CHARLOTTESVILLE — Monday was Matt Henry’s eighth season-opener and 230th game with Ryan Odom, the third time he has watched his boss debut as a college basketball program’s leader.
Utah State in 2021, VCU two years later and, now, Virginia.
One of these destinations is not like the others.
“You do not have to talk to him very long to realize just how different this job is and how special this place is to him and his life,” Henry said. “Outside of his coaching career. Forget about his coaching career. Just his life and his formative years, what being a part of this community meant. There are so many people he runs into in town that he knew in some way, shape or form.”
Those formative years were 1982-89, third grade to 10th, when Odom’s father worked on Terry Holland’s UVA staff during a span that saw the Cavaliers reach a Final Four and two other Elite Eights.
That nostalgia hit Odom at 6:53 p.m., Monday, when for the first time as UVA’s head coach he walked out of the home tunnel at John Paul Jones Arena for a regular-season game.
“Gratitude,” Odom said after Virginia’s 87-53 victory over Rider. “… Just really blessed to be here, to be the coach here. Trying to let that marinate in my head. And then excitement. You’re excited. This is another season. I tell my wife every year, it’ll be March before you know it, and it happens, literally like that.”
Odom snapped his fingers for effect.
“As soon as you start playing, it’s game after game, practice, prep, meals, time together. And it’s really special. Everyone right now is hoping for a special season, and you have to work to have it, and you have to be lucky.”
The Cavaliers didn’t need luck Monday against the overmatched Broncs from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
Belgian forward Thijs De Ridder had game-highs of 21 points and 10 rebounds in his college debut, the first UVA player with a 20-10 game since Jayden Gardner three seasons ago versus Clemson. Seven-foot center Johann Grunloh added 12 points and seven boards as Virginia outscored Rider 42-16 in the paint.
David Teel: UVA pledge Thijs De Ridder has ‘all the tools to be an NBA player’
While the emotions of coaching UVA for the first time were unique, Odom’s game-day routine remained the same. Henry outlined the drill for a 7 p.m. contest.
The coaches gather for a brief meeting early in the afternoon, followed by a shoot-around at 1:45. Players walk through the opponent’s offense, defense and out-of-bounds sets, with each staffer involved in the scouting report.
Indeed, unlike most head coaches, Odom does not rotate scouting reports by assigning Opponent A to Assistant B.
Instead, Henry handles the opponent’s personnel, while associate head coach Griff Aldrich and assistant Darius Theus focus on offensive sets. Theus also evaluates the opponent’s defense and how best to attack, with director of analytics Matt Hart breaking down special situations.
“It’s really an all-hands-on-deck thing,” Henry said. “All the brain power we have focused on each opponent. (He wants) the players to know that everyone in this office is committed to winning this game.”
After shoot-around, the team eats its pregame meal four hours before tip-off, at 3 p.m., Monday. Players and managers begin wandering onto the court 1-2 hours before the game to begin individual routine, joined eventually by assistant coaches.
Meanwhile, Odom relaxes in the coaches’ locker room, usually by watching television.
“Other people I’ve worked for, even myself, have to pace, have to go over notes, watch more film. Just do something like that,” Henry said.
Not Odom. His TV fare ranges from college basketball to travelogues, and a few years back his go-to was Stanley Tucci’s “Searching for Italy” on CNN.
“You’d come back in (the coaches’ locker room) at Utah State after warming the guys up, and Ryan and (staffer Noah Ralby) are watching Stanley Tucci eat pasta in Sicily,” Henry said. “He’s being as normal a person as you can ever imagine. From a college basketball coach, it’s really impressive.”
The drastic changes Odom has brought to UVA, a program steeped in Tony Bennett’s methodical offense and half-court defense, were evident from the start.
Offense: The Cavaliers forced the pace, even after Rider’s infrequent buckets. For example, following an Antwan Wilson layup, Dallin Hall raced upcourt on the dribble and found Grunloh for a lob dunk.
Defense: Rather than sprint back on D after his spin move in the low post produced a basket, the 6-9 De Ridder pivoted and, with arms spread wide, challenged Rider’s inbounds pass as the point man on UVA’s press.
The Cavaliers didn’t trap out of the press. Rather, they just aimed to wear out the Broncs, and as a 22-6 advantage in points-off-turnovers indicated, the tactic worked.
As much as Odom appreciates the entirety of his coaching journey — South Florida graduate assistant; Furman, UNC Asheville, American and Virginia Tech assistant; Charlotte associate head coach and interim coach; Lenoir-Rhyne, UMBC, Utah State, VCU and Virginia head coach — the latter will always stand alone.
So many friends. So many memories.
Why, all Odom had to do was gaze toward the end of the Cavaliers’ bench, where associate athletic director for sports medicine and head athletic trainer for men’s basketball Ethan Saliba keeps a watchful eye. That’s the same Ethan Saliba who was the assistant trainer for hoops during the 1980s.
Also at the end of the bench is Odom’s youngest son, Owen, a walk-on guard for the Cavaliers. And to punctuate Monday’s victory, Owen scored UVA’s final points with an up-and-under layup.
“I was hype for Owen when he got that bucket,” said freshman guard and Charlottesville product Chance Mallory (11 points and three steals).
“Most importantly, proud that (Owen’s) here with us and gets to experience UVA,” Odom said. “That’s a true blessing.”
Ryan Odom had the opportunity to be a walk-on for his dad at Wake Forest but elected to play at Hampden-Sydney, where he was a four-year starter for Tony Shaver. Owen will never play a central role for the Cavaliers, but father-son moments such as Monday will be indelible.
David Teel, david.teel@virginiamedia.com
