Court Side: Nov. 7, 2016

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November 7, 2016

COURTSIDE

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BASKETBALL PREVIEW

ILLUSTRATION BY ANDREA PAPPAS, BEN WEIDLICH AND LIVI DEL VALLE

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FILE 2016

Seth Allen, Chris Clarke and Justin Robinson celebrate their overtime win over Princeton in the Cassell Guard student section posing with fans for photos last season.

MEN’S BASKETBALL ENTERS SEASON WITH NCAA TOURNEY EXPECTATIONS DAVIS CARBAUGH sports staff writer

Buzz Williams has brought basketball back to Blacksburg. It hasn’t happened since 2007, but the Hokies have a legitimate chance of making the NCAA tournament this season.

Despite an ACC record of 2–16 in his first season, Williams was able to lead the Hokies to a 10–8 ACC record and an enormous win at home against the U.Va. Cavaliers last season.

The tremendous improvement in such a short period of time under the Williams regime has caused electric excitement among Virginia Tech fans for the future of this program. The Hokie faithful have every reason to believe that the team’s improvement will continue in the upcoming season.

A major key for the Hokies this season will be the combination of senior leadership, team chemistry and young talent.

The players maintain great faith in their team chemistry under Williams. “It gives us confidence knowing that we’ve got the same group of guys and great chemistry,” said senior guard Seth Allen. “But it’s the work we’ve put in during the offseason that gives us

more confidence than anything.”

Allen, along with fellow seniors Devin Wilson and Zack LeDay, would love nothing more than to finish their Tech careers with a trip to the Big Dance in March. Look for these three players to produce leadership and consistent play late in big games that could make or break a chance at the tournament.

The Hokies return with their four top scorers from last season, including scoring leader Zack LeDay (15.5 PPG). What the senior forward lacks in size, he makes up for in hustle and hard work. “We’ve literally slept in the gym,” LeDay said. “The whole summer I’ve been working and trying to make my team better.”

Backcourt depth is the definite strength of this year’s team, and it will look to use the abundance of talent to outlast opponents this season. In addition, Tech’s deep backcourt will look to counteract any weaknesses that may be present in the low post.

Second year guard Justin Robinson will likely complement junior Justin Bibbs in this year’s starting backcourt. Allen thrived last season scoring off the bench, so it is likely that Williams will follow the same strategy

coming into this season.

The combo of seniors Wilson and Allen coming off the bench will provide the Hokies with an array of capable scorers and perimeter defenders against opposing ACC teams this season.

The X-factor and player to watch this season for the Hokies will be Chris Clarke.

The sophomore from Virginia Beach is listed as a guard/forward, and he is capable of playing nearly every position on the court.

Clarke’s versatile playing style will give the Hokies a powerful wing scorer as well as a much needed reinforcement to play down low.

Clarke’s size and intensity could prove crucial in the efforts to replace Kerry Blackshear as he heals from injury.

Despite missing time due to injury last season, Clarke averaged about eight points and just over six rebounds per game. Watch for Clarke to increase his scoring this year and trouble ACC defenders as he drives into the lane and throws down magnificent slam dunks.

Blackshear was expected to carry most of see MEN’S / page 8

Under new head coach Kenny Brooks, the Virginia Tech women’s basketball team looks to compete in the elite Atlantic Coastal Conference.

TODD SMITH sports staff writer

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Freshman Chanette Hicks (12) keeps the ball from Elon’s Shay Burnette (5), March 17, 2016.

November 7, 2016 PAGE 3

On Friday, new Virginia Tech Women’s Basketball head coach Kenny Brooks will get his first taste of action inside Cassell Coliseum after taking over the reins of the program this offseason. Brooks was hired from James Madison University after Virginia Tech let go of Dennis Wolff after six seasons in Blacksburg, including an 18–14 record last season and an invitation into the WNIT. Brooks is looking to build upon the success he had at JMU, including 11 straight postseason tournaments (six in the NCAA and five in the WNIT) as well as 20-plus win seasons during each of those post season berths. Brooks also boasts a career record of 337–122.

A transitional period is typically expected when a new coach comes into a program, and that is something this team and Brooks are experiencing, specifically when it comes to learning to mesh together.

“One of the biggest transitional things for me right now is to learn my team,” Brooks said. “Learn their personalities, learn which buttons I need to push with each and every kid, which kid I need to go at with a different tactic. That’s going to be what’s important.”

Most Virginia Tech students recognize the “This is Home” slogan that has been prominent for the past several seasons, a campaign that Brooks is hoping to instill in the Women’s basketball program as well.

“The one thing we’ve been stressing is to play as a family and for each other,” Brooks said at the ACC Media Day last month. “If they play for each other they can take that step to the next level.”

The Hokies do return some of last season’s top scorers, including senior leaders Vanessa Panousis and Sidney Cook, as well as talented sophomore point guard Chanette Hicks.

“We do have tremendous senior leadership coming back. I think they are very hungry to build upon the success from last year,” Brooks said. “I think Vanessa (Panousis) is one of the better shooters I’ve coached, Chanette Hicks is one of the fastest players I’ve played with or coached and Sidney Cook has a great aspiration to

go out and be the best she can possibly be.”

The team will be looking for some players to step up when it comes to the front court, as several of last season’s key contributors, namely Hannah Young, graduated and left a void for up front for the team.

“There are some major contributors from last year’s team that aren’t here,” Brooks said. “The inside toughness, we’re going to have to develop a different way of playing.”

Despite the solid season by many accounts last year, the Hokies went 5–11 in conference leading to an 11th place finish out of 15. This season’s early preseason rankings have Virginia Tech finishing 12th. Much of this can be attributed to the amount of returning starters throughout the teams in the conference, one of which is already considered the best in the nation.

The ACC has five teams in the top 15 of the Associated Press’ preseason top 25, including the top-ranked team in the country, Notre Dame.

“When I was at James Madison, we circled (ACC teams) on our calendar, that was our Super Bowl so to speak,” Brooks said. “Now it’s going to be an everyday occurrence; it’s a gauntlet.”

Before ACC play begins at the turn of the calendar on Jan. 2, however, Virginia Tech must make it through a tough outof-conference schedule, highlighted by a visit from the No. 13 Tennessee Lady Volunteers to Blacksburg on Nov. 27.

Brooks knows from experience that as an ACC team, you are going to get the best from every team you play during this portion of the schedule.

“Our non-conference schedule, I promise you, everyone has circled us on the schedule,” Brooks said. “It’s an opportunity for them to knock off an ACC team.

They might not even say Virginia Tech, but it’s their opportunity to knock off an ACC team.”

The season begins this Friday at 3:30 p.m. against UNC Asheville.

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BROOKS LOOKS FOR PROMISING DEBUT SEASON

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INJURY RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT FRONT-COURT DEPTH Sophomore forward Kerry Blackshear’s injury, that could hold him out for the entire season, has raised questions regarding the Hokies’ depth in the front court.

DAVID KELSEY

PAGE 4 November 7, 2016

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sports staff writer

After an impressive 2015–2016 campaign, the Hokies return the majority of last year’s team with the exceptions of Shane Henry, Satchel Pierce and Jalen Hudson. Henry graduated and did not have any eligibility left, while Pierce and Hudson decided to take their talents elsewhere and transfer. The absence of those three was not expected to have a big impact on this year’s Virginia Tech team until the injury bug hit the Hokies’ front court. Sophomore forward Kerry Blackshear is recovering from offseason surgery on his right leg after suffering a stress fracture. It is unknown exactly when the sophomore will return; he could even be out for the entire season.

Blackshear produced quality minutes

“

Blackshear produced quality minutes from coach Buzz Williams as a freshman last year, averaging 6.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.”

for coach Buzz Williams as a freshman last year, averaging 6.2 points and 4.5 rebound a game. The 6-foot-10 frame of Blackshear provided Williams with a rim protector on defense and often allowed Tech to have the height advantage in the paint on offense. Virginia Tech does have another 6-foot-10 forward in the freshman class with Khadim Sy, out of Dakar, Senegal, but there are still questions about how he will adjust to the level of play of the ACC in his first season. This leaves Williams with senior Johnny Hamilton and redshirt-senior Zach LeDay as the only true big men with experience on the roster. Had Pierce not decided to transfer, the Hokies would have another experienced big man available off the bench.

An addition to the roster this season is redshirt-sophomore guard Ahmed Hill, who is returning from an injury that kept him from playing all of last year.

While Hill is not able to play a frontcourt position, his excellent three-point shooting should allow the Hokies to spread the floor and possibly play with a smaller lineup. Playing a smaller lineup is nothing new to Williams’ game plan as he often moves around players to create unorthodox lineups. Tech’s roster this season has multiple players whose height has them on the cusp of being a small forward or a power forward. Sophomore Chris Clarke and junior Justin Bibbs are not afraid to play down in the paint and they were often seen playing the four position last season.

The player who Blackshear’s injury affects the most is Hamilton. Since transferring to Tech from Jacksonville Junior College two seasons ago, the Hokie fan base has been waiting to see Hamilton reach his potential. The 7-foot center saw limited play time last season and sometimes appeared to have difficulty being on the court for too long. Hamilton’s minutes are likely to increase heavily, however, due to the lack of depth at his position. There were moments when Hamilton shined last season, including the game against Jacksonville State in which he shot a perfect 4-for-4 from the field, adding four rebounds and an assist in limited minutes, but he will have to prove himself while playing big minutes this year.

The Hokies will rely on their experience, versatility and team chemistry in order to prevent the injuries and lack of depth in the front court from keeping them from accomplishing their goals this season.

FILE 2016 @ThatKelsey_Kid

Kerry Blackshear (24) makes a move in the post around Tonye Jekiri (23), March 10, 2016.

Hokie wings Ty Outlaw and Ahmed Hill both missed last season due to health issues, but are back to help the Hokies on to the NCAA tourney.

ROBERT FLETCHER sports staff writer

After four consecutive seasons of finishing dead-last in the always-competitive ACC Conference, Buzz Williams’ second season as head coach saw Tech have one of its biggest jumps in production in the school’s history with a 20–15 record and a 10–8 conference record that put the Hokies in seventh place in the conference at the end of the season. All of this was accomplished without senior wingman

Ty Outlaw and junior guard Ahmed Hill, both of whom were expected to add some major contributions to the team’s guardplay last season.

Hill, who started 30 games as a freshman and contributed 8.7 points a game and 3.7 rebounds, was expected to make a big jump as a go-to scorer for the Hokies’ last season until his season was cut short before it ever even started when he partially tore his patellar tendon in practice. Though the Hokies were able to move forward and stay competitive

team that only shot about 35% from three last season, a player of Outlaw’s caliber could be the missing piece to the puzzle that really adds another dimension to an already solid Virginia Tech offense.

With both Hill and Outlaw cleared to

“

Now that he has been medically cleared, Outlaw’s perimeter shooting ability and his guard versatility will be huge for Tech off the bench.”

play this coming season, the depth at the guard position all of a sudden looks very impressive, especially considering the return of starters Seth Allen and Justin see RETURN / page 8

collegiatetimes.com November 7, 2016 PAGE 5

FILE 2014

Rakiya Battle (10) throws the ball out to a teammate while Ahmed Hill (13) and Christian Beyer (back) bring pressure.

throughout the season, Hill’s solid defense and driving ability was definitely missed and will now be a very welcome addition to a Hokies’ backcourt that will be without shooting guard Jalen Hudson, who transferred to Florida this offseason.

Outlaw, on the other hand, was never able to get his Tech career going when it was discovered that he had an irregular heartbeat. The Lee College transfer, who averaged over 21 points a game and hit 43.5 percent of his threes in his only season with Lee, felt heavily discouraged by the news of his season-ending heart condition.

“It was like living a nightmare,” Outlaw said at Tech’s preseason media day.

Now that he has been medically cleared, Outlaw’s perimeter shooting ability and his guard/forward versatility will be huge for Tech off the bench as it looks to make it to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007. For a

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HILL AND OUTLAW READY TO RETURN TO HARDWOOD

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FILE 2016

Chanette Hicks (12) stands guard against Faith Randolph during play against U.Va. at Cassell Coliseum, Feb. 28, 2016.

YOUNG GUARDS LOOK TO COMPLEMENT SENIORS Tech will rely on the combination of speedy young guards and experienced senior shooters to be successful on the offensive side of the ball.

SIERRA HUCKFELDT

PAGE 6 November 7, 2016

assistant sports editor

On Nov. 11, Kenny Brooks will make his debut as the new head coach of the women’s basketball team, leading a squad of both returning leaders and new talent. After going 18–14 on the season and making an appearance in the women’s NIT tournament, Tech said goodbye to its core rebounding and front-court depth. Brooks will have to move some players around in spots they have not generally played before to keep the Hokies’ net secure. One area that did not take a hit coming into this season is the play maker position.

Tech has all four guards returning this season along with four new guards to add to the roster.

Senior guard Vanessa Panousis will enter her final season with the Hokies, looking to improve on her already impressive tenure with Tech. Panousis has racked up numerous accolades during her first three years of play, including becoming the 24th member of the 1,000 point club and only the ninth to do so as a junior. The 5-foot-7, Sydney, Australia, native has set herself apart from the rest of pack with

her three-point shot. Panousis is shy three three-point shots of setting the school record for the most three-point shots in a career and has already broken the record for threepointers made in ACC games.

“Scoring is not the main thing that I really look at. I just want to make sure that we are actually winning as a team. I feel like, if we get a win at the end of the night, that is bigger than how many points I am scoring each game,” Panousis said at ACC Media Day last month.

“I actually didn’t know that I was about to break that record.”

Brooks commented on how he will approach coaching senior leaders Panousis and Sidney Cook.

“I think Vanessa is one of the better shooters that I’ve been able to coach. I am going to try to put her in situations that she is comfortable with so that she can make as many shots and other opportunities,” Brooks said.

Alongside Panousis is senior veteran Samantha Hill. Hill, the 5-foot-10 guard from Toronto, Canada, has seen a total of 85 games as a player and has her fair share of ups and downs. Hill is not a top scorer or rebounder

for the Hokies, but what she does bring to the table is experience playing in a tough ACC Conference that she can use with the three younger guards Tech will use this season.

One of the most anticipated players this year is sophomore guard Chanette Hicks. The 5-foot-6 firecracker made quite an impression in her freshman year, averaging 8.5 points per game and setting the record for single-season steals with 91. Hicks is most known for her speed, something the Hokies’ will rely on to use as a point guard.

“Chanette Hicks is probably one of the fastest players I have ever played with, or coached in my life. We’re just trying to get her to slow down a little bit and see the game more clearly,” Brooks said.

With time and more experience on the court, Hicks should be able to gain a more consistent tempo and will be looked upon to guide the two freshmen guards joining the team this year.

Kaela Kinder and Genesis Parker signed with letters of intent to Virginia Tech in November 2015. Kinder, a 5-foot-10 shooting guard from Inwood, New York, is expected

to be versatile on both offense and defense.

Kinder was tabbed as a three-star recruit by ESPN HoopGurlz and ranked 25th among guards.

Parker, a 5-foot-9 combo guard from Bristow, Virginia, was a four-star recruit and ranked 18th among guards by ESPN HoopGurlz. Parker caught previous head coach Dennis Wolff’s eye because of her speed and athleticism that helps her to edge out her man.

This combination of new guards and senior leaders could be very successful for the Hokies if the players are able to complement each other. Hicks and Kinder will need to use their speed to move the ball to the senior guards who are more comfortable taking the tough shots. If Brooks can coach this combination of guards to use their respective strengths, Tech’s offense could be lethal in a competitive ACC Conference that it has always struggled in.

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

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2016–2017 ROSTER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

KERRY BLACKSHEAR

CHRIS CLARKE

MICHELLE BERRY

ERINN BROOKS

KENDYL BROOKS

RACHEL CAMP

GREG DONLON

NICK FULLARD (REDSHIRT)

MATT GALLOWAY

JOHNNY HAMILTON

SIDNEY COOK

DIANDRA DAROSA

ERIN GARNER

CHANETTE HICKS

AHMED HILL

TYRIE JACKSON

SETH LEDAY (REDSHIRT)

ZACH LEDAY

SAMANTHA HILL

KAELA KINDER

REGAN MAGARITY

VANESSA PANOUSIS

TY OUTLAW

JUSTIN ROBINSON

KHADIM SY

DEVIN WILSON

GENESIS PARKER

November 7, 2016 PAGE 7

JUSTIN BIBBS

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SETH ALLEN

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RETURN: After lost season, key Hokies eye comeback from page 5

FILE 2016

PAGE 8 November 7, 2016

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Guard Jalen Hudson (23) dunks the ball during the first half of the game versus Princeton in the first round of the NIT, March 16, 2016.

Bibbs. In fact, some pundits have declared the Hokies the sleeper of the ACC, with the talent and depth to potentially make some noise this March in the Big Dance. It’s hard not to feel like Outlaw and Hill have something to do with this possible jump to ACC prominence for the Hokies.

Last season, Williams’ squad showed that it had what it takes to finally crawl out of the cellar of the ACC despite the

absence of Hill and Outlaw. Now, it’s time for the players to show that they have what it takes to make the big step forward in their goals towards March Madness.

“It’s really good to be back,” Hill said at the preseason media day.

For both Hill and Outlaw, the quote couldn’t ring more true.

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MEN’S: Tech looks to build upon turnaround season from page 2

the load in terms of rebounding and interior defense this season, but he could potentially miss the entire season due to injury. Unfortunately, Blackshear’s recovery time leaves the Hokies without much depth down low, a position that was already viewed as thin.

Williams may look to the 7-foot, senior center Johnny Hamilton to step up in Blackshear’s possible absence. Last year was his first season with the Hokies after transferring from junior college, but Hamilton’s size and abilities may land him a spot in the starting lineup.

“My expectation is to do better than last year,” Hamilton said. “Help the team reach (its) goals and just try my best to be the best that I can be.”

The 6-foot-10 true-freshman Khadim Sy could also receive significant minutes during Blackshear’s absence as the Hokies seek support in the low post. Sy’s experience playing at the national level in high school for Oak Hill Academy will likely help to ease his transition into collegiate play.

The Hokies also return Ahmed Hill and Ty Outlaw from injury, which could give Williams even more depth off of the bench this year.

As a whole, Williams will have to be creative and use his players’ versatility to make up for Blackshear’s injury. Expect the Hokies to primarily play small ball this year and rely heavily on the strength and depth of their guards in order to overcome a lack of size in the paint.

As a result of the increasing chemistry and level of athleticism in the Tech basketball program, the Hokies are ready to grow their presence in the ACC this season.

My prediction for the Hokies is an ACC record of 11–7. If Virginia Tech can come away with crucial victories against a few of the ACC powerhouses and run the table against the conference’s bottom-half, Williams’ squad should be able to maintain a spot in the “last four in.” The bottom line will be if the Hokies can make the Big Dance for the first time since 2007.

The Hokies open their season at Cassell Coliseum against Maine at 9 p.m. on Nov. 11. Virginia Tech’s ACC conference play begins on New Year’s Eve at noon as Duke’s Blue Devils come to town.

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FILE 2014

Ahmed Hill attempts the first of two free throws after a foul in 2014.