U.Va. notes

Homecoming of sorts

Yesterday found Jeff Lamp in John Paul Jones Arena, where his name and jersey number hang on a banner high above the seats.

Lamp is a career counselor for the NBA Players Association, whose Top 100 camp starts today at U.Va. He'll meet today with about a dozen current NBA players, including Bobby Jackson and Lorenzen Wright, who are interested in moving into coaching.

At U.Va., Lamp was a four-year starter at shooting guard for then-coach Terry Holland. Lamp scored 2,317 points, second only to Bryant Stith on the school's all-time list, and twice was named an All-American. He played in the NBA for the Spurs, Bucks, Pacers and Lakers.

Lamp, who wore No.3, is one of seven players whose numbers have been retired at U.Va. The others are Buzzy Wilkinson (14), Stith (20), Barry Parkhill (40), Wally Walker (41), Sean Singletary (44) and Ralph Sampson (50).

When Lamp played for the Cavaliers, their home was University Hall. He's never been to the JPJ for a U.Va. game, but he first saw the arena during last year's Top 100 camp.

"It's a beautiful building," said Lamp, who grew up in Louisville, Ky., and now lives in Los Angeles.

Capacity crowd

The new coaching staff for men's basketball - head man Tony Bennett, assistants Jason Williford, Ritchie McKay and Ron Sanchez and administrators Brad Soucie and Ronnie Wideman - held its first elite camp this week.

About 150 high school players - more than originally expected - spent Monday and yesterday at Virginia, including Trey Davis, a rising junior who starred for Henrico last season.

The Cavaliers' coaches watched Mychal Parker with particular interest. A 6-5 swingman who attends the Miller School in western Albemarle County, Parker is one of the top prospects in the nation's Class of 2010. The schools he's considering include Maryland, Virginia, Miami and Florida.

Under NCAA rules, Bennett's incoming freshmen, 6-8 Tristan Spurlock and 5-11 Jontel Evans, were allowed to participate in the camp, and they played alongside some of Virginia's recruiting targets. Spurlock and Evans start summer school at U.Va. next month.

One for the ages

Three of the top four attackmen on the men's lacrosse team this season - Danny Glading, Garrett Billings and Gavin Gill - were seniors. Candidates to fill those slots in 2010 will include incoming freshman Connor English.

A left-hander from Long Island, N.Y., English closed his high school career with a remarkable performance. In the state Class C championship game, English scored a career-high nine goals to lead Manhasset to a 16-11 win over LaFayette in Rochester.

"It's unreal. Not in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this," English told reporters after the game.

Reunion planned

During U.Va.'s run in the NCAA baseball tournament, third baseman Steven Proscia has received a couple of congratulatory text messages from Ryan Cobb.

They were football teammates at Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey, and they'll be together again at U.Va. next year. Cobb, a rising senior at Don Bosco, recently committed to play football for the Cavaliers.

When he's a freshman at U.Va., Proscia will be a junior.

"Steven is probably one of my biggest mentors," Cobb said yesterday. "He was such a leader.

"My first letter was from Virginia, and I used to kid around with him and say, 'We're probably going to go to the same school.'" - Jeff White