THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 19, 1995 TAG: 9503190246
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: TALLAHASSEE, FLA. LENGTH: Long : 103 lines
John Thompson summoned freshman point guard Allen Iverson to his hotel room Friday night for a little meeting, one-on-one. Among the Georgetown Hoyas, such an invitation from their uncompromising coach is not always cause for delight.
So there was Iverson, the controversial rookie sensation from Hampton. There was Thompson, a few hours before Georgetown's season would end if it lost to Xavier in the first round of the NCAA tournament's Southeast Regional.
And there, suddenly, were warm words spilling from Thompson's mouth.
This wasn't a session behind the woodshed at all, but a moment that Thompson said he had neglected too long amid the tension-filled flurry of late-season college basketball.
``I told Allen, `I want to let you know something that I haven't told you all year, that I'm very proud of you,' '' Thompson related after the Hoyas had knocked off Xavier, 68-63, to advance to today's second-round game against Weber State.
``I said, `Regardless of what happens (against Xavier), I wanted to let you know that. I'm going to get on you and curse you out, but I'm proud of how you've handled yourself and the pressure you've withstood.' ''
Saturday, following Georgetown's practice, Thompson chuckled when he recalled Iverson's reaction.
``He reached out nervously and shook my hand,'' Thompson said. ``I think the kids are more comfortable with me when I'm fussing and yelling at them. He was probably thinking, `What the hell's wrong with coach? He's being nice to me today.' ''
Iverson, the state's Group AAA basketball and football player of the year in 1992-93 as a junior at Bethel High School, forged the soft spot in Thompson's heart with a season that was among the finest ever by a Big East freshman, despite missing his senior year at Bethel.
Less than a year after then-Gov. L. Douglas Wilder granted Iverson conditional clemency for his part in a bowling alley brawl - he served four months of a five-year sentence - Iverson debuted with a scattershot 19-point performance in a loss to defending national champion Arkansas.
All Iverson, 6-foot and 165 pounts, did from there was claim Big East Rookie of the Year honors by unanimous vote, as well as the conference's Defensive Player of the Year distinction. The only other freshman to win both awards was Patrick Ewing. Along the way, Iverson was named the Big East's Rookie of the Week nine times, shattering the record of six held by Syracuse's Lawrence Moten.
Averaging 20.1 points per game, Iverson has led the Hoyas (20-9) in scoring 21 times. He scored 30 in his first conference game, a freshman record. Iverson set a Big East standard with 64 steals in conference games, and a school mark with 86 steals overall.
Yet the glory is pockmarked by Iverson's inconsistency, his 39.5- percent shooting from the floor and 23-percent mark from 3-point range. For each assist, he yields a turnover.
Indisputably, though, he is the Hoyas' engine, lifting the level of each teammate. And it is important to note that Iverson has softened the rumble and smoothed the ride, though not at the expense of any spark.
Iverson still is frenetic on the court, dashing madly about, sprinting out on the break, walking it up with a shoulder-high dribble before a wicked crossover cut and a slash to the basket.
Yes, he shoots plenty, a whopping 241 times more than his nearest teammate. Now, however, Iverson is less likely to fire from the fifth row.
On defense he bounces and slides, always on his toes, bumps up against a ballhandler as the referees allow, flashes his hands and leaps to swipe at any semblance of an exposed ball.
Yes, the bad fouls, like the bad shots, still come, but with less frequency. All the while, he plays under intense public scrutiny, hustling flat-out as critics poke his persona for flaws.
No, Thompson said, Iverson's not perfect, and he's a long way from being the best point guard to play at Georgetown or from turning pro. But, so goes the buzz, won't the next couple years be something to see?
``Once he really understands the game under Coach Thompson,'' junior center Othella Harrington said, ``he's going to be unbelievable.''
In this season of learning, Iverson said his patience has improved as much as anything.
``Early in the year I did a lot of rushing, especially in the halfcourt offense,'' Iverson said. ``Now I'm trying to be more patient, swing the ball a little bit, get things moving, then try to look for my shot.
``I think I'm playing OK, but I'm not playing the best ball I can play. I'm trying to keep down on these turnovers. For this team, I think that's what's going to be the biggest thing for me. Keep down on the turnovers, try to distribute the ball and get everybody else involved in the game.''
Everybody else has been shunted aside in terms of media attention since Iverson arrived ``with an S on his chest,'' Thompson said sarcastically. But while Iverson had to adjust to college, his teammates, including four seniors, had to accept that Iverson's presence brought a unique tinge to their final season. Their ability to do that, Thompson said, is the real key to his team's success.
``It's not his fault he's getting all the attention,'' said Harrington, Georgetown's second-leading scorer at 12 points per game. ``He's a great player. He deserves it.''
Again today, as in the team picture, Iverson will be front row center in Georgetown's effort to extend its season another hectic week. One quiet meeting with his coach, however, has shown Iverson where he really stands. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Allen Iverson
by CNB