UVA's basketball teams will play with muted New York accents

CHARLOTTESVILLE - New York may be the center of the hoops world, but it's opening up a satellite campus in Charlottesville.

The Virginia men's and women's programs both feature star players that will bring the NYC to JPJ this year -- in a toned-down form, of course.

Sylven Landesberg and China Crosby grew up playing a style of streetball that favors big plays and flashy moves. Their college coaches aren't as eager to see that duplicated.

"It's a big adjustment," Landesberg said. "Back home you get the ball, and it's like -- everybody clear out. You don't score, you don't get the ball the next time down."

He's the veteran of the two, entering his sophomore year. Crosby is arriving as a freshman. The two said they knew of each other in New York through the AAU circuit and all-star games. Both players were McDonald's All-Americans.

Women's basketball coach Debbie Ryan got the first glimpse of what she'd be up against when she went to visit Crosby in New York. There were 9,000 people at the game, jumping up and down and dancing when big plays were made.

"Coach told me at one practice that 'this is not the And1,'" said Crosby, who grew up in the shadow of Yankee Stadium. "It's going to be hard. I know it is. It's adjusting to a new lifestyle."

She said she's looking forward to playing with U.Va. senior Monica Wright, a preseason All-American who is the Cavs' leader on and off the court.

Wright has been happy to have someone tag along for her demanding offseason workouts, including plenty of running.

"I'll get tired, but she's like a bull. She just keeps running and running," Crosby said. "On the 40th lap she's still trying to pick up the pace a little more."

For Landesberg, offseason training took him to a gym back in New York, where he took 1,000 shots a day in the summer heat.

He started with some shots in the morning, moved to conditioning in the afternoon, and finished it off with some footwork, even doing some boxing to mix things up.

After a strong freshman season, coach Tony Bennett has urged Landesberg not only to lift his game, but also his teammates.

"Every good player I've been around, the real good ones, they just find a way to make their teammates better," Bennett said. "He'll be a marked man this year, without a doubt."

Landesberg says consistent involvement wasn't always his strong suit during an otherwise dazzling first year.

"Sometimes I would take plays off," he said. "If I didn't have the ball, I would just watch the action."

That's part of the game in New York, where playmakers make plays and everybody else enjoys the show. But he's learning that in Charlottesville, it's all about the team.

It's the same for Crosby, who the team will count on to stretch the floor with her shooting touch, then distribute the ball to open players.

But don't get the wrong idea about these two -- they're no longer playing the flashy style, but their personalities remain unchanged. Crosby has already started teaching her teammates elaborate high-five routines for pregame introductions, and when Landesberg gets the ball and sees a play, he's not going to resist.

"Oh, I've still got that swag," he said with a smile. "I still know what to do."

That's good news for fans at John Paul Jones Arena, which looks like it will play host to this season's hottest off-Broadway show.

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Contact Michael Phillips at (804) 649-6546 or mphillips@timesdispatch.com