ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, March 10, 1997 TAG: 9703120024
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: ACC TOURNAMENT NOTES
DATELINE: GREENSBORO, N.C.
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY THE ROANOKE TIMES
Smith's strategy called for 7-foot-3 Tar Heels center Serge Zwikker to cover 6-foot Wolfpack point guard Justin Gainey.
``That was definitely something different for me,'' Zwikker said. Smith ``was kind of joking the other day about putting me on Wojo [Duke point guard Steve Wojciechowski], so I should have known something.
``It was pretty hard. I had to keep a lot of distance between him and me. I had to watch that he didn't just dribble past me and hope I had some help if he did.''
The Tar Heels gambled that Gainey wouldn't take many outside shots and that Zwikker's wingspan would bother him if he did. Smith wanted his smaller, quicker players on N.C. State's slashers, most notably C.C. Harrison.
``We simply told Justin, `If you're open after we've run our offense, take the shot,''' said State coach Herb Sendek. ``But we could not afford to get into a game where we were taking shots five seconds into the shot clock.''
Only one thing could have made the arrangement better for the Tar Heels: ``We should have a rule that, if Serge has to play Gainey, Gainey has to play Serge,'' Smith said.
ALL-TOURNAMENT: Gainey, a freshman from nearby High Point, N.C., who had 11 points and no turnovers in 40 minutes, joined Harrison as the Wolfpack representatives on the all-tournament first team.
They were joined by North Carolina's Shammond Williams, who was named MVP; Tar Heels forward Antawn Jamison; and Wake Forest's Tim Duncan, who had 64 points and 23 rebounds in two games.
Maryland senior Keith Booth, a second-team selection, was the only other player to be recognized from one of the losing semifinalists. He was joined by Zwikker and Ed Cota from UNC and Danny Strong and Jeremy Hyatt from State.
VOTING QUESTIONED: The performance of Gainey, who played 40 minutes in four games over four nights, raised more questions about the voting for the ACC All-Freshman team.
Although the voting took place before the tournament, Gainey has been starting since Feb.1, when Harrison was injured and unable to play at Virginia. The Wolfpack is 8-4 since.
Earlier in the week, Virginia coach Jeff Jones had expressed disappointment that UVa center Colin Ducharme had not made the team. Ducharme ranked among the top five freshmen in the ACC in virtually every statistical category.
The most baffling selection was that of Clemson swingman Vincent Whitt. In his last eight games, Whitt scored a total of eight points. He played five minutes Friday in the Tigers' 76-61 loss to Maryland.
DUNCAN DOES IT ALL: Duncan, Wake Forest's 6-11 center, was the unanimous choice of the coaches for an ACC all-defensive team published by ACC Net Scoop, an on-line service.
Duncan was joined by Wojciechowski, named on six ballots; N.C. State guard Ishua Benjamin and Clemson forward Greg Buckner, each selected by five coaches; and Virginia point guard Harold Deane, who had four votes.
OFF THE HOT SEAT: Florida State athletic director Dave Hart has told reporters that coach Pat Kennedy is free to return for a 12th season in Tallahassee, Fla.
Hart declined to exercise the rollover option in Kennedy's contract last year after a third consecutive losing season. Kennedy, who has directed FSU to a 16-11 record this season, has three years remaining at $485,000 per year.
ODDS 'N' ENDS: North Carolina's Smith has a 58-23 record in ACC Tournament play. That's more victories than the next three coaches combined. ... Before the tournament, N.C. State was 1-10 when trailing at the half. Then, the Wolfpack staged second-half comebacks in each of three victories to reach the final. ... The Wolfpack's semifinal victory gave the ACC eight teams with at least 16 victories for the first time in the conference's 43-year history.
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS. The North Carolina bench exults afterby CNBShammond Williams hit one of his key 3-pointers in the second half
Sunday against North Carolina State.