THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, March 23, 1996 TAG: 9603230470
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ATLANTA LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
They will meet tonight somewhere in midair at the Georgia Dome.
Allen Iverson, he of the slashing, soaring, jaw-dropping athletic ability.
Marcus Camby, a lithe but intimidating shot blocker so fluid with the basketball that Virginia Tech coach Bill Foster called him ``a point guard in a 6-11 body.''
Georgetown vs. Massachusetts, the East Regional's dream matchup, is tantalizing primarily because of the supreme talents of each team's star.
It will be the first pairing of first-team All-Americans in this NCAA tournament.
Both players are capable of dominating a game, but do so in distinctively different ways.
``I'm excited about it,'' Camby said Friday. ``I'm not going to go out and try to make an impression, like it's me against him. But he's going to be coming down the lane, and I'm going to be trying to block his shot.''
Iverson is a sophomore point guard, Camby is a junior center. Most coaches would tell you those are the two most important positions on the court.
Even some NBA folks will tell you Iverson and Camby would be among the top players selected in the draft if they made themselves available. Perhaps the first two.
Top-ranked and No. 1-seeded UMass (34-1) vs. fourth-ranked Georgetown (29-7), the East's No. 2 seed, could be a classic regional final between great teams with true marquee players.
Although they will not be matched up against each other, the most intriguing plays this game promises are Iverson going hard to the hole and Camby attempting to stop him.
``I'm going to go to the basket like I do in every game,'' Iverson said. ``Whatever he does, I'm going to try to do something else.''
Camby has scored 30 or more points in a game five times this season, Iverson has done it 10 times - including a pair of 40-point outings.
Iverson is the leading scorer remaining in the tournament, Camby is the leading shot blocker left.
``They're both good players,'' Georgetown center Othella Harrington said. ``Allen dominates games with his athletic ability and ability to score and play defense. Camby, he's a great shot-blocker.''
Iverson averages 25.1 points, 4.8 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 3.4 steals. His offensive prowess is obvious, but he was also chosen the Big East's defensive player of the year for the second consecutive season, and coach John Thompson called him the key to the Hoyas' vaunted pressure.
He is quick, fearless, aggressive and a highlight film waiting to happen.
``The only guy that would prepare you for guarding Allen Iverson is if we had an opportunity to play the Bulls and guard Michael Jordan,'' UMass coach John Calipari said.
``He is fabulous. John Thompson has done a fabulous job with him, giving him enough room to exploit his strengths.''
Although Calipari said Camby's presence prevents teams from beating the Minutemen on dribble penetration, that's exactly what Iverson will attempt to do.
``It doesn't seem like he's only 6-feet tall, the way he gets up in the air,'' Camby said. ``He can jump over me and dunk it.''
Camby averages 20.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.8 blocks. He can shoot facing the basket or posting up, and he runs the floor well for a man his size.
What doesn't show up on the stat sheet is the impact of Camby's mere presence. He alters opponents' shots, allows the Minutemen to be more aggressive defensively on the perimeter with the knowledge that Camby is behind them.
``Iverson's dominance is more as an individual,'' UMass forward Dana Dingle said.
``Marcus can dominate a game by being more of a team player. He can dominate a game offensively and defensively, blocking shots and rebounding. He makes everyone else on the floor better.
``He doesn't have to score a lot of points to dominate a game. He can get five assists, 15 points and 10 rebounds and dominate a game. Iverson, if he doesn't get 20 points and four or five steals, he doesn't dominate a game.''
Tonight at the Georgia Dome, the two All-Americans will dominate the attention. ILLUSTRATION: The most intriguing plays tonight's East Regional final promises
are Georgetown's Allen Iverson, left, going hard to the hole and
Massachusetts' Marcus Camby attempting to stop him.
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