Everything Tony Bennett said after Virginia’s loss to Wake Forest

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.– Virginia head coach Tony Bennett met with the media after Virginia’s 63-55 loss to Wake Forest on Saturday.

Here is everything he had to say.

On what allowed Wake Forest to find success offensively late in the game:

“I thought, for the most part, we played pretty hard defensively. But they made some plays down the stretch and oftentimes games come down to whether you can you go make a play on either offense or defense. On the glass, offensive rebounding or defensive rebounding. And at times when we trapped the post, we did an okay job and then they found some three-point shooters. Then when we tried to bluff and play one on one, they scored, so they had us in a little bit of a predicament that way. But again, I think they made some plays and I thought we left a lot of baskets out there too. The ability to finish some of those when we had some layups and then just a couple lapses, whether it was defensive rebounding or something at crucial times, it was just enough. The reality is, I told the guys, you play as hard as you can for as long as you can. When you’ve done that, you’ve been in possession games down the stretch. And then you’ve got to be sound and make some plays. Again, Wake Forest certainly did a better job of that, and it was tough because we had some opportunities and played good stretches of basketball. A couple of times our guys had some rhythm looks and they didn’t want to take them, so you just keep working through that stuff and you keep battling.”

On the long scoring droughts

“Got some good looks.. you just try to say, just pursue quality can you make them earn and get tough shots? Then offensively can you get some good looks? Can you get a rhythm shot or something at the rim..and a couple costly turnovers and that’s for something where we got to be better. 11 turnovers not alarming, but there was some where just a little rushing Jayden had a little trouble losing the ball and Kadin had one and didn’t finish it, it would have tightened that game.. you know Reece played played hard and all the guys had stretches really played good basketball. We had a costly turnover, and again, you’re seeing some of the inexperience at times show up, but hats off to Wake Forest for making the plays down the stretch when we had them down seven, and then they tightened up their defense somewhat, again some of their doing, some of our doing, and they kept going after the glass and made the plays.”

On Jayden Gardner’s scoring struggles:

“I think [Gardner]’s got some good looks and sometimes he’s losing the ball. There is a little more length there, they’re a big team and a talented team. That’s a little different, but he’s just got to keep working and figuring it out. He played in a league and played against length and that’s where you use your stuff but again, it wasn’t you got 14 shots so they were there and we’ll have to look at the film to see if there’s any adjustments we can make. But like I said, it’s not for lack of effort for sure.”

On creating a defensive scheme against guard Alondes Williams:

“Sometimes we trapped [Williams] some of the times we didn’t. We guarded him pretty well and didn’t let him get his way but then he got some key offensive rebounds. You look at that and he had five offensive rebounds. He’s really explosive and quick off the floor. Then he made a couple plays in the post and that was significant. And again, the trap was on, it was off. He’s hard to handle one on one at times and we did a good job, but we didn’t come up when we got him to miss a shot. We didn’t always come up with that rebound and that’s why offensive rebounds are there either life-giving or they’re life taken away in terms of that possession. They get another chance and again you look at that and down the stretch their 17 second-chance points, I’m sure a few of those came from that standpoint.”

Everything Tony Bennett said after Virginia’s 54-52 win over Virginia Tech

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.– Virginia men’s basketball secured the 54-52 win after an impressive showing from Francisco Caffaro, who led the team with 16 points and nine rebounds.

Here is everything UVA head coach Tony Bennett had to say after the win.

Tony nine lead changes in the second half; this was a game that obviously could have gone either way. What was the difference in the final three minutes?

First of all, they got two good looks at the end, and that obviously could have gone either way, and they missed them, and it was such a hard fought game. I thought our guys though not maybe perfect or pretty - that’s who we are, and they took a step in the right direction to be as as rugged as they could be on both ends of the floor, and both teams played their hearts out. I told Coach [Mike] Young, and I think he’s a terrific coach. His teams are hard to guard, and [Keve] Aluma, he’s a load, and asked about the trap… you’re kind of playing one-on-one, and they kept going to him and then we did run a trap at him at the end and then it worked out in our favor. He slipped on that play at the end but Francisco..Papi really played well. His physicality was significant, and he was on the glass and then got to the free throw line when we needed it. And I thought Reece [Beekman] and Kihei [Clark], because their guards are good, they’re quick. And especially young man is a Wisconsin guy that is out there, Storm Murphy from Madison, but a very good player but their guards are quick and good.

And Kihei and Reece had their hands full and they worked hard against them and then we were again not perfect but as ready as we could be to guard their stuff because it is difficult and they play good hard defense - kind of mirror of each other and just one of those games for sure.

You went to Papi against Carolina to try to bring some toughness and it didn’t really turn things. Did you challenge him or what was the discussion this week?

I did and I thought in the first half against North Carolina, Papi was pretty good. The second half, we didn’t play well as a team. And you know, [Armand] Bacot got going - his was more off of some offensive rebounds in a few plays. But again, those are two excellent interior players for sure. And Aluma can stretch it out and beat you off the dribble, puts a lot of pressure on your defense. So I thought again, we need to pop in, Kadin [Shedrick] got in early foul trouble, made a couple key blocks, and gave us some lifts there as well.

Second chance points really hurt you in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and 14 second chance points and 11 offensive rebounds. I don’t know what the final numbers were tonight but they they were much less. Emphasis this this week?

Little bit. Few things were a point of emphasis but again, Virginia Tech is so spaced. And sometimes you know they’re different, but they can go to the glass. We did a better job, but their spacing puts pressure on you. They were 7 for 19 from three, and they but yes, you look at fast break points and you know those key areas for us, points off turnovers points, second chance points, and it was so much better, because that one got away from us in a couple of areas against North Carolina.

Where has Caffaro grown his game the most this season?

Well, he’s physical. We use the word intentional, but he’s he’s coming in and he’s purposeful. And if he’s one of the most fun loving young men, I was gonna say, kid, but young men on our team. He always he plays hard. And again, it’s new to him. He has not played a lot, and so now he’s getting to play more. And we need our interiors Kaiden and Papi and Jayden to just, and I know it’s not maybe sexy or appealing to say, but you got to be great screeners for us. You got to be as good of a screener, as good of a rebounder and defender, and then play off of opportunities. And as your game improves, then there’ll be some opportunities for scoring and just challenge them to to serve the team in that role and there’s nothing wrong with that, I coached Aron Baynes at Washington State, and last I checked,. well, he was pretty special - some NBA Finals rings and pretty big contracts. But that’s important for those guys to embrace that role. Keep getting better. And again, that’s when our team’s at its best. So I just have seen him understanding more and he moves a little better at times. He’s a little unorthodox perhaps, but he can move.

We’ve talked so much about Armaan [Franklin] and his three point shooting, but he’s finding so many other ways to contribute. What have you seen from him?

Now he’s been attacking the elbows getting the lay and getting to the basket made two big free throws or you know those and he’s Yeah, nice moving hard and again, you can’t be defined by your your shot he got they were all good looks from three and they one missed a couple but but I like that how he’s I think he’s he’s improving his game too. You can see it he said, Well, let’s look at his three point percentage forget that you can just just play the next game. Take your shots, but he’s impacting the game offensively. Well, and you know, he’s he’s trying his guts out defensively. And that’s, that’s what I said. You guys you have to play as hard as you can as long as you can. And as sound as you can tonight, the way they run their stuff and early, we had some breakdowns and then we tighten it up and again now, you know, again, they miss some shots and all that stuff. That’s part of the game, but we played how we had to have a chance in this one.

Could you talk about the growing leadership you’re getting from Reece?

I think the last handful of games Reece has really taken a step in the right direction, and I like what I’m seeing in that regard. And again, he’s got to just come ready to go and practice and keep keep doing it, but he’s had some solid games. I mentioned Kihei and Reece guarding those guys and, and he’s been a bit more aggressive offensively. And I think his last five games or four or five, six games, whatever. He’s really trending in a good direction, and I hope he’ll just keep staying assertive and keep working and knowing who he is.

Jayden Gardner finished with four points and Kadin didn’t take a shot. Would you have expected this a few months ago? A couple of weeks ago?

Probably not. You know, Jayden made a great pass, that was beautiful. He was rushing a little bit early and losing the ball and had some trouble.. I think the size was a little bit of factors just got to keep adjusting and get used to it. Played hard. I thought he made some good defensive plays down the stretch, and just grow from it and learn from it. And you know, again, Kadin, back to what I said, he’s got to be as good as he can and continue to evolve, improve his game from a scoring standpoint, but a couple key blocks, worked hard, he was frustrated at himself, get a young player and you just got to play beyond that and outlast your belt, as we like to say in a game sometimes, and I’m glad he came back and did some positive things.

It seems like there has been more harmony, maybe guys seem to fit better in roles? What do you think of this team going forward with Wake Forest coming in on Saturday?

I don’t know who won that game but I know what Wake Forest is doing. They’re talented. They’ve revamped the roster; they play so hard. Trying to maybe, simplify may not be the exact word, but be a little clearer role definition - how we have to play..and just trying to let our guys play out of it, without trying to trick it off too much, and I think that’s the best way. So I hope that’s right what you said there’s a little more chemistry or harmony.

I have the utmost respect for Virginia Tech. I think they’re one of the better teams in the league, and they lost some tough ones. They had a break with COVID. And for them to play as well as they did at Duke, played solid here, they can play and it’s just it’s such a balanced league it appears to be, and so you just you get ready every game because if you’re not in the game, it will go to who’s the most ready and the soundest.

The 2022 Grammys will now be held in April

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It was announced earlier this month that the 2022 Grammys would be postponed from its original date of January 31 due to the surge of the o micron variant of COVID . The Recording Academy has now picked a replacement date that seems like a safe enough bet: April 3. The ceremony will also be held in Las Vegas for the first time at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

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As reported by The LA Times, the news was revealed “in a message sent Tuesday to academy members.” The memo to academy members, sent by the CEO Harvey Mason Jr., reads:

We are excited to take the Grammys to Las Vegas for the very first time, and to put on a world class show. From the moment we announced the postponement of the original show date, we have been inundated with heartfelt messages of support and solidarity from the artist community. We are humbled by their generosity and grateful for their unwavering commitment to the Grammy Awards and the Academy’s mission.

This is the second time the Grammys have been postponed because of COVID. Last year, the ceremony was initially scheduled for January 31, but it was changed to March 14, a safer date since COVID vaccinations became more widely available.

This year, the Grammys will be hosted by Trevor Noah. The show begins at 8 p.m. EST, and you can watch either on CBS or Paramount+. The ceremony features some exciting first-time nominees, including Olivia Rodrigo, Japanese Breakfast, Arooj Aftab, Saweetie, and Bo Burnham.

The list of nominees for the most coveted award of the night, Album Of The Year, is stacked, too. The list includes: Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Lil Nas X, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, Kanye West, H.E.R., Justin Bieber, Jon Batiste (who led the nominations with 11 under his belt this year), and Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga as a duo.

‘Keep knocking’: Gardner playing through struggles for UVA

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“Players are going to go through some ebbs and flows, ups and downs and you just keep saying are you getting good looks, take care of the ball and get extra work if you’re struggling,” Bennett said, “I think the size, some people are coming at him, some have doubled, some of the size they are putting bigger guys, so finding the spots where you can get good looks.”

Airdate: One Last Time: An Evening With Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga.

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MTV will air US special, One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, on Friday, also available from Saturday on Paramount+.

Taped in front of a live audience at the legendary Radio City Musical Hall in New York City, the special commemorates Bennett’s 95th birthday and features solo performances and duets from the multiple Grammy Award-winning duo. Gaga covers four jazz standards (“Luck Be a Lady,” “Orange Colored Sky,” “Let’s Do It,” and “New York, New York”) before Bennett’s solo set that includes “Watch What Happens,” “Steppin’ Out,” “Fly Me to the Moon,” and “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” The night closes with three duets as Bennett and Gaga belt “Lady is a Tramp,” “Love for Sale,” and “Anything Goes.”

Friday, 21 January at 8pm on MTV (Saturday, 22 January on Paramount+).