University of Virginia Library

Speaking Out

Tournament: 1971

With Ernest Dempsey

"WE WOULD LIKE ANOTHER SHOT AT NORTH
CAROLINA," said Bill Gibson yesterday before leaving for
Greensboro and the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. "We
were in our early season form against Maryland," added the
basketball coach, "and my main concern is to get the team into
the right frame of mind."

ONE WOULD THINK that is wouldn't take a great deal to get
the Cavaliers "up" for tonight's first round contest against Wake
Forest. The regular season was like a game of Snakes & Ladders
and the basketball team should be out to prove that the Number
15 Associated Press ranking during the week of January 25 was
indeed deserved.

COACH GIBSON has divided the season into thirds, with the
tournament serving as the final fraction. The first third was quite
impressive, a hardcourt show unsurpassed in the history of Virginia
basketball. Victories over Duke. West Virginia, South Carolina,
and Georgia Tech set the University in high cotton. However, the
second third was a disaster with the low point occurring in
Madison Square Garden against Seton Hall.

ANYONE WHO SAW THAT GAME will agree that the
Cavaliers were horrible, and barely went through the motions of a
basketball game. Granted, Seton Hall was not expected to provide
the most formidable opposition, but Virginia should have had its
heart set on winning after four consecutive losses. Even playing in
the impressive Garden should have touched the players
somewhat.

THE BEST DESCRIPTION OF THE SECOND THIRD was
given by Coach Gibson when he said, "We stunk!"

HOWEVER, THE FINAL THIRD is a new ballgame. Virginia
is in a good bracket. Wake Forest is not unstoppable, even with
its 1-2 punch of ACC scoring king Charlie Davis and "enforcer"
Gil McGregor If the Cavaliers do indeed defeat Wake, a rematch
with UNC is almost assured. The Tar Heels play Clemson in their
opening match and have to be considered strong favorites.

NORTH CAROLINA is the only Conference team Virginia
hasn't beaten. Although the Tar Heels did finish first in the
post-regular season standings, it can be forcefully argued that the
most solid Cavalier efforts occurred in the two Carolina games.
The game at Chapel Hill was without a doubt our most impressive
ACC road showing and the one-point loss at University Hall was
just as good a game.

THERE IS NO REASON why Virginia should be lacking
incentive in this tournament, and with its more than adequate
manpower, a strong showing is very possible.

WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER TEAMS? South Carolina has to
be favored in the tournament. The Gamecocks were an
overpowering force while winning their last nine games, and seem
unstoppable at the moment. The key to USC's winning ways has
been John Roche, who is back in All-American form. However,
the Gamecocks were favored last year as well, until a dark horse
North Carolina State team stole the show.

DUKE IS THIS YEAR'S DARK HORSE. Buck Waters' Devils
were nationally ranked at the outset of the season and
immediately folded. A strong finish (11 wins out of their last 14
games) and an unreal shooting percentage makes Duke this
writer's pick in the tournament.

ACC BASKETBALL is so unpredictable that it is admittedly
foolish to make a stab at choosing a winner. This element of
surprise is one of several factors contributing to the strength of
Conference ball. Another factor is the ACC's strong individual
talent. All of these perennially guarantee a strong tournament and
the 1971 version should be an equally good show.