THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 25, 1995 TAG: 9506250190
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Long : 102 lines
Before the first of two games at the Hampton Roads Pro-Am basketball league Saturday morning, there was some gentle disagreement over just who held the league scoring record.
Old Dominion center Odell Hodge, who was working the scorer's table at Lake Taylor High, offered up his own name, recalling a 50-point performance last summer. No, someone said, former NBA player Lamont Strothers poured in 55 one night. Right, someone else agreed, but didn't former Hampton University star Kenny Brown drop in 56 a couple years back?
Whatever. After watching Georgetown's Allen Iverson for about five minutes Saturday, it was clear that the discussion would soon be, well, pointless.
Iverson, making his Pro-Am debut, and playing locally for the first time in two years, had 19 points at the end of the first quarter, 37 at halftime, 53 through three quarters to finish with - drum roll, please - 71 points.
``How many?,'' asked Norfolk State forward Derrick Bryant, whose team, Central Fidelity, defeated Iverson's A&G Imports squad, 165-146 in front of about 500 fans.
Seventy-one.
``Oh, my.''
Several fans who stopped by the scorer's table afterward had similar reactions, as did Pro-Am commissioner Wayne Hoffler.
``I don't have to look that up,'' Hoffler said. ``I know it's a record.''
And one likely to stand until at least next week, when Iverson is scheduled to play again.
The 6-foot-1 guard, who led Hampton's Bethel High to a state title in 1993, scored in just about every way possible. On long jumpers. Slashing drives to the basket. Soaring slam dunks. He hit five three pointers - the league uses the NBA line - and was 12-of-19 from the free-throw line. His shooting percentage from the field was not available, but he appeared to hit well over 50 percent.
It was a familiar sight for anyone who ever saw him play at Bethel, where he was considered by many scouts to be the nation's top high school player heading into his senior year.
Iverson missed his senior year, however, after being convicted of three felony counts in connection with a Hampton bowling alley brawl. The convictions were overturned by an appeals court just last week.
Iverson served four months in jail before being granted conditional clemency by former Gov. Douglas Wilder. He finished high school and enrolled at Georgetown, where he was the Big East's rookie of the year last season.
Saturday, thus, was his first appearance on a local court since 1993.
Iverson, who had his mother, Ann, with him, was obviously glad to be back, smiling and greeting friends like former Bethel teammate Tony Rutland, now a starting guard at Wake Forest.
``It's always good to see him,'' Rutland said. ``I really only got a chance to watch him on TV.''
Iverson was animated on the court, letting out yells on a couple of occasions when his jump shot was off the mark. Highlights included several crossover dribbles that left defenders standing, an alley-oop slam dunk, and a soaring block of a layup attempt by 6-6 Mario Mullen.
``How do you play him?'' said Hampton's Jafonde Williams, who was one of several players who made the attempt. ``You've got to be in better shape than I was in today. He's so quick, and he's always attacking. You've got to play him as hard as you can, try to deny him sometimes, and make him work on defense.''
Rutland, who played in the second game, said he was not surprised Iverson was all-but unstoppable Saturday.
``He likes to take his man one-on-one a lot,'' Rutland said. ``It's an up-tempo game, with a 24-second shot clock, and he was able to take advantage.
``I guess he just loaded up a pistol, and shot it.''
Iverson signed autographs and posed for pictures after the game, but in keeping with his custom lately, he declined an interview request.
Still, asked how it felt to be home, he smiled and answered:
``Great. I love it.''
In other league action Contel Cellular defeated the Hampton Roads Admirals 112-103. Clayton Ritter, formerly of James Madison University, led Contel with 23 points and 20 rebounds.
Tony Rutland, who is currently at Wake Forest University, chipped in 23 points and 8 assists in the victory.
Greg Ford, formerly of Hampton University, scored 28 points and grabbed a team-high 12 boards in defeat. Hampton Roads also received 16 points and 7 assists from Sean Bell, formerly of Norfolk State University.
Other than Iverson in game one Central Fidelity was led by Williams and Derrick Bryant. Williams, who is at Hampton, scored 31 points and tacked on 8 assists in victory, while Bryant, currently at NSU, notched 35 points while hauling down 17 rebounds. Mario Mullin, currently at Old Dominion, added 30 points and 10 boards.
A&G had some support other than Iverson in defeat: the Wynder brothers. A.J. and Tico, both of whom are playing professionally overseas, each totalled 16 points. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
L. TODD SPENCER
Allen Iverson goes to the hole for two of his league-record 71
points in his Pro-Am debut Saturday. The former Bethel star had not
played in Hampton Roads since his arrest following a bowling alley
brawl in 1993.
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