Brooks stands out among state players
By JERRY RATCLIFFE
Daily Progress sports editor
From the very first moment, coach Bill Brown knew he had something special in
Ahmad Brooks. Over the next four seasons, the young linebacker would carve a
special niche in Northern Virginia high school football circles and make his
name household among college recruiters.
With national signing day approaching on Wednesday, the big, defensive brute
from C.D. Hylton High School in Woodbridge has an equally big decision to make,
one that either Al Groh, Frank Beamer or Phil Fulmer can build their future
defenses around. Brooks has narrowed his list of potential colleges from every
football powerhouse in the country to Virginia, Virginia Tech and Tennessee.
At last glance, Brooks said that Fulmer’s Vols had a narrow lead over Groh’s
Cavaliers and Beamer’s Hokies.
Whoever lands the USA Today’s National High School Defensive Player of the
Year will be celebrating Wednesday night.
With those credentials in mind, The Daily Progress has named Brooks as The Gold
List’s “Mr. Football,” symbolic of the best high school football senior in
the state of Virginia.
It was a tough choice considering that the state boasted more Division I-A
caliber prospects than usual and more big-time recruits as well.
Only a few of the top dogs had made their choice known through Saturday as the
11th Gold List’s No. 2-ranked player, Warwick High quarterback Marcus Vick, is
set to choose between Virginia Tech and Virginia on either Monday or Tuesday.
Also, No. 3, Princess Anne linebacker Kai Parham, is down to Virginia and
Tennessee.
Most of the Gold List’s top 25 are staying home, with seven already committed
to UVa and seven more committed to Tech. Brooks and Vick could add to those
totals for either school, while Parham could boost UVa’s column of signees.
The Silver List includes several Hokies and Cavs as well.
But the No. 1 player is Brooks, who has attracted a Who’s Who list of his own
to his home in Woodbridge.
Groh, Beamer and Fulmer have dropped by as well as Florida State’s Bobby
Bowden and Penn State’s Joe Paterno, living legends of the game.
“It’s kind of weird,” Brooks said. “You never think about that when
you’re growing up and watching those coaches on television, then all of a
sudden they’re in your living room.”
The Parade All-American, and winner of numerous defensive player of the year
awards in the Washington metro area, Brooks has been the center of attention in
the state ever since the opening kickoff of the 2001 season as has Vick, the
younger brother of former Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick.
When Brooks was a freshman at Hylton, he started the season on the junior
varsity but midway through the season he began alternating between varsity and
jayvee.
Once Hylton reached the state playoffs, Brooks became a permanent fixture at
outside linebacker on Brown’s defense as the freshman helped the Bulldogs
storm to the state championship.
As a sophomore, he made 202 tackles and caught the winning TD pass in the state
championship game after setting up the score with his own interception.
Brooks’ junior year was a disaster as he suffered a broken ankle in the first
scrimmage but he bounced back strong this past season when the senior returned
to form as he recorded 207 tackles (34 for losses).
That’s just on the defensive side of the ball.
“Heck, if you saw him on tape, you’d be tempted to sign him as a running
back instead of linebacker,” Brown said.
Brooks, the son of former Washington Redskins defensive lineman Perry Brooks,
rushed for 848 yards, an average of 12 yards per carry, and 10 touchdowns last
season.
“Everybody is looking for bigger, faster, stronger and he’s all that,”
Brown said. “I’ve coached 28 years and had other All-Americans but I would
be hard-pressed to find one that’s as talented as Ahmad Brooks.”
Then there’s Vick II.
Warwick coach Tommy Reamon has gained a national reputation for turning out some
of the best quarterbacks in the game and Reamon believes he is ready to add
another to that fold.
“I’ve had two heavyweights before and Marcus is as good as both of them,”
Reamon said.
Of course he was referring to Michael Vick, who starred for the Hokies and is
now with the Atlanta Falcons, and former Virginia quarterback Aaron Brooks, now
starting for the New Orleans Saints.
“Marcus may be a carbon copy of Michael,” Reamon said. “He has a nice
release, not quite as quick as Michael’s, but a steady, strong release. He’s
a great quarterback, intelligent, quick, very mobile and very mature.”
Vick II passed for 1,746 yards and 15 TDs last season, but rushed for 13 more
scores and 700 yards.
The big question with Vick is whether he wants to follow in the huge footsteps
of his brother at Tech and live with the daily comparisons as to what Michael
accomplished in Blacksburg, or start fresh and build his own reputation in
Charlottesville.
Virginia hopes to recover from loss
By ANDREW JOYNER
Daily Progress staff writer
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The state of Missouri’s nickname is the “Show-Me State.”
Today, the No. 8 Cavaliers will be forced to show themselves how they will
respond to their mind-numbing loss to No. 3 Maryland at home Thursday.
Virginia blew a nine-point lead in the final 3:22 of that contest against the
Terrapins. It was the kind of devastating loss that often leaves team very
fragile entering its next game.
The No. 24 Tigers and this game are by no means the perfect remedy for the
Cavaliers. The Tigers (15-6), who are coming of a 105-73 loss at No. 2 Kansas on
Monday, need this game just as much as Virginia as both teams head into the
final stretch of the season attempting to secure NCAA tournament bids.
Of course, the Tigers’ advantage is that they are playing at home in the
always raucous Hearnes Center. The Tigers are 10-1 here this season and
Virginia’s road woes in recent years have been well-documented.
The Cavaliers (14-4) won their first game on the road against a ranked opponent
since 1995 earlier this season when they toppled then-No. 16 Georgetown at the
MCI Center on Dec. 20. That game was played in the less-than-hostile atmosphere
of the MCI Center, where UVa fans comprised nearly 40 percent of the crowd.
Virginia coach Pete Gillen knows his team will have no such luxury today,
especially with the Cavaliers’ extenuating circumstances.
“Obviously the Maryland loss was a tough loss. We have to try to turn the
page, but that’s easier said than done,” Gillen said Thursday. “We have to
try to regroup. We have a killer game on Sunday against Missouri. ... It’s a
very tough week when you play the No. 1 team, the No. 3 team and then a top-25
team at their place in a hostile environment.”
There would likely be two theories in handling such a loss as the one to
Maryland. First, Maryland could essentially end up beating UVa twice in a
four-day span as Thursday’s loss will still be lingering in the Cavaliers’
minds when they take the court today. The other is that maybe it is to
Virginia’s benefit to play again in such a short amount of time so as to erase
any of that lingering loss.
The UVa players’ postgame comments Thursday gave only slight insight to which
path they’re planning to take.
“Right now, it’s hard to think about that game Sunday because this one hurts
so much right now. It leaves a terrible taste in my mouth,” Mason said.
Moments later, however, Mason indicated that he was not going to allow this game
to somehow lead into a season-destroying tailspin because of those three minutes
of disaster.
“I’m not going to let there be long-term effects for this team. I talked to
the team after the game and right now this loss hurts for everyone but we know
we can’t allow it dominate the rest of our season,” Mason said.
Virginia Will Attempt to 'Close the Deal' at Missouri
By Jim Reedy
Special to The Washington Post
Sunday, February 3, 2002; Page D07
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Feb. 2 -- With 3 minutes 22 seconds remaining in Thursday's game against Maryland, Virginia was feeling pretty good about itself.
The sellout crowd at University Hall was as loud as it had been all season, roused by a 7-0 run that pushed the Cavaliers' lead to 83-74. Junior center Travis Watson, who had been fouled while laying in a long pass from teammate Chris Williams, stood at the free throw line, about to aim for the first double-digit lead either team had held that night.
Watson missed the shot, his third miss in four attempts. Instead of growing, Virginia's lead withered over the final 3 1/2 minutes. The third-ranked Terrapins closed the game with a stunning 17-4 run, stealing a 91-87 win and handing the Cavaliers their most deflating loss in recent memory.
The eighth-ranked Cavaliers (14-4) will try to bounce back Sunday at No. 22 Missouri (15-6).
"It just hurts to lose like that," freshman guard Jermaine Harper said. "Personally, I feel like I just lost a national championship game. This is one of the worst losses I've ever had in my basketball career. We need to finish our games. We know we can beat" Maryland.
Before Thursday night, Virginia had been 4-0 in games decided by six points or less, but it could not hold on for its third straight home win over the Terrapins.
Maryland certainly did its part to force the Cavaliers' final-minute meltdown. The Terrapins scored on each of their last eight possessions, making 7 of 8 free throw attempts and getting a pair of three-pointers from junior guard Drew Nicholas. Virginia, on the other hand, disintegrated. Watson and Williams each missed free throws, helping the ACC's third-best foul shooting team finish 12 of 19 in the second half. Williams also turned the ball over at midcourt, leading to a fast-break dunk by Maryland's Chris Wilcox.
"We had the game," Virginia Coach Pete Gillen said. "We just kind of let it slip away with some turnovers and missed free throws. . . . You've got to win that game. You've got to close the deal. That's our fault. The game was ours to win."
The Cavaliers have not been overmatched in any of their four ACC losses, yet halfway through the conference season they sit in fifth place behind Duke, Maryland, North Carolina State and Wake Forest.
"We're a lot better than that," Williams said. "The four games we lost, we could have won. It's happened; we have to turn the page and get ready for the second half of the season."
Virginia can take some consolation from the return of senior swingman Adam Hall, who missed five games with a foot injury. Still not completely ready, Hall played fewer than five minutes Thursday.
After consecutive losses to No. 1 Duke and Maryland, the Cavaliers will face their third straight ranked opponent with Sunday's game. The Tigers have played .500 ball -- including Monday's 105-73 loss at No. 2 Kansas -- since a season-opening nine-game winning streak boosted them to No. 2 in the country. Nevertheless, Kareem Rush and Clarence Gilbert form one of the nation's best back courts.
"We just have to try to regroup," Gillen said. "We've got another killer game. It's a very tough week when you play the number one team in the country, the number three team in the country and then a top 20 team in their place. It won't be easy, but that's our responsibility."
Virginia hopes to erase Maryland loss today at Missouri
After all, it would have been mighty, third-ranked Maryland asserting its dominance over everyone in the ACC but Duke, a fate most would be perfectly comfortable with, as the Terrapins were even favored by a couple of points despite playing Virginia in University Hall.
But most of the Virginia roster conceded that Maryland's comeback from nine points down in the final three minutes has left a particular sting, one that the Cavaliers (14-4) hope to salve today with a win at No. 22 Missouri.
Easier said than done.
The Tigers (15-6) have most of the same personnel that played with Virginia for most of their meeting last year until the Cavaliers had a late run to take a 85-72 victory. Missouri's tandem of small forward Kareem Rush (19 points per game) and shooting guard Clarence Gilbert (16.6 ppg) is arguably the best in the country. Throw in Fraggle Rock-haired point guard Wesley Stokes and his 4.9 assists per game (and 2 to 1 assist-to-turnover ratio) and you've got a pretty good team.
"Gilbert and Rush are two of the best wing players in the country," said Virginia forward Chris Williams, who will likely guard Rush. "They've got some good inside players, guys like Arthur Johnson and Ricky Paulding. They're a very good team."
The game offers Virginia a critical opportunity to land an impressive nonconference victory (as well as go undefeated outside the ACC for the past two regular seasons). Virginia's RPI, the computer formula used as a guide by the NCAA Tournament selection committee, is estimated at 26 by one Web site, collegerpi.com. Missouri's is 56, but that should improve dramatically along with the Tigers' strength of schedule as Missouri faces five top-25 teams in its final nine games. A win by either team goes a long way towards shoring up a berth before the conference tournament weekend.
The Tigers have been mercurial this season, starting the season 9-0 with victories against Alabama and Iowa (in Iowa City), then losing three consecutive games against Iowa, Illinois and DePaul. Since then, they have lost to Iowa State, Oklahoma and Kansas, and a win over Virginia would be their first victory over a ranked opponent since November. That gives the Tigers some added motivation along with their home-court advantage.
Virginia missed its last seven shots from the floor and allowed Maryland to find a pair of open looks for Drew Nicholas - albeit long looks, with each shot a step back from the NBA 3-point line - that allowed the Terrapins to erase the lead. Thirty-seven minutes of capable defense were erased by a backup guard with a flair for the dramatic.
Maryland has one of the most loaded offenses in the ACC, and therefore the nation, but Missouri's Gilbert-Rush tandem offers no slack resistance, either, scoring 42 points against the Cavaliers last season but leaving Gillen sighing with relief. Both have the potential to explode; when they happen to do it during the same game, Missouri can beat anybody.
What Tigers coach Quin Snyder sacrifices in organization he makes up for in quality. Against the Cavaliers last season, Stokes tended to bring the ball up the middle of the court, see whether Rush or Gilbert were open, and join the rest of his teammates in getting out of their way. Both are fairly complete offensive players, strong enough to make pullup jumpers, quick enough to get by defenders and agile enough to create their own shots. Gilbert is deadly from 3-point range, while Rush is just as good with the mid-range jumper and a 41 percent 3-point shooter in his own right.
"We have to be more patient when we go to Missouri," Roger Mason Jr. said. "We have to look back and see why we lost this (Maryland) game."
Character
Time The kind of heartbreak suffered by the Hoos Thursday night can last beyond
one game. It sticks in your craw like a knife, twisting with every thought of
regret. Two or three days of practice, some time with friends, and the pain
begins to dissipate. Unfortunately, the Cavs' schedule provides no such luxury
as they are scheduled to travel to Missouri to play the 22nd ranked Tigers on
Sunday. The Tigers have the advantage of playing at home with six days of rest
and preparation for the Hoos. Virginia will be fortunate to get one practice in
between games. It's a crummy deal but whining doesn't change the schedule. You
suck it up and win, or you lose.
The Maryland loss increases the significance of this game. Virginia needs a
road win against a ranked team to woo the NCAA tournament committee. While the
set up for this game is less than ideal, it may be the Cavs' last opportunity to
upgrade their road performance resume. Gut check time!
The 15 - 6 Missouri Tigers are coached by former Duke player, Krzyzewski protégé,
and GQ model, Quin Snyder. Snyder is a superb recruiter though the jury is still
out on his talent as a sideline coach. Mizzou has lost once at home this season,
to Iowa, to Illinois on a neutral court, and to DePaul, Iowa State, Oklahoma,
and Kansas on the road.
Junior wing forward Kareem Rush (19.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, .418 3PT%) is
Missouri's main man. He would normally be Adam Hall's assignment, but with Hall
just beginning to see minutes again, Chris Williams will have to step up to play
perimeter defense. Senior shooting guard Clarence Gilbert (16.6 points, .380
3PT%) is the definition of streaky. When he's on, he's ridiculous. When he's
cold, he can shoot the Tigers out of the game.
The Tigers have plenty of interior muscle to counter Travis Watson. Sophomore
center Arthur Johnson (11.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, .565 FG%) is 6' 9" and
275 pounds. Fellow sophomore Travon Bryant (6.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, .605 FG%)
is listed at 6' 9" and 246 pounds. It'll be tough going in the paint.
The best hair in college basketball belongs to point guard Wesley Stokes (7.2
points, 5.1 assists). Stokes isn't a great shooter but his quickness rivals
Keith Jenifer and he's prettier. Rickey Paulding (10.1 points, 3.6 rebounds,
.429 3PT%) can play either wing position. Additional minutes come from 6'
7" freshman Najeeb Echols (3.2 points, 3.4 rebounds), 6' 4" sophomore
Josh Kroenke (2.1 points), and 6' 10" freshman Jeffrey Ferguson (2.0
points, 2.1 rebounds).
The Tigers shoot the ball fairly well at .455 from the field and .380 from
beyond the arc. They're also solid from the charity stripe at .720.
Unfortunately for them their opponents are shooting .443 from the field against
their defense. With muscle like Johnson in the paint you'd expect Mizzou to be
tough on the boards and they are, outboarding opponents by 5 per game.
Unlike his mentor, Snyder will employ any defensive scheme that he thinks
will win the game, which means we'll likely see a zone if we demonstrate the
ability to beat Missouri's man to man. The Tigers' ability to shoot the ball
from the perimeter is a real concern.
Missouri is a good team playing at home with a three-day advantage in
preparation time. That's a formula for a road loss for the Hoos. Virginia must
shake off the Maryland loss and reach down further than they have all season to
pull this one out. I believe the freshmen will be the key. The first-year
players just seem to have a different mental make up than the veterans. Fear
doesn't enter their minds when they're on the floor and the energy they bring to
the court often changes the tempo of the game. I'm concerned that the vets will
still be playing the last two minutes of the Maryland game in their heads when
they enter Hearnes Center Sunday. It will be the freshmen who may make a
difference and it's crucial that they step up. This is a win the Hoos need to
avoid talk about the dreaded bubble.
This is a character game and we'll find out the depth of Virginia's character
Sunday. It is time for the Hoos to make a run.
Missouri Preview
Brett Wood, Special to TheSabre.Com,
February 2nd, 2002.
Cavaliers facing a critical point
One of the guys
The football team his father owns is going for its second Super Bowl championship tomorrow night.
His aunt and uncle recently donated $25 million to build his team a new arena.
He plays alongside some future NBA millionaires, but none of them have as rich a future as he does.
On the basketball court, though, Missouri guard Josh Kroenke is just another guy trying to earn more minutes.
Kroenke doesn’t try to hide the fact that he’s a member of one of the nation’s wealthiest families.
But if you didn’t know it already, you’d never guess that he’s the only son of billionaires Stan and Ann Kroenke, the nephew of Bill and Nancy Laurie and the grandson of Bud Walton, the co-founder of Wal-Mart.
Off the court, the 6-foot-4 sophomore shooting guard is a polite, unassuming and engaging man. He’ll be the first to tell you how fortunate he is for his lot in life, but he doesn’t brag about it. Kroenke will always be proud of his lineage, although it hasn’t made things easy on him as a Division I college basketball player.
"It’s always going to be there," Kroenke said. "I can’t hide from that, and I don’t want to hide from who my family is. I embrace that just like I embrace my role on this team. It’s an honor to be a member of my family. But at the same time, it can be a motivating factor for me sometimes.
"It’s always in the back of your mind. Sometimes when you get out there, you don’t want to screw up because you feel like when you screw up, it’s magnified times 10."
Two years ago when Kroenke arrived on campus, he was determined to prove to everyone that he was worthy of his scholarship to MU.
His teammates quickly learned he could play, but he still had to fight for the respect of the fans. In fact, he’s still fighting for it, although he no longer lets the "Richie Rich" jabs get to him.
"People have been saying those things since he’s been here, that he doesn’t deserve to play, and that he’s only here because his family donates money to the university, but that’s not true," said junior Kareem Rush, who is Kroenke’s closest friend and roommate. "It’s really unfair to be judged like that every time you step on the floor, but he’s dealt with it really well. He’s comfortable with who he is, and he’s showing people that he can play this game at a high level."
Whether setting picks, fighting through screens, playing tough defense or spotting up for a clutch 3-pointer, Kroenke has embraced his role for the Tigers. He’ll do whatever it takes to help his team win, and his hard work is beginning to be rewarded with increased playing time.
"Sometimes when I get out there, the regular guys might need a little spark or energy, something to inspire them a little bit," Kroenke said. "My role is the hustler, to give them whatever they need."
He played in 30 games as a freshman, averaging 2.7 points per game. Last season, he took a medical redshirt after suffering multiple concussions in preseason drills.
The year off made him hungrier and more determined.
This season, he’s made the most of his minutes, and he’s having fun contributing again. Kroenke is averaging 2.0 points and 1.2 rebounds per game, but MU Coach Quin Snyder has gone to him more often off the bench in recent weeks.
"He’s thrown himself completely into what we’re doing, and as a result, when he gets out there, he’s making plays," Snyder said. "He’s playing with a lot of freedom right now, and that’s fun to see."
Kroenke and his Tiger teammates have a big game tomorrow against No. 8 Virginia, but his father won’t be able to attend like he usually does. He’ll be in New Orleans for another big game.
The elder Kroenke is the minority owner of the NFC champion St. Louis Rams, who are aiming for their second Super Bowl title in three years tomorrow night against the New England Patriots.
"Everybody’s in New Orleans," the younger Kroenke said. "I wish they could be here for my game, but I understand. I wish I could be down there with them, too. But this is my second family here at Mizzou, so we’ll find some place fun to watch it - hopefully after we beat Virginia."