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Dersch, Friel Carry Cavs Past Arizona State
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Nov. 27, 1999
By PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer
BAYAMON, Puerto Rico – Keith Friel and Willie Dersch led a late-gamecomeback, combining for 10 of Virginia’s final 15 points in a 70-64 victoryover Arizona State for fifth place in the Puerto Rico Shootout on Saturday.
Dersch and Friel took over when star Donald Hand, who led the Cavaliers(4-1) with 19 points, got his fourth foul and had to come out.
Dersch had only one basket when he hit consecutive shots to bring theCavaliers within 60-59. He fed a wide-open Chris Williams for the go-aheadbasket and then extended the lead with a foul shot.
Friel, who also had made just one shot, then nailed a 3-pointer and hit twofree throws. Virginia led 68-62 with 1:09 left and Arizona State (2-2) couldnot catch up.
The Sun Devils took their biggest lead, 56-51, with 7:22 left and Hand onthe bench. But they made three baskets – and committed five turnovers – therest of the way.
Shawn Redhage scored 16 points and Eddie House 13 for Arizona State.
Dersch, who grabbed the game’s final rebound, flung the ball into the air atthe Eugenio Guerra Sports Complex when the game sounded. Virginia, after losingits opener here to South Carolina, guaranteed itself a solid tournament withits second straight victory.
Arizona State had also recovered from an opening loss, to Texas on Thursday,by defeating American University of Puerto Rico. But the Sun Devils were hurtin this one by 20 turnovers, 13 in the second half. They also missed their fourthree-point tries.
Neither team could break away from the other in the opening half. Virginia,led by Hand’s 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting, finally opened a 35-31 lead.
But House had a basket and a free throw for Arizona State to cut it to 39-37at the break.