Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 2, 1995 TAG: 9503030067
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
\ Antoine Dalton, Radford University's 6-foot-8 senior center, spent substantial portions of his sophomore and junior seasons regarding the basketball player in him as somebody he didn't know.
``I had understood and accepted my role when I was a freshman,'' he said. ``Then, the next two years, I didn't know what my role was. I used to think that I had potential. Then I lost confidence in myself.''
First he thought he could play. Then he wondered if he had been fooling himself all along. Then he doubted whether he knew much of anything.
Dalton had plenty of time for deep philosophizing both years. After beginning each season in the starting lineup, he finished both as a full-time bench-sitter.
From a starter to swallowed up by the black hole of basketball irrelevance. It was tough for the big fellow to take.
So Dalton resolved that he wouldn't anymore.
Dalton remade himself as a basketball player and came back this year as the dominant figure in the Highlanders' lineup. From career averages of 2.9 points and 2.8 rebounds, Dalton has dunked, snagged, and swatted his way through the season by averaging 14.6 points and 6.2 rebounds. He leads the team with 24 blocked shots. On a team that has infuriated its followers and itself with inconsistency, Dalton has been as steady as an oak.
``What a story Dalton has been in his development this year,'' said Liberty coach Jeff Meyer, echoing a sentiment shared by many observers of the Big South Conference.
A wider audience can judge for itself Friday when the league tournament opens at Lynchburg's Vines Center at Liberty University. Radford, the No.4 seed, plays No.5 UNC Asheville in the 2 p.m. second game of the afternoon double-header. Top seed UNC Greensboro takes on eighth-seeded Winthrop at noon.
No.2 Charleston Southern plays No.7 Towson State at 6 p.m. and No.6 Liberty clashes with third-seeded Maryland-Baltimore County at 8 p.m.
So what's gotten into Dalton?
``I just decided I wanted to finish up strong,'' he said.
He's been strong as a day-old pot of coffee.
``His work ethic then and now is completely different,'' Radford coach Ron Bradley said.
Dalton had decided as early as the end of the 1993-94 season that he was going to be a changed man.
``In previous years, I waited until the preseason to start getting into playing shape,'' he said. ``This year, I started right after last season ended working on my post moves, running and lifting,'' he said. ``I lifted every day and the added strength has helped my endurance.
``I've helped myself and it's been easier.''
It was nothing but hard when Dalton was in exile as a sophomore and junior.
''I thought he definitely showed some potential when he was a freshman,'' Bradley said, ``But then he began to have trouble at the foul line and he was having trouble catching the ball and finishing, and that tended to take away from his defense and rebounding.''
Bradley responded by taking away his playing time.
``That didn't help my attitude,'' Dalton said.
Dalton's attitude has been fine all year even though some of his performances have been less than that - ``He's really only had one or two bad games,'' Bradley said.
``We have some weaknesses,'' Bradley continued. ``Antoine is one of our strengths. When teams take him away from us that's when we've tended to struggle.''
Historically, Radford has struggled in the conference tournament, losing in the semifinals each of the past five years. The Highlanders have a 8-9 record in the tournament.
Should Radford make it to the semifinals, it will play the winner of the Winthrop-UNC Greensboro game.
Radford has beaten UNC Asheville both times this season, 67-65 Feb.11 in Asheville and 71-68 Jan.30 in Radford. Radford is 0-3 against the Bulldogs in the tournament.
Dalton has played well against the Bulldogs both times this season, scoring 33 points in the two games.
``The key will be to go in with a good attitude and play as a team,'' Dalton said.
by CNB