THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 7, 1996 TAG: 9603070588
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
A gambling incident three years ago forced tiny Altavista High near Lynchburg to forfeit five basketball games and its district title.
Sherman Pannell, a senior forward, admitted to receiving at least $500, much of it for reaching certain point totals and making dunks.
``My family gave me most of the money, but other people gave me money, too,'' Pannell told the Lynchburg News and Advance, the source for this story.
Pannell's brother, David, told the Virginia High School League's executive committee that dunking over another player was worth $25, a two-handed dunk was worth $20 and a one-handed dunk was worth $10.
That is in violation of the VHSL rule making ineligible any player who accepts pay, promise of pay or financial benefit for his participation in any VHSL-sponsored sport.
Altavista is one of the smallest schools in Group AA with 307 students, but its size belies an intense interest in basketball.
``The basketball season is the main focal point,'' said Mark Johnson, a former Altavista player who spent one year at Old Dominion University. . . . There's nothing else going on here.''
That climate encouraged gambling on Colonels' basketball and not just by Pannell's family. Pannell said bettors would approach him before games and offer inducements.
``They'd say `if you get 35 (points), maybe I'll give you a little bit (of the action),' '' Pannell said.
``I didn't know about every bet. But if they told me about it, I'd play harder. If I did a good job, they'd give me a little justice and I'd get some money. They'd bet $50 and maybe give me $10.''
The upthrust was that Pannell became obsessed with scoring at the expense of his team.
``I didn't care if we won or lost as long as I'd get my 35 points,'' he said.
Making money was great, Pannell said, but the pressure sometimes was unbearable.
``The pressure was when they'd say I needed to get two or three dunks,'' Pannell said. ``I can score when I want to, but you can't dunk when you want to.''
The thought of costing people money also preyed on his mind.
``People would tell me I lost 300 bucks because some people bet I'd score 48 points,'' he said. ``That's tough.''
Pannell's career high was 43.
That pressure to score and appease the gamblers fundamentally changed Pannell's approach to the game.
He often saved his energy for offense and after one loss admitted to hanging near halfcourt hoping to get the ball for easy baskets instead of concentrating on rebounding.
Altavista coach Stu Richardson said he didn't have any evidence of gambling, but was sure it went on. by CNB