A bag is in the future for Virginia State coach Lonnie Blow

RICK CRANK

Virginia State basketball coach Lonnie Blow, who won his fourth CIAA title and third with the Trojans earlier this month, is in line for a new deal with his contract expiring.

Lonnie Blow now has four CIAA championships under his belt: three at Virginia State and one at St. Augustine’s.

He is one of the more respected coaches in HBCU basketball, no matter the division, and has been courted by other institutions over the years. Yet, when the Trojans went through a three-game losing streak in late January to Bluefield State, Lincoln (Pa.) and Bowie State, Blow heard the boo birds.

Oh, they didn’t say anything to his face – cowards rarely do – but the disgruntled nincompoops told anyone else who would listen. Before the streak, VSU was 12-4 overall and 6-0 in the conference, and folks were talking championship. Then, three losses to decent division teams on the road, and he’s past his time. So, what time is it now?

“In a way, I understand, because this is a ‘what have you done for me lately?’ business,” Blow said Wednesday by phone. “But still, this program had won five games when I took over. We were undefeated when the losses happened, and now we’re on an eight-game winning streak.

“Now, those same people are smiling in my face, asking me, ‘What do you need?’ I don’t need anything from you.”

The Trojans didn’t lose another conference game after that. Their only other loss this year was at UNC Pembroke Feb. 5.

But not to be a Debbie Downer, Blow said he knew this team had a chance to be really good, which is why he didn’t panic during that streak or when the Trojans were down by five to Bluefield State late in the second half in the championship game.

VSU had been there before all season. The Trojans were unified, he said. The players didn’t hang their heads when Big Blue went on that late run. Nobody pointed fingers. Blow switched from a zone defense to man-to-man, and in a blip the Trojans were up by one and on their way to a title, and an automatic playoff berth.

The CIAA got two men’s teams in easily: VSU and Fayetteville State, which are ranked No. 3 and No. 4 in the latest regional rankings. But look who’s at No. 8! Big Blue’s tourney run raised some NCAA eyebrows and the conference get three bids.

The women will undoubtedly get two teams in. Fayetteville State is No. 6 and Virginia State No. 7.

For Blow, his employment status will take a backseat to the postseason – for now. His contract is up in May, but he’ll have a familiar face sitting across the negotiating table.

“It’s great to have Tiffani (Dawn Sykes) back,” he said of VSU’s athletics director. “She is not just an employee, she’s a Trojan. She went here, played here and never stopped giving back the entire time she was gone.”
I would love to be a fly on the wall during the negotiations. After all, if the football coach can wrangle a five-year extension despite never winning a championship, what are you going to do for a coach with three CIAA titles at your school, eh?

Waiting to exhale

Lincoln is under first-year coach and North Carolina State alumnus Julius Hodge, and Bluefield State is in its second season as a CIAA member. Both advanced at least to the semifinals and both lost to VSU. Some veteran coaches are holding their breaths right now.

Bonitta Best is sports editor at The Triangle Tribune in Durham.

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