Who's getting jazzed for basketball season? I know I am. The season tips off at James Madison for the men Friday, Nov. 14. That's now less than two weeks away.
I was able to attend Virginia's media day a couple weeks ago and I hope to present you with some of what I got out of it in the coming days leading up to the Cavaliers' game against the Dukes.
Virginia went 30-7 overall last season, 16-2 in the ACC, and won the ACC regular-season and tournament championships. The Cavaliers won two NCAA tournament games as a No. 1 seed, over Coastal Carolina and Memphis, making to the Sweet 16 before losing, 61-59, to Michigan State in the Sweet 16.
The success of coach Tony Bennett's program a year ago has opened the college basketball world's eyes to what Bennett has built in his five years in Charlottesville. In year one of Bennett's tenure, the team won 15 games. The next year, it recorded 16 victories. In 2011-12, the team won 22 games. Two seasons ago, the Cavs notched 23 wins. And then last season, as I said, 30 wins, the most since the 1981-82 season. I think I read somewhere UVa is the only school in the country that has increased its win total each of the past five years. It is getting harder and harder to do that, but such progress has led the media to taking UVa seriously.
Yes, Virginia was picked fourth in the conference by the ACC media (but actually third in first-place
votes ahead of Louisville). But I think that has more to say about how good the top of the ACC is expected to be this season rather than Virginia getting disrespected. For perspective, UVa is picked fourth in the conference behind Duke, UNC, and Louisville, but is No. 9 in the preseason AP poll and No. 8 in the preseason coaches poll. Last year, Virginia started the season No. 24 in the AP poll. Duke (No. 4), UNC (No. 6), and Louisville (No. 8) are all in the preseason top 10 along with the Wahoos. Syracuse is the only other ACC team in the AP top 25 (No. 23), but Pittsburgh, N.C. State, Notre Dame, and Florida State are all receiving votes.
So, given Virginia's preseason top 10 ranking (and one that I think might even be a little too high), I think the Cavaliers are getting plenty of respect.
The key for the team, as Bennett sees it, is for the players to remember last year's success, but to move on, leave it in the past, and just try to make this season as successful as possible.
"The biggest message I've given our team, and I think it's really important, is, first of all, no one can take away what happened last year," Bennett said at UVa's media day. "It was obviously a fun year, a terrific year. But I think a big mistake would be to try to compare themselves or ourselves to last year's team. I think the key really is, and I told them this, for you as a group, you're a different team. You're going to certainly have to find your identity, and we will as the season progresses. But you obviously max out, absolutely get as good as you can be, and perhaps that will make you better than last year's team and take you further, and perhaps you won't be as good and won't go as far. [But] it's really all about what this team can max out to and reach its full potential."
I am pretty confident by now that Bennett is really good at getting the most out of his players and doing a good job of helping them to block out any and all distractions. That's what they seemed to do last year when things weren't going so hot in December and then when things were really rolling in February.
"I think that idea of focusing ... and not worrying about what was behind or what's ahead of you or saying well, at this point we were here last year," Bennett said. "Maybe you get off to a better start or think well, we're ahead or vice versa. I think that with all of the attention that some of our guys are receiving in the club, I think it's an important mindset."
A couple of those players receiving attention are junior guard Malcolm Brogdon and sophomore point guard London Perrantes. Brogdon is receiving national attention as a preseason All-American candidate and was placed on the preseason All-ACC team. Perrantes was one of 36 players named to the Bob Cousy Award Watch List, an award given to the nation's top point guard.
One of my favorite analogies Bennett used last season to keep his players focused was one of blinders. Racehorses wear blinders because they have heightened peripheral vision. Blinders help them stay focused and not get distracted by what's going on around them.
"[Last year], as we were progressing ... it took us awhile to really find or hit our stride," Bennett said. "Then as the season progressed in the ACC, as we were striving for that, got ranked, being a 1 seed, all those things that happened.
"It comes down to the horses. You put the blinders on and you take the step in front of you. Last year, I sat here and talked about coach [former UVa coach and AD Terry] Holland, and [former UVa player and current Dallas Mavericks coach] Rick Carlisle, about honoring the process and what's in front of you. That never changes, whether you're projected to be to be really good or not projected to be as good."
Bennett talking about honoring the process makes him sound a lot like a certain football coach in Tuscaloosa. Perhaps a less grumpy version. We can only hope Bennett can reach the success that Nick Saban has reached with the Crimson Tide.
Notes
-I am going to delve into individual players more as the first game gets closer, but here is a quick refresher on the roster, scholarship players only.
Lost to graduation: Guard Joe Harris, forward Akil Mitchell
Returners: Brogdon, Perrantes, junior center Mike Tobey, junior guard Justin Anderson, junior forward Anthony Gill, senior forward Darion Atkins, junior guard Evan Nolte
Redshirted last year: Freshman guard Devon Hall
Freshmen: Center Jack Salt, guard Marial Shayok, guard B.J. Stith, forward Isaiah Wilkins
Transferring in: Sophomore forward Darius Thompson (from Tennessee)
-Injuries: London Perrantes "jarred" his foot at the beginning of October, according to Bennett, and had not practiced as of the media day but has recently been back on the court, according to Twitter reports by the Washington Post's Mark Gianotto. At media day, Bennett also said Shayok pulled his hamstring at the beginning of the summer and then had a scope on a knee, but that he has been practicing in full.
-This past weekend, Virginia scrimmaged Marquette at JPJ. No media or fans could attend, but Gianotto tweeted that through the grapevine, he heard that the Cavaliers played well and Shayok was impressive. Marquette is generally one of the better teams in the Big East and is being coached by first-year coach Steve Wojciechowski, former Duke assistant, who took over after Buzz Williams left for the Virginia Tech job. The Wahoos have another closed scrimmage vs. Georgetown in D.C. this weekend.
I was able to attend Virginia's media day a couple weeks ago and I hope to present you with some of what I got out of it in the coming days leading up to the Cavaliers' game against the Dukes.
Virginia went 30-7 overall last season, 16-2 in the ACC, and won the ACC regular-season and tournament championships. The Cavaliers won two NCAA tournament games as a No. 1 seed, over Coastal Carolina and Memphis, making to the Sweet 16 before losing, 61-59, to Michigan State in the Sweet 16.
The success of coach Tony Bennett's program a year ago has opened the college basketball world's eyes to what Bennett has built in his five years in Charlottesville. In year one of Bennett's tenure, the team won 15 games. The next year, it recorded 16 victories. In 2011-12, the team won 22 games. Two seasons ago, the Cavs notched 23 wins. And then last season, as I said, 30 wins, the most since the 1981-82 season. I think I read somewhere UVa is the only school in the country that has increased its win total each of the past five years. It is getting harder and harder to do that, but such progress has led the media to taking UVa seriously.
Yes, Virginia was picked fourth in the conference by the ACC media (but actually third in first-place
 |
| Virginia coach Tony Bennett |
So, given Virginia's preseason top 10 ranking (and one that I think might even be a little too high), I think the Cavaliers are getting plenty of respect.
The key for the team, as Bennett sees it, is for the players to remember last year's success, but to move on, leave it in the past, and just try to make this season as successful as possible.
"The biggest message I've given our team, and I think it's really important, is, first of all, no one can take away what happened last year," Bennett said at UVa's media day. "It was obviously a fun year, a terrific year. But I think a big mistake would be to try to compare themselves or ourselves to last year's team. I think the key really is, and I told them this, for you as a group, you're a different team. You're going to certainly have to find your identity, and we will as the season progresses. But you obviously max out, absolutely get as good as you can be, and perhaps that will make you better than last year's team and take you further, and perhaps you won't be as good and won't go as far. [But] it's really all about what this team can max out to and reach its full potential."
I am pretty confident by now that Bennett is really good at getting the most out of his players and doing a good job of helping them to block out any and all distractions. That's what they seemed to do last year when things weren't going so hot in December and then when things were really rolling in February.
"I think that idea of focusing ... and not worrying about what was behind or what's ahead of you or saying well, at this point we were here last year," Bennett said. "Maybe you get off to a better start or think well, we're ahead or vice versa. I think that with all of the attention that some of our guys are receiving in the club, I think it's an important mindset."
A couple of those players receiving attention are junior guard Malcolm Brogdon and sophomore point guard London Perrantes. Brogdon is receiving national attention as a preseason All-American candidate and was placed on the preseason All-ACC team. Perrantes was one of 36 players named to the Bob Cousy Award Watch List, an award given to the nation's top point guard.
One of my favorite analogies Bennett used last season to keep his players focused was one of blinders. Racehorses wear blinders because they have heightened peripheral vision. Blinders help them stay focused and not get distracted by what's going on around them.
"[Last year], as we were progressing ... it took us awhile to really find or hit our stride," Bennett said. "Then as the season progressed in the ACC, as we were striving for that, got ranked, being a 1 seed, all those things that happened.
"It comes down to the horses. You put the blinders on and you take the step in front of you. Last year, I sat here and talked about coach [former UVa coach and AD Terry] Holland, and [former UVa player and current Dallas Mavericks coach] Rick Carlisle, about honoring the process and what's in front of you. That never changes, whether you're projected to be to be really good or not projected to be as good."
Bennett talking about honoring the process makes him sound a lot like a certain football coach in Tuscaloosa. Perhaps a less grumpy version. We can only hope Bennett can reach the success that Nick Saban has reached with the Crimson Tide.
Notes
-I am going to delve into individual players more as the first game gets closer, but here is a quick refresher on the roster, scholarship players only.
Lost to graduation: Guard Joe Harris, forward Akil Mitchell
Returners: Brogdon, Perrantes, junior center Mike Tobey, junior guard Justin Anderson, junior forward Anthony Gill, senior forward Darion Atkins, junior guard Evan Nolte
Redshirted last year: Freshman guard Devon Hall
Freshmen: Center Jack Salt, guard Marial Shayok, guard B.J. Stith, forward Isaiah Wilkins
Transferring in: Sophomore forward Darius Thompson (from Tennessee)
-Injuries: London Perrantes "jarred" his foot at the beginning of October, according to Bennett, and had not practiced as of the media day but has recently been back on the court, according to Twitter reports by the Washington Post's Mark Gianotto. At media day, Bennett also said Shayok pulled his hamstring at the beginning of the summer and then had a scope on a knee, but that he has been practicing in full.
-This past weekend, Virginia scrimmaged Marquette at JPJ. No media or fans could attend, but Gianotto tweeted that through the grapevine, he heard that the Cavaliers played well and Shayok was impressive. Marquette is generally one of the better teams in the Big East and is being coached by first-year coach Steve Wojciechowski, former Duke assistant, who took over after Buzz Williams left for the Virginia Tech job. The Wahoos have another closed scrimmage vs. Georgetown in D.C. this weekend.
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