It might only be April, but it’s never too early to look ahead to the next season—especially when that upcoming season is as promising as it looks to be for Virginia men’s basketball.
As we know all too well, last year’s season was cut short by COVID-19 just as the Hoos were starting to gain some momentum going into the postseason. But after a shaky start to last season, the players seemed to be coming together and improving both individually and as a team.
While Mamadi Diakite and Braxton Key may be gone, there’s some new blood set to be donning the orange and blue who could turn out to be just as good. Some of the key players from last year return as well, and all signs point to greatness, if not to Indianapolis (yet).
It’s possible that one or two of the freshmen work their way into the starting lineup as the season progresses. But with all the talent returning, it’s unlikely that they’ll do so to start the season. That right will be reserved for some of the other great players on the roster. Read on to find out which five players we think will start when hoops returns.
Kihei Clark – Guard – Junior
As his Sophomore year progressed, Kihei became more and more comfortable in his role. There were the growing pains at first—understandable though, as his playing time basically doubled from his freshman year. Kihei took a lot of criticism at the beginning, most of it unwarranted. He didn’t have very many options on offense, and the apparent inability of anybody on his team at the start of the season to make an outside shot further complicated matters.
But Tony Bennett always stuck up for his point guard, acknowledging that he had a lot on his plate and dismissing the critics who didn’t believe in him. Turns out Bennett was right. Kihei ended the season on fire, nailing game winning shots against Virginia Tech, Miami, and Louisville, and assisting the game-winner against North Carolina. He learned to manipulate the defense in order find his own shot or one for somebody else.
By the tail end of the season, he was helping his team on the way to victory despite a limited amount of options. And help is on the way for the 5 foot 9 point guard. With the revamped roster and improved outside shooters, there should be more room for Clark to operate in the lane. Some of the new guys will be able to take away some of his load, which can only be a bonus as he looks to continue his stellar play as the number one point guard.
Jay Huff – Forward – RS Senior
With Jay Huff, you never know what you’re going to get. On one hand, you could get the Jay Huff that scored the opening 17 points for Virginia against Miami, or came up with 10 blocks against Duke. On the other, you could get the one that scored a total of 2 points in 2 games against North Carolina. Huff epitomizes the word ‘inconsistent.’
Should he clear up said inconsistency, we could see an all-conference, nationally recognized forward. He’s already drawn comparisons to the likes of Frank Kaminsky, and it’s easy to see why. Both the Hoonicorn and Frank the Tank share long, lanky bodies that they can use to their advantage, and both can shoot it as well.
Huff doesn’t need to turn into Kaminsky next year, but he’s going to have to take on more responsibility as one of the primary scorers and of course one of the starters. Whereas last season, anything from him was more of a welcome addition, this year he needs to show up with points and rebounds every single game.
Tomas Woldetensae – Guard – Senior
Woldo started out his career in Charlottesville quite terribly. His shooting numbers were very low at first, and he hit double figures only once before the end of January. But when it finally came, it came big-time. The seven threes against Wake was the first sign, but most seemed to think it was more of a detached incident than anything else.
But then he did it again—and on four less shots, no less—on the road to Louisville. He had 13 threes in the ensuing four games, and Woldetensae craze was in the air. He was largely absent in the final four games, but this was more due to the defensive efforts of opponents than his failed shooting.
He only got off 15 shots from deep in those four games. With teams paying him close attention as the only knockdown three-point shooter, Woldo was unable to get open. He’s no Kyle Guy—Guy being able to create space at will. But teams are going to have other players to worry about, giving him the chance to hit open threes. If he shores up his defense, he’ll be getting a lot of time in addition to starting.
Sam Hauser – Forward – Senior
After transferring from Marquette, Hauser will begin his highly anticipated first season in Charlottesville. Sam and his younger brother, Joey, left Marquette together. They originally planned to go to school together, but in the end their paths diverged. Joey went off to play for Tom Izzo at Michigan State, while Sam came to play for Bennett at Virginia. And that’s really good news for Wahoo fans.
There’s been reports from practice of his shooting prowess, reports that have been given further credibility by Virginia players. Mamadi Diakite talked about how there were some days where he just wouldn’t miss. That also lines up with the small taste of Hauser that we got during last year’s blue-white scrimmage. He was knocking down shots then too.
And the answer as to whether he can produce at the same high-level in a real game is not difficult to find. In his three years at Marquette, Sam averaged 44.5% from beyond the arc. And it’s not like he only took open shots. He shot 534 threes during his time in Marquette. So Hauser will bring immediate scoring and knockdown shooting to a team that will undoubtedly have its growing pains at the start of the season.
He can shoot it over you with that 6 foot 8 frame, as well as use that body to his advantage inside. He’ll also fill the veteran role left vacant by Mamadi Diakite. The only question is of defense. It takes time to adjust to the packline. Luckily, Hauser’s already had a year to learn it. Look for him to start from day one and make a huge impact.
Casey Morsell – Guard – Sophomore
The expectations were very high going into Casey’s first year. Too high, in fact. He earned the title of “Tony Bennett’s most game-ready freshman” going into the season. Turns out that didn’t come to fruition either. So it was a mixed season for Morsell, without a doubt.
The good news is that it was clear that he could play, and play well. Obviously the 19-point explosion against Arizona State jumps out as the prime example of this. But for those that were ready to jump off the Morsell wagon after his following performances—and indeed, set it alight—take a step back.
Freshman rarely have large roles in Bennett’s system. We’ve been lucky the last few years with very good players being able to step in by the end of the season and produce. And Casey was definitely trending in that direction. He was earning back his minutes due to great defense and improved offense. It’s unfortunate that the season was cut short, as it seemed the perfect opportunity to break out for good.
Instead, that moment was delayed for about six months. Regardless, if Casey comes back with some more fluidity in his shot, he’ll be consistently contributing points. And if he can come into the season confident, it’ll be huge. He’ll most likely start at the beginning of the season, and if he improves as expected he should hold on to that starting spot.