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TQ"? Fician \( \\ nah-rim” (hampionship Spmial \pril H, I'm} “3%;\ 2 April 13, 1&3 Technician NCAA Championship Special Rise, fall of Valvano Empire fortunately reversed From State Sports Information was supposed to — he made assists and and he didn't make turnovers. Staff Reports But the “Cardiac Pack" really out- did itself in the NCAA. transcending Perhaps State's 1982-83 national the wildestexpectations by making championship basketball season can last-minute miracles seem com- best be described as the rise and fall monplace. of the Jim Valvano empire. Forv 0 Beating Pepperdine in double tunately. for the enthusiastic overtime. 69-67. Down by six points Wolfpack coach and his “team of with 70 seconds left in first overtime. destiny". the chronology was revers- McQueen put in a rebound after a ed. missed free throw with :06 left to The fall-came first. After‘the early send the game into second overtime. edition of the Wolfpack jumped out Whittenburg hit 8-for-10 free throws to a 7-1 record and a ranking as high in the second overtime. as 12th in the country, State fell upon 0 Beating Nevada-Las Vegas. hard times when leading scorer 71-70. UNLV. which had led by 12 in Dereck Whittenburg fell on Virginia the second half. led 70-69 and was on guard Othell Wilson's foot January the foul line for a one-and-one with 12 and broke his foot just after :32 left. Bailey banked in his own re- halftime. He had scored a bound with :04 left on the clock for phenomenal 27 points in the first the win. half. 0 Beating Utah. 75-56. A breather Suddenly. one third of the against another team that wasn't isosceles triangle of seniors Thurl supposed to be where it was._State Bailey. Sidney Lowe and Whitten- led 68-48 with 2:23 left. Whittenburg burg was missing. When Whitten~ scored 27. State shot 1.4; burg went out of the lineup. State a phenomenal went out of the polls. The Pack lost 78.9 percent (15-for-l9l in the second five of the next six games. but those half. 68.3 (28-for-41) for the game. ;.‘ defeats were to national powers 0 Beating Virginia. 63-62. Virginia Virginia. North Carolina and Mem- led 62-61 and was on the foul line for phis State. tough foes even when a one shot with :54 left. Charles hit team is full-force. both ends of a twoshot foul with :03 That stretch of losses started the left for the victory and the West doubts. and it marked the first of Regional Championship. Whitten‘ many times State was “down for the burg was named MVP. count.” But before such severe 0 Beating Georgia. 6760. State adversity claimed the upper hand. controlled the tempo against the the Wolfpack was back on .its feet. speedy Bulldogs to stretch its lead to winning eight of the next 10 games 59-41. Bailey and Whittenburg including a stunning 70-63 upset of scored 20 points apiece. and Mc- third-ranked North Carolina Queen pulled down 13 rebounds to February 19. That upset may very send the Pack to the national cham- well have been the turning point of pionship game. the season. Staff photo by Greg Hatem 0 Beating Houston. 54-52. State Lorenzo Charles wheels high for two over UNLV's Sidney Green In the West Reglonals. trailed 50-44 with 3:56 left and forced State won that game without the Cougars to the line, where they Whittenburg. The Wolfpack had overtime. and No. ranked Virginia. Bailey was not “supposed" to out- converted just 2-of-5. Lowe and Whit- regrouped and reloaded. Lowe and 81-78. to win the coveted crown. shine the consensus all-Americas. tenburg connected two bombs apiece Bailey never played better. The Bailey, Whittenburg and Lowe His, parents asked him not to play as the Pack tied the game. 52-52. sophomores — Terry Gannon. Loren- were all-ACC Tournament selec- street ball during his formative high Whittenburg’s short 35footer dunk- zo Charles and Cozell McQueen — tions. and Lowe. who broke the ACC school years. preferring instead a ed by Charles with :01 left clinched it. matured ahead of schedule, and a record for most assists in a season culturally rich upbringing that in- The Wolfpack held the Phi Slamma freshman. Ernie Myers. Whitten- (North Carolina‘s National Player-of- cluded playing three musical in- Jamma to just one dunk. Lowe. burg's replacement. contributed 15.1 the-Year Phil Ford had 753) with 762. struments instead of playing the Bailey and Whittenburg were named points per game. was the Most Valuable Player in the hoops with the asphalt contingency. all-Tournament. Gannon. like Whittenburg a bom- ACC Tournament. Lowe and Bailey The articulate senior learned the In all. State had come from behind bardier. dazzled the crowds with his were also named first team all-ACC moves and the shots and carried the in seven of its last nine games to win. “downtown" range, hitting 53 of 90 with North Carolina's Michael Jor- poise from his personal life onto the The newspapers echoed phrases like attempts from beyond the three- dan and Sam Perkins and Virginia's court. In the meantime, he became “tiptoeing along a tightrope." “flir- point line in the ACC's first year Ralph Sampson. the 11th all-time scorer in State's ting with defeat." “down for- the under the new rules (three-point play basketball history with 1.495 points. and 30—second clock). Charles But the regular--season honors count but not out" and “destiny's answered the need for a power for- were overshadowed by the ACC darlings." ward who could muscle inside. and Tournament championship. The last Charles was not supposed to Heroes were everywhere. Charles‘ McQueen, averaging only three re- time the Wolfpack had won the ACC average 11.1 points and 8.3 rebounds free throws and dunk. Lowe's assists. Tournament was in 1974. the same in State‘s six games of the NCAA McQueen's tapins. Gannon’s bombs. bounds a game before the infamous Tournament. Gannon was not sup “football". lifted his average to 7.1. year State captured its first NCAA Bailey's second effort. Whittenburg‘s The Wolfpack was on the rise. and National Championship. posed to keep bombing shots from second chance. But that year. the Pack had its own downtown when they didn't count It all added up to a death-defying there was only one thing that could three points anymore. In fact. Lowe march to the '83 national champion- give State a greater high — the twotime National Player-of-the-Year was return of Whittenburg. He was back in David Thompson. the tallest the only one who did what he ship. on the hardwood with a healed fifth center in the country in 7-4 Tom This commemorative Technician Basketball Special would not have metatarsal Feb. 27 at Virginia. but Burleson. a point guard who didn't been the rest of his body was less than 70 miss free throws named Monte possible without the help of Assitant Sports Editor Devin Steele. Production percent. and the Pack fell. 86-75. But Towe, another lightening quick the team was getting stronger. and guard named Mo Rivers and a power managers Terry Keever and Annette Rowell. Photo Editor Clayton Brinkley. finally. on March 5. State put it all forward who would become a major together — scoring 130 points (the leaguer for the Baltimore Orioles Assistant Photo Editor Drew Armstrong. Photographer Greg Hatem. Editor- highest point production by a col- named Tim Stoddard. With that legiate team this year) against Wake talent. those guys were supposed to in-Cheif Jeffrey Bender. Senior Editor Tom Alter. Ad Design Manager Nathan win it all, and they did. Forest to wrap up a tie for third Smith. Ad Designers place with Maryland in the Atlantic This year's team was not supposed Blair Slaughter. Dean Smith. Rod Patrick and Shermalyn Coast Conference regular season. to be playing basketball in April. To Greene. Ad Manager Reid Barker and Ad Salesmen Tom Young. Bates Cannon. If those points weren't a premoni- say State's trip to the Final Four and tion. then State's next game against eventual national championship Darryl Kendrick and Michael Covington. The Technician would like to take this Wake should have been. In the first was expected would be an round of the ACC Tournament in understatement. Whittenburg was opportunity to congratulate the 1983 Wolfpack on a super year. Atlanta. the Wolfpack slipped by the not “supposed" to return. The doc Deacons. 71-70. when Charles canned tors pronounced his collegiate career a pressure free throw with :03 on the over the week of January 12 and. William Terry Kelley clock. State then‘ knocked off No. 5 when he went out. the sympathy ranked North Carolina again. 91-84 in cards poured out. Sports Editor MAKE memxmsnchanps. One by one, you took them on, Pack. From beating the ACC’s best in Atlanta to that final date with Destiny in the Pit at Albuquerque you were as CoachV said, on a roll. Some roll. In Atlanta, you whipped No.6 and No. 3. In Corvallis, you whipped Pepperdine (in Z 0T5) and No. 4. W - ACC TOURNAMENT In Ogden, you did.it to No.3 aga1n. NC State 71‘ Wake Forest 70 In the P1t, you d1d 1n the other upstarts on NC State 91. UNC 84 S h “ 1 , .