ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, November 28, 1996 TAG: 9611290018
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: HOLIDAY
DATELINE: LAHAINA, HAWAII
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
AUSTRALIAN CRAIG MCANDREW is introducing himself to Virginia fans with his play in the Maui Invitational.
At least one member of the Virginia men's basketball party wasn't whipped by the 11-hour flight to this Pacific paradise.
For UVa freshman Craig McAndrew, the long sojourn west was little more than a hop, skip and a jump.
``Nothing to it, mate,'' said the first Australian ever to dribble a basketball in the ACC.
``This probably isn't even halfway to where I'm from. You stop in Hawaii to refuel going to Australia, then you have probably another 14 hours. So this was a short ride for me.''
McAndrew, 19, never will play closer to home than in this week's Maui Invitational. The affable Aussie hails from Wonga Beach, a quaint village of some 300 people on the northeastern tip of Queensland.
The husky 6-foot-10, 246-pound McAndrew said ``Crocodile Dundee'' fans would love Wonga Beach.
``If you've seen the movie, that's exactly what my home area is like,'' he said.
``We've got crocodiles and all kinds of crazy animals. We've got bird-eating spiders about the size of my foot. We've got the cassowary, a big bird that has three claws that can dissect you down the middle. And we've got the deadliest snakes in the world.''
After surviving that jungle, McAndrew certainly won't be intimidated by ACC basketball. Recruited late by Virginia when it suddenly lost center Melvin Whitaker, McAndrew helped fill the Cavaliers' need for a big, strong, wide-body inside.
Thus far, the big Aussie has been playing as though he was wrestling a crocodile back home. It took him only six minutes of playing time to foul out in UVa's preseason game against Court Authority. He had four fouls in 14 minutes in UVa's first-round Maui victory over South Carolina.
``I'm physical,'' he said. ``That's the style of Australian basketball. We're not as athletic as some of the Americans. We tend to be scrappers, hard-nosed kind of players.
``It's taking me a little time to adjust to the referees. There are different sorts of fouls over here, I guess.''
The fun-loving Aussie then laughed and added: ``I'm a thug. I try to tell everyone I've got a little bit of skill in thuggery. Hey, just kidding, mate.''
McAndrew has more than hatchet-man skills, however. UVa assistant Tom Perrin was impressed when he saw McAndrew playing last spring for an international select junior team at Charlotte, N.C.
``Clemson had been real interested in me, but they signed somebody and told me that I don't need to visit,'' said McAndrew, who visited Washington State and Gonzaga besides Virginia.
``I was thrilled by Virginia's interest in me. And liked what I saw there.''
McAndrew had been in the United States before his college visits. He played on several touring junior squads that competed in tournaments in the states.
McAndrew graduated from high school in December 1994. To get experience, he played sparingly last year with the Perth Wildcats, an Australian professional club.
``I had no idea I was doing anything wrong,'' he said.
The NCAA ruled that McAndrew would have to sit out UVa's first seven regular-season games, not including the Maui tournament.
``I got money for transportation, to buy food and pay rent,'' said McAndrew, who was ordered by the NCAA to pay back what he described as a small amount.
``I was disappointed at first,'' said McAndrew, ``but kind of thankful also. I could have had to sit out the whole year, so seven games is not too bad.''
UVa coach Jeff Jones said the brawny freshman has been a nice find.
``Craig has been a pleasant surprise,'' Jones said. ``He gives us a physical presence inside and has the ability to make plays. He's aggressive, used to contact and he won't back down.''
If he did, the big kid never would have made it out of Wonga Beach. Wimps don't last long in Wonga.
``There are some,'' said McAndrew, ``but they get sorted out pretty quick.''
That doesn't mean, however, that the big Aussie hasn't been scared before.
``Two years ago I was running on our beach with my dog,'' he said. ``I turned around and heard this scuffle, scuffle, scuffle sound. I looked up and this bloody crocodile was about two yards in front of me. I took off real fast.''
McAndrew's vast array of adventure stories leave the rest of the UVa players with mouths open, he said.
``They hear a story and they'll all be shocked and stuff, saying I'm crazy,'' he said.
``But then they tell me some stories from back in the inner-city and I can't even comprehend that stuff. I hear that and I'm thankful I grew up where I did.''
LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP Freshman Craig McAndrew (left) has provided anby CNBinside presence for the Cavaliers. color