Hughes: Virginia Tech Men's Basketball Lacking Firepower, But Not Down and Out

Even though the Hokies lost today in Winston-Salem, there were several encouraging things of note in the game.

Jan 3, 2026; Winston-Salem, N.C.; Virginia Tech forward Amani Hansberry (13) passes the ball. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Despite an 81-78 loss to Wake Forest, I don't think that Virginia Tech should leave Winston-Salem with its heads drooped.

next play ⏭️ Wednesday vs. Stanford pic.twitter.com/w5tZKBk9r8

— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) January 3, 2026

Losses are losses. No coach or player will pretend otherwise. But not all defeats carry the same weight. I think that this one, while frustrating, did little to undermine the progress the Hokies have shown over the last month. Virginia Tech entered Saturday riding a six-game winning streak, forged almost entirely through attrition, adaptation and effort. That streak is now over, but the performance itself reinforced a growing reality: this team is still competitive in the ACC, even if it is currently short on firepower.

Saturday marked the Hokies’ seventh game this season decided by 10 points or fewer, and the sixth that finished in single digits. Those margins cut both ways. On one hand, Virginia Tech is rarely outmatched. On the other, consistently living in tight games becomes dangerous and eventually leans the other way. You can only make the clutch shots to keep the game going so many times before it cracks once.

Injuries remain the defining variable of the season. Forward Tobi Lawal has been sidelined since Nov. 27 with an ankle injury, removing Virginia Tech’s most reliable rebounder and interior finisher. Center Antonio Dorn has missed the last three games with lingering back issues. Tyler Johnson, a key piece in the backcourt rotation, has been unavailable since landing awkwardly on his ankle in overtime against Elon. Greek wing Neoklis Avdalas, meanwhile, has been dealing with a nagging ankle issue of his own.

That context matters tremendously when evaluating Saturday’s loss.

Guard Ben Hammond delivered one of his more complete performances of the season against the Demon Deacons, providing steady offense and control in a game that rarely slowed down by logging 14 points and two steals. Hammond’s growth, especially in the wake of his 30-point outburst vs. Virginia, has been one of the must-watch storylines of Virginia Tech’s recent stretch, and his ability to shoulder more responsibility has helped stabilize an otherwise thin backcourt.

Guard Jailen Bedford also looked closer to full health after the illness that forced him out of one game earlier in the season. Bedford’s movement and touch were noticeably improved, and while the larger question remains whether he can sustain that level over a longer stretch, there is a clearer path to consistency moving forward, particularly against a Stanford team next up that does not present the same physical challenges as Wake Forest.

Offensively, the Hokies could benefit from more creativity. One potential adjustment would be designing additional set actions that free sharpshooter Jaden Schutt off screens from forward Amani Hansberry or center Christian Gurdak for wraparound threes. Virginia Tech has spacing shooters, but generating clean looks has too often depended on individual shot-making rather than structured advantage.

Back to Avdalas: while I don't think it's a large issue, I do think Avdalas’ ankle situation bears monitoring. On Saturday, I noticed him adjusting his shoe multiple times throughout the game, suggesting an issue that is nagging rather than debilitating. Those are often the most difficult injuries to manage: not severe enough to sideline a player, but disruptive enough to limit effectiveness and rhythm.

In terms of that rhythm, through it all, forward Amani Hansberry continues to be the connective tissue of this team. Head coach Mike Young has referred to Johnson as a “glue guy” at various points this season, but Hansberry has embodied that role in terms of what happens without said glue. His physicality, effort and emotional steadiness have kept Virginia Tech competitive during a stretch when it would have been easy to splinter. When he is out, the Hokies tend to falter, as they did Saturday.

The most glaring issue remains on the glass. Virginia Tech has been adequate rebounding the ball, but it badly misses Lawal’s presence. In enough chippy, back-and-forth games, that deficit will eventually swing a result the wrong way, as it did Saturday.

Virginia Tech is currently undermanned, often embroiled in close games and still searching for consistent offense. But it is also organized, competitive and resilient. Those traits do not guarantee wins, yet they ensure the Hokies are not down and out.