DATE: Thursday, November 13, 1997           TAG: 9711090243

SECTION: SPECIAL                 PAGE: Z1   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: 1997-98 BASKETBALL PREVIEW

SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE                   LENGTH:  170 lines

CAN U.VA. DIG OUT OF THE MIRE? JEFF JONES MUST REBUILD A PROGRAM WEAKENED BY THE RECRUITING CLASS OF '95.

The ringing of the telephone.

Jeff Jones came to dread that sound. Particularly late at night. Particularly during those early months of 1996.

Too much bad news on the other end. Most of it concerning a quartet of recruits that was considered one of the best in the nation, but whose off-court behavior has put Jones in his toughest spot since he became Virginia's basketball coach in 1990.

``I really think this could be kind of a crossroads kind of year,'' said Dan Bonner, a former U.Va. player who does color commentary for ESPN and Raycom. ``For the program. For Jeff Jones maybe.''

The cause of Virginia's troubles can be traced largely to the recruiting class of '95. Collectively, they've put Virginia in a hole that won't be easy to dig out of.

It wasn't supposed to be that way. Courtney Alexander, Melvin Whitaker, Scott Johnson and Darryl Presley were going to be around until the end of the century. Then, in a three-week flash in February and March of '96, Johnson, Whitaker and Presley were arrested, and the good name of Virginia basketball was sullied.

By last summer, Alexander was gone also under a similar cloud of legal misconduct. Virginia, set to start a new season, was left with another hole in its roster, and its reputation.

``We've lost four scholarship players, all out of one class,'' athletic director Terry Holland said. ``Eventually, that probably will take some kind of toll on us.''

The bills begin coming due this year. Jones enters the season with a team picked eighth in the league by ACC media. He has two years left on his contract, and he and his staff face a critical recruiting year that, thus far, has not gone well.

How did Virginia, remarkably consistent over the last 20 years, come to this crossroads?

Virginia has had two losing seasons since 1978-79, and after each the Cavaliers bounced back to reach the NCAA tournament. No other ACC team besides North Carolina avoided consecutive non-winning seasons during that period.

Jones averaged 20 wins in his first four years, and then tied for the ACC title and took the Cavaliers to the NCAA quarterfinals in 1995. No one saw the next year coming. The Cavaliers never meshed, finishing 12-15 and missing postseason play for the first time since '87-88.

What happened off the court was more damaging, and is all-too-familiar to Virginia fans by now.

Johnson and Presley were arrested for shoplifting in February and eventually transferred. Whitaker, who was spending a year at prep school, slashed U.Va. football player Maurice Anderson with a razor in March at a pickup basketball game. Whitaker pleaded guilty to malicious wounding and never enrolled.

Adding to the drumbeat of bad publicity was the arrest of point guard Harold Deane for trespassing and resisting arrest, charges that were later overturned.

Virginia responded by going 18-13 and returning to the NCAA tournament, something for which Jones said his team did not get enough credit.

But the Cavs were routed by Iowa in the tournament. Then in July, Alexander, U.Va.'s most talented player, was arrested after striking his girlfriend. He left school shortly after and entered Fresno State.

Back home in Baltimore, forward Norman Nolan's reaction could be summed up in two words: Not again.

``I said, `Are you sure it's Virginia?' ''

What happened?

``I don't know of anybody who has a neat little explanation,'' Jones said. ``But these things happened. We have to deal with it.''

Jones said he and his assistants re-examined everything they did while recruiting the four ill-fated players.

Jones' conclusion: He'd recruit them again.

``They were good kids, from good families, with no history of any kind of trouble,'' Jones said.

Holland said he's looked at transcripts, talked to coaches, and agrees with Jones.

``The players' actions can't be blamed on Jeff at all,'' Holland said. ``It's a happenstance, and certainly it needs to be turned around pretty quickly. I think Jeff understands that.''

Jones can't help but understand. It was implicit in Holland's offer of just a two-year contract extension after last season.

The offer was widely viewed as a lukewarm endorsement, and it has not helped Jones on the recruiting trail. Recruiting can be a ruthless business. Opposing coaches often remind players who are considering Virginia that Jones is signed only through the 1999-2000 season.

``What's hurt Virginia obviously is the fact that it at least looks like Jeff Jones is in a little bit of limbo,'' recruiting analyst Brick Oettinger said. ``Sure, he got a two-year extension. But two years is nothing. Most guys are sitting on five-year rollovers.''

Doubts about Jones' status could not come at a worse time. Because those four players left, the Cavaliers basically have no junior class other than little-used reserves Chase Metheney, a redshirt, and transfer Monte Marcaccini. Last year's recruiting class, point guards Donald Hand and Chezley Watson, was not highly rated.

When Nolan and fellow senior Curtis Staples leave, the talent level will drop dramatically. Hence the need for a good recruiting class.

Virginia has five scholarships to give, but thus far has had no takers. Hampton High football-basketball star Ronald Curry has given a verbal commitment to the Cavaliers, but he has since said he'll make an official visit to North Carolina. His scholarship would count against the football team.

If Curry comes, Jones will have to share him with football coach George Welsh. Still, Curry's widely considered the top point guard in the nation and would be a tremendous catch.

What Virginia needs are players to go with Curry. Early recruiting seemed to be going well, and a source inside U.Va.'s program said the coaching staff is shocked it does not have three commitments by now.

What U.Va. has are some close misses. The Cavaliers have missed on 6-foot-11 Jules Camara, who committed to Kentucky, and 6-9 Chucky Gilmore, who chose Clemson.

Other top recruits who once had Virginia on their list - 6-10 Kevin Lyde, 6-5 Craig Dawson, 6-7 Dan Miller - have eliminated the Cavs.

Camara, rated No. 23 in the country by Oettinger, visited Virginia after Kentucky. He liked the school and the program, according to Steve Smith, Camara's coach at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va.

But Camara, who likes to run and play facing the basket, preferred Kentucky's wide-open style of play, Smith said. Virginia generally plays at a slower tempo.

It was the second year in a row that Virginia narrowly missed on an Oak Hill recruit. Point guard William Avery chose Duke over Virginia last year.

Smith said he can't pinpoint why Virginia has not recruited well lately. Oak Hill graduates Junior Burrough, Cory Alexander and Staples all went to Virginia, and ``all of them loved it,'' Smith said. ``Recruiting kind of goes in cycles. When you're hot it seems like everything goes your way.''

Some consider Virginia's aging University Hall a drag on the program. Built in 1965, it's the smallest (8,864 seats) in the ACC.

``Those things affect you sooner or later,'' Holland said. ``Until we're looking to make a commitment to improving facilities considerably, we're not going to stay up there (in the ACC).''

Virginia has long-term plans for a new arena, but Holland said a firm announcement about a new facility is probably a couple of years away.

Cavalier guard Willie Dersch, who chose Virginia over Duke and North Carolina, said the arena factor is overstated.

``The arena's nice, the floor's great,'' Dersch said. ``What's the difference between a few extra people in the crowd?''

Some nights, the Cavs could use a few extra. Virginia does not always sell out University Hall. In an effort to market the program and move nearer their largest fan base, the Cavaliers will play three games, including one ACC contest, at the University of Richmond's Robins Center the next three years.

Jones does not seem enthusiastic about leaving his home floor.

``Let's just say it was an interesting concept,'' he said. ``We're just hoping we can go up to the Robins Center and be able to win.''

A winning season, and a solid recruiting class, are the keys to a Virginia turnaround. Players say team chemistry is its best in years, and that the Cavaliers will be better than people think.

They also say they will do nothing off the court to hurt Virginia's image.

``With the type of guys we have now, there's a one-in-a-million chance something would happen off the court,'' Staples said.

It's what happens on the court that could decide the future of Jones and the program, Bonner said.

``With the balance in the league this year, Virginia could have a very competitive team and still finish last,'' Bonner said. ``Virginia's team is at the point that if they finished last, it could be a problem.

``Things pile up off-court. If on the court they have problems, I think people can start asking some serious questions.''

Jones said he won't let it get to that point.

``Losing is not something, mediocrity is not something that we're going to allow to happen,'' Jones said. ``We took a dip. There's no denying that, no escaping it. But we've begun the rebuilding process.'' ILLUSTRATION: HUY NGUYEN color photo

Virginia coach Jeff Jones'...

ASSOCIATED PRESS file photo

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