THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, January 13, 1996 TAG: 9601130447
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 95 lines
Brion Dunlap, never known for his shooting, was in trouble early this season for shooting off his mouth.
A negative comment - and attitude - resulted in the benching of Old Dominion's returning starter at point guard. It proved to be valuable lesson.
``We all learn from our mistakes,'' Dunlap said. ``That wasn't me. I won't go back there.''
Dunlap is officially out of coach Jeff Capel's doghouse, which the sophomore occupied earlier this season. The factors that got him there are complex, but the impact was evident: A disappointing 3-7 start for a team projected to coast through the Colonial Athletic Association and possibly make noise on a national level.
``A lot of the problems we were having as a team could be directly attributed to Brion's leadership, or lack of leadership,'' Capel said.
Dunlap returned to the starting lineup and good graces four games ago, and ODU has won three of the four heading into tonight's game at Richmond. Dunlap said it was a gradual process to regain the respect of his teammates and coaches, which he had lost in early December.
Dunlap said he made a comment about his teammates to friends in the cafeteria, and it filtered back to the team. Capel immediately suspended Dunlap for the South Florida game Dec. 5, and relegated him to limited reserve status for the next four.
``It was something I said that made it look like I was splitting myself apart from the team,'' Dunlap said. ``The phrase was little, but it was big because of how people took it and what occurred after.''
Neither Capel nor Dunlap would repeat the comment.
``You're either for us or against us, especially when things are not going as well as you'd like,'' Capel said. ``It's important for the team to stay together and get through adverse situations together. We were starting to splinter.
``There was one guy - and Brion happened to be that guy - who was separating himself from his teammates. Brion had to make a decision.''
That decision was whether or not he was committed to his teammates. Dunlap had not displayed it so far to Capel.
Dunlap admits he was spoiled his freshman season to come in as a starter and lead a team chock-full of talented veterans such as Petey Sessoms and Mike Jones. When he made a good pass, they completed the play. They knew where to be on the court and what was required of them.
Exit three senior starters, enter six freshmen. Suddenly Dunlap's passes bounced off inexperienced hands and ODU was struggling to find its chemistry. Dunlap lacked patience.
``He would get down on players at one time,'' freshman Mark Poag said. ``It was subtle, it wasn't like he would get in your face. He'd just shake his head sometimes like, `You're not doing what you need to be doing.' ''
Capel said the freshmen needed positive reinforcement and encouragement.
``But he was getting on them and they were becoming discouraged,'' Capel said. ``I don't allow my players to criticize each other. That's my job.''
And Dunlap had not been doing his job that well to begin with. Through ODU's first 10 games, he averaged 3.1 points, 3.8 assists, 2.7 turnovers, 1.1 rebounds, .8 steals and shot 34.5 percent from the field. Only the shooting percentage was an improvement over his freshman numbers.
Capel said Dunlap was getting blasted on the radio and by fans in the stands. Capel regards the point guard as the most pivotal role in his system, and Dunlap was handling the pressure and expectations poorly. But when he made a disparaging remark about teammates, Capel felt compelled to sit him down.
``At the same time I was hurt by his actions and disappointed in his actions, I also felt sorry for him,'' Capel said.
Dunlap, to his credit, didn't feel sorry for himself, but he did feel isolated. He sought counsel from his mother and high school coach. There were rumors he was considering transferring, which Dunlap denies.
``I never felt pity for myself because I brought this on myself, and I was the only one who could correct it,'' Dunlap said.
``He's done a 180,'' Capel said. ``He admitted it was his fault. Before he had been in denial. He apologized, and it was almost immediately that his attitude changed with his teammates and their interaction with him changed.''
The last four games, Dunlap's numbers are better almost across the board - 3.5 points, 3.8 assists, 1.3 turnovers, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 40-percent shooting. But Dunlap's game has never been about big numbers, it's about leadership and running the team. Capel said that has improved along with his overall play.
``And that's coincided with our team playing better,'' Capel said. ``Hopefully he's learned a valuable lesson about teamwork and how to deal with adversity.''
Dunlap said he finally could put the episode behind him when he returned to the starting lineup against Cal-Sacramento.
``I felt like `This is my second chance I've been waiting for, go out and make it worthwhile,' '' Dunlap said. ILLUSTRATION: Color file photo
Brion Dunlap's attitude adjustment has contributed to three
victories in the Monarchs' last four games.
by CNB