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

DATE: SATURDAY, October 14, 1995                   TAG: 9510150005
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium


HOKIES READY FOR THE ATLANTIC 10

COACH BILL FOSTER says he has more players and talent on this year's team.

Athlon Magazine picks them in the top eight nationally. College Sports Magazine has them No.14. The Sporting News picks them 19th.

Yes, everywhere you dribble in college basketball's 1995-96 preseason, you can't help but run into the Virginia Tech Hokies.

``It's a lot better to be in that position than not getting any mention,'' said Bill Foster, Tech coach.

``Expectations are high for us. The big thing for us is going to be how we handle all those expectations.''

Tech's long road to possible greatness begins at one minute past midnight tonight, when the Hokies open practice at Cassell Coliseum for their first season of play in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

Tech appears to be loaded heading into its new neighborhood. Not only does Foster have every player back from last year's 25-10 National Invitation Tournament championship team, he also has some strong reinforcements on hand.

In addition to last season's cast, Foster welcomes former starter Jim Jackson and potential starter Keefe Matthews. Transfer Troy Manns of Roanoke and promising freshmen Shawn Browne, Andre Ray and Alvaro Tor give Foster even more cards to play.

It's a far cry from last season, when Tech seldom had enough bodies to go five-on-five in practice. Foster said it's likely that one or two players could be redshirted. The most likely candidates to sit out a year are freshmen Ray and Tor.

``If everybody stays healthy it's nearly impossible to play 14 guys,'' Foster noted. "All five of our juniors used a redshirt year. I think it's in the best interest for a younger player to consider a redshirt year. It can really be beneficial to them. But I always give the player the choice of whether they want to do it.''

Foster said last year's starters will enter preseason drills with their jobs intact. Ace Custis, Shawn Smith, Shawn Good and Damon Watlington averaged at least 34 minutes a game last season. The other starting spot was split between Travis Jackson and David Jackson.

``Until somebody sits a guy down it's my philosophy you stick with the guys who did it the year before,'' Foster said. ``Every year is a new year, but I believe you have to put some value on last year.''

Foster, who used only seven players most of last season, realizes his biggest chore will involve team chemistry. More players means less minutes for everybody.

``I'm stressing quality minutes instead of quantity minutes,'' Foster said. ``We asked a lot of those guys last year, playing 37, 40 minutes a night. This time, they will be playing less minutes, but they should be fresher and be able to give us more quality minutes.''

With more players, Foster said the Hokies will be able to pick up the pressure on the defensive end.

``That should lead to more possessions for us,'' Foster said. "Our guys will be playing less minutes, but the number of possessions they get shouldn't go down that much, if at all.''

Foster, whom many believe did one of the nation's best coaching jobs last season, realizes what's on the line for his fifth Tech team, which opens the season on Nov.28 at home against Coastal Carolina.

``It's a big year for Virginia Tech basketball,'' said Foster, who enters his 29th season as a college head coach with 494 wins.

``We have a lot to build on coming off last year. Plus, there's the uncertainty of going into a new league. I think our people and a lot of others are really excited about what could happen this season.''



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