Freshmen Weber and Graham developing quickly for VCU

Scott Wyant
Staff writer
Commonwealth Times Sports’ Twitter

There is a common phrase in college basketball, “the best thing about a freshman is when they become a sophomore.”  

For two VCU players that transition is coming much sooner than it does for most.

In pre-game warm-ups it is evident which player brings the most energy to the floor as freshman guard Briante Weber is bobbing his head and high fiving teammates the entire time. The energy doesn’t stop for Weber; actually it intensifies as the ball is tipped off.

Early in the first half Saturday night, Weber knocked the ball off UNCW player Trevor Deloach’s hands and was on the floor before Deloach could even react, throwing the ball down court for an easy lay-up.

“I just stick my hand down there and the ball happens to get there,” Weber said with a wide grin after the game.

It has become clear Weber is quickly becoming one of the more dominant on-ball defenders on this team. The defensive impact for Weber has been a huge asset to this year’s edition of Havoc.

The freshman is leading the team with 22 steals, including a five-steal night at Western Kentucky back on Nov. 23.  Even though Darius Theus tied the VCU school record with seven steals, Shaka Smart believes the wiry Weber might have a chance to break it.

“He is a special force out there defensively and I thought it would be him to break the steals record, but the season is still young,” Smart said.

For Treveon Graham the opportunities haven’t been as abundant as he backa up the NCAA’s current starts leader, senior forward Bradford Burgess. When Graham gets into a rhythm, though, he looks eerily similar to the senior he replaces.

“He’s got that scorers mentality: any time he sees an opportunity to score he’s gonna try to put it in the basket,” Burgess said. “He hit threes, some pull-ups, played well enough defensively and it’s just going to keep giving him more and more confidence.”

Graham is also one of the Rams youngest players, turning 18 years old just after practice began, but Shaka Smart has no fear putting the ball in the young guard’s hands.

“Down the stretch I just kept calling plays for him cause he can score and we’re gonna need him at times to be able to come in and give us a lift offensively,” Smart said. “I thought he did a nice job of that tonight but he’s a guy that can get to the foul line and he’s a guy that can get in the lane and a good finisher so the future is bright for Tre.”

Graham finished with 15 points off the bench and Briante Weber dished out four assists and grabbed three steals helping VCU to its 87-64 victory over the Seahawks.

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