Freshmen contributing to Virginia's fast start

Entering the season, not many people could have fathomed a scenario in which all three of Virginia’s freshmen were playing on the court at the same time. Sure, Malcolm Brogdon was a member of coach Tony Bennett’s tight eight-man rotation from the outset, but Darion Atkins had been suspended for the first three games — and seemed stuck behind the more experienced James Johnson — and Paul Jesperson was redshirting.

But lo and behold, the three freshmen found themselves playing together in Virginia’s ACC opener against Miami on Saturday night — and each first-year contributed in Virginia’s 52-51 victory.

"I thought they held their own defensively and they moved the ball," said Bennett, whose team plays at Duke on Thursday night, "and they gave us a great lift, which we needed."

Midway through the second half, with points at a premium, Atkins and Brogdon knocked down back-to-back baskets, which helped fend off a Miami surge.

Virginia (14-1, 1-0) had not made a field goal in over five minutes, and it was Atkins of all people — he had only scored in four games coming into the contest — who hit a jump hook in the lane to put the Cavaliers up 37-34. Then Brogdon drilled a 3-pointer.

Atkins finished with four points, three rebounds and a block in nine minutes of action. Brogdon had five points, four rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes.

In the first half, Atkins had fans at John Paul Jones Arena in a tizzy after a put-back slam of an Akil Mitchell miss. No official stats on dunks are kept, but it’s probable that at least half of Atkins’ points this season have come on jams, usually off offensive rebounds.

"It’s pretty natural, as everyone can see," said Atkins, when asked about his propensity for crashing the boards. "That’s basically what I do. I think that’s the main way that I’m going to get my points, so I just have to keep doing it."

Jesperson, meanwhile, only played four minutes — all in the first half — but he seemed much more comfortable than in the three previous outings that followed the "burning" of his redshirt.

The Wisconsin native made a nice pump fake on a Hurricane defender at the 3-point line, then dribbled in a few feet and swished a mid-range jumper. Jesperson was playing in a lineup that featured Atkins and Brogdon, along with sophomores Joe Harris and Akil Mitchell.

"We had a young group out there in the first half," Bennett said, "and it was good to see Paul hit a shot.

"I said, ‘If you play the right way, it doesn’t matter which year you are.’"

Atkins says he’s seen a difference in Jesperson’s demeanor lately.

"He’s definitely gotten a lot more comfortable," Atkins said. "I’ve talked to him before games and stuff and have said, ‘Play like you’ve already been here and you haven’t redshirted’ and he’s done it."

After KT Harrell and Johnson’s decisions to transfer just before Christmas, Atkins says the freshmen all realized that they were going to be relied on more.

"It was unspoken," he said. "Everybody just knew that they had to step their game up and be ready to come out and bring it."

Against Miami, they did just that.