Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 18, 1995 TAG: 9505180018
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Ferrum will be adding - or, in some cases, resuming - series with Charleston Southern, Guilford, Methodist and Frostburg (Md.) State. Going off the schedule will be Westminster, Thomas More and Montclair State.
``We're getting closer to where we'd like to be, which is a more regional schedule,'' said Davis, who succeeded longtime boss Hank Norton after the 1993 season. ``Ideally, we'd like to play Hampden-Sydney, Randolph-Macon and Bridgewater.''
Ferrum is an independent, which accounts for some of the scheduling problems. Also, the Panthers were a junior-college power before joining Division III in 1986, a reputation that may have scared off a few opponents.
``When we were making the playoffs [from 1987-90], it wasn't a bad situation because we were getting extra games in the postseason,'' Davis said. ``The last couple of years, it's [the nine-game schedule] turned into a negative.''
Although Ferrum has been closer to .500 in recent years, scheduling still hasn't been easy. Next year's opponents include two scholarship programs, Division I-AA Charleston Southern and Division II West Virginia Tech.
A CLEAN BREAK: Injury plagued Virginia point guard Cory Alexander is expected to announce today at a news conference that he has signed with an agent and could not return to the Cavaliers even if dissatisfied with results of the NBA draft.
BLOW FOR UNC: Randell Jackson, the best big man available late in the spring signing period, surprised North Carolina and others when he signed a letter-of-intent to play basketball for Florida State.
Jackson, originally from Roxbury, Mass., spent the past two seasons at the Winchendon (Mass.) School. Although there is some question whether he will qualify academically, the 6-foot-10 Jackson represents a major coup for the Seminoles, whose competition included Maryland, Connecticut and Kentucky.
North Carolina is still in the picture with 6-10 Kevin Garnett, who earlier this week made himself available for the NBA draft, although he has 30 days after the draft in which to change his mind.
Garnett, the cousin of Tar Heels' freshman Shammond Williams, moved to Chicago this year from Mauldin, S.C. He reportedly will take an official recruiting visit to Chapel Hill, N.C., this weekend.
MORE RECRUITING: Maryland got the point guard it wanted when 6-foot Terrell Stokes from Philadelphia signed with the Terrapins. The Terps also landed 6-9 Brian Watkins, a transfer who averaged 1.5 points and 1.8 rebounds this year as a freshman at Notre Dame. Watkins had contacted Virginia.
Petersburg High School center Marco Harrison, named Mr. Basketball in Virginia by the Roanoke Times & World-News, has visited Fork Union Military Academy and might spend a year in prep school even if he meets NCAA eligibility standards.
Virginia Tech has reached the 13-scholarship men's basketball limit, but the Hokies have told walk-on Kelly Mann that he will get a grant if one becomes available over the summer or if they are under the limit after meeting their 1995-96 recruiting needs. Mann, a 6-3 guard from Peterstown, W.Va., will be a sophomore next season.
HAMLER ON MOVE: One-time William Fleming High School basketball assistant Barry Hamler, head coach for the past eight seasons at Booker T. Washington, is the new coach at Elizabeth City State. Hamler played for Fleming coach Burrall Paye at Powell Valley in Big Stone Gap.
THOMPSON TO FUMA: Northside High School running back Karim Thompson, who showed enough promise to warrant an invitation to visit Virginia Tech, plans to spend a postgraduate year at Fork Union. Thompson rushed for 1,059 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, averaging more than 10 yards per carry.
OFF-SEASON FOOTBALL: The NCAA has rejected West Virginia's appeal to get an extra year of eligibility for defensive lineman John Browning, who had tried to void the contract he signed with an agent.
LOCAL UPDATE: Staunton River product Jalenda Newman was named most valuable softball player at Lynchburg College, where she had an 11-8 pitching record and a 3.36 earned-run average. Newman was also the team captain.
Clinch Valley has received football commitments from Salem High offensive guard-linebacker Chris Male and tight end-defensive tackle Doug Perdue. ... Former All-Group AA defensive lineman Chad Custer from Salem did not complete his freshman year at East Carolina and may transfer to a Division III school, Spartans' coach Willis White said.
RENAISSANCE MAN: Wake Forest junior Rusty LaRue became the first ACC athlete known to have participated in football, basketball and baseball when he pitched in relief against Furman on May 11. LaRue starts at quarterback for the Deacons' football team and was a top reserve in basketball.
BENEFIT HOOPS: Ex-Virginia wide receiver Herman Moore will bring Detroit Lions teammate Barry Sanders to University Hall for a basketball game June 4 to benefit the UVa Children's Medical Center. Charlottesville resident and ex-Los Angeles Raiders standout Howie Long is among the participants.
ADMINISTRATION: One-time Roanoker Lewis Mills is the new athletic director at Western Kentucky, where he previously had served as the chief fund-raiser. Mills is a former University of Richmond basketball coach. ... Ferrum College athletic director Ted Kinder has begun a two-year term as president of the Dixie Conference.
by CNB