One point and five assists --- that's all sophomore guard LaTonya Blue lacked in missing a triple-double yesterday in the team's win over Florida State. Blue, who has quietly become one of the team's best players, doesn't get the recognition that leading scorer Cherrise Graham or leading rebounder Brandi Teamer receive, but she is nonetheless essential to the success of the Cavaliers.
Blue's game-highs of five assists and three steals -- and her 10 rebounds and nine points -- were vital to Virginia's victory. Not only did Blue play all but four minutes of the game, she did so while maintaining a high level of play for both herself and Virginia -- from the tip-off to the final buzzer. Blue grabbed the first rebound of the game and sealed the win at the end with a steal.
Blue didn't just control most of the game, but she looked good doing it. Her crossovers and fakes turn defenders around, and her passes, though sometimes dropped by teammates, wow the crowd. Perhaps even more impressive is her knack for skying to make the big rebounds.
"Blue at the guard position coming up with 10, that was huge for us," Ryan said of the importance of Blue's rebounding.
Blue and forward Jocelyn Logan-Friend came up with the ball every time Virginia needed a big rebound.
Blue, who has started 24 of 26 games this season and who leads the team in minutes played, is also in the top three on the team in every statistical category except shot blocks.
Despite her five-foot-nine height, Blue has proven to be as effective at rebounding and scoring as she is at handling the ball and setting her teammates up to score. Well-rounded players like Blue don't come around very often, but Debbie Ryan hasn't hesitated to take advantage of Blue this year, playing her nearly 800 minutes this season -- well more than any other player.
Ryan has asked Blue to take on some new roles this year and Blue has responded brilliantly. When asked to take on more scoring responsibility, Blue became the third leading scorer on the team, averaging 8.7 points per game. When asked to handle the ball more to let Cherrise Graham play at the shooting guard position, Blue responded by leading the team with 87 assists on the season, 37 more than the next highest assist total on the team.
As quiet and unassuming as Blue is, she doesn't hesitate to dazzle on the court, even against some of the top teams in the nation. Against North Carolina she turned her defender completely around as she passed the ball between her legs and stepped back for a three-point shot. Blue has learned so much this year and, as Debbie Ryan said, "this year was about maturation."
Blue is third on the team with 70 turnovers, but she has shown her growth and has turned the ball over only 10 times in the last four games while putting up 14 assists. She is one of only three Cavaliers to have more assists on the season than turnovers.
"We're still a young team, we have a lot of talent," Blue said. "I'm just looking forward to playing two more years."
With the athleticism and talent of Blue, thinking about her potential over the next two years is scary. LaTonya Blue's realization of that potential could very well determine how far the Cavaliers could go the next two years.
Read More
ISTVAN: Tony Bennett left Virginia in a hole
By Ben Istvan | 4 hours agoHis decision to retire doomed this men's basketball season.
Football lands three additional transfers
By Peter Kriebel | 2 days agoOne common trait that stands out with this most recent batch of transfers is size.
