Mark Berman back here at Wake Forest, where Virginia Tech blew an eight-point lead with 1:22 left and lost to Wake 77-75 in the ACC opener for both teams.
Tech led 75-67 after Deron Washington (13 points, 14 rebounds, 11-of-12 from the line) made one of two free throws with 1:22 left, but Wake ended on a 10-0 run.
"We didn't understand time and score," coach Seth Greenberg said. "We should understand time and score' we just didn't. ... We just made some bad decisions."
"It wasn't our defense (late). It was our offense," Malcolm Delaney said. "We've just got to work on time and possession."
"We could've won," Washington said. "It's one of the games we've got to learn from. It's going to be a learning process because we're a very young team.
But blaming youth is wrong. AD Vassallo, a junior, and Washington, a senior, both erred in the final 82 seconds.
"We should've won," said Jeff Allen, who had 16 points. "We just didn't use time and score well. We had the lead. We should've kept it. .... We just need to be smarter with the ball and [make] less turnovers."
Tech fell to 1-4 in games decided by six points or less, including the season-opening win over Elon. Tech fell to 0-3 in opponent's arenas.
Ishmael Smith of Wake made a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 75-70 with 1:17 to go.
"It was like a fullback in front of him (Chas McFarland) leading the way," Greenberg said. "We're trying to get around him and McFarland's just running right up the middle of the court. .... You can't even see Ish Smith when he's running behind McFarland. I'm not sure if that's a moving screen or not."
Just six seconds after coming out of a timeout and with plenty of time on the shot clock, AD Vassallo (19 points, 11 rebounds, 7 turnovers) inexplicably took a 3-pointer and missed with 1:10 left, and Wake got the rebound.
Vassallo wished he had not taken the shot. He should have held the ball and then maybe he would've gotten fouled, said Vassallo.
After a layup by Wake’s Jeff Teague, Chas McFarland stole the ball from Washington.
Wake's Gary Clark banked in a 3-pointer to tie the score at 75 with 48.6 seconds left
"When you make bad decisions, guys bank shots in," Greenberg said.
Allen missed a jumper under the basket with 23 seconds to go. McFarland got the rebound.
Smith, guarded by Delaney, made a 12-footer with one second left to win the game
"Sometimes a good shot beats good defense," Greenberg said.
Wake closed out the first half on a 12-2 run to take a 45-36 halftime lead. Greenberg was whistled for a technical foul by Ted Valentine after complaining about a call with 33.8 seconds left in the half. I did not hear Greenberg use a profanity, I just heard him say, "It's about the kids."
Here's what my colleague Rob Daniels heard of the exchange:
“It’s not about the old men; it’s about the kids," Greenberg said.
Before blowing the whistle, Valentine replied, " “I’ve had it up to here with you. I’m fed up with you. I’ve had enough of you already. I’ve been trying to talk to you and [you] won’t listen.”
Six of the eight players Greenberg used in the second half were freshmen, including Dorezno Hudson, who h ad 13 points in 28 minutes off the bench in just his third Tech game.
Greenberg said he went to a small lineup in the second half, sitting Cheick Diakite and Lewis Witcher, because of Wake forward James Johnson (13 points).
"We had to go small because we didn't have a matchup for Johnson," Greenberg said. "JT (Thompson) and Deron I thought were the only two guys who could keep him in front for us."
Tech had 22 turnovers, including 14 in the first half.
"We just weren't very strong with the ball," Greenberg said. "We weren't as tough as we needed to be."
Delaney, who was 0-of-5 from the field but 8-of-8 from the free-throw line, played most of the game at point guard instead of Hank Thorns.
Tech was 29-of-32 from the line.
"We've been in the gym a lot," Washington said. "I know I've been in the gym, especially after the ODU game, getting a lot of free throws up. Everybody's been shooing a lot."
More on the game in Monday's paper and online Monday.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
Comments
[December 30, 2007 5:25 PM]
the truthyou must have a leader on the court sometime the bench must no how much time in a game the best PGwas not in the game