Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, November 21, 1994 TAG: 9411220027
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Long
Christmas could come bright or blue for the Virginia Tech men's basketball team.
The senior-less Hokies' nine-game pre-holiday schedule includes back-to-back-to-back contests in San Juan, Puerto Rico (in a tournament field that includes No.25 Illinois and Nebraska, a potential second-round opponent for Tech), plus dates with Xavier, at West Virginia and with East Tennessee State.
That schedule looked good for a team with three starters and six key players returning from an 18-10 season.
Then, returning starter Jim Jackson's bad back stayed bad, transfer Keefe Matthews hurt a knee and freshman Shawn Browne missed both preseason games while entangled with the NCAA's eligibility clearinghouse.
``If we had everyone healthy, it's exactly what we need to play,'' said Bill Foster, Tech's fourth-year coach. ``You've got to play that kind of a schedule to get good. You can't plan who's healthy.''
Foster designed the 1994-95 Hokies to move up in a less top-heavy Metro Conference. Last season's league champ, Louisville, was gutted by the NBA (Clifford Rozier, Dwayne Morton and Greg Minor), Tulane is talented but young and UNC Charlotte collected four junior college transfers but lost starting guard Andre Davis, who is sitting out the season for personal reasons.
Tech is 10-26 (.278) in Metro games since Foster's arrival, and 2-3 in Metro tournaments in the past three years. The Hokies' fourth-place Metro finish last season was its best since 1987-88, when they had the same record (6-6) and tied for third place.
And, Tech's season-ending Sagarin computer rating took the elevator from No.185 in '93 to No.56 last year. Matthews, a 6-foot-8 inside player, was recruited from Jacksonville (Texas) Junior College to ensure another climb by replacing 6-10 shot-blocker Jimmy Carruth with better offense and rebounding while sharing time with 6-8 junior Travis Jackson.
But Matthews, who dislocated a kneecap in practice and underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair minor tissue damage, probably won't play until January - if then. If he's not ready to go when the calendar turns, he may not play at all this year.
``I don't want him to redshirt,'' Foster said emphatically. ``That thing's got to be gimpy in January [for that to happen].''
Regardless, Travis Jackson's role has added weight. The Peterstown, W.Va., native has reached double figures in scoring and rebounding in two exhibition games, but he never consistently has given Tech the rebounding and defense Foster has wanted.
Now, the Hokies' coach has to have it. Has Foster seen enough improvement in the left-handed, fadeaway-jump-shooting big man to feel comfortable?
``You just hold your breath,'' Foster said. ``You might as well get comfortable, because that's the only option. He can't take any time off and be fishing and hunting out there during the game.''
These are not new requests of Jackson, whose single-game rebounding high is seven and whose post defense has been permissive.
``I've heard that for the two years I've been here, and I've been working on it since I've been here,'' Jackson said. ``I feel like I've come a long way in my defense and rebounding.
``Last March, I considered my role as a starter. If you don't have that mentality, you shouldn't be out here. If it is to be, it's up to me.''
Well, not all up to him. In Tech's bid for its first appearance in postseason since 1986, Tech'sthe Hokies' account balance includes sophomore forward Ace Custis, who set the school's freshman rebounding record but may be remembered most for his Larry Bird-like passes; a returning backcourt of a more assertive Shawn Good (who takes over for departed starter Jay Purcell) and outside threat Damon Watlington; and more bruising, reckless play from Jim Jackson's twin brother, David, in his first season after transferring from UNC Asheville.
The Foster transition is complete - all of former coach Frankie Allen's recruits have moved on - and nobody typifies the ``new'' look more than junior forward Shawn Smith, who lost 29 pounds during the summer to weigh 249.
Does it matter? In Tech's final exhibition game, Smith ran down a lobbed outlet pass on a one-on-two break, snatched the ball and dunked without a dribble. Smith's two-fisted salute after the play wasn't because of the score; he knew in his chubbier days he never would have made that play. His quicker inside moves, combined with Custis' inside-outside play, will be Tech's strength.
Last season, however, Smith (11.3 points per game) led a bench that contributed almost 30 points per game. This season, Tech's bench probably will be four newcomers (David Jackson, Browne, Matthews and Myron Guillory) and 6-9 holdover Brandon Price, who figures to see mainly blowout minutes. Walk-on Kelly Mann, a 6-6 guard from Peterstown (W.Va.) High School (Travis Jackson's alma mater) has gotten 20 let's-see-what-you-can-do minutes in preseason and hasn't looked overwhelmed.
``With time, this'll be a pretty good bench, but it won't be anything like last year's,'' Foster said. ``They were just tougher kids.''
One of the slaps that reddened their cheeks was being ignored by the National Invitation Tournament last year despite winning 18 games, including one in the Metro tournament. Foster was at least as irate as his players over the snub, but he isn't singing his guys to sleep with a lullaby of vengeance.
``This is another year,'' he said. ``If we're going to go anywhere, we've got to do it ourselves.''
TECH SCOUTING REPORT
COACH: Bill Foster, 58 (38-46 in three seasons at Virginia Tech, 469-293 in 27 years overall).
LAST SEASON: 18-10 overall, 6-6 fourth in the Metro Conference.
RETURNING STARTERS: Ace Custis, 6-foot-7, Soph. (10.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg in 1993-94); Shawn Good, 6-3, Jr. (5.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 67 assists); Jim Jackson, 6-5, Jr. (12.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg).
TOP NEWCOMERS: Keefe Matthews, 6-8, Jr.; David Jackson, 6-5, Soph.; Myron Guillory, 6-1, Fr.; Shawn Browne, 6-5, Fr.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Shawn Good, who takes over the starting job at point guard from Jay Purcell. Good's athleticism isn't questioned. His attitude must become as bold as his leaping ability to give Tech an anchor in the backcourt.
STRENGTHS: Ace Custis can score, rebound, pass and play defense. Shawn Smith brings a trimmer, stronger body and his array of inside moves to a starting spot. Tech is a smoother, more athletic team than last season and won't be outhustled. After consecutive 10-victory seasons, the Hokies learned how to succeed last season.
WEAKNESSES: There's no one in the post; Travis Jackson and Keefe Matthews (who is out at least until January with a knee injury) are forwards being asked to play inside. Freshman Myron Guillory has to spell Good at point guard so Tech can keep streak-shooter Damon Watlington on the wing. Shawn Smith and Watlington move to starting spots, depleting what was an effective bench last season.
OUTLOOK: Keefe Matthews' athleticism is needed in the frontcourt; if he misses games into January, Tech could drop from a potential 18-game winner to around a .500 team. Tech needs Shawn Good to take charge at point guard. The undersized Hokies can't abandon effort on the boards, and can't afford to slip up defensively (league-low 66.1 points allowed per game last season). Contributions from newcomers Shawn Browne and Myron Guillory, and/or Jim Jackson's return from a bad back, would be helpful.
by CNB