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After crushing loss to Syracuse, Virginia must move on without its stellar senior class After crushing loss to Syracuse, Virginia must move on without its stellar senior class
(35 minutes later)
CHICAGO — After Virginia’s season crashed to its unexpected end Sunday night with a 68-62 loss to Syracuse in the NCAA tournament’s Midwest Region final, junior guard London Perrantes sat in the locker room emotionally numb, staring without focus at his used ankle wrappings as they threatened to slide out of his limp hands. Outside, senior leader Malcolm Brogdon was fielding questions as though it weren’t March, as though the Cavaliers would be returning to Charlottesville to prepare for another opponent, not clean out their lockers. CHICAGO — After Virginia’s season crashed to its unexpected end Sunday night with a 68-62 loss to Syracuse in the NCAA tournament’s Midwest Region final, junior guard London Perrantes sat in the locker room, emotionally numb, staring without focus at his used ankle wrappings as they threatened to slide out of his limp hands. Outside, senior leader Malcolm Brogdon was fielding questions as though it weren’t March, as though the Cavaliers would be returning to Charlottesville just to prepare for another opponent, not clean out their lockers.
In Brogdon and fellow senior Anthony Gill, Virginia loses its elder statesmen and arbiters of etiquette, the team’s on-court vessels of Coach Tony Bennett’s basketball philosophies. The Cavaliers graduate their winningest class since 1983, the seniors that led Virginia to a program-record 89 wins in a three-season span over the last three seasons, brought the team back-to-back ACC regular season titles and its first ACC tournament title since 1976. In Brogdon and fellow senior Anthony Gill, Virginia loses its elder statesmen and arbiters of etiquette, the team’s on-court vessels of Coach Tony Bennett’s basketball philosophies. The Cavaliers graduate their winningest class since 1983 — the seniors who from 2013 to 2016 led Virginia to a program-record 89 wins in a three-season span, who brought the team back-to-back ACC regular season titles and its first ACC tournament title since 1976.
“I’m just so thankful to have coached them, and I know every coach says that at this time, but it is not lip service,” Bennett said. “It’s real. Does it sting? Does it hurt? Absolutely. . . . But proud to have Anthony and Malcolm and Mike [Tobey] and Evan [Nolte] and Caid [Kirven].”“I’m just so thankful to have coached them, and I know every coach says that at this time, but it is not lip service,” Bennett said. “It’s real. Does it sting? Does it hurt? Absolutely. . . . But proud to have Anthony and Malcolm and Mike [Tobey] and Evan [Nolte] and Caid [Kirven].”
[U-Va. couldn’t handle Syracuse’s pressure. Now the Cavs will never forget it.][U-Va. couldn’t handle Syracuse’s pressure. Now the Cavs will never forget it.]
The leadership role will fall to Perrantes, the emotional-by-comparison junior who hit six three-pointers Sunday, the most a Virginia player has ever made in a tournament game. The responsibility of filling that sizable leadership vacuum will fall largely to Perrantes, the emotional-by-comparison junior who hit six three-pointers Sunday, the most ever by a Virginia player in an NCAA tournament game.
Perrantes warned he wouldn’t have many words to share after Sunday’s collapse from a 16-point second-half lead — for that, reporters went to Brogdon — but he did have some thoughts on the seniors who will pass him the program’s mantle.Perrantes warned he wouldn’t have many words to share after Sunday’s collapse from a 16-point second-half lead — for that, reporters went to Brogdon — but he did have some thoughts on the seniors who will pass him the program’s mantle.
“Obviously they got us to where we are now, got the program to where it is now,” Perrantes said, shaking his head. “I haven’t even processed that it’s the last game playing with them.”“Obviously they got us to where we are now, got the program to where it is now,” Perrantes said, shaking his head. “I haven’t even processed that it’s the last game playing with them.”
The point guard won’t have too long to dwell. Brogdon, who on Monday added National Association of Basketball Coaches first-team all-American to a list of honors that already include ACC player of the year and ACC defensive player of the year, is predicted to go late in the first round or early in the second round in June’s NBA draft. Gill will soon be a married man — Perrantes, Brogdon, Devon Hall and Darius Thompson will be among the groomsmen at his April wedding — and he also has aspirations of playing professionally. The point guard won’t have too long to dwell. Brogdon, who on Monday added first-team National Association of Basketball Coaches all-American to a list of honors that already included ACC player of the year and ACC defensive player of the year, is projected to go late in the first round or early in the second round of June’s NBA draft. Gill will soon be a married man — Perrantes, Brogdon and sophomores Devon Hall and Darius Thompson will be among the groomsmen at his April wedding — and he also has aspirations of playing professionally.
Perrantes, meanwhile, will take the summer off before again trying to get Virginia to its first Final Four since 1984. With more leadership experience than anyone else on next year’s roster, he is expected to helm a relatively veteran squad, buttressed by Memphis transfer Austin Nichols and early enrollee Mamadi Diakite as well as a top-10 recruiting class of true freshmen. Perrantes, meanwhile, will take the summer off before taking another run at getting Virginia to its first Final Four since 1984. He is expected to helm a relatively veteran squad, buttressed by Memphis transfer Austin Nichols and early enrollee Mamadi Diakite, as well as a top-10 recruiting class of true freshmen.
“It’s a bright future. It’s a future that has a foundation already established, and all it’s going to need is leaders to step up,” Brogdon said. “London can fill that void, and there are a few other guys that can. I think it’s in good hands. It’s a team that’s experienced. Many of the guys will have gone to the Sweet 16 and the Elite Eight.”“It’s a bright future. It’s a future that has a foundation already established, and all it’s going to need is leaders to step up,” Brogdon said. “London can fill that void, and there are a few other guys that can. I think it’s in good hands. It’s a team that’s experienced. Many of the guys will have gone to the Sweet 16 and the Elite Eight.”
Perrantes is usually the one telling the team to slow down and take it easy. But even with a veteran roster on the floor Sunday, the Cavaliers had no answer when Syracuse’s press managed to frazzle them. The Orange rushed the most methodical team in the country — Virginia averaged 61.9 possessions per 40 minutes — into offensive possessions that averaged 10.3 seconds when they usually average 20.1 seconds. Perrantes is usually the one telling the team to slow down and take it easy. But even with a veteran roster on the floor Sunday, the Cavaliers had no answer for Syracuse’s swarming press. The Orange rushed the most methodical team in the country — Virginia averaged 61.9 possessions per 40 minutes — into offensive possessions that averaged 10.3 seconds when they usually average 20.1 seconds.
Keeping the offense in check and the team emotionally where it needed to be had been Perrantes’ job all season. He provided the emotional sparkplug Virginia desperately needed during a string of road losses in early January. He had nine assists in the Cavaliers’ region semifinal win against Iowa State on Frida. Keeping the offense in check and the team emotionally where it needed to be had been Perrantes’s job all season. He provided the emotional sparkplug that Virginia desperately needed during a string of road losses in early January. He had nine assists in the Cavaliers’ region semifinal win against Iowa State on Friday.
But Brogdon and Gill were Virginia’s heart and soul, the team’s willing spokesmen and two players extremely similar to Bennett in many ways. The importance of that spokesman role was on Brogdon’s mind Sunday after Bennett again credited the Cavaliers’ senior class with laying the program’s foundation. But Brogdon and Gill were Virginia’s heart and soul, the team’s willing spokesmen and two players similar to Bennett in many ways. The importance of that spokesman role was on Brogdon’s mind Sunday after Bennett again credited the Cavaliers’ senior class with laying the program’s foundation.
“At all times, the younger guys are looking at you, watching the way you respond after a loss, they’re watching the way you respond after a win,” Brogdon said, nearing the end of his postgame media duties. “You’ve just got to be willing to talk, be willing to handle yourself after a win the same way you do after a failure.”“At all times, the younger guys are looking at you, watching the way you respond after a loss, they’re watching the way you respond after a win,” Brogdon said, nearing the end of his postgame media duties. “You’ve just got to be willing to talk, be willing to handle yourself after a win the same way you do after a failure.”
His last question finally answered, Brogdon turned and walked back into the locker room to find Perrantes still sitting there, head in his hands.His last question finally answered, Brogdon turned and walked back into the locker room to find Perrantes still sitting there, head in his hands.