Virginia Basketball Quick Take: Jay Huff

The Virginia basketball team moved to 8-0 on the season with Saturday’s 75-54 win against Lehigh. After the victory, Jay Huff visited with the media where The Sabre got a chance to ask a few quick questions about the game and the season.

Huff picked up 12 minutes of playing time and posted five points, three rebounds, and one steal. That included a soaring alley-oop that fired up the fans at John Paul Jones Arena. Check it out:

Quick Take

TheSabre.com Editor Kris Wright: You guys are 8-0. What’s the mood like?

Jay Huff: It’s good. I mean we’re not getting too ahead of ourselves. We know that the season is not always going to be [going] straight up, there’s going to be ups and downs. But Coach said in the locker room that we’re a group that can win together and lose together and we’ll still be all right. I think if we just hold on to that, it’ll be good.

TheSabre.com Editor Kris Wright: Coach Bennett mentioned you had a couple of good days of practice and that got you more opportunities. Is that …

Jay Huff: I felt like I had a good day, but it’s good to hear – good to hear that it wasn’t just me thinking that.

TheSabre.com Editor Kris Wright: Do you think that’s the way to earn more minutes over time?

Jay Huff: I think so, but really it’s just being able to maintain day in and day out, be consistent, and not have really good practices followed by sub-par or mediocre practices.

TheSabre.com Editor Kris Wright: Your perspective on that dunk?

Jay Huff: It was really fun. I want to see the replay. I couldn’t tell exactly what happened. I think Mamadi’s was a little more impressive though (smiling) – he grabbed from about the top corner of the backboard.

TheSabre.com Editor Kris Wright: It was kind of dunk-fest. Just opportunities arose or what?

Jay Huff: The opportunities were there. A couple of times, guys have looked like they’ve had opportunities but they’ve laid it up and we’ve been like ‘Dunk the ball!’

TheSabre.com Editor Kris Wright: Coach called Jack Salt and Isaiah Wilkins the anchors of the team. They play your position. How much are you soaking up from those two?

Jay Huff: I just try to watch them and learn every day, whether it’s in practice or in games. I try to ask them questions. They’re so knowledgeable. They just know where to be on defense. Even little intricacies in the defense where it’s not something you have to do, but I saw Isaiah contest a shot with one of the guards because he knew the guard was going to shoot it. He’s got really good instincts about when a guy is going to shoot it so it’s great to watch.