THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 28, 1995 TAG: 9502280367
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
Unlike the movies, basketball doesn't have an award for best performance in a supporting role.
If it did, Mike Holland would be an annual nominee.
During his career at Churchland High, the 5-foot-9 senior point guard has had to share the stage with marquee players D.J. Dunbar and Marvin Rodgers.
Dunbar, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard, was last year's Tidewater player of the year. Rodgers, a 6-foot-9 forward, was rated one of the top 50 high school senior talents in the nation by one recruiting service.
Quite often the dazzling plays finished by Dunbar and Rodgers start with a deft flick of Holland's wrist.
Holland is averaging 9.2 assists a game as the Truckers (20-4), South Hampton Roads' top-ranked boys basketball team, begin the defense of their Eastern Region title, taking on Tallwood (17-6) in a quarterfinal game at Churchland tonight at 7 p.m.
While Dunbar and Rodgers relish their opportunities to score, Holland sees each of their baskets as another chance for an assist.
``I might have a breakaway layup and no points, and if D.J. has 35 I'll still give him the ball,'' Holland said. ``I know a lot of people ask the scorekeeper after a game how many points they got. I ask how many assists.''
``Mike is a dying breed,'' Churchland coach Mac Carroll said. ``He's a true point guard. He's not a combination guard, which you see a lot of these days. A lot of teams try to get as much size as they can get on the court and end up playing a bigger player at point guard. But that player might not be a real point guard.''
As a junior, one of Holland's goals was to have a 20-assist game. He did it against Western Branch. This year, he upped the goal to 30 assists. It's an outlandish target, but don't tell Holland that it's unreachable. He flourishes in the face of naysayers.
``Last year on the morning of the (regional) semifinals, my radio alarm went off and `The Coach' was on 103-JAMZ talking about how Ferguson was going to send us home,'' Holland said. ``Then it was Kecoughtan who was going to beat us.
``I feed off that.''
At the beginning of the season, when Rodgers was sidelined with academic problems, Holland stepped up his scoring output. That scoring average has dipped some with Rodgers' return, but Holland is still averaging 12.1 points per game.
And in Rodgers' absence, Holland developed enough savvy to call his own number near the end of close games.
``Marvin wasn't here and that was 15.5 points a game that we had to get from somewhere else,'' Carroll said. ``That put some pressure on Mike to score in some instances.''
Holland, who also quarterbacked Churchland's football team the last three years, has displayed what Carroll calls ``unique leadership abilities'' since his arrival.
But until this year, there were instances in which Holland would lean on Carroll too much when it came time to call an offense. Carroll grew tired of being used as a crutch and believed the habit was taking away from Holland's abilities.
``At the beginning of the season, Mike was always coming down the court and asking `Coach, what do you want me to call?' '' Carroll said. ``He was driving me crazy.''
Finally, against Indian River near the midway point of the season, Holland asked the question one too many times.
``I told him, `I'll tell you what I want. I want you to call a timeout,' '' Carroll said. ``I got Mike off to the side during that timeout and said, `Don't keep asking me what I want when you're coming down the court. You're a third-year starting point guard. Figure out how to run our system.' ''
Holland's reaction?
``I didn't ask him anymore,'' Holland said, smiling.
While Dunbar and Rodgers are expected to one day play Division I college basketball, even if they must take the junior college route to get there, Holland may beat them to the highest level of college basketball.
Carroll anticipates Holland qualifying for NCAA freshman eligibility and said Saint Louis coach Charley Spoonhour has already shown interest.
``Spoonhour likes small point guards,'' Carroll said. ``The beauty of Mike playing with D.J. and Marvin is that a lot of college coaches have come to see those two and stumbled upon Mike in the process.
``If we have a good regional and go on to the state tournament again, Mike should have the opportunity to open some eyes.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
MOTOYA NAKAMURA/Staff
Mike Holland, Churchland High School's senior point guard, has the
Truckers running on all cylinders.
by CNB