 | The Cavalier daily Monday September 14, 1970 |  |
Cagers Ready
For ACC War
Big Bill Gerry Fights To Get To The Top In Cage Action
Cavaliers Will Fight To Get To The Top Of ACC. This Winter
Head Coach Bill Gibson feels the
Cavaliers are ready to make their
move in the rough 'n ready ACC.
"We finished strong last year to
bring our record to 10-15 after
losing five of our first six and came
back to win four of our last six. We
made the semi-finals, something we
haven't done in years.
"This is the first year since I
came to Virginia in which I'll be
able to run the fast break, which is
my kind of game, and we'll have
Barry Parkhill, our prize sophomore,
to get it going. We're deep
enough to replace players before
they get tired without slowing
down the team.
"The team which dictates the
tempo will win most basketball
games. This is what we're going to
try to do. I feel that that's how we
beat North Carolina in the tournament
last year and I'm sure that's
how Clemson nearly upset South
Carolina opening night.
If we can set the pace and don't
make too many mistakes, we'll surprise
a lot of people."
These words, uttered by the
coach while on a seven-week teaching
tour of military bases in the
Pacific area during the summer,
reveal the cagers' promising future.
Parkhill and Mike Wilkes appear to
be the keys to Virginia basketball
wealth. Wilkes, a 6-5 school record
javelin thrower sat out last season.
But the year before he led the team
in scoring with 15.7 points a game,
averaged 9.1 rebounds and was
third in the nation in field goal
percentage Parkhill, a 6-3 guard,
had a fantastic freshman year, averaging
26 points, hauling in nine
rebounds a game, and constantly
electrifying the crowd. Now add
four of last year's starters and
another sophomore sensation.
Heading the list of returnees is
6-7 center Bill Gerry, whose '69-'70
credentials include 17.7 points,
11.1 rebounds and berths on two
all-tournament teams, including the
coaches' ACC tourney team. Topping
off the front line is Scott
McCandlish who averaged 13.5
points and 11.1 rebounds in
'69-'70. Junior Tim Rash, who averaged
9.6 points including a 25
point effort in the 95-93 tourney
upset of UNC, and Kevin Kennelly,
5.1, are the other returning starters.
Top reserves appear to be 6-5 Frank
DeWitt, a scrappy forward instrumental
in last year's win over Duke,
and Jim Hobgood, a 6-4 sophomore
who averaged 20.6 points and 12.6
rebounds his freshman year. Chip
Miller and John Hill seem to be the
best reserve guards.
| The Cavalier daily Monday September 14, 1970 | |