Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 26, 1991 TAG: 9103260046
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From Associated Press and staff reports
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Mario Mullen, who led Bayside to the state championship and was selected player of the year; Petey Sessoms, who broke Cradock's career scoring and rebounding records; and Yuri Barnes, who averaged 22 points and 12 rebounds for Manchester head the All-Group AAA first team for the 1990-91 season.
This is the second time in four years that Deans has been selected coach of the year. He was picked in 1988 after the Patriots became the first Roanoke teamin 18 years to win the Group AAA state crown.
Deans' 1990 PH team went 7-14 and this year's edition turned it around to finish 22-5 against what was arguably the toughest schedule in the state. The Patriots, who lost to eventual Group AAA runner-up George Wythe of Richmond in the first round of the state tournament, lost to St. Anthony's of New Jersey and Harker (Md.) Prep, both of which were among the nation's Top 25 teams in USA Today.
Another loss (73-71) came to Georgia's defending Group AAA champion Atlanta Southside, which had one of the nation's top players in 6-foot-7 James Forrest, who signed with Georgia Tech.
After going 7-14 a year ago when PH lost a couple of starters at mid-season, Deans said, "Tough times don't last, but tough people do."
Patrick Henry won both the Roanoke Valley District regular season and tournament championships as well as the Northwestern Region title.
Completing the first team, chosen in balloting by sportswriters and broadcasters from throughout the state, are Greg Taylor of Deep Creek and Jason Williford of John Marshall.
Fayed, a 6-foot senior point guard who will attend Winthrop College of the Big South Conference, was Roanoke Valley District player of the year while averaging 21 points and 6.8 assists. He shot 53.9 percent from the floor, including 44.4 percent from 3-point range.
Joining Fayed on the second team are Jimmy Bowman of Hopewell, Michael Evans of Booker T. Washington, Carlos Marshall of Fauquier and Ronell Williams of Bayside.
Mullen, a 6-6 senior, has led Bayside to three winning seasons in as many years. The school never had a winning season before his arrival. The senior averaged 15.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and three blocked shots this past season.
Sessoms, a 6-7 senior, averaged 32.1 points and 17 rebounds. Sessoms, who made six 3-point shots in one game, has signed with Old Dominion.
Barnes, who plans to attend Virginia, averaged 22 points, 12.7 rebounds and 5.4 blocked shots. The 6-8 senior had a high of 44 points in Manchester's victory over Colonial Heights.
Taylor, a 6-4 senior, averaged 24.5 points and seven rebounds in leading Deep Creek to a school-best 25-2 record. He averaged 31 points as the team won the Eastern Region.
Williford, a 6-6 senior, led John Marshall with an average of 21.7 points and seven rebounds. He also plans to attend Virginia.
by CNB