Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 14, 1990 TAG: 9003143090
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Simmons, a third-team selection last season, was joined on the 1990 Associated Press All-America college basketball team by seniors Gary Payton of Oregon State and Derrick Coleman of Syracuse, junior Larry Johnson of UNLV and sophomore Chris Jackson of LSU.
The voting was done by the same national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters that selects the weekly Top 25.
Simmons, just the fifth player to score 3,000 career points, ranks third all-time with 3,157 heading into the NCAA tournament. At his current pace of 26 points a game, Simmons would have to lead LaSalle into the East Regional finals to score the 92 points necessary to pass the No. 2 man on the career list, Portland State's Freeman Williams.
Simmons is LaSalle's first All-American in 35 years, since the storied Tom Gola won the honor three times and led the Explorers to the pinnacle of college basketball. LaSalle won the NCAA title in 1954 and came within a game of repeating before losing to San Francisco and Bill Russell.
Neither of those stellar teams, however, managed a record like that carved out by Simmons & Co. this season. With "L-Train" providing the locomotion, the Explorers posted a 29-1 record, best among major colleges.
"It is gratifying to me in several ways, especially because of the fact that LaSalle does not get a large amount of national exposure," the 6-foot-7 Simmons said of his selection to the All-America team. "Our record is a great compliment to our coach, his staff and all my teammates. I consider this their award, too."
Even if his team should win six games and the national title, Simmons can't hope to supplant the No. 1 major-college scorer, LSU's Pete Maravich. In two years, however, Maravich's 3,667 points might be surpassed by another noted Tiger, Jackson.
The high-scoring guard, only the second freshman ever voted to the AP first team, was second in the nation in scoring last season at 30.2 points a game and hit 28.7 this season against defenses rigged specifically to stop him. He has 1,825 points midway through his career and, at least statistically, has a chance at moving past Maravich in 1992.
"Nothing like this is possible by yourself," said Jackson, who paced LSU to a 22-8 record. "It's the other players who should be given credit. I thank them for their help in my accomplishments.
"It's great. It's a very nice honor to be chosen again like this," Jackson said.
Jackson is the 52nd player to repeat in the 42 years the AP team has been selected. Wayman Tisdale of Oklahoma, who in 1983 was the first freshman All-American, was a three-time selection before turning pro following his junior season.
Payton, a 6-4 guard, averaged 26.3 points and 8.3 assists for Oregon State (22-6). Payton had made his reputation regionally as a defensive whiz and ballhandler. He became a national star this season when Coach Jim Anderson asked him to shoot more.
"It's an important honor because I know you have to have some recognition in the East to get the award," Payton said. "The fact the writers throughout the nation voted for me means there's a lot of people out there that know I can play. It's a great honor."
The 6-10 Coleman averaged 18.1 and 12.2 rebounds as Syracuse (24-6) won a share of the Big East title.
Johnson, a 6-7, 250-pound forward, led the United States to a gold medal in the World University Games in Spain last year. A junior college transfer built like a linebacker, he was the workhorse for UNLV (28-5), averaging 20.9 points and 11.2 rebounds a game.
The AP second team included sophomore Alonzo Mourning of Georgetown, juniors Dennis Scott of Georgia Tech and Doug Smith of Missouri and seniors Rumeal Robinson of Michigan and Bo Kimble of Loyola Marymount.
Senior Hank Gathers of Loyola Marymount, who collapsed and died during a game earlier this month, was selected to the third team, along with seniors Steve Scheffler of Purdue and Kendall Gill of Illinois, junior Steve Smith of Michigan State, and freshman Kenny Anderson of Georgia Tech.
by CNB