I had this really elaborate statistical analysis planned out for this week. It really was top-notch. I was going to break down the RPI, calculate the opportunity cost of sleeping on a pole-vaulter's mat for eight nights, divide it all by seven and figure out Virginia's numerical worth as a basketball team (the answer incidently is 2.4). It was going to be full of poetic wit and orange and blue Virginia-themed pie charts.
It was going to be art.
But I fell asleep on my bed.
So instead, you get the ever-popular basketball grab-bag column.
Dondon, we barely knew ye!
Last night marked the final home game for Virginia seniors Donald Hand, Keith Friel, Stephane Dondon, Greg Lyons and, for all intents and purposes, Josh Hare. Ten years from now perhaps only Hand will be remembered, and that's disheartening. While players like Hare, Lyons and Dondon didn't always put up great numbers or the game-winning shot, they helped put Virginia basketball where it is today. There's just something about the crowd chanting, "We want Lyons" that will be missed from Cavalier basketball.
As for Friel, he's quickly become Virginia's top gun. Simply put, the man just sinks baskets. Put him on the floor and watch the threes rain down. Still not convinced that Friel is any good? When you see Joseph Forte guarding Friel instead of Roger Mason Jr., you realize Friel is an offensive force.
Adam Hall, an All-American?
There are a few things you need to become an all-American guard candidate: Good defense, an accurate and dependable jumper, dunking ability and leadership skills under pressure.
Adam Hall has proven he has three of the four qualities.
He is, hands down, the best dunker in the country.
Need proof that he can get it done with the game on the line? How about last week's victory over Duke? How about last year's clutch three against Maryland?
Do I really need to go into his defense? If you've forgotten, ask Will Solomon. Ask Jason Williams. I'm sure they remember.
What Hall needs to develop is his mid-range jumper and his three-point shot. If he can, there's no telling what he can do. The player that Hall most reminds me of is a young, talent-laden Vince Carter. Once Carter developed a 9-foot fade-away and an NBA-caliber three-point shot, well ... we all know how that turned out.
Do or die
Anyone who's paid attention to college hoops will notice a different Maryland team. Lonny Baxter is his usual stud self, minus the cheap fouls. Juan Dixon has been hitting jumpers with the accuracy of a Dasana water bottle thrown at Carlos Boozer's mom. Mike Mardesich ... OK, he's still bad. In my opinion, Saturday's game is between the ACC's two hottest teams, and it should be a battle. I believe this will be the game where Virginia finally asserts itself as a premier team capable of winning key games on the road. Win this one in the ACC tournament and a No. 3 seed in the NCAAs awaits.
Tough Break
Preliminary reports suggest that Blue Devils center Carlos Boozer may be out for the season with a broken foot suffered against Maryland on Tuesday. For the second straight year, a broken bone may mean the end of the road for a tournament favorite. Remember Kenyon Martin?
Duke was already showing signs of fatigue in Tuesday's game against Maryland, and Boozer's absence is bad news for a team already criticized for not being deep enough. But depth isn't everything, and I expect the Blue Devils to put together a run for the ACC title. Their starting five, even with the sheepish center Casey Sanders, still stands among the nation's best.
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