THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 4, 1995 TAG: 9508040630
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DWIGHT FOXX, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
The Allen Iverson Show never materialized Thursday night in the Hampton Roads Pro-Am Basketball League.
But the Tony Rutland exhibition wasn't a bad substitute.
Rutland, a rising sophomore at Wake Forest University, scored 19 of his game-high 48 points in the fourth period as A&G Imports rallied to upset second-seeded Kershner and Hawkins, 131-129, in quarterfinal playoff action at Lake Taylor High School.
A big crowd turned out for the 6 p.m. game hoping to catch the former Bethel backcourt duo of Iverson and Rutland do their thing. The players led their alma mater to the 1993 Group AAA basketball title.
Rutland more than made up for Iverson's absence with his own display of dribbling, 3-point shooting and high-flying dunks.
Kershner and Hawkins scored the first 13 points of the game but found itself in a struggle as A&G cut the lead to one, 128-127, with 56 seconds remaining.
On the inbounds play, Rutland and A.J. Wydner forced a steal in the backcourt and Carl Parker turned the defensive gem into a dunk to give A&G its first lead, 129-128, with 34 seconds left.
Darren McDonald made 1 of 2 free throws for Kershner and Hawkins with 47 seconds remaining to tie the game.
Rutland would score the winning bucket on a jumper with 14 seconds left. Hawkins had a chance to tie or win at the end, but a jumper from the right wing by McDonald was long and Rutland rebounded and ran out the clock.
With the graduation of Randolph Childress, Rutland says Wake coach Dave Odom will be counting on him to score more.
``No question,'' said Rutland when asked held back offensively last season. ``With Randolph there, I didn't have to score that much. I wasn't expected to score but I was supposed to help Randolph with my point guard skills.''
He also added that Iverson, who has averaged 61 points per game in his Pro-Am appearances this year, was being monitored closely by Georgetown.
``He probably hasn't got back yet,'' Rutland said. ``He was supposed to go up there and get his passport for when he goes to Japan.'' Iverson is a member of the World University team that will compete for a gold medal later in the summer.
Shawn Bell scored 53 points as the Hampton Roads Admirals overcame a brilliant effort from Sports Authority's Darren Sanderlin to win, 153-141. Sanderlin scored 60 points to tie Joe Smith for the second-best total in Pro-Am history.
In semifinal play today, Central Fidelity will meet the Bombers at 6 p.m. and A&G Auto will tangle with the Hampton Roads Admirals at 8 p.m. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
MARK MITCHELL/Staff
Tony Rutland, left, and Shawn Blackwell, center, of A&G Imports go
for the ball against Kershner and Hawkins' Brian Ballard Thursday.
by CNB