Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 22, 1993 TAG: 9303220073
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SYRACUSE, N.Y. LENGTH: Medium
BARNES GETS OUT OF THE DOGHOUSE
Just when it seemed his playing time might increase, Virginia sophomore Yuri Barnes was nearly a casualty for the Cavaliers' NCAA Tournament game with Massachusetts.Barnes, so ill Saturday that he was unable to practice, played the final 11 minutes and contributed five points and five rebounds in the Cavaliers' 71-56 victory.
Barnes, who had a run-in with coach Jeff Jones that caused him to play a season-low four minutes against North Carolina in the ACC Tournament semifinals, said he has reached an understanding with the Cavaliers' staff.
Barnes, who had 15 points in 17 minutes in UVa's regular-season finale against Maryland, apparently objected to being pulled by Jones against North Carolina and was benched for the remainder of the game.
"My biggest problem is, when I'm just in there for one minute and come out," Barnes said. "It's hard for me to get into the flow of the game. We'd talked about if before and he knew I was frustrated."
Barnes entered the game Sunday with 11:18 remaining after fellow power forward Junior Burrough picked up his fourth foul. Barnes got his fourth foul with 8:21 left but played the rest of the way.
Neither Jones nor Barnes could have been confident about his availability when he spent most of the day in bed Saturday with an intestinal virus. He didn't attend a meeting to go over the scouting report.
"I know Yuri was disappointed after the ACC Tournament," Jones said, "but if he deserves to play, he'll play."
\ LIKE RANDALL CUNNINGHAM: The most success Virginia had against Massachusetts' press was when Ted Jeffries threw a 70-foot pass to Cornel Parker for a dunk that made it 57-45 with 4:59 left.
"We called it in a timeout," Jeffries said. "Their players were coming up, trying to get a 10-second call. Coach [Jeff] Jones said, `If you have an opportunity to go long, throw it.' "
\ NEEDS REFRESHER COURSE: Cincinnati point guard Nick Van Exel, a third-team All-American, said he is familiar with Alexander and Burrough "and don't they have some big guy?" he asked. Presumably, Van Exel was referring to the Cavaliers' 6-foot-9, 245-pound Jeffries. Van Exel said he had watched the Cavaliers against Duke and North Carolina and was impressed by Cory Alexander's shooting touch.
Keywords:
BASKETBALL