THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 1, 1995 TAG: 9503010588
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: Athletes of the Week
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Short : 49 lines
What a difference a year has made for Kizzy Dunbar.
At mid-semester last year she became academically ineligible at Oscar Smith. She was devastated.
``I really think we would have won the district championship,'' she said. The Tigers then were led by eventual Tidewater Player of the Year Angela Carter.
Dunbar had to slip into a spectator's position as Oscar Smith finished with an 11-9 record and a semifinal loss in the Southeastern District tournament.
Dunbar vowed things would be different this year. She got her classroom work in order and her game was starting to click as the Tigers closed a 14-9 regular season and prepared for the district tournament.
Dunbar, a 5-7 guard, then led Oscar Smith to three victories and its first district tournament championship.
She was the tourney MVP. She topped all scorers with 83 points, including a career-high 34 in a semifinal victory over regular-season champion Churchland to become The Virginian-Pilot and Ledger-Star girls athlete of the week.
Dunbar connected on eight 3-pointers and was 29 of 37 at the free throw line in the tournament, including 10 of 10 in the title win over Great Bridge.
On Monday she registered 15 points as the Tigers threw a scare at unbeaten Kempsville in the Eastern Region opener before bowing, 68-55.
``I've thought all along she was one of the finest pure shooters I have seen,'' said Oscar Smith coach Patty Walsh. ``On Feb. 16 she had her 18th birthday and from then she has been everything I thought she could be.
``She seemed to really get focused and she was determined we were going to win the district tournament.''
So determined that she plotted with teammate Tonya Swain in the closing minutes of the finale to dump a bucket of water over the head of Walsh at the final buzzer.
That was probably unprecedented at a basketball game. A mop crew had to be called out before the boys championship game could start.
And what does Dunbar, who hopes to play junior college basketball after graduation, think about her recent high-scoring output?
``Boy,'' she said. ``Would I love to play with Angie Carter now!'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Kizzy Dunbar by CNB