Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 25, 1994 TAG: 9411250011
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
This looks a little too familiar to Bill Foster.
Virginia Tech's fourth-year basketball coach began his first season in Blacksburg with just eight healthy scholarship players. Today, the Hokies play in the season-opening Puerto Rico Shootout in San Juan, Puerto Rico with ... eight scholarship players.
Keefe Matthews and Jim Jackson are hurt and Shawn Browne isn't eligible yet. And the Hokies play Montana State, a Big Sky Conference team on whom Foster has a succinct scouting report.
``They'll press you, get after you, really make the game a lot of possessions,'' Foster said. ``Just the kind of team we need to play with a short roster.''
In its first regular-season trip outside the continental U.S. since the 1989 Rainbow Classic in Hawaii, third-seeded Tech opens the eight-team tournament with a 1 p.m. (EDT) game against the sixth-seeded Bobcats from Bozeman, Mont. Other games today: Fourth-seeded Alabama-Birmingham against No.5 College of Charleston, 3 p.m.; No.2 Nebraska against No.7 Northeast Louisiana, 6 p.m.; and No.1 Illinois against No.8 American University of Puerto Rico, 8 p.m.
Tournament organizers re-named what used to be the San Juan Shootout because, an event spokesman said, calling it the Puerto Rico Shootout enhanced its marketability in the eyes of Puerto Rico tourism advocates.
Less than a month from now, Tech's women play in a San Juan tournament, meeting Michigan State in the first round Dec.19.
Tech's men would like an improved island performance. In '89, the Hokies were 1-2 in Honolulu, Hawaii, during a 13-18 season. Tech is guaranteed three games again this time. Foster can't wait, especially since it gives Tech an extra three games to pad a wished-for victory total Foster hopes gets the Hokies in the postseason. Last year, Tech stayed home despite an 18-10 mark.
``What I found out is they never look at how many you lost at the end. It's how many you've won,'' said Foster, adding that the tournament will provide a quick review of his team. ``In practice, you get to the point where you can't answer questions.''
Like, who's on Tech's bench? At the moment, swingman David Jackson and point guard Myron Guillory will provide most of the reserve minutes.
``It just depends on what their bench can do,'' Montana State coach Mick Durham said. ``We try to play a lot of people and take advantage in the last 10 minutes if we can. Their five starters are better than ours.''
The Bobcats are missing one starter, forward Greg Taylor, a 6-foot-5 senior who averaged nine points and 4.1 rebounds last year. He's out with a broken foot. Adam Leachman, a 6-7 sophomore (2.7, 1.6 last year) will start, but 6-7 junior-college transfer Quadre Lollis will play.
``It's more to ease him into it,'' Durham said of Lollis coming off the bench. ``He's one of our best players.''
Another is small forward Nico Harrison, a 6-5 junior who averaged 10.6 points and four rebounds last year while shooting 62.4 percent from the field.
A brief look at the other mainland teams in San Juan this weekend:
Nebraska, the Hokies' likely second-round opponent if Tech wins today, lost three starters from last year's 20-10 team that fell to Penn in a first-round NCAA Tournament game. Coach Danny Nee is developing a frontcourt to go with standout guards Jaron Boone (12.2 points per game) and Erick Strickland (10.7 ppg), both of whom are 3-point threats.
Alabama-Birmingham was 22-8 last year and a first-round NCAA Tournament loser - and coach Gene Bartow waved goodbye to all five starters. The nucleus is 6-foot-8 junior-college transfer center James Bristow, Central Michigan transfers Leonard Bush (6-5) and De'Shanti Foreman (6-8), and 6-6 Carlos Williams and 6-8 Chris Lee, who were ineligible last year.
Charleston was 24-4 last year and lost in the NCAA Tournament first round, but is picked to win the Trans America Athletic Conference and hopes for another at-large tournament bid (Charleston is ineligible for the league's automatic bid because it's been in Division I only three years). Top returning scorer is guard Marion Busby (16.6 ppg).
Illinois returns three starters from last year's 17-11 NCAA first-round losers, including preseason All-Big Ten second-team guard Kiwane Garris (15.9 ppg). On board is Bryant Notree, a 6-4 guard who earned prep All-America honors.
Northeast Louisiana was 19-9 last year, won the Southland Conference and is predicted to challenge for the title again. Returners include all-conference forward Larry Carr (18.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, league-record 85 3-pointers).
by CNB