The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 30, 1970, Preseason Basketball Special, Page 8, Image 8
.0
Duke
starter.
USC!
By LEWIS H. ALLEN
Sports Writer
With five starters returning from
last season's 17-9 NIT squad and
four sophomores up from an un
defeated freshman team the 1970
71 edition of the Duke Blue Devils
promises to be an exhilarating
Randy Denton
DeVenzio
may lose
position to
sophomore
Dick DeVenzio has been a
starter for the Duke Blue Devils
ever since he first stepped onto the
floor with the Duke vaesity. For
two years, the 5-10, 155 pounder has
directed the Duke offense, but now
in his senior season, DeVenzio is
being challenged by a talented
sophomore.
Gary Melchionni, 6-2, 180
pounds, is the sophomore
challenger for DeVenzio's point
guard position. Last season with
the frosh, he averaged 17.1 points a
game, hitting 50 per cent of his
shots from the floor and almost 90
per ont from the foul line. He is
the younger brother of former
Villanova All-America Bill
Melchionni, and it is evident the
two have much in common.
On the other hand, DeVenzio has
proved himself an indispensable
member of the Duke team. Last
season, the Blue Devils lost four
straight games after DeVenzio
injured his ankle and lost much of
his effectiveness.
Over the last two years,
Devenzio has hurt many opponents
with his blindig quickness .and
surprising outside shot. North
Carolina mentor Dean Smith
credited DeVenzio's passing for
Duke's 87-81 victory over the 2nd
ranked Tar Heels in 1969. Two
weeks before that game, it was
DeVenzio's 28 points from the
outside that almost powered the
Blue Devils to an upset victory
over the 5th-ranked Davidson
Wildcats;
re turru
,chali
or ACI
Second year coach Bucky
Waters admits that his team is out
"to win a championship" but notes
that "our December schedule is
expecially challenging and will put
a great premium on the ability of
our younger players to adjust
quickly."
Keynoting this season's hopes
for the Blue Devils is a David and
Goliath combination and plenty of
depth. Center Randy Denton, a 6-10
behemoth and pre-season All
American pick, is the ACC's finest
under the basket, and is com
plimented by the diminutive and
pesky two-time starter Dick
DeVenzio. Only 5-10, DeVenzio
runs the Blue Devil offense with
authority.
Denton has also lettered twice
and has led his team in both
scoring and rebounding the past
two seasons. He has been slowed
by a foot infection early in
preseason practice but is repor
tedly at full strength for Duke's
home opener with Princeton
December 1.
Despite past performances by
DeVenzio the Duke senior has been
pressed in practice sessions by
sophomore Gary Melchionni for
the point guard position.
Melchionni averaged 17 points for
the frosh team which was ranked
among the top five freshmen
teams in the nation. The possessor
of a "fine shooting touch,"
Melchionni is the younger brother
of veteran NBA guard Billy
Melchionni.
Alan Shaw, a 6-9 sophomore wh<
has shown "great potential" anc
Larry Saunders are vying for the
other post position alongside
Denton. In addition to leading lasl
year's frosh in rebounding Shav%
averaged a respectable 14 points a
game while connecting on a
phenomenal 61 per cent of his fielk
goal attempts.
Senior and honorary captaii
Larry Saunders, who set .an AC(
field goal accuracy mark last yea
with 63.6 per cent, has also been i
the piture at the post position.
,.,Dick D
ive
!enges
c title
Rick Katherman and
sophomores Richie O'Connor and
eff Dawson have been competing
for two wing positions. The 6-7
Katherman, primarily an outside
shooter, has twice been the
season's runnerup scorer for the
Devils and has earned Walter's
praise as "one of the best shooters
in college basketball."
O'Connor at 6-5 and Dawson at 6
1, averaged 20 points for the fresh
men squad, and O'Connor was the
second leading rebounder for the
frosh. Dawson is a better shooter
whereas O'Connor would in all
likelihood be more useful when
more rebounding is desired.
Senior guard Brad Evans, the
fifth starter on the NIT team and a
varsity football player, missed
several weeks of practice, but has
joined the hoop men on the court.
Evans is expected tp lend depth to
the squad this year especially
there exists a wealth of talent.
Other veteran varsity per
formers include 6-5 forward Steve
Litz, a junior who came up with a
clutch rebound in the closing
seconds in the Blue Devil's
overtome victory over Wake
Forest, Stuart Yarborough a 6-4
forward, Robby West a 6-2 guard,
and 5-10 guard Pat Doughty.
"The competition for positions
has been keen," said Waters, "the
younger players have been in the
thick of the battle for starting
jobs."
Aided by excellent depth, Duke
expects "to be more versatile, both
offensively and defensively and tc
be able to play a faster tempo."
Waters summed up hi
prospectus for the season "When a
team is dominated by seniors anc
sophomores, it is possible to hav(
difficulties blending them totall
into an effective organization
However, I have con fidence thai
r in our squad that the desire for
a team success will assure a
cohesive unit."
eVenzio
Up and
ACC Player of the Year.Johr
>ver the outstretched arm 01
action last season. The Gamec
meetings.
Go
SS
Gamecocks.
'4\
NOMM
anker
ACC.Player of thrJh
atolatsa.TeGamec
Gamecocs
Ga ecmbrk6s-"U
so ayua go-U.S
Decembr 65--U. S.
January 30 -- U. S
February 4 -- U. 5
February 2 4--U.S
over
Roche shoots short Jumper
Duke's Randy Denton in
ocks beat the Devils in both
s Trust
CAROLUNA
e "Fighting
>f home games,
with the
ks, too!
i. C. vs Auburn
C. vs Notre Dame
S. C. vs Duke
S. C. vs Maryland
C. vs Clemson
C. vs Temple
C. vs Virginia
.C. vs Furman