THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 3, 1995 TAG: 9512030232
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WILLIAMSBURG LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
Virginia Tech, minus one starter and a key reserve, showed Saturday that it has top-25-caliber talent and depth. But the Hokies also proved they're capable of top-25-caliber letdowns, the type that can strike against supposedly soft opposition.
Up 17 on William and Mary early in the second half, the 22nd-ranked Hokies saw their lead melt to four before holding on for a 71-66 victory in front of 5,032 at William and Mary Hall.
Tech (2-0) was outrebounded by the Tribe, 40-36, and thoroughly outscrapped by William and Mary in the second half.
Coach Bill Foster said he tried to convince his team that they could be in for a difficult afternoon, but the players gave him the equivalent of a wink and a ``sure, coach.' ''
``The game last year at our place was never close,and our guys remember that game,'' Foster said.
The players also saw the 1-3 Tribe lose to Virginia 87-58 this season.
But Saturday, several unlikely things happened:
Tech All-American candidate Ace Custis was, to use Foster's description, ``schooled'' by Tribe forward Carl Parker, who had 22 points and nine rebounds.
Custis and fellow forward Shawn Smith collaborated for just 17 points.
Tech's point guard duo of Myron Guillory and Troy Manns combined for just five.
Tech was saved mainly by shooting guard Damon Watlington, who scored 15 points and handed out five assists, but more importantly locked up on Tribe shooting guard Matt Verkey, holding him to five points.
``He grabbed onto Verkey like a shadow,'' Foster said. ``If a game ball goes to anyone, it goes to Watlington.''
Honorable mention goes to forward Keefe Matthews. Playing in just his second Tech game, Matthews scored 13 points in 13 minutes off the bench.
Still, the inside edge went to William and Mary. Parker had his way down low, and center David Cully was an intimidating presence, blocking four shots. Forward Bobby Fitzgibbons came off the bench to collect 15 points and eight rebounds.
``We weren't going to let them come in here and push us around and I don't think they did,'' Tribe coach Charlie Woollum said.
But the Tribe was done in by its inability to make a jumper. Point guard Randy Bracy, a freshman, was just 3 of 14 from the field. Verkey was 1 of 4.
With the guards not hitting, the Tribe got a lift in the second half from the 6-foot-8 Fitzgibbons, who made three treys in a 2 1/2-minute span - the last of which cut Tech's lead to 57-53 with 9:22 left.
The Tribe then went nearly four minutes without scoring, however, and Tech built its lead back to 11. The Tribe shaved the margin to seven before a Watlington jumper all but sealed things with 1:42 left.
``It was ugly, but we'll take it,'' Custis said.
Tech was without starting point guard Shawn Good, who has a groin pull, and swingman Jimmy Jackson, who has a sprained left ankle. Foster said both were missed.
``Jimmy Jackson always comes to play. I know he would have been a plus,'' Foster said. ``He doesn't know what not being ready is.''
Some other Hokies now do, however, and Foster said that should make for an interesting week of practice.
``This was a bit of a wake-up call,'' Foster said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
MOTOYA NAKAMURA/The Virginian-Pilot
W&M's Carl Parker, left, who had 22 points and nine rebounds, is in
hot pursuit of loose ball.
by CNB