Hoos Embrace Road Roles - And Win

Adrian Joseph has carved out a niche as an offensive threat off the bench.

The Virginia men's basketball team picked up two - count 'em, two! - ACC road wins last week by defeating N.C. State and rallying past Clemson. It was the first time UVa won back-to-back ACC road games since January of 2002. (5 YEARS! Let's move on quickly ...) So what got into the Hoos?

Believe it or not, the answer is rather simple. The Cavaliers finally figured out their roles when it comes to road games. J.R. Reynolds, who had been inconsistent away from Charlottesville during some games in his career, stepped up as the go-to scoring option that a shooting guard should be. Sean Singletary became the "do what's necessary to lead your team" point guard, scoring a lot in the first half of N.C. State and grabbing a critical O-Board at Clemson. But Hoo fans have grown to expect those two players to produce almost every time they suit up. It was everyone else that proved surprising, particularly at CU.

Against the Tigers, the Cavaliers produced four players in double figures for scoring. Reynolds and Singletary were joined by Adrian Joseph and Mamadi Diane in that regard. Joseph and Diane have done that plenty of times at home, but they seem to struggle on the road a lot more - they arrived when needed at Clemson. Diane's 10 points allowed him to fill that "third scorer" role that he needs to consistently be, while Joseph heated up when the Hoos trailed big late. Joseph ripped off 8 points as the Cavaliers outscored the Tigers 15-0 down the stretch. Microwave anyone?

Scoring is not the only category to watch, though. Jason Cain has come to life as of late and last week was no exception. At NCSU, he had 5 points to go with 12 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist, and 1 block ; at Clemson, he had 4 points (including the game-winning tip-in) to go with 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. Plus, the freshmen started to log significant minutes on the road. At CU, Solomon Tat (16 minutes) and Will Harris (14 minutes) each played key stretches.

The list could be longer. Tunji Soroye had 22 minutes against the Tigers and grabbed 6 rebounds for example. But here's the bottom line: Roles have been embraced and it is paying off in the win column. That could mean more road celebrations before the year is out. Stay tuned.

Kris Wright
Editor, TheSabre.com

Football ...

UVa received a commitment Sunday from Jared Green a 6-2, 165-pound wide receiver out of Oakton High School (Vienna, VA). He committed before returning home from an official visit to UVa.

Green, the son of former Washington Redskins star Darrell Green, averaged 14 yards per catch in his senior season in 2006, scoring four touchdowns on the year.

Stay tuned for more on this commitment later today.

Other weekend visitors included WR Vincent Hill, WR Charles Matthews, LB Chimso Okoji, and OLB Romale Tucker. Stay tuned later today for more on these prospects and their respective experiences. TheSabre.com has already caught up with Matthews and Okoji, each of whom left disappointed yesterday as they were not offered by UVa.

Also coming this week is the final installment of 'Countdown to Signing Day' before the February 7th signing day. Check out UVa's complete 2007 recruiting class heading into the most exciting day in college football recruiting.

Men's basketball ...

Last Friday, we posted an article on guard Jeff Jones on the EDGE. The 6-4, 185-pound guard, UVa's most highly rated prospect of its 2007 class, has averaged 22.3 points, five assists, and five rebounds per game this season for Monsignor Bonner (Philadelphia, PA).

Bonner, 13-6 at the time the article was released, fell to St. Joseph's Prep on Friday night. Jones poured in 22 points in the contest and is now just 128 points shy of being the all-time leading scorer in the Philadelphia Catholic League. Bonner has six league games remaining.

Jones, rated a four-star prospect by Rivals.com and Scout.com, was recruited to help replace senior guard J.R. Reynolds. Of trying to fill those increasingly big shoes, Jones said, " "I know I have to put in a lot of hard work to get to where he's at," Jones said, "I'll put in my work, do my dues, and hopefully one day I can score like him."

To check out the rest of last Friday's article, go to the Sabre EDGE.

Chris Horne, our resident recruiting expert, provides updates throughout the week for Edge subscribers about UVa's commitments and recruiting targets in football and men's basketball. To sign up for an Edge subscription, please check out the Sabre Edge Sign Up and Information Page. If you're already on board as an Edge subscriber, click the links below to catch up on recruiting.

Sabre Edge recruiting updates from the past week ...

Jones Approaching Record
6-4, 185-pound guard Jeff Jones is fully focused on helping Monsignor Bonner (Drexel Hill, PA) capture the Philadelphia Catholic League championship. What the 4-star recruit may accomplish individually along the way is just a bonus.

Countdown to Signing Day: Only Two Weeks Left!
UVa had a stretch of news - both good and bad - over the past few weeks, but things appear to be slowing down just a bit as we head into the final two weeks before Signing Day 2007. The staff has assembled a quality class so far, one that is rated #17 overall in the country by Rivals.com. There are a few remaining potentials in terms of offers, but the 2007 class has really taken shape.

2008 Class: Oscar Smith's Terrific Trio
Next season, Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, VA) returns 16 starters from a team that went 10-2 in 2006. Of the 16 starters returning for next season, Tigers head coach Richard Morgan says three juniors should receive Division 1 offers. In fact, two of them already have.

More updates since the last SabreMail ...

• 2008 Class: RB/FB John Carter
• Mosley Makes Unofficial Visit to UVa
• Okoji Planning to Visit UVa
• Class of 2008: All-Tidewater QB Casey Turner
• Class of 2008: First Colonial's Gregory One to Watch

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Clearance Sale!!

Issue No. 145 - July 2, 2004

Zimmerman makes Team USA

Ryan Zimmerman

Ryan Zimmerman went to the 2004 USA Baseball National Team Trials last week as something of a longshot to make the final roster. After all, he is not a familiar name (yet) in college baseball and he does not come from one of the nation's elite programs (yet).

But UVa's rising junior third baseman earned respect and a spot on the 22-man squad with his play in Durham, N.C. In six exhibition games against Canada, Zimmerman went 6 for 13 from the plate with two home runs, two doubles, eight RBI and seven runs scored. Not bad for a player with just one homer in two seasons for the Cavaliers.

Zimmerman, who did not commit an error in the exhibition games, will not get a chance to play in the Olympics. Unfortuately, the U.S. did not qualify for the Games in Athens. But he will compete in the Japan vs. USA Collegiate All-Star Series (July 2-8 in Japan) and the FISU II World University Games in Tainan, Taiwan (July 22-August 1).

Coming Soon

January means that 2007 is officially under way and Virginia's winter sports are heating up. The Sabre will help you prepare for the winter season's stretch run with plenty of content to keep you excited about the Hoos! Here's a sneak peak at some of the articles to expect on the site in the coming days:

• JHoo's Series Continues
  JHoo continues to look back position by position at the 2006 football season.
• Schedule Analysis Revisited
  The Sabre broke down the basketball schedule in the preseason into "earning an NCAA Tournament berth" categories. We've flipped a couple of games and their categories. So how does the NCAA outlook stack up now?
• Scouting Duke and Miami
  The Sabre's newest basketball feature brings you exclusive scouting reports for this week's ACC games with Duke and Miami. Former UVa and Clemson assistant Ben D'Alessandro gives you an insider's look at game preparation.
• Countdown to Signing Day
  Chris Horne provides the weekly recruiting update as Signing Day 2007 approaches.

In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles since the last SabreMail

Photo Gallery: Virginia 88, Wake Forest 76
The Virginia men's basketball team has posted four straight ACC victories to improve to 5-2 in the league standings. The winning streak included an 88-76 triumph against Wake Forest in the John Paul Jones Arena. UVa's J.R. Reynolds stole the show in that contest, pouring in a career-high 40 points. Relive the action in this photo gallery from the win over the Demon Deacons.

Cavs Rally For Road Win At Clemson
CLEMSON, S.C. - Words do not do justice to how unbelievable and exhilarating Virginia's come-from-behind 64-63 win over No. 19 Clemson was on Sunday afternoon at Littlejohn Coliseum. The Cavaliers (13-6, 5-2 ACC) used a 15-0 run over the final four minutes of play to erase a 63-49 Clemson lead and escape with the one-point victory. Jason Cain tipped in the ball with 15.5 seconds remaining for the go-ahead bucket.

Scouting Report: Clemson
Virginia has ripped off three straight ACC wins to get to 4-2 in the conference, a record that includes a road win at N.C. State. That was just the second ACC road victory in Dave Leitao's brief tenure, but the Hoos get another chance to add to that column this weekend at Clemson. The Tigers are an athletic and aggressive bunch that thrive on an up-tempo game. Former ACC assistant coach Ben D'Alessandro takes a look at Clemson with this scouting report.

Things I Learned About ... The Linebackers
I will always have a particular and peculiar connection to linebackers. Something about the position just appeals to me. Maybe it is because the position can bring so much to the defense. Maybe it is because each of my sons seems to play that position. Maybe it is some kind of cosmic connection based on the fact that I am a Bears fan, and the Bears are and have been a linebacker team from Bill George to Dick Butkus to Mike Singletary to Brian Urlacher. Whatever the reason, I like the LB position. So what did I learn about Jon Copper and UVa's linebackers this season?

Zoll Trying To Lead Hoos Back To NCAA
Many words come to mind when thinking about junior guard Sharnee Zoll. Talented. Selfless. Determined. Stoic would not be one of them. The 5'7" Highland High School graduate has always worn her heart on her sleeve. In the end, there is only one word Zoll wants to be synonymous with: winner. To do that this season, she may have to lead this team out of its current malaise and into the NCAA Tournament.

Best Seat in the House: The Sabre's Chris Horne
With football signing day less than 2 weeks away, the Virginia program seems to be wrapping up the process for its 2007 signing class. Sabre recruiting expert Chris Horne joined Jed Williams on The Best Seat in the House to talk about the Cavaliers, Vincent Hill, and the remaining few days of this season's recruiting period.

Virginia Completes Sweep of NCSU
When the television camera flashed to Dave Leitao in the closing moments of Wednesday night's 71-58 road win at N.C. State, he appeared to have a sly smile on his face with a glint in his eye. And why not? Thanks to another outstanding night from guards J.R. Reynolds and Sean Singletary, the Cavaliers picked up just the second ACC road victory of Leitao's brief tenure. Time will tell if the win ditches the proverbial monkey on the Hoos' back for good, but for one night the Cavs celebrated away from Charlottesville.

UVa's 2007 Football Schedule Released
The Atlantic Coast Conference released the 2007 football schedules for the league's 12 schools on Wednesday. Virginia's slate features 12 regular season games, including six home contests. The Cavaliers will play 11 consecutive Saturdays before an off week prior to the Virginia Tech game. Starting times for all games will be announced later.

Scouting Report: N.C. State
The Cavaliers won two straight ACC games in the John Paul Jones Arena last week, but they return to the road tonight with a trip to Raleigh. Can the Hoos find the winning touch on the road? They defeated N.C. State 67-62 on Dec. 3 in Charlottesville thanks to a late surge from J.R. Reynolds. Desipte the win, the Wolfpack dictated the tempo for much of the afternoon in that contest and former ACC assistant coach Ben D'Alessandro expects that to be a factor again tonight. Check out this in-depth scouting report.

5 Things I Learned From Gonzaga To Wake Forest
Virginia (11-6, 3-2 ACC) heads back out on the road tonight for a match-up against N.C. State (11-7, 1-4 ACC) at the RBC Center in Raleigh. So far, the month of January has been an up-and-down one for the Cavaliers. A win over Gonzaga was followed by a three-game losing streak, including the team's first loss at the John Paul Jones Arena. The Hoos followed that with back-to-back ACC wins. Before UVa tries to notch its first road victory of the season tonight, let's take a look at 5 Things I Learned so far this month.

Jed's Best Seat Buzz: Making A Mountain
Let's start with a quick Gallup Poll. If I type the words "Mid-Year Enrollment" and say not a syllable more, how many Sabre-ites will instantly fire off passionate, if not venomous posts about the University of Virginia's stance on the subject? 10? 100? 1,000? More? So here goes: Mid-Year Enrollment. Let the invective begin.

Cain Re-Emerges For Cavaliers
After virtually disappearing for a stretch of about four games in late December and early January, Virginia senior forward Jason Cain has re-established himself over the past two weeks as a solid post presence for the Cavaliers. In Virginia's last four games, he has averaged 9.8 points and 7.5 rebounds. Can Cain keep it going?

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