The Virginia Cavaliers lost point guards, Harold Deane and swingman Jamal Robinson, to graduation. The two provided scoring punch, but more importantly they provided leadership.
Coach Jeff Jones is not worried about one of the men who will fill the void on this year's Cavs team-senior shooting guard Curtis Staples.
"I know how badly Curtis wants this team to win," said Jones at the start of the season. "I believe it's fairly obvious he's willing to work and accept whatever role he's assigned in order to accomplish that goal. He has the makings of an excellent leader and I look for him to have an outstanding year."
Staples has been in the spotlight throughout his tenure as a Cavalier. Last year, he was second on the team in scoring with 13.9 points per game and has accumulated 1,214 points thus far in his Virginia career.
He is best known and respected throughout the nation as a three-point specialist. He is UVa's all time leading three point shooter, with 301 triples. He is fourth all time in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the same category and only the 27th player in NCAA history to make more than 300 three-pointers in a career.
Cavalier teammate and fellow senior Norman Nolan agrees that Staples is a special player.
"He's a smart player," Nolan said. "He can really shoot the three and he's hard to guard. He constantly moves around on offense. He's also a real good rebounder."
In Saturday's game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Blue Devils will have to contain Staples in order to win. Staples' ability to make use of his teammates' screens, receive the ball and then quickly put it back up for a shot makes him tough to contain.
"He's a great three-point shooter," said junior guard Trajan Langdon. "We have to stay with him and not let him get an open look. If he gets one, it could turn into three or four."
Langdon will be matched up with Staples initially, but freshmen Will Avery and Shane Battier could find themselves in their first ACC game face to face with one of the conference's premier shooters. Langdon feels it will be the overall team effort that will make the difference.
"The big guys inside have done a great job," Langdon said. "We'll look for and depend on them inside and outside for help."
Staples can break down defenses and play the role of the distributor as well.
"A lot of his ability to penetrate is because of the respect people have for him," said point guard Steve Wojciechowski. "We'd rather have him pass for a two point shot than take a three pointer."
Staples has stepped up his play this year, averaging 18.2 points per game and shooting 42.9 percent from behind the three-point line in his first five games. The only question that remains is if he can lead his Cavalier team into ACC action with an upset victory over No. 1 Duke.
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