Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 3, 1992 TAG: 9203030147
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JOHN SMALLWOOD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LEXINGTON LENGTH: Long
\ VMI basketball standouts Jonathan Penn and Lewis Preston haven't undergone some magical transformation.
Both juniors have more than doubled their scoring averages from last season and have emerged as the foundations of the VMI program, but coach Joe Cantafio said the key to their success is as simple as two words:
Hard work.
"Both of these guys really worked hard on their game last summer, and now it's really showing," said Cantafio.
Monday, both were rewarded by being named to the second unit of the All-Southern Conference team.
In a VMI season that has been filled with few stellar highlights, Penn and Preston have shone from the beginning. That might not translate into a upset-run in this year's Southern Conference Tournament starting Friday in Asheville, N.C., but it does give the Keydets something to build on for next season.
The Keydets will be seeded seventh in the tournament by virtue of their 64-60 victory over The Citadel on Monday at Cameron Hall and Marshall's 82-66 loss to Furman.
VMI (10-17, 3-11) will play either Tennessee-Chattanooga or East Tennessee State at 2:30 p.m. on Friday at the Asheville (N.C.) Civic Center.
The Moccassins and Buccaneers both finished 12-2 in conference, and there will be a coin flip this morning to determine which will get the No. 1 seed. The loser of the flip will play VMI, while the winner will play The Citadel (10-17, 3-11) at noon on Friday.
The result of the coin flip will also determine whether Furman (17-10, 9-5) or Appalachian State (14-13, 9-5) will be seeded third and play sixth-seeded Marshall (6-20, 3-11) at 7 p.m. The fourth seed will play fifth-seeded Western Carolina (11-16, 5-11) at 9:30 p.m.
In Preston and Penn, the Keydets will return two players who have accounted for 49.3 percent of the team's scoring. The continuous improvement of sophomore forward Jonathan Goodman and freshmen guard Brian Woolsey give the VMI staff plenty to look forward to.
"We've got a great foundation heading into next year," said Cantafio. "Usually, we're losing 80 percent of our offense. Next year we'll have it coming back."
As a freshman, Penn, a 6-foot-4 and 174-pound forward from Pulaski County High, played just 58 minutes and scored 26 points. Last season, his minutes increased to 481 and his point production to 206.
This season, Penn moved into the starting lineup and has come into his own. With a quick first step that helps him drive to the basket and a soft left-handed jumper that arrives on a line but finds the net, Penn ranks second in the Southern Conference in scoring at 19.4 points. He plays 33.8 minutes a game and shoots 39.8 percent from 3-point range.
"I've always had confidence in myself," said Penn, a history major. "I've waited for my opportunity and now I'm taking advantage of it."
Penn had a streak of 11 straight games of scoring 20 or more points ended when he got 13 in the Keydets loss to Furman on Saturday. He has scored double figures in 23 of 26 games.
"Even in high school, I thought he was going to be a scorer," Cantafio said of Penn. "He's not a pure jump shooter, but he's got tremendous range and can drive to the hoop and finish. He's wiry, but he's strong for the amount of weight he has. He has a quick first step and is fundamentally sound."
Preston, a 6-foot-8, 210-pound center from Franklin County High, has improved each season at VMI. As a freshman walk-on in 1988-89, he videotaped Keydet games instead of playing. A fine defensive player from the beginning, he has developed into the type of post player VMI hasn't had since hall of famer Dave Montgomery (1975-78).
"Lewis Preston is slowly becoming the best center in the Southern Conference," said Cantafio.
His first two seasons, Preston, who played just one season at Franklin County, made his reputation on defense. Now he is VMI's all-time career shot blocker and ranks fourth in Southern Conference history with 149.
Working as a coach at the Five-Star Basketball Camp last summer, Preston learned more about playing in the low post. His scoring average is up to 15.6 points and his rebound average to 7.6.
"It was Station 13," said Preston. "I worked with [Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis coach] Ed Schilling helping young players learn how to post up. I was fortunate to work as a counselor and a coach. In the process, I was also learning. It's been a long road, but each and every game I've been getting a little better."
Penn and Preston's improvement hasn't gone unnoticed.
"It's unbelievable," said University of Tennessee-Chattanooga coach Mack McCarthy. "Preston was filming games a couple of years ago. Now he's really asserting himself and plays with so much more confidence. Penn has gone from a player nobody knew to becoming one of the top scorers in the league.
Penn and Preston each scored 21 points Monday night as the Keydets closed out the regular season with a victory at Cameron.
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.