TOKYO — Virginia’s Ralph Sampson wasn’t in top form Sunday, but the NCAA’s most valuable player for the last two years lived up to his reputation: Even when he’s bad, he’s good.

Sampson scored only 14 points — four in the first half — but he grabbed 17 rebounds and blocked five shots to lead the top-ranked Cavaliers past Utah 80-57 in the final game of the Suntory Ball.

"I think you can tell that it (the illness) still bothers him," said Virginia Coach Terry Holland, "but in the second half he shook it off well and gave us what we needed."

Sampson contracted a stomach virus the week before arriving in Tokyo for the three-team tournament, and was forced to sit out the Cavs’ opening game against Houston Thursday night.

Against Utah, he said he was only "75 percent healthy," was worn out and his legs got tired early in the first half.

"He was still awfully impressive," said Utah Coach Jerry Pimm. "I was really impressed with how he came back in the second half."

Sampson wowed the crowd of 5,000 at the Aoyama Gakuin University gym, leaping high in the air to block a shot or grab the ball off the board. He had several spectacular one-armed dunk shots, and directed the offense with experience.

"It’s scary to think what he would have done had he been healthy," Pimm said. "He’s a tremendous player."

But he got some help. Guard Ricky Stokes, who at 5-feet-9 is but a sprout next to the 7-foot-4 Sampson, hit three of three field goals — all layups inside — and was four-for four at the free throw line for 10 points. The little guy outmaneuvered everyone in sight, and combined with guard Othell Wilson (9 points) and forward Tim Mullen (11 points), to provide the spark that is keeping the Cavs ranked No. 1 in both polls.

The two teams battled evenly the first eight minutes of the game, but then Virginia took off, outscoring the Utes 16-3 in a five-minute span to take a 28-16 lead with 6:55 left in the half, and pushed it to 43-27 at intermission.

Sampson drew a charging foul and another under the basket on defense in the first three minutes of the game and looked sluggish. Holland pulled him a minute later.

"He just wasn’t playing well. He had those two fouls and he just wasn’t in synch. His feet were not moving in the right places at the right time," Holland said.

"Just having him back in the lineup after an entire game without him gave us some adjustment problems," he said.

Sampson didn’t score until hitting two free throws with 3:47 left in the half, but followed with a right-hook slam dunk 14 seconds later, and he appeared to be back on target.

He scored two quick baskets to start the second half, and the Cavs added eight more points to post their biggest lead of the game, 55-31, with just six minutes gone.

The Utes, led by guard Angelo Robinson’s 12 points and forward George Furgis’ 10 points, came only as close as 19 points, and never really got back into the game.

"I thought Utah played us as tough as anyone has played us all year long," Holland said. "They never lost their poise."

"I felt like we were in control the whole time, but I didn’t ever feel like we could put them away."

Pimm couldn’t criticize his team.

"I think we just played as good a team as you’re going to find in amateur basketball. They’ve got a tough conference schedule ahead of them, but I really feel that they have an excellent chance to take the NCAA title."

Sampson said, "We ran our offense well and I thought we played pretty well today."

He admitted he felt "winded" in the first half and said "my legs were too tired."

"I didn’t play well in the first half but I went out in the second half and tried to run whatever it was out of my system."

Sampson was named most valuable player of the game by the tourney sponsors.