THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 24, 1996 TAG: 9603240200
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LEXINGTON, KY. LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines
Georgia Tech basketball coach Bobby Cremins seems convinced that freshman sensation Stephon Marbury won't be back next season if an NBA team is willing to flash millions of dollars in his face.
``What would you do if you were going to be a top-five pick in the NBA draft?'' Cremins said.
``You've got to understand that Stephon wants to help his family, and if the opportunity is there to help his family, he will do it.''
Marbury, though, hardly looked like a talent worth millions Friday when the Yellow Jackets were chased from the NCAA Southeast Regional in a humiliating 87-70 loss to Cincinnati.
The 6-foot-2 guard from Brooklyn, N.Y., who led Tech with 19 points per game during the season, hit only 4 of 13 field-goal attempts (1 for 6 from 3-point range) for 15 points.
Cremins said it would be a shame if such a forgettable performance was Marbury's last in a Tech uniform.
``It would be too bad if he ends it like this because the last time you see somebody is the last impression and that is sometimes the most important,'' Cremins said.
``Although he had a great, great season, the last impression is not good.''
Marbury did not join Cremins in the interview area after the semifinal loss. But he previously has indicated he would turn pro if he had assurances he would be a high first-round pick.
Marbury became only the fifth freshman to make first-team All-ACC and was a third-team AP All-America selection.
Cremins said he plans to spend the next few days helping Marbury gather information he needs to make the best decision for his future.
``I will make some phone calls to get an idea where he will be drafted, and then I will sit down with him and ask him how he feels,'' Cremins said.
``He might tell me he just wants to stay. He might want to talk to a general manager or an agent, which is allowed, and we will process it out.''
If Marbury does leave, Cremins said it was still worth the expense and effort it took to get him to Georgia Tech for one season.
``My purpose in recruiting Stephon was to help the young man. I know the area he is from. I know his situation and I can relate to it,'' said Cremins, a native New Yorker.
``This kid wants to play in the NBA. He has a dream. He is very talented and regardless if you get the kid for one year or two years, it's been worth it. It's been a great run.''
After a slow start in which Tech was 6-8, Marbury began blending his talents with those of his teammates to turn the season around. The Yellow Jackets won the ACC regular-season title and returned to the NCAA tournament after a two-year absence.
They pounded Austin Peay and Boston College in the first two rounds before running into what Cremins called ``a buzz-saw'' Cincinnati team in the regional semifinals.
Cincinnati never permitted Tech to get its running and passing game going and dominated with brawn and talent.
``We could never get in the flow of the game, never,'' said Cremins. ``I kept sitting back and waiting for us to get it going, but we never did.''
The Yellow Jackets knew Cincinnati had them outmuscled inside but had hoped strong perimeter play would take them to the regional title game.
``We had made a living on the perimeter all season, but tonight nothing was there,'' said wingman Matt Harpring.
Harpring, Marbury and senior guard Drew Barry combined to shoot 12 for 39 from the field.
``We were missing shots that normally go in for us,'' Barry said. ``But after getting down early, we started forcing some things, too.''
Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins said his defensive strategy was to ``stay in front'' of Tech's mobile offense and to deny Marbury open shots.
``You have to hand it to Cincinnati,'' Barry said. ``Everything we did, they seemed to have an answer for it.''
Cremins said the loss left him feeling ``terrible.''
``It bums me out. I hate seeing this team go out like this,'' he said.
``This team deserved to have a great ending and I feel badly that it ended like this. But you have to look at the big picture. This was an ugly finish, but it was a great season.
Cremins said this year's team always would be special to him.
``It is the team that brought Georgia Tech and Bobby Cremins back,'' he said. ``I will never forget that.''
Tech will have Harpring, center Eddie Elisma and strong forward Michael Maddox back next year. But Cremins faces major rebuilding in the backcourt if Marbury leaves for the pros.
``If Marbury stays, I think we will be back here (in the NCAA tournament) next year,'' Cremins said. ``If he goes, then we will go recruiting and we will bring someone else.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Despite a poor final game, Georgia Tech freshman Stephon Marbury
could be a top-five pick if he enters the NBA draft.
by CNB