Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 9 No. 2 | October 2016

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“It’s never brought up,” Williams said of
the NCAA Tournament. “I’m not saying we’re
ignorant to what’s swirling around. I think
we’re all aware of how grateful we are, and
having said that, we’re all aware of how fragile
this all is.
“We’ve [his staff] spent a lot of time asking
ourselves how can we better teach, better
execute, and be better organized, so that we’re
better prepared. The way that you get off the
track is when you’re bored. The chase can’t be
just physically. It has to be in all facets of your
life. That chase has to be based on, ‘We have to
do this today because tomorrow we have to get
on to the next thing.’ Let’s set aside tomorrow
and be consumed with today.”
Any opportunity of playing deep into March
probably hinges on the performances of the
inside-outside tandem of seniors Zach LeDay
and Seth Allen. The 6-foot-7 LeDay averaged
a team best in points (15.5 ppg) and rebounds
(7.9 rpg) on his way to earning honorable
mention All-ACC honors last season. Allen,
a 6-1 guard, averaged 14.7 points and hit 44
3-pointers. He also led the teamwith 33 steals.
Allen leads a talented, versatile perimeter
group for the Hokies. Justin Bibbs, a 6-6
small forward, averaged 11.7 points and 3.3
rebounds per game a year ago. Bibbs shot 46.9
percent from the floor—strong for a perimeter
player—and served as the Hokies’ primary
3-point threat, making a team-best 76 3’s and
shooting 45 percent from beyond the arc.
Justin Robinson is a combo guard—and
a Williams favorite—who led Tech with 97
assists and just 57 turnovers as a freshman.
If he returns from playing football, Devin
Wilson gives the Hokies a veteran presence in
the backcourt. He dished out 70 assists, with
just 32 turnovers last season.
The wildcard is the return of Ahmed Hill,
who took a redshirt year because of a knee
injury. Hill started 30 games as a freshman in
2014-15 and averaged 8.7 points, 3.7 rebounds
and 1.5 assists per game. More importantly, he
thrives on the defensive end of the court and
gives Tech an element of toughness.
“Never in my career have I seen someone
of his age have the impression without words
that he has within the entire program of how
tough he is,” Williams said. “When his heart is
beating, it’s excreting figurative blood on the
floor. That’s how hard it’s beating. There is not
one player or one coach who does anything
but stand at attention at how hard he goes. I’ve
never seen that in all my years of coaching.”
Freshman Tyrie Jackson, a high-scoring
guard from Georgia, adds depth, along with
forward Matt Galloway, who played in eight
games last season.
In the post, LeDay anchors things and
should get help from both Chris Clarke
and Kerry Blackshear Jr. Clarke, who plays
multiple positions, missed 13 games last
season, primarily because of a broken foot,
but when in the lineup, he averaged 8.4 points
and six rebounds per game. Blackshear Jr.
gave Tech a presence in the post as well and
averaged 6.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per
game. Williams also hopes Johnny Hamilton,
a 7-footer, progresses, and Greg Donlon, a 6-8
senior forward, adds depth.
Williams and his staff addressed the Hokies’
size issues with the signing of Khadim Sy, a
6-10, 240-pounder who played at Oak Hill
Academy last season. They also added Nick
Fullard, a 6-10, 235-pounder who transferred
from Belmont Abbey, but must sit out this
season.
The key, though, could be Outlaw, who,
like Clarke, is a 6-6, 220-pound forward with
the ability to play multiple positions. A North
Carolina native who played his freshman
season at UNC Greensboro, Outlaw signed
with the Tech program in the spring of 2015
after a season at Lee College, a junior college
in Baytown, Texas. He averaged 21.8 points
and five rebounds per game at Lee College.
“I played a lot of post in high school, but
when I got to junior college, I developed a
3-point shot,” Outlaw said. “I stayed consistent
with it. That’s what I did at junior college. Now
I’m at the Division I level, and you’re going to
NICK FULLARD
6-10, C, Jr.
St. Mary’s Ryken/Belmont
Abbey
LaPlata, Maryland
• A transfer from Belmont Abbey
who has to sit out this season
• One of three players who left
Belmont Abbey after
last season
• Averaged 3.2 points and 3.5
rebounds per game last season
• Averaged six points, eight
rebounds and four blocked
shots per game his senior year
of high school
SETH LEDAY
6-7, F, Jr.
The Colony/ Northwest
Mississippi Community
College
Dallas, Texas
• Brother of Zach LeDay
• Will take a redshirt year this
season
• Averaged 18.5 points and eight
rebounds per game last season
• Chose Tech over Nebraska,
Florida Gulf Coast, Southern
Miss, Murray State and
Texas-Arlington
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