DATE: Thursday, August 14, 1997             TAG: 9708120131

SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS         PAGE: 12   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JAY LIDINGTON, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   67 lines

BOO WILLIAMS TEAM PLAYED BEYOND ITS YEARS 11-AND-UNDER TEAM FINISHES AAU CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH AN OVERALL RECORD OF 35-1.

Hey, members of the Norfolk Boo Williams 11-and-under basketball team, you won the AAU national championship in Florida.

What did you do to celebrate?

Universal Studios Florida, not that other world-famous, mouse-eared, mega-theme park, was the destination for players, parents and coaches following the team's 35-33 win Aug. 2 over the Boston Blazers in the AAU national finals in Cocoa Beach, Fla.

Rides from movies ``Jaws'' and ``Back to The Future'' were among the players' favorites and the outing was a fitting reward after a long season and a demanding tournament that saw the team win eight of nine games in a seven-day period.

``They handled it well,'' said Anthony Arrington, an assistant to head coach Mike Fariss. ``They were very disciplined.''

Boo Williams beat teams from New Mexico, Jersey City, N.J., California, Memphis and Cincinnati before defeating Boston in the finals. It also endured a potentially demoralizing 20-point loss to TPI of California in the pool semifinals, then bounced back to demolish Memphis 87-50 to qualify for the championship round.

``They could've folded right there, but they didn't,'' Arrington said.``They acted a lot older than they were.''

``We played some tough teams, but we prayed on it and the Lord pulled us through,'' said point guard Apollo Arrington, Anthony's son.

Besides TPI, the team's parents were most effective at controlling the Norfolk players.

Handed a tournament schedule that had them playing almost exclusively at night, parents went out of their way to ensure the players weren't tired out from long days of roughhousing on the beach or at Central Florida's many theme parks.

The investment paid off and made the reward that much sweeter, players said.

Finishing with an overall record of 35-1, the team became 12-and-under following its championship and is already focused on preparing for next season.

``We want to practice and try to win the championship again next year,'' said player Mario Woods.

Anthony Arrington said he hopes to secure sponsors for next season. The team held a banquet, and patrons and parents paid the remainder of the $650-per-player cost of food, entertainment and transportation to this year's tournament.

The team was led by 5-8 center Jeff Wilson, who averaged 14 points and 11 rebounds per game and tipped in the winning basket in the championship.

Along with center/forward D'Juan Mizell (10 points, eight rebounds per game), the team's front line couldn't be stopped, Arrington said.

``With these two guys on the team, it makes it tougher for the (other) team to rebound,'' he said.

The U-11 team's win also served to re-emphasize the quality of local basketball programs, Arrington said. The week before, Boo Williams' U-17 team, led by Ronald Curry, won its national division.

``Overall, I think we have the most talent here,'' Arrington said. ``It speaks highly of Boo's program. It says a lot about the talent in the area. The high school coaches have a lot to look forward to.'' ILLUSTRATION: The Boo team: Front row: D'Juan Mizell, left, Jeff

Wilson, Kennedy Scales, Maurice Sumter, Brent Fariss, Mario Woods;

back row, Max Sandler, left, Apollo Arrington, Randy Wiggins,

Derrick Edwards, Travis Stone, Alvah Floyd, Rodney Thorton, coach

Mike Fariss.

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