Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 15, 1994 TAG: 9410270018
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
It's hard to tell. Going into Monday's game against Blacksburg, Salem was 1-1. The Spartans won their first game by 43 points over Radford, and lost their second by 27 to Floyd.
With a 10-10 regular-season record last year, and a first-round district tournament loss, Spartans coach Dee Wright suffered her first sub-.500 year in more than a 15 years of coaching.
At every school she has coached (including Luray, Stonewall Jackson-Manassas and Radford), Wright has established a successful tradition. Her overall winning percentage is a very creditable .740 (245-86), just slightly better than her mark at Salem (.734, 141-51).
With the return of guard Shellie Johnson, last year's Sizzlin' Sophomore in Timesland, the prognosis for Salem is for a return to the top - provided Johnson doesn't try to underwrite the turnaround individually.
Johnson averaged more than 15 points per game last year, and prior to Monday's game, she was averaging 17.5 in 1994. In last week's game against defending Group A state champion Floyd, Johnson led all scorers with 22 points. Problem was, Salem missed its first 12 shots, fell behind 37-13 at the half, and lost 67-40.
``Shellie just needs to relax,'' Wright said. ``Sometimes she goes so hard, she gets ahead of herself. But Shellie's coachable, she's interested, and she works hard.''
Johnson is a 5-7 guard who sees herself as a wing player. Her favorite move to is cut to the foul line and receive a pass for a jump shot, but she also likes to drive and draw the foul. Against Floyd, she went to the foul line 12 times and made six free throws.
``Our team is more balanced this year,'' Johnson said. ``I don't have the pressure of having to score.''
Everyone concerned agrees that Johnson has the ability to go to the hoop. ``She is an athlete,'' Wright emphasized. ``She's fundamentally sound; she's got range. I think anything she put her mind to she could do well.
``She went to a camp this summer, and we've had several inquiries from colleges about her.'' One of Johnson's memories from camp was meeting Roanoke native George Lynch, currently a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Johnson follows a long line of Spartans stars who have gone on to play in the college ranks. Two of Wright's players, Lynn Holliday and Shaunice Warr, signed with Division I schools, and a handful of others have played at the Division III level.
``Shellie has the potential to play Division I,'' Wright said. That is Johnson's goal.
A Salem native, Johnson began playing basketball as a fifth-grader at G.W. Carver Elementary. She quickly started playing with older girls, and fully blossomed last year.
``Varsity was a lot different from JV,'' Johnson said. ``You have to run plays and concentrate on defense. You can't be lost in la-la land.''
Johnson is a three-sport star at Salem, playing volleyball and running track. Her strongest event is running a leg on the 4 x 100-meter relay. ``I used to do the [long and triple] jumps, too,'' Johnson said, but gave them up because she was spreading herself too thin.
It appears that Johnson's emotional maturity is catching up with her 5-7, 135-pound frame. That could spell problems for Salem's opposition.
``Sometimes we have these great expectations,'' Wright said. ``But these kids are often just 16 years old [as in Johnson's case].
``We need to step back and remember that. I know it took me awhile to realize it.''
by CNB