Tucker makes a leap for Cavaliers

ATLANTA — During this young season, Virginia coach Dave Leitao has been searching for guys to step up their games, to be difference makers. On Sunday evening at Georgia Tech, junior forward Jamil Tucker took that step.
The Cavaliers danced for joy on the Alexander Memorial Coliseum floor after an 88-84 overtime upset over host Georgia Tech. Had it not been for Tucker’s big shot at the end of regulation there may not have been reason to dance.
Down 74-71 with 25 seconds to play, Virginia already knew its plan. During a timeout at the 27 second mark, Leitao called a play named “Phoenix,” that calls for freshman guard Sylven Landesberg to get the ball inside the paint, draw the defense and kick it back out to Tucker on the wing.
Spot-on performance
The Cavs executed the play just the way Leitao drew it up during the timeout. Landesberg got the ball inside and spotted Tucker open on the perimeter.
“I just followed directions,” said Tucker, who nailed the huge 3-pointer with 14 seconds showing to knot the game at 74-all, eventually sending the game into the extra period. “Sylven got to the hole like he always does and he just found me in an open spot.”
It was just one of several successful shots by Tucker in the game. For the record, he connected on 6 of 7 field goal attempts, all three of his attempts from Bonusphere, to tie his career high of 15 points.
Praise all around for Tucker
“That was a big shot Jamil hit,” said Landesberg, who scored a game-high 26 points. “That shot just took all the air out of the gym, all the energy out of the gym. Jamil is a great shooter, so I knew as soon as he went up that it was good. He doesn’t shoot a whole lot, but when he does it’s almost a guarantee.”
Ditto that thought from Leitao.
“If you line him up behind the arc and give him an open jump shot, I feel very comfortable that he’s going to make it,” the coach said of Tucker.
Why not? Tucker has made nearly 41 percent of his 3-point attempts during his first two years at Virginia, and an even higher percentage (45.3) of them during ACC regular season games.
However, what has gained the Gary, Ind., native four consecutive starts lately isn’t necessarily his shooting ability, but how he has worked hard to contribute in other ways.
“For Jamil, it’s not about making shots,” Leitao said.
“I know he can do that. He’s done that since he’s been here. It’s about his consistency in all other areas.”
The coach said he challenges Tucker daily during practice to play better defense, to rebound, to use his big body in a more physical way. Leitao said that he can’t predict whether or not Tucker will have a good shooting game every outing, but would like to be confident that he can consistently contribute in all the other areas aforementioned. That is what Leitao is looking for and what Tucker is starting to deliver.
“If I can just lockdown on defense and take care of my responsibilities there, my offense will come,” Tucker said. “I know I’m going to be able to shoot, but defensive rebounding is something I need to work on.”
Defense is what earns players floor time in Leitao’s system. Play it well and the world is yours. Play matador-style defense and feel free to sit and watch.
Tucker knows that’s his weak spot and shows up at practice daily with a mental checklist of defensive items he needs to take care of. It’s always on his mind.
The whole physical thing is a big deal, too. Back at West Side High in Gary, Tucker was the biggest guy on the floor most of the time. At 6-foot-9, 245 or 250 pounds, the rebounds came easy. So did everything else.
In the ACC, a land inhabited by numerous wide bodies and physical beasts, it hasn’t exactly been a walk in the park.
“For the first or second year, I wasn’t the most physical player and having the size that I do, it would be a waste if I didn’t use it,” Tucker admitted. “I understand totally what the coach is saying. At my size, I should be able to get down there and do the things that any other big man in the league would do.”
Now that he’s willing to mix it up a bit, Tucker is becoming a more complete player, the kind of guy that Leitao can rely on night in and night out.
He came up big against the Yellow Jackets, as did guards Calvin Baker (13 points, including the game-winner) and Mustapha Farrakhan (12 points).
The result was Virginia’s third straight win over Tech and second straight on the Jackets’ home court, nicknamed the “Thrillerdome.”
While it would be easy to say the game could be a turning point in Tucker’s career, he believes it was more so that for the Virginia team.
“Us coming together in overtime and being a young team, that’s definitely sending us in the right direction,” Tucker said. “It gives us all confidence.”
Tucker wouldn’t take much credit for his success though.
“Our guard play is helping me,” Tucker said. “Those guys are getting into the holes and that leaves me wide open. All I have to do is knock it down. I think it’s 80 percent them and 20 percent me.”
Whatever the numbers, Leitao will take it. His work-in-progress showed good signs as the baby steps got a little bigger.