Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 14, 1994 TAG: 9404140078
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Manns, an All-Group AAA selection at Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, has requested and been granted a release from his scholarship at George Mason.
"I'd like to go to a place where they play up-tempo - sort of like they play here, but not to that extreme," said Manns, a 6-foot-1 guard.
The Patriots underwent a dramatic change in philosophy when run-and-gun advocate Paul Westhead was named coach to succeed Ernie Nestor, who recruited Manns and coached him for one year.
Still, Manns had a successful sophomore year by almost any standards. He led the Colonial Athletic Association in assists with 161 and averaged 11.9 points per game.
"Toward the end of the year, it just seemed that I couldn't get into the flow," said Manns, an All-CAA Rookie selection in 1992-93. "I wasn't really comfortable. You react to certain things instead of creating."
Although he shared some of the point-guard duties with freshman Curtis McCants, Manns started 18 of 27 games - only one player started more than 20 - and was second on the team in minutes with 690.
"I knew, going in, that I was going to play 25 minutes a game," Manns said. "I don't think my playing time would have gone down. I just put myself through such stress playing in that system, but I have no problems with the coaches or other players."
Manns will remain at George Mason for the remainder of the semester and is in no hurry to choose a new school. He would be required to pay his way for a year if he transferred to another CAA program; however, in that case, he would be eligible for aid based on need.
\ BASHAM SOLID: Timmy Basham, like Manns a member of Patrick Henry's Group AAA state championship team in 1992, played in every game for East Carolina (15-12) as a freshman this year and averaged 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds. Basham, who started four games, was 41-of-102 from 3-point range.
\ HOPE FOR GRAY: Clemson basketball player Devin Gray, who suffered a heart attack April 5, has returned home to Baltimore to recuperate, but there is optimism he will play for the Tigers again.
It is believed the heart attack was caused by a spasm, because a heart catheterization April 7 did not reveal any abnormality or blockage. Gray has been told to rest for two months, after which he will be tested again.
New Clemson coach Rick Barnes has been greeted by only six scholarship players, including Gray and Rayfield Ragland, arrested Tuesday on charges of eavesdropping and peeping. Former Furman guard Billy Harder, the 1992 Southern Conference rookie of the year, has transferred to Clemson, where his father is the team physician.
\ CANTAFIO'S CLEMSON CONNECTION: New Furman coach Joe Cantafio was unsuccessful in persuading Harder to return to the Paladins; however, Cantafio does have three former Clemson players on his roster: Steve Harris, Jimmy Mason and Anthony Smith.
\ PERRIN A CANDIDATE: Tom Perrin, a part-time and restricted-earnings coach at Virginia for the past 12 years, said earlier this week he wants the full-time job that came open when Dennis Wolff was named head coach at Boston University. Small wonder.
Wolff was paid more than $60,000, compared with the maximum of $12,000 that Perrin could receive as the restricted-earnings coach. Perrin would have to relinquish much of the scouting work that has been his specialty, but it is the nature of the profession that assistants don't get full pay unless they recruit.
One-time North Carolina State basketball standout Dereck Whittenburg, an assistant coach at West Virginia, is the likely choice to succeed Sherman Dillard on the staff at Georgia Tech.
\ RECRUITING: James Pelham, a second-team All-Group AAA selection in 1993 from Hopewell High School, has signed with Richmond after a year at Fork Union Military Academy. . . . Liberty signed 6-5 Jay Boykin, who averaged 28 points at North Augusta (S.C.) High School. . . . Paul Hatcher, coach at R.E. Lee High School in Staunton, said two-time All-Group AA selection Frankie Johnson is looking at Fork Union Military Academy. . . . Virginia Tech football signee Tony Morrison, from Indian River High School in Chesapeake, was named Southeastern District player of the year in basketball and may try out for the Hokies' basketball team if he is in good academic standing.
\ NON-REVENUE: The Roanoke College men's lacrosse team led 10-7 on Saturday at Ohio Wesleyan before falling 12-11. It was the Maroons' third loss of the season by one goal - two of those after leading by three goals or more.
Of Virginia's 12 consecutive losses to open the ACC baseball season, five have been by one run and two by two runs. Junior right-hander Yates Hall has struck out 71 in 49 innings for the Cavaliers.
\ LOCAL UPDATE: Freshman tennis player Jeremy Graybill from Northside has an 11-0 singles record for Hampden-Sydney. . . . Former Cave Spring standout Anthony Cummings was named most valuable men's basketball player at Lynchburg College for the second year in a row. Another former Knight, Jay Gentry, received the coaches' attitude award. . . . Dawn Coleman from Buena Vista finished her Liberty University basketball career as the fifth-leading scorer in Lady Flames history with 908 points. Coleman was second in games played, with 112. . . . Liberty freshman Michelle Wyms, a 5-10 center from Radford, started all 24 games and was named to the Big South All-Rookie team.
by CNB