ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, March 28, 1997 TAG: 9703280075
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Devon ``Boo'' Battle joins player of the year Ronald Curry of Hampton on the all-state squad.
Devon ``Boo'' Battle of Patrick Henry High School was a first-team selection on the All-Group AAA boys' basketball team announced Thursday.
Battle, a 6-foot-4 junior, averaged 22.4 points on 57-percent shooting and grabbed 10.6 rebounds per game. He rose to the occasion in big games, too, scoring 34 points against Martinsville and 31 in a victory at E.C. Glass.
Meanwhile, the awards keep piling up for Hampton's Ronald Curry.
After being a runaway choice for Group AAA player of the year honors in football, Curry repeated in basketball, averaging better than 23 points and six rebounds in leading the Crabbers to the state title.
The 6-foot-3 junior, who made first-team at three positions in football, also averaged five assists and three steals for Hampton, which capped a 26-3 season by beating Potomac 67-52 in the championship game.
Joining Curry and Battle on the first team were Lamar Taylor of John Marshall, Monsanto Pope of Hopewell and Mookie Felder of Potomac. Pope and Taylor are the only seniors on the team. (Complete All-Group AAA boys' team in Scoreboard. B4)
Curry had a season-high of 41 points and reached the 20-point mark in 12 consecutive games. The Crabbers finished the season with an 18-game winning streak, knocking off top-ranked and unbeaten John Marshall in the state semifinals, then riding Curry's 26 points to the victory against the Panthers.
Hampton coach Walter Brower was selected coach of the year by state sportswriters.
Pope, 6-4, averaged 27.3 points and 13.1 rebounds for Hopewell and finished with 1,560 career points.
Taylor, 5-10, led the Justices in scoring with a 22.3 average.
Felder, 6-2, scored at a 13.7 clip for Potomac and added 7.3 assists per game.
Charles Burnette of William Fleming was an honorable mention choice.
LENGTH: Short : 48 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Battle. color.by CNB