The Daily Tar HeelThursday, February 8, 19907 .
Sports
p"
ayoimg Irons role
Denny looks for elusive repect on talented squad
By BOB McCROSKEY
Staff Writer
He's easy to spot from almost any
seat in the Dean Li. Smith Center. You
can see the anticipation and the enthusi
asm on his face u ith every bounce of the
basketball. With every whistle, he leaps
out of his seat, eagerly awaiting the
referee's decision. He sits about half
way down the bench from UNC head
coach Dean Smith, patiently hoping for
his chance to come.
But for senior guard Jeff Denny, those
chances have been coming less and less
as his career enters its final stages. As a
role player on a UNC team loaded with
talent, Denny knows that all his pre
game preparation taping his ankles,
practicing layups, perfecting his outside
shot and so on could go for naught on
any given game night.
Denny's present situation contrasts
sharply with his high school past. Denny,
along w ith David Carlyle of Wake For
est and Brain Howard of N.C. State. led
North Forsyth High School to a state
championship.
. Then came the opportunity of a life
time for Denny. A chance to fulfill a
childhood dream.
. "North Carolina was recruiting Rex
Chapman," said Barry Jacobs, author of
Barry Jacobs' Fan's Guide to ACC Bas
ketball. "When Chapman decided not to
come to North Carolina but to stay in
-H 1
Jeff Denny
Kentucky, there was a scholarship avail
able. Jeff Denny, having been a Tar
Heel fan all his life, was thrilled to come
to Chapel Hill."
Denny filled his role nicely for the
Tar Heels his freshman year. He ap
peared in 21 games and showed the
ability to hit the three-point shot. But his
weaknesses became apparent in the ar
eas of ballhandling and defense. These
problems contributed to a drop in play
ing time during Denny's sophomore
season. He appeared in only 16 games
for a total of 47 minutes.
Some players might have become
discouraged with this lack of playing
time, but Denny took it in stride.
"I knew my situation when I signed to
come here," Denny said. "I realized it
would be a long, uphill struggle for me
to get a lot of playing time. I took it as it
came, and I've worked hard since I've
been here to try to get more playing
time. Any athlete will never be satisfied
with sitting on the bench."
With J.R. Reid sidelined with inju
ries in the 1988-89 season, Denny saw
his playing time jump to 178 minutes in
35 games. He hit 52.2 percent of his
three-point attempts and 8 1 .5 percent of
his free throw attempts, and he main
tained a positive assist-to-tumover ra
tio. Denny was a role player in every
sense of the term.
However, the emergence of Hubert
Davis ensured Denny of limited playing
time in ACC action. Throughout the last
half of his junior year and most of his
senior year, Denny has watched from
his spot on the bench, knowing that his
chance may never come.
With the development of Davis and
Kevin Madden's uncertain status in the
starting lineup, playing time for Denny
at second guard has been hard to come
by.
"My job is to come in, play six-to-
eight minutes a game and give King
Rice a rest," said Denny. " We can com
plement each other and help the team,
whether he's in or I'm in. Even though
my minutes may not show that I had a
very productive career at Carolina, I feel
that I have been successful on the court."
Jacobs added that his success has
spread to all areas of Denny's life, both
on and off the hardwood.
"Jeff Denny is a good person to talk to
after the games," Jacobs said. "He is
very honest about his role on the team
and knows his own limitations."
"He has also been a good roommate
to Scott Williams, who has needed a
good roommate because of some of the
things that have happened in his per
sonal life."
During his sophomore season, Wil
liams faced hardship when his father
murdered his mother and then commit
ted suicide.
On and off the court, Denny has
achieved his own measure of success,
even though his statistics may not re
flect it, according to Jacobs.
"He was able to play where he wanted
to play and for the coach he wanted to
play for," Jacobs said.
"Looking back on the last four years,
I have no regrets," said Denny. "If I
could go back in a time machine or
something, I'd make the same decision
again."
) W f
J ) Sn t)
51 m " r it
I T i
v . . .. '-r,
" iWWBj i. " -
c v .. ......... .. . ' ---w mi ' -
vw ,.rr. - - - J fcJ
DTHJenniferWing
Jeff Denny's playing time has been limited for the last two years
NCAA investigating
Maryland and Wade
From Associated Press reports
COLLEGE PARK, MD In an
attempt to prod the NCAA toward
leniency, the University of Maryland
has offered to sit out the NCAA and
NIT post-season tournaments. The
Washington Post reported on Wednes
day. The Terrapins, 13-8 going into
Wednesday night's game against
Clemson, would have to win six of
their remaining 10 games to be con
sidered for an at-Iarge berth in the
NCAA's 64-team tournament. If the
Terrapins finish with 17 or 18 victo
ries, they would be a strong candidate
for the NIT.
University officials also offered to
forfeit the school's share of revenue
from the Terrapins' 1988 NCAA
Tournament appearance and a reduc
tion of scholarships.
School officials expect a more le
nient penalty from the NCAA be
cause of their cooperation in the gov
erning body's investigation last year,
for forcing Wade to resign, and the
school's previous unblemished rec
ord. Forfeiting their 1988 NCAA tour
nament receipts would cost the Terra
pins approximately $272,000, their
share for reaching the second round.
Swiinnimeirs to make bis waves with Pack
By LAURIE DHUE
Staff Writer
The only good pack is a six pack.
Ask any UNC student or athlete what
N.C. State means, and that will probably
be your answer.
The North Carolina men's swim team
is no exception.
Tonight at 7 p.m., the hungry
Wolfpack will arrive at Koury Natato
rium in what should be the most exciting
meet of regular season competition. Both
teams have comparable records (State is
10-1 overall, 3-1 in the ACC; UNC is
10-2, 5-0, 18th in the country), fast
swimmers and the desire to win. This is
the last meet before the ACC champion
ships. "State hasn't beaten us since 1985, so
they're going to want some payback,"
UNC head coach Frank Comfort said.
"We'll have to swim as well as we have
been recently if we want to win, because
some of their swimmers will be shaved.
It's going to be a wonderful dual meet."
The Tar Heels will be relying on the
talents of freshman distance phenom
David Monasterio, veteran sprinter Tod
Schroeder, middle-distance record
holder John Dav is and senior backstroker
Rich Gleason. Besides being the team's
top performers, the quartet will have the
most competition from the Wolfpack.
N.C. State will call on the talents of
David Fox, a freshman from Raleigh
who is currently one of the nation's top
sprinters. His 50-yard freestyle time of
20.52 seconds leads the conference, bet
tering Schroeder's 20.60. Fox also has
faster qualifying times than Davis in the
100-yard free and butterfly events, as
does Dan (here comes the) Judge, who
is tops in the ACC in these two events.
Gleason will be challenged by Steve
Bradshaw, whose times of 51.28 (100
yard backstroke) and 1 :5 1 .63 (200- yard
back) rank him in the top position. Glea
son is second and fourth, respectively,
in the two events.
"Tins meet is great motivation going
into ACCs," Gleason said. "Since it's
the last dual meet, it's important that we
win. State has some front-line guys w ho
are good, but we'll wear them down
with depth, which has been our key this
season. This meet should be another
example of that."
Comfort agreed.
"We have to use our depth to its
fullest advantage, as well as count on
our top swimmers to beat the ones who
have shaved," he said. "We would domi
nate easily if none of them shaved."
Relays and diving will also be criti
cal to victory. Comfort predicted. UNC
will rely on Nunzio Esposto and Joel
Johnson to battle against a strong NCSU
diving corps.
The front half of the meet will be
close because State has the top-ranked
400-yard medley relay in the ACC
(3:21.29), nearly three seconds faster
than UNC's 3:24.25. But with expected
wins in the distance events, anchored by
Monasterio and Marc Ferguson, and
strong performances in diving, the Tar
Heels should send the Wolfpack home
with their wet tails between their legs.
u have the convenience of walking to campus
::! downtown, so there's no need to commute
.:ry day. All your food is prepared for you, and
now you can
"""" "3k Ai Jj
ix X jL J IL-a.il.i. '
even on weekends. Plus, someone comes
: . ch week to straighten your room and clean
c ur bathroom for you. In addition, you have
:cess to study rooms, computer rooms, fitness
r coins, our swimming pool and many other
planned activities and social events.
Comfort, convenience and cost. Three great
hy dollar for dollar, Granville Towers is
the best buy around!
ms wh
- i ii 1 l! i P f
hCj If fgji. l ,
.... v; : .. - 5 !
v.3f.s? ,- 'i I
. ' - ' f
''"'''''JUtmU' !
nvi
owers
here to live? It's a question that, sooner or
later, you have to answer. For many reasons,
Granville Towers provides the best student housing
in Chapel Hill.
Let's compare the cost of Granville vs. local
apartments for a school year.
Granville Towers Local Apartments
9 months rent One housing fee Monthly Rental fee
HHHHBaMHRMRHHMHMMHHMHHM nmmmmKmKmmmmmmmmmmimammmmmmmmmmmmm imKmmmmiimmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmammm
Food (all meals) Included Extra
Utilities Included Extra
MHHHHBMHMMMHHMBMMBHMHHHMH MHMMMBlMMHM NHHMMMIMMHH"BM"MMMM
Furniture Included Extra
Cleaning Products Included Extra
Kitchen Utensils Included Extra
Gas for Commuting Not needed Extra
GEIAIWDLLE, ISECAM5E YOM'VE GOT
ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT.
TM
: ; i 'tu rnni iki a 07 ki a
.- i S 1 I mf l fc.il W 18"