ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, November 7, 1996 TAG: 9611070020
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: COLLEGE NOTEBOOK
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY
The transition from head coach Bill Foster to longtime aide Bobby Hussey has had little effect on Virginia Tech men's basketball recruiting.
Indeed, it appears the Hokies are done for the fall after receiving a commitment this week from Clinton McPherson, a 6-foot-9, 215-pound center from Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami.
McPherson was named first-team All-Dade County after averaging 15 points, 12 rebounds and eight blocks in helping Pace to a 31-4 record and the Class 4-A state championship.
McPherson is the fourth player to commit to Tech, which is saving a fifth scholarship for 6-6 Jermaine Kilgore, who is enrolled in school but did not meet NCAA eligibility guidelines.
Of the four recruits, McPherson is the only one to have taken a paid campus visit to Tech. The NCAA, which placed Tech on probation for travel irregularities, has limited the Hokies to three ``official'' visits for the 1995-96 season.
As a result, the Hokies made sure McPherson was serious before inviting him to Blacksburg for an Oct.27-29 visit. His other visits were to South Florida, Florida International and College of Charleston (S.C.).
``Clinton improved tremendously from his sophomore to his junior year and I think his upside is incredible,'' said Pace coach Joe Dawson, noting McPherson played sparingly as a 10th-grader. ``If he had gone to camp, I think he would have been a nationally known player.''
McPherson had a stress fracture in his back that limited his summer activity. He also took some summer-school courses, although he was in good shape academically.
``Offensively, he needs some work,'' Pace said. ``He's very good defensively and as a rebounder and shot-blocker. He has long arms, which makes him play taller than 6-9.''
* Tech will get an unofficial visit this weekend from 7-2 Jason Horton, who played sparingly last season at Gate City High School before transferring to nearby Twin Springs, a Group A program where veteran coach Don Flick is in his first season.
Flick, who coached at Floyd County in the late 1960s, said Horton has received offers from Southern California and The Citadel, but is unlikely to sign in the fall. Flick thinks more schools should be involved with Twin Springs' 6-4 Stacy Irvin, last season's Group A player of the year.
FAVORABLE REPORTS: Almost everybody who has seen Virginia basketball recruit Chezley Watson comments on his muscular physique. That includes Oak Hill Academy coach Steve Smith, who coached Watson on a camp all-star team.
``I told the Virginia coaches how the situation was going with Will [Avery] and asked who they were recruiting,'' said Smith, aware UVa was not leading with Avery, who this week committed to Duke. ``When they said, `Chezley Watson,' I told them, `You've got to take him.'
``At the end of [camp] games, when you could play whoever you wanted, I wanted Chezley in there because you knew he wasn't going to turn it over. You look at his chest and shoulders and all you can say is whew. He's a very good defender and he can shoot it, too.''
OTHER RECRUITING: Massachusetts has received an oral commitment from one of the top prospects in West Virginia, 6-1 Rafael Cruz, a native of Puerto Rico who has spent the last two years at Wheeling Park High School.
* Recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons said Liberty ``pulled off the biggest recruiting steal of this class'' when the Flames received an oral commitment from Jeremy Day, a 6-9 post player from Olathe (Kan.) Christian School whom Gibbons rates the No.86 prospect in the country.
* VCU received a commitment from 6-1 Scott Lilly of Charlotte, N.C., who received some late interest from ACC programs. North Carolina State's fifth oral commitment, four from players 6-6 or taller, is from 6-10 Ron Kelley from Emory, Texas.
IN THE ACC: Redshirt freshman quarterback Dan Kendra will make his first start for Florida State against Wake Forest on Saturday. The Seminoles' regular quarterback, Thad Busby, suffered a hairline fracture of his left (non-throwing) wrist in a 49-3 win at Georgia Tech, although he has been fitted with a cast that may enable him to play.
* North Carolina State does not expect to have Torry Holt and Jimmy Grissett, both ranked among the top 10 in the ACC in receptions, when it entertains winless Duke this week. Grissett has a hip pointer and Holt a fractured collarbone that may cause him to miss the remainder of the season.
IN THE BIG EAST: West Virginia has been the victim of six blocked kicks this season, including two Saturday night in a 30-7 loss to Syracuse. ``We've got to make some changes,'' coach Don Nehlen said. ``I'm starting to go to sleep with a punt formation in my mind.''
* A 20-13 victory over Boston College capped a big week for Pittsburgh coach Johnny Majors, who was overjoyed to learn Steve Pederson would be the Panthers' new athletic director. Pederson, an assistant AD at Nebraska, once was Majors' recruiting coordinator at Tennessee.
* Karim Thompson, a redshirt freshman from Northside High School, has recovered from a summer auto accident to play in six of nine games for Pitt. Thompson, a reserve fullback, has three carries for 4 yards and has assisted on two tackles on special teams.
LOCAL UPDATE: Ex-Northside point guard Ben Peete, an All-Region III choice last season, is a freshman on the men's basketball team at Northwest Mississippi Community College. Scott Davies, a senior from Cave Spring High School, is one of the captains of the men's swimming team at American University.
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