THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 28, 1995 TAG: 9511280431
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 115 lines
The regular season ended in a traffic jam atop the standings last year in the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools boys basketball.
It appears likely that it could happen again.
Last year Catholic, Norfolk Christian, Cape Henry and Nansemond-Suffolk Academy shared first place with 7-2 records. Catholic went on to win the TCIS tournament, beating N-SA in the final 43-34.
The conference scoring champion, Cape Henry's Kinte Smith, is back. He posted a 23.5 overall average and maintained a 21.4 mark in league play.
The league has two new head coaches - Rick Van Orden at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy and Richard Hoffmann at Norfolk Collegiate.
Conference play will begin on Jan. 2. The TCIS tournament will be Feb. 14-17 at Greenbrier.
A capsule look at the South Hampton Roads teams in the TCIS:
NANSEMOND-SUFFOLK
Coach: Rick Van Orden (first year as head coach)
Last season: 18-8 overall; 7-2 TCIS
Impact players: John Dragseth, 6-9 senior center; Eddie Bagnell, 6-2 senior forward; Paul Fleming, 6-4 senior forward; David Putnam, 6-2 sophomore guard/forward; Top Palmer, 6-3 junior forward; Joby Webb, 6-0 senior guard.
Newcomers to watch: Warren Carroll, 6-0 freshman guard; Lee Cross, 6-6 junior center; Kyle Snow, 5-10 junior guard; Bryan Sharp, 5-11 junior guard.
Outlook: Four starters are back and probably will be joined by freshman Carroll, who was co-MVP on last year's junior varsity with Cross. Saints have good experience, good height and depth. Starting lineup likely will be 6-9, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 and 6-0. Post game should be excellent.
CAPE HENRY
Coach: David Cameron (70-80 in six years)
Last season: 10-15 overall; 7-2 TCIS
Impact players: Kinte Smith, 6-3 senior forward/guard; Chris DiNunzio, 6-9 senior center; Sean Luoma, 6-5 senior forward/center; Dan Cashman, 6-0 junior guard.
Newcomers to watch: Frankie Cabrera, 6-0 sophomore guard; Jason Hooper, 6-1 junior forward/guard; Jamil Drayton, 6-2 sophomore forward; Kevin Hicks, 5-11 sophomore guard.
Outlook: Cape Henry has size, depth and two outstanding players in Smith and DiNunzio, who transferred from First Colonial prior to last season. With only three seniors, Cameron must try to fit several new players into his system. He's looking for the team to reach its potential when league play starts in January.
NORFOLK CHRISTIAN
Coach: Dave Walker (81-57 in five years)
Last season: 18-10 overall; 7-2 TCIS
Impact players: Kevin Ryan, 5-11 senior guard; Peter Nichols, 6-0 senior guard; Matt Jones, 5-11 senior guard; Brian McNabb, 5-10 senior guard; Bo Moon, 5-7 junior guard.
Newcomers to watch: Ben Doyle, 6-1 sophomore guard; Ryan Muldere, 6-0 sophomore center; Chad Grey, 5-10 sophomore guard; Jeff Elder, 5-10 sophomore guard.
Outlook: All the inside players graduated and Norfolk Christian will be putting one of its smallest teams on the floor. Ryan is the only holdover starter and is moving from the point to shooting guard this season. Expecting to surrender size to most opponents, Walker feels he must establish a running attack with a solid perimeter game. He's looking to have an exciting team to watch.
CATHOLIC
Coach: Dennis Price (eighth year, record not available)
Last season: 16-13 overall; 7-2 TCIS
Impact players: Eric Washburn, 6-6 junior center; Byron Whitehead, 6-0 junior guard; Ryan Andrews, 6-4 senior forward.
Newcomers to watch: Jeff Alberts, 5-11 sophomore guard; Anthony Hawthorne, 6-4 junior forward; Jeremy Davis, 6-1 sophomore forward; Jeff Graves, 6-0 junior guard.
Outlook: Ten seniors graduated from last year's team and much help must come from a junior varsity team that lost only once. Price feels there is ample talent but a need for leaders to step forward to make things mesh. Andrews was a key player in Catholic's tournament championship last year. Washburn blossomed after midseason.
NORFOLK ACADEMY
Coach: Dave Trickler (447-328 in 28 years)
Last season: 10-17 overall; 5-6 TCIS
Impact players: Bryan Duquette, 6-1 senior guard; Colston Jones, 6-7 junior center; Clarence Nimmo, 6-3 junior forward.
Newcomers to watch: Yuraj Podvorac, 6-2 senior guard; Jay Denny, 6-0 junior guard; Mac Brown, 6-2 senior forward; Tad Galloway, 6-3 junior forward.
Outlook: Three starters are back but another, Drew McKnight, will not be able to play because of an injury. Podvorac is from Croatia and Brown transferred from Cape Henry. If junior varsity grads contribute the Bulldogs then might contend for the title.
NORFOLK COLLEGIATE
Coach: Richard Hoffmann (first year as head coach)
Last season: 5-27 overall; 3-6 TCIS
Impact players: Trey Cooper, 6-1 senior guard; Nick Jacovides, 6-1 junior guard; Ryan Welsh, 6-3 junior forward.
Newcomers to watch: Dario Cosic, 6-5 senior forward; Jon Bass, 6-1 junior forward; Jody Balaban, 5-10 junior forward.
Outlook: With a new coach, a new system and seven new players, Norfolk Collegiate is a question mark in the TCIS race. With seven games before Christmas, the Oaks will get an early chance to jell. Cooper contributed a 14 points per game average last year and should be the scoring mainstay. Welsh, Jacovides and newcomer Cosic should provide adequate board work.
GREENBRIER CHRISTIAN
Coach: Terry Evans (10-16 in first season last year)
Last season: 10-16 overall, 1-8 TCIS
Impact players: Heath Burris, 6-4 senior forward; 6-1 senior forward; Justin Bush, 6-0 senior guard/forward.
Newcomers to watch: Scott Sherwood, 6-3 junior center; Joey Varela, 5-8 junior guard; Anthony Gummage, 6-3 junior forward.
Outlook: Greenbrier has a much improved team for its second season in the TCIS. Evans feels the team needs solid leadership from the three returning seniors. Burris and Dunlow were double-figure scorers last year. Sherwood missed half of last season with a fractured foot and he's the key at the post. Newcomer Varela has won the point guard slot. by CNB