Thijs De Ridder Steers Virginia’s March Madness Journey After Overseas Success
Virginia entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 3 seed in the Midwest Region on Selection Sunday. Thijs De Ridder had limited familiarity with March Madness before joining the Cavaliers.
The 23-year-old freshman is from Brasschaat, Belgium. He is a 6-foot-9, 238-pound forward who played last season for Bilbao Basket in Spain’s Liga ACB.
From Bilbao to Charlottesville
Associate head coach Griff Aldrich first learned about De Ridder while scouting in Italy. A meeting with the player’s agent led Virginia to pursue him, and recruiting momentum followed.
De Ridder appeared in 33 of 34 games for Bilbao Basket in 2024-25. He averaged 9.3 points and 4.8 rebounds, shooting 50.2% from the field and 39.1% from three.
He also played for Belgium at the FIBA U20 European Championship in 2022 and 2023. NBA workouts preceded his college decision and suggested he prove himself against collegiate competition.
Impact at Virginia
De Ridder earned All-ACC first team and all-rookie honors in his first season. He leads the Cavaliers with 15.5 points per game and has recorded 11 20-point outings.
He posted a career-high 32 points at Notre Dame. He ranked ninth in the ACC in field goal percentage at 50.8%, and 17th in rebounding at 6.2 per game.
Virginia finished the regular season 29-5 in Year 1 under coach Ryan Odom. The team’s scoring margin for the season was 15.9 points, the league’s 15th-best figure.
Playing style and growth
Coaches praised De Ridder’s versatility and composure on offense. He has shown shooting range, post ability, and physicality inside the paint.
Aldrich noted the player’s team-first attitude and rapid adjustment to a more prominent role. Wright State coach Clint Sargent called him composed and versatile offensively.
Teammate Malik Thomas highlighted De Ridder’s toughness and big-game experience overseas. The forward has tried to translate his overseas success into leadership for younger teammates.
March expectations
Virginia faces No. 14 Wright State in the first round. The Cavaliers hope to use De Ridder’s size and skills to create mismatches and advance.
The program aims to snap a three-game NCAA Tournament losing skid. Thijs De Ridder steers Virginia’s March Madness bid after his overseas success.
Comments in this story were relayed to Filmogaz.com during interviews with players and coaches. De Ridder’s combination of experience and growth makes him central to Virginia’s tournament plans.
