Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, December 1, 1994 TAG: 9412010060
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
No matter that the circuit is in its first year, Radford's Rich Cormany knows what to expect.
"Back in the Mountain Empire District,'' the Bobcats boss said. "Or at least a part of it.''
Cormany knows the old Mountain Empire from the valley at Shawsville to the city hilltop where towers Galax. So he should from his previous coaching incarnations at Rocky Gap and Grayson County. He'll know his way around that new MED spinoff, the Three Rivers, very well indeed.
Cormany will need no advance notice that the Three Rivers will be only less dangerous than a vine swing over a crocodile-infested African stream.
For that is what it figures to be.
"On any night, anybody is capable of beating anybody,'' Floyd County coach Alan Cantrell said.
Radford, the newcomer, is sorting out its affairs after losing 17 of 21 in its last Group AA campaign. The Bobcats would have been on sounder footing this time around no matter what the classification.
The reason is that there are more big bodies in black and gold than there have been in years. With inside bruisers such as 6-foot-2 Chuck Hubbard, 6-2 Kelly Underwood, and 6-3 John Dobbins, Radford could start a nice football team. Come to think of it, all three were football regulars in the season just past.
Add to that beefy trio varsity rookies Coley Thomas at 6-7 and Abram Miear at 6-3, and you have a lot of space being gobbled. D.J. Jones, a 6-2 senior starter in 1993-94, adds some experience to the mix.
Depending on how point guard candidates John Kinzer and 5-2 sophomore Duane Perkins work out and seniors Foster Ridpath and Matt Linkous fire away from the wing, the Bobcats could be very good or just another case of mikdwinter heartburn for the faithful.
"I think what we're going to do is pound people,'' Cormany said. "I don't think we're going to be able to run up and down the floor with people - we don't have that kind of team. We may have to play more zone defense than I'd like, but with our size, I think it can be effective.''
Unlike Radford, Floyd County is looking from the outside in with seasoned perimeter specialists Brian Harman at the point and wings Peter Bucklin and Jamie Warren. All three of them can score and Harman is an ace at finding the open man.
Floyd County has to replace 6-6 banger Jason Light, who has taken his high-scoring act (19 ppg., 9 rpg., 3 blocked shots per game) to Emory & Henry. There's no cause for alarm because seasoned players Ben Kiser and Jessie Slusher are ready to assume more prominent roles.
Really, the big question for Floyd County is how youngsters such as sophomores Tony Erchull, Adam Harris and Derek Saunders and freshmen Jason Dalton and Travis Cantrell adapt to the next level.
The only other wonder is when the Buffaloes will have the full attention of their coach. Alan Cantrell's other team, the Floyd County girls, take a 54-game winning streak into the state semifinals that start Friday in Salem.
"Unlike last year, when we opened the season with Grayson County, we'll have all of December to get ready for the district season,'' Cantrell said. "For us, that's going to be a big advantage.''
The biggest advantage of all may belong to Auburn, which has four starters back from a team that went 14-8 a year ago.
Included in that talented quartet is 1,000-point scoring forward Terry Millirons (19.7 ppg., 9 rpg., 67.6 percent field goal accuracy) and streak shooting guard Jon Reed (16.8 ppg., 38.3 percent 3-point accuracy) along with guard Bradley Hudgins, who left the team for a time last year after averaging 8.6 and dishing out a team-leading 122 assists.
Add point guard Mike Bower (113 assists in 22 games) and up-and-comers such as a guards David Alderman and Brad Sutphin along with forward Kenny Wojciechowski, and the Eagles have the makings of a formidable unit.
The key will be to avoid the collapses that the team has been known for both late in recent seasons as well as the second halves of games. Last year, Auburn averaged a scoring margin of 19.2-18.4 in the first quarter but was outscored 17.1-12.8 in the fourth.
"I think it's a matter of not maintaining intensity,'' Auburn coach Kevin Harris said. "We've really been working on that.''
Giles will be yet another contender. Coach John Howlett welcomes back four guys who played on the first string all or part of last year's 13-9 tour that included a school-record eight-game winning streak at the end of the year.
Among the veterans are twin hotshot guards Aaron and Anthony Myers along with 6-4 center John King and forward Josh Stephens.
Expect the Spartans to start slowly because of the delayed arrival of such football players as Anthony Myers, who as of last week were still after Giles' second-straight state Division 2 state championship.
All four of the aforementioned returners are juniors.
"I think we can match what we did last year,'' said Howlett in his best lowballing mode. "These guys aren't seniors, so they won't have the pressures on them that seniors do. They've proven after I inserted them in the starting lineup that they can win.''
All they want at Shawsville is a win, any win. The Shawnees have lost every game the past two season and haven't won since beating James River in the North Cross Christmas Tournament in December 1991.
Eric Altizer is in charge now after having the "interim'' removed from his title. Altizer took over for Tracy Poff when the latter went into administration before the past season ended.
"It'll help with the continuity,'' Altizer said.
Also of help will be guys such as leading scorer Jeremy Nichols (11.5 ppg., 4 rpg.), floor general Corey Dow (4.1 apg.), and 6-3 center Tommy Jones.
Guards Mark Akers, a junior, and sophomore Shannon Yopp and 6-4 forwards Givens Ryan and Doug Ashworth will add depth or go in the starting lineup.
"Our No. 1 is to have the same guys at the end of the year as we do at the beginning,'' Altizer said. "We have 14 people, so with the depth, we can put some more pressure oin people. We can also play some zone with the big guys. The key for us is being able to handle pressure.''
by CNB