Bennett: ‘You have to protect the program’
Column by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
The Love Affair with Tony Bennett hit a rocky point for Cavalier fans, looking back on it now, sometime around the snowstorm that sent the 14-7 UVa. team back home from Maryland and set up a killer stretch of games that eventually knocked the ‘Hoos from NCAA Tournament contention.
Losing 10 of the last 11, then losing star sophomore Sylven Landesberg and heralded freshman Tristan Spurlock, has pushed some in Wahoo Nation to the brink of wanting to maybe re-evaluate the ol’ relationship.
But the cool Bennett is taking things to that end in stride. Continue reading “Bennett: ‘You have to protect the program’” »
UVa.: Landesberg leaving basketball program
Submitted Item
News tips: freepress2@ntelos.net
Virginia men’s head basketball coach Tony Bennett announced Tuesday (March 23) that sophomore guard Sylven Landesberg (Flushing, N.Y.) is leaving the University of Virginia and will not complete the current semester.
“I have discussed Sylven’s future with the Landesberg family and been informed that he will be leaving the University of Virginia to pursue his professional aspirations,” Bennett said. “I am thankful for the significant contributions Sylven made to the Virginia basketball program and wish him success in his future endeavors.” Continue reading “UVa.: Landesberg leaving basketball program” »
Chris Graham: Landesberg-NBA, Hokies really on the bubble?
Column by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Sylven Learning Center It’s all speculation, but the speculation is that second-team All-ACC forward Sylven Landesberg may have played his last game for Virginia.
The idea that Landesberg is at all ready for the NBA is almost laughable. The 6-6 swingman is a solid college player, but I don’t know that he’s NBA-caliber now or a year or two years from now.
I say that because I don’t want to be one of those fans/alums that gets self-righteous about how my team’s star player ought to stay another year so he can improve his pro stock. I’m being honest; I don’t see a lot of pro stock there with Landesberg, as much as I think he could have another solid year or two in him at the college level. Continue reading “Chris Graham: Landesberg-NBA, Hokies really on the bubble?” »
Bennett: Stand by me
Column by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
What a day for Tony Bennett on Saturday. First he sent Sylven Landesberg packing for the NBA or Europe or wherever his next destination might be by suspending the star second-year forward for the remainder of what promises to be a short rest of the season citing academic issues. Then the first-year UVa. coach blew his team’s chances to upset ACC regular-season co-champion Maryland with an ill-timed technical foul in the final minute of what turned out to be a 74-68 loss.
You half-expect to hear that he walked out to his car to find a dent in the door and no note and that he later got a speeding ticket on his way home.
“It is a hard game to swallow, but it is what it is. I feel bad about it though, I really do,” Bennett said at the end of the whirlwind day, that began with his announcement to his team that Landesberg, Mr. Everything for Virginia in 2009-2010, leading the Cavs in scoring (17.3 points per game), assists, (2.9 per game) while averaging 4.9 rebounds and a team-leading 32.1 minutes per game, would not be participating against Maryland or in the postseason, which presumably will come to a quick end in Greensboro in this week’s ACC Tournament. Continue reading “Bennett: Stand by me” »
Landesberg named ACC player of the week
Staff Report
ACC sports: www.theacc.com
Virginia’s Sylven Landesberg has been named ACC Player of the Week while Maryland’s Jordan Williams has earned ACC Rookie of the Week recognition.
In Virginia’s 75-60 win at North Carolina Sunday, Landesberg scored a game-high 29 points, had five rebounds, two assists, two steals and one blocked shot as the Cavaliers’ won for the fourth time in six ACC games.
In earning the award for the second time in three weeks, the Flushing, N.Y., sophomore averaged 23.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in two conference games. On the year, Landesberg is averaging 18.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
In earning the Rookie of the Week award for the first time this season, Williams averaged 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds as the Terps slit a pair of ACC games. In Tuesday’s 81-59 win over Miami, the Torrington, Conn., product had eight points, six rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot. In Sunday’s 62-53 loss at Clemson, Williams turned in his third double-double of the season with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Hokies roar back from 10 down, steal Cavs hearts, 76-71
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Everything is right with the world. Virginia is up 10 with 3:02 to go at home against its in-state ACC rival. One stop and one basket, maybe two, and the game is over, you’re 4-1 in the ACC, and who knows what happens from there?
Here’s what happened from there: a 13-0 Virginia Tech run, a miraculous three that forced overtime, then a dominant OT period from a Hokies team that left the John Paul Jones Arena with an almost inexpicable 76-71 victory.
“Once we got some stops and out in transition – put the ball in a couple times, you get some confidence. Once you get confidence, then you try and get the ball inside a little bit. Then a great trust amongst all of them developed during the course of the game and they started defending harder,” Tech coach Seth Greenberg said by way of trying to offer explanation. Continue reading “Hokies roar back from 10 down, steal Cavs hearts, 76-71” »
Cavs escape
Landesberg jumper gives UVa. a 69-67 win
Story by Scott German
UVa. sports: www.virginiasports.com
Sylven Landesberg’s 15-foot jumper with 2.2 seconds lifted the Virginia Cavaliers to a 69-67 win over upset-minded UNC-Wilmington at the John Paul Jones Arena Monday night.
The Cavaliers, in winning their eighth straight contest, survived a game of streaks, but fortunately had the game’s final spurt to seal the victory.
Wilmington (6-12) trailed by as many as 15 points in the second half before going on a 21-4 run to gain a 61-58 advantage with 3:58 remaining. The Seahawks pushed the margin to four at 64-60 with less than three minutes remaining before the Cavaliers found some late life, closing the game on a 9-3 run. Continue reading “Cavs escape” »
Landesberg named ACC co-player of the week
Staff Report
UVa. sports: www.virginiasports.com
Virginia sophomore guard Sylven Landesberg was named the Atlantic Coast Conference’s men’s basketball Co-Player of the Week on Monday (Jan. 18) for his play in Virginia’s victories over nationally ranked conference opponents Georgia Tech and Miami at John Paul Jones Arena last week. Landesberg shared the award with Trevor Booker of Clemson.
The 6-6 Landesberg, who is from Flushing, N.Y., scored 40 points and had eight rebounds in the two games. He also had eight assists, one blocked shot and one steal in 65 minutes of playing time. Continue reading “Landesberg named ACC co-player of the week” »
Signature win for UVa.
‘Hoos knock off #24 UAB, 72-63
Story by Chris Graham
AFP Audio: Tony Bennett’s postgame press conference
freepress2@ntelos.net
Not that they had a chance to see it for themselves, but UVa. fans will remember the Cavs’ 72-63 win over #24 Alabama-Birmingham Wednesday night.
“It’s not an easy way, but it’s something that when it’s played well stands up to good competition,” said first-year coach Tony Bennett, who got what you have to consider a signature win for his program over UAB, which had come into the untelevised game on a 10-game winning streak and seemed primed early on to make it 11.
The Blazers (11-2) led by as many as eight points in the first half, and it was 50-43 midway through the second half before Virginia took control on the defensive end. Continue reading “Signature win for UVa.” »
Focus | Cavs grow in 76-55 win over Oral Roberts
Story by Chris Graham
With AFP Audio
Virginia and Oral Roberts traded baskets for 10 minutes. Then the Cavs put the clamps down.
“I think the adjustments were solid. The guys played a little harder and smarter,” coach Tony Bennett said after UVa.’s 76-55 win over Oral Roberts on Saturday in Charlottesville.
It was the second win in three nights for Virginia in the Cancun Challenge, which shifts to Cancun, Mexico, next week, where the Cavaliers will take on Stanford on Tuesday with a possible matchup with fourth-ranked Kentucky on Wednesday looming. Continue reading “Focus | Cavs grow in 76-55 win over Oral Roberts” »
UVa.’s Landesberg on Naismith watch list
The Atlantic Coast Conference placed nine players on the Naismith 2009-10 preseason watch list. The ACC was represented by Florida State’s Solomon Alabi, Wake Forest’s Al-Farouq Aminu, Clemson’s Trevor Booker, North Carolina’s Ed Davis, Georgia Tech’s Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal, Virginia’s Sylven Landesberg, Duke’s Kyle Singler and Maryland’s Greivis Vasquez. Continue reading “UVa.’s Landesberg on Naismith watch list” »
ACC InDepth | Can Cavs turn the corner under Bennett?
Before leaving, former UVa. basketball coach Dave Leitao did the program a big favor. He convinced four-star recruit Tristan Spurlock to stay in the fold.
“I was to the point where I didn’t know what I was going to do. I didn’t know if I was going to stay, I didn’t know if I was going to go. I have lots of friends from the Boo Williams team who definitely were trying to get me to go to their schools, and that definitely was something I was looking forward to,” said Spurlock, a 6-7, 215-pound small-forward sharpshooter who had been recruited by Leitao and his staff for three years before committing to the ‘Hoos before his senior season at Word of Life Christian Academy in Woodbridge.
But in the end, when everything was going down with Leitao, who resigned in March after Virginia posted its worst season in 40 years, “Coach Leitao called and told me to wait,” Spurlock said.
“He told me not to get out of my letter of intent. A lot of other people, family and friends, were telling me to get out. A lot of people in the organization told me I should get out. But he definitely didn’t. He told me to stay. He told me to wait for the new coach, to see who it was going to be,” Spurlock said. Continue reading “ACC InDepth | Can Cavs turn the corner under Bennett?” »
