ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, November 28, 1996 TAG: 9611290086
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-8 EDITION: HOLIDAY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
Salem has been installed as the prohibitive favorite to win the boys' basketball title this season in the expanded Blue Ridge District. Coach Charlie Morgan makes no attempt to dodge the issue.
``I think we'll be a much better defensive team, a better rebounding team and a better shooting team,'' he said. ``Those are things we have focused on. If we're going to have a really, really good team, then the guys on the bench are going to have step up, be consistent and help us.''
The front-liners we know can play. Herschel Thomas, a 5-foot-11 junior guard, is the district's most explosive player, as he proved last season when he averaged 17 points per game as a sophomore. Guard Andy Beach will help with the perimeter scoring; Eric Grinnell and Kwam Lewis will keep the pressure on inside; and point guard Sammy Lazzaro will provide everybody with the ball, particularly Thomas.
The bench is deep and talented. Scott Hall was the sixth man a year ago. He can start for this team or any other in the district.
Elsewhere in the district, Northside doesn't have a starter back, and Vikings coach Billy Pope acts as though that is a minor issue, even if it is the biggest turnover of players he's had in 11 seasons at the school.
``They may not be well-known, but all of them have the makeup to be good players,'' he said. ``They just need some playing time. Hopefully, they'll learn quickly.''
Xavier Lee and Daryl Holmes are quick and versatile and both enjoyed playing time last season, albeit in limited quantity. Others who should help include 6-5 Charlie Bullen, guard James Bandy, forward Dwone Steele and William Fleming transfer Greg Perdue.
William Byrd will find out how it can do without Chris Childress, whose every basketball act last season seemed to be sensational. The Terriers can go inside with 6-5 Kevin Stump and 6-1 leaper Frank English or fire away from the perimeter with guard Mayo Wilson.
``We need rebounding and outside shooting,'' said Paul Barnard, the Byrd coach. ``A lot of it will depend on chemistry. We have question marks, but not ones we can't find answers to.''
Thanks to the likes of 6-4 Jason Thomas, 6-4 Jason Bailey and Stump, Byrd has the best overall size in the district.
Lord Botetourt is young and will be without its top returning scorer. The Cavaliers have a ways to go to bounce back from a five-victory season in 1995-96. Second-year coach Ed Purdy says the team is headed in the right direction.
``This group has worked very hard,'' he said. ``They want to play. Our goal is to be competitive in our district, which is one of the toughest ones in the state. I think we will be.''
Wesley Cox, the leading scorer and rebounder last season, injured a shoulder playing football and will be unable to rejoin his basketball-playing classmates. That leaves Sean Osborne, a 37 percent 3-point shooter, and Jesse Powell (4 assists and 5 points per game) as the most experienced offensive threats on the team. Jason Hunt gives the Cavs a 6-5 post man and Michael Yates and Hugh Arendall, another 3-point bomber, also should see a lot of action.
Alleghany has some firepower in 6-11/2 senior point guard Casey Burks (11 ppg, 3 rpg) and guard Travis Davis and 6-5 Jamie Vail will cast an imposing shadow inside.
You can't help but wonder what the Mountaineers could have had.
Three who started last season won't be coming back. They include 6-4 Rob Lindstrom, who is battling Hodgkin's disease; 5-10 Ryan Crackel, a transfer to the private Blue Ridge School; and Donald Downing, a former resident of Covington Boys' Home who was transferred to another facility.
At Rockbridge County, longtime assistant David Miller has taken over as coach.
The Wildcats will be counting on a high-scoring backcourt featuring point man Ricky Wright (19 ppg) along with shooting guard Jaymie Terrell (17 ppg).
Luke Serber, a 6-5 junior, will anchor the middle. Jonathan Haston is coming off knee surgery.
``We have some good athletes,'' Miller said. ``We need to get over the hump and start beating the city teams - Salem, Northside, William Byrd. We've been getting closer, but we're not there yet.''
Blacksburg doesn't feel like a stranger in the Blue Ridge, newcomer though it is.
Christiansburg, the other new pledge to the Blue Ridge fraternity this season, will spend much of the coming campaign making new friends and meeting people. The rivalries will develop at their own good speed.
As far as Blacksburg is concerned, the rivalries already are there.
``With the exception of Rockbridge County, we've been playing these people for the past four or five years,'' said Blacksburg's Bob Trear, the senior member of a distinguished assembly of coaches.
The Blue Demons have played all of those teams, just not lately. Gerald Thompson, the Blue Demons' coach, went to a less challenging nondistrict schedule dominated by Group A teams in recent years.
Blacksburg, in the view of many of the league's coaches, will be a contender.
The primary reason is 6-6 senior Philip Klaus, who averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds per game a season ago in a post-oriented role. Now, his role will expand with more ball-handling and outside shooting.
The other experienced Indians are Krishna Pacifici and Randy Cross.
Christiansburg has a mostly untested cast. Thompson will deploy senior Eric Lucas at point guard. Mike Kazee is a 6-5 junior who saw plenty of action last season, averaging six points and four rebounds a game. He's capable of more, and Christiansburg is going to need it from him.
Here is a closer look at the teams:
ALLEGHANY
1995-96 record: 4-17 overall, 2-8 Blue Ridge District.
Coach: Carl Watson, third season.
Returning starters: Casey Burks, 6-1 1/2, Sr., G, 11 points per game, 3 rebounds per game, 3 assists per game; Travis Davis, 6-1 1/2, Sr., G, 6 ppg, 2 rpg.
Other key players: Randy Ellis, 5-11, Sr., F; Michael Brown, 6-0, Sr., F; Jamie Vail, 6-5, Jr., C; Ramey Pendleton, 5-11, Jr., F; Tran Thornton, 5-4, Jr., G.
Outlook: The Mountaineers were coming on last season and will miss some of the players who helped make it happen. Good athletes remain. And if you're going to be rebuilding, it is useful to have an experienced and talented point guard who can score such as Burks. The Mountaineers can set goals, then endeavor to surprise themselves by exceeding them.
BLACKSBURG
1995-96 record: 9-10, 2-2 New River District (district tournament champions).
Coach: Bob Trear, 23rd season.
Returning starters: Philip Klaus, 6-6, Sr., G-F, 15 ppg, 10 rpg; Krishna Pacifici, 6-1, Sr., G-F, 6 ppg, 2 rpg; Randy Cross, 6-2, Jr., G-F, 8 ppg.
Other key players: Stefano Karmis, 5-11, Sr., G-F; Montreal Brown, 6-1, Sr., F; Phillip Hanbury, 6-2, Jr., G-F; Matt Maher, 6-2, Jr., G-F; Scott Aden, 5-9, Jr., G; Lee Smith, 6-1, Soph., G-F; Brandon Ragsdale, 5-11, Soph., G; Lucas McDuffie, 5-10, Soph., G.
Outlook: Along with Christiansburg, one of the two newcomers to the Blue Ridge District, Blacksburg will find few strangers here. With the exception of Rockbridge County, Blacksburg has had home-and-home series with everybody in the league during the past several years. The Indians will be deep, but not particularly tall. They'll compensate with ball-handling and shooting.
CHRISTIANSBURG
1995-96 record: 15-6 overall, 4-0 New River District (regular-season champions).
Coach: Gerald Thompson, 13th season.
Returning starters: None.
Key players: Eric Lucas, 6-0, Sr., G, 2 ppg, 2 apg; Mike Kazee, 6-5, Jr., C, 6 ppg, 4 rpg; Scott Baker, 5-11, Jr., G; Conan Morgan, 6-4, Sr., C; Don Haga, 6-0, Sr., F; Andy Phillips, 5-9, Jr., G; David Vest, 6-0, Sr., F; Mike Porter, 6-1, Jr., C.
Outlook: Christiansburg is new to the Blue Ridge and the Blue Ridge is new to it. The Blue Demons haven't played any of the other district members for a while. The past few years, Christiansburg has played mostly Group A non-district foes. The question is: How are the Blue Demons going to react to the tougher competition in the Blue Ridge? That could be a moot point because many team members haven't played in a varsity game, period. Lucas and Kazee will be players to build around. How long the construction project takes will be the key to the season.
LORD BOTETOURT
1995-96 record: 5-14, 2-8 Blue Ridge District.
Coach: Ed Purdy, second season.
Returning starters: Sean Osborne, 5-10, Jr., G, 7 ppg ,37 percent 3-point shooter; Jesse Powell, 5-8, Jr., G, 4 apg, 5 ppg.
Key players: Jason Hunt, 6-5, Jr., C; Michael Yates, 5-9, Jr., G; Hugh Arendall, 6-2, Sr., F-C.
Outlook: The Cavaliers won't contend for the district title this season. Instead, they'll strive to be a major headache to those who will. Botetourt's players have shown a dedication to the game.
NORTHSIDE
1995-96 record: 17-9, 9-1 Blue Ridge District (district champions).
Coach: Billy Pope, 11th season.
Returning starters: None.
Key players: Xavier Lee, 5-11, Jr., G; Daryl Holmes, 6-1, Jr., F; Charlie Bullen, 6-5, Jr., C; James Bandy, 5-11, Jr., G; Dwone Steele, 5-11, Jr., F; Greg Perdue, 6-0, Jr., F; Nat Franklin, 5-9, Fr., G.
Outlook: Who knows with this group? Pope will have them ready, of only that we are assured. In Pope's years here, this is the most radical personnel turnover. Some guys would be making excuses, but Pope's tone is as cheerful as ever. He thinks he can win; it's only a matter of time. Others around the district agree.
ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY
1995-96 record: 4-17, 3-7 Blue Ridge District.
Coach: David Miller, first season.
Returning starters: Ricky Wright, 5-11, Sr., G, 19 ppg; Jaymie Terrell, 5-10, Sr., G, 17 ppg; Luke Serber, 6-5, Jr., C, 5 ppg, 5 rpg; Jonathan Haston, 6-2, Soph., G-F, 6 ppg.
Other key players: Jason Hannah, 6-0, Sr., G-F; George Pickeral, 6-1, Sr., G-F; Will Kirchner, 6-3, Soph., C; James Hines, 6-1, Soph., F; Sean Hunt, 5-6, Sr., G; Brian Rowsey, 6-1, Sr., G.
Outlook: There are some athletes here. What the Wildcats need is a new spirit and outlook. A new coach may be just what the program needs. Once Rockbridge County gets the hang of winning regularly, the Wildcats could be trouble.
SALEM
1995-96 record:16-9, 8-2 Blue Ridge District.
Coach: Charlie Morgan, fifth season.
Returning starters: Herschel Thomas, 5-11, Jr., G, 17 ppg; Eric Grinnell, 6-5, Sr., C, 10 ppg, 6 rpg; Andy Beach, 6-0, Sr., G, 10 ppg; Sammy Lazzaro, 5-9, Jr., G, 5 apg; Kwam Lewis, 6-3, Sr., F-C, 10 ppg, 7 rpg.
Other key players: Scott Hall, 6-2, Sr., F-C, 6 ppg, 4 rpg; Travis Christian, 6-0, Sr., F; Scott Carter, 5-9, Jr., G; Sidney Williams, 6-4, Sr., C; Marshall Wooldridge, 6-1, Sr., G.
Outlook:The Spartans are the clear favorites in the district this season, with five starters back. Last season's team played its best ball down the stretch. The current edition will use that as a jumping-off point. This will be a hard group to defense. Thomas can be a great perimeter scorer, along with Beach. Grinnell and Lewis are going to be a load inside. Lazzaro is one of the league's slickest point guards. There is depth here, too. This team has postseason written all over it.
WILLIAM BYRD
1995-96 record: 15-7, 6-4 Blue Ridge District.
Coach: Paul Barnard, 11th season.
Returning starters: Mayo Wilson, 5-10, Sr., G, 10 ppg; Kevin Stump, 6-5, Sr., C; Frank English, 6-1, Sr., F.
Key players: John Wheeler, 6-0, Soph., G; Chris Kendrick, 6-0, Sr., G-F; Jason Thomas, 6-4, Sr., C-F; Jason Bailey, Sr., 6-4, F; Byron Craddock, 6-2, Jr., F-C; Teddy Moberg, 6-11/2, F; Chris Belcher, 6-1, Jr., F-G; Steve Belcher, 6-1, Jr., F-G.
Outlook: The Terriers are athletic and will run every chance they get. They also have some size, perhaps the best in the district. Scoring shouldn't be much of a problem. Defense and rebounding are what these guys must worry about. If Barnard finds a few who can contribute something to that effort, Byrd will be fine.
PROJECTED ORDER OF FINISH: 1, Salem; 2, William Byrd; 3, Northside; 4, Blacksburg; 5, Christiansburg; 6, Rockbridge County; 7, Alleghany; 8, Lord Botetourt.
LENGTH: Long : 222 linesby CNB