THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 27, 1996 TAG: 9604270500
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 49 lines
The last-place team in the Atlantic Coast Conference scored a recruiting victory over the champion Friday when Atlantic Shores' Damon Thornton chose N.C. State over Wake Forest.
Thornton, a 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward, is the first player to sign with State since Herb Sendek replaced Les Robinson as head coach four weeks ago.
Thornton also visited Syracuse, Maryland, Iowa and Liberty. He was leaning toward State until Robinson resigned, he said.
That's when Wake Forest, a late player in the recruiting game, came hard after Thornton.
Thornton, who is qualified for freshman eligibility under NCAA guidelines, took an official visit to Wake Forest last weekend and made an unofficial stop at N.C. State on the way home.
The two schools and their situations couldn't be more different, and that helped delay Thornton's decision.
``I love the campus at Wake Forest, and they are going to win right away,'' he said. ``But I'll get playing time sooner at N.C. State, and that will me help me as an individual.''
Thornton has played only two seasons of organized basketball. He averaged 14.5 points and 11.5 rebounds last winter.
He transferred to Atlantic Shores from Granby, where was he was academically ineligible.
Thornton said he made up his mind Friday morning after reading in The Virginian-Pilot that Wake Forest had signed 6-10 Joakim Blom of Sweden. But the most influential person in his decision was probably Sendek.
``There is just something about him,'' Thornton said. ``He's different from all the other coaches I talked to.
``Everybody else was telling me about how many girls they have on campus and how many guys they've sent to the pros. He talked about religion, basketball and family.
``He told me what I needed to hear and not what I wanted to hear.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Damon Thornton has played only two seasons of organized basketball.
He averaged 14.5 points last year.
by CNB