As college basketball season approaches, Virginia fans should actually be looking forward to this year's roundball campaign. Two words sum up this year's squad: young and talented.
When prognosticators talk of youth and talent, it is usually a preemptive excuse for another mediocre season, but the Virginia basketball team will make its presence felt in the ACC and the nation this year, with some experience and a lot of new faces.
"We had some very good players last year, but not enough of them, not strong enough," Virginia Coach Pete Gillen said. "The strength of this team will be in our numbers, and in our athleticism and our quickness."
The Cavs return nine lettermen and four starters from last year's team. Leading the Cavalier charge will be a cast of familiar faces, including guard Willie Dersch, the lone fourth year, and a host of third-year players, namely center Colin Ducharme, starting guards Donald Hand and Chezley Watson and walk-on guard Josh Hare.
Coming off a 1998-1999 season where the Cav program experienced a coaching change as well as a shift to an up tempo style of play, the Cavaliers now look to re-establish themselves in the ACC. Last year's 14-16 overall record and 4-12 mark in the ACC may provoke skepticism about the ability of this year's team, but there is a growing wave of optimism.
"I think the expectations for this team are high, and our expectations as coaches are even higher," Gillen said. "I'd much rather have people with high expectations than saying we aren't going to win a game."
The prospect of the return of ACC Rookie of the Year Chris Williams and a newly focused Adam Hall to the hardwood bodes well for the Cavaliers, after both players had productive summers on the Men's Junior World Championship team.
A pair of second year walk-ons round out the list of returning players: Jason Dowling and walk-on Cade Lemcke will compete for some minutes and help out with the backcourt duties.
Fans should also be excited about a new class of Virginia players that has been given a top five ranking by many college basketball recruiting analysts, and even placed as high as second among the nation's recruiting classes.
"The sky is the limit for this team, because I think everyone can play their position, and can help us out," Williams said.
The duo of third-year transfers Keith Friel and Stephane Dondon will provide a potent outside-inside threat. Friel adds a deadly touch from outside while Dondon's 6-foot-8 frame gives the Cavs added muscle in the low post.
Add highly recruited 6-foot-2 point guard Majestic Mapp, and 6-foot-5 Roger Mason and you have the making of a young backcourt that could make an impact on this year's team.
For a team that had its problems rebounding last season, the return of Ducharme along with newcomers Jason Rogers and Travis Watson should solve the woes on the boards.
"Our rebounding was a big negative last year, we were down nine or 10 in the rebounding column every game," Gillen said. "Hopefully, with Colin and Travis, who is a good young rebounder, I think that will be turned around."
With a mixture of the old and the new, the only question is whether the Virginia coaching staff will be able to stir such a large pot of talent to perfection.
"Chemistry is a problem on every team, every year, just like attitude is a problem every year," Gillen said. "I think our guys want to win, and want to turn this around, and we want to try to move up the ladder."
There will be real competition this season for starting jobs and minutes, a big change from the last couple of years in Virginia hoops. The competition in off-season workouts has been fierce and only looks to get tougher with the beginning of formal practices.
"Everyone is really pushing each other, and trying to get better," Dersch said. "But the important thing about this team is that all the guys have good attitudes, and there are no selfish players on this team."
The team's potential for depth looks to be a definite force when combined with Gillen's system of up-tempo play on both sides of the court. With Gillen devoted to quick offense anda pressing, aggressive defense, the Cavs will need those interchangeable bodies to be successful.
"It is a much better feeling to have some flexibility and have guys that can fill spots," Gillen said. "Our style is we are going to press and run and play a lot of guys every game - 10 guys every game, maybe more, but 10 every game."
The Cavaliers will face a very tough schedule this season. After kicking off the 1999-2000 campaign with three home contests against Elon, VMI and Drexel, the Cavs will compete in the Puerto Rico Shootout. In that tourney they may face preseason No. 1 Michigan State or any other among a strong field - Texas, DePaul, Providence, Arizona State and South Carolina.
With teams like St. John's and Minnesota also on this year's schedule, combined with the usual ACC suspects, the Cavs will have their young talent tested in heated battle this season.
But the difference this year is that there is no gloom and doom philosophy with the prospect of playing the top teams. Instead, Virginia basketball has a chance to show that it belongs among the nation's elite.
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