Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 22, 1992 TAG: 9203220211
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
When Derey was introduced to accept his runner-up medal, the Nansemond River supporters brought forth a round of boos. Derey, as impassive as he had been the whole tournament, acted as if he couldn't have cared less.
It's an old saying that they don't boo the bit players.
Derey was a major figure in the Vikings' unexpected ascension to their first Group AA runner-up finish since 1967. In a 91-78 victory over Matoaca and the loss Saturday at University Hall, Derey scored a total of 52 points and hauled in 46 rebounds. In the Matoaca game, he snagged 28 rebounds, a tournament record for all classifications.
There are guys who played in this tournament who subsequently went on to the NBA who didn't hit the boards with that sort of vigor.
It says something about Nansemond River that it could overcome the performance of a post player on the kind of roll Derey was. A guy puts up the kinds of numbers Derey did, and you'd figure his team is going to be in pretty good shape.
"It was a state tournament game and everybody has to play big," 6-foot-4 Derey said. "I tried to play my hardest."
The hard play never let up, even when it appeared Nansemond River had matters well in hand. Late in the fourth quarter, Derey took the ball right at Derrick Bryant, the Warriors' 6-4 star. Bryant blocked the shot, but Derey retrieved it and went back up again. Another block.
In the struggle for the rebound, the two players got tangled up and a brief scuffle followed. Order was restored, and no ejections were mandated by the officials.
"[Derey] is very strong and very physical," said Bryant, who had 22 points and 15 points. "He had his arm wrapped around my leg when we came down. I had to show him that I wasn't going to be intimidated."
Derey saw things differently.
"He came down on my back and I just reached around to hold him and keep him from falling," Derey said. "I guess he took it the wrong way."
Bryant, a straight-A student who is being recruited by a variety of schools, including several from the Ivy League, says he has narrowed his choices to Dartmouth, Bucknell, George Mason and VMI.
\ This makes the third state championship for Nansemond River coach Spencer Mayfield Jr. He won the 1974 and 1983 titles with J.F. Kennedy of Suffolk.
"I've had a lot of talented players, but player for player, this is my most talented team," he said. "That's not to take anything away from the rest of them because I've had some that could play with anybody. But player for player, this one is my best team."
Mayfield may have gotten to where he is by knowing a little something about team psychology. Whenever Nansemond River showed signs of flagging against Northside, Mayfield had a chat with them.
"If I don't get on them, they'll think they can do anything," he said. "I get on them individually and collectively. Today, I gave each one of them an individual chewing out. I don't mind threatening them if that's what will make them play."
\ Nansemond River earned the Vikings' respect.
"No doubt they were the most athletic, the quickest, and the strongest team that we've faced," Northside guard Matt Hill said. "We knew that we were an underdog, but we always felt that we could win the game."
Aaron Burford, Northside point guard and one of four players who will graduate this year, already was looking ahead.
"If you guys come up here [to the tournament] and win without me next year, I'm going to be really upset," he said.
With starters Jimmy Porter, Kelly Dampeer, and Derey among the returnees next year, somebody mentioned to Northside coach Billy Pope that the pressure may be on for a repeat performance.
"There's never any pressure," Pope said.
\ The junk defense Pulaski County played on Phoebus' La'Keshia Frett obviously bothered her. She was held to 11 shots and 14 points, two in the second half.
"Sometimes I was being triple-teamed and sometimes I was being double-teamed," she said. "I just wasn't hitting the shots. Most of the time I can score on a double-team. I wasn't patient."
Phoebus coach Mike Tallon expressed the frustration his team had with the Cougars' defense, which concentrated on 6-foot-3 Frett and left other players with open shots.
"They gave us a lot of good shots," he said. "We just couldn't make them."
Phoebus made 26.1 percent of its second-half shots.
\ Pulaski County took only two free throws, making one.
Terri Garland and Cindy Martin made 13 of 31 shots for the Cougars; the rest of the team went 5-for-27.
by CNB