In our Virginia basketball vs Navy calbearsmaven preview, we’ll discuss Armaan Franklin, Greg Summers, Alondes Williams, and more. These four players should provide plenty of scoring for the Cavaliers, but there are a few other big questions for Virginia. Let’s begin with the biggest question, “How will they fare without their star guards?”
Armaan Franklin
The Virginia Cavaliers men’s basketball team is back in action Tuesday. It hasn’t played since early March, and the Cavaliers look to get their season back on track against the Navy Midshipmen. In this preview, we’ll look at the new faces we’ve come to expect from this team. Head coach Tony Bennett added newcomers such as Armaan Franklin and Jayden Gardner, as well as some veteran players.
A big question mark surrounding the Midshipmen is their new star wing, Armaan Franklin. Last season, he was the top on-ball defender in the Big Ten. He is a quick big and has a good handle on ball screens. Combined with his athleticism, he should be able to lock down the fundamentals of Tony Bennett’s defensive system.
First off, Navy is a good team. They were 15-3 during the regular season and 12-1 in the Patriot League. They lost by 30 to Maryland in the Patriot League tournament, but had beaten them three times previously. They also won at Georgetown on the road. So, the Cavs need to win in order to remain relevant. And if they can beat Virginia on Friday night, they should be in good shape.
Unlike Virginia, Navy has plenty of talent returning. Last year, the team finished 15-2 overall and 12-1 in the Patriot League. As such, they received the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament, their first since 1997. Similar to Virginia’s season, the Seahawks were plagued by COVID-19 cases. The team lost two starters, and played the final game against Loyola without them. The Wahoos beat Loyola twice in the final week of the regular season.
Jayden Gardner
With a relatively low scoring average, the Cavaliers should get some help from sophomore guard Gerald Gardner. The former Duke forward averaged 18.0 points and 8.7 rebounds in his first three seasons. He was named AAC Player of the Year in 2020. At 6’7 and 235 pounds, Gardner is athletic and capable of making mid-range jumpers.
The Cavaliers have been missing several players this season, and one of them is guard Armaan Franklin. He missed six games last season because of a cardiac issue, and the Cavaliers are missing a lot of guards. Still, the Cavaliers have some depth at the guard position. Stattmann is a 6’8″ guard with perimeter shooting ability.
The Cavaliers are coming off of a 54-52 win over Virginia Tech. Meanwhile, the Demon Deacons were swept by Duke last week in Winston-Salem. The Cavaliers and Demon Deacons last met 70-61 on January 6, 2021 in Charlottesville. Jayden Gardner’s game preview will provide Virginia with the information they need to win.
For the Cavaliers, AJ Greenwood and Kihei Clark are two bright spots. Both are freshmen, but both are talented. Northern Iowa hopes to compete in the MVC. Meanwhile, Georgia Tech, a team that won the ACC event last year, brings back four starters from its NCAA event team. While Loyola Marymount is a midmajor with the talented freshman Eli Scott, this squad will have to play well offensively to win this match.
Greg Summers
Virginia is without one of its best players, and this is no different against Navy. The Cavaliers will be without Austin Summers (hamstring), who will sit out because of a hamstring injury. In his absence, freshman Austin Inge will get the start. Summers is averaging about 27 minutes per game. Let’s see what he has to say about the matchup.
The Cavaliers return to action this week, hosting Navy for their first game of the season. After losing to Ohio in their final game of last season, Virginia is eager to get back on the court and prove its worth. Unlike last season, the Cavaliers will be facing a team that is largely made up of transfers. While the team has some new faces, there are still plenty of questions to answer.
The Cavaliers lost a majority of their scoring from last year’s team. With just one returning starter, the Cavaliers will rely on newcomers and sophomores to provide the scoring needed to keep the Cavaliers competitive. This year, the Cavaliers’ defense is more stout and efficient than ever. However, the Cavaliers have an edge on the boards.
This is a must-see game for both teams. After beating the Cavaliers, the Midshipmen are going to need to replace Cam Davis. They will also have to replace eight other players that averaged double-digit minutes last year. John Carter Jr. led the Midshipmen in scoring, assists, and steals. The Midshipmen are picking to finish third in the Patriot League preseason poll.
Alondes Williams
The Alondes Williams has been the top scorer for Wake Forest this season. The graduate transfer is averaging 20.7 points per game, and he is shooting 54.8 percent from the field. In addition to Williams’s stellar shooting, he is also the team’s number one assist man. He averages 6.7 rebounds per game. If the Cavaliers want to keep up with him, they’ll have to slow him down.
While there were a few off days in the early part of the season, Williams has been one of the best players in the ACC. His patented downhill drive has carved teams open. He has also been a reliable source of skip passes for the Cavaliers, and he ranks among the top seven players in the country in iso efficiency. Williams’ constant pressure forced the Cavaliers to change their defense, and it forced the Cavaliers to play faster than they normally would.
Navy is a good team, but they are not as talented as Virginia. Navy was 15-3 overall last season and 12-1 in the Patriot League. The only loss for them was to Loyola in the Patriot League Tournament, but they had already defeated the Rams three times. Their only loss this season came against Maryland, which was also ranked high in the preseason polls.
The Midshipmen haven’t beaten a team in the Top 25 of the Associated Press Poll since 1986. However, they did hold a lead for 35 minutes against No. 25 Virginia. The Cavaliers are the reigning National Champions, and they are led by Tony Bennett. John Carter Jr. led the way with 19 points in a thrilling game last season.
The Virginia Cavaliers return to action on Tuesday night. They haven’t played since March, but are eager to get back in the win column. The Cavaliers have many fresh faces, including newcomers Armaan Franklin and Jaylen Gardner. Both players had strong performances last year, knocking down the game-winning bucket against Iowa.
