Most college basketball analysts and prognosticators hold low expectations for Virginia this season. The Cavaliers were picked to finish last in the conference by a media poll taken at ACC Media Day in Greensboro, N.C. If the Cavaliers defy these dire pre-season predictions, it will likely be because of the strength of Virginia's backcourt.
"The one area where we do have some experience is in the backcourt," head coach Dave Leitao said.
Virginia's current roster is marked by a dearth of reliable talent in the frontcourt. The Cavaliers lost their top-two leading scorers to graduation following last season. Forwards Devin Smith and Elton Brown led Virginia with 15.5 and 12.8 points per game, respectively. Both players are playing professional basketball -- Smith in Spain and Brown in Greece.
Therefore, sophomore point guard Sean Singletary and junior shooting guard J.R. Reynolds will likely need to elevate their scoring proficiency to ensure an efficient offensive attack.
In Friday's exhibition game against Concordia, Singletary and Reynolds combined for 47 points in Virginia's 98-62 victory.
"They want what I want, which is great," Leitao said. "They've been very vocal in encouraging the team to be where they are supposed to be and do what they are supposed to do. They've been adjectives for what I'm trying to instill here -- getting up at 6 a.m., staying late, shooting extra and doing all the little things."
The ACC was stocked with talented point guards last season. This year, however, there is a noticeable lack of experienced veterans at the position because of the departures of star point guards such as North Carolina's Raymond Felton, N.C. State's Julius Hodge, Maryland's John Gilchrist, Georgia Tech's Jarrett Jack and Wake Forest's Chris Paul.
Singletary is now viewed as one of the most talented and respected point guards in the ACC. As a rookie, Singletary started all 29 of Virginia's games and averaged 10.5 points per game. The Philadelphia native also led the Cavaliers with 3.9 assists per game.
Reynolds is Singletary's partner in crime in the backcourt. Reynolds averaged 10.7 points per game last year but struggled with his offensive consistency at times. He averaged only 8.9 points per game in conference matchups, a larger drop off than that of any other of Virginia's normal starters last season. Reynolds played brilliantly in Friday's exhibition game, leading Virginia with 25 points.
"I feel like I'm now the guy with the most experience on the team," Reynolds said. "I'm one of the captains, so leadership is something I have to do. When the team is down, I have to be that guy to try to bring it up. Whenever we fall apart, I have to try to bring us together."
Reynolds will be asked to bring the ball up court more often this season.
"I feel real comfortable with it," Reynolds said. "When the ball is in your hands, you get a better feel of the game, so I feel real good about it."
Junior backup point guard T.J. Bannister is suffering from a sports hernia, and it is unclear when he will return to the hardwood. He averaged 4.3 points and 22.6 minutes per game last year. Senior walk-on guard Billy Campbell notched 13 minutes in Friday's victory and has played well in pre-season practices. A healthy Bannister and a productive Campbell could aid Leitao in reducing the wear and tear on Singletary and Reynolds over the course of the season.
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