Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 11, 1990 TAG: 9003112727
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Bill Brill
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
Until now, Virginia's retiring basketball coach has done a marvelous job of focusing attention on his team, just as he has done for the past 16 years.
But now, "Given the circumstances, there will be a lot of emotion," said Holland, whose band of typical overachievers will play No. 14 Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament final. "There's the exhaustion of having played the last two games, and, obviously, this will be my final ACC game."
Holland's team will try to give him his second championship. The other was in 1976, at Landover, Md., when the underdog Cavs beat the Nos. 2, 3 and 1 seeds in succession.
Between then and now, UVa reached the final three times, including twice with Ralph Sampson, without winning. If there is any smudge on Holland's otherwise marvelous record, that would be it.
Virginia's appearance in the final, after a 69-66 victory over top-seeded Clemson on Saturday, was applauded by opposing coaches. One of them was Georgia Tech's Bobby Cremins, today's bench foe.
"Terry is one of the best," Cremins said. "I don't know why he's giving it up. I think he's crazy.
"He's gotten some criticism, mostly because [of not winning titles with] Ralph Sampson. But Terry's great."
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski took a different approach.
"Coming into the tournament, all the big stories were about what was bad. Everybody was talking about the problems at [N.C.] State and Maryland.
"It's a shame we didn't hear it was Terry's last time. Maybe it will take this [UVa reaching the final] to see what he's done. The son-of-a-gun has made a great contribution to our league.
"Give him his due. Now he'll really get his day in the sun. I'm pleased it's worked out that way."
Holland surely is pleased, and not because he is quitting to move a mere 20 miles from here to Davidson, his alma mater, as athletic director.
Less than two weeks ago, his team had been playing well, then suffered an unexpected 51-50 loss to last-place Wake Forest in Holland's home finale.
Some 40 hours later, UVa was defeated handily at Maryland.
Holland views what happened then, and the return to form to upset North Carolina and Clemson here, as a microcosm of the season. Not just for his team, but all of college basketball.
"If we were the only one going up and down, I'd be worried," he said. "But it's like an elevator ride. There are lots of peaks and valleys. It's true around the country."
In the Big Eight Conference, where the top three teams recently were ranked 1-2-3 nationally, last-place Colorado is in the final with its fired coach, Tom Miller. And a Mississippi team with a losing record has gained a shot at the crown in the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
"The emotion of the Wake game got to us," Holland said. "When I arrived at the gym, I thought we were all right, but we tried too hard. There's no question we definitely took two steps backward after that game.
"I was glad we had to play again on Saturday, even though it meant we had no chance to beat Maryland. It gave us an extra day to get ready for North Carolina, and we needed it desperately."
Now that Virginia has righted its ship, the Cavs will have to find their last-second magic against a talented Georgia Tech team.
"I don't want to face them again," said UVa star Bryant Stith before Tech beat Duke 83-72. "They may have our number."
The last time the Cavaliers tried to win a game for their coach, they failed miserably against the Deacons.
This time, they'll try to win it for themselves. But what a fantastic going-away present it would be for the thin man.
by CNB