Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 7, 1991 TAG: 9103070060
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
He spent a peaceful night at home with his family.
Graham playing at Marion to see who visits here tonight for the 7:30 p.m. semifinals? Trear yawns.
"You'll see them when you play them," he said.
The team the Indians will see is Marion, which grilled the G-Men 81-58.
Don't assume that Trear's attitude borders on arrogance. He is not now, nor has he ever been, what he calls "a scouter."
"We don't prepare for particular teams," he said. "We work on doing what we do best. Then we play them when we play them."
Marion (22-2) has a fine veteran team with much the same crew that ousted Blacksburg from regionals during the semifinals last year. Trear hasn't been dwelling on that.
"[Revenge] is no factor whatsoever," he said.
The Scarlet Hurricane, which has not played Blacksburg (18-4) since, has a fine point guard in David Keith, who shot 18 points and added eight assists against Graham.
The team's best player may be three-year starter Shannon Archer, a wing player who had 42 3-pointers and shot 37.5 percent from beyond the arc during the regular season. Archer also scored 16.2 points per game in a balanced attack.
The Hurricane's problem has been free throw shooting.
"Take away our free-throw shooting and we're playing the best basketball we've played all year," Marion coach K.W. Lawson said. "We were 27-of-44 [against Lee High in the final of the Highlands District tournament] and they were 21-of-24 and we still won by 10 points. I think we're coming along at the right time. We have an experienced club and the kids know what it takes to be competitive and have success at the level we're at."
So do the Indians, but to a lesser extent. Blacksburg will be in regionals for the fourth straight year.
"Blacksburg has been here four straight years, but most of these players haven't," Trear said.
Three who have include forward Thompson Lester, who averaged 18.5 points during the regular season, forward Jon Maher (17.9 ppg., 10 rpg.), and point guard Nathan Warren (3.5 assists per game).
The winner of tonight's game will go to the state tournament next week at the University of Virginia. Before that, it must play for the regional crown Saturday night. If Blacksburg wins, it will play host to Carroll County, which plays Tazewell in the other bracket, should the Cavaliers win. The Indians go to Tazewell if the Bulldogs prevail.
by CNB