Coach with class and right mindset can help Cavaliers -- and fans -- move on in right way from stinging loss
No. 10 Syracuse 68, No. 1 Virginia 62
To put it lightly, that was a tough loss. In general, I don't mind talking about a loss a day later. It sometimes helps me to get over it. This one is probably different, though. This one will hurt to mull over for a long time. I can only imagine how the players feel.
My only piece of on-court analysis is this: It seems like UVa let Syracuse take it out of its game. Yes, it is true that the Cavaliers have, in recent years, done well against full-court presses. In fact, just Friday, they did a great job managing Iowa State's, getting lots of easy baskets in the final few minutes of the game. Sometimes, it isn't your day, though. And the UVa offense was suspect throughout the game with turnovers and sloppiness. Still, Virginia had a 35-21 halftime lead that was still in the double digits with half the second half left. Once Syracuse started pressing, the game changed. Virginia's attitude changed. It was like a "Cavalanche" was happening to the Cavaliers, something they've done to so many teams the past three seasons. In my opinion, though the team has done well vs. presses recently, getting points should not have been the priority once the Orange started cutting into the lead. Protecting the margin and milking the clock should have been. I would need to go re-watch to get a better feel (something I doubt I'll ever do), but given the look of the offense during most of the game, I thought it would have been better to not rush, pull the ball back out after getting it past half court, and go from there. The hectic nature is just what the press sought, and UVa gave in. It also might have winded the players, who allowed some penetration into the lane late in the game. "Embrace the pace" is one of the mantra's of the program under Tony Bennett, but I think the team came up short of doing that in the final 10 minutes. You can call it playing not to lose if you want, but in my opinion, once it was clear the press-breaking scheme was not on its A-game, priorities should've changed. End of mini-rant.
Now, all UVa fans should watch the news conference after the game, especially the opening statement by coach Bennett. You can click here to view.
Having the coach we have as fans makes this a little easier to swallow because Tony Bennett is class all the way. Who knows how he feels or acts in private, but in public, he is always going to be dignified and gracious. Like him, we need to take a step back and collect ourselves.
If you're not familiar with the five pillars of the program as Bennett calls them, now is a great time to get to know them, especially after a devastating loss. They were literally sewn into the jerseys the players wore this season, which is in the picture. Going over the game in your head over and over is not going to change things or help rationalize what happened and how UVa collapsed. So there's no point to ruminate. Instead, it is time
to celebrate what this team and this senior class -- Malcolm Brogdon, Anthony Gill, Evan Nolte, Mike Tobey, and Caid Kirven -- accomplished. Thinking about the pillars will help focus the mind on the positives of this season and of this era.
THE FIVE PILLARS
HUMILITY: Wow, right off the bat, this one hits home after what happened. UVa and its fan base took a dose of this. Virginia was humbled down the stretch. I don't know if the psychological edge started to wear off a bit at halftime with a big lead, but hopefully, Virginia wasn't thinking too much of itself. Because all leads are tenuous at best and sometimes it happens. You have to be ready for anything, especially in March Madness. If the loss sticks with Bennett and those returning next season, hopefully it is a reminder to stay humble and hungry.
PASSION: Again, stay hungry. This can apply to fans and to players. There is no doubt of the passion that surrounds this program now. John Paul Jones Arena is brimming every home game in numbers and fervor. People care about the 'Hoos. Many fans went to the airport to greet the players and coaches as they arrived back in Charlottesville. And this is after a shocking loss on the big stage. The fans love their 'Hoos, and the 'Hoos have a passion for the game that I'm sure can no doubt drive them back this deep in the tournament.
UNITY: Now is not the time for gnashing of teeth and in-fighting. Blaming the coaches or the players for what happened won't help the situation. The team and program needs to pick up the pieces together and
move on, and get better because of what happened. Virginia got as far as it did because it typified playing as a team. And that's how it can continue to progress. It won't come by a player going off on his own, displaying a me-first attitude, and I'm sure Bennett will do his best to never let that happen.
SERVANTHOOD: I think this one flows right from unity. The players need to continue serving each other and playing as a team. It also brings a feeling of accountability when you're playing for each other, which, in the end, will make everyone work even harder to get back to this point. Playing for yourself, I think, it is easy to get down and give up, but together, the attitude changes and having your teammates' backs becomes important and pushes the entire program forward.
THANKFULNESS: This is the big one that I feel Bennett talks about the most. And it is the one that fans can use to help themselves the most. The loss, and the way it happened, was bad, as we know. But, we need to take a step back for a moment. Forget how this season ended and look at the big picture. The team got to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1995. The two coaches that came before Bennett didn't even get to the Sweet 16 and one of them didn't even win an NCAA tournament game. And there were just two Big Dance invitations in 11 years. The 2008-09 team, Dave Leitao's last, won 10 games. Not 10 ACC games. Ten games total. Bennett's teams, in his seven seasons, have never won fewer than 15. The Cavaliers have won at least 21 in five consecutive seasons, and at least 29 for three straight years. There have been two outright ACC regular-season championships (the team had not won even one of those since 1981), a conference tourney title, six NCAA tournament wins (there was just one in the previous 11 years), and a pair of Sweet 16 appearances. Not to mention numerous All-ACC players and one who was this season's ACC overall and defensive player of the year in Brogdon. I have to imagine fans would have taken all of that in a heartbeat back in 2009 when Bennett was hired.
Time to embrace the thankfulness pillar and thank these seniors and these players and coaches and the ride that we've been taken on as fans the past few seasons. Plus, Bennett's best recruiting class while at Virginia arrives next year, and that's not counting junior Austin Nichols, the 6-foot-9 post player who transferred from Memphis and sat out this season. He was a five star recruit coming out of high school and averaged 13.3 points, 6.21 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks two seasons ago.
To put it lightly, that was a tough loss. In general, I don't mind talking about a loss a day later. It sometimes helps me to get over it. This one is probably different, though. This one will hurt to mull over for a long time. I can only imagine how the players feel.
My only piece of on-court analysis is this: It seems like UVa let Syracuse take it out of its game. Yes, it is true that the Cavaliers have, in recent years, done well against full-court presses. In fact, just Friday, they did a great job managing Iowa State's, getting lots of easy baskets in the final few minutes of the game. Sometimes, it isn't your day, though. And the UVa offense was suspect throughout the game with turnovers and sloppiness. Still, Virginia had a 35-21 halftime lead that was still in the double digits with half the second half left. Once Syracuse started pressing, the game changed. Virginia's attitude changed. It was like a "Cavalanche" was happening to the Cavaliers, something they've done to so many teams the past three seasons. In my opinion, though the team has done well vs. presses recently, getting points should not have been the priority once the Orange started cutting into the lead. Protecting the margin and milking the clock should have been. I would need to go re-watch to get a better feel (something I doubt I'll ever do), but given the look of the offense during most of the game, I thought it would have been better to not rush, pull the ball back out after getting it past half court, and go from there. The hectic nature is just what the press sought, and UVa gave in. It also might have winded the players, who allowed some penetration into the lane late in the game. "Embrace the pace" is one of the mantra's of the program under Tony Bennett, but I think the team came up short of doing that in the final 10 minutes. You can call it playing not to lose if you want, but in my opinion, once it was clear the press-breaking scheme was not on its A-game, priorities should've changed. End of mini-rant.
Now, all UVa fans should watch the news conference after the game, especially the opening statement by coach Bennett. You can click here to view.
Having the coach we have as fans makes this a little easier to swallow because Tony Bennett is class all the way. Who knows how he feels or acts in private, but in public, he is always going to be dignified and gracious. Like him, we need to take a step back and collect ourselves.
If you're not familiar with the five pillars of the program as Bennett calls them, now is a great time to get to know them, especially after a devastating loss. They were literally sewn into the jerseys the players wore this season, which is in the picture. Going over the game in your head over and over is not going to change things or help rationalize what happened and how UVa collapsed. So there's no point to ruminate. Instead, it is time
THE FIVE PILLARS
HUMILITY: Wow, right off the bat, this one hits home after what happened. UVa and its fan base took a dose of this. Virginia was humbled down the stretch. I don't know if the psychological edge started to wear off a bit at halftime with a big lead, but hopefully, Virginia wasn't thinking too much of itself. Because all leads are tenuous at best and sometimes it happens. You have to be ready for anything, especially in March Madness. If the loss sticks with Bennett and those returning next season, hopefully it is a reminder to stay humble and hungry.
PASSION: Again, stay hungry. This can apply to fans and to players. There is no doubt of the passion that surrounds this program now. John Paul Jones Arena is brimming every home game in numbers and fervor. People care about the 'Hoos. Many fans went to the airport to greet the players and coaches as they arrived back in Charlottesville. And this is after a shocking loss on the big stage. The fans love their 'Hoos, and the 'Hoos have a passion for the game that I'm sure can no doubt drive them back this deep in the tournament.
UNITY: Now is not the time for gnashing of teeth and in-fighting. Blaming the coaches or the players for what happened won't help the situation. The team and program needs to pick up the pieces together and
 |
| A group of fans welcomed back the team to the airport early Monday. |
SERVANTHOOD: I think this one flows right from unity. The players need to continue serving each other and playing as a team. It also brings a feeling of accountability when you're playing for each other, which, in the end, will make everyone work even harder to get back to this point. Playing for yourself, I think, it is easy to get down and give up, but together, the attitude changes and having your teammates' backs becomes important and pushes the entire program forward.
THANKFULNESS: This is the big one that I feel Bennett talks about the most. And it is the one that fans can use to help themselves the most. The loss, and the way it happened, was bad, as we know. But, we need to take a step back for a moment. Forget how this season ended and look at the big picture. The team got to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1995. The two coaches that came before Bennett didn't even get to the Sweet 16 and one of them didn't even win an NCAA tournament game. And there were just two Big Dance invitations in 11 years. The 2008-09 team, Dave Leitao's last, won 10 games. Not 10 ACC games. Ten games total. Bennett's teams, in his seven seasons, have never won fewer than 15. The Cavaliers have won at least 21 in five consecutive seasons, and at least 29 for three straight years. There have been two outright ACC regular-season championships (the team had not won even one of those since 1981), a conference tourney title, six NCAA tournament wins (there was just one in the previous 11 years), and a pair of Sweet 16 appearances. Not to mention numerous All-ACC players and one who was this season's ACC overall and defensive player of the year in Brogdon. I have to imagine fans would have taken all of that in a heartbeat back in 2009 when Bennett was hired.
Time to embrace the thankfulness pillar and thank these seniors and these players and coaches and the ride that we've been taken on as fans the past few seasons. Plus, Bennett's best recruiting class while at Virginia arrives next year, and that's not counting junior Austin Nichols, the 6-foot-9 post player who transferred from Memphis and sat out this season. He was a five star recruit coming out of high school and averaged 13.3 points, 6.21 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks two seasons ago.
And don't you know that was the round where we would have played Michigan State? Just wasn't meant to be.
ReplyDeletehmm true. i kinda hope we get them soon in a regular-season game.
ReplyDelete