THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 25, 1995 TAG: 9502250369
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
To have a chance against powerful Norfolk State, the Virginia State Trojans were going to have to ``stick and move,'' coach Tyrone Hart said.
Instead, they got cold-cocked early and never recovered.
Norfolk State, looking more each game like the national championship contender it was predicted to be, advanced to the CIAA tournament final by dropping Virginia State, 79-56, Friday night in front of 13,641 at Lawrence Joel Coliseum.
Norfolk State will face Virginia Union tonight at 8:30. The Panthers defeated Winston-Salem State, 83-68, in the other semifinal Friday behind Ben Wallace's 33 points, 18 rebounds and eight blocks.
The final is a rematch of last year's, won by Union, 93-79.
The Spartans were at their intense best, taking Virginia State out of the game early with airtight man-to-man defense. Virginia State shot 23 percent in the first half, 27 percent for the game.
``We were a little in awe,'' Hart said. ``We were caught by a team that's been here before.''
The Spartans raised their level of play noticeably over their first two tournament games, pouncing on Virginia State (16-13) with a 22-4 run to open the game.
``It's getting close to that time,'' point guard Maurice Whitfield said. ``Time to pick it up.''
The Spartans at times have had trouble putting two good halves together, the best example being two weeks ago against Hampton, when they blew a 17-point lead in a 73-70 defeat.
After taking a 38-21 halftime lead Friday night, however, they opened the second half with a 15-2 spurt and Virginia State was finished.
``They've learned some lessons, especially of late,'' Norfolk State coach Mike Bernard said. ``I don't think that Hampton game has left their minds.
``The intensity and focus is coming from them, it has nothing to do with me. I'm trying to stay as intense and focused as they are.''
CIAA player of the year Corey Williams scored the game's first five points and played as hard as he has all season.
``When he does his job everybody gets going,'' center Blitz Wooten said. ``This is the Corey Williams I saw last year.''
Williams, a 6-foot-8 senior, had 18 points, five assists and three blocks. He capped his night with a pair of soaring slam dunks with about five minutes left.
``He sets a special tone for us when he's going well,'' Bernard said. ``He's so many weapons in one player. He doesn't have to score 30 points for us to win, because he's doing all the intangible things.''
Williams, Wooten and Derrick Bryant locked on Virginia State's inside trio of Kelvin Kinney, Doug Hines and Owen Webb, holding them to eight points.
Wooten, meanwhile, had his way down low, scoring 16 points and pulling down eight rebounds.
``We're starting to play two halves of solid basketball,'' he said. ``We had a little meeting, and worked everything out. Everybody knows their roles know.''
Carnell Penn carried out his, providing 15 points in outside scoring. Whitfield ran the team nearly flawlessly, committing just one turnover while handing out five assists and pulling down six rebounds. Rodney Carmichael and Matthew Thompson added 14 points off the bench.
The Spartans split two meetings with Virginia Union (24-4) this year, winning 67-60 in Norfolk and falling 73-70 in Richmond.
``This is a marathon,'' Bernard said. ``To win the national championship, we've got to win the marathon.''
Win or lose, Norfolk State will go to the NCAA's South Atlantic Regional in Fayetteville March 10-11.
Hart, for one, likes their chances.
``They're one of the best teams in the whole U.S,'' he said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by LAWRENCE JACKSON, Staff
Douglas Hines of Virginia State, left, loses the opening tip to
Norfolk State's Blitz Wooten. The Spartans took a 22-4 lead to open
the game and never looked back. Wooten finished with 16 points and
eight rebounds. ``We're starting to play two halves of solid
basketball,'' Wooten said after the game.
by CNB