THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 29, 1994 TAG: 9412290542
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: AUGUSTA, GA. LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Go ahead and put up the new calendar. Norfolk State has decided to start 1995 early.
The Spartans, a sluggish 4-2 before the holiday break, have been saying for weeks that they expect to play better in January.
Well, ``January'' arrived Wednesday night as Norfolk State beat the University of the District of Columbia, 89-59, in the first round of the Augusta College Holiday Classic.
The Spartans (5-2) will meet host Augusta, which beat Savannah State, 92-86, in the championship tonight at 8.
Norfolk State harassed the Firebirds into 38 percent shooting and outrebounded them, 53-26.
``We worked hard over the break,'' Norfolk State coach Mike Bernard said. ``We just feel the meat of the season is January and February. That's when you have to play well.''
The Spartans did. Boosted by nine quick points by reserve guard Marvin Stinson, they broke open a tight game midway through the first half with an 18-4 run. They led, 37-22, at the break and never allowed UDC to get closer than 11 the rest of the way.
``We did a good job on the boards, and that enabled us to get out in transition early,'' Bernard said. ``The more opportunities we have to get in transition, the better off we're going to be.''
Charles Newborn, the CIAA's leading rebounder, led the way with nine boards in only 19 minutes. Corey Williams had 10 rebounds and Blitz Wooten came off the bench to grab nine.
Williams biggest contribution, however, came at the offensive end. The 6-foot-8 senior, tabbed by many as the nation's best Division II player, had been mired in a season-long shooting slump.
Wednesday, he broke out with 25 points on 12-for-17 shooting.
``Coach has been talking to me a lot,'' Williams said. ``telling me I need to get back to my old ways.''
That would be last season, when Williams averaged 23 points and eight rebounds, and routinely took over games.
``Corey's getting himself together,'' Bernard said. ``I think he feels the pressure's off him.''
Some of the pressure has been relieved by the arrival of the 6-7 Wooten, who became eligible Dec. 20 against Morehouse. The transfer from LaSalle had 10 points to go with his eight boards, but his biggest contribution may have been in pushing Williams and Newborn.
``Blitz is a person who is going to motivate the other big people to play,'' Bernard said. ``His intensity is infectious.''
So was Stinson's shooting in the first half. With starter Carnell Penn off to a cold start, Stinson came in and knocked down three straight treys in a three-minute span. His last one game Norfolk State a 32-20 lead with 4:41 left.
Like Williams, Stinson has struggled with his shooting, making just 39 percent coming in.
More had been expected from a player whom The Sporting News had tabbed the Division II newcomer of the year. That pick was based on last season, when Stinson led Gloucester County Community College to a national championship.
With Penn entrenched at shooting guard, Stinson has had to adjust to coming off the bench. He said he's starting to feel comfortable.
``Last year, I had the ball in my hands all the time,'' he said. ``Now things aren't built around me, and it was kind of hard to adjust.''
Stinson seems to be adjusting. It was his second straight game in double figures.
The team is coming around as well, according to Newborn.
``Our goal is to win 20 in a row,'' he said. ``We've got 18 to go.'' by CNB