THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 31, 1996 TAG: 9607310606
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 35 lines
It wasn't the thin air that had Howard Frier itching to leave Denver this summer. It was the thin talent in the local Pro-Am basketball league.
``It was more like a neighborhood league,'' Frier said. ``There weren't many college players, and there were never any pros.''
Frier, a junior guard for the University of Colorado, was hankering for some tougher competition. So he returned home to Suffolk, and began playing in the Hampton Roads Pro-Am basketball league.
His Central Fidelity teammates are glad he did. Helped by 23 points from Frier, eighth-seeded Central Fidelity knocked off top-seeded Crown Insurance 92-81 in a Pro-Am playoff game Tuesday night at Lake Taylor High.
The 6-foot-3 Frier spent much of the night above the rim, scoring on slashing drives and soaring dunks. Down the stretch, his teammates cleared one side of the floor for him, allowing him to take his man one-on-one from the wing.
``This has been great,'' Frier said. ``I knew I wasn't going to get any better staying in Colorado, playing with the same guys all the time. I just wanted to come home and play basketball with the guys I grew up with.''
He did just that. Crown featured two of Frier's former teammates at Nansemond River High, Derrick Bryant and Keith Stagg. But the regular-season champs didn't have enough else. Just five players showed, and Crown was worn down by game's end.
In the second game, Damon Bacote of the University of Alabama scored 37 points to lead Kershner & Hawkins over Majestic Homes, 107-102. Kershner & Hawkins will meet Central Fidelity in a semifinal game at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Play continues tonight with first-round games at 6:30 and 8:30 at Lake Taylor. Admission is free. by CNB