ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 5, 1997 TAG: 9703050086
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: PHILADELPHIA
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Virginia Tech's Ace Custis has completed the hat trick.
The Hokies forward was named to the 1997 All-Atlantic 10 Conference first team men's basketball squad announced Tuesday.
The selection marks the third consecutive year Custis has been selected first-team all-league. The 6-foot-7 senior from Eastville, Va., earned A-10 honors in 1996 and was first-team All-Metro Conference in '95.
Custis finished 13th in the A-10 in scoring (14.8 points per game) and third in rebounding (8.8 per game). He led the league in defensive rebounding (6.0) and was 11th in steals (1.79 per game).
Custis was joined on the first team by junior guard Rashid Bey of St.Joseph's, junior center Marc Jackson of Temple, junior guard Tyson Wheeler of Rhode Island and sophomore guards Lenny Brown and Gary Lumpkin of Xavier. A tie for the fifth spot created the six-man first team.
Jackson, a transfer from Virginia Commonwealth who averaged 16.9 points and nine rebounds, was selected as the league's player of the year.
Phil Martelli, who in his second season guided St. Joe's (21-6) to the A-10 East Division title and a No.19 ranking in the Associated Press poll, was named coach of the year.
La Salle guard Donnie Carr, the top NCAA Division I freshman scorer (24.5 ppg), was named the league's rookie of the year. Other players and their awards in balloting by the league's 12 head coaches and the media: James Posey, Xavier, top sixth man; Dmitri Domani, St.Joe's, defensive player of the year; and Bey, most improved.
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