Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, November 27, 1994 TAG: 9411290050
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BAYAMON, PUERTO RICO LENGTH: Long
The Hokies beat Nebraska 87-81 on Saturday at Eugenio Guerra Coliseum in a Puerto Rico Shootout semifinal, but that news is only one drop in the stream.
How the Hokies won - with persistence, smarts, 50 percent second-half shooting and contributions from newcomers - is exactly what fourth-year coach Bill Foster wanted to see.
``We had some good shots and just didn't put ours down,'' said Nebraska guard Erick Strickland. ``They stayed with it the whole game. That was the difference.''
In today's 8 p.m. championship game, third-seeded Tech (2-0) plays top-seeded Illinois, a 65-57 winner over fourth-seeded College of Charleston. The Hokies, playing in their 51st regular-season tournament since 1959, seek their 12th championship.
Tonight, it could stand to put ditto marks under the following Saturday resume:
Forward Ace Custis had 30 points and 10 rebounds - 21 points in the second half, including a 3-pointer, the second of his career, that gave Tech the lead for good 60-58 with 11 minutes, 35 seconds left.
Forward Shawn Smith scored 20 points, eight in a second-half run that brought Tech from 51-42 down with 17:47 left to 58-57 down with 11:59 to go, setting up Custis' shot.
Tech won for the second time in five tries against a Big Eight Conference opponent, despite using seven players to Nebraska's nine - and two Hokies starters, Shawn Good and Smith, missed significant time with foul trouble.
Tech won despite trailing by as many as 13 in the first half, by 11 at halftime and by nine with 17:47 left - this against a team that had blown out Northeast Louisiana on Friday night.
And Tech won despite being forced to play freshman point guard Myron Guillory for 18 minutes.
Guillory didn't do much except keep his head - which was all Tech needed against Nebraska's formidable backcourt of Jaron Boone and Strickland.
Good went to the bench with three fouls with 11:07 remaining in the first half and didn't play again until starting the second half; and he sat down after his fourth foul with 14:49 left.
In the six minutes he was out, Tech went from trailing 51-49 to leading 62-60.
Custis deflected credit to Guillory, but he deserved most of it. After Smith's eight-footer pulled Tech to 58-57 behind, Custis took over. Strickland missed a 3-pointer and Custis rebounded, then pulled up for a top-of-the-key 3-pointer - his seventh lifetime attempt - and sank it. Tech led 60-58.
With 10:21 left, Smith passed to Custis for a layup and a 62-58 lead. With 8:16 left, a Custis leaner made it 64-60 Hokies.
And after Nebraska's Melvin Brooks hit a 3-pointer, Custis sank a 15-footer to provide a 66-63 Tech edge with 7:35 left.
Custis claimed the Hokies don't necessarily look for him in their offense; David Jackson said Tech knew Custis was hot and kept giving it to him.
Custis had a basket and an assist late in Friday's first-round victory over Montana State and has 46 points and 26 rebounds in Tech's two games.
``All my life I've wanted the ball, no matter what time of the game it was,'' said Custis, who was told at halftime to shoot more. ``I had, like, five turnovers at halftime, and that was bothering me. I knew I couldn't come out and play any worse.''
Nebraska did. The Cornhuskers (1-1) made half their field-goal attempts and went to the free-throw line 11 times in the first half, and at one point led 47-34.
But Tech roped in Nebraska's up-and-down game by rebounding (Tech led 34-29), making shots and playing physical second-half defense after being pushed around in a rough first half.
The Hokies thought they were playing the officials, too, in the first half, until Foster changed their mood at halftime.
``I thought they grew up a lot in the second half,'' he said. ``We tried to settle them down mentally, not worrying about wet spots [on the floor] and physical play and tough screens.
``They ran so well [Friday], we knew defensive transition would be a big key, and fighting over screens would be a big key.''
Nebraska looked smooth in taking a first-half lead, but appeared rattled when Tech led in the second half. The Cornhuskers had turnovers on consecutive possessions following Custis' 3-pointer. Boone made a jumper to give Tech a 62-60 edge and led a three-on-two break after a steal. But Travis Jackson blocked Boone's layup; Boone missed a 3 on Nebraska's next try; and Boone slipped on the damp floor and slid out of bounds the next time.
``I don't know [what happened],'' said Danny Nee, the Huskers' coach. ``I would've stopped it if I could.
``We're a transition team, but you've got to rebound and make some [defensive] stops. Once they had the lead, they made the plays.''
Two Damon Watlington free throws made it 68-63 with 7:04 left, and Watlington's 3-pointer gave Tech a 71-63 lead. Nebraska never got closer than six again; Tech made 10 of 12 free throws in the last two minutes, including 4-of-4 by David Jackson.
see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
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by CNB