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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 8, 1995                   TAG: 9503080091
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

CUSTIS NETS METRO HONOR

Sophomore forward Ace Custis, the leader of the first Virginia Tech men's basketball team to win 20 games since 1985-86, was named to the All-Metro Conference first team Tuesday.

Custis, who made the Metro's All-Freshman team last season, was the only league player to average a double-double this season. The 6-foot-7 Eastville native averaged 16.3 points and 10.4 rebounds, both team highs for the Hokies (20-7).

``It's an honor to make first team,'' Custis said, ``but I don't worry about individual awards. My prime concern is helping our team win as many games as possible and make postseason play.''

Custis is the first Tech player since Bimbo Coles in 1989-90 to make the All-Metro first team.

Tech junior forward Shawn Smith was named to the second team. The 6-6 Smith, who made the All-Freshman team two seasons ago, averaged 15.7 points and 6.9 rebounds. Smith tied in the voting for the team's final spot with senior forward Tyron McCoy of Virginia Commonwealth.

Custis was the second-leading vote-getter behind senior forward Jarvis Lang of UNC Charlotte. Lang, who averaged 16.3 points and 8.7 rebounds for the 49ers, was the only player to be named on every first-team ballot.

Three more sophomores - Jerald Honeycutt and Rayshard Allen of Tulane, and guard DeJuan Wheat of Louisville - rounded out the first team. (Complete team on Scoreboard. B4).

Honeycutt, whose 17.4 average led the league in scoring, and Allen (16.6 ppg), both made the all-freshman team last season.

Wheat, the only backcourt player to make the first team, led Louisville in scoring (16 ppg). He also was a member of the All-Freshman team last season.

The teams were selected by the Metro Conference Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association, in conjunction with the league's head coaches. The Metro will announce its men's player of the year, coach of the year and freshman of the year Thursday.

by CNB