Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 29, 1995 TAG: 9503290078
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: Long
While Good won't lay claim to being Superman, the Virginia Tech point guard does reveal one truth about his real identity - he can jump.
``Very few people have the hops Shawn Good has,'' said Bill Foster, Tech coach. ``He's one of the best jumpers I've ever seen.''
Forget jump. This guy skies. If Good got credit for all his time in the air, he'd have stocked up enough frequent-flier points to go to Timbuktu and back.
Believe it or not, there was a day when Good couldn't fly.
``I haven't always been able to jump,'' the 6-foot-4 junior said. ``I've had to work on it. My Dad has been working with me on my jumping since I was in the 7th grade. I was 5-4 then ... and couldn't jump.
``But he got me some strength shoes, and in high school I used to jump over hurdles and jump on these boxes. Then I hit a growth spurt where I grew 6 inches between my sophomore and junior years of high school. Ever since then, I've been able to get up there pretty good.''
Pretty good? Right. In this banner season of Tech's, Good has done everything but jam his head through the rim.
At last measure, Good's standing vertical leap was 361/2 inches. That means he plays 9-4 without lifting an arm.
``It's nice to be able to go up,'' he said. ``I think it's a little natural ability, but mostly I'd just say it's hard work.''
All the labor paid off when Good was 15. That's when he jumped and jammed for the first time during a summer-league game in his hometown of Columbus, Ind.
``I dunked,'' recalled a smiling Good, ``and then everyone said, `When did you start doing that?'''
Good has been flying high since getting off the ground that summer day.
Hokie followers have become accustomed to Good's thrilling, high-altitude act. No statistics are available, but it's hard to imagine any other point guard in the nation with more dunks than Good.
``He's just a jamming dude,'' teammate Ace Custis said. ``There are not many, if any, guys his size who can go up where Shawn Good plays.''
While jumping is Good's primary calling card, the rest of his game has come together this season. After playing the No.2 guard and backing up Jay Purcell at the 1-spot last season, Good has flourished at the point this winter.
Despite an unwillingness to shoot at times, Good is one of Tech's four double-figure scorers, averaging 12.8 points per game. His 53.8 field-goal percentage - due in large part to his dunks - ranks second on the club behind Custis' 54.1 percent accuracy.
``I'm not a 2-guard, not a guy who is going to look for the shot all the time,'' Good said. ``The 2-guard is supposed to be a shooter. I'm kind of guy who wants to set others up. If I have to score, I think I can, but I prefer not to.''
Nevertheless, Good has scored in double figures in all but eight of Tech's 34 games. Foster credits Good's improved shooting eye. Good is hitting a strong 45.9 percent (34-of-74) from 3-point range.
``He's kind of up and down at times,'' said Foster, ``but he's had some spurts where he's really shot well. That's something he didn't do the last couple years. He just keeps working at it.''
In that regard, Good has a great edge. His father, Mel, is a high school coach in Columbus.
``Not many people have the key to the gym anytime they want,'' Good noted.
Good, a point guard in a small forward's body, poses huge matchup problems for Hokie opponents. Most point guards are 6 feet or shorter. Add Good's pogo-stick legs and it's no wonder opposing lead guards shudder at the sight of facing Tech.
``My guys need some stilts to play that cat,'' said Sonny Smith, VCU coach, earlier this season.
``With my size and jumping ability, it's an edge for me,'' Good said. ``If I can get a step on somebody I don't think there's much they can do. I can usually just jump over 'em and get my shot off, or hold 'em off and make a pass.''
While some smaller quicker point men can pose Good problems on defense, Foster likes his end of the trade-off.
``Shawn has the great hops and now he's up to about 200 [pounds] and has good muscle definition to go with it,'' Foster said. ``Therefore, we like to get him around the basket offensively. Most of the guys he plays can handle him in there. And defensively, when he's in a mindset, he can really be a stopper.''
As Good goes, so goes the Hokies, Custis said.
``When Shawn Good plays well, we're awfully tough to beat,'' Custis said. ``He's the leader. He's the man who controls the tempo of the game. He's the man who gets us going.''
The sleepy-eyed Good has awakened in his third season at Tech. Good is one of four current Tech players who prepped for a season at Fork Union Military Academy.
``I had never heard of Tech until the day we [Fork Union] left to go play 'em in Blacksburg,'' Good said. ``I'm glad I did. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.''
Except in the air.
As Good conducted an interview Tuesday on the eighth floor of the Marriott Marquis, ex-Tech player Corey Jackson, standing four floors up, hollered down to Good to bring the room key up.
Good shrugged his shoulders and replied, ``What am I supposed to do? Fly the key up there.''
When somebody mentioned jump, Good laughed.
``I don't think I can make it from here,'' he said. ``Now maybe if I was on that next floor ...''
Keywords:
BASKETBALL
by CNB