THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 30, 1997 TAG: 9701300589
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: CIAA Report
SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 70 lines
Forward Michael Beckles' season-ending injury could have been the emotional dagger that sent Norfolk State into a downswing. Yet coach Mike Bernard and his players have found a way to stay in contention for the CIAA's Northern Division title.
The third-place Spartans (12-5, 7-2 CIAA) have won four of five contests without Beckles (broken foot) - the only loss coming to Elizabeth City in Beckles' first game out.
Defense has been the key as NSU has held those five opponents under 50-percent field-goal shooting.
The Spartans are second only to N.C. Central in scoring defense at 62.9 per game.
``Basically, we had to step it up with our defensive pressure,'' guard/forward Tajai Young said. ``We have to get rebounds. We have to box out.''
In Monday's 71-68 victory at Winston-Salem State, the Spartans outrebounded the Rams 38-33. Winston-Salem State went into the game leading the CIAA in rebounding margin at plus-7.1 per game. And Darryl Hardy, the conference's second-leading rebounder at 10.1 a game, had just six Monday.
``We talked openly about the commitment we needed to make, not only to Michael but to ourselves,'' Bernard said.
HOT SHOTS: Defense hasn't been the only difference during the Spartans four-game winning streak. In each of the wins, NSU has shot at least 50 percent, including a season-high 62 against Shaw.
``With defensive pressure comes offense,'' Young said. ``It leads to fast breaks and easy baskets off the turnovers.''
In each of the four wins, the Spartans have had at least four players score in double figures. While seniors Rodney Carmichael and Maurice Whitfield have led the way, Bernard also has gotten production from less-heralded players.
Freshman Dion Woods has earned consecutive rookie of the week honors and averages just under 13 points in his seven starts. Fellow freshmen Young and Greg Jones combined for 24 points in the Winston-Salem State game.
``It took us that Elizabeth City game to realize that with Michael gone, there are some players that are going to have to step it up,'' Bernard said. ``That collective confidence has resulted to a better field-goal percentage as a unit.''
While the Spartans average only 70 points a game, they are second in scoring margin (plus-7.9 per game) in the CIAA.
SPARTANS VS. BOWIE: NSU takes a four-game winning streak to Bowie State, where they haven't lost in 39 games dating to the 1954-55 season. Rodney Carmichael, the Spartans leading scorer and rebounder, saw his string of four straight double-doubles end when he fouled out of Monday's game with 22 points and five rebounds.
With 10 assists on Monday, Maurice Whitfield moved ahead of Darren Sanderlin into fourth on the school's all-time list with 405.
Bowie's Damian Keyes was named player of the week on Sunday after collecting 63 points and 24 rebounds in the Bulldogs' three games last week.
MISLEADING NUMBERS? Individual statistical leaders' categories appear to be havens for talented players on struggling teams.
Of the eight individual categories, the leader in five play for teams in fifth place or lower in their divisions.
Virginia State's Elgren Green, a Norcom grad, leads the CIAA in scoring (23 per game) and steals (52). He scored 26 points Saturday as the Trojans, fifth in the Northern Division, lost by 13 points at Norfolk State.
Shaw, seventh in the Southern Division, has the field-goal percentage leader (Amere May) and rebounder (James Spears).
Marquis Wright of fifth-place Johnson C. Smith in the Southern Division, is leading the conference in free-throw percentage at 82.