Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 31, 1992 TAG: 9203310052
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
During a recent telephone call between Tech assistant coach Chris Ferguson and well-known recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons, Ferguson mentioned some players who interested the Hokies.
"I said, `Hey, you oughta go see this kid,' " Gibbons said of Watlington. "He's better than some of the guys you've got on your list."
So, three weeks ago, Tech saw Watlington for the first time in a regional playoff game.
"Right then, they liked him," said Reidsville (N.C.) High School coach Ron Parsons.
Watlington, Parsons said, had a friend at Tech and "knew more about Tech than they knew about him."
Watlington visited Blacksburg, and on Sunday he orally committed to attend Tech next year. The 6-foot-2, 170-pounder who can play either guard position becomes the sixth member of Tech coach Bill Foster's first recruiting class. He has qualified under NCAA freshman-eligibility standards.
Watlington averaged 24 points and four assists per game for Reidsville, which competes in North Carolina's second-highest classification and finished 23-6. Watlington was co-player of the year in the Triad 3A Conference with Rusty LaRue, who signed a football scholarship with Wake Forest and is expected to play basketball as well. Watlington was voted one of the top 15 players in the Northwest Region, a group of about 30 schools, Parsons said.
In three playoff games, Parsons said, Watlington averaged 25.7 points per game.
Foster and his staff have been looking for help in the backcourt, and Watlington is the first true guard Tech has signed.
Parsons said Watlington visited North Carolina-Wilmington. UNCW, East Carolina and James Madison had shown the most interest, Parsons said; South Florida and Tulsa also had inquired.
Gibbons said Watlington was being "underrecruited." Parsons said Watlington wanted to go to what he perceived as the highest-level program as close to home as possible. Tech, a couple hours' drive from Reidsville, fit.
"He's an excellent 3-point shooter," Gibbons said. "I think they got a diamond in the rough."
Parsons praised Watlington's versatility and ability, noting that Watlington won a slam-dunk contest at Prep Stars summer camp in Charlotte last summer. But Parsons had one criticism.
"He should have averaged 35 [points]," Parsons said. "He didn't shoot the ball enough. The times I got on him for not scoring, he responded with 41- and 38-point performances."
Gibbons was glad to have been the matchmaker.
"I feel a sense of pride that the kid doesn't know me from Adam, but in a small way I was able to help him," Gibbons said.
by CNB