying Landesberg has a good chance to be drafted. One source even had him as a potential first round draft pick. He would be stupid not to try it. Declare for the draft, go to camp, see how your stock goes, then make a decision. It's not like he's coming back to a final four team or anything. You guys are just mad that none of your Hokies are considered draftable in anything but football. I did hear that A.D. and Allen were invited to the Redskins camp!
Comment by Greg — March 13, 2009 @ 2:18 pm
Hey Greg, at least VT wil still be playing post season. More than your hoos will be doing.
Comment by cws260 — March 13, 2009 @ 4:08 pm
Actually, Landesburg has been quoted as saying he's coming back, because he's not satisfied with how he and the team performed. He realizes he has some stuff to work on and he cited goals he wanted to reach. One was playing in the NCAA tournament. Which, if true means we at least have him for 2 more years seeing as Leitao will most likely rebound and making an appearing in the NIT.
Now, if the NIT is all Leitao has to do then I guess he won't be gone next year either. The talent on the roster coupled with a guy like Spurlock who I think can contribute 5-10 points a game during the season off the bench, should lead to at least the NIT.
I like Sene's potential, because when I see him I see Solomon Alibi from FSU who was a redshirt freshman this year...which is probably what Sene and Brandenburg should have been next year. I like what I saw out of Jamil, Mike S., and Jeff Jones. They need develop some consistency, but a good off season I think they can a good deal of the pressure off of Sylven. Last, but not least Sylven is a player you can build around. He just needs a wingman to step up.
Comment by Don W. — March 13, 2009 @ 4:57 pm
I'm with Ron (comment #3) and Henry on this one. What the hell is UVA waiting for?? Another horrible season? Seriously....
Comment by John — March 13, 2009 @ 10:05 pm
It's funny to me when UVa fans ridicule Leitao for not putting the right combinations on the floor. There are no right combinations with the group of players UVa has! Virginia has maybe.....one player on their roster who should be starting for an ACC basketball team! After that, it doesn't matter who starts among the other scholarship players! The result will be the same: bad shooting, poor ball-handling, slow defense, and little scoring. Because the players aren't good enough to be starting on ACC teams, each one may play well for a game or two, and then even if they did start the next 10 games, you'd see their real (lack of) talent show up! So lay off of Leitao and his so-called "poor" substitution patterns. There are no "poor" substitution patterns when you only have one player on your roster who is good enough to start on an ACC roster! Whew!!
Comment by Nelson — March 13, 2009 @ 11:22 pm
Hey Ron, Landesberg is one of the sleeper picks in the NBA draft. check ESPN. And to the thing about him entering the draft, wasn't there an article in the paper where he was quoted saying he would be back? I'm pretty sure I read that. Someone tell me if I'm wrong. And enough with all this stuff about at least we are doing this and you aren't doing that. UVA was picked to finish dead last. Well we didn't finish dead last. We finished 11th and we beat some quality teams this year when we played at our best. The 11th place part isn't great but this team obviously needs time. and Sylven did improve his outside jumpers at the end of the year. The tech excuse last year was about being so young, so I plead the same thing this year. And about Landesberg not being good enough for the draft, just give him till his senior year. He'll be sick.
Rookie of the year in the ACC.
second team all freshman in the nation.
unanimous acc all freshman team pick.
scored in double figures 22 times, and had 12 20 point games.
named rookie of the week in the acc six times. (tied for a conference record)
So Ron, there are his credentials. and cws260 if that's all you're gonna put just save your time from typing that. I mean give me a break. Btw, we beat tech once this year. You beat us once and we beat you guys once as well. Remember that.
Good luck to VT in post season.
Comment by Rob — March 13, 2009 @ 11:28 pm
Rob, you sound like someone with his head in the sand. Read your rant, if Landesberg is a sleeper in the draft he is not going to come back and if he does he won't be around for his senior year. You know how many times players say they are returning until they find out they are going to be a top draft pick, then bolt. And I'll say it again, hoo football no post season, hoo basketball no post season. Man that couch must be getting wore out from watching everybody else in post season.
Comment by cws260 — March 14, 2009 @ 12:04 am
I agree with all of you......LOL! Leitao hasn't a clue how to run an offense, but I'll give him so credit in that he doesn't have a lot to work with. Oh wait he's responsible for recruiting too..................Nevermind:( He needs to go
Comment by Dennis — March 14, 2009 @ 6:15 am
Greg, I'm an idiot? Maybe, but seeing as how you don't seem to know what team you're talking about I wouldn't get too happy. When you sober up you'll realize Landesberg plays for Virginia.
Comment by Ron — March 14, 2009 @ 9:37 am
Calm down, Rob. I didn't mean to get in the middle of your man crush. I like Sylven a lot, as I've said multiple times on this board. He's a good player, obviously Virginia's best. And I never said he didn't have the right to "explore" the NBA. But he's nowhere near ready for that level, I don't care how many awards he's won. Once ACC coaches figured out to stop him and he played against better athletes, he was an average player at best. If he thinks anything else, he's delusional. And anyone who is advising him any differently does not have his best interest at heart.
Sylven could become that rare Virginia player who plays in the NBA. But if he leaves this year, he'll be a second-round draft pick, will probably get cut, and then he'll spend four years playing in Europe thinking how stupid he was to not stay in college a little longer and work on the glaring flaws in his game. And if you really loved him, Rob, you'd think the same thing.
Comment by Ron — March 14, 2009 @ 10:04 am
Nelson,
Are you related to Leitao? I mean seriously, individually, UVa has as much talent as Md. But UVa players play scared because they know if they make a mistake Leitao is going to yank them. Did you notice SZ made a bad play in the BC game and you never saw him on the floor again. Md doesn't have one player over 6'7". No great team speed, yet Gary Williams has made adjustments to his team to make them a decent middle of the ACC team. Sure they lost to UVa at the end of the season, but they have two wins in the ACC tourney. And will possible get an invitation to the big dance. This level of success should be attainable at UVa. But with Leitao at the helm it's a pipe dream.
And finally, if these players truly aren't good enough to be .500 in the ACC, then tell me who recruited them? It was Leitao. So either he can't coach, can't recruit, or both.
Comment by Henry — March 14, 2009 @ 2:37 pm
Ron, I'm not meaning anything towards you. I just wanted you to see what he had done in the ACC. I think that gives him the right to explore the draft. My bad, I made a mistake about what you said.I still think he is planning on coming back though. and cws260, hahahahahhahaha. you're really cool. yeah, not really. you want to go back and read that article? It says he's coming back. I haven't heard a lot of college players say they are staying and then decide to go. A few. So you're wrong about that. Most coaches, yes, but players no. But don't bring football into it. It's not football season. It's basketball season. So I really don't care about your little football statement. And yeah my couch doesn't really get worn out cause I actually have a life and I just check the scores mainly. I only watch UVA games because I'm a TRUE fan. I enjoy watching them play because college basketball is the greatest sport there is. You're not even talking facts. You're all insults.
Comment by Rob — March 14, 2009 @ 10:31 pm
You guys forget Roger Mason is playing in the NBA and starting for the Spurs!! I believe if Sylven does go out early he will be like Roger bouncing around for about 6 years, and then latching on to be a good player with a good team. It doesn't look good for Sean Singletary in the NBA though. He was sent to the D League, and probably won't be called back up this season to the Bobcats according to Larry Brown. Just an FYI also. Gary Forbes and Derrick Byars are both playing well in the D-League. Oh how it would have been different if they both would have stayed and played more minutes.
Comment by Dan — March 15, 2009 @ 2:22 am
I like posting on these blogs instead of message boards! I urge other UVa fans to post on roanoke.com also!
Well, all of this is just for fun, people! Right?! Leitao and Groh are nice guys. I'm not sure exactly the reasons why Terry Holland and Craig Littlepage hired them: as a state university, isn't there a law that says that people can come in and apply for a job, just like with any other government job?! With the jobs come a lot of criticism. It's a fact of life when you're a coach.
Comment by Nelson — March 16, 2009 @ 9:44 am
give sylv another year or maybe two of progression and he will be a lottery pick he has size (6'6) for the position he will be playing which is pg/sg, ball handle, good passer, and a flat out leader which he showed this year as a freshmen so all those who don't believe in this guy will witness soon enough he's no fluke you don't become a McDonald's all American that way
Comment by millz379 — March 25, 2009 @ 8:53 am