THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 2, 1994 TAG: 9412020733
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 118 lines
Churchland has four returning starters, five if you count 6-foot-9 Marvin Rodgers, who is academically ineligible but should return in late January. Guard D.J. Dunbar, last year's area player of the year, can dominate games.
Indian River has a young cast, but loads of talent. The Braves should round into form in January.
Deep Creek could challenge, too.
1993-94 champion: Churchland.
Predicted order of finish: 1. Churchland. 2. Indian River. 3. Deep Creek. 4. Norcom. 5. Western Branch. 6. Great Bridge. 7. Oscar Smith. 8. Wilson.
CHURCHLAND
Coach: Mac Carroll.
Last season: 25-4 overall, 13-1 district (tie for 1st)
Impact players: D.J. Dunbar, 6-3 senior guard; Mike Holland, 5-10 senior guard
Newcomers to watch: Jason Lewis, 6-6 junior center-forward; Sadiki Tingling, 6-5 sophomore forward
Outlook: Don't cry for the Truckers while Rodgers pulls up his grades. He should be back in time for a state title run. Dunbar and Holland provide an excellent backcourt. Clay Walton, James Harris and Andrew Harris are in the 6-5, 6-6 range and Lewis weighs 290 pounds. Dion Langley, Quintin Morris, Greg Boothe and Antoine Cole make the Truckers as athletic as anyone. Bench spark Terrance Taylor is recovering from a stab wound and should be back.
INDIAN RIVER
Coach: Freddie Spellman.
Last season: 21-5 overall, 13-1 district (tie for 1st)
Impact players: Terry Rouse, 6-6 junior guard; James Boyd, 6-0 sophomore guard-forward
Newcomers to watch: Jason Capel, 6-7 freshman forward; Edward Seward, 6-7 junior forward
Outlook: The Braves are playing wait-and-see with the football team in the playoffs. Boyd and 6-3 senior Quintae McLean, along with others, are expected to join the basketball team late. Senior big men Morgan Jackson and Jamal Creecy and sophomore guards David Selby and Doug Basnight make the talent pool deep. Rouse is a legitimate outside scoring threat.
DEEP CREEK
Coach: Benny Polk.
Last season: 14-7 overall, 10-4 district (3rd)
Impact players: Mike Harrington, 6-0 senior guard; Shelton Davis, 6-0 senior forward
Newcomers to watch: Arnie Powell, 6-4 sophomore forward
Outlook: The Hornets are young - they will carry seven sophomores - and inexperienced - which isn't helped by having seven players still playing football. Nonetheless, there is size and talent, and 6-3 senior Vernon Boone and 6-7 junior Daniel Harper should give an inside threat to Polk's first Hornets team.
NORCOM
Coach: Tony Holloway.
Last season: 6-16 overall, 5-9 district (6th)
Impact players: Torrence Oxendine, 6-4 senior forward; Dominique Godfrey, 6-3 senior forward
Newcomers to watch: Timothy Fields, 6-4 sophomore forward; Mike Ponds, 6-5 sophomore forward; Leroy Coker, 5-9 junior guard
Outlook: The Greyhounds never meshed as a team last year. Can they this year? Senior guard Eric Pope is out with a broken wrist for a few weeks, but Quentin Saunders, Victor Johnson, Roberto Pope and Greg Catron are expected to fill the void. If 6-8 junior center Jamal Price raises his game, Norcom can contend.
WESTERN BRANCH
Coach: Mike Donovan.
Last season: 2-20 overall, 1-13 district (tied for 7th)
Impact players: Dre Bly, 5-10 senior guard; Lorenzo Ferguson, 6-0 junior guard
Newcomers to watch: Reggie Cherry, 6-5 senior forward/center; Josh Brinkley, 6-1 junior guard
Outlook: The Bruins, a region playoff team two years ago, struggled last year. Now they must battle for respectability. Backcourt mates Bly and Ferguson must come up big and drive the Bruins' uptempo game. Cherry and 6-4 senior Matt Lawrence bring needed size.
GREAT BRIDGE
Coach: Martin Oliver.
Last season: 10-12 overall, 7-7 district (4th)
Impact players: Torey Jordan, 6-2 senior forward; Monte Gorum, 6-1 senior forward
Newcomers to watch: Tony King, 5-9 junior guard; Corey Holley, 5-8 junior guard
Outlook: This is a team without a center and the Wildcats must shoot the 3-pointer. Rebounding is a concern, as is inexperience. Sophomores Lou Frampton and Mike Cuddyer, both 6-2, will be forced to share center duties. Sophomore guards Steve Hargrow and Chris Gibson will see time.
OSCAR SMITH
Coach: Sandy Williams.
Last season: 10-13 overall, 6-8 district (5th)
Impact players: Tyrone Williams, 6-1 junior forward; William Bonner, 5-11 senior guard
Newcomers to watch: Duane White, 5-6 junior guard; Moses Johnson, 5-11 junior forward; Mark Caudel, 6-0 junior forward
Outlook: A large influx of junior-varsity players - Williams says seven of the newcomers should see quality playing time - makes this a year of change. Juniors Kelvin Sykes, Dallas Wood, Corey Evans, Jamar Lewis and Brian Lewis lend depth. Seniors Lamont White and Antoine Hunt will share time in the post.
WILSON
Coach: Tommy Kilpatrick.
Last season: 2-19 overall, 1-13 district (tied for 7th)
Impact players: Perez Bottoms, 6-1 junior forward; Darryl Scott, 5-9 senior guard
Newcomers to watch: Darrius Edwards, 5-7 senior guard
Outlook: The Presidents are better than last year and hope to at least double the victory total. Devorak Crocker, a 6-1 senior, should produce. But there is a lack of height. ILLUSTRATION: L. TODD SPENCER
Staff file photo
Guard D.J. Dunbar, last season's all-Tidewater player of the year,
will anchor a Churchland team that returns plenty of talent.
by CNB