THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 13, 1994 TAG: 9411110256
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 27 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
WHEN THE ELIZABETH CITY State University men's basketball team opens its 1994-95 season this week, a lot will have changed from last year.
Gone are big-play men Nate Higgs and Sean Walker. Gone is the comfortable home-dominated schedule. New faces will abound on the bench and possibly in the starting lineup. And, less will be expected of the team that reached the Division II playoffs last year, despite turmoil at the end of the season. But don't count the Vikings out yet.
ECSU opens the season this Friday (Nov. 18) at the West Chester State University Tip-Off Tournament in West Chester, Pa. Other teams expected to participate are West Chester, Bowie State, and Longwood College. The Vikings then travel to Hickory, N.C., to play in the Lenoir Rhyne College Classic Tournament on Nov. 25 and 26 with Lenoir Rhyne, Gardner-Webb, and USC-Spartanburg. A game against Fayetteville State in Fayetteville on Nov. 28 precedes the ECSU Tournament on Dec. 2 and 3 which will include Allen College, Barber-Scotia College, and St. Augustine's.
The Vikings are picked to finish fourth in their division of the CIAA behind powerhouse Norfolk State, Virginia Union, and Hampton.
Considering the Vikings finished third last year, that's not a bad pick. Head coach Claudie Mackey has said that one of his goals is to have a better record than last year's 23-7 mark.
``I think we have a better ball club than last year,'' Mackey said after his team participated in ``Midnight Madness.'' ``We've got a group of players that will allow us to go deeper into the bench. What is going to make us a good team is that we have players that can do a number of things.''
Three players who started last year are back. Adrian Bell, a sophomore from Rocky Mount, impressed CIAA observers last year at the point guard slot. Ron Nowlin, who started at forward two years ago and a few games last year, is known as a defensive specialist who can also hit the 3-pointer. Jo-ve Ford, a 7-1 senior center, will be the key to this year's Vikings. Ford is a Street & Smith's small school honorable mention, a Division II Bulletin Super 16 player, an All-American in College Sports Division II Digest, and is ranked as one of the top 10 NBA center prospects by NBA scout Don Lebenthal.
Another possible starter is shooting guard Jermaine Smoak who has a jumper as smooth as silk. Smoak is 6-2 and was the third all-time leading high school scorer in New York City history. He is the heir apparent to Walker.
Bernard Cooper, a 6-10 transfer from East Carolina and a native of Bertie County, should see playing time at power forward.
ECSU's bench is weaker than last year. With one of the best starting five's in the CIAA, the Vikings had plenty of bench strength.
This year, the ranks are thinner as far as experience. Back from last year's squad are forward Albert Battle (6-8), swingman John Bullock (6-4), guard Lashaune Hill (6-3), center Larry James (6-9), and guard John Richardson (6-1).
The Vikings will be at a disadvantage with their schedule. Besides the tournament, ECSU plays only eight home games, five of those in a row at the beginning of January. The first six games could make or break the season as the Vikings will face Virginia Union on Jan. 7, Hampton on Jan. 11, and Norfolk State on the road on Jan. 21. by CNB