THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 23, 1994 TAG: 9412210165
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH, CLIPPER SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
FOR THE PAST three years, Michelle Boyd has lived in the shadow of a succession of outstanding Deep Creek basketball players.
Dawn Ferebee. Tennille Smith. Nicole Langley.
But in this season, her senior year, Boyd is poised to make the Hornets' fans and foes alike forget the past and focus on the here and now.
For a long time, everyone ``talked about Dawn and Tennille and no one else,'' said Boyd. ``I feel like it's my turn now.''
Boyd is in an enviable position. An early commitment to Norfolk State has taken the anxiety out of graduation, so Boyd can play without that pressure hanging over her head.
``She's stepped up now that she has her SAT score,'' said Deep Creek coach Otis Etheridge. Boyd scored a 900 on the test to solidify her scholarship to Norfolk State. ``Michelle is the person we want with the ball when the game is on the line.
``She's the best all-around player I've ever coached.''
Going into Tuesday's game against Norcom, the Hornets were unbeaten at 3-0 and ranked No. 4 in South Hampton Roads. With three consecutive Southeastern District titles already in the bag, Boyd feels like this is the year for Deep Creek to go farther.
``Hopefully, we'll win state. If we're going to do something, this is the year to do it,'' she said.
Boyd is a co-captain of the team and one of seven seniors. She's the spiritual leader of the team and admits to ``mothering'' the younger players.
``Michelle is the protector of the team . . . she'll stand up for anybody, on the court or in school,'' said Etheridge. ``I told her she needs to change her major from business to being a lawyer.''
But if Boyd is the steadying influence on the team, senior Tamara Sivels is the spark. Like Boyd, Sivels has played varsity for Deep Creek since she was a freshman, and both can play any position on the court.
``Tamara can dominate a game at any time, but she's more of a fan player, a flasher,'' said Etheridge. ``She's so fast down the court, she can score eight points before you know what's happening.''
Boyd and Sivels proved their value to the team recently in a game against Wilson. Trailing by two points with less than two minutes left to play, Boyd came up with a rebound under the Hornets' net and passed to Sivels, who nailed a short jumper to tie the game at 45.
Boyd snared a defensive rebound on Wilson's next series and let loose with a pass down court to Sivels, who was breaking for the basket and sank a layup to give Deep Creek the lead with 48 seconds remaining.
The Hornets closed out the game for a 50-45 win.
``You'd think that Tamara had more points in that game, from the way she plays,'' said Etheridge. ``But she had 15 and Michelle had 14. Tamara had 10 rebounds and five steals, Michelle had 11 and three. They stay right with each other.''
Sivels has come into her own this year and is averaging 16.6 points a game, good for fifth in the area. Her emergence is a surprise to everyone except her teammates.
``Tamara is a great player, so it doesn't shock me a bit,'' said Boyd. ``She might be hustling a little bit more this year because it's her last.''
With two standout players on the squad, there's always someone else who gets lost in the shuffle. Like Boyd before her, co-captain Melanie Doughty, the team's point guard, is the one standing in the shadows this year.
According to Etheridge, Doughty deserves better.
``Melanie is the key to our success. If she has her way with our game plan, the other team will lose,'' he said. ``Against Wilson in the fourth quarter, I told her she had to get the ball inside to Michelle and Tamara. She did and that won the game for us.''
Being overshadowed ``is an advantage and a disadvantage,'' Doughty said. ``The advantage is that (opponents) don't know what I can do, but the disadvantage is that colleges don't know who I am.''
To her credit, Doughty realizes that she's not as naturally gifted as her two teammates. But she's determined to not let nature stand in her way.
``I know I have to work harder than Michelle and Tamara . . . much harder,'' Doughty said. ``They have talent, I have to get by on heart.
``But I love this sport. I don't know what I'd do with my life it wasn't for basketball. It's my violin.'' by CNB