THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 7, 1996 TAG: 9602070535
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
Norfolk State's Derrick Bryant had added incentive Monday night against Virginia Union.
With the game televised live locally by WVBT and on tape-delay on Home Team Sports, Bryant's grandmothers - Ethel Bryant and Katherine Mazell, both of Suffolk - were able to watch the Norfolk State forward from the comfort of their homes. Both are restricted from watching him in person due to health reasons.
``Both told me they'd be watching,'' Bryant said. ``So it was extra motivation.''
They might not have been the most important people watching Monday's action, though. With the game televised regionally, Bryant was able to put on a show against the nation's top-ranked team in Division II while the eyes of the head coaches of the CIAA's other teams watched.
With less than three weeks remaining in the regular season, Bryant's 24-point, 14-rebound performance in the 77-74 overtime defeat of the Panthers may well have put him over the top in the upcoming CIAA player of the year race, voted on by the coaches.
``He had a great night,'' said Norfolk State coach Mike Bernard. ``I think he's the best in the CIAA. If not, he certainly should be considered. He leads us statistically and spiritually.''
Bryant, a 6-foot-4 1/2 small forward, currently ranks fifth in the conference in scoring at 18.5 points per game and leads the CIAA in rebounding with 9.7 a game.
Bryant has grabbed 27 rebounds in the Spartans' last two games. He needs 61 more rebounds to reach 1,000.
With six regular-season games remaining, it's possible Bryant could reach that plateau in Norfolk State's regular-season finale against North Carolina Central on Feb. 24.
``That's a goal of mine,'' Bryant said. ``I figure if I reach my goals and the goals coach Bernard sets for me, we'll do OK.''
CENTERS OF ATTENTION: To contain Ben Wallace, Virginia Union's 6-9, 240-pound jumping jack, the Spartans rotated all four centers on their roster against him.
The combined statistical line of Blitz Wooten, Matthew Thompson, Sean Blackwell and Deng Leek wasn't exceptional: 11 points, four rebounds, three turnovers and three blocked shots. But the rotation allowed Norfolk State a total of 20 fouls, 14 of which they used as Wooten and Thompson both fouled out.
``What those guys did might not show up on the stats,'' Bernard said. ``But they did the job. We got what we needed from our bench, and they didn't do anything to hurt our chances. That was important. We had to go to the limit on what we could get out of every one of them.''
Sent to the line rather than allowed easy baskets, Wallace made just 7 of 17 free throws, right at his 41 percent free-throw accuracy for the season.
Wallace, who leans away from the basket upon release of his free throws, air-balled two of his attempts.
TOPS IN SOUTHERN: N.C. Central, still unbeaten in CIAA play, can lock up the Southern Division title and a No. 1 seed in the CIAA tournament with a victory Thursday over visiting Winston-Salem State. But the Eagles won't really find out how good they are until their last two games of the regular season, when they visit Virginia Union (Feb. 17) and Norfolk State (Feb. 24). ``I scheduled it like that so we'd know just what we have to do going into the tournament,'' said coach Greg Jackson.
TOURNEY TIDBITS: Tickets for the upcoming CIAA Tournament (Feb. 26-Mar. 2) at Lawrence Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C., are still available and can be obtained by calling the CIAA offices at 865-0071. . . . Select Food Lion supermarkets in North Carolina and Virginia are holding registration for a CIAA Dream Weekend contest, in which winners receive two tickets to the CIAA tournament, hotel accommodations and $500 in spending money. by CNB