THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 14, 1995 TAG: 9511140220
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Tom Robinson
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
Keefe Matthews perfectly fits Virginia Tech's basketball team. He's nothing flashy, short on ego, long on sweat and sacrifice. An anonymous 6-foot-8 kid, as anonymous as 6-8 kids can be at least, who just wants to play ball and let the credit fall elsewhere.
Same for the Hokies as a whole, from unassuming leader Ace Custis on down. Which is why even if you don't know Matthews, and you don't because he's yet to dribble one dribble for Tech, you have to feel for him and his lousy luck.
It wasn't enough that Matthews could only watch Virginia Tech's marvelous transformation from mediocrity to National Invitation Tournament champion last season, which has put the Hokies in every preseason top 25 poll, including the newly released Associated Press poll, which ranks them 22nd.
Now, fate is piling on. And Matthews, with his various leg ailments, is defenseless to respond.
Oh, but he will. Bet on that.
``I feel some good will come out of this,'' Matthews says from Blacksburg, where injury again has postponed his Division I debut. ``I've gotta have faith in the man above. I'll come back and play that much harder because I've had to wait for so long. I think this is kind of helping me.''
Help like this, though, Matthews really didn't need.
It started a year ago in practice when Matthews, simply coming to a jump stop, dislocated his right kneecap. He was new to Virginia Tech, a transfer from two Texas junior colleges, competing for a starting spot in Tech's low post.
He also tore tissue in the knee, but after the arthroscopic surgery everybody said he'd play by January. By late December, when Matthews was still far from ready, coach Bill Foster made him a redshirt.
Fine, Matthews said. He'd use the time to acclimate himself academically. And he did. Still, it wasn't easy, this therapy, this emptiness, not belonging, no matter what people told him.
He'd get to the locker room before everyone else, head to rehabilitation, and by the time he returned, practice would be over and everybody gone. He'd attend games and sit down by the managers, watching an entire program come to life. Without him.
``I think redshirting was the best thing for me,'' says Matthews, whose home is the D.C. suburb of Mount Rainier, Md. ``But it was disappointing because I'd worked so hard to get to this level, going to junior college and busting my butt to graduate.''
A tough two years. Matthews, a ``project'' player in high school who didn't make the SAT score to go Division I, first selected Alvin College.
When Alvin killed men's basketball after the season, Matthews landed at Jacksonville College.
Then the tough third year. But this October was different. He was healed. Strong. Except for his right foot.
When practice started, Matthews felt pain in the foot. But he kept playing until the pain worsened and X-rays were taken and damn if they didn't show a stress fracture.
He'll be out till mid-December.
Or so they say. Matthews had knee surgery as a high school sophomore. He broke his wrist as a junior. You have to think Matthews won't be counting any chickens until he's laced up in maroon and white, sweat beading his brow, pregame introductions in his ears, his moment at hand.
Finally.
``I've learned to keep my head up,'' Matthews says. ``That's something else. This has helped me mature. I know if I hit the wall to go over it or through it, but never stop.
``Life's not always gonna be great. Sometimes you get to see how strong you are. And I feel I'm a pretty strong person.'' ILLUSTRATION: Keefe Matthews' Virginia Tech debut has been delayed by
injuries. But he's been tested
before . . .
by CNB