Singletary provides MasterCard moment

Sixty thousand dollars to beat Richmond in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational in front of 4,200 fans.
Another 60 grand to beat Old Dominion in the second round as 6,460 fans sounded more like 15,000.
A chance to see Sean Singletary work his magic one more time: Priceless.
Virginia’s senior point guard has made 200 steals during his career, but none bigger than the one that came with seven seconds remaining Monday night. That’s when Singletary’s split-second anticipation resulted in a steal near mid-court and a dramatic breakaway layup that nearly brought the house down.
An incredible run
It was the final play in a personal, 25-second highlight reel that will be frozen in memory throughout Virginia basketball history. Down 74-72 to the visiting Monarchs, Singletary scored two free throws with 29.6 seconds to play, then seven seconds later stepped behind a Lars Mikalauskas screen to drill a 3-pointer off the glass, knotting the game at 75-all.
But, as we have become accustomed to witnessing, No. 44 saved the best for the last.
With time ticking down, Singletary guarded ODU’s Brandon Johnson closely as he brought the ball down the court. During film study, Singletary always looks for tendencies and so he had noticed that the Monarchs’ guard liked to crossover dribble and was very deliberate in doing so.
Study paying off
During the game, those tendencies held true and when the right time came, Singletary struck like a cobra, taking the ball from Johnson before racing to the basket for the go-ahead goal and was fouled with 4.3 seconds to play in Virginia’s 80-75 win.
“I noticed all night that if I’m leaning to one side, then he’s going to go the other way,” Singletary said, confirming what he learned in the film study. “I knew that with time running out that he was going to attack. He went from left to right, so I just played him on the left and made him go right. I knew he would cross over.”
That’s exactly what Johnson, who is, ironically, the CAA’s Defensive Player of the Year and steals leader, decided to do, and Singletary was waiting.
“When [Johnson] took the retreat dribble, I just put my hand down there and he put the ball right in my hand,” Singletary said, delivering yet another Cavalier moment.
You’ve no doubt heard of the great Celtics highlight, “Havlicek Stole the Ball,” with the gravely voice of Johnny Most bellowing out the dramatic steal and win. Then there was Jordan’s steal against Virginia at Carmichael Auditorium that is part of ACC history.
Undoubtedly, Singletary’s steal will go down in Cavalier lore as one of the most dramatic moments, even if it did come in the CBI.
“I don’t think a competitor differentiates competition,” said UVa coach Dave Leitao after watching his team improve to 17-15, setting up a tournament semifinal game against Bradley on Wednesday night.
“He wants to beat you at anything. That’s what competitors do. Come to practice and he’s going full speed ... he’s trying to beat somebody’s brains out. He doesn’t know any other way.”
For the game, Singletary scored 22 points (his 54th straight double-figure game, most in UVa history), had 10 assists, only one turnover, and three steals, the last of which was rather memorable.
“I don’t remember the other ones,” Singletary said of his previous 199 thefts. “Because it’s postseason play, it would be up there.”
True to his character, he didn’t want all the credit.
“Hey, if Jamil [Tucker] doesn’t knock down shots and if Mamadi [Diane] and Lars [Mikalauskas] don’t come to play, then we’re not even in the situation to win the game,” Singletary aptly pointed out.
Diane (14 points), Tucker (11), and Mikalauskas (10) were responsible for part of the Cavaliers’ staggering 41 points off the bench and ignited yet another second-half CBI comeback to keep the season alive.
But, when it came to white knuckles time, there was no question that No. 44 would answer the bell.
Eight points in 25 seconds and the game-winning steal. What more could a player do?
“It’s amazing to see him do these things, especially the steal at the end of the game,” Diane said. “I’m worried about coming off screens and I look up and Sean has the ball. I couldn’t believe it happened.”
Well, yes, he could.
“That’s when Sean really flourishes, late in the game in tight situations,” Diane added. “It’s not out of the ordinary.”
No sooner had Singletary scored on the layup, he and the rest of the joint erupted into a wild celebration. He was pumping his fists, surrounded by Diane and Mikalauskas. Freshman Mustapha Farrakhan was running wildly out on the court. The Jack had turned into a madhouse.
“I could tell no difference in the crowd tonight and the 15,000 that had been in here,” Leitao said. “Sean just continues to rewrite a a story that’s already a best-seller in the annals of Virginia basketball.”
The steal was about the only thing that could overshadow Singletary’s banked in shot from Bonusphere.
Even though he had taken only 10 shots in the game leading up to the trey, he noticed that Johnson was giving him a slight opening, all that Singletary really requires.
“Lars set me a nice little screen and gave me room, so in my mind it was going in,” Singletary said. “If you’ll look at the film, you can see that I called ‘bank.’”
Appropriate for a guy who has been ‘money’ ever since he walked in the doors at UVa.
Now, for Singletary and his pals, it’s on to the CBI’s version of the Final Four.
Now, Debbie it’s your turn to beat OD-Who?