Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 28, 1991 TAG: 9102280024
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Doug Doughty
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Adkins, formerly on the staff at Maryland, accepted a position at West Nottingham Academy in Colora, Md., and coached the boys' basketball team to a 24-4 record.
Adkins also works in admissions and is responsible for recruiting students - as well as basketball players - for a student body of 110.
As a student at Maryland, Adkins roomed with one of the managers, Jim Spiro, whose father was the coach at West Nottingham for 25 years. That gave Adkins some familiarity with the school, which was looking for a new coach when Spiro's father retired.
"It really came to a point where I had to ask myself if I wanted to stay in it," said Adkins, who was an assistant to Bob Wade, dismissed as Maryland coach after the 1988-89 season. "I was affected by what happened at Maryland, but I wanted to continue with my life."
Although he cooperated with an NCAA investigation that subsequently landed the Terrapins on two-year probation, Adkins was linked with the sale of ACC Tournament tickets. He had been told he was not a major figure in the probe.
"I wasn't going to feel sorry for myself," said Adkins, who played at Martinsville High before continuing his basketball career at Maryland. "I took three courses one semester and four the next to complete my master's degree, and you can imagine how hard that was with everything going on."
Adkins, 27, teaches a history course and serves as a dorm parent at West Nottingham, located 45 miles northeast of Baltimore near the Maryland-Delaware line. His wife, Kim, also serves on the faculty.
"The Washington Post has called about doing a story," he said, "but I'm not looking for the publicity. After all that's happened, I'd rather stay in the background. I enjoyed this year, though. I enjoy being a head coach and I think I proved I can handle a team."
\ Mark Ward, former star basketball player at William Fleming in Roanoke, was averaging 9.9 points and a team-high 8.3 rebounds for Hagerstown (Md.) Junior College before torn knee ligaments put an end to his season.
Hagerstown finished the regular season with a 22-11 record that included five losses in seven games after injuries to Ward and Jason Niblett, a sophomore point guard from Laurel Park in Martinsville. Niblett, who has returned to action after breaking a finger, is averaging 12.5 points and 6.6 assists.
A third Southwest Virginia product, 6-foot-6 Tony Burrell from Lord Botetourt, is averaging 12.4 points and 7.2 rebounds. Burrell and Niblett have attracted the interest of Division I recruiters, while Ward, a freshman, has another year at Hagerstown.
\ Radford, which carried a 21-6 record into the Big South Conference Tournament, ranks as the most-improved men's basketball team in Division I. The Highlanders have a net gain of 15 games over last year's 7-22 record.
The only teams close to Radford are Nebraska and North Texas State, both of which have improved 13 games. Nebraska has gone from 10-18 in 1989-90 to 23-5, and North Texas State is up from 5-25 to 17-11.
\ Bernard Johnson, who played at George Washington Carver High in Fieldale, was the leading scorer and second-leading rebounder this year for Mary Washington (9-18). Johnson, who transferred to Mary Washington after two years at Emory & Henry, averaged 13.1 points and 4.5 rebounds and also led the team in steals with 56.
\ The basketball officiating crew of Lenny Wirtz, Larry Rose and Roanoke's Duke Edsall performed a rare feat when it called the East Tennessee State-North Carolina Charlotte game in Charlotte, N.C., six hours after calling the Duke-Wake Forest game in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Feb. 16.
ACC assistant commissioner and supervisor of officials Fred Barakat agreed to the arrangement because the ETSU-UNCC game, televised by ESPN, did not start until after midnight Feb. 17. Barakat said he would not have approved the double-header if the ACC game had been the nightcap.
\ Jenny Mitchell, a senior on Wake Forest's women's basketball team, needs 29 points to break the school record for points in a career. That might be difficult considering any game might be the Deacons' last. Wake Forest opens against second-seeded North Carolina State in the ACC Tournament on Saturday.
\ The women's basketball team at James Madison had won 19 games in a row before falling to Richmond 52-47 on Tuesday night. It was the first loss in 11 Colonial Athletic Association games for JMU (23-3).
\ Clemson sprinter James Trapp required three stitches after rival Kevin Braunskill of North Carolina State hit him over the head with the plaque Braunskill had received for winning the 200 meters at the ACC indoor track meet.
Trapp and Braunskill, who have had words on previous occasions, were ejected from the meet. Trapp, also a strong safety for the Tigers' football team, had led a Clemson sweep in the 55 meters earlier in the competition.
\ Dante Washington of Radford University has been chosen for the U.S. National soccer team. The team plays March 9 against Olympia of Paraguay in Tampa, Fla., has a March 12 game against the Mexican national team and has a March 16 match against the national team of Canada, both at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
"Unless he signs a professional contract, this is as high as he can go in soccer," Radford coach Don Staley said.
\ Former UVa goalie and national player of the year Tony Meola has signed a contract with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the fledgling American Soccer League. Meola, goalie for the United States in the World Cup, passed up his final year of college eligibility to play professionally in Great Britain.
\ Virginia Tech wrestler Baird Kilpatrick, a senior heavyweight, broke a school record with his 49th career victory in dual competition. Kilpatrick, a one-time Hokies football player, was 12-3-6 in dual meets this year and 18-7-6 overall. He has a career record of 49-11-6 in dual meets.
by CNB