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CHARLOTTESVILLESeniors Mamadi Diane and Tunji Soroye, and junior Calvin Baker are tri-captains of the Virginia men’s basketball team for the 2008-09 season.
Diane, a 6-5 guard/forward from Potomac, Md., has started 65 of the 95 games he’s played in during his first three seasons in the Virginia program. He was second on the team in scoring last season when he averaged 11.8 points a game and he also averaged 4.4 rebounds a game.
Diane led the Cavaliers in three-point field goals made (60), three-point field goal percentage (41.4 percent, 60-145) and blocked shots (22) last season. In addition to scoring, he was also second on the team in minutes played (28.8 mpg.).
For his UVa career, Diane is averaging 9.2 points and 3.9 rebounds a game.
Soroye, a 6-11 center from Dugbe Ibadan, Nigeria, played in just two games last season because of injuries. His medical hardship waiver request was approved and he will play his final season with the Cavaliers in 2008-09.
Soroye has started 36 of the 81 games he’s played in during his Virginia career. He is the team’s active leader with 78 career blocked shots and led the Cavaliers in blocked shots during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons.
Baker, a 6-2 guard from Newport News, Va., played in games for the first time with Virginia during the 2007-08 season after transferring from William & Mary and sitting out the 2006-07 season. He played in all 33 games last season, starting eight, and averaged 8.6 points and 2.6 rebounds a game. He was second on the team in assists (79, 2.4 apg.), steals (29) and three-point field goal percentage (37.3 percent, 41-110).
Virginia opens its 2008-09 season on Sunday (Nov. 16) when the Cavaliers host VMI at John Paul Jones Arena. The game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. and will be televised by Comcast SportsNet.