THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 9, 1997 TAG: 9702070265
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 19 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: 49 lines
Manteo High School's boys basketball team depends a lot on Chris Sillis for his scoring ability. After all, the 6-foot, 7-inch center is averaging nearly 18 points a game. But Sillis can alter a game with his defense, too.
Sillis has been the backbone of the Redskins team that, as of last week, had a 16-2 record. Although he struggled offensively during his team's 47-30 win over the Knights, Sillis knew when it was time to give up the ball and when it was time to create problems for Currituck defensively.
Sillis was double-teamed most of the night and scored just nine points. He was hounded particularly hard during the first quarter. Currituck's Clayton Mercer blocked two of his shots and another time he was stripped of the ball on the inside by Jesse Jones. Sillis also missed a few shots on the inside.
It didn't matter. Sillis began passing off to teammates, particularly Danny Davis. Davis led the Manteo offense with 16 points.
``It's hard when the guards are so little,'' Sillis said in his soft-spoken voice after the Currituck game. ``They just strip it. At that point I just tried to get Ian (Lassiter) and my other teammates involved.''
Sillis has had outstanding numbers through 19 games this season. He is averaging 17.5 points per game, 13 rebounds per game and 5.1 blocks per game. The blocked shots stifled Currituck's normally quick offense.
Shot after shot, Currituck kept coming back at Sillis - and he kept stuffing them back, getting in their faces. You would think they would have learned after about the first five or six times.
``He was definitely a factor in the middle,'' said coach Bud Hendrix. ``He pushed them farther and farther away from the basket.''
Sillis said of his shot-blocking prowess: ``It's mostly timing and trying not to leave your feet.''
Sillis has been burned only once so far this year. Manteo took an 84-69 whipping from Southeast Halifax when Anthony Debro scored 36 points.
``We didn't really play that good defense,'' Sillis said of that game. ``We allowed double the amount of points we normally allow. We could score on them, though.''
The next matchup between Manteo and Southeast Halifax, at Manteo on Feb. 14, could determine the conference championship. One of the keys will be whether Sillis can stop Debro.
``I don't know how to play him,'' Sillis said. ``He's tough on the inside. But he's also got a good outside shot.''
Win or lose, Sillis compares this year's Redskins team favorably with other great Manteo teams of the '90s. ``It's probably the best team I've played on as far as playing together,'' he said.
KEYWORDS: HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL