Men's Basketball Officially Opens The Neoklis Avdalas Era with Charleston Southern on Monday

After a long, grueling offseason, Virginia Tech men's basketball will finally be back on the court on Monday against Charleston Southern.

Mar 11, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies guard Ben Hammond (11) brings the ball up court during OT against the California Golden Bears at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

After a long, grueling offseason, Virginia Tech men's basketball will finally be back on the court on Monday against Charleston Southern. The Hokies are coming off of a less than impressive season, where they went 13-19 (8-12). A lot of things have changed over the offseason, the biggest one being that Virginia Tech was able to land a superstar international player, Neoklis Avdalas. Let's dive into what the game against Charleston Southern may look like.

It’s go time! 🗣️

Season opener. Cassell. Monday night.

🎟️ https://t.co/6ucPIoPrGj
📺 ACCNX
🤝 @CarilionClinic pic.twitter.com/mQMysdNjMS

— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) October 31, 2025

The buzz in Blacksburg centers around Avdalas, whose arrival ushers in a lofty set of expectations for Virginia Tech. However, Avdalas’ skill set suggests he could live up to those expectations. He’s joined by several other key additions, including Jailen Bedford, Isaiah Pasha and Amani Hansberry, all transfers expected to play major roles early. Hansberry reunites with assistant coach Chester Frazier for the third time in his college career and is likely to start at the five alongside Tobi Lawal.

Virginia Tech also added Antonio Dorn, a 7-footer from Germany who will miss the opener.

Among the returners, Tobi Lawal, Ben Hammond and Jaden Schutt headline a smaller but more experienced nucleus. Lawal, who flirted with the NBA last offseason before opting to come back to Blacksburg, returns after averaging 12.4 points and 7.0 rebounds.

Hammond is expected to start at point guard and recently dropped 21 points in Tech's exhibition scrimmage against Duquesne on October 25. Tyler Johnson, another sophomore guard, averaged 6.7 points per game as a freshman. Schutt, a Duke transfer last season, chipped in 7.7 points while shooting 35.6% from deep.

Charleston Southern, led by head coach Saah Nimley, is nearly unrecognizable from last year’s 10–22 team. The Buccaneers lost their top seven scorers, including Big South star Taje’ Kelly, but reloaded with a mix of transfers and freshmen.

A’lhan Sumler, a 2023-24 Big South Honorable Mention who missed last season with a hip injury, leads the way. Around him, Reis Jones provides inside presence, and the backcourt has been rebuilt with high-scoring transfers Luke Williams, Armari Carraway and Brycen Blaine. Williams previous played at Maryville, where he led the team in points her game with 15.4.

For Charleston Southern, the key question is chemistry — how quickly can a new roster gel against an ACC opponent? For Virginia Tech, the focus is cohesion among its talented newcomers and how seamlessly Avdalas can adapt to Mike Young’s system. As usual, with buy games, the question is more about what exactly Virginia Tech has and what steps it can take to further its development.

Expect the Hokies to use this opener as an early test of their depth and offensive flow, while Charleston Southern aims to prove it’s ready to compete despite its overhaul.