THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 6, 1996 TAG: 9602060427
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Tom Robinson
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
In Norfolk State's delirious locker room minutes after Monday's 77-74 overtime victory over Virginia Union, Derrick Bryant credited those two great secrets of athletic life - focus and relaxation - for his terrific performance.
Against the Panthers over four seasons, Bryant knows those states of mind have been easier discussed than executed.
The Spartans' great rivals have never been counted on to bring out the best in Bryant, try as he might. ``Try'' is the operative word. The senior small forward from Suffolk admits his past is speckled with some disappointing dates with Virginia Union, where his engines revved so high as to be counterproductive.
``I haven't always played well against Union,'' said Bryant, Norfolk State's brightest star on a sparkling evening at Echols Arena. ``That's one of the reasons I'm so happy.''
Not that it was even on his mind, but Bryant did wonders for his CIAA player of the year bid: 24 points, a season-high 14 rebounds, two assists, two steals and no turnovers. No turnovers in 45 minutes of play.
That's 45 minutes straight. As in, Bryant never left the court. For that matter, neither did guard Carnell Penn, the other Spartan to go wire-to-wire.
Penn registered 23 points and also looked every bit the focused and relaxed player when he scored eight points in overtime to propel the Spartans to the finish.
``Bryant and Penn are their two best players and they stepped up, while my two best players had foul trouble,'' Virginia Union coach Dave Robbins said of Ben Wallace and Thomas Meredith, his own player of the year candidates.
Wallace, a hulking center, went for 21 points and 10 rebounds but also was his usual atrocious self from the foul line - 7 of 17, right on his 41 percent average. Meredith played only 19 minutes and scored four points.
``Bryant is definitely an all-CIAA performer,'' Robbins said. ``But for player of the year, I'm a little biased toward my own kids.''
An evening's eyeful of Bryant is all the evidence needed that he is more than worthy of that mantle.
Up against a Union team that entered with a plus-12 rebounding advantage, Bryant led an aggressive board assault in the first half that helped forge the Spartans a 35-20 lead. In the first 20 minutes, Bryant grabbed 11 rebounds, five off the offensive glass, as Norfolk State out-rebounded Union 26-17.
Then in the second half and the five-minute overtime, Bryant turned more offensive, scoring 16 points, including 12 for 15 from the foul line and a critical power move along the baseline with 3:36 to play in regulation.
Bryant was fouled on the play, and he converted the three-point play to put the Spartans ahead by one.
A final free throw by Bryant with 11 seconds left, the second of two shots, gave Norfolk State the important three-point cushion it needed. It forced Union into a 3-pointer that failed - which finalized the first loss in 19 games for Division II's top-ranked team.
``I had a long talk with my parents today,'' Bryant said. ``They told me basically to focus, stay relaxed and play. Earlier times against Union I pressured myself too much and messed myself up.
``After doing that so much, I thought I'd try it this way and maybe I'd have some success.''
Along the way, the 6-foot-4 Bryant played with his trademark, fundamental precision. Nobody throws a crisper, prettier chest pass. He releases jump shots and free throws with pristine form, plays generally with a minimum of wasted motion.
Monday, that was a fortunate thing for Norfolk State, which needed every motion Bryant could muster. by CNB