Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 31, 1992 TAG: 9201300201
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-10 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
SOMETHING'S BOOMING IN RICHLANDS, IF NOT THE ECONOMY
Known facts, rampant speculation and random potshots:The crazies with the barnacled vocal chords at Richlands have limbered up for the stretch run in basketball. A noise meter similar to one at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome for Minnesota Twins games has been installed in the Blue Tornadoes' gym.
For the uninformed, Richlands has the best - and most deafening - hoops atmosphere in Western Virginia. Maybe the state.
At Blacksburg, by contrast, they had one whole side of bleachers closed for this week's 69-60 victory over Franklin County. Those in attendance included next of kin. The Eagles, winners of two games to date, may have had more fans.
Of course, Virginia Tech was playing Louisville across town that night. And, they say, there's a recession.
Last time I checked, though, the economy in Richlands wasn't exactly booming.
Optimism continues to prevail at Narrows, where basketball coach Todd Lusk has liked what he's seen from his team.
"We've been playing with some of the best teams in the district until late in the game before letting down a little at the end," he said.
Typical was last week's 67-50 loss to Galax. The Green Wave went into the fourth quarter down only 44-40. But the Maroon Tide drilled 13 of 15 fourth-quarter free throws in the process of a 25-10 run to close things out.
"I'm very happy with the way the team has played," said Lusk, whose squad whipped defending league champion Bland 70-50 Tuesday. "We may be 4-5 [5-5 after the Bland victory], but we've improved a lot. Come tournament time, I don't think people will be wanting to play us."
Radford High's basketball team, in desperate need of a boost, took a heavy blow this week when leading scorer and rebounder Chris Hairston was disqualified academically.
Carved out of a Bobcats' lineup that can ill-afford it was 16.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Hairston was the second-leading scorer and rebounder in the New River District.
"It changes our scheme," said Radford coach Brenda King. "We'll try to push it inside some more and hope some other people can pick up the slack."
The defense may change, too.
"We're too small, too slow and too skinny to play the way we want to, so we'll have to be very patient defensively," she said. "We'll pack it back in there and force people to shoot from the outside."
The lineup, too, figures to change. Newcomer Tim Hall, a 5-foot-8-inch junior transfer from Christiansburg who became eligible Saturday, will move in at point guard. Wayne Lineburg moves over to shooting guard and Kris Smith to forward. That leaves a combination of either Duane Pierson, Michael Krupey or Paul Nester to fill in the other two spots.
By the way, along with Hall, Christiansburg transfer Garrett Jones, a 6-foot junior, 5-11 John Lytton, 5-11 Seth Allman and 6-1 Cory James all became eligible Saturday. Aside from Hall, only Jones figures to have much of an impact this year.
. . . There are others who you won't be hearing about for the rest of the year. Chris Smith at Blacksburg also failed to qualify academically. A center, his place in the lineup was taken by Kevin Schug.
. . . Eric Wilson, Auburn's 6-4 post player who transferred from Tennessee this year, has gone back from whence he came. Wilson, who played only three games, averaged eight points and 10 rebounds. That's one of the reasons the Eagles appear to have ceased being a contender for the Mountain Empire District title. Auburn had the lead against Grayson County, Floyd County, Galax and Fort Chiswell and lost all four games. The Eagles, by the way, start two freshmen, Terry Millirons and Bradley Hudgins. Hudgins moved into the lineup recently for the slumping Andy Johnson.
. . . Josh Allen, Giles' backup point guard, failed to make the academic cut and will miss the second half of the season. Wade Carbaugh, the Spartans' 6-4 center, quit the team. The two departures leave Giles with eight players.
Ray Cox covers New River Valley sports for the Roanoke Times & World-News