The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 23, 1998, Page Page 7, Image 7
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Lucas anxi
imfer J AREP KELOWITZ
Freshman point guard Aaron Lucas
is focusing on contributing to the
success of the Gamecocks this season
the only way he knows how ? hard
work.
Lucas came into this season not expecting
to see a great deal of playing i
time.
With the injuries to key Gamecock
starters Recus Nix and Herbert Lee
Davis, however, he will be forced to learn
more and grow faster as a college play- i
er, a challenge he looks forward to.
1 will do whatever it takes to help
the team this year," he said.
"I know that as a freshman I have
a lot to learn and I am looking forward
to learning and improving every day."
Regarding the jump from high school
to college, Lucas said, The hardest part
will be the change in the pace of the
game. In high school the team T played
for played a quick game, but not as quick
as on this level.
"My major adjustment will be speeding
up my decision making and still
making smart choices."
Lucas feels that working with the
caliber of players he did in the off-season
[as in B.J. McKie and former USC
guard Melvin Watson] will prove to be
an advantage as he tries to get his bearings
as a college point guard. After his
days in the garnet and black are over,
Aaron Lucas goes up for a dunk In a
will see playing time as point guard 1
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Lucas plans to go to graduate school for
a degree in retail. r
"It is any basketball player's child- i
hood dream to play in the NBA, but at <
a certain point in time you can't look at k
that, and right now it really doesn't fac- k
tor into my plans," Lucas said. '<
"If I work hard and the opportuni- i
ty comes, then that is just great, but (
right now I am concentrating on making
the best of my scholarship by get- ,
ting a good education."
Lucas cites his family as his source (
of inspiration, especially his mother,
but feels now is the time to start ac- \
complishing things of his own. ]
"Right now I really can't look up to (
anyone 'cause they already accomplished
their goals like they wanted to; I feel
that now I have to work on my own," *
Lucas said. 1
At South Carolina, Lucas brings 1
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lu liic iauic a uaiautc ui passing
skills, scoring ability, defensive ag- |
gressiveness, and basketball smarts unprecedented
at USC.
These skills were showcased as a '
senior at Richland Northeast High 1
School, when Lucas led the Cavs to the
third round of the state playoffs and a \
top 10 state ranking. }
That season, he averaged 22.3
points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and
2.6 steals per game.
, With statistics like those, it's no <
wonder Lucas received honors such as: :
KSHyMKi KjmjL
n exhibition game earlier this year.1
his season.
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L998 Coaches Select Player of th
rhe State High School Playei
ifear, selection to Carolina's (
South Carolina vs. North Carol
Star game, All-Region honors, I
lid's Ail-American nominee, Ni
\merican, and MVP of the Bea
Classic.
Not only is Lucas a star on th
Dut he carries the same success
dassroom.
In high school he was a mei
;he Urban League Young and
Boys' State, and Thurgood Mars)
nety of Excellence programs.
Lucas' attitude toward the
tance of education is reflected
;he quote he lives by and by ]
/ice to younger athletes.
Lucas goes by the quote, "1
to the fullest, learn somethii
jveryday, and just have fun." T(
people aspiring to succeed in at
Lucas offers this advice:
"Focus on your goals, work t
them, display good character a
nility when you reach them, ai
importantly make sure you do
school, 'cause if you don't, yoi
sven have the opportunity t
sports."
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SEAN RAYFORD Sports Photo
K^ith his speed and agility, 1
| FREE FOOD F
et USC advan
*s Tourname
Classic
senior writer BROCK VERQAKIS I
dcDonike
All- With big plays and a solid defench
Ball s*ve e?or* by goalkeeper Henry Ring,
USC advanced to the second round of
the NCAA tournament by defeating i
e court, VCU 2-1 at the Graveyard.
3 in the Carolina came close to scoring within
the first 20 seconds after kickoff 1
nber of when a VCU defender gave an er- |
i. xl_ 1 1_ * _1_ i
Gifted " tneir Keeper wmcn came
' extremely close to crossing the line. |
USC's scoring opportunities would
not be quite as easy the rest of the
impor- game. The Rams controlled the ball
in both for much of the first half. A couple of |
hiS ad- defensive lapses gave VCU perfect scor- |
ing opportunities. Only the stingy play
of Goalkeeper Henry Ring prevented |
ave life vcu from taking the lead on many oclg
new casions. s
) young The Rams offense managed to fire (
hletics, nine shots on goal in the first half.
Ring displayed his brilliance on a free
, kick caused by Kim Eriksen taking c
down a VCU player from behind. f
On the ensuing kick, Ring made t
id most the decision to go after the ball instead t
well in of waiting on it to come to him. He col1
won't lided mid-air with a Ram defender be- 1:
o Dlav f?re coming back down with the ball r
safely in hand. I
Ring was not the only one for the I
I Gamecocks that made a strong defensive
effort. Hans Whetstone had the 1
most difficult assignment on the field J
defending against leading scorer Kevin r
Jeffrey. Whetstone's tenacity resulted c
in a yellow card late in the first half. 1
While the Gamecocks defense
proved to hold, their offense had diffi- t
culty getting shots off. Throughout the t
first half, they had only two shots on c
goal. Each time Carolina got the ball t
inside the penalty box, VCU defend- j
ers were all over it, clearing it out time
and time again. r
Despite the lack of offense Coach p
Berson was pleased with play in the a
first half. a
"I don't ever look at shots or saves.
I don't look at anything other than how i
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I we played. In the first half I thought c
we played very well, we had a lot of t
great chances," Berson said. f
^^<5**
I Senior Kim Eriksen passes the ball
test against VCU. Carolina won 2-1.
> EditOr
Lucas
Need a loc
I Dr. Don Elton, a board ce
graduate), is accepting new
Pulmonary Med
Mid Carolir
http://www.midcarolina.or
ices in N(
nt, faces 1
SEAN RAYFORD Sports Photo Editor
to a teammate in Sunday's con
al asthma s
rtified pulmonary medicine s|
patients by appointment at \
icine. Sleep Disorder
796-2222
ta Internal Medicine Assoc
138 North Hospital Drive
West Columbia, SC 29169
g em
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mdars now ? ii
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AY FUNK AEROBICS FREE V
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ophomore Chris Lockwood cro:
)'Neill and Jonas Myllenberg durii
The second half proved to be a roller
oaster ride full of scary ups and downs
br Carolina. Less than one minute in,
he Rams nearly scored on a header
hat barely went over the crossbar.
However, just as the Gamecocks
Lave done all season long, they showed
esiliency scoring just three minutes
ater. John Harr made a cross to Chris
dorman in the Carolina backfield.
Morman then showed great vision,
aunching a long pass to a sprinting
fonas Myllenberg deep into VCU teritory.
Myllenberg dribbled past his
lefender for a one-on-one with VCU
:eeper Adam Mead.
Myllenberg volleyed a soft shot from
he left side of the goal past Mead ino
the lower right corner giving Carilina
a 1-nil lead. "I don't want to take
oo much credit" said Myllenberg. "It's
ust great to see it go in."
Myllenberg's goal gave Carolina
nore confidence and it showed in their
>lay. The defense began to play tighter
ind the offense was beginning to creite
more opportunities.
Defender Chris Lockwood even got
nto the offensive mix firing a shot from
10 yards out before being stopped by
he lower right post. It wasn't long beore
VCU regrouped and began at
;aa
UVAnext
SEAN RAYFORD Sports Photo Editor
sses the ball to teammates Ryan
lg Sunday's match.
tacking, trying to work some magic inside
the box.
In the 62nd minute, the Rams got
the break they were looking for. Off a
comer kick from Erwan Lecrom, Lorenz
Baumgartner crossed the ball to the
Trinidad Terror, Kevin Jeffrey. Jeffrey
headed the ball in from eight yards
out, never giving Ring a chance for a
save.
"It was just being at the right spot
at right time," Jeffrey said. "I can't take
any credit, the other guys have to provide
me the ball. Most of the time I'm
on the end of the last ball."
Not to be outdone, USC responded
with a header of their own that
found its way into the back of the
net. In the 70th minute, John Han
found Myllenberg racing towards the
goal.
Myllenberg managed to get past
all VCU defenders, posting up two
yards away from Mead when Hanmade
a cross to Myllenberg. Myllenhprp
nnt.pd t.r> hpad t.hp hall nntn fhp
ground, giving the ball an awkward
bounce that the keeper could not handle.
USC the lead once again.
"I decided to head it. It was kind
of a weird cross. I took my chances
and it went it," Myllenberg said. It was
Myllenberg's first multigoal game all
season. For the rest of the game,
Carolina tried to detain Kevin Jeffrey
from scoring. Jeffrey dazzled the 1,500
in attendance with, his dribbling abilities
taking on two Carolina defenders
simultaneously at times.
While Jeffrey was able to get
neatthe goal, his efforts remained fruitless.
He was only able to get one more
shot off by game's end.
In the end, it was Carolina's defense
and their ability to capitalize on
key chances that gave the Gamecocks
the victory.
VCU outshot USC 16-6.
"South Carolina did a very good job
making big plays, finishing their opportunities."
said Coach Tim 0' Sullivan
of VCU.
"It takes great goals to win in
this tournament and thaf s what we
did," Berson said.
Carolina now advances to the
second round of the tournament to face
ACC power Virginia. Virginia is the
same team that defeated the Gamecocks
in the National Championship
game in 1993. Four more victories for
USC, and they will complete their season's
goal of a national title.
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