THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 31, 1996 TAG: 9610310486
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: 73 lines
After two seasons at Old Dominion, coach Jeff Capel has lost his patience.
Actually, his offense will lose some of its patience this season. Capel said the Monarchs will play at a faster pace by extending the defense and opening up the offense. That means fewer set plays and, he hopes, more transition points created by pressure defense.
``We feel we've finally got the kids to play the way we want to play, which is really up-tempo offensively and defensively,'' Capel said. ``We feel this is really the first time we've been able to do that.''
Capel said ODU will still run some set offense to get shots for Mark Poag on the perimeter and senior Odell Hodge inside, but the Monarchs will have more flexibility in the motion offense.
``If we can play defense the way we want to play, we're going to get opportunities to score without setting up offensively,'' Capel said.
Capel would like to see ODU generate 25 to 30 percent of its offense in transition. He said last year the Monarchs averaged about eight points per game in transition, which worked out to just over 10 percent.
The Monarchs begin the season with 10 scholarship players and expect to know soon if junior college guard Chris Haskin will be able to join them after the first semester. Haskin has to pass an exit exam from Pensacola Junior College before he can play for ODU.
PRESEASON PICKS: Virginia Commonwealth was picked to defend its Colonial Athletic Association title in a media day poll Wednesday. Old Dominion's Hodge - the CAA Player of the Year as a sophomore in 1994 - was selected the preseason Player of the Year.
Following VCU in the voting was Old Dominion, East Carolina, James Madison, Richmond, UNC-Wilmington, American, George Mason and William and Mary. Joining Hodge on the preseason all-conference team in the frontcourt were JMU's Charles Lott and Richmond's Jarod Stevenson. The backcourt is VCU guard Sherman Hamilton and George Mason's Nate Langley.
FOREIGN POLICY: CAA basketball is fast becoming an international affair. UNC-Wilmington has brought in a 6-foot-10 player from Minsk, Belarus, East Carolina has a 7-footer from Tilberg, Netherlands, and American has a 6-10 center from Moscow.
Asked how he got involved in a foreign recruiting market, UNC-Wilmington coach Jerry Wainwright cracked: ``I don't know the conversion rate from rubles to American dollars . . .''
Coaches said communications difficulties can create problems, but there are things the newcomers pick up quickly.
``He's a hell of a curser,'' ECU's Dooley said of his import, Alphons van Ierland. ``He learned them all real quick.''
POLITICAL BACKLASH: Lefty Driesell, who has 667 career wins, was recently guaranteed by the James Madison administration that he could stay at the school until he wins 700 games if he likes. Driesell's contract expires in April, and after a 10-20 season a year ago there were discussions during the summer and fall about Driesell's future.
``I'll go through this year and if we win I'll stay there,'' Driesell said. ``If not, I'll do something different. But I don't plan on losing.''
Driesell, 64, will need a minimum of two years to reach the 700 club.
``When I see Bob Dole running for president at 73, I say `Shoot, I've got 8-9-10 good years left in me,' '' Driesell said.
RARE BYRD: VCU senior center George Byrd is nursing a stress fracture in his left tibia and is a sporadic performer in practice, Rams coach Sonny Smith said. Smith is concerned about the conditioning and potential weight gain for the 270-pounder. He's also concerned the injury could hinder Byrd throughout the season.
``That's a more serious thing for us than people realize,'' Smith said. ``Without him, we go from where people are projecting us as a contender in the league to fifth or lower.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
``We feel we've finally got the kids to play the way we want to
play,'' said ODU coach Jeff Capel. by CNB