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Wake Forest is heading to Charlottesville this Sunday to take on the Virginia Cavaliers, assuming that the game is not cancelled due to the snowpocalypse. The Cavs are coming off back to back losses against FSU and Pitt in conference play, which means the Deacs will probably be up against a hyper-focused UVA team looking to get back on track. Keep your eye on these guys in the Sundays match-up.
London Perrantes | Senior Guard | #32
Perrantes, the lone scholarship senior on this year’s UVA squad, is a floor general who is always composed, poised, and making sure his team is running the offense effectively. The preseason 1st Team All ACC player is averaging 10.4 points and 4.4 assists per game this season. It is important to note that UVA’s system is not known for its ability to score a lot of points, so while 10.4 points per game doesn’t sound like much, Perrantes is the only UVA player averaging double digit points this season. He is shooting 38% from downtown this season, however, last season he lead the ACC in 3-point percentage at 48%, so he can definitely stroke it from deep. A little over half of his shots come from beyond the 3-point line.
Beyond his ability to score the basketball, Perrantes has very good court vision and is an exceptional passer. Once he gets penetration, he is excellent at finding the open man and delivering a good pass so that his teammates can score easy baskets. Keeping him from getting penetration could be key to Wake Forest winning this game.
Overall, it is Perrantes’s job to be an extension of Tony Bennett on the court, making sure everyone knows where to be and what they are running. Everything Virginia does offensively runs through Perrantes. Even if he doesn’t put up big numbers, he is making everyone around him better, and that’s why you should you keep your eye on him on Sunday.
Kyle Guy | Freshman Guard | #5
Guy (A.K.A. “the one with the man bun”) has worked his way into the starting lineup as a freshman due to his ability to score the basketball. He is averaging 9.1 points in just 18 minutes per game so far this season. Per 40 minutes, he leads UVA in points with 19.8, which means he will likely increase his scoring average as he gets more and more minutes as the season progresses. His biggest strength is his ability to shoot from deep; he currently ranks 6th in the nation in 3-point percentage at 55%. He moves well without the ball, and knows where to go on the court so his teammates can find him for open shots. His ability to catch the ball on the move and get right into his shot makes him very difficult to defend.
Because of this, UVA likes to run down screens to get Guy open looks from deep. The Deacs will need to make sure they communicate whether they are going to switch or fight through the screen, as confusion will likely end with Guy hitting a 3.
While he is great on offense, Guy is a weaker defender on what is a great defensive team. Whoever draws Guy as a defender, likely Keyshawn Woods, will definitely want to take advantage of this weakness and attack him as much as possible.