THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 20, 1996 TAG: 9603200677
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
There were times this season when it seemed like there were three Jason Capels on the court for Indian River.
There was Jason Capel the 6-8 guard, who brought the ball upcourt and distributed nearly five assists per game.
There was Capel the forward, who displayed a feathery jump shot and then bird-dogged it to the boards for one of the 11.3 rebounds he averaged.
Finally there was Capel the center, whose variety of head fakes and footwork in the low post produced most of his 21.2 points per game.
``We've been in the state semifinals two years in a row and I haven't seen anybody Jason's size who can do all the things he can do,'' his coach, Freddie Spellman, said.
Neither have we.
That's why Capel is the first sophomore since Kempsville's J.R. Reid 12 years ago to be named the All-Tidewater Player of the Year. Earlier in the week, he was chosen as the Associated Press' state Group AAA Player of the Year.
``In the back of my mind I set goals for myself,'' Capel said. ``But team goals, winning state and the conference, were the main objective.''
The Braves (24-5) swept the Southeastern District regular-season and tournament titles, but lost to George Washington-Danville 82-75 in the state semis. In that game Capel had a game-high 31 points and 14 rebounds and added five assists, but left the court in tears.
``I felt like I gave 110 percent and to come up short two years in a row really hurt,'' he said. ``I felt we had the best team in the state.''
Capel was the only area Group AAA player to score in double figures every game this season and his 888 career points are 123 more than former Indian River All-American Alonzo Mourning had at this stage of his career.
Capel had 17 double-doubles and one triple-double. He shot 77.7 percent from the free throw line and increased that to 90.8 percent (59 of 65) in eight postseason games.
So where does Capel go from here? He'll travel to Paris in May with an AAU team that includes Hampton's Ronald Curry, Kempsville's Brian Bersticker, Deep Creek's Arnie Powell, Nansemond River's Antoine Willie and Kecoughtan's Marseilles Brown.
He'll also sequester himself in a gym and work on individual skills such as outside shooting that will help prepare him for college.
Then there is the matter of that elusive state title.
``I'd like to win a state championship before I leave,'' he said.
``I also want to be recognized as one of the best players (in the nation) in my class and see my picture in USA Today like Alonzo's.'' Mourning was USA Today's 1988 High School Player of the Year.
``I also want to be able to handpick my college,'' Capel said.
Knowing Capel, he's working on those goals already. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
KEYWORDS: ALL-TIDEWATER BASKETBALL TEAM by CNB