THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 27, 1995 TAG: 9501270939
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Athletic directors for the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools agreed last week that fall was the right season for girls basketball.
Several prominent coaches, including Norfolk Academy's Joanne Renn and Norfolk Collegiate's Larry Bowman, are in favor of switching to a winter season. Among the advantages, they say, are the chance to compete against public schools and increased visibility with recruiters.
But Norfolk Collegiate athletic director Larry Swearingen said the issue is dead for now. Instead, the athletic directors are considering moving tennis, a spring-season sport, to the fall. The change would enable the TCIS schedule to coincide with public schools.
``We're considering it,'' Swearingen said. ``But we're not going to change basketball. It was discussed.
``But we feel it was in the best interest of the girls to keep it in the fall. They have more court time, and they're not competing with everything else that's going on in the winter.''
Swearingen said few schools would be able to adapt to the load the move would cause. Most TCIS schools field three boys basketball teams, two girls volleyball teams and two wrestling teams, thus making gym space limited.
``As far as playing public schools and being polled with them,'' Swearingen said, ``we don't feel that is essential. We understand that the NCAA has a small window (for scouting recruits) in the fall, but any girl in the TCIS who is good enough to play college ball has been recognized.''
COMPUTER STATS: Though most coaches nominate their players for postseason honors based on their scoring ability, Green Run coach Jim Grigsby has a system that examines each facet of the game.
Grigsby uses his computer and watches the game tape repeatedly to determine each player's performance. He charts shots made, missed, free-throw shooting, assists, steals, fouls, charges, offensive and defensive rebounds, and turnovers; he then assigns them positive and negative values.
``It's a way of evaluating players in a non-scoring capacity,'' said Grigsby, who has been using this system for about 15 years. ``Our roles are getting more clearly defined, and it's helping.''
It's also helping Grigsby validate his game plans. His IBM program also keeps track of opponents' stats against Green Run and separates conference from non-conference games. Grigsby can also see how his team plays on a certain court and compare how the Stallions perform at home or on the road.
SHOWDOWN: Key games are on tap tonight in the Beach and the Southeastern districts that could upset the balance of power.
Top-ranked Kempsville visits No. 2 Salem at 5:45 p.m., and No. 3 Great Bridge travels to No. 7 Oscar Smith for a 6 p.m. matchup.
The undefeated Chiefs (15-0, 11-0 Beach) have handed the Sun Devils (12-3, 9-2) two of their three losses, with the third coming at the hands of No. 6 Bayside. Salem has been playing with a renewed intensity since the first two games against Kempsville, but even if the Sun Devils upset the Chiefs they will still need help to win the district.
The Southeastern district pairing between the Wildcats and the Tigers, however, could create chaos.
Great Bridge leads the district at 7-1, followed by Oscar Smith, Deep Creek and Churchland, all at 6-2. Deep Creek plays Norcom, and Churchland takes on Western Branch.
Should Oscar Smith, Deep Creek and Churchland win tonight it would create a four-way tie for first place. The Tigers already have defeated the Wildcats twice.
PAIRINGS ANNOUNCED: The pairings for the Eastern Region tournament have been announced. The Peninsula District will meet the Eastern District, and the Beach will meet the Southeastern in the first round.
That could set up a semifinal game between the Beach and Peninsula champions with the loser eliminated from postseason play. by CNB