Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 10, 1990 TAG: 9003143026
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Doug Doughty
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE, N.C. LENGTH: Long
Copeland, who earlier had indicated that three prospects were "head and shoulders" above the rest, revised that figure last week to include a fourth coach who previously had not been under serious consideration.
Montgomery would seem to fit that description because he does not have extensive East Coast or ACC ties. Montgomery, 42, was the coach at Montana for eight years before going to Stanford.
\ Crotty says players can help with coach
\ Junior guard John Crotty said he would be interested in talking with Copeland after the season about the school's search for a coach.
"I think it's important that the players have some input," Crotty said. "They're the ones who are going to have the closest relationship with the new coach.
"I'd like to go up and maybe talk to Mr. Copeland with other representatives of the team and get a feel for where he stands. I think he would be receptive to what we have to say."
\ Future isn't on Holland's mind
\ As the game clock ticked down, Holland remained in his usual pose in front of the UVa bench, his arms crossed. He occasionally barked a play.
The thought that he might be coaching his final ACC game never occurred to him.
"When you're playing in the ACC in overtime against North Carolina," Holland said, "I don't think you have time to think about that."
North Carolina coach Dean Smith, who has coached against Holland for years, said he will miss him.
"I'm disappointed Terry Holland is leaving the University of Virginia," he said of Holland, who will become athletic director at Davidson after the season. "As an excellent coach, it's a loss to our profession. We wish him well."
\ Clemson a surprise to most observers
\ Clemson, which finished first in the regular season for the first time in 37 years as an ACC member, was chosen first on only one of 93 ballots in a preseason poll.
N.C. State guard Rodney Monroe was named player of the year on 59 of 91 ballots, but did not make first-team All-ACC. Dennis Scott, now the favorite for player-of-the-year honors, was named on six ballots.
The only players to make first-team All-ACC before and after the season were Scott and Elden Campbell of Clemson. North Carolina's Kevin Madden, a first-team choice in the preseason, did not make any of three teams.
\ State standouts stars elsewhere
\ Scott is believed to be the first player from Virginia (Reston) ever to leave the state and make first-team All-ACC. The other five All-ACC players from Virginia played for UVa, including Richard Morgan and Bryant Stith the past two years.
Morgan, a Salem product, finished his career with 1,540 points. Madden, a more celebrated player at Robert E. Lee-Staunton, has 1,370 and never made first- or second-team All-ACC.
Both players came out of high school in 1985, but Madden was redshirted in his second year. Carolina is 84-22 during his career, with three NCAA trips. UVa was 75-50 during the Morgan years, with three trips to the NCAA Tournament.
\ Duke has sights on West German
\ UVa recruiting target Christian Ast, a 6-foot-8 native of Heidelberg, West Germany, has made an oral commitment to Duke. Ast averaged 26 points this season for High Point High School in Beltsville, Md.
\ Smith sympathizes with Valvano
\ North Carolina's Smith on the plight of beleaguered North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano:
"It's none of my business over at State, but I certainly think Jim Valvano shouldn't be blamed if somebody does something in gambling.
"I think that would be horrible if State makes a decision based on [that]. Maryland made the same thing when Len Bias died and they got rid of Lefty [Driesell]."
\ Carolina's streak could be snapped
\ North Carolina, 19-12 after a 92-85 overtime loss to Virginia in the first round of the ACC Tournament, will need to win one NCAA Tournament game to extend its streak of 19 seasons with 20 victories or more.
"Obviously, this is not the way I wanted it to end," said senior Scott Williams. "My career started out in storybook fashion. We were 32-4. But this year has quickly developed into a nightmare.
"We don't want to be a spot on the shine of the Carolina tradition, and that's kind of difficult to deal with at times."
\ Maryland players mull the future
\ Sophomores Jerrod Mustaf and Walter Williams, two of the stars for Maryland, said they will postpone any decision on their future until the end of the season.
The NCAA has hit the Terps with a two-year ban on postseason play, which goes into effect in 1990-91. Maryland had expected no more than a one-year ban and volunteered to remove itself from consideration for this year's NCAA Tournament.
The NCAA reportedly could not ban Maryland from this year's event because of technicalities in the appeals process. Maryland has said it will appeal the penalty.
Under NCAA rules, any player transferring from a school placed on probation is eligible immediately at his new school.
"Right now, I'm not thinking about anything but playing in the NCAA Tournament this year," Williams said. "I might think about [transferring] after the season, but for now my mind's on basketball."
Coach Gary Williams said: "If [the players] make a move depending on the NCAA Tournament, what if you lose the first game?
\ Oliver changes family allegiance
\ Virginia guard Anthony Oliver had been a North Carolina fan all his life.
Oliver, a product of North Duplin High School, never went to any basketball camps, choosing instead to work odd jobs around his home. When his day was done, he went back to his Tar Heel shrine.
"I had a lot of Carolina posters, and every time I got a chance to buy a Carolina T-shirt, I bought it," Oliver said. "The whole house was Carolina fans."
One night, while finishing up his senior year at North Duplin, he got the most unusual contact.
"An old lady that was sitting in the bleachers called me aside and said she was related to [former Virginia assistant coach Dave] Odom and that she was going to call Coach Odom and tell him there was a good player down at a little high school," he said. "That's how it all started. He got in contact with my coach and the rest is history."
And where is his family's allegiance now?
"They're Virginia all the way."
Some information for this notebook was provided by The Associated Press.
by CNB