ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, March 21, 1996 TAG: 9603210017
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
Timesland's two leading scorers, William Byrd's Chris Childress and Staunton River's Hunter Hoggatt, have been selected to The Associated Press' first-team All-Group AA boys' basketball team.
Two other Timesland players - Laurel Park's Rashad Wall and Liberty's J.J. Coles - were named to the second team.
Childress, the Blue Ridge District's player of the year, wound up with a 24-point average this season and scored 1,425 points in his career. A 6-foot-3 senior, Childress hasn't made up his mind where he'll play college basketball.
Hoggatt, a 6-3 junior guard, led Timesland scoring with a 26.7 average. In three years - two at Staunton River and one at Altavista - Hoggatt has scored 1,575 points.
Hoggatt's career at Staunton River may be over. His family said two weeks ago he likely will transfer to a private school for his senior season.
For the second consecutive year, Nansemond River's Antoine Willie is the Group AA player of the year. He averaged 25 points a game this season for the Suffolk school.
The other two first-team members are James Wood's Michael Crawford, a 6-0 junior from Winchester who led the state's Group AA schools in scoring with a 28.8 average, and Nansemond River's 6-3 senior Montorian Valentine, who averaged 18 points.
Other second-team members are Damian Wolfe and Gary Jones of Caroline in Milford; Altavista's Dennis Brown, the Seminole District's player of the year; and Gate City's Josh Shoemaker. Because of a tie, six players were chosen for the second team.
The coach of the year is Fort Defiance's Bill Hale, whose team was eliminated in the first round of the Group AA tournament.
``Chris has had a great year,'' said Paul Barnard, William Byrd's coach. ``The only thing that is disappointing is that we didn't get to the regional or state so more people could see him.''
Childress is an all-around basketball player who for two years has received the Western Virginia Basketball Officials' Association sportsmanship award for the Blue Ridge District.
During Childress' career, Byrd went 64-28. As a senior, Childress scored 30 or more points in six of the Terriers' 20 regular-season games. He shot 52 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line.
Hoggatt made 84.9 of his free throws and shot nearly 30 percent from 3-point range. He scored 30 or more points seven times and had his top game of 52 points when Staunton River beat Appomattox County 93-90 in the first round of the Seminole District tournament.
Coles was Liberty's second-leading scorer, with a 14.8 average. He was regarded as the driving force for a balanced team that won 25 consecutive games culminating in a 53-50 victory over Lakeland of Suffolk in the Group AA championship game.
Wall, a 6-6 forward, led Laurel Park with averages of 20.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. He was the Piedmont District's player of the year.
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: CINDY PINKSTON/Staff William Byrd standout Chrisby CNBChildress (left) drives to the basket against Eric East of Glenvar
during a regular-season game. Childress scored 30 or more points
six times for the Terriers and was chosen first team All-Group AA.
He finished his career at Byrd with 1,425 points. color