THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, March 11, 1996 TAG: 9603110125
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: GREENSBORO, N.C. LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Had to be the shoes.
That was Wake Forest guard Tony Rutland's theory on how he injured his right knee in Sunday's 75-74 ACC tournament championship win over Georgia Tech. It was an injury that nearly cost Wake Forest the game.
Rutland, a sophomore point guard from Hampton, left the game with 14:11 remaining after planting his right knee on a drive to the basket. He returned about six minutes later, but played just 18 seconds before leaving again.
Rutland was driving downcourt when Georgia Tech's Matt Harpring tried to cut him off.
``I just planted wrong,'' he said. ``I guess it was the shoes. They're new, and they've got plenty of grip.''
Wake Forest team doctor Walt Curl said it appeared Rutland has a slight sprain of the medial collateral ligament. If so, he should be ready for Wake's first-round NCAA game against Northeast Louisiana, Curl said.
Rutland had 15 points before the injury, and knocked down a pair of 3-pointers late in the first half that helped propel Wake to a 39-24 halftime lead.
After Rutland left, Georgia Tech began chipping away at Wake's lead. And down the stretch, the Yellow Jackets forced turnovers by Wake Forest reserve guards Jerry Braswell and Steven Goolsby.
``Tony's injury was unfortunate,'' Wake Forest coach Dave Odom said. ``I thought our team handled it the very best they possibly could.
``I don't practice that much without Tony in the lineup.''
Or play without him that much, for that matter. Rutland logged 34 minutes in Wake's opening-round win over Virginia and 39 minutes in the Demon Deacons' semifinal win over Clemson. He had 48 points in three games and was named to the all-tournament team.
Georgia Tech coach Bobby Cremins compared Rutland favorably to former Wake star Randolph Childress. Odom praised the development of his point guard as well, but was nervous about Rutland's theory on how he hurt his knee.
``He's not blaming the shoes,'' said Odom, who has a shoe contract with Nike.
Rutland caught on and smiled.
``I like the shoes,'' he said.
LOCAL MEN ARRESTED: For three South Hampton Roads residents, interest in the ACC tournament apparently extended beyond the action on the court.
The Greensboro News and Record reported Sunday that the three men were arrested for selling bootleg T-shirts outside the coliseum.
On Saturday, police saw shirts being sold from a car and and seized 630, valued at $10 each. Arrested were Dwayne Anthony Mitchell, 31, and Leon Antonio Scott, 19, both of Portsmouth. Mitchell was charged with felony criminal use of a counterfeit trademark and operating a business without a city permit; Scott with operating a business without a permit. Both were released on a promise to appear in court.
Another local man, Richard Gavann Dean, 23, of Norfolk, was arrested Friday and charged with operating a business without a permit after police found 50 counterfeit T-shirts at a stand near the coliseum.
PIT PLAYERS: Portsmouth Invitational Tournament director Yale Dolsey was at the ACC tournament scouting players and said Duke's Chris Collins and Wake Forest's Rusty LaRue have agreed to play in the annual showcase for NBA scouts next month at Churchland High.
Dolsey also has extended invitations to Johnny Rhodes and Duane Simpkins of Maryland, he said. ILLUSTRATION: HUY NGUYEN/ The Virginian-Pilot
A knee injury felled Wake's Tony Rutland in the second half. He's
tended to by teammate Tim Duncan, referee Larry Rose.
by CNB