Former Ram standout Victor Davila (Class of '08) has been generating quite a buzz leading into his freshman season with the Hokies.
Davila is listed at 6-foot-8, 245 pounds on Tech's official roster. He could see significant playing time this season, with the Hokies trying to make it back to the NCAA Tournament after barely missing out this past March.
Here is some of what is being said about Davila during the lead up to the opening tap. Note: Davila will get a chance to go back to his native Puerto Rico when the Hokies play in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off on Nov. 20-23. Virginia Tech will visit Wake Forest on Jan. 21. Davila enjoyed several great games at Joel Coliseum while in high school.
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"Two freshmen, Victor Davila and Gene Swindle, will also join the Hokies roster this season. Davila, a highly anticipated 6-foot-8 power forward from Puerto Rico, turned down Clemson and Wake Forest to play for Virginia Tech. Davila may join the starting line up early in the season as a force in the post. Swindle, a 6-foot-11, 260-pound freshman may redshirt this season. Swindle is eventually expected to share the center position."
-- DCSportsBox.com, in a Nov. 3 preview of Maryland's ACC rivals
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"I don't know what the difference between a top 50 and a top 100 (recruit) is. I know the difference between the top three or four and a top 100. I'll put him (Davila) up against any of the big kids. He has the potential to be an elite frontcourt player ... He was not in Raleigh-Durham or Charlotte. He was off the beaten path. I went to see him in the state tournament and I was like, 'Wow.'"
-- Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg in Roanoke Times story on the Hokies incoming basketball recruits.
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"The Hokies also have added some much-needed size with the addition of two freshmen: 6-foot-8 Victor Davila and 6-11 Gene Swindle. They won a recruiting battle with ACC rivals Clemson and Wake Forest for Davila, the No. 135 prospect in the 2008 class. The coaching staff believes Davila - a native of Puerto Rico who played at Boonville (N.C.) Starmount - can help immediately."
-- Rivals.com in an Oct. 19 preseason preview of the Hokies
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"Usually post players are not ready to step into the ACC and battle in the paint as freshmen; however, Victor Davila has the strength to do it. And he will even get stronger before his time in Blacksburg is over. He is long, athletic and will be the likely candidate to earn playing time this year amongst the newcomers."
-- CollegeHoops.net preview of the Hokies from Oct. 10
"Victor Davila has had a good first four days; I think the repetition of being in the gym with the coaching staff has helped him. We still need to get his intensity up to an ACC level."
-- Coach Greenberg in an Oct. 21 entry of his blog, found at HokieSports.com.
"Will challenge for starting spot on the front line this fall ... Powerful post player with strong offensive skills and quick feet ... Proven scorer and rebounder who should make a quick transition into college ball ... Could be one of the top newcomers in the ACC."
-- HokieSports.com, the official Web site of Virginia Tech athletics
"If you watch video of Tim Duncan on one side of a screen and Victor on the other, he plays so much like Tim Duncan. Never changes poise. Never changes expression. Never gets upset. Dunks the ball and just goes down to the other end. No pumping his fists."
-- Donnie Livengood, long-time hoops coach at West Yadkin School and Davila's legal guardian, quoted in a Roanoke Times story published this past summer.
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