TECH'S SMITH MAKES METRO FRESHMAN TEAM

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 9, 1993                   TAG: 9303090025
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
TECH'S SMITH MAKES METRO FRESHMAN TEAM
Virginia Tech forward Shawn Smith, who scored 12 points in the Hokies' first four games but hit double figures the next eight contests, Monday was named to the Metro Conference's all-freshman team.
The 6-foot-6 Smith finished the regular season as Tech's third-leading scorer (8.9 points per game) and second-leading rebounder (4.6). He is the first Hokie to make the team since Jay Purcell in 1991.
"The only thing I can really say is hard work pays off," said Smith, who received 31 votes on the 51 ballots cast by members of the Metro Conference Sportswriters and Broadcasters' Association.
UNC Charlotte guard Andre Davis was the only unanimous all-freshman team choice. South Florida guard Chucky Atkins received 47 votes, Tulane guard LeVeldro Simmons 43 and South Florida swingman Chris Coleman 23.
Tech coach Bill Foster was concerned about Smith's weight (265 pounds) and didn't play him much early. But Smith made 10 of 10 free throws in an overtime victory against East Carolina on Jan. 2 and set his career high with 20 points the next game against Southern Mississippi.
Smith, from Gastonia, N.C., by way of Fork Union Military Academy, credited his teammates with helping him deal with a recent stretch in which he scored 25 points in seven games.
"The fellas really helped me out with my attitude toward that," said Smith, who said he started thinking of himself as the instigator of Tech's offense. "That hurt me more than anything, and hurt the team. If I can just keep the right mindset, coming into next year I should really be able to make some noise."
Keywords:
BASKETBALL

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB