THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 15, 1996 TAG: 9602150163
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 21 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
DATELINE: COURTLAND LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
BEFORE LAST Wednesday's game against Poquoson, Shawn Tann told his Southampton teammates that he wasn't going to take a shot during the first quarter. With the Islanders expected to focus on shutting down the Indians' leading scorer, Tann said he would lean on his teammates to carry the offensive load.
``I went into the game not looking to score,'' Tann said. I like to be a team player, not a one-man show. My main goal is just to win.''
Whether he likes it or not, the 6-foot-4 senior guard was a one-man show last week. And the performance was impressive.
Tann, who said he was just playing his usual game, torched Poquoson for a career-high 39 points and followed that with a 29-point performance against Bruton, making 19 of 23 shots from the field in those two games. Tann's spectacular week put him over the 1,000 point mark for his career and pushed his scoring average to 20.2 per game this season. He also is shooting 53 percent from three-point range and making 43 percent of his shots from the field.
``This year, I'm just going out there to play,'' said Tann, who averaged 15.5 points as a sophomore and 16.7 as a junior. ``Now I know what I can do, I just have to do it every night.''
And Southampton coach Randy Jesse said he does it every night without a lot of flash, and no trash-talking.
``He just goes out and plays hard,'' Jesse said. ``He doesn't try to show up a kid. He's very respectful to coaches and players. He's not looking to showboat.''
Said Tann: ``I just play my game. I only want to do good each time I hit the court.''
Despite his improved scoring average, Jesse described Tann with one word: ``Unselfish. He doesn't shoot enough,'' Jesse said. ``He's just as happy with three or four other people scoring.''
Tann said he doesn't know why, but he would rather not be in the spotlight.
``I don't try to get a lot of publicity,'' said Tann, an 82 percent free throw shooter this season. ``I want to be good, but I don't want to be higher than anybody else. I feel like I still got a long way to go. It's just high school.''
It's too late for Tann to shy away from the spotlight that comes with being a Division I college prospect. Tann, who already qualified academically for college and carries a 2.5 grade point average, has received recruiting interest from Virginia Tech, North Carolina State, Duquesne and William and Mary, among others.
``I'm just going to look for the best offer,'' said Tann in reference to receiving a college scholarship. ``I'm not looking to be a big superstar (in college). If basketball don't work out, I'll have something to fall back on.''
Jesse said Tann, who plans to major in business, has the right attitude toward going to college.
``He's not saying three years down the line he's going to be in the NBA,'' Jesse said. ``He's going to college to get an education. He's realistic about that.''
Tann said he has accomplished most of his goals - getting good grades to qualify for college and improving his scoring were among his priorities - but one goal has been elusive in his three years with Southampton.
``I've never been to the region or state (tournaments),'' said Tann, who played on a Richmond AAU team that was No. 1 in Virginia and finished second at the national tournament in Winston Salem, N.C. ``That'll top it all off. If I could just play in (postseason).''
The Indians (7-4 in the Bay Rivers before Tuesday's game at Smithfield) are in third place in the district and will have to win the tournament next week to qualify for the region. Tann said he'll approach the tournament like any other game and try to get other people the ball.
``I'll just focus where everybody else is,'' Tann said. ``If we keep everybody happy, they'll play to the best of their ability.''
So far this season, it looks like Tann is the happiest guy at Southampton. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Shawn Tann went over the 1,000 point mark for his career last week.
by CNB