ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, November 26, 1996 TAG: 9611260107
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: LAHAINA, HAWAII
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Who dare says Virginia can't shoot the ball?
In one of the most prolific long-range bombing acts in these parts since Pearl Harbor, the Cavaliers hit 14 3-pointers Monday en route to an impressive 93-70 season-opening romp past South Carolina in the first round of the Maui Invitational.
"We were just in a groove and we fed off each other,'' said sophomore forward Courtney Alexander, who hit 10 of 14 shots for a game-high 26 points.
"We all know we can shoot. We've just got to go out there and do it.''
Hotter than the cozy confines of the steamy Lahaina Civic Center, UVa shot 57.8 percent (37-of-65) from the field in burying the highly regarded Gamecocks.
This from a bunch that shot 50 percent or better only two times and averaged 41.6 in last season's misguided 12-15 campaign.
"When you shoot the ball like that it makes a lot of ills go away,'' said UVa coach Jeff Jones, whose club faces Massachusetts, a 59-48 first-round winner over host Chaminade, at 7 p.m. in today's second round.
"We had several guys get on a roll at the same time and they kept finding the basket. It's nice to see, believe me.''
Senior guard Harold Deane, showing no ill effects from a troubled off-season, was magnificent, barely missing a triple-double. Deane had 19 points, including five 3-pointers, to go along with nine rebounds and nine assists.
Deane's backcourt mate, Roanoker Curtis Staples, had 15 points, all coming via 3-pointers.
Jamal Robinson was the fourth Cavalier to score in double figures, contributing 10 in 20 minutes off the bench.
"It's always good to start off on a good note,'' said Deane, who had only two turnovers. "Today just typified what we've been trying to do all preseason. It's just one game, but, hopefully, it's a steppingstone for the rest of the season.''
Alexander, who averaged 13.9 points as a freshman last season, got the Cavaliers jump-started in the pre-lunch (11 a.m. start, Hawaiian time) game.
He scored eight straight points early in the first half, keying a 15-0 run that enabled Virginia to take a 21-7 lead 81/2 minutes into the game.
Alexander had 17 points in the first half as UVa went to the locker room up 43-31.
In the second half, UVa continued to shoot well, but nearly got itself into trouble with fouls.
The Cavs lost starting forward Norman Nolan with 16:26 to play. After drawing his fourth foul, Nolan complained to the official and got slapped with a technical foul that ended his day with UVa up 50-38.
"I was disappointed in Nolan,'' Jones said. "It's something he's got to learn from.''
When 7-foot-4 center Chase Metheney fouled out with 14:24 left - the big guy had six rebounds, but no points on no shots in 10 minutes - Jones was forced to "go small.''
With Alexander, Staples, Deane, Robinson and 6-9 freshman Colin Ducharme (eight points, six rebounds) on the floor, UVa nearly ran the Gamecocks off the island.
Sparked by Deane's passing, the Cavs blew open a 10-point game with a 14-3 run to go up 69-48 with 9:43 to play.
UVa led by as many as 28 (91-63) with 3:57 left before settling for the final margin.
It was a strong statement by a UVa club picked by most to finish fifth in the ACC. After all, these Gamecocks aren't exactly chickens. South Carolina, with four starters back from a 19-12 NIT club, is picked second behind national champion Kentucky in the SEC's East Division.
"That was domination - inside, outside, mentally and physically,'' said 'Cocks coach Eddie Fogler.
"They were a lot better than we were, though they got a lot of help from us. We have good guards, but today theirs were better.''
USC senior guard Larry Davis hit seven of 10 shots for 21 points. But the rest of the Gamecocks might as well have spent the morning on the beaches of Maui. Excluding Davis, the 'Cocks hit 16 of 54 shots.
"We couldn't even make free throws,'' moaned Fogler, whose club hit just 55.2 percent (16 of 29).
On the other side of the 2,500-seat building, the Cavaliers were all smiles. For a day, at least.
"We had a long year last year,'' Alexander said. "We came out with a sense of unity and we know what it takes to win. A lot of people are not expecting much out of us, but we are.'' see microfilm for box score
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP UVa's Harold Deane (left) defends against Melvinby CNBWatson (10) during the first half of their game in the Maui
Invitational.