Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, January 23, 1995 TAG: 9501250033
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
``I couldn't make nothing,'' said Virginia's sophomore guard.
That didn't mean he couldn't - or didn't - do anything on a 2-for-12 day.
Cory Alexander made the pair of 3-pointers that pushed 18th-ranked Virginia to its 88-85 double-overtime victory over Georgia Tech. Deane's contributions weren't as crowd-stirring or headline-grabbing.
They were, however, evidence of why the Cavaliers can barely shoot 40 percent and still manage to keep a share of the ACC lead.
``Virginia is a different team since Deane got there,'' said Travis Best, Georgia Tech's point guard. ``They're much more aggressive. He bothers people.''
In hoops,Deane has helped make UVa a school of hard knocks. Opponents already learned last season that they don't want to get on this Deane's list.
Best said it best. Much has been made of the parallel careers of he and Alexander, the league's nonpareil point guards. Asked if it mattered whether Alexander or Deane guarded him, the Yellow Jackets' senior said it didn't, but then changed direction as he does so well.
``I don't mind Deane guarding me, as long as they keep him from putting his hands on me,'' Best said. ``He does a lot of hand-slapping. He tries to break my arm away from the ball.''
Deane got the last rebound of the game, and his two free throws with 3.6 seconds left in the second extra period clinched the victory. Those experiences at opposite ends of the floor hardly were his major contributions.
He guarded Best slightly more of the Tech playmaker's 43 minutes than did Alexander. He not only bothered Best, he also goaded the Yellow Jackets' veteran into his third personal, an offensive foul with five minutes left in the first half.
Best spent the rest of the half on the bench. Then, at the end of regulation, Deane nudged Best, then blocked his attempt for a game-winning shot.
If that wasn't Deane's best play, the one with 1 minute, 7 seconds remaining in regulation was. The shot clock was down to five seconds, and the score was a pair of 66s.
Alexander penetrated and kicked the ball back to Deane behind the 3-point arc. Deane saw Tech freshman Matt Harpring beginning to leap with his right arm extended. So, Deane leaped into the air and floated - sideways - into a collision with Harpring.
``It was ridiculous,'' Harpring said. No, it was a horrible call by official Karl Hess, although probably not much worse than the one he made 35 seconds earlier when he whistled UVa's Curtis Staples after a clean strip of Best.
Deane's shot didn't go in, but he got three free throws. He made two.
``They were jumping out on the 3 all day,'' Deane said. ``I wasn't feeling it, but I thought I could draw a foul. If the shooter is in the air, chances are someone is going to call a foul.''
Not every player would think to elevate sideways to draw - if not initiate - contact, however. Deane, a coach's son, made something of what for many other players would have been nothing but a desperation shot.
A little more than a minute later, Deane had time to think about what was going to happen. On Best's drive for the potential game-winner, Deane knew he bumped the Tech guard.
``It was before the play, and you don't know if at the end they'll call contact like that,'' Deane said. ``I gave him enough room to get the 3 off and then came up.
``It was good defense like we always try to play. Yes, I knew he'd try to take the last shot, because that's what they did and he did last year in the same situation [when UVa beat Georgia Tech in overtime at U-Hall].
``He likes the crossover, left-to-right. That's what he did, and I just tried to time it. I had a couple of inches on him.''
The result was Deane's second blocked shot of the season.
``Deane is a heady player,'' Best said. ``He's one of those guys who knows what he needs to do to win, and he does it.''
by CNB