[jcmanson]

You won't have to deal with him for too long. After Calhoun retires, Uconn will take him off your hands.

This guy doesn't know what he's talking about LUconn.

FYW, I've been a UVa fan my entire life. I have followed their basketball and football programs since I can remember. Leitao is establishing the deepest and most athletic team UVa has ever had. They can go 11 or 12 deep with ACC caliber talent this year. He has 2 7 footers both rated 4 *'s signed for next year. UVa's weekness has always been inside scoring, when they've had it, they've been at the top of the ACC, when they haven't they've been up and down. For the next few years, they will have it along with a multitude of depth at both guard positions and on the wing.

[FlamingYalieWahoo]

There's more to basketball than recruiting and I just don't see L. getting the most out his players. Where were the others during the Syracuse game? Singletary is underweather and they decide they need a break too? Oh and Pete took them to the tournament his first year too. Just don't see it happening.

Having grown up in the middle of tobacco road I know I little about basketball - maybe not as much as some but a little. I actually saw VA win the 1976 tournament with Wally Walker - I think that was their last one. But let's keep the personal insults to a minimum.

[Cider Jim]

All this UVa talk is
Can't we talk some more about RD bringing TJ to us?

[olldflame]

Boy, talk about a "glass half empty" approach. They lose a tough game with their star player sick and you are all over the coach because the other players didn't "step up"? Did you expect them to go undefeated this year? Syracuse may not be UCLA or UNC, but they are not chopped liver!

[FlamingYalieWahoo]

CJ, you're right and I tried - by thanking God for all the hirings and firings (and his parents) that brought TeeJay to LU. So mea culpa, mea culpa.

[jcmanson]

The fact behind this year's UVA team is if their 3 pt shots aren't falling they can struggle, but when they are they can and will beat anyone as witnessed by the win over Arizona. One of Gillen's flaws was not being able to develop players. Name me 2 players that were better their senior year under him, than as a freshman.

If you didn't look at the stat sheet for the Syracuse game, you need to, Will Harris stepped up. He didn't miss a shot. Mike Scott played very well. Fact is, Singletary was 2 of 8 on free throws, more free throws than he will miss the rest of the season, and they only lost by 2. Talk to me in March when Leitao has this team in his 2nd NCAA tourney in 3 years, which would already surpass Pete's 1 in 6.

[FlamingYalieWahoo]

Ok March. But now back to TeeJay....

[jcmanson]

Ok March. But now back to TeeJay....

I'm glad he's here.

[jmdickens]

The fact behind this year's UVA team is if their 3 pt shots aren't falling they can struggle, but when they are they can and will beat anyone as witnessed by the win over Arizona. One of Gillen's flaws was not being able to develop players. Name me 2 players that were better their senior year under him, than as a freshman.

If you didn't look at the stat sheet for the Syracuse game, you need to, Will Harris stepped up. He didn't miss a shot. Mike Scott played very well. Fact is, Singletary was 2 of 8 on free throws, more free throws than he will miss the rest of the season, and they only lost by 2. Talk to me in March when Leitao has this team in his 2nd NCAA tourney in 3 years, which would already surpass Pete's 1 in 6.

I liked Adam Hall, Travis Watson, Chris Williams, and Roger Mason....I guess that is just me

[jcmanson]

I liked them all too, but they did not improve from their freshman 'til their senior season under Gillen's watch as head coach except for Roger Mason. I will give you that one. His junior year, he was unstoppable. But Chris Williams averaged more points and rebounds per game his freshman year than any other year. His scoring went down every year he played. Adam Hall had his career high his freshman year, and never scored more ppg than his freshman year. Travis Watson was steady from his freshman through senior years. Never improved over his career.

[bigsmooth]

just saw this thread. im glad TJ is at LU, but he never played to his potential at UVA. being a seaon ticket holder for a long time, i loved pete, but he did not teach defense, which you really need. now in regards to leitao, he is the man for the job and is doing a fantastic job. he has instilled discipline and is teaching better defense. so to say he is not the coach to get it done is just crazy. also check the recruits dvae has brought in. gillen never had a class ranked that high.

[jmdickens]

I am a huge UNC fan, but I have to admit....I do like Leito, and I think he will be around for a long time

[WWJFD]

You won't have to deal with him for too long. After Calhoun retires, Uconn will take him off your hands.

This guy doesn't know what he's talking about LUconn.

FYW, I've been a UVa fan my entire life. I have followed their basketball and football programs since I can remember. Leitao is establishing the deepest and most athletic team UVa has ever had. They can go 11 or 12 deep with ACC caliber talent this year. He has 2 7 footers both rated 4 *'s signed for next year. UVa's weekness has always been inside scoring, when they've had it, they've been at the top of the ACC, when they haven't they've been up and down. For the next few years, they will have it along with a multitude of depth at both guard positions and on the wing.

I did not read the thread all the way, but this is my point of view

Inside scoring....I thought Travis Watson and Chris Williams did a formidable job while they were there back in 2000 timeframe (granted they played out of position <Watson>...They did not have a legitmate BIG man, but at that time...they truly lacked a PG. If Majestic Mapp had not blown his knee out I think the story would have been different (Keith Jenifer, Todd Billet ???). UVA had brought some very good talent - Derrick Byars, (finished at Vanderbilt) Gary Forbes (now at UMASS). The biggest mistake was Diop going pro instead of playing a year or two at UVA. Bad luck or bad fortune..who is to know.

[WWJFD]

Plus...I think Pete may have had a hard time bringing in the players he wanted to due to their grades. At PC, cmon...he had God Shamgod, Jamel Thomas, Derrick Brown..etc...none of those guys would have stepped through the doors at admissions at UVA>

[jcmanson]

Yes, the Mapp incident was very unfortunate for all parties involved, and yes Pete brought in some great talent. But my point is that he never developed that talent, many of those transfers have been rumored to have left because of Pete. Roger Mason supposedly left a year early only because he didn't want to play under Pete another year. And as Smooth said, Gillen didn't coach defense or discipline.

[WWJFD]

Yes, the Mapp incident was very unfortunate for all parties involved, and yes Pete brought in some great talent. But my point is that he never developed that talent, many of those transfers have been rumored to have left because of Pete. Roger Mason supposedly left a year early only because he didn't want to play under Pete another year. And as Smooth said, Gillen didn't coach defense or discipline.

Discipline...yes...but players need to be held somewhat accountable for their actions. He had some children...Elton Brown (I still laugh when he use to hit the 3 pointers his freshmen year and do the alligator chomp), Jason Clark, Keith Jenifer...they were not model student-athletes. Defense, yes, was a downfall.

He tried to bring in the great white hopes too...Nick Vanderlan and Colin Ducharme.
Plus...Willie Dersch? He was a mcdonald all american and was the 8th player his senior year...ouch!

[jcmanson]

I don't disagree with your last post. Players should be held accountable for their actions, but when it happens more than 2 or 3 times in a short period of time that falls back on the coach. You can't continue to recruit bad character kids.

[Sly Fox]

From Chris in his LU Notebook ...

Foul troubles

The Flames' men's basketball team hosts the first of two straight non-Division I games this afternoon at the Vines Center when Division II Nyack College comes to town for a 2 p.m. tip.

Of concern for LU coach Ritchie McKay is Flames point guard TeeJay Bannister's penchant for picking up untimely, and often silly, fouls.

Last Sunday at George Mason, Bannister picked up three fouls, which actually was a light game for him in terms of hacking. He's committed at least four fouls in 10 of the 12 games he's played and has fouled out three times.

Two of the fouls at Mason were of the dumb variety. He hacked Patriot center Vlad Moldoveanu well after he had control of a rebound, and he unnecessarily hacked another Patriot player in the second half.

"TeeJay wants to win," McKay said. "When you make a mistake, you've got to go to the next play. You can't get it back right away. I just think he's got to be more patient when things don't go his way."

Click Here for Full Story

[kazport]

From Chris in the fishwrap ...

Bannister the catalyst to Flames' new identity

By Chris Lang
clang@newsadvance.com
December 4, 2007

Niagara basketball coach Joe Mihalich is one of the few who can judge the difference between last year's Liberty basketball team and this year's Flames' club from afar.

The Purple Eagles beat the Randy Dunton-led Flames in February in an ESPN BracketBusters game in New York and lost to the Ritchie McKay-led Flames last Saturday in Lynchburg. There are obvious differences between the teams. The Big South's all-time leading scorer, Larry Blair, is gone from the Liberty roster, as is dynamic wing Dwight Brewington.

Click Here for Full Story

can someone explain to me if Tee jay leads the team in Personal Fouls, Foul outs and turnovers then what good is it to have a 6.1 assist record? Doesn't that just kind of wash.....