THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 9, 1995 TAG: 9503080233
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 21 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DENISE MICHAUX, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
ONE OF THE MAIN responsibilities of a team captain on Nansemond River's basketball team is to act as role model and coach to help the younger players progress.
But it is doubtful when Maurice Fofana took on that job that he expected to be performing it from the sidelines.
On Jan. 6, Fofana went up to grab a rebound in a game against Smithfield, and when he came down his left ankle buckled underneath him. The injury sidelined him for six weeks, including the first meeting of the season with cross-town rival Lakeland.
``I've never experienced anything like that before,'' said Fofana, a junior who will be over the age limit to play next year and plans on graduating after summer school. ``It was tough to sit on the sidelines and watch, especially since this is my last year. My toughest game had to be the Lakeland game.''
He spent that game sitting restlessly on the sidelines with his leg propped up in a chair keeping a watchful eye on his replacement, Leroy Skinner, and offering constant encouragement.
``I just told him he had to be the big man on campus tonight,'' Fofana said following that game.
Fofana, of course, had spent a lot of time with Skinner in practice before he got hurt, so he knew his strengths, but the Cavaliers certainly didn't. It isn't likely they expected much out of this sophomore point guard who stands just 5-3 and had only been moved up from junior varsity two weeks before Fofana was injured.
``They were all underestimating me a lot and that's what left a lot of open shots for me,'' Skinner said. ``They would leave open shots up the middle. They look for that now.''
Skinner proved that he can shoot, rebound and run with the best of them and has become a crowd favorite.
``It gives me a lot of confidence,'' Skinner said.
``He surprised a lot of people,'' head coach Spencer Mayfield said. ``There is no way you are going to catch him. He is a natural point guard and he's not afraid of anything.''
Being fearless is something Mayfield has instilled in Skinner from day one.
``The little man has got to be fearless,'' Mayfield said. ``That is the only way they are going to get any respect.
``He's not afraid to go down and rebound with the big boys. He gets banged around and it doesn't bother him.''
``In practice (Fofana) goes real physical with me . . . he pushes me down and stuff,'' Skinner said. ``Games aren't any different. I just concentrate on what I need to do.''
``I hate checking him because he is so quick,'' Fofana said. ``But that always helped to make me quicker.''
Fofana has returned to the lineup, but Skinner remains an integral part of the Nansemond River attack. Fofana won't take any credit for Skinner's success.
``I know that me and Leroy have worked together,'' Fofana said. ``It makes me feel good, but just because he is doing well doesn't mean I want any of it. He has two more years here. This is my last year. Maybe next year he will go in and do better than I did. That's what I would like for him to do. Then maybe I'd say `Yeah, I guess me and him working every day paid off.' ''
For now, Fofana is concerned about getting his ankle back to 100 percent as the state tournament draws near.
``When I came back, things that I used to do I couldn't do,'' Fofana said. ``Now everything is back to normal, but I'm still not 100 percent. Hopefully, I will be by the tournament.''
The Warriors begin tournament play Saturday against Warren County at Lakeland High School at 7 p.m.
The Wildcats are still something of a mystery, but one thing is certain. ``They are here,'' Mayfield said. ``Records don't mean anything anymore. Records just mean you might have had a bad night the night that you lost. You don't get to this point if you aren't a good ball club.''
Fofana concurred.
``Everybody is good now,'' he said. ``No one has really seen our best yet. We're winning playing the way we are playing, but we still haven't played as a whole team 100 percent. Right now would be the best time for us to do it.
``We're not playing to the competition anymore. Now we are going out and playing Nansemond River ball every night.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by MICHAEL KESTNER
Sophomore Leroy Skinner, who replaced Fofana, takes instructions
from coach Spencer Mayfield.
Junior Maurice Fofana, right, struggles for a loose ball. He has
returned to the lineup after being injured.
by CNB