Cavs’ Diane healthy

When you consider that seven of Virginia coach Dave Leitao’s players missed games last season because of injuries, a logical query heading into today’s first practice of the season is the health of his 2008-09 outfit.
“We’re OK. We’re not 100 percent,” Leitao said. “We have a number of issues that we’re managing that will cost some of the guys a little time here and there, but hopefully there’s nothing chronic that will have to be managed over the course of the season as we have before.”
Leitao’s biggest concern has to be the status of senior swingman Mamadi Diane. The team’s leading returning scorer underwent foot surgery in the offseason and has only recently begun participating in contact drills.
“Mo is still recovering,” Leitao said. “Although he’s healthy, he’s not back to where he was before his surgery, so he’s starting off a little bit behind the eight ball.”
Leitao will be looking for more than just scoring from Diane this season. The
6-foot-5 swingman is one of just two seniors. Leitao says Diane, who did not play in the team’s exhibition games over Labor Day weekend, will be “limited” in the early going.
“He’s probably had only one contact session where he’s went up against defense or defended somebody since the season ended in the spring time,” Leitao said. “Quite naturally, that affects so many other areas. [It affects] his own game, his rhythm, his timing, and his confidence and trusting — as every one has to do after surgery — your body again.
“That’s going to take a little bit of time for all those things to come around. He won’t be himself probably for a little while.”
Another player whom Leitao is keeping his fingers crossed about is fifth-year senior Tunji Soroye. The
6-foot-11 Nigerian played in only two games last season because of knee and back woes.
In the offseason, Soroye didn’t know whether he would be granted a medical redshirt that would allow him to return to school. Leitao said that uncertainty affected Soroye’s rehabilitation.
“When he came back with us in August, I thought he was behind physically,” said Leitao, who will be looking for Soroye to provide a shotblocking presence, “but more behind mentally because I don’t think he had looked at this whole process with any real assurance that he was definitely going to be here.
“This fall, he hasn’t had any health issues with his knee or back — knock on wood. He’s been able to get in better shape and get his mind back around to, ‘Hey, I’m going to be here and I’m going to have a good last year.’ ”
Leitao, whose team opens on Nov. 16 against VMI, can only hope that holds true for the rest of his walking wounded.