ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 15, 1997 TAG: 9701150034
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: JACK BOGACZYK
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
The midweek buffet, in baskets:
It figures to be a difficult few days for Virginia basketball, with visits to Wake Forest tonight and Duke on Saturday. However, there is one player who said the not-so-Cavaliers are headed in the right direction.
``We're a better team this year not only because we have more talent,'' guard Harold Deane said after UVa's victory over North Carolina four days ago. ``The difference this year is this team has a will not to give up. Last year, I don't want to name names, but we had some teammates who just didn't have the right attitude.
``It really was a learning experience [a 12-15 season]. We had to learn how to get it to go in the other direction.''
The senior guard's play this season also has helped. Deane said he doesn't feel he and Roanoke's Curtis Staples have to win games by themselves from the backcourt. It's obvious in some numbers. The victory over UNC marked the fourth time this season Deane has taken seven or fewer shots in a game. Last year, except for one game in which he was injured, Deane never took - or forced - fewer than that number.
Deane said that coach Jeff Jones' decision not to go with a set rotation hasn't been a problem. Asked how he would describe Jones' substitution pattern, Deane thought, then said, ``spontaneous.''
``If one guy isn't making the plays, he tries someone else,'' the guard said. ``It's the way we did it in my second year, and it's the best way to do it. Coach Jones doesn't just base who plays on games. Practice is important, very important, too. We're 10 deep, but we're not Kentucky. We don't have that kind of talent. When you're called on, you're expected to be ready and do something. If not, he'll try someone else.''
The Cavaliers (11-4, 2-2 ACC) probably need to finish at least 7-9 in the league to get an NCAA Tournament bid. They're in good shape to date. In this week's Ratings Percentage Index, one of the tools used by the NCAA selection committee, UVa ranks 20th.
FIVE FIGURES: Dell Curry needs only 18 points to reach a special niche in NBA history - 10,000 points. The Charlotte guard could make it tonight at home against the Nets or Saturday at New Jersey. The former Virginia Tech star will become the 202nd player in NBA history to reach five figures in scoring, not bad for a man who has made only 75 starts in 11-plus seasons, a man who's modest goal was just to play in the league through his initial, four-year contract.
BIG BILLING: Virginia Tech coach Bill Foster's next three victories will move him past two of the game's sideline greats. Foster, with 524 career wins, is just behind Princeton legend Pete Carril (525) and retired St. John's boss Lou Carnesecca (526). When Foster passes Carnesecca, he will be among the top 50 winners at any NCAA level.
ONLY ONE: One of the most impressive statistics of the basketball season is 52-1. That's the record of the nine ACC men's teams at home against non-conference foes. The lone loss was Michigan's 82-81 victory at Duke last month.
CLEM'S GEMS: One of the best teams in the nation is the only one to beat Clemson. Minnesota is ranked second in this week's RPI, has played one of the country's toughest schedules, is one of only 10 Division I teams shooting at least 50 percent and plays tough defense. The Gophers may have lost a tough one Tuesday night at Big Ten Conference rival Illinois, but they still are 15-2.
TERP TALK: Maryland coach Gary Williams' decision to back off his love of overplaying pressure defense has relaxed the Terrapins, which is one reason for their fine start. Another is the opposition. The Terps have played the easiest schedule in the ACC. Among the top 40 teams in the RPI, the only team with an easier schedule to date is Xavier. That's one reason Maryland ranks 33rd, sixth among ACC teams.
RAM TOUGH: Some coaches in the Atlantic 10 say that while Xavier has the glamour as the league's only ranked team, Rhode Island is the best club. The Rams, who make their first visit to Virginia Tech at noon Saturday, are on track to get only their fourth NCAA bid in 20 years in March.
LENGTH: Medium: 76 linesby CNB