Hokies Hold Twitter-Fueled Open Scrimmage at Cassell

Buzz Williams, notorious for sweating through his fashionable sideline apparel, didn't even break a sweat tonight.

Armed with a microphone and a smile, Williams served as the evening's MC while his assistant coaches handled the action on the floor. From distributing inspirational quote cards to organizing a basketball-themed game of musical chairs, Williams' focus seemed solely on the 300-some students in attendance.

"We have to give them reasons to wanna come," said Williams. "Along that path, we need to have relationships with them. Doing stuff like this I think is helpful."

One student, Tyler Britt, who asked Williams on Twitter to hold an open scrimmage for fans, took center stage on Wednesday.

"It started with Tyler, the kid who tweeted me," said Williams. "He had the best seat in the house. He was sitting over there at center court. I respect guys that have guts to do stuff like that."

The orange-clad MC even made a promise to the students — if they can fill up the student section on a nightly basis, he'll do his best to get them moved down to the sideline similar to Michigan State's Breslin Center.

"What I said was, 'when all of those (seats) are full and when we win enough, then we'll try to do what Michigan State does,'" said Williams. "I think if you look at what (Tom) Izzo did, that's how it all started. It all has to start somewhere."

But while Williams entertained the students, the Hokies played a little basketball.

The teams were rotated constantly throughout the night, so both the starting lineup and bench rotation remain a mystery.

Hokie fans did get to see former Maryland point guard Seth Allen in maroon and orange for the first time, and Allen certainly didn't disappoint. The redshirt junior, who averaged 13.4 points per game in his final year at Maryland, flashed his dynamic scoring ability from the opening tip. While Allen was strong offensively, Williams clearly wanted more from his transfer on the defensive end.

Asked if he was pleased with Allen's defense, Williams responded, "No."

How can he improve?

"Play it," deadpanned a (somewhat) joking Williams.

With junior point guard Devin Wilson returning and freshman point guard Justin Robinson thrown into the mix, Allen worked primarily off the ball at the two-guard spot. It's anyone's guess as to how Williams will utilize his three ball handlers, but don't be shocked when two of them play together.

"I don't ever call our guys by position," said Williams. "I don't think we're playing football where everybody has a certain spot and you huddle for thirty seconds before you call the next play. I think the games morphed into guys that can pass, dribble and shoot. The ones that play the most and the guys that have the most versatility defensively are the ones that are able to play with more guys. So we wanna have as many guys on the floor as we can that can pass, dribble and shoot."

Jalen Hudson, last seen as his assertive alter-ego "Tyrone" at the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, channeled his inner-Tyrone and attacked the basket with a purpose throughout the night. Hudson attributed his aggressiveness to a new read-and-react style offense that should allow the Hokies to get downhill off of more ball screens.

"We have a new offense. I think we're a little more confident in it than we were last year. I think the offense fits our team better," said Hudson. "...It's a more read-first offense. It's not set plays. We're doing what the defense gives us."

Chris Clarke, the jewel of the Hokies recruiting class, showcased his dynamic athleticism and slashing ability throughout the scrimmage. At one point, Clarke was matched up on the wing with a 6'10" Kerry Blackshear. Clarke recognized the mismatch and exploded past Blackshear for an easy layup.

Next time down the floor? Blackshear, apparently weary of guarding Clarke, switched to walk-on Matt Galloway and Jalen Hudson took Clarke.

While Blackshear didn't have a great performance, he did knock down a contested three and made a beautiful post move for two along the baseline. After the scrimmage, Williams gushed about the basketball IQ and potential of Blackshear.

"Ultra-skilled. Incredibly smart. For sure the smartest freshman I've coached through 15 practices," said Williams. "If you tell him once, he gets it and understands...We're gonna need him to play. I think his versatility allows him to play the 4. He was the least heralded new guy on the team. Typically those guys end up doing the best because they have an edge."

As Williams alluded to, Blackshear will play early and often, at least in part because he'll be needed on the glass.

"We're really bad rebounding," lamented Williams. "We've gotta figure out how we can address that."

Zach LeDay, a transfer from South Florida who was forced to sit out last season, was easily the Hokies most active rebounder. While he likely won't contribute much in the scoring column, LeDay could see significant playing time if the Hokies continue to struggle on the boards. And even though he's an undersized forward at just 6'7", Williams doesn't necessarily see height as a requirement to be a great rebounder.

"I don't think how big you are has anything to do with rebounding," said Williams. "I think your heart, how hard you play, understanding the value of a possession is probably where it should start."

Other Observations

• Satchel Pierce didn't play a ton of minutes and was fairly quiet
• Johnny Hamilton, touted as more of a defensive, shot-blocking presence coming into the season, showed nice touch around the basket
• Justin Bibbs drilled multiple three pointers and looked comfortable throughout the night
• Shane Henry played a decent amount of minutes, but was quiet except for one block
• Justin Robinson appeared relaxed with the ball in his hands, but didn't create much on offense
• Devin Wilson looked like he has for the past two years: solid ball handler, good passer, will struggle to score unless he attacks the rim