ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, February 2, 1996 TAG: 9602020011
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-15 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: RINER
SOURCE: CHAD WILLIS STAFF WRITER
Auburn High School basketball standout Kenny Wojciechowski was looking forward to going out on a high note in this, his senior season. After all, the Eagles were the Three Rivers District's defending champions, and expectations were high in Riner.
"Last year was the first winning basketball team I've ever been a part of," Wojciechowski said. "For our first game this year, the gym was packed. Everybody was hoping we could have another good year."
Unfortunately for Auburn, things have not gone as hoped. Despite Wojciechowski's stellar play, Auburn opened its season with 12 consecutive losses before picking up its first win last week against rival Shawsville. The senior forward has averaged 16.3 points and seven rebounds per game, while shooting a gaudy 62.4 percent from the field - ranking him sixth in Timesland in the category.
"Kenny has had a really good year, and we depend on him for those kind of numbers night in and night out," Eagles coach Kevin Harris said. "We know the ball needs to be in his hands at some point during every possession of every game."
While Wojciechowski has put up big numbers against Fort Chiswell (12 of 14 from the field) and Christiansburg (32 points), the senior said he has found the going increasingly tough as defenses begin to key on him.
"People have started using a lot of zone defenses against us, and that makes it tougher for me to put up the numbers I have to for us to contend," Wojciechowski said. "We've had some problems hitting the outside shot this year, so defenses are packing it in."
The Eagles thus far have shot just 26.9 percent from three-point range, while opponents have blistered the nets from beyond the arc, shooting at a 44.4 percent clip.
Harris said Auburn's offensive woes have caused the team to make some changes in order to give Wojciechowski better looks at the basket.
"We've run some plays where we try to isolate him on one side of the basket in order to get him some shots," Harris said. "We might be taking away some opportunities from other players, but we feel that because Kenny makes such good decisions with the ball, we need to get it to him as much as possible."
Wojciechowski has found the Eagles' difficulties on the court more discouraging following the surprising season he and the rest of the Auburn football team enjoyed in 1995, finishing 5-5.
"We weren't expected to do as well as we did in football, and everybody thought we would do better than we have in basketball," Wojciechowski said. "In football, a bunch of us got together and said we weren't going to go out on a down note. We worked really hard as a team to have a good season. We were like family.
"But in basketball we just can't get together. Last year a lot of the guys hung out together, but this year it seems like no one does anything together. The seniors have tried to get everyone together, but so far it just hasn't happened."
Wojciechowski added that although Auburn is 1-12, there is still time left for the team to play better.
"We just beat Shawsville, so maybe that will give this team some confidence," Wojciechowski said. "We've been talking a lot about playing better and we still think we can win the district tournament. I would like the younger guys to get the chance to play in the regionals."
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Kenny Wojciechowski had a good senior season inby CNBfootball, and the team finished better than had been expected. As
for basketball, Auburn's 1-12 and their opponents' defenses are up
when Wojciechowski's around. But there is still time left for the
team to play better. "We just beat Shawsville, so maybe that will
give this team some confidence," he says.