Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 10, 1991 TAG: 9104100034
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Thus, Tech assistant coach Jim Baker said Tuesday, the Hokies probably will focus on recruiting juniors in the next few weeks while keeping an eye out for an unsigned senior who can help immediately.
"I sort of doubt it," Baker said when asked if he expected Tech to use one or both of its two available scholarships for next year. "We're not in a hurry to go out and make a mistake."
Baker and former coach Frankie Allen's other assistant, Tic Price, have kept in touch with several of Allen's recruits since Allen was reassigned to an administrative position last month.
Foster said Monday he won't sign a player unless he sees him; Baker said the staff will head to various AAU tournaments in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and Atlanta. Most of those, Baker said, are 17-and-under age-bracket tournaments.
"We'll hit as many of them as we can," Baker said.
Under NCAA rules, a school cannot have face-to-face contact with a recruit until after the player's junior year.
"You can go by and meet the coach of the kids you've been recruiting," Baker said, adding that it probably is too late for Tech to become a major factor with a player the Hokies' haven't been working with for some time.
"That doesn't mean you won't stumble into one," Baker said. "You try to make a call and see if you can get your foot in the door. But [other schools] say, `Why haven't they been recruiting you all along?' "
\ Tech's early basketball signee, 6-foot-8, 235-pound Jay Thompson of Hargrave Military Academy, has not made the required 700 on his Scholastic Aptitude Test, Hargrave coach Larry Matthews said Tuesday.
Matthews said Thompson is waiting on the results of his latest SAT effort. Tech's policy is not to admit a student without at least a 700 on the SAT, but Matthews said he was told Thompson could appear before an admissions review board if Thompson didn't score 700.
"I never got the indication it was cut and dried," Matthews said.
Matthews said Thompson improved steadily during Hargrave's season.
"I haven't seen a ballplayer that can stay with him inside," Matthews said, acknowledging he hasn't seen many of the nation's top players. "He could help them. We've seen Tech play. He needs some work running the floor and needs work on defense, but I think he would help."
\ In other Tech basketball recruiting news:
Del Savage of Pottstown (Pa.) High School, a 6-5 swingman whose coach said he favors Tech, may not qualify academically.
"He probably will go to a junior college," Pottstown coach Kenneth Davis said.
But Davis left open the possibility that if Savage qualifies and if Tech still is interested, Savage could end up in Blacksburg.
Another Tech target - and a highly rated inside player - was 6-8 John Smith of Columbia, S.C., but Smith is expected to sign with Wichita State today.
Tech has shown interest in Deep Creek High School's Greg Taylor, a 6-4 guard who averaged 24.7 points per game and was selected one of the state's top 15 players by the Roanoke Times & World-News.
Deep Creek coach Harry Rest said Taylor is scheduled to visit George Washington this weekend. Rest said Seton Hall, North Carolina State, Duquesne and Old Dominion have pursued Taylor but said Taylor ruled out ODU Monday.
Rest said Taylor has not made 700 on the SAT. If Tech calls Taylor again, Rest said, "I'm sure Greg will listen to them."
\ Old Dominion's new basketball coach, former Radford coach Oliver Purnell, has talked to Tech assistant Tic Price about joining Purnell's staff in Norfolk, but Purnell said he has not offered Price a job.
by CNB