ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, January 20, 1996 TAG: 9601220034
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
The closest the Roanoke Valley might come to seeing an NBA team this season will be today, when Science Hill High School of Johnson City, Tenn., visits the Salem Civic Center for a game against William Fleming.
No, the Hilltoppers aren't an NBA-caliber team, but with their third game in as many days, their schedule is as grueling as anything the pros face.
Science Hill and Fleming tip off the Crestar Classic at 3 p.m. as four Timesland teams try to post victories against outside competition.
Science Hill is the best known of the visiting teams, carrying a No.3 national ranking in USA Today. The Hilltoppers were 17-0 before games Thursday and Friday in the Johnson City area.
In the second game, scheduled to start at 4:45 p.m., a young Salem team goes against unbeaten Group AAA powerhouse George Washington-Danville (12-0), which likely will be No.1 in the state sportswriters' poll when the first high school rankings of the season are released next week.
Host Patrick Henry takes on Coolidge (7-2) of Washington, D.C., in the third game, at 6:30. Northside closes the big day at 8:15 p.m. against perennial Group AAA power Petersburg, which surprisingly had a 5-6 record going into a Friday game against Dinwiddie.
Science Hill was expected to arrive at 1 a.m. today, following its Friday game.
``We've never done this,'' said Hilltoppers coach George Pitts, when asked about traveling late at night to play a third consecutive game on the road. ``We have played back-to-back two other times this year in tournaments, but that's different than running around early in the morning for a 3 p.m. game.''
If any team can handle the travel, it's the Hilltoppers, who are led by 5-foot-10 playmaker Nathaniel Bailey, who has signed a letter of intent with Virginia Tech, and 6-2 forward Jovann Johnson. The two average more than 40 points between them.
``I think our kids usually respond to the tougher situations,'' Pitts said. ``Playing two conference games, then driving up there in a van will be tough. Down the road, I think this will be a plus and help us.''
Pitts, who has coached Science Hill for 12 years, will get a chance to see one of his former assistants, Salem coach Charlie Morgan.
``I didn't want to play against Charlie, just because of our friendship. We see and talk to Charlie regularly,'' said Pitts, who worked with the Spartans' coach for nine years.
Burrall Paye, who resigned Friday as Fleming's coach, said the most interesting matchup might have been GW-Danville against Science Hill, since the Eagles probably are the second-strongest team playing today in Salem. Fleming will be coached on an interim basis by longtime Colonels assistant Marshall Ashford.
Longtime GW coach Harry Johnson has announced this will be his final season, as has PH coach and Crestar director Woody Deans. Johnson's Eagles are led by 6-6 center Bobby Wimbush (20.4 points per game), who has attracted the interest of several Division I programs. ``He's potentially our best basketball player, but not our best athlete,'' Johnson.said.
The best athlete is 6-3 guard Nathan Poole (14.6 ppg), who was one of the state's top running backs in the fall. Overall, GW is loaded and Johnson uses as many as 15 players during a game.
Coolidge (7-2 before Friday's action) is ranked 16th in the Washington area by the Washington Post. Kenia Williams (21.4) is the second-leading scorer in the top classification in Washington, and Marc Ferguson (16.0 ppg) is Coolidge's other offensive threat. Both are 6-5. A third key player is 6-3 Jerry Porter.
``We call them the Three Amigos,'' said Keith Spinner, Coolidge's coach. ``Jerry plays like he's 6-7, 6-8 and is highly recruited in football by teams like Michigan, West Virginia, Florida and North Carolina'' as a wide receiver.
Petersburg, with another veteran coach in Bill Lawson, has fallen on hard times. Last season, the Crimson Wave was 25-0, but was upset in the Eastern Region tournament after 6-9 Marco Harrison, now playing at North Carolina State, suffered an injury. This season, Petersburg's six losses have been by five or fewer points.
``We only lost two kids off last year's team,'' Lawson said. ``Right now, we don't have a best player, but we have two senior guards in Bernard Johnson and Don Brooks.''
Brian Bankston, a 6-8 senior, has signed with Hampton University, although he is averaging only three points a game.
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