THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 12, 1995 TAG: 9502120213
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
Norfolk State blew both a 17-point lead and a probable chance at a CIAA Northern Division title Saturday night, falling to Hampton, 73-70, in front of a standing room crowd of 8,776 at Echols Arena.
It was a game that Hampton coach Zeke Avery called ``one of the all-time greats.''
For Hampton, sure. For Norfolk State, it was the most painful - and puzzling - loss of the season. The Spartans combined perhaps their best and worst halves of the season in the same game.
``At this point, I don't know what went wrong,'' Norfolk State coach Mike Bernard said. ``I have no idea.
``We just didn't play any basketball in the second half. We were awful.''
Norfolk State (19-4, 8-3 CIAA North) was every bit as good in the first half as it was bad in the second.
Norfolk State scored the game's first 15 points as Hampton (17-7, 7-4) didn't score until nearly four minutes into the game. The Spartans pushed the lead to 21-4, and kept it at 17 at halftime, as they shot 63 percent from the floor.
The figure fell to 22 percent in the second half, and Norfolk State had to rally to bring it that high.
Norfolk State had one scoreless stretch that lasted four minutes, and didn't score a field goal until the half was nearly 11 minutes old.
Hampton, meanwhile, put together a 26-6 run and took a 53-50 lead with nine minutes left.
``We were patient,'' guard Michael James said. ``We knew we could only get two or three points each trip. Once we got with the flow, it came kind of easily, to be honest.''
Hampton started chipping away behind guard J.J. Williams, who had 20 of his 27 in the second half. A Williams alley-oop pass to Derett Boyd gave Hampton its first lead, 52-50, with 11:08 left.
Hampton built the lead to seven with 4:06 remaining on a trey by James. Norfolk State cut it to two, 69-67, on a three-point play by Corey Williams with 1:28 to go. Norfolk State then went ahead on a three-point play by point guard Maurice Whitfield, who drove the baseline and was fouled with 57 seconds left.
Williams put Hampton ahead with a pair of free throws with 29 seconds left. Norfolk State had a final chance, but Marvin Stinson's 8-foot jumper with four seconds remaining bounced off the rim.
Norfolk State beat Hampton in double overtime, 92-88, on Jan. 31. Avery said it was sweet to be on the other end of a close one against his closest rival.
``The intensity of the game, the crowd, the bands, the ingredients were there for this to be considered one of the all-time greats,'' he said.
Norfolk State was led by Williams, who had 24 points, and center Blitz Wooten, with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
The loss leaves Norfolk State one game behind Virginia Union in the CIAA North with one game left to play. The division winner receives a bye in the conference tournament. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
MOTOYA NAKAMURA/Staff
Blitz Wooten of Norfolk State grabs a rebound in the first half
during which a standing room crowd of 8,776 at Echols Arena saw the
Spartans pull away to a 21-4 lead against Hampton, only to lose.
by CNB