Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 3, 1994 TAG: 9404030194
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE, N.C. LENGTH: Long
The word among the coaches at the Final Four is that Kevin Billerman, a North Carolina-Charlotte assistant of nine seasons, had a very good interview with the Keydets and will be called back. Navy assistant Emmett Davis also has been interviewed, and the word is that Emory & Henry's Bob Johnson also will be interviewed.
Several coaches said Joe Cantafio's former job will go to Old Dominion assistant Pete Strickland, if the former Keydets aide wants it.
Cantafio, who was named Furman's coach last week, is considering Virginia Tech part-time assistant Dean Keener for a full-time job with the Paladins. If Keener moves, then former Hokies guard Scott Davis may leave a Longwood College assistant's post for the Tech part-time spot.
\ COACHSPEAK: Duke assistant coach Mike Brey's turn-down of the Auburn coaching job after he apparently agreed to take it opens the door for Cliff Ellis, who resigned at Clemson and Tennessee-Chattanooga coach Mack McCarthy, the Virginia Tech graduate who pulled his name from consideration when it became apparent Brey was the top candidate.
Ellis was huddling Saturday afternoon with the new Auburn athletic director, David Housel, outside the media entrance to the Charlotte Coliseum four hours before the Final Four tip-off.
Western Kentucky, seeking to fill the position vacated by new Pitt coach Ralph Willard, also likes Ellis. He apparently is the candidate athletic director Jim Richards wants.
With Loyola (Md.) miracle-worker Skip Prosser headed for Xavier to replace his former boss, Pete Gillen, Virginia assistant Dennis Wolff is a candidate for the Baltimore school's job. Wolff also is in the coaching derby at Boston University.
The coaching move of former Marshall boss Dana Altman from Kansas State to Creighton isn't as stunning as it appears.
Despite an improved record in each of the Wildcats' four years under Altman, Kansas State fans kept complaining that Altman wasn't another Lon Kruger, the former Wildcats guard who was the very popular Kansas State coach before he moved to Florida and produced the Gators' first Final Four trip.
The reported early favorite for the Kansas State vacancy is Paul Evans, just fired at Pitt, although Southwestern Louisiana coach Marty Fletcher, the former VMI coach, has a shot, too.
\ OAK HILL HERE: The prominence of the Oak Hill Academy basketball program grew in Saturday's Final Four nightcap. Brian Thompson, a starting forward for Florida, became the first product of the power program at the Mouth of Wilson, Va., school to play in the Final Four.
Thompson, a sophomore from Atlanta, is the Gators' team comic. He didn't figure to be the first Oak Hill star to play in the NCAA semifinals. Ben Davis did.
Davis could have played in the Final four for Kansas last season, but he quit the Jayhawks in November 1992. Then, he transferred to Florida - and likely would have started ahead of Thompson when he became eligible in December.
However, Davis quit school - reportedly after he flunked a drug test. He played this season at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College and reportedly phoned Jayhawks coach Roy Williams about returning there.
Williams said no, and the schools most prominently linked with Davis' recruiting now are Nebraska, Texas and DePaul, although Virginia Tech apparently remains in the picture.
\ GREAT EIGHT: Raycom, the prominent sports syndicator based here, will have the pairings for its first "Great Eight" doubleheaders within two weeks.
The new event, annually involving the eight NCAA regional finalists, begins Nov. 29-30 at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Mich. - and Raycom got a big boost when Michigan reached the Midwest Regional title game.
Chuck Steedman, a Raycom executive, said Duke, Purdue, Boston College, Florida, Michigan, Missouri and Arizona have agreed to play in the ESPN event. Arkansas is balking, saying it can earn more than the Great Eight payoff of $100,000 with a home game.
Steedman said the Razorbacks still are expected to participate. If they decline, Raycom will go to the highest-ranked available team in the final poll, meaning top-ranked North Carolina would be invited.
Raycom also is behind another impressive field for the Tournament of Champions at the Charlotte Coliseum in December. UNC, Temple, Cincinnati and South Carolina will play in the two-night tournament.
\ BIG LEAGUES: In the 10 tournaments since the NCAA increased the field to 64 teams, five conferences have gotten 61.2 percent of the at-large bids.
The Big Ten (47), ACC (46), Big East (44), Southeastern (36) and Big Eight (35) have accounted for 208 of 340 at-large berths, in addition to 50 automatic qualifiers.
They received 21 of the 34 at-large spots this year (65.6 percent). Combined, the 26 teams from those leagues are 44-23 in the tournament, including 22-4 in the first round.
In the 10 years since the field went to 64, those five conferences have won 31 of the 40 Final Four berths.
by CNB