THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 16, 1994 TAG: 9412160680
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
After drawing 20,054 in paid attendance to this year's Tidewater Basketball Classic - that's an average of 1,253 per game - Booker T. Washington coach Barry Hamler is thinking even bigger for next year's event.
Hamler reports that he has verbal agreements with perennial power DeMatha High of Metropolitan D.C. and two New Jersey powers, St. Patrick's and Patterson.
Locally, he said he has early interest in inviting Cox, Kempsville, Indian River, Bayside and the Eastern District teams.
And while the Classic had its share of teams from the East this year, Hamler wants to branch west and south next season. Hollywood Prep (Calif.) and Lakeland High (Fla.) are on his wish list.
NO HTS: Hamler said plans to tape the final game of the Tidewater Classic between Paul Robeson and Maine Central Institute for replay on Home Team Sports fell through when the production truck scheduled to shoot the game developed technical difficulties.
A new truck could not be obtained on short notice. It was probably best since the Robeson-MCI game was called midway through the fourth quarter when Robeson was whistled for its fourth technical foul of the night with MCI leading, 65-45.
Anyone thinking the officiating crew might have overreacted to Robeson's brash actions should think again. The crew of Roscoe Hatten, Ernie Banks and Phil Hubbard is about the best crew anyone in this area could ask for.
YOUNG GUN: It's been 10 years since Lake Taylor posted a winning season, but the Titans are off to a 4-1 start under first-year coach John Kelly and their leading scorer has the kind of name that's hard to forget.
Artulra ``Toot'' Young, a 6-foot sophomore guard who is averaging 14.4 points per game, also has an older brother many should remember.
``Toot'' Young is the younger brother of former Norview standout Willie Young, who is redshirting at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga and will have junior eligibility next year.
Like his older brother, ``Toot'' Young can shoot the 3-pointer. And he bears a remarkable resemblance on the court, even though ``Toot'' is a lefthander.
``He taught me how to shoot it,'' Young said of his brother. ``We used to get up at 6 a.m. and run down to the courts to play. He'd let me win every once in a while to get my confidence up.''
Now, Young says he can give Willie a good game. But it's a mixed blessing to follow a brother who was a first-team All-Tidewater selection.
``It's tough,'' Young said. ``Sometimes I hate the fact that I'm following a brother who was so good. But sometimes I like it.''
TRIP TO JAPAN OFF: Booker T. Washington's planned five-game trip to Japan over the holidays has fallen through. According to Hamler, the Japanese could not fund their portion of the expenditures due to a weakened economy.
``We left the door open to do it next year,'' Hamler said.
To fill the void in the schedule, the Bookers added a home date with Lafayette (Dec. 20) and away games at Lafayette (Dec. 30) and Deep Creek (Jan. 28), giving the Bookers a full 20-game slate.
The school had received special permission to play a 22-game schedule had the team gone to Japan.
CAN PASS, WILL SHOOT: Churchland coach Mac Carroll teasingly blamed Mike Holland's early shooting woes on the recently completed football season, in which Holland quarterbacked the Truckers to a 6-4 record.
Holland averaged over 10 assists in the Truckers' first three games, but his shots weren't falling.
The shots fell Wednesday in Churchland's 62-54 victory over Maury. Holland missed his first three field goal attempts, but canned a 3-pointer with seconds running out in the first half that catapulted his second-half performance.
In the second half, Holland hit 4 of 7 field goal attempts, including two more 3-pointers, and 3 of 4 free throws to finish with 16 points.
``In our first three games I couldn't find my shot and I was a little frustrated,'' Holland said. ``And I didn't hit a 3 against Maury in three games last year so I know they were thinking I couldn't hit one.''
NICE TOUCH: To christen their new gymnasium, Ocean Lakes' coaching staff broke out the formal wear for its game with Kellam Tuesday. Alas, the Knights broke up the black-tie affair by beating the Dolphins, 45-38.
A GLANCE AHEAD: Tallwood, which has raced to a 3-0 record and can stretch it to 4-0 with a victory over visiting Princess Anne tonight, will likely jump into the area top-10 poll next week, creating a matchup of top 10s when they visit Cox Tuesday night. In a non-district game with top-10 ramifications, Lake Taylor hosts Green Run Wednesday. by CNB