Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Nov. 21, 1986, edition 1 / Page 19
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Basketball '86-'87 Friday, November 21, 198611 Blue Devils' loss of 4 starters irreplaceable By GREG COOK Staff Writer The Duke Blue Devils arrive into the 1986-87 basketball campaign following a dream season in which the Blue Devils set an NCAA record with 37 wins in a single season, won the ACC championship and put together an astounding 21 -game winning streak going into their championship finale with Louisville in Dallas' Reunion Arena. The title loss in Dallas marked not only the end of the 1986 NCAA season; it marked the end of an illustrious Duke senior class which included starters Mark Alarie, Johnny Dawkins, David Henderson and Jay Bilas. No doubt, memories of the class of 6 will still linger in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Memo ries, however, will not secure wins. During the preseason's "Operation Basketball" conference in which all the ACC coaches gather and talk basketball with the media, Clemson coach Cliff Ellis said that maybe each coach's talk should be related in length to how good his particular team would be during the upcoming season. When Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski was called upon to speak he jokingly said that he was imme diately open to questions. All is not really bleak for Coach K and his Blue Devils. Returning is baby-face point guard Tommy Amaker. The 6-0 senior can be a deadly general on the floor. He has set school records in assists (241) and steals (96). Amaker made the All NCAA Final Four team in Dallas and, in the summer, helped the United States earn a gold medal in the World Championships. Another key returnee is 6-10 sophomore forward Danny Ferry, who was perhaps the most sought after high school recruit in the nation two seasons ago. Ferry averaged 5.9 points and 5.5 rebounds last season while playing about 20 minutes a contest. But this season he will be called upon to play a much larger role. "I thought Danny fit in really well last year," said Krzyzewski. "He will be more of a focal point this season. He needs to score." Another probable starter for Coach K should be junior forward Billy King. King 6-6, arrived out of high school with a reputation as a defensive specialist and in his first two seasons at Duke kept that reputation, mainly in a reserve role. King, however, has a notoriously weak offensive game. He averaged only four points and 2.9 rebounds last season. The Blue Devils will have to hope King's defensive play will make up for his offensive weaknesses by creating turnovers and grabbing more rebounds at both ends. The second guard spot will prob ably go to 6-2 sophomore Quin Snyder. Snyder gained some valuable experience in the latter half of last year playing behind Amaker. The tempo of the Blue Devil offensive scheme will depend on how well Snyder and the experienced Amaker work together in the backcourt. The center position on the Duke squad is simply up for grabs. Senior Martin Nessley, 7-2, did not live up to the expectations of Blue Devil hopefuls in 1986. The other option is 6-10 freshman Alaa (The Pharaoh) Abdelnaby, who is from Bloomfield High School in New Jersey but was born in Egypt. Early indications from Krzyzewski, however, have Nessley in the starting lineup, especially if Duke opts to go with a larger starting rotation. "Nessley has done very well in the preseason," Krzyzewski said. "Abdel naby will not be much of a factor (this season)." Krzyzewski will also look toward junior guard-forward Kevin Strick land to help the Devils out. The Mt. Airy, N.C., native has seen limited playing time during his two seasons but has simply not shown all of his potential. It is still possible that Strickland could be seen in the starting lineup when tip-off time arrives. According to Krzyzewski, the Blue Devils will have to be patient in the early going to develop a consistent offensive scheme. The tempo of the offense, he said, will be a complete contrast to the Duke teams of the past three years, which was more of a "fast-paced, off to the races" offense created by a heavy pressure man-toman defense. The defense will still rely on a pressure man-to-man, but it is doubtful if it will help create as many problems for opposing offenses as last season. The key to the Duke season will be fundamentals. The Blue Devils are not blessed with the deep-seated talent of a Dawkins or an Alarie but they do have talent: enough to finish in the top three of the ACC if they come on strong. If the more inex perienced players learn their roles on the team early on, the Devils could be a top-caliber team in March when tournament time arrives. Duke Roster Forwards No. Name Hgt. Wat. Age Class Hometown 21 Robert Bnckey 6-5 205 18 Fr. Fayetteville, N C 35 DANNY FERRY 6-10 230 19 So. Bowie Md 55 BILLY KING 6-6 205 20 Jr. Sterling. Va 33 JOHN SMITH 6-7 210 19 So. Ft. Washington. Md. Centers v 30 Alaa Abdelnaby 6-10 220 18 Fr. Bloomfield. N J 42 George Burg.n 7-0 215 19 Fr. Fairfax Va 51 MARTIN NESSLEY 7-2 260 21 Sr. Whitehall. Ohio Guards 4 TOMMY AMAKER .6-0 155 21 Sr. Falls Church. Va. 44 Ph.l Henderson 6-4 170 18 Fr. . University Park, III 14 QUIN SNYDER 6-2 160 19 So. Mercer Island. Wash 31 KEVIN STRICKLAND 6-5 .. ....1.95 20 Jr. Mt Airy N C WzZmiiMM'.'.'. lij 'iiii XX'XXXX'Xl jX"XX-X-XvX-X-XX- prices subject to change limited quantities Le IBM PC Convertible. It can you earn a egreeand en earn d to aMving,' PC Convertible with The IBM PC Convertibl e gives you the power of an IBM PC in a size you can take anywhere. With optional attachments, it easily connects to other IBM PCs and IBM-compatible peripherals. With that kind of power and expandability, you won't have to leave the PC Convertible behind when you leave campus. You can carry it right into your chosen profession. IBM PC Convertible Sbecial Price 99.00 (with Dos 3.2) list price $2,090.00
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Nov. 21, 1986, edition 1
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