THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 4, 1996 TAG: 9601040498
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
Lake Taylor boys basketball coach John Kelly was waiting for Toot Young to show the kind of explosiveness the junior guard displayed before suffering a split left knee in an AAU game this summer. Young was playing well this season, Kelly said, but the coach knew at some point the old brilliance would reappear.
Kelly's wait ended last week in the South Norfolk Holiday Classic at Oscar Smith, where Young scored 56 points in three games to lead the No. 6 Titans to the title. For his efforts, the 6-foot-2 Young was named the tournament MVP - and The Virginian-Pilot's male athlete of the week.
``I knew he could be spectacular,'' Kelly said, ``but with the injury, he wasn't having fun with his game. (In the tournament) I saw him having fun again and he was to the point where he can do all the things for us - pass, play defense and run the floor well.''
Young said he was also wondering when he would shake the effects of the injury, which sidelined him for three weeks in July and took 20 stitches to repair.
``It had still been a little weak and wasn't as strong as my right leg,'' said Young, whose real first name is Artulra. ``It was mentally tough trying to get myself focused on getting back. I finally felt good in those (tournament) games.''
It showed. After 23- and 15-point nights, Young scored 18 in a 66-42 victory over Great Bridge in Friday's championship game. Young, who averages 16 points per game, was also instrumental on defense in the final, holding Tigers guard Steve Hargrow to 11 points, eight below his average.
``I always just try to play hard defense and the offense will come,'' said Young, who recently was invited to the Nike basketball camp this summer in Indianapolis, considered one of the nation's top high school camps. ``I watched (Hargrow) play in the second game and knew what to do against him.''
Young, a B- student, said a tournament title motivates Lake Taylor heading into a tough schedule over the next few weeks.
``We wanted to get the feeling of being champions and (last week's tournament) was a first step for us,'' Young said. ``It really helps us get ready for the (Eastern) District and then for region. If we won that we can win anything.'' by CNB