THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 9, 1995 TAG: 9504090184
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
One for every eight.
That's probably the number of doors that will open in the National Basketball Association for the 64 players competing in the 43rd annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament.
The estimate came from Stu Jackson, general manager of the new Vancouver Grizzlies and headline speaker at the annual PIT Celebrity Luncheon Friday at the Holiday Inn-Portside.
``Eight went into the NBA from last year's PIT and I would say we can expect about the same number this time,'' said Jackson.
``There are 325 players in the NBA, not a lot. There is one mega star, a freak of nature. And you can tell him I said that.
``Behind him there are 12 to 15 supremely great players.
``Behind them are about 20 pretty good, well-compensated players.
``And the rest? Role players. They have a skill that is needed by a particular team.
``So we know that about 9 of the 12 players on our team will be role players. I want role players that I want to be around.
``We are taking a new NBA franchise into Canada for the first time, starting from scratch.''
Pointing out at the PIT players, Jackson added ``June 28 is the draft date and perhaps some of you will be part of a fortunate few. And there will be other opportunities for many of you to explore. Do it with vision.''
LAST-MINUTE LARRYS: One of the themes of the first round was the strong play of several players who were last-minute replacements for bigger names who dropped out.
On Wednesday, Wake Forest's Scooter Banks, filling in for Purdue's Cuonzo Martin, had 17 points for K-Plus in a 96-93 win over Norfolk Naval Shipyard.
Thursday, Nicholl State's Reggie Jackson, who replaced Virginia's Junior Burrough, led the Portsmouth Sports Club with 23 points. LSU's Clarence Ceasar, invited when UConn's Donny Marshall dropped out, had 17 points for Hoechst Celanese and St. Bonaventure's David Vanterpool, in for Oklahoma State's Randy Rutherford, had an aggressive nine points.
Were the last-minute guys a little hungrier? Maybe.
``I knew I was considered last, and I just wanted to show I could come in here and play with anybody,'' said Jackson, a 6-foot-5 forward.
Vanterpool learned late Tuesday night that he would be playing Thursday.
``I had an idea, and I was just trying to keep myself prepared,'' he said. ``I'm feeling real hungry and happy just to be out here playing.''
JET-LAGGED: None of the tournament's original 64 invitees had less time to prepare than Corey Beck and Dwight Stewart of Arkansas.
After losing to UCLA in the national championship game Monday night, Beck and Stewart flew to Arkansas Tuesday night, then hopped a plan to Norfolk Wednesday morning.
``Unpack and repack,'' Beck said. ``It was hard to get any sleep at all.''
As if the travel wasn't tiring enough, Beck and Stewart also had to try to shake off the emotional effects of the UCLA loss, and focus their attention on impressing NBA scouts.
``It was pretty stressed out, because you want to come in here and do your best,'' Beck said.
``It was tough loss (Monday night),'' Stewart said. ``But you've got to put it behind you, because you're on your own now.''
Stewart had 15 points Thursday night, while Beck had 10.
HILLMAN AWARD: Eric Sasser, who has served as president of the Churchland Youth Basketball Association for the past seven years, was selected as the annual recipient of the Harry ``Hook'' Hillman Memorial Award, given each year by the PIT for exceptional service in youth basketball.
Scholarship awards were given to Churchland's Summer Speidell, Norcom's Dale Oltarzewski, Wilson's Adrienne Rogers and Western Branch's Matthew Lawrence. MEMO: Staff writer Ed Miller contributed to this story.
by CNB