Olympic Sports Notebook: Jim Davis Adds High-Profile Post Players

by Brad Davis - Correspondent - Wed Sep 27 01:53:37 GMT-04:00 2000

CLEMSON - Jim Davis knows his biggest need is dominating post players.

It seems as though Clemson's women's basketball coach has addressed that need.

The Lady Tigers have received verbal commitments from two high-profile inside players during the in-home recruiting period. A 6-foot-5 center from Denver, Colo. and a 6-4 post player from Gastonia, N.C. have told Davis they will attend Clemson next fall. NCAA rules prohibit Clemson from releasing the players' names at this point.

Clemson is in the hunt for a 6-3 player, as well. But a commitment has not been given as of yet. A verbal commitment is not binding under NCAA guidelines. Nothing becomes official until a national letter-of-intent is signed.

According to Davis, the two verbals Clemson has received thus far have been rated very high by several recruiting services and both had "great summers" playing AAU ball. He also intimated that the 6-4 player may be a little further along at this point in terms of ability.

The Lady Tigers had been in the hunt for at least one highly-touted, in-state player. But that player has chosen to go elsewhere.

Practice begins in preparation for the upcoming season on Oct. 14, and Davis is highly optimistic at the prospects for the 2000-01 year.

"Our girls are working hard," he said. "If the way they have worked in the offseason is any indication, it's going to be a fun season."

Hitting a tough stretch

For the undefeated and No. 2-ranked Clemson women's soccer team, the toughest stretch of the season begins Friday.

The Lady Tigers begin a three-game road trip, the first extended stint away from Riggs Field this season, with a contest Friday at Virginia. Clemson (10-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) then goes to Richmond and Duke.

"It's a new challenge," said head coach Ray Leone. "This is the first time we've been on the road since (CU's 2-1 upset of ) North Carolina... So that will bring some new enthusiasm for our opponents."

With all the attention strikers Deliah Arrington and Lindsay Browne are garnering, the defense, which has allowed a total of five shots-on-goal in the last two games, is quickly becoming CU's driving force.

"They're getting a lot of the credit," Leone said of his scoring duo up front. "But the team defense has been incredible."

Tambosi continues to impress

The men's soccer team, ranked No. 11 in the latest Soccer America poll, notched its first ACC win of the season with a 6-1 thrashing of N.C. State last Sunday.

One of the key factors in the win was forward Fabio Tambosi, who continued his red-hot play with a two-goal effort. Tambosi, a native of Brazil, leads the team in points with eight goals and one assist for a total of 17. The sophomore continues to be a rising star for Clemson (5-2, 1-2 ACC), and was recognized as such by earning this week's ACC Player of the Week award.

The Tigers host Brown Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the Clemson/Nike Invitational.

Brad Davis is the asst sports editor of Seneca Daily Journal/Clemson Daily Messenger.

His columns can be read at www.dailyjournalmessenger.com.