THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 9, 1995 TAG: 9504070169
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: The Sports Editor
SOURCE: Bill Leffler
LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
Notes on a frayed white cuff. . . .
As another outstanding Portsmouth Invitation Tournament is tucked away, now seems a good time for somebody who can't remember ever missing any of the 43 that have been played to pick his all-time teams.
And that would be ye olde scribe.
The five best players in actual PIT games: Rick Barry of Miami (Fla.), 107 points in 1965 tournament; Monte Davis, Tennessee State (59 rebounds in 1980 tourney); Charles Bonaparte, Norfolk State (59 points in one game in 1969); Doug Moe, North Carolina (most valuable player in both 1963 and 1964 when participants did not have to be college seniors); and Dennis Rodman, Southeastern Oklahoma State (63 points, 53 rebounds and MVP honors in 1986).
The five PIT players who went on to bigger and better things: Rick Barry, Dave Cowens, Earl Monroe, Scottie Pippin and John Stockton. An extra berth for Bobby Dandridge.
The five PIT players who became bigger names as coaches: Bobby Cremins, Georgia Tech; Lefty Driesell, James Madison; Oliver Purnell, Dayton; Doug Moe, former coach of Denver Nuggets; and Larry Brown, everywhere.
This year's PIT had the most novel start in its long history.
Just as the players were being introduced for the opening game on Wednesday, the lights in the Churchland gym went out. There was 10 minutes of darkness.
Quipped Billy Skeeter, co-coach of the K-Plus team that won the first game: ``I knew we were ready. We were shooting the lights out.''
Death has silenced the longtime voice of the Manor Mustangs.
Sonny Barnes, 64, passed away after a long illness. Barnes did the announcing at Manor football games for several years and briefly after the school became Wilson.
Even after his sickness made it nearly impossible for him to scale the stadium steps to the pressbox, he attempted to continue.
``I don't know which is tougher,'' said Sonny. ``Trying to keep from calling the team Mustangs instead of Presidents or getting up here to do the announcing.''
His always-accurate game calls will be missed.
First sign of the demolition of the football sector of Frank D. Lawrence Stadium:
The goal posts have come down.
The visitors' bleachers also have been transferred elsewhere, and the fence around the stadium was removed.
Eligibility for athletics at Portsmouth's high schools in the 1995-96 year will be based upon a 1.70 grade point average.
It might take even more. There doesn't seem to be a combination of grades that can equal out at 1.70.
A student acquiring 11 quality points in six courses receives a 1.83 GPA. A student with 10 quality points in those same six classes gets 1.67. by CNB