Shock of all shocks: Virginia will play faster on offense

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Virginia basketball fans are fired up about Tony Bennett’s change in philosophy and opening up the Cavaliers offense. It’s a long time coming, but a welcome change.

Personally, I felt that the deliberate pace allowed inferior opponents to remain within striking distance. If those opponents got lucky with a couple of shots, they could hang around and make Virginia sweat out the final minutes in games that shouldn’t have been so close.

In addition, the slower pace put a lot of pressure on the halfcourt offense to score on as many of the few possessions as possible, and last year’s offense, for example, simply wasn’t efficient enough to make that happen.

With Bennett’s new philosophy, the Cavaliers should be able to distance themselves from those situations and not leave points out on the court.

Bennett, heading into his 16th season at UVA, confirmed the rumors about a faster offensive style during his appearance at the ACC Basketball Tip Off in Charlotte.

“Offensively, we’re going to try to space the floor a little more and we have more shooting,” Bennett said, referring to some of the impressive transfers he brought in during the offseason.

The fact that UVA hasn’t won an NCAA postseason game since its national championship in 2019 may have influenced the change, as did the anemic offensive production of last year’s team. The Cavaliers finished an eye-popping No. 345 out of 351 Division-I teams in scoring last season with an average of 62.9 points per game. They were No. 276 in field-goal percentage at 42.8.

“I think we can spread the floor because we have a transfer from Duke, TJ Power, who we recruited out of high school, and Elijah Saunders, an interesting player from San Diego State, who can shoot the three, plays some four, sometimes small-ball five.

“Just those things hopefully open up the court with other players, Isaac McKneely, our most experienced player,” Bennett said.

Power and Saunders can certainly stretch the floor with their ability to shoot the 3-ball and McKneely is one of the top returning 3-point shooters in the nation. Power and Saunders can prevent opposing defenses to gang up on McKneely, which was a problem last season when McKneely was often the only effective bomber on the floor.

Virginia will be pushing the ball in transition, using more ball screens, getting the ball quickly past halfcourt, and if there’s an open path to the hoop, take it. At the least, the Cavaliers will drive to the lane and kick passes to the perimeter. They will be moving away from past tendencies and be less predictable, less scoutable.

Whether or not this will be an updated version of the “5-Out” offense Bennett started the 2020-21 season with, but quickly shelved, isn’t known, but it is certainly an experiment and far removed from the familiar mover-blocker offense Virginia fans have become accustomed to watching.

From glimpses of the Blue-White scrimmage, it appears Bennett is using 6-foot-10 Blake Buchanan as a ball mover in the middle of the floor.

“We’re going to be the hard, gritty defensive team like we always are, but I think you’re going to expect a different type of offense this year,” McKneely said. “We’re pushing it in transition a little more. We’re trying different things. I think we have really good personnel this year, a lot of guys who can stretch the floor and shoot it, so I think we’re going to have a different look.”

Taine Murray, who came on strong at the end of last season, likes the changes as well.

“We’ve opened it up a lot,” the senior guard said. ‘We have kept the same foundation in terms of taking good shots and working the other team. We’re pushing it quicker in transition. That’s not to say we’re taking bad shots, just trying to push the speed a little bit.”

Bennett is excited about the possibilities, but won’t bend on his expectations in terms of not allowing bad shots or sloppy play. Saunders and Power seem to have already made an impact.

“People haven’t seen him, but Saunders is 6-7, 6-8, and he’s strong. He’s had some practices where he really stretches it,” Bennett said. “He’ll be a great addition.

“We’ve seen at times the shooting prowess from TJ Power. I think McKneely has got to take that step and Kyle Guy has really helped him by being on our staff and kind of getting into his mind, so those three jump out at me now, but hopefully there’ll be some more because we’ll need some.”

Guy, the “Most Outstanding Player” of the 2019 Final Four, recently joined Bennett’s staff and works out with the team.

After losing Reece Beekman as his starting point guard for the past several years, Bennett said his point this season will be by committee, at least early on, between Dai Dai Ames, a transfer from Kansas State, Jalen Warley, a transfer from Florida State, returning guard Andrew Rohde and redshirt freshman Christian Bliss.

Bennett often plays two point guards at the same time, depending on the situation.

“First of all, [Ames] is Chicago tough,” Bennett said. “He’s tough and competitive and I can’t remember off the top of my head, he started maybe half his games, 18 to 20 minutes a game in the Big 12 as a freshman, so that’s invaluable.

“You come into that league, he’s locking up against Houston, going against Iowa State’s defense. He’s seen that. It’s not going to be like, ‘Oh my gosh,’ so he brings that toughness and he can touch the paint. He’s continuing to evolve and best of all, he’s left-handed.”

Warley is big and athletic, plus a solid defensive player.

“It’ll be a little more by committee,” Bennett said about the principle ball-handling responsibilities.