It was an eventful afternoon that began with the recognition and reveal of Tony Bennett Court at John Paul Jones Arena. After a deserving ceremony and official court dedication for the legendary coach, accompanied by family, former players, and thousands of fans, the Virginia Cavaliers hosted the Miami Hurricanes in a pivotal ACC matchup.
There was no shortage of “cannon” moments on Saturday afternoon. Luckily, we were on the floor and everywhere around Tony Bennett Court at John Paul Jones Arena
to capture it all. Here are my top five photos.
1. Much Deserved, Coach
During his speech after the signature reveal, Tony Bennett took the microphone and talked about everyone but himself, as expected. He mentioned that the ceremony, the court dedication, was “more than he deserved,” which everyone on the planet except for himself knows to be false. His name being on the court at John Paul Jones Arena is exactly what he deserves for not only building a program that lasts, but also the way in which he did it.
2. The Perfect Gift
Ryan Odom and Kyan Patel came up with the perfect gift for Tony Bennett. A very well done painting of Ryan Odom’s father, Dave Odom, and Tony Bennett embracing. Odom mentioned before the painting was revealed that Tony and he were both very proud coaches’ sons. A touching tribute to two legends of the Virginia Basketball family tree.
3. Ready to Roll
This five seems to always be ready. Chance Mallorry, Sam Lewis, Jacari White, Ugonna Onyenso, and Thijs De Ridder have a collective +/- of +305 throughout their eight-game win streak. That is an undeniable stat that should not be overlooked. This five is special and should be used as much as possible.
4. A site to see
Chance Mallory, one of the last athletes to be partially recruited by Tony Bennett, pressing on defense just in front of the signature that will remain on the court at John Paul Jones for the remainder of its existence.
5. Big Time Players Make Big Time Plays
I have successfully baited you into a photo gallery of Tony Bennett and Chance Mallory. That was not my intention, but here we are. Mallory made a veteran move in the waning seconds of this ballgame, leading to three free throws and ultimately a victory that moved Virginia to 24-3 (12-2, ACC) on the season.
