Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 31, 1995 TAG: 9503310067
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: Medium
The Virginia Tech basketball team can't wait for Oct.15 to arrive.
Riding the tidal wave of Wednesday's 65-64 overtime victory over Marquette in the 58th National Invitation Tournament championship game, the Hokies hardly can wait for next season.
Tech has good reason to be as anxious as a surfer at high tide. Not only are the Hokies moving into a new neighborhood - the Atlantic 10 Conference - they also will own one of the best homes, possibly the best, on the block.
Tech's house will be loaded. In addition to having everybody back from the NIT title team, Hokies coach Bill Foster also has the pleasure of welcoming four more good players at the front door - forward Jim Jackson, center Keefe Matthews, forward Shawn Browne and guard Troy Manns of Roanoke.
``On paper, we should be awful good next year,'' Foster said. ``Three of the four who sat out [Jackson, Matthews and Manns] already have two years of college experience behind them. Two [Jackson and Matthews] probably would have started this year, to be honest.
``If we stay healthy we'll be 10 or 11 deep. Then we can extend the defense a little bit, trap, press and play a little quicker pace than we did this year.''
Indeed, the Hokies should ride in the fast lane next season. Coming off a school-record 25 victories, Tech figures to be ranked in all the preseason polls and is likely to be the favorite in the A-10's six-team West Division.
How will the Hokies handle the great expectations?
Foster sure likes their chances.
After turning in perhaps his finest job in 28 years as a college head coach, Foster no longer ponders what it would be like to play golf three or four times a week.
Foster suffered some stomach problems during the season, fueling speculation he might retire.
Don't worry. Foster isn't going anywhere. Not yet. Not with these kind of cards in his hand.
He turns 59 on Saturday, but he's no April Fool.
``You can't help but look at what might happen next season,'' Foster said. ``Plus, I really love these kids. They're so much fun to be around. They go to class, they work hard in school and on the court. I haven't had a bit of trouble with them, and in this day and time, that's saying something.
``My next job will be out of coaching. I had a couple people call me last week asking if I'd make a change. Nope. When I'm done at Virginia Tech, I'm done coaching.''
Foster looked far from done this season. He squeezed every drop from a team that relied mainly on six players.
``We didn't intimidate anybody, but we were a club that kind of found a way to win all year,'' Foster said. ``Because our chemistry was good and our players really didn't worry about who scored, we were able to adjust and play pretty well.
``It was different guys each night. I think that's the thing that made this team successful. The opposition couldn't really key on one guy.''
This Tech team did it with guts and grit. By all rights, it could have folded early after losing Jim Jackson (back surgery), Matthews (knee surgery) and Browne (ineligibility). Jackson and Matthews were redshirted. Manns had to sit out this season after transferring from George Mason.
``It was kind of one thing after another all season long,'' Foster said. ``But the kids never complained, and they never used it as a crutch. They just got up and kept going.''
And they didn't stop until they had secured the school's second NIT trophy.
``We came here and got what we were after,'' said Tech junior Shawn Good, shortly after Shawn Smith's two free throws with seven-tenths of a second left beat Marquette.
``And next year? Yes, it's hard not to think about just how good we could be. I can't wait.''
Neither can any other Hokies coach, player or fan. There's only 199 days to go.
by CNB