Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 17, 1992 TAG: 9201170127
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: JOHN SMALLWOOD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LEXINGTON LENGTH: Medium
NEW-LOOK KEYDETS TOP WINTHROP BY 15
When a team struggles the way VMI had in the early part of the season, it rarely hurts to make a few changes.So Keydets coach Joe Cantafio did. And after shuffling his starting lineup a few games ago, Cantafio has seen his squad do everything just a little bit better.
Thursday night, VMI returned to Cameron Hall for the first time since Dec. 7, and came away with a 67-52 basketball victory over Winthrop.
After ending a four-game losing streak, the Keydets (4-7) won for the second time in three games, since Cantafio inserted guards Juan Banks and Sean Spriggs and forward Charlie Petzold into the starting lineup.
Banks continued his productive play since becoming a starter with 11 points, and the Keydets' field goal percentage continued to rise.
After shooting 38.9 percent over its first eight games, VMI has stayed above the 45 percent mark in its last three, including a 46 percent effort on Thursday.
"If you notice, everybody is playing the same amount of minutes," Cantafio said of the changes. "I did it for no reason other than to shake things up a bit, and so far it's been good for us."
Coming off the bench for the fourth straight game, senior point guard Percy Covington scored 10 points for the second straight game.
"Percy and I talked about it, and he gives us a good spark off the bench," said Cantafio. "He's played very well for us coming off the bench. He came in and hit a couple of big 3-pointers for us in the first half."
Forward Jonathan Penn had nothing change in his role, and the junior from Pulaski County High continued to be the Keydets' most impressive performer by scoring a team-high 21 points.
Lewis Preston was the fourth Keydet in double-figure scoring with 10 points.
Winthrop, out of the Big South Conference, lost its third straight game and eighth in nine games against Division I competition.
The Eagles (4-9) got a game-high 25 points from Mark Hailey, but it wasn't enough to overcome 13 turnovers and a 23-point second half.
"We got it going in the second half and played good defense," said Cantafio. "Any time you hold a team to 23 points in the second half, you've got a good chance to win."
VMI made its first six field goal attempts, and Penn scored 13 points as the Keydets took a 35-29 lead at the half.
Penn made a 3-pointer at the 2:54 mark to put the Keydets up 33-23, but Winthrop closed the half with a 6-2 run.
Eddie Gray made consecutive layups, and after Penn twisted into the lane to make an off-balanced jumper, Hailey popped a baseline jumper to close out the scoring for the Eagles.
Former Cave Spring star and 1991-92 Roanoke Valley District player of the year Mike Fayed, who played 40 minutes and scored six points, made a 17-footer to start the game, but Spriggs, making his fourth consecutive start at point guard, responded with a jumper in the lane for the Keydets.
Preston hit a turnaround jumper, and Banks made a 3-pointer as VMI went up 7-2.
VMI had turnovers on consecutive possessions but continued its perfect shooting when Preston made another turnaround, Jonathan Goodman scored a baseline jumper and Covington drained a 3-pointer.
For the half, VMI shot 50 percent (13 for 26) from the field, 57.1 percent (4-7) on 3-pointers and 83.3 percent (5 for 6) from the foul line. \
see microfilm for box score