Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 16, 1992 TAG: 9203160040
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL BRILL SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
It showed that the team's sixth man was 8-for-8 from the floor, 4-for-4 from the foul line, 20 points, three rebounds, seven assists, a steal and one turnover.
"I guess we're a pretty decent team," Brey said, grinning, "if Grant Hill can't start for us."
The return of Grant Hill has revitalized the nation's No. 1 team.
After missing three games with a sprained ankle, Hill played last Sunday against North Carolina in the regular-season finale.
He played 22 minutes, but still wasn't at full speed, and there was no thought of changing the rotation for the tournament.
Tony Lang, like Hill a sophomore, has elevated his game several notches since moving into the starting lineup when Bobby Hurley got hurt in early February.
Then, the day before Hurley returned from a five-game sabbatical, Hill sprained an ankle in practice. So Lang remained a starter.
Now Hill is approaching 100 percent, although he received two shots to his eye and a banged up nose in the last two games here.
Instead of putting Hill back in the lineup, coach Mike Krzyzewski elected to utilize him as a super-sub.
Hill made his initial appearance at the first TV timeout, and, seconds later, swished a baseline jumper.
Although Hill shoots better than 63 percent, he's basically a driver, not a jump-shooter.
"That was good for my confidence," he said. "I got a lot of open shots and my teammates got me the ball. I felt like I'd been feeling before I got hurt."
Before the injuries, Duke had been devastating, but mostly in transition. Without Hurley, their playmaker, the Devils were forced into a slower-paced game.
They had to concentrate on a halfcourt style with Hill at point guard, emphasizing Christian Laettner's three-point shooting. Now that Hill and Hurley are back, Duke has even more weapons.
"We wanted to make a positive out of a negative," Hill said. "I think we did that. It's just amazing to see what Christian can do shooting threes."
Hill isn't at all concerned about starting again. Duke is likely to use a six-man rotation in the NCAA Tournament, plus spotting freshman Cherokee Parks.
Against North Carolina, Hill played 27 minutes off the bench, while Lang got 22 and scored 11 points, with four offensive rebounds.
"Coming off the bench, being the sixth man, that's fine with me," Hill said. "I get to see what's happening, and I have an idea what I want to do. I think I'm a little more offense-minded in that situation."
Duke will start preparing to defend its national title Tuesday after resting today. The school is on a spring break, and that suits Hill just fine.
"We won't have to worry about school. We can just concentrate on strictly basketball. We'll be fresh and ready to play Thursday in Greensboro."
by CNB