🏀 The 2024-25 Hoos, Ron Sanchez edition…

Didn’t want to go too far down this rabbit hole on the thread about Tony leaving, but what does this change mean for 2024-25, assuming there isn’t a mass exodus?

Anyone familiar enough with what Ron did at Charlotte, to take a stab how this move might affect rotations, or who might have a bigger or lesser role than we thought they would like 2 hours ago?

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Im not expecting much change at all. Will likely be a continuation of everything we’ve seen and have been working toward this offseason.

Also not expecting any turnover. Not at this stage. If it’s not health related, I would bet money on Tony feeling good enough about keeping the roster intact to ensure a smooth transition

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His players kept getting poached by power 5 guys so he’s at least a good hidden gem finder lol which we kinda knew from his time here previously.

Will be interesting to see if we keep the same new offensive approach and become even more lenient in some regards. However pace of play at Charlotte was very similar to UVA.

Also really depends on how much of the roster he keeps.

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Am expecting the same philosophies defensively, and probably a continuation of what we were planning on changing offensively this year. Would assume the in-game adjustments on both ends probably won’t be as crisp, for as much shit as Tony got he was generally really good at adjusting defensively and finding wrinkles on offense that worked. There’s a reason why he was so highly regarded by other great coaches and that’s one of them.

No idea about rotations. Thought Tony struggled with those at times honestly so maybe it’ll be a step up.

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Here’s to hoping Sanchez has Jerome Tang level upside. Tang never took over a Charlotte level program, which was in the 300s on Kenpom when Sanchez started and he quickly got them to the low to mid 100s. With NIL it’s a completely different proposition keeping it going at a UVa/KSU level program (not easy by any means) vs killing it at UNC-C where all of their promising players are plucked by bigger schools, so basically it’s almost impossible in the NIL era. Long time bench guy for Bennett vs long time bench guy for Scott Drew, both Caribbean born, but hey, if his audition doesn’t go well we will have a head start in the Spring in trying to lure an Otz, Murray, Medved or Shaka, and all but Murray have Bennett connections.

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What’s the Medved connection to Bennett?

He’s called Dick Bennett his biggest mentor in basketball, even though the styles are different. Tony-adjacent but would make sense.

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A little nugget buried in the otherwise-not notable Athletic article on the impending retirement:

One scout who had been through Charlottesville this preseason — who spoke to The Athletic on the condition of anonymity, because they are not authorized to speak publicly about college players — said he was impressed with Virginia’s talent level and curious how Bennett would rebound after last season’s disappointment.

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Hopefully not reading too much into these lyrics …

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I assume, knowing nothing, that this means very little for 24-25 UVA.

The systems are in place, and, I assume, CRS (first to use this acronym I hope) is on board with them. So no changes there.

The players, like the fans in the offseason, should be brimming with confidence, so no changes there.

CTB is the GOAT (see my teary letter in the appreciation thread), but I don’t think in-game coaching was a particular strength of his that can’t be replicated by CRS and staff.

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CTB is a very deliberate and purposeful man. Would not surprise me if he timed this so his guy could be the HC for upcoming season while CTB stays actively engaged with the program for continuity and stability. His thought may have been rather than wait till end of the season and walk away do this instead and help Sanchez be succesfull in his first year as HC. Everyone knows that Coach K was very involved in Scheyers first year with the helm.

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Yeah. After giving more thought here’s what I told a friend who said it seemed like terrible timing:

“Yeah at first glance it does. But he’s trying to set up the top assistant to audition for the job. If he retired in spring it’d be a full rebuild job for the entire program, including the top assistant if he was chosen. But with this timing it seems like, for now, most of the team is sticking around. With new rules players can now leave if they want, or right after season ends with no penalties. So it is a bit rough on the transfers and freshman but otherwise may set up the program for good continuity or a new coach in the spring, the same situation in if he retired after the season.”

Basically, this timing maximizes roster continuity this season compared to Sanchez taking over in spring or an entirely new coach in the spring. It comes at the cost of locking some guys into a season. But, those guys have been part of the program over the summer and are seemingly bought into the system and assistants.

If Bennett left in spring, given the realities of the portal, Sanchez would’ve had to do a full rebuild. We’d be 2-3 years from success, at minimum.

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I’d be very surprised if Tony has much, if any, active involvement with the program this year. I’d expect him to step away fully to give Sanchez the space to fully step into the head coach role. I don’t think that K’s actions would influence Tony in the slightest, except maybe as something not to do.

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I think 2024-2025 will depend a lot on how the players react and recover from this news, especially the transfers. I’m sure they like and respect Ron, but they came to U.Va. to play for Tony. Now they won’t have that opportunity. I genuinely hope they rally around Ron, but it’s got to be an even bigger gut check for them than it is for the fans.

Unless Ron achieves remarkable success – meaning like making the second weekend of the NCAAs – we have to expect the college hoops vultures to descend en mass in March and April. If that happens, whether next season’s coach is Ron or someone else, they will have a substantial rebuild on their hands.

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Oh wow. Saunders is a daddy?

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No wonder dude works so hard

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Unfortunately, “the job” for which he is auditioning is actually the latter scenario, regardless of this season’s results. Perhaps it is a matter of degree (ie success this year = less than a total ground up reconstruction), but the reality is “the job” isn’t about one season’s results with players and a system installed by the previous boss. The job is actually about program building.

When will the call be made in the interim tag? How will the portal work (both in and out), relative to that timing? How are we going to recruit high schoolers, even if the season is not peak recruiting? Who will be on staff next year (timing around interim tag is important for them too)?

A rebuild is coming. I’m not going to deploy my trademark slogan, but y’all know it is true.

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So we are getting Ament and DJ Flosset?

Great time to be a Hoo you optimist!

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Ament is gonna be the first recruit of the Sanchize era. Mark it down! (Then probably erase it)

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End of the season according to the LRA blog

Also agree about program building. But momentum does matter here, you see some success this year then could parlay into transfer portal and recruiting wins.

I hope the folks in charge do a sober review of this season and how Sanchez does and his future as a coach isn’t assumed.

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