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a over the Wolfpack's Terry Gannon, exploiting the Ag ).
I Headway
v .
rth Carolina A&T's Aggies lost a game to
tional champion N.C. State in December,
msiderable measures of respect from both
mselves and the Wolfpack in the process.
By ROBERT ELLER
r
A weary Don Corbett emerged from
the visitors' dressing room almost unnoticed
by the throng of reporters huddled
around North Carolina State's
Jim Valvano. It was nearly 45 minutes
after N.C. State's 84-71 win over Corbett's
North Carolina A&T Aggies.
Across the hall, another horde of
sports reporters, some with TV
cameras, others with tape recorders
and still others with pens and pads in
hand, were taking in every possible
word they could get from players on
last year's NCAA title team.
But, by now, the A&T players were
dressed and headed for their team bus
and the ride back to Greensboro.
"Coach Corbett," I said, drawing
the attention of the tall, slightly
balding man.
"Surely, you are not going to ask for
an interview now," he almost pleaded.
"Our kids are already on the bus."
Th<?r<> wac nain in Knfh PnrKaft'c
111 1/Vf ill V/V/I UVik a
voice and his face. His tie was loose,
his shirt drooped from his trousers and
his eyes were a pale red. Still, he
mustered a smile and conceded,
"O.K., what can I do for you0"
Corbett already knew most of the
questions; problem was, he didn't
know the answers. Before I could start
the interview, he began talking slowly.
"You saw what happened out there.
It's the same thing that almost always ^ ?
happens when we play the big-name
white schools. They just overpower us
inside. Our kids gave a game effort.
But they are so much bigger and
stronger than we are that eventually
they will wear us down just like they
did tonight." -<
That was indeed the case in Revnolds
Coliseum that Tuesday evening. Corbett's
smaller but quicker team stayed
even with the Wolfpack for the first
four minutes. Then N.C. State's
superior size, a bad call here and there
and a couple of Aggie turnovers gave
the Wolfpack a 30-17 lead with just
under seven minutes left in the half.
Corbett didn't give up, though, ex- ?
ploiting the one A&T advantage ~
speed in the backcourt ? to put his
team back in the contest. Employing a
halfcourt trap, his team forced seven
turnovers and got back to within seven ?
(41-34) at the half.
The Aggies hung tough for the first
mree minutes of tne second half. But
then three walking calls, under the Aggies'
own basket, and a charging foul
allowed N.C. State to score eight
unanswered points and the contest was
decided.
Corbett thought momentarily about
the game's turning point, then forced
another weary smile. "We're facing an
uphill battle," he said. "We've played
inree lougn games on tne road against
tough Division I teams but, as long as
the MEAC is a Division I conference,
we will have to play those teams.
Robert Eller is sports editor of the
Winston-Salem Chronicle.