University of Virginia Library

On The Inside

Don't
Knock
Success

From Doug Doughty

IT'S HARD TO KNOCK a team's performance when it wins
a basketball game by 33 points but Wahoo coach Bill Gibson
did, "I didn't like our defense at all ... I'm not satisfied with
our rebounding," Washington & Lee coach Verne Canfield did,
"I think they had those big 70-point N.C. State and Maryland
wins in the back of their minds," and I will. The Cavaliers, in
their opener Saturday night, looked positively flat.

The Generals, whose ledger to date had as its entries a 64-61
win over the University of Pitt. at Johnstown and a 75-71 loss
to Randolph-Macon Wednesday night, gave no indications that
it would provide the Cavaliers with any formidable
competition. Unexpectedly, the "Amazin' Generals" did take
the ball game to the Cavaliers from the outset and led Top-20
hopeful Virginia for the first eight minutes and 16 seconds.

STARTING FOR VIRGINIA were Barry Parkhill, Jim
Hobgood, Gus Gerard, Bob McKeag and Al Drummond. This
was the first time in the starting lineup for all but the first
two, and it was obvious. Gerard, particularly, for he
committed what coach Gibson called "two fast foolish fouls"
and sat down for ten minutes. "I just wanted to show him
what happens when you commit two fast foolish fouls" was
the coach's explanation, and more than likely Gerard learned
his lesson because, when the 6-7 jumping jack returned, he
exhibited considerably more flair and, more importantly, he
curtailed his fouling.

"It's customary to be jittery for three minutes but it took
us a lot longer to break out of it" described the game's start
and all the Wahoos, not only Gerard, got off to a slow start.
McKeag made General Skip Lichtfuss look marvelous (he was
pretty good anyway) with his less-than-sticky defense, Hobbo
looked a little slow and BP started out shooting poorly. Only
Drummond, who had seen Andy Boninti penciled in as a
pre-season starter "played up to my expectations," according
to the "Hooter."

FOR MOST OF THE CROWD OF 8250, Drummond
exceeded their expectations. Seldom used last year, although
he did hit for 14 points in the romp over VPI, Drummond had
hit five of the six shots he took before intermission and went
on to score 20 points (10-15 from the field). Already
recognized by his coach as the "1/2" best defensive player on the
team" it had seemed at many times during his second year that
Drummond was reluctant to put the ball up. Although the
starting lineup is nowhere near set right now, it's a good bet
that with a couple more games like Saturday night,
Drummond will be tough to oust from the second guard spot.

Canfield, who may have been a little more complimentary
toward the Cavaliers than he ought to have been, noted after
the game that "no ACC team has three players as good as
Parkhill, Wally Walker and Gerard" and went on to single out
Drummond as the Cavaliers' secret weapon. "Look out for
Drummond. He played a whale of a ball game. The ACC teams
will gear themselves toward Parkhill and Drummond will slip
by them." Canfield, obviously pleased that his club had stuck
with the 'Hoos for much of the first half, went on to add,
"Virginia's in the Top-20 in the nation at least...easily."

RETURNING TO THE GAME SUMMARY: after Virginia
took the lead at 11:44, the Generals were to lead once more,
19-18, but then the roof fell in on Washington & Lee's glass
house. With all credit due, the lineup when the Cavaliers began
to pour it on was Stahurski, Hobgood and three guards
Boninti, Steve Morris and Larry Gerry. Boninti, who was to
finish with 12 points, and Morris presented a viable
substitution for Parkhill handling the ball, and Gerry showed
he might play a lot when the Cavaliers go into three-guard
formations this year. He can rebound with anybody his size
and is faster than most forwards.

Needless to say, the Cavs poured it on and went on to lead
48-39 at the half and 102-69 when the final buzzer sounded.
The second half went true to form, the Cavaliers blew the
Generals off the court and only one Washington & Lee player,
that fellow Lichtfuss, continued to make a game out of it.
Lichtfuss, an exceptional lacrosse player, collected ample
bruises and cuts for his hustle and 21 points for his ability. He
was a good one, somebody who could possibly play for an
ACC team.

ABSENT FROM CONSIDERATION SO FAR has been
Parkhill. As with all great players, Parkhill played just as well
as he had to 26 points, 11 assists, 7 rebounds. That says it all.
Parkhill missed his first two shots but his play after that
resembled the type of play that earned the 6-4 fourth-year
man the ACC's best basketball player award last year.

Another player who looked pretty good was Wally Walker.
Wally spent the night on the bench dressed nattily,
unfortunately not in his basketball uniform. The more you
looked at the team Saturday night the more you could see
where Walker could fit in, spelling Hobbo, McKeag, Gerard or
Stahurski, or as he is destined to do, appear in the starting
lineup. The team that was out there Saturday night will beat
Wake Forest next Friday night but there will definitely be a
place for Wally when the Hoos take on Duke, N.C. State and
Maryland next month.