Some notes I took during the scrimmage today

Justin Robinson - as good as always, will only get better this season as he isn't asked to play as many minutes as he did last year. Wilson, Bede and Jackson can all handle PG duties, giving J-Rob time to recoup.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker - very aggressive, good to see for a freshman. Most freshmen will be passive while trying to adjust to the speed of the game. I don't think there's any doubt he has the ability to use his athleticism and length to get by defenders. It will he interesting to see how quickly he can figure out how to search for buckets within the framework of the offense.

Ahmed Hill - looks fresh, looked great in transition putting pressure on defenses early. Needs to finish some of those around the basket, otherwise it's the same outcome as a quick turnover.

Devin Wilson - good to see him back out there. Versatile defender, will defend 1-4 many times this season.

Kerry Blackshear - will be a huge asset this season down low. Much better rebounding out of his area than anyone we had last season. Much better hands than Sy, so you'll see things like guards looking him to slip to the basket off screens and high post looks that you didn't see last season.

Chris Clarke - looked good considering the lack of basketball he has been involved with. Didn't seem to be dragging his leg. Will be needed in transition this season to be the same or better level than last year, but will need to develop in the half court and become a threat to stay on the floor.

PJ Horne - his attention away from the ball is an upgrade from last season. He needs to learn the nuances on both ends of the floor like any freshman.

Tyrie Jackson - looked good in taking some open looks and defending both on the ball and on the wing

Wabissa Bede - seems comfortable against pressure, but didn't do a great job of getting guys where they need to be. Will learn the get the ball where it needs to go quicker so he doesn't have to play with it for so long. Will be a good player. Strong potential as a defender.

Like it or not, Hokies are going small this year. Wilson, Hill, NAW, Clarke and Horne all took turns defending the 4 spot today. It looks like they'll try to front the post when the ball is at the top and play 3/4 when it's on the side. It looks like matchups will determine whether or not they send a second defender if the ball enters the post.

Seth Allen, Zach LeDay and Ty Outlaw were noticeably absent on both ends of the floor, which is unfortunate offensively, but a blessing defensively.

I think you'll see the Hokies take a small dip offensively in the half court, but make huge strides defensively. Bede, Wilson, Blackshear, and NAW are all plus defenders that will make improvements at every position on the floor.

The keys will be how many live ball turnovers the Hokies can convert into points. Having a team throw the ball out of bounds is slightly worse than a missed shot rebound where VT is considered, as the Hokies will need all the transition opportunities they can get.

The good news offensively is they should be better driving the ball, and could be better in the post, depending on what they choose to do there, not much was shown in the scrimmage.

Bibbs coming back will only help with the shooting. Once the freshmen get a feel of how to operate within the offense you could see an uptick offensively later in the season.

With as many new faces being relied on to contribute, don't expect a smooth ride early on. Some team the Hokies should beat on paper could creep up on them if they aren't locked in.

Their ceiling, however, is higher than last year's group.