As expected, Virginia dominated Shepherd in yesterday’s exhibition game 87-52. What Virginia head coach Dave Leitao was looking for, though, was how his team performed throughout the game, and he seemed satisfied with his team’s efforts.
“We’ve got a long way to go and we’ve got to figure some things out with some people and lineups,” Leitao said. “But we’ll take today as a step forward and learn and grow and try to get better.”
Some fans might expect offensive production to be the Cavaliers’ focal point, considering scoring machine Sean Singletary is now playing for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Leitao, however, noted that defense could be the key to the season and he was pleased with his team’s efforts yesterday holding Shepherd to 27.4 percent shooting from the field as well as forcing 17 turnovers.
“My mindset has been coming into the season that we have to do a better job defensively at every stage all season long, beginning with today,” Leitao said. “I thought pretty much that we did that.”
It might have surprised some Cavalier fans that sophomore guard Mustapha Farrakhan started this game over fellow sophomore guard Jeff Jones. Farrakhan had a solid showing, though, putting up 9 points and three rebounds while dishing out five assists in 18 minutes of play yesterday.
“He’s played well — give or take a day or two — but he’s been very consistent, not just making shots or plays but his effort and attentiveness especially on the defensive end,” Leitao said. “He’s done a real good job of bringing some energy, some know-how. We’re getting to see that he’s got a pretty good basketball IQ and he’s earned a spot in the rotation.”
Farrakhan has focused on being a good defender, and this may help him earn more playing time in this coming season than last year.
“In practice I’ve been really focusing in on the defensive end, trying to be a good defender,” Farrakhan said. “I’ve just been trying to do the right things and it’s working out for me.”
Though freshman guard Sylven Landesberg did not start the game, his appearance drew loud cheers from the fans, and for good reason. Landesberg is the first McDonald’s All-American to play for Virginia since Majestic Mapp joined the team in 1999. He had a good showing yesterday with 13 points and five rebounds and an impressive 10 attempts at the free-throw line, of which he made seven.
“I like to attack the rim, so getting to line is big part of my game.” Landesberg said.
Another aspect of the team to look for yesterday was the play of the big men, and while some struggled at times — like senior center Tunji Soroye who only played five minutes of the game in large part because of foul trouble — others looked good, such as Mike Scott who had 10 points, but more impressively 14 rebounds.
“If we can get that kind of rebounding from [Scott] every day, then that’s a pretty good role for him,” Leitao said.
Obviously Singletary’s absence at the point guard position will be something Cavalier fans will notice throughout the season. In his place, junior guard Calvin Baker did not play his best game yesterday, scoring 4 points along with contributing two assists, but Leitao believes practice might have had something to do with that.
“The times that he’s been able to practice, three or four days at a time or what have you, he’s been, probably on the perimeter, anyway, our best and safest player,” Leitao said. “He struggled a little bit this week in practice just because of the choppiness of his practices.”
Baker’s backup, redshirt freshman Sammy Zeglinski, also had ups and downs during his time on the court.
“I thought he did a good job.” Leitao said of Zeglinski’s play. “He tried to make a couple of plays that weren’t here and as a result turned the ball over, and I would have liked to see him be a little bit more aggressive for his own offense because I think that sets up his passes, but he’s been up and down a little bit. About a week and a half ago we had a conversation about how he needs to approach everything, and from that point I think he’s been a little bit better.”
Virginia’s regular season starts Sunday at home when the Cavaliers faces VMI at 4 p.m. The team is ready for the season to start.
“A lot of people are saying that we are going to finish at the bottom of the [ACC],” sophomore forward Mike Scott said. “That’s basically all of the motivation we need.”
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