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

DATE: THURSDAY, November 2, 1995                   TAG: 9511020084
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

DERSCH EXPECTED TO SIGN WITH UVA

Willie Dersch, one of the top basketball prospects in the country, is expected to announce today that he will sign with Virginia.

Dersch, who averaged 21.5 points as a junior at Holy Cross High School in Flushing, N.C., will make his decision official at a news conference at his school.

Sources say Dersch, a 6-foot-5 guard, informed UVa coach Jeff Jones of his decision in a phone call Thursday. The other two schools Dersch visited were North Carolina, his second choice, and Duke.

``The best way I can describe Willie,'' said Holy Cross coach Jim Kerr, ``is that he might average 15 or 20 points, but he might have a hand in 50 or 60. He makes everyone around him better.''

Virginia started recruiting Dersch during his sophomore season, when Holy Cross alumnus Dennis Wolff was on the UVa staff. Jones has handled most of the recent Dersch recruiting.

The Cavaliers had received earlier commitments from 6-10 Melvin Whitaker from Garner, N.C., and Hargrave Military Academy; 6-8 Colin Ducharme from Richmond, and 6-6 Monte Marcaccini, a transfer from Pepperdine.

by CNB