Bucs lose tight-fisted exhibition to Global

By Seth Bartee
STAR CORRESPONDENT

   Youth is sometimes an advantage. Especially in NCAA basketball, where quickness and agility are keys to winning.
   For ETSU, the talent is there but fine-tuning is the most important aspect of their game to work on. Monday night the Bucs lost a heartbreaker to the Global Sports All-Stars 85-83 in Brooks Gym.
   The defining moment of the game came when Zakee Wadood fouled Chris Davis with seven seconds left in the game in three-point territory.
   Davis made all three foul shots and put the Bucs in the same situation they seem to find themselves in often -- one basket down with less than 10 seconds to play.
   Guard Tim Smith was given the go-ahead but came up short.
   "I knew the guard would be putting on the pressure," said Smith. "I did not expect for another player to be there guarding on the final shot."
   Even though ETSU lost, all who saw the Bucs had nothing but praise for them.
   "ETSU is a lot tougher than an LSU team we beat this season," said Maury Hanks, Global All Stars head coach. "We have beaten Purdue and lost a close one to Florida State. We got lucky. I did not think Wadood would foul our open man."
   New ETSU coach, Murray Bartow gave the same sentiments about his Buccaneers.
   "We did a lot of good things tonight," said Bartow. "We could have played some team that we could have beaten by 20 points. Instead, this helps us know where to improve."
   Jerald Fields, ETSU's 6-7 senior forward, cruised to a 23-point, 5-rebound game. Fields was also 9-of-13 in FG and 5 for 7 from the free throw line.
   "I am more confident this year," said Fields. "Last year I had some injury problems but now I'm playing like my sophomore season."
   The Bucs led most of the game and went into the half with a 44-38 lead. They went on a 10-0 run, putting themselves up 60-51 early in the second half.
   Then Global All-Stars' Jason Blair, scoring 13 of his 19 points in the second half, brought his team within striking distance.
   Fouls got the Bucs in the end as the All-Stars were 13-15 from the arc. Both Fields and Smith missed one shot in the bonus with under two minutes left in the second.
   Smith stripped the ball and passed to Wadood, who dunked it and the crowd went wild with 30 seconds to go.
   Then Wadood fouled Davis with 7 seconds left and he won the game on his free throws.
   "I'm happy with Zakee," said Bartow. "He was trying to make a play and he fouled him. We do not want that to happen all the time."
   Smith had 14 points, 9 assists and three steals.