The Virginia men’s basketball team hosted its annual Media Day Wednesday at John Paul Jones Arena. Coach Tony Bennett and the Cavaliers discussed NCAA rule changes for the upcoming season, the benefits of playing a challenging non-conference schedule, newfound flexibility at the point guard position and more. Here are six key takeaways from Media Day:
1. Rule changes may encourage the Cavaliers to embrace a new pace.
Quote: “You have to be purposeful about getting the ball up the floor. If there are opportunities, whether it’s a turnover or different action, then certainly run … We’re looking at some things with the shot clock: getting the ball up quicker when there’s opportunities to get into your offense,” Bennett said.
Spin: The NCAA introduced several new rules with the intent of speeding up the game, which has seen a steady decline in both pace and scoring as more teams opt into their own brand of Bennett-ball. No decision looms larger over the 2015-16 season than the shortening of the shot clock from 35 seconds to 30. With five fewer ticks with which to work, the emphasis is now on getting into your offense as soon as possible. Don’t expect Virginia, the third-slowest team in 2014-15 according to KenPom, to become a run-and-gun team, but if the opportunity arises the Cavaliers will look to run.
2. This may actually be the year Mike Tobey breaks out.
Quote: “I think this spring, summer and fall I saw [Mike Tobey] approach his development — in the weight room, on the court and in workouts — at a new level … He’s had a few days in practice that he’s been unstoppable at times,” Bennett said.
Spin: Tobey’s three years at Virginia have been enigmatic. The Monroe, N.Y. native has shown flashes of offensive brilliance and polished post work but has gone missing on the court for long stretches of time. Tobey has benefited from working with strength and conditioning coach Mike Curtis and is now listed at seven feet and 260 pounds, which will only help him dominate in the ACC. During Wednesday’s practice, Toby showcased an improved jumper by hitting shots from behind the arc.
3. London Perrantes’ teammates want him to be more aggressive on offense.
Quote: “I have had to push him more to shoot. London is a guy that always wants to get someone open before himself. That’s great for a lot of the time, but this year we’re going to need him to step up and shoot the ball,” senior guard Malcolm Brogdon said.
Spin: Perrantes is a point guard’s point guard. A classic floor general, the three-year starter lives to distribute the ball and has a career 3.24 assist-to-turnover ratio. But the Los Angeles native can do more than pass the ball. Perrantes shot 43.7 percent from deep his freshman year before seeing that mark plummet to 31.6 his sophomore season. The early departure of Justin Anderson has left a large void from three-point range, and Perrantes will need to shoot the ball more often to make up for it.
4. Perrantes as the two-guard?
Quote: “We’ve been working on that a lot … I feel like me playing as a two puts me in that mentality to score more,” junior guard London Perrantes said.
Spin: It appears as if Bennett may leave Perrantes off the ball more often in order to nurture Perrantes’ aggressive nature, which is a new luxury afforded the team with the addition of sophomore guard Darius Thompson. Thompson, who sat out last season after transferring from Tennessee, gives Bennett an alternative option at the lead-guard spot.
The responsibility of running the offense has rested squarely on Perrantes’ shoulders since he arrived at Virginia in 2013 with Brogdon, then a sophomore, being the only other option for primary ball-handler. Having Thompson and Perrantes on court at the same time will allow Perrantes serve as a shooter coming off ball screens, but make no bones about it: Perrantes ends up running the offense in the final two minutes of a close game.
5. Opponents will know when Jack Salt is on the court, and so will you.
Quote: “[Jack Salt] is a very good screener — that’s important. Jack head-hunts. He runs the floor hard and he keeps balls alive,” Bennett said.
Spin: First, some clarification: Head-hunting is a term used by Bennett to describe Salt’s eagerness to set bone-rattling screens — there is no malicious intent here. Fans will be getting their first taste of Salt after the Auckland, New Zealand native redshirted last season. Salt still needs polish, but he brings a level of physicality that is unmatched. The 6-foot-11 center will see only limited minutes in a jammed frontcourt, but he will make an impression when he is on the court — playing hard, playing physically and banging in the post.
6. The Cavaliers are gearing up for a deep postseason run.
Quote: “We decided to challenge ourselves … with the very best non-conference schedule we could find to test ourselves, in hopes that it will help us as the season progresses. That puts you in a spot to perhaps fail more, I understand that, but I think it will be important,” Bennett said.
Spin: The non-conference schedule will not be a cakewalk for Virginia, but there is tremendous value in that for a team that has been bounced out of the NCAA tournament by Michigan State in consecutive seasons. The Cavaliers face Ohio State, West Virginia, Villanova and Cal, all preseason ranked teams with the exception of the Buckeyes, in the month of December. Virginia may not enter ACC action with an untarnished record due to its intense schedule, but remember that Duke, last season’s champion, tested itself with matchups against the Spartans and Wisconsin early in the year.
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