ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, December 6, 1996 TAG: 9612060026
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
LEXINGTON
THE KEYDETS TAKE NAVY to the wire before falling 68-62 to the Midshipmen.
The atmosphere in the VMI locker room after the Keydets' basketball game against Navy on Thursday night was nearly identical to the snowy climes outside the walls of Cameron Hall.
There were lots of cold stares from eyes as glassy as sheets of ice. The cold season arrived in the form of a 68-62 loss to Navy. The outcome made the Keydets sick.
``We had this game,'' said sophomore guard Matt Matheny, a Cave Spring High School graduate making the first start of his career.
For more than a half, that was the truth. VMI (1-2) was in control of the favored Midshipmen (5-1) despite not having played a game in the past 11 days. The Keydets led for more than a half. They lost control, however, when they lost sight of the rim and the shots that were caroming off it.
What made VMI feel so sick, what made coach Bart Bellairs sit on the sideline for more than 20 minutes after the game and emit an exasperated exhalation, was the Keydets' rebounding ills. Navy grabbed 42 rebounds, VMI 26.
``We knew going in we had to control them and they kicked our butts on the boards,'' Bellairs said. ``I don't want that at home. We win at home.''
Few teams, however, beat Navy in the battle of the boards, not even teams from military academies well-schooled in the history of battle. The Midshipmen led NCAA Division I in rebound margin two seasons ago and were 12th last season.
If Navy hopes to pull such rank this season, it will take efforts like Hassan Booker had against VMI. Booker is a 6-foot-3, 220-pound junior who had a game-high 10 rebounds, most of which were captured after serious physical contact. On the most memorable play, Booker saved a loose ball and in the process got physical with three courtside chairs.
Booker already is putting his major course of study, surface warfare, to good use. ``He's a real good student," said Navy coach Don DeVoe, the man who guided Virginia Tech to its first NIT title.
Booker also was a quick study of VMI's tendencies. DeVoe was searching for a way to get the Keydets to relax their full-court pressure. Booker executed his orders with a series of length-of-the-court passes that led to uncontested baskets by Midshipmen center Josh Williams.
``There's no excuse for missing three home run balls,'' Bellairs said while blaming himself for VMI's lapses.
The Keydets' inexperience didn't help, either. VMI's starting lineup included three sophomores and a freshman, far different from last season's lineup of three seniors, a junior and a freshman.
It did not go unnoticed that Booker resembled a senior from last season's Keydets team, center Lester Johnson, in physical stature and results produced.
This game also presented the young VMI team with a predicament it needs to learn to handle - getting a lead and getting it back when it's lost.
``We had not played in a situation where we've been up and a team made a run back at us," said Martinsville High School graduate Maurice Spencer, one of two seniors and captains on VMI's roster. ``I hope we learn from this situation."
Spencer spent more time in the hot showers than any VMI player. When he came out to his locker, his teammates were still there, faces frozen and brains locked on the fact they made only seven field goals and got only 10 rebounds in the second half.
``That's how we take every game,'' Spencer said. ``Every game means something.''
NAVY(5-1)
Hickman 2-4 0-0 4, Walker 2-3 0-3 6, Schuknecht 1-7 0-0 2, Sladky 6-8 0-0 13, Smith 3-4 0-0 8, Williams 3-6 1-3 7, Heary 3-11 5-6 11, Victor 0-0 0-0 0, Booker 6-12 0-2 12, Green 2-2 1-2 5. Totals 28-57 7-16 68.
VMI(1-2)
Spencer 4-9 5-5 13, Faulkner 3-7 2-2 9, Taueg 1-3 1-2 4, Matheny 2-5 0-2 5, Quarles 2-4 2-2 8, Mann 1-4 4-6 6, Demory 0-1 0-0 0, Conley 4-11 2-3 11, Spinelli 2-4 0-1 4, Harrington 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 20-53 16-23 62.
Halftime-VMI, 37-33. Three-point goals-Navy 5-11 (Walker 2-2, Schuknecht 0-1, Sladky 1-1, Smith 2-2, Heary 0-5), VMI 6-16 (Spencer 0-3, Faulkner 1-2, Taueg 1-2, Matheny 1-3, Quarles 2-3, Conley 1-3). Rebounds-Navy 42 (Booker 10), VMI 26 (Conley 5). Assists-Navy 13 (Walker 6), VMI 11 (Matheny, Quarles 3). Total fouls-Navy 24, VMI 20. A-1,043.
LENGTH: Medium: 83 linesby CNB