Non-Top 50 ACC Team Previews
By Shaun Albin
salbin@thehoopsreport.com
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Virginia Cavaliers
Last Season: 17-16 (5-11)
Key Losses: Sean Singletary, Adrian Joseph, Ryan Pettinella
Head Coach: Dave Leitao
Projected Starting Lineup
PG: Calvin Baker 6-2 Jr.
SG: Sylven Landesberg 6-6 Fr.
SF: Mamadi Diane 6-5 Sr.
PF: Mike Scott 6-8 So.
C: Laurynas Mikalauskas 6-8 Sr.
Key Reserves: John Brandenburg 6-10 Fr. C, Jamil Tucker 6-8 Jr. PF, Jeff Jones 6-4 So. SG, Assane Sene 6-11 Fr. C
The Cavaliers, normally a solid ACC team, have fallen on hard times. Sean Singletary was, by far, the best player on this team last season. Without his production the team will look to Mamadi Diane as well as Rivals Top 150 recruits Sylven Landesberg and John Brandenburg.
Point guard will be the team’s biggest unknown going into this season. Singletary led the team in scoring and assists per game and there really wasn’t much production beyond what he gave the team. Look for Calvin Baker to step into those footsteps. Despite a fine recruiting class, this team is at least a year or two from being a threat in the loaded ACC.
North Carolina State Wolfpack
Last Season: 15-16 (4-12)
Key Losses: J.J. Hickson, Gavin Grant
Head Coach: Sidney Lowe
Projected Starting Lineup
PG: Javier Gonzalez 5-11 So.
SG: Farnold Degand 6-3 Jr.
SF: Courtney Fells 6-6 Sr.
PF: Brandon Costner 6-9 Jr.
C: Ben McCauley 6-10 Sr.
Key Reserves: Marques Johnson 6-6 Jr. SG, Dennis Horner 6-8 Jr. PF, Trevor Ferguson 6-5 Jr. SG, Julius Mays 6-1 Fr. PG, C.J. Williams 6-5 Fr. SF
Last season must be termed a failure. This year’s team may be worse. A group picked to contend last year, The Wolfpack struggled early and often. One-and-done J.J. Hickson was one of the few bright spots on the 2007-08 team. Without him, the team will focus on seniors Courtney Fells and Ben McCauley.
This team will struggle in the backcourt, however, and it will be tough for them to fight their way to a winning season. Incoming freshmen Julius Mays and C.J. Williams should battle for minutes. These two Rivals Top 150 recruits will give the team depth, but both lack the explosive game changing ability they lost with the departures of leading scorers Hickson and Gavin Grant.
After producing just nine wins in 32 conference games over the past two seasons, the pressure is on. This could be a make or break season for coach Lowe as his seat could be one of the hottest in the ACC
Virginia Tech Hokies
Last Season: 21-14 (9-7)
Key Losses: Deron Washington
Head Coach: Seth Greenberg
Projected Starting Lineup
PG: Hank Thorns 5-9 So.
SG: Malcolm Delaney 6-3 So.
SF: A.D. Vassallo 6-6 Sr.
PF: Jeff Allen 6-7 So.
C: Victor Davila 6-9 Fr.
Key Reserves: J.T. Thompson 6-6 So. SF, Lewis Witcher 6-9 Jr. PF, Dorenzo Hudson 6-5 So. SG, Cheick Diakite 6-9 Sr. C
When you think of Virginia Tech athletics, what names spring to mind? Michael Vick perhaps, or maybe you think of the great Bruce Smith. Well, what is one thing they have in common? You guessed it, they are definitely NOT basketball players.
The Hokies have built a name for themselves as an NCAA football powerhouse. Now, Seth Greenberg is working to bring that same passion to the school’s basketball program.
This two-time ACC Coach of the Year has transformed a program that could never be called a hoops powerhouse. Before Greenberg took the helm, the Hokies suffered through the Ricky Stokes era. Stokes had only one winning season during his four year stint with the team and never participated in a postseason tournament. Greenberg has coached in three. This year, coach Greenberg could improve on that mark.
If the Top 50 had an honorable mention, you could count on Virginia Tech making that list. Last year, the Hokies narrowly missed the NCAA tournament and were a one and done program in the NIT. They return four starters for the 2008-09 season, including A.D. Vassallo. As the team’s leading scorer last year, Vassallo gave the Hokies a true outside threat.
A.D. Vassallo, shot a productive 39.5% from downtown last year and nearly half of his field goal attempts (215 of 465) were triples. We should expect even more from this team leader next season.
Other returnees, who should push for a starting role include, SG Malcolm Delaney and PF Jeff Allen. Delaney is another sniper from downtown. Delaney’s offensive game is very similar to Vassallo statistically. Both are jump shooters who are incredible from long range. With the talents these players show, they should actually be better with the three point line extended by one foot this season.
Jeff Allen gives this team their strength. As a freshman last year, Allen produced early and often. Allen, coupled with Vassallo, will give Greenberg an inside/outside combo that could pose matchup problems for the rest of this conference. The young power forward not only led the team in rebounds last season, but was also possibly the team’s best defender. Allen produced team highs with 2.1 steals per game as well as 1.2 blocks.
One potential problem for the Hokies will be in the backcourt. Kendall Durant, once considered the potential starting point guard for Virginia Tech, will not be attending Va-Tech. With the loss of Durant, the team will likely turn to Hank Thorns. Thorns played starter’s minutes last season, but is clearly not ready to take a team to the next level. The undersized point guard lacks the size to work down low and still hasn’t developed a consistent jumper.
With two incoming recruits, the team from last year is basically back in place, however, Victor Davila should give them a giant boost up front. Playing for the Puerto Rican national team, Davila has competed against a level of competition that should leave him well prepared for ACC play. Davila is a wide body that should give Jeff Allen some help on the boards and could even step in immediately as the team’s starting center.
As Seth Greenberg continues to gain attention nationally, this team will see success. However, if the coach expects to be honored again as the best in the conference, the bar must be raised this season. Another NIT bound squad simply will not suffice. Can this team reach the next level? Only time will tell.
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