Diane ready to make his mark

At the recent ACC Media Day in Atlanta, Mamadi Diane was asked a point-blank question: Who will take the big shot at the end of games for Virginia this season?

“Me, of course,” said the UVa senior, without a hint of hesitation.

Virginia coach Dave Leitao wasn’t around to hear Diane’s response, but if he had been, he likely would have been pleased.

For three years, Leitao and an army of UVa fans have been waiting for Diane to step up, take charge and not be afraid to fail.

Well, it’s now or never for Diane. And, if you believe the words coming out the soft-spoken Diane’s mouth, his time is now.

“To this point, I haven’t really done much that would leave a lasting impression,” said the 6-foot-5 wing. “That’s just what I believe.

“I hope that by the time I leave next year, I will have left an impression on the program — a positive impression, just a blueprint for the team for years to come.”

Diane was recruited by former Virginia coach Pete Gillen. When he first arrived at UVa, Leitao raved about him. He said Diane had an indescribable “it” factor that made him special.

Early in his freshman season, Diane showed great flashes on both the offensive and defensive end that supported Leitao’s assertion.

Diane had 17 points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots in his college debut against Liberty. A few games later, he had 18 points and six rebounds in an ACC-Big Ten Challenge win over Northwestern. An impressive 14-point, seven-rebound outing against Georgia Tech followed.

However, sprinkled among those standout performances were nightmarish efforts in which Diane looked totally out of it mentally.

Many people wrote those games off to freshman-itis, but the same pattern continued Diane’s sophomore and junior years.

During that time, the fiery Leitao’s in-your-face approach seemed to take a toll on Diane.

“When I was younger, it got to me sometimes,” Diane admitted. “I really tried not to let it, but I really would…I would say anybody getting yelled at the way I was would be unhappy at times.”

Diane said he often felt “confused and unsure.”

However, as he has grown older, he has begun to understand the messages ensconced in Leitao’s tirades.

“He’ll give you a long speech and yell at you, but you take something simple out of it,” Diane said. “You just have to learn what to take out of it.”

Conversely, it has taken Leitao time to understand Diane.

“We haven’t always been exact in our thought process,” Leitao said, “[but] I think he’s in a much better place than any other time before. I think he has an understanding of not only what I’m asking of him, but what’s being required of him.

“I feel comfortable and confident that he’ll at least be mentally better than he ever has been.”

Physically speaking, it’s hard not to be impressed with Diane’s game. When McDonald’s All-American Sylven Landesberg first scrimmaged with Diane, he couldn’t believe how good Diane was.

Diane, whose scoring average has increased in each of his first three seasons — he averaged 11.8 last season — has a unique blend of athleticism and skill.

His biggest problem has seemed to be trusting that ability.

Diane says he has often harped on his mistakes too much.

“I put a lot of pressure and thought into everything,” he said. “I’ve got to be the one to let those things go and always stay positive.

“In the past, I think it’s been a mental thing more than anything. As I get older, I’d like to say I get through that more and more. Hopefully this year I can be more consistent.”

For a team that has lost All-ACC guard Sean Singletary and has been predicted to finish last in the ACC, that absolutely needs to happen.

The onus for picking up the slack will fall on a number of players. However, as a tri-captain and one of just two seniors on the team, the microscope will be firmly focused on Diane.

“He needs to be a better version of himself,” Leitao said. “If he’s that, then he’ll naturally be a better leader and better player and contributor, and think things through in a much better way.”

Added Diane: “It’s my last year. I definitely want to go out and accomplish something better than I’ve done since I’ve been here.”