ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, September 5, 1996 TAG: 9609050082
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: COLLEGE NOTEBOOK
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY
It's amazing how much good can come out of a loss, expecially when it doesn't count. Just ask the Virginia and Virginia Tech men's basketball teams.
Neither the Cavaliers nor Hokies had winning records on their recently completed European tours, but both coaches spoke favorably of the experience.
``I'd rather we had gone 7-0,'' said Tech coach Bill Foster, whose team finished 1-6, with four of the losses by six points or less. ``But the idea in scheduling this trip was not to win all the games.''
The Hokies only used eight players, including walk-on Kelly Mann. Andre Ray, redshirted last season as a freshman, made the trip to Italy, France and Switzerland but could not play without losing a year's eligibility.
Foster was planning to take Travis Jackson, a senior on last year's team, but Jackson received an offer from a professional team in Slovenia.
In Jackson's absence, Foster got a good look at Keefe Matthews and Alvaro Tor, the leading candidates to play center for Tech next season. Matthews scored in double figures four times, with a high of 23.
``Matthews for the first time stayed healthy over an extended period of time and got quality minutes,'' Foster said. ``His goals right now are to stay healthy and get in the best shape he can be. He limped for so long that, subconsciously, I think he limped when he didn't need to.
``I thought Tor played better the longer the trip went. He got extensive playing time and I saw it pay dividends. That's the big reason for making the trip [this summer]. We knew we were going to lose a lot of kids.''
Like Tech, Virginia used eight players on its tour of Belgium and France, but three of them were walk-ons. Coach Jeff Jones considered canceling the trip because of manpower and security concerns.
Depth concerns were alleviated when 1995-96 senior Chris Alexander joined the team. Alexander played well enough that he received a contract to play professionally in Finland.
``The only thing that could have made it better was if Chase [Metheney] had made the trip,'' said Jones, who later learned that Metheney had returned to Virginia after an aborted transfer to South Carolina. ``It's something I'd like to do as soon as we're eligible again in four years.''
Curtis Staples, from Roanoke, had a high of 32 points and scored 24 or more in five games. Courtney Alexander averaged 21.6 points and previously inconsistent Norman Nolan scored in double figures in every game.
``Norman showed improvement in the practice sessions before we left, which I would characterize as grueling,'' Jones said. ``In the actual competition, we saw Norman continue to move forward, which, hopefully, will motivate him to work even harder.
``Norman probably played better than at any time since he has been at UVa.''
CLARIFICATION: UVa signee Craig McAndrew will be required to sit out seven games as the result of his association with an Australian semi-pro team, but that won't prevent him from playing in the season-opening Maui Invitational.
The NCAA ruled that McAndrew was ineligible for 25 percent of the Cavaliers' regular-season games, but teams that play in Hawaii or Alaska get an exemption from the 27-game NCAA limit. McAndrew also may practice and play in exhitions leading up to the Maui trip.
HOKIES LOSE MANN: Mann, a walk-on guard who played in 22 games for Tech over the past two seasons, notified Foster after the European tour that he was transferring to Concord (W.Va.) College, a Division II program where he will be eligible this season.
The Hokies did not want to lose Mann, who scored in double figures in two of the European games, but Foster was not in position to offer him a scholarship. Mann, a Radford native, was a first-team all-state selection at Peterstown (W.Va.) High School.
IN THE BIG EAST: Corey Valentine's honeymoon as Rutgers quarterback didn't last long Saturday. The Scarlet Knights fell behind 14-0 before inserting Ralph Sacca, one of three quarterbacks new coach Terry Shea used in a 38-28 victory over Division I-AA Villanova.
It will be interesting to see who Boston College, idle this week, uses at quarterback when Virginia Tech goes to Chestnut Hill, Mass., on Sept.14. Matt Hasselbeck led the Eagles to a 24-21 comeback victory over Hawaii after replacing starter Scott Mutryn.
``It was the most ridiculous decision in the world and I told [coach Dan Henning] that,'' said Hasselbeck of the original choice of Mutryn. ``I realize that I should respect his decision because he's the head coach, but I'm having a very difficult time doing that.''
IN THE ACC: Georgia Tech wide receiver Derrick Steagall, considered one of the ACC's most dangerous big-play threats, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament Tuesday in a passing drill and will be lost for the season.
Steagall has scored only six touchdowns in a college career that was plagued by injuries even before Tuesday's accident. He is expected to return for a fifth year because, despite playing in only 24 of a possible 33 games, he has never been redshirted.
N.C. State coach Mike O'Cain said sophomore Jose Laureano will start at quarterback Saturday against Georgia Tech. Laureano, almost sent packing last winter, was praised by O'Cain for his improved attitude and work habits. ... Florida State is concerned by a sore arm that has left quarterback Thad Busby with little zip on his passes.
CLOSE CALL: All-America baseball pitcher Seth Greisinger was two days away from enrolling for his senior year at Virginia when he accepted a $1.42-million signing bonus from the Detroit Tigers.
Although he never expected Greisinger not to sign, UVa coach Dennis Womack said it was his impression that, if Greisinger had begun classes without a contract, no professional team could have signed him until after the 1997 college season.
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