Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, November 23, 1993 TAG: 9311230210
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Virginia, ranked 16th in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, handed the Australians their first loss on a five-game exhibition tour, 76-75, on a free throw by Cory Alexander with one-tenth of a second remaining Monday night.
The visitors came into the game with consecutive victories over UCLA, Maryland and N.C. State and may have thought they were headed for overtime before Shane Heal was called for a foul as time was about to expire.
One of the Australian coaches waved mockingly at the officials, "but there was no question it was a foul," UVa coach Jeff Jones said. "Cory was running down the sideline and [Heal] knocked him out of bounds."
The Aussies, who trailed 64-54 with less than eight minutes remaining, forced a tie at 75 on a 3-pointer by Heal with 50 seconds left and had a shot for the lead with 12 seconds left.
UVa's Cornel Parker forced ex-Seton Hall standout Andrew Gaze to alter his shot from the left wing and the Cavaliers got the rebound to Alexander, who was heading down the right sideline when he was fouled.
"Cory was not in position where he could have gotten a shot off [by the time the horn sounded]," Jones said. "I'm not sure Heal needed to be that close to him."
Alexander made the first free throw and missed the second to finish with a game-high 26 points. Junior Burrough added 14 points, including a pair of free throws with a minute left that put the Cavaliers ahead 75-72.
Virginia, which opens next Monday night at home against Connecticut, shot only 41.5 percent from the floor but got some welcome production off the bench from freshman Harold Deane.
Deane, a 6-foot-1 guard from Matoaca by way of Fork Union Military Academy, hit all four of his shots from the field and finished with 10 points in 19 minutes, the most playing time for any of the UVa reserves.
"I haven't told [Deane] he has the green light," Jones said, "but, every time he goes in the game, I have to remind him, `Harold, make sure you're ready to shoot.'
"We knew he was a good player, but his shooting has been a bit of a surprise."
Michael Powell, another freshman guard who has been impressive in the preseason, was ill and did not play. Deane and 6-11 senior Shawn Wilson were the only UVa non-starters who played more than eight minutes.
Anthony Ronaldson, a 6-8, 230-pound center, led the Australians with 14 points. The visitors had five scorers in double figures, including ex-Stanford big man Andrew Vlahov with 13 and Gaze with 10.
UVa's two inside players, Burrough and Yuri Barnes, each picked up four fouls in 28 and 25 minutes. Their replacements, Wilson and Chris Alexander, combined for two points and two rebounds in 23 minutes.
"Between now and next week we've got to put in a zone, which may be the earliest you've ever seen a Virginia team in a zone," Jones said, "but it's going to be necessary to protect our inside players."
by CNB