To be fair if Kenny Payne goes 3-9 against UVA it’ll be an improvement
4 Likes
Brief insta clips are up. Pick and pop Kadin from 15 is nice
1 Like
Who knew that Tony’s family are actually Italian *Benedetti’s?
https://news.virginia.edu/content/italian-adventure-awaits-hoos
Thanks for the @ Haney, here are my two cents on the play in that Instagram clip:
- The initial action is normal blocker mover stuff, as well as the slip screen; those two-man actions are pretty standard (see at 8:04 in this video)
- That setup out of the PnR with the swing to the top of the key to McKneely is a standard continuity ball screen action (at 5:07 here) — PnR action on right side & spacers on the opposite wing + corner
- The high pick-and-pop with McKneely & BVP is interesting. Usually in continuity ball screen stuff, the actual ball screens are run on the wings, and you usually want a big man lifting up to the top of the key to rotate the ball either via a swing pass or a DHO. Real quick example, but this is how Virginia’s done it in the past — see Mamadi lift to the top of the key to rotate the ball.
- I’m honestly not sure if it was intentional or McKneely was just out of position (you see BVP lift to the left wing and seem kind of confused, and once McKneely passes off that pick and pop he also seems a bit confused about where he’s supposed to go). The only time teams really run high PnR out of continuity ball screen sets is with a really high-level point guard who can navigate in tight spaces (UVA did it in '19 with Ty occasionally, Villanova did it a lot with Collin Gillespie, etc) because it does kinda screw up the spacing (though having a popping big instead of a rolling big helps with that). It is definitely more common in more traditional 4-out/5-out sets, which might be where the staff borrowed it from.
- The conclusion of the play — that 2-on-1 on the weak side resulting in an open 3 — is exactly what UVA likes to get out of CBS (or at least what they liked in 2019). In this video by Coach Spins you can see it quite a few times; there’s a great example at 1:12. I’d imagine that’s why the coaches/bench seemed so happy after the play
That’s about as in depth as I can bring myself to go on a single Italy practice clip, but I hope that’s a decent answer, even if there aren’t really any conclusions in there
12 Likes
Streaking the Lawn game summary
3 Likes
So this is one of the reasons we need to continue to have and hopefully improve on our social media presence, because the students and prospects these days *regularly like, comment, post just as we are doing on this site as fans and former players.
FYI- I’m not complaining about the current coverage in Italy which is fine, but just thinking down the line of how our two *Elite business schools marketing departments can continue to progress 
~End Post.
6 Likes
We’ll know come November when Tony banishes McKneely to the bench as punishment for that slip up.
1 Like
I thought Dunn had 8 points in one quarter? What is going on lol
https://twitter.com/uvamenshoops/status/1559263660782063618?s=21&t=qvmEXN7Har4QJ0aduhtxiQ
6 Likes
Thanks! Appreciate the breakdown
I think they must’ve mucked it up going along.
1 Like
Bigs ate big today
3 Likes
Papi took those points away from him in exchange for an unmauled face
8 Likes
They had 15 steals. I’d like to think iy was great defense but that many steals makes me wonder about the opposing team. Traudt is starting to get me a little excited. Is the next opponent supposed to be pretty good? I read that somewhere
2 Likes
Next two teams are supposedly going to be a major step up. TB even said he wouldn’t be surprised if they kick our ass (he actually said butts, but the ass was implied).
6 Likes
In theory, Traudt should be incredibly frustrating to game plan, he appears to have enough height and muscle to bully smaller bigs, and also enough skill and shooting ability to bother larger bigs. I imagine against weak competition this is readily apparent - for example, a not very mobile but tall big is going to shot out of the gym by Traudt or a small mobile big might just get posted up. I think his ceiling is obviously to do that against legit bigs so we will see in the next games (although he has to sit one out).
6 Likes
Imagine being a grown adult bragging about *talking smack to a bunch of 18-23 year olds while they’re trying to enjoy some sightseeing in Firenze. Just go look at il Duomo like a normal tourist, bro.
*or more likely, lying about talking smack
3 Likes
Supposed to be the same team twice (Mega). But that was based on a tweet from a few days ago that wound up being wrong about today’s opponent.
6 Likes
Normal human being: “oh are you guys the uva basketball team? That’s awesome, I’m a huge Louisville fan and the games against uva are always so exciting, enjoy your trip in Italy!”
6 Likes
My honest guess is it was more like that. Maybe a good natured “We’re gonna get you guys this year!” Then he just described it that way on social.
Always the possibility he was a jerk, but most people aren’t going to be very aggressive with a bunch of gigantic dudes they don’t know. Now if drinking were involved, all bets are off.
15 Likes
yeah I think that’s right - if I saw the Duke/UNC/Tech BBall team out I think giving a little wahoowa would certainly be fair as long as it was good natured
4 Likes
They’ve even been showing that on basic cable for years. Weird that in 2022 it’d still be implied.