Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 3, 1991 TAG: 9103030152
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CLEMSON, S.C. LENGTH: Medium
They got it in the form of a 23-point, 18-rebound effort from senior center Dale Davis and a 69-62 basketball win against the Yellow Jackets on Saturday.
"This is a very emotional win for us and our program," Clemson coach Cliff Ellis said. "There was not one single player in this game who didn't play hard, and I thought we played to the best of our ability. This was the Clemson basketball that we've seen in the last five years."
Davis, making his final appearance in front of the home fans, needed 13 rebounds coming into the game to become the third ACC player to compile more than 1,200 rebounds, 200 blocked shots and 1,500 points in a career. The other two were former Virginia star Ralph Sampson and former Duke star Mike Gminski.
Davis reached the milestone midway through the second half; he has 210 blocks, 1,205 rebounds and 1,635 points.
Davis was only one of several players Ellis praised.
"Our freshmen did a good job, too," Ellis said. "I thought Steve Harris responded well to starting at a new position [point guard]. And Eric Burks hit some very important free throws."
Georgia Tech coach Bobby Cremins, whose Yellow Jackets dropped their second straight league decision, called it "a disappointing loss," and pondered the future.
"Now we've got to sit back and await our fate," he said. "I think we have a good record and we beat some good teams. I just hope we can get into the playoffs. But first we have to worry about the ACC Tournament."
Cremins agreed that the difference in Saturday's game was Davis.
"Davis is a great player," he said. "And I knew it would be tough up here. Davis has caused me a lot of nightmares, and today it was like the same old tune."
Clemson (11-16 overall, 2-12 ACC) snapped a five-game losing streak and won for only the third time in 17 games since Jan. 2.
Georgia Tech's Kenny Anderson, a sophomore who likely will turn pro at the end of this season, scored in double figures for the 25th game with 25 points. Jon Barry added 13 for the Yellow Jackets (16-11, 6-8).
The Yellow Jackets led by 12 points in the first half and 35-31 at intermission. The lead reached 41-33 on a layup by Anderson with 17:45 left before Clemson came back behind Davis and senior Ricky Jones, who finished with 11 points, to charge to a 49-45 lead with 9:31 left.
Georgia Tech tied it at 49 on a 3-pointer by Bryan Hill with 8:52 left before Clemson went on a 13-5 surge, featuring points by five different players, to go ahead 62-54 with 6:39 left.
Georgia Tech closed the gap to 64-62 with 57 seconds left, but Burks made two free throws with 55 seconds left.
see microfilm for box score
by CNB