Former coach Bennett honored by Cavaliers
CHARLOTTESVILLE As a banner honoring Tony Bennett ascended to the rafters at John Paul Jones Arena, Isaiah Wilkins looked on, absorbing the moment while memories flooded into his mind.
Wilkins played four seasons at Virginia for Bennett from 2014-2018, then returned to Charlottesville to coach under Bennett, after Wilkins three-year pro career ended.
I was really just taking it all in, Wilkins said Saturday night, after most everyone had cleared out of the arena.
It was a really special moment.
Bennett amassed special moments during his 15 years leading the Cavaliers program, resurrecting it before elevating it to new heights.
He led Virginia to six ACC regular-season titles, two conference tournament championships and the 2019 national championship, before shocking the college basketball world by retiring in October, just three weeks before this season tipped off.
Standing alone at midcourt during the halftime ceremony Saturday, a spotlight shining on him, Bennett admitted the attention made him, a bit uncomfortable.
He joked that the whole event was making him look good in front of his parents, who were on the court, as well, along with his wife, Laurel, and their two children.
And he drew laughter when he apologized for never letting his team wear all orange uniforms.
Bennett thanked his former players, the fans and athletic director Carla Williams.
He took the opportunity to call out the current climate in college athletics, the impetus behind his unforeseen retirement, when he pointed to the national championship banner and called it, possibly, the last amateur national championship banner.
Bennett, who cried during his retirement press conference just over four months ago, exuded inner peace Saturday, a man showing no regrets about his decision to walk away.
He told the crowd his tenure at UVA was the time of a lifetime for 15 years.
The banner Virginia hoisted to the rafters in a halftime ceremony during the teams 75-61 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday, was emblazoned with Bennetts name and years 2009-2024.
The orange rectangle with white and blue lettering climbed toward the top of the arena as music played and an appreciative sell-out crowd stood and cheered.
Of course, its the banner that Bennett helped hang after 2019, the one celebrating the programs only national title, that made him forever a part of UVA history.
And it's the way Bennett and his team got to that title, rebounding from one of college basketballs all-time biggest upsets to cut down the nets in Minneapolis, that is truly the legacy the school celebrated Saturday.
Bennetts run at Virginia stands as an ode to resolve and conviction some could label it stubbornness and to grace and humility in both victory and defeat.
Bennetts preferred style of play, emphasizing defense and employing a patient, efficient offense, became a target for national media types to take convenient shots at whenever Virginia stumbled.
And theres no denying there were some notable stumbles.
Bennett had the Cavaliers poised to reach the Final Four in 2016, but they squandered a 15-point lead with 9:32 to play against Syracuse.
And, of course, in 2018, Virginia was arguably the favorite to win it all before falling to UMBC, becoming the first one-seed to be stunned by a 16-seed in the NCAA tournaments first round.
That was Wilkins senior season, and his final game.
Still, Bennett never wavered.
Critics would point to those moments as signs Bennetts way would never produce a champion.
Bennett then and now a man of deep faith considers them simply a part of the journey that reached its peak the year after the UMBC heartbreak, when stars Kyle Guy, DeAndre Hunter and Ty Jerome came back and led UVA to the championship.
Those three were among the former players on hand Saturday to honor their former coach.
Guy is now an assistant at Virginia.
Jerome and Hunter play professionally for the Cleveland Cavaliers and, after a game Friday night in Washington, had the weekend off.
They saw UVA under the direction of interim coach Ron Sanchez, a Bennett assistant since both men were at Washington State jump out to a 9-0 lead and never let up, beating Georgia Tech in the Cavaliers most complete home ACC victory of the season.
Isaac McKeely scored 20 points, knocking down four 3-pointers, and Dai Dai Ames added 18.
Point guard Andrew Rohde, who Bennett stuck with last season despite horrendous shooting woes, continued his steady play, scoring 11 while dishing out nine assists and not committing a turnover.
I thought we played good team ball tonight, Wilkins said.
I thought that was, in a way, a tribute.
Sanchez showed some of Bennetts influence when he laughed after being asked about wanting to win Saturday for Bennett.
I really wasnt thinking about Tony much today, to be honest, Sanchez said.
Sanchez said his conversations with Bennett during the week centered on basketball, not Saturdays celebration, classically on-brand for both hyper-focused and super-competitive men.
But Bennett and Bennetts family were clearly on Sanchezs mind in the final moments of the victory.
With 1:04 to play and Virginia ahead 73-57, Sanchez inserted a trio of walk-ons into the game including Bennetts son, Eli.
To have the opportunity to put Eli into the game, along with others, while his father was being honored, I did it more for me than I did it for them, Sanchez said.
Ive known Eli since, gosh, I think he was one when I met him.
He was with me in Charlotte.
Hes back here with me now.
To have the opportunity and the privilege to put him on the court on such a special day for both Laurel and Tony was just a gift for me.
Eli, fittingly, came up with a steal, then dribbled up the court and pushed the ball to teammate Bryce Walker, who dished it to Desmond Roberts for the Cavaliers final basket of the night.
The video board showed Bennett and his father, proudly applauding the most apropos of endings for a night honoring Bennett.
It would be a defensive play, right? Wilkins said..
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