Basketball Features 
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Basketball Features
Two weeks ago, University of Virginia head coach Tony Bennett traveled up to St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia, PA) to see junior guard Steve Vasturia. The 6'4", 180-pound prospect returned the favor this past weekend, when he traveled to UVa for an unofficial visit.
Darion Atkins became known for at least two things in his career at Landon School: defense and rebounding. The 6'8", 222-pound forward averaged about 12 rebounds and seven blocked shots per game over the course of his junior and senior seasons, and he is looking to contribute in these areas in his freshman season at the University of Virginia. Atkins discusses his expected role this season and much more in this Sabre Q&A.
There's no way to ignore it. There are higher expectations for the Virginia men's basketball team this season. Experience and a growing talent pool usually lead to those sorts of things. So while the NCAA Tournament is a goal every season, the Cavaliers concede that this is their best opportunity to go dancing in Tony Bennett's tenure.
Ravenscroft (Raleigh, N.C.) point guard Madison Jones enjoyed a successful summer, picking up offers from Charlotte, Drake, Seton Hall and Tulsa to go along with the offer he previously had from the University of Richmond. Georgia, ODU, Tennessee and Virginia are expressing serious interest in the 6'1", 160-pound senior, who spoke with Cavaliers primary recruiter Jason Williford just yesterday.
Hard work coupled with a big frame and a plus skill-set have helped Ryan Rosburg become a highly accomplished basketball player at Marquette High School in Chesterfield, Missouri. A Missouri Basketball Coaches Association all-state selection last season as a junior, Rosburg, a center/power forward, is the Mustangs all-time leading rebounder and currently second on the school's all-time leading scorers list. He's also a high-major Division 1 basketball recruit.
James Robinson's performance on the AAU circuit this month caught the attention of Pittsburgh's Jamie Dixon and UCLA's Ben Howland, the former going so far as to extend an offer to the 6'3", 200-pound DeMatha (Hyattsville, MD) guard. Pitt now joins two ACC schools, including UVa, and one other Big East program as the current main contenders for the talented rising senior.
The NBPA Top 100 Camp returned to Charlottesville last week and didn't disappoint, bringing some of the nation's top 2012 and 2013 class prospects to Charlottesville. TheSabre.com was on hand for coverage, including updates and analysis on some of Virginia's top remaining targets in the 2012 class. 2012 commits Justin Anderson and Evan Nolte, 2012 targets James Robinson and L.J. Rose, 2013 point guard Nate Britt...get the latest on these prospects and more.
For Justin Anderson, the recruiting process began in the eighth grade, when he earned MVP honors on Courtland High School's (Fredericksburg, VA) junior varsity squad. College letters starting arriving and were followed shortly by the first major college scholarship offer. Moving on to Montrose Christian (Rockville, MD), Anderson continued to impress, starting for Stu Vetter's prep powerhouse as a freshman. He averaged 14 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks per game this past season as a junior.
The 6'5", 220-pound rising senior is now one of the most highly regarded prospects in the 2012 class, rated a 5-star recruit by Rivals.com and a 4-star recruit by ESPN.com and Scout.com. He is one of the most highly acclaimed prospects to commit to Virginia's basketball program, and he is the subject of this latest "Q&A."
It's been a long road for Mike Scott, from a young track and field star at age nine to a dominant basketball player in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Scott has endured many obstacles along the way; tendonitis in his knee, a high ankle sprain that limited his abilities as a freshman, a coaching change, and most recently two ankle surgeries that cost him much of his senior year. The good news for Mike, as well as Cavalier teammates and fans, is that he's been granted an additional year of eligibility and hopes to lead the program to a place it hasn't been since he suited up at UVa - the NCAA Tournament.
TheSabre.com interviews Mr. Scott and covers a number of areas throughout his journey.
It's official. Justin Anderson is now a Virginia Cavalier. The 6-5, 220-pound rising senior small forward has verbally committed to UVa, making the news official one week and one day after a May 18 unofficial visit to Charlottesville.
Virginia fans received the news they'd been waiting for on Thursday: the ACC approved the medical hardship waiver request of Mike Scott. That clears the way for Scott, who missed 21 games last season after two surgeries on his left ankle, to return for another year of eligibility with the Cavaliers. It's also immediately ratcheted up the already growing fan excitement for the 2011-2012 season.
Kethan Savage took an unofficial visit to the University of Virginia, one of at least three high major programs to express interest in the Episcopal (Fairfax, VA) junior guard. The 6-3, 190-pound prospect, who visited the last week in April, watched workouts and spoke with the coaches, including head coach Tony Bennett.
University of Virginia 2012 commits Evan Nolte and Mike Tobey made the trek to the Commonwealth this past weekend for the Nike EYBL Hampton. Nolte, a 6-8 forward out of Milton (GA), played for the Southern Kings Gold AAU squad, while the 6-11 center Tobey suited up for the New York Gauchos.
Joanne Boyle made her debut Monday afternoon as Virginia's fourth women's basketball coach. She brings an impressive resume and a breath of fresh air to a program that has stymied over the past few seasons. After a six-year stint as the coach of the California Golden Bears, in which Cal reached the postseason each year, the Duke alumna returns to ACC country with the goal of respecting the past while still working toward a brighter future for the team.
Virginia coach Debbie Ryan said the nerves are worse at home than away. The win-or-go-home nature of tournament play, after all, means she doesn't know when the end will officially arrive as she coaches the final games of her Cavalier career. On Thursday, the pit in her stomach started shortly after shoot-around in the afternoon and remained even after her team's 53-48 victory against Boston College in the WNIT.
In last week's Group AA state championship game against Buford, senior guard Malcolm Brogdon scored 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds as Greater Atlanta Christian (Atlanta, GA) soared to a 76-36 win. The Virginia-bound prospect's performance came as no surprise to GAC head coach Eddie Martin, whose team captured the Group AA state title for the second consecutive season.
Virginia women's basketball coach Debbie Ryan announced that she was resigning from her position Saturday, bringing an end to a 34-year career that saw the Virginia women's program blossom into a national powerhouse. In a somber press conference Monday afternoon, Ryan expressed gratitude for what she described as a large amount of positive feedback she had received after her announcement and for a "great ride" as UVa's coach.
Debbie Ryan, head coach of the Virginia women's basketball team for the past 34 years, has decided to step down, according to a news release from Virginiasports.com on Saturday morning. Ryan, who served for two years as an assistant coach with the program as well, held the top job for all but four years of the program's existence. She will step down at the end of this season; the Cavaliers are waiting to see if they receive an invite to a postseason tournament.
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