Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, December 20, 1994 TAG: 9412200083
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Redshirt sophomore David Jackson, who is fast becoming known as the sixth-man supreme here, came off the bench to score a career-high 20 points Monday night and spark Virginia Tech to an 86-64 victory over East Tennessee State.
With his team struggling against a team it was expected to beat, Tech coach Bill Foster didn't wait long to call on Jackson for the jumper cables.
``After Saturday's emotional win [83-73 at West Virginia] and with Christmas break coming up, I think some of the them had cranked up their cars before the game began,'' Foster said. ``While everybody else was hitting on only two cylinders, David came in and was hitting on all eight cylinders. He got us going when we needed it.''
Jackson entered the game at the first timeout, at the 14-minute, 59-second mark, with Tech trailing 14-7.
``Coach Foster told me to go in and get it going - take a charge, dive for a ball, do something to get this thing going,'' said Jackson, whose previous high was 13 points.
The 6-foot-5 transfer from North Carolina-Asheville did just that, scoring 12 points during the next five minutes in a 22-6 run that enabled the Hokies to take charge.
Jackson's contribution in the spurt included two 3-pointers and a back-door layup off a beautiful pass from Shawn Smith. He also had a couple of steals in the run.
``I'm just a role-player,'' said Jackson, who sat out last year after transfering to Tech to play with his twin brother, Jim, who is sidelined with a back injury.
``Tonight, the shots were there. If Ace [Custis], Smitty [Shawn Smith] and Damon [Watlington] don't have the shots, I'm going to shoot it.''
It marked the second consecutive year a Jackson from Tech killed the Buccaneers (3-4). Last season, Jim Jackson had a career-high 24 points in the Hokies' 80-61 victory in Johnston City, Tenn.
At least one person in the crowd of 5,488 thought David Jackson was Jim Jackson on Monday. ``Attaboy, Jim,'' the fan yelled, after David canned a 3-pointer.
``That doesn't bother me,'' David said. ``We play the game just alike. We were both taught by the same person, our father, to hustle and dive for the ball.''
The Jacksons' tenacity rubs off on the team, Custis said.
``There's only one person I know who plays like David Jackson and that's his twin brother,'' Custis said. ``We see that stuff and it motivates us to go do the same thing. I can't wait to watch both of 'em play at the same time.''
Jim Jackson, who underwent surgery on his back, is likely to sit out the rest of the season and receive a medical redshirt year.
``I probably wouldn't be getting all these minutes if he were playing,'' David said.
After David Jackson's kick in the rump, the Hokies, although sloppy at times, never looked back. Tech led 40-31 at halftime and never were threatened in the second half in cruising to their sixth consecutive victory.
``We're 8-1 and it's going to be a nice ride home for Christmas,'' said David Jackson, who was leaving for home - Janesville, Wis., - after the game.
``It's going to be a nice Christmas for everybody now.''
Custis seconded that emotion.
``It feels good to go home and when people ask you what your record is, you can say 8-1. We're off to a great start,'' said Custis, who had 16 points and a team-high 16 rebounds.
Watlington continued his scoring tear with 20 points. The hot-shooting junior has scored 20 or more in five consecutive games, making him the first Tech player to accomplish that feat since Bimbo Coles in the 1989-90 season.
The Hokies, who also got 12 points form Smith, hit 32 of 58 field-goal attempts (55 percent). It's the fifth consecutive game Tech has shot better than 50 percent from the floor.
Tony Patterson, ETSU's 6-foot-9 center, led the Bucs with 18 points. Patterson didn't play but 15 minutes after suffering a strained knee while scoring the game's first basket.
Keywords:
BASKETBALL
by CNB