Maryland Adjusts Its Focus : College basketball: Terrapins turn their attention to the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament and away from NCAA probation.

Apart from a brief detour Monday morning to the North Gym of Cole Field House, Gary Williams has spent much of this week in his own safe haven, coaching on a basketball court.

“This is what I’m supposed to do, not sit around answering questions,” he said.

Of course there are many questions to be answered over the next few days, Maryland’s chances of beating Duke Friday in the opening round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament and whether the Terrapins will be added to the NCAA tournament field Sunday evening foremost among them.

But for Williams, those queries are infinitely preferable to those stemming from Monday’s announcement of Maryland’s three-year NCAA probation, which includes a ban on live television next season as well as post-season play in 1991 and ’92. The sanctions also foster more unpleasantries -- namely, can the program prosper under what should be a distinct advantage to other schools in terms of recruiting?

“I made a long-term commitment to be here,” Williams said. “Anyway, I think we can overcome this.”

Some feel Williams’s resolve crystalized when the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions report cleared him of any culpability in Maryland’s troubles. Williams said he never doubted that would be the case.

“I’m clear as far as the NCAA is concerned,” he said. “People can look at the 20 years that I’ve been coaching -- there are no shots to take at me.”

There are two steps to Maryland’s maintaining the strides it made during an 18-12 regular season, the immediate task being the ACC tournament.

Since Monday’s announcement of the NCAA sanctions, Williams has maintained that it will be business as usual for the Terrapins. That was true in Wednesday’s practice at Cole. At one point Williams called his players and blistered them for trying to get through the week without working hard.

“If we get waxed by Duke by 20 points Friday, I guarantee you’ll be playing here in the NIT next week,” he told them. “That’s the truth.”

There’s no telling how this week’s events will affect Maryland on the court. Some argue the Terrapins will become the ACC tournament darlings and play with inspiration. Others say they will play at an emotional nadir, easy pickings for the nationally ranked Blue Devils.

But as far as Williams is concerned, both points are bogus.

“We aren’t going to use any of this stuff as motivation,” he said. “We have a lot of pride and we don’t need outside help. If we can’t get ready to play Duke in the first round of the ACC tournament, playing for a spot in the NCAAs, something’s wrong.”

Those close to Williams say he wouldn’t act any other way.

“This weekend is his main focus; he’s such a strong person. If this week has bothered him you wouldn’t know it,” said assistant coach Adam Preyer. “He’s been nothing but positive with us, positive with the kids. If we lose, we won’t have any excuses.”

Just how long Williams and Maryland are able to maintain that attitude remains to be seen. Along with the television and tournament bans, Maryland will lose two basketball scholarships for each of the next two seasons.

For next year, there are just two scholarships available, and one has been committed to John Leahy, a 6-foot-7 guard from Stone Harbor, N.J. On Tuesday another of Maryland’s assistant coaches, Billy Hahn, traveled to meet with Leahy and his family.

“He’s still coming to Maryland, he’s very emphatic about that,” Hahn said. “He’s not pleased with the situation, obviously, but his decision isn’t going to change.”

Already a staple of recruiting, such baby-sitting and hands-on management of prospects may become essential for Maryland to sign players -- and keep the ones already on campus. The length of the sanctions allows any of the Terrapins’ sophomore and junior players to transfer without having to sit out a year and there’s a question whether Jerrod Mustaf, Walt Williams and Jesse Martin will remain.

“What they’ve done is tell Walt or Jesse or Jerrod that they can never play in an NCAA tournament after this year if they stay,” Gary Williams said. “That’s tough on them, but players also have to realize that getting into the NCAA tournament can be a one-game deal too. They can’t base their whole decision on that.”

The decision to cut Maryland’s scholarships is considered a minor punishment by the NCAA, but Williams doesn’t agree.

“I hope that we’re able to find a couple of good walk-on players because you need bodies for the way we play,” he said. “The pressure defense that we use needs five guys out there all the time; we’re going five on five full court most of the time. What happens if you’re down to 13 players and you get a couple of guys hurt? You can’t play the way you want to play.”