THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 18, 1996 TAG: 9602180204
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BOB MOLINARO
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
It isn't every midwinter's afternoon that an encounter between Virginia and North Carolina is relegated to the undercard of the commonwealth's major basketball attractions.
But with Virginia Tech hoping to make a name for itself against No. 1 Massachusetts in Blacksburg, U.Va.'s game at Chapel Hill took on the feel of the same-old same-old.
Not since 1981 has U.Va. won at North Carolina. Despite an encouraging first half for the Cavaliers, students of history had no reason to believe anything would be different this time.
If Virginia Tech's 16-point loss to UMass was a major disappointment, U.Va.'s 71-66 loss at the Dean Dome seemed numbingly routine, especially over the final 10 minutes of the game.
``In the second half,'' Jeff Jones said, ``we seemed to play farther out on the court.''
The U.Va. coach was talking about his team's penchant for throwing up the long bomb.
Apparently, the icy roads that discouraged some (me, for example) from driving to the game weren't the only treacherous byways. The Cavaliers played the second half as if they were waiting for a road crew to spread sand in the paint. They drove to the basket very seldom and with one foot on the brake.
If the Cavaliers had played any farther away from the basket in the second half, Harold Deane and Curtis Staples would have needed tickets to get into the game.
In that understated way of his, Dick Vitale once called Deane and Staples the ``best college backcourt in America.''
That was in December. During Saturday's telecast on ABC, I didn't hear Vitale repeat this endorsement. But, then, he might have said it while I was mashing the mute button.
For me, the most memorable part of the telecast - memorable in the way a migraine is memorable - was when the spectacularly bald Vitale began screaming about Dante Calabria's unmistakable mane. Vitale's ravings would have embarrassed Sy Sperling.
As for the 11-12 Cavaliers, they are ``hair'' today, likely gone from NCAA postseason consideration tomorrow.
The ``best backcourt in America'' is not living up to its billing, in part because it is being asked to do too much.
Staples is a one-trick pony who blows hot and cold from behind the 3-point line.
The U.Va. ``shootist'' represents the state of college basketball today; too many players allow the 3-point prayer to limit their all-around development.
More is expected of Deane. He's a tough competitor whose only serious weakness happens to be a conspicuous one - an unwillingness to pass the ball. Deane does not possess the mentality of a point guard. He thinks like a ``points'' guard.
Virginia's lack of team balance appeared even more flagrant on an afternoon when UMass conducted a televised clinic.
Against Tech, John Calipari's cutting, slashing, jumping team was the perfect mix of precision and panache.
As for the Hokies, losing so badly at home opens the way for skeptics to wonder about their No. 10 ranking.
Once you get past UMass, which nobody has, the trouble with the Atlantic 10 is too many games against the likes of Duquesne, Rhode Island and St. Bonaventure.
As a member of the high-image ACC, U.Va. has to do only about half as well as Virginia Tech to receive twice as much attention.
So far, the Cavaliers aren't up to even this modest challenge. by CNB