ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 5, 1997 TAG: 9703050099
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: PHILADELPHIA
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
VIRGINIA TECH SENIOR Troy Manns is playing the best basketball of his life as his Hokies career nears its end.
Perhaps no member of the Virginia Tech men's basketball team would like to hit the rewind button on the 1996-97 season more than Troy Manns.
As a weary Tech squad nears the finish of a mediocre season, Manns suddenly finds himself playing the basketball of his life.
While the Hokies (14-15) have lost six of seven games heading into today's noon meeting with Fordham (6-20) in the first round of the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament, they sure can't blame Manns. The point guard from Roanoke has been the Hokies' true point man lately, scoring a team-high 103 (14.7 ppg) in the past seven games. Manns, who never had scored more than 16 points in a game in his nearly two seasons at Tech, erupted for 30 in the Hokies' 81-72 home loss to then-No.14 Xavier on Sunday.
Hokies fans have to wonder: Where has this been all season?
``I don't know,'' Manns said. ``I've never scored 30 in a game before. I had 24 once at George Mason. Nineteen was my best in high school. Coach [Woody] Deans wouldn't let me shoot the ball,'' he said of the former Patrick Henry High School coach.
With scoring leader Ace Custis hampered by a bruised right shoulder, Tech has needed someone to take up the offensive slack. Manns, after reaching double figures five times in Tech's first 22 games, has responded, scoring 10 or more points in the Hokies' past seven games.
Has Tech coach Bill Foster, who expects his point guard to create shots, not necessarily take them, suddenly turned Manns loose on the offensive end?
After witnessing Manns' 30-spot Sunday, Foster shook his head.
``If I'd known that was there all year,'' said Foster, laughing, ``yeah, we'd have turned him loose.''
Manns said he wishes he had ditched the carburetor restrictor plate on his game earlier. But that's basically impossible in the zone-defense oriented A-10 where more games than not are half-court battles with scores in the 50s and 60s, sometimes even the 40s.
Xavier's quick-tempo, up-and-down-the court style may not have suited Tech, but it fit Manns. After all, this is a guy who used to run Paul Westhead's runnin' and gunnin' game at George Mason.
``Up-tempo,'' Manns said. ``That's just my style of game since high school. At Mason we played up-tempo, and that's just the way I like to play. I feel more comfortable going up and down, breathing heavy, tired and sweatin'. That's the way I like to play.''
So why did he transfer to Tech after the 1993-94 season? Hey, the Hurryin' Hokies have been history since Frankie Allen's days.
``It's been a learning experience,'' Manns said. ``I knew what I was getting into when I left George Mason. I knew I wanted to win, and if this was the sacrifice I had to make, so be it. I made it.''
After sitting out the '94-95 season, Manns averaged 16 minutes and 4.7 points off the bench for Tech's 23-6 NCAA Tournament squad last season.
``Last year we were ranked eighth in the country at one point, so that's all that matters,'' Manns said. ``All people care about is who wins.''
Manns replaced Shawn Good as the Hokies' starting point man this season. Although he has 136 assists - the most for a Tech player in Foster's six seasons - Manns said Foster nonetheless has given him numerous citations for speeding.
``When I first came here, I was real aggressive with the ball, I liked to go to the basket with the ball,'' Manns said. ``And [Foster] would start hollering, `Troy, slow down, stop doing this, stop doing that.'
``I've tried, but I can't take the playground out of me.''
The slick-dribbling guard hopes to do a cover version of ``Philadelphia Freedom'' in the A-10 tournament.
``If I had it to do all over again, I'd just play the way I play, I guess like I did'' against Xavier, Manns said. ``I was hesitant earlier in the season. Instead of being a leader on the floor, I was hesitant because I was afraid to make mistakes.
``No more, though. This is probably my last chance to play basketball, so let's go.''
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ALAN KIM STAFF. 1. Virginia Tech senior point guard Troyby CNBManns has become the man for the 14-15 Hokies, averaging 14.7 points
in his past seven games. color. 2. (headshot) Manns.