ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, May 9, 1996 TAG: 9605090036
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
A SOPHOMORE is chosen Mr. Basketball, and Ms. Basketball is a repeat performer.
With one week remaining in the spring signing period, there still is no word on where the top boys' basketball player in Virginia will be playing collegiately.
And there won't be, at least for another year.
Jason Capel from Indian River High School in Chesapeake has accomplished something J.R. Reid, Alonzo Mourning and Grant Hill never did - being named Mr.Basketball by The Roanoke Times as a sophomore - and it wasn't close.
There was even less debate over the choice as Ms. Basketball for the second year in a row - Katie Smrcka-Duffy from James Madison High School in Vienna.
Capel, a 6-foot-8 forward, has a chance to become the first three-time choice as Mr. Basketball. That is, if he continues to play in Virginia.
There has been ongoing speculation that Capel, son of Old Dominion University coach Jeff Capel, may transfer to Greensboro (N.C.) Day School.
``It's still America,'' said Freddie Spellman, Indian River's coach. ``It's the family's choice. The way I look at it is, if it happens, it happens. I felt the same way about the rumor when we first heard he was coming.''
Capel averaged close to 10 points as a freshman, then blossomed this past season, when he averaged 21.6 points and 13.4 rebounds while spending time at all five positions.
``I hadn't seen him before he got here,'' Spellman said. ``I'd only heard of him, but, once I got a chance to see him play, I could see whey he was considered the best eighth-grader in the country.
``Nothing was said from the standpoint of, `You've got to do this.' All I told him was, `Just fit in.' As soon as the kids saw him play, it didn't take long. The main thing about Jason is, being as tall as he is, is the way he can handle the ball. You wouldn't want to limit him to just being a post player.''
The top prospect among senior boys was 6-7 Stephen Jackson, who spent his senior year at Oak Hill Academy after transferring from Port Arthur, Texas. Jackson was one of four Oak Hill players among the top 11 prospects and one of seven private-school players on the Top 15.
The ratings were based on the level of recruiting interest. As a result, talented but as-yet-academically unqualified prospects like Robert Wimbush of George Washington-Danville and Kenny Inge of Atlantic Shores Christian in Virginia Beach were not included.
Virginia Tech is one of the schools involved with ``sleeper'' Shawn Tann, who has qualified but is likely to attend Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, as is Inge. Wimbush is headed to Hagerstown (Md.) Junior College.
Not all of the state's prep schools admit girls and, of the ones that do, few have girls' basketball programs. That helps explain why all 15 of the state's top-ranked girls come from public-school programs.
There may be as much distance between Smrcka-Duffy and the state's No.2-ranked prospect, Robinson High School point guard Mandy Ronay, as there is between Ronay and the rest of the state's top 15. Smrcka-Duffy recently was named second-team Parade All-American.
``I was hoping I would be much higher,'' said Smrcka-Duffy, who is known for her candor. ``I think a lot of that had to do with my ACL injury. If you look at my stats and then look at some of the other people on the [first team], some of those people don't belong up there.''
Smrcka-Duffy required reconstructive knee surgery after tearing one of her anterior cruciate ligaments Feb. 4, 1994. She came back to play in the opening game of her junior year and averaged 30.6 points for a team that reached the Group AAA championship game.
Madison lost two starters, both of whom received Division I scholarships, but returned to the Group AAA title game, only to lose to Robinson for the second year in a row. No wonder Smrcka-Duffy said her long-term goal at North Carolina State is to win a national championship.
And in the short term?
``I want to start, lead the team in scoring [and] have a huge role as a freshman,'' she said.
Smrcka-Duffy picked N.C. State from a list of finalists that included Stanford, Penn State and Virginia. She settled on N.C. State, Stanford and Penn State at the end of the summer, then added UVa after the coaches made home visits.
``If you had told me last year at this time that I would sign with N.C. State, I would have said, `Who!''' Smrcka-Duffy said. ``The first time Coach [Kay] Yow called, I was on the phone, and I think she had to call back four times.
``I've had people around here tell me, `Oh, my dream is to go to UVa,' but there honestly was never one school I always liked. I didn't care where I went this time a year ago. I was looking for the place that offered me the best opportunity.''
Several top players found their opportunity at Division II Shepherd College, which signed frontcourt prospects Stephanie Schwandt from Robinson and Renee Lettington from Park View (Sterling). Lettington, whose selection as Group AA player of the year did not bring a rash of Division I offers, is The Roanoke Times' girls sleeper of the year.
LENGTH: Medium: 99 lines ILLUSTRATION: 1. headshot of Capel colorby CNB2. PARKER DANIELL Katie Smrcka-Duffy of James Madison High School is
Ms. Basketball for the second year in a row. color
3. chart - Prep Basketball Prospects Boys STAFF
4. chart - Prep Basketball Prospects Girls STAFF KEYWORDS: MGR