CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Chance Mallory, Desmond Roberts and Carter Lang have known each other since all three were in elementary school. The trio teamed up in 2023 to help lead St. Anne’s-Belfield to a school-record 27 victories and a spot in a state high school championship game.

But Friday night, they’ll do something that even they couldn’t have imagined as kids growing up in Charlotteville.

All three will suit up for the University of Virginia, teammates again on an ACC basketball team.

“What’s fun with all three of those kids, they never were, and still aren’t, too big for who they are. They’re still kids,” their former STAB coach, Damin Altizer, told Cville Right Now. “They still have fun. They’re not taking anything too seriously. They’re present where they are and enjoying every moment.”

Friday’s moment will be their first game together at John Paul Jones Arena as Cavaliers. Mallory, a freshman point guard, Roberts, a redshirt sophomore guard and Lang, a redshirt sophomore forward, will all be in uniform when UVA hosts Villanova in an exhibition game.

Roberts walked onto the team in 2023 and played in five games last season. Lang started his career at Vanderbilt in 2023, playing in 24 games and making seven starts. He joined UVA as a walk-on for the 2024-25 season and redshirted.

Mallory is the most accomplished of the trio. A four-star prospect, Mallory spurned offers from Indiana, Maryland, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Villanova, among others, to stay home and play at Virginia, fulfilling a childhood dream and reuniting with Roberts and Lang.

“I’ve known them two since elementary school,” Mallory told Cville Right Now. “So, it’s cool to be with people I’m used to, seeing familiar faces. It’s been a lot of fun.”

The faces are familiar, but the players’ games and bodies have transformed over the years.

The ultra-athletic Roberts has developed his all-around game, improving his shooting and ball-handling.

Lang has added eight pounds of muscle to his 6-foot-9 frame, getting up over 250 pounds while also working on his perimeter game, becoming an adept shooter and passer from the wing.

Mallory, the youngest of the group, is working to translate his tough, competitive style of play to the college level. After relying heavily on his 3-point shot early in high school, Mallory has become accomplished finishing at the rim with two hands and scoring on floaters, helping him evade taller defenders.

“Chance has always been a really tough guard. That’s his reputation,” Lang said. “He’s constantly playing guys like twice his size and it doesn’t seem to faze him. Just watching him in practice since June, he brings physicality, attacks the rim, knocks down shots. He’s been great distributing the basketball.”

The trio may be close friends and longtime basketball running mates, but they’re far from carbon copies of each other personality-wise, as well.

Lang is reserved, more introverted. Mallory fits in the middle. Then there’s Roberts. He’s the energetic, outgoing, free-spirit of the group.

Altizer used to show his teams video clips of Roberts on the bench during STAB games.

“This is what you should look like on the bench giving energy to your teammates,” Altizer said. “He’s selfless and invested in the team regardless of what the role is.”

Mallory, of course, figures to have the biggest impact of the trio on the Cavaliers this season, coach Ryan Odom’s first leading the team.

Odom put together a roster rich in talented guards who can shoot from the outside.

Transfers Malik Thomas (San Francisco), Dallin Hall (BYU), Jacari White (North Dakota State) and Sam Lewis (Toledo) give the Cavaliers plenty of backcourt options.

“We got a bunch of great guards on our team,” Mallory said. “A lot of them are older. But we all have our own skillsets and our own ways we play. Dallin is a great floor general and Jacari is a great scorer. Malik is a great scorer as well. When I come in the game, I know I just have to do what Dallin does – facilitate the ball and not turn it over. Just make plays for my teammates.”

Roberts and Land said Mallory possess a competitive fire that has helped him win over teammates this offseason.

“It’s how much he cares about winning and how hard he plays,” Roberts said. “Just continuing to see that at every level and him just shine at every level that he’s at with his heart. He’s always been a hard worker his whole life. He’s always been super talented. But what really makes him as special as he is is his heart.”

All three STAB graduates have a passion for Virginia basketball that Odom said shows when they take the court and will be on display Friday against Villanova.

“Every day that they come in, they’re enthused to be at UVA,” Odom said. “It means something to them. It’s in their heart.”