UVA MAKES THE CUT WITH CAVE SPRING'S BARBER TWINS

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

DATE: TUESDAY, January 19, 1993                   TAG: 9301190152
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
UVA MAKES THE CUT WITH CAVE SPRING'S BARBER TWINS
Ronde Barber had to admit, he had never pictured himself in Virginia orange and blue.
The image became clearer after the Barber twins, Ronde and Tiki, took a recruiting visit to UVa in early December.
The Cavaliers, who had fallen in and out of the Barbers' favor during the past year, never trailed after that point. On Monday, the twins announced they had made an oral commitment to play football for Virginia.
The Barbers, from Cave Spring High in Roanoke, knew before they visited Clemson this past weekend that they were likely to choose Virginia.
"Clemson didn't show us what we needed to see," Ronde said. "I didn't feel we were as important to Clemson as we were to Virginia.
"[UVa assistant Danny] Wilmer was the first coach ever to talk to us. I'd have to say he was a pretty big factor, too."
The Barbers were supposed to visit Michigan this weekend, but canceled the trip as soon as they returned from Clemson on Sunday night.
"Our mom advised us to take a couple trips so we could make a comparison," Tiki said, "but our decision was sort of made as soon as we got back from Virginia."
The Barbers, ranked among the top five prospects in Virginia by the Roanoke Times & World-News, also have been selected to the 213-man All-America team picked by SuperPrep magazine.
They bring to nine the prospects who have signed with Virginia, joining Julius Williams, a 6-foot-4, 260-pound defensive end from Chaminade-Juliette High in Dayton, Ohio. Williams picked UVa over Ohio State.
"It surprised me," Chaminade-Juliette coach Jim Place. "He went to Ohio State and was a Buckeye born and raised. He said all along he was going to base his decision on academics and he stuck by it."
John Shuman, the coach at Fork Union Military Academy, said he was awaiting confirmation that wide receiver Shawn Scales had committed with Virginia Tech. It is likely the Hokies will receive several commitments this week after entertaining a large group of prospects over the weekend.
Tiki Barber (5-10, 175) rushed for more than 3,000 yards in his career and has been told he would play running back by Virginia. Ronde (5-11, 165) received time at running back, but is likely to play in the secondary after recording 18 interceptions for the Knights.
"Tiki has such versatility that I think you'll see him utilized in a variety of ways," Cave Spring coach Steve Spangler said, "but I think you'll see him on offense. Ronde definitely has the speed to play corner."
Each of the Barbers has won state track championships - Ronde in the hurdles and Tiki in the long jump - but they said the opportunity to run track did not play a part in their decision. Tiki said he expected to skip the outdoor track season as a freshman to participate in spring football.
"We've received a verbal guarantee that they can run track and we may get something in writing," Geraldine Barber, the twins' mother, said. "I don't think there will be a problem with that."
The Barbers were born in Blacksburg, where their father, J.B., played running back in the early 1970s. Their mother is a Virginia Tech graduate, but that did not influence their decision.
"You cannot go to Tech and not be involved with the Virginia-Virginia Tech rivalry," she said. "I've rooted for Tech in the past, but I won't have any problem rooting for my sons.
"They didn't want to go to Tech for the same reason I didn't want to go to the same school as my parents. They wanted to strike out on their own."

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB