Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 1, 1990 TAG: 9004010111
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Both are well on their way. Boys' player of the year Odell Hodge of Laurel Park and girls' honoree Angie McDaniel of William Byrd have the ability to be big-time recruits, their coaches say.
"Two years from now, Odell might be better than [Group AA player of the year] Reggie Waddy," said Laurel Park coach Frank Scott, comparing his star with the player who led R.E. Lee-Staunton to the state championship.
"He's gotten quite a few letters from colleges. Next year will be the season when they come out," Scott said of his 6-foot-7 star, who averaged 24.3 points and 14.9 rebounds.
McDaniel gets similar reviews.
"I'd say Angie is a Division I prospect as a sophomore because she has tremendous ability and her basketball skills have improved," said Richard Thrasher, Byrd's coach. "She's the best all-around athlete I've coached in girls' basketball. Lisa Childress [who went on to star at Ferrum] was a super athlete, but from one end of the floor, Angie [who is bigger than Childress] might have her beat on pure speed."
Hodge heads Timesland's Sizzling Sophomore boys' team, which also includes Jefferson Forest's Keith Enslow, Northside's John Baker, Marion's Eric Hungate and Lord Botetourt's Bobby Prince.
Baker is one of Timesland's best 3-point shooters; Enslow was one of the top Seminole District scorers despite playing on a winless team; Hungate helped Marion reach the Group AA tournament; and Prince was one of Timesland's outstanding young playmakers, averaging nearly six assists.
The first Sizzling Sophomore girls' team (until this year, only a girls' sophomore player of the year was picked) proved very tough to pick because of the wealth of young talent in Timesland.
The girls' sophomore of the year came down to a battle among Pulaski County's Terri Garland, Cave Spring's Lisa Hodges and McDaniel. The sophomore team also includes McDaniel's teammate Marcee Hufton and Galax's Nikki Moody.
Garland was the playmaker as Pulaski County made the Group AAA Northwestern Region tournament for the first time; Hodges shot 55.6 percent from the field to lead the Knights; Hufton is one of the strongest girls' 3-point shooters to come along in years; and Moody was seventh in fall girls' scoring as she led Galax to the Region C tournament.
Hodge already has had quite a career. He has scored 1,043 points in two seasons and led Laurel Park to the 1990 Group AA semifinals. The Lancers lost to R.E. Lee 69-47, but Hodge had 18 points and 16 rebounds compared to 22 points and 14 rebounds for Waddy.
"I knew Odell would be a lot better than he was as a freshman," said Scott. "He almost doubled his statistics in every area. He's getting stronger and I don't think he's finished growing."
What's scary for opponents is that Hodge may develop an outside game to go with his strong inside moves.
"It's one of his hidden strengths, but we haven't featured his jumper because we wanted to get the ball inside," said Scott. "He hit two 3-point shots when we were trying to catch up to Martinsville early in the year."
Scott said Hodge, despite his youth, was the team leader. "He's the one who says, `Let's go,' and speaks up," Scott said. "He's always punctual on and off the court. He's so conscientious of everything even down to the weather."
McDaniel plays forward for Byrd and might have averaged more than 14.5 points a game this season if she had not been plagued by illness much of the fall.
The biggest question about the Terriers' star might be academics; she failed to pass the required five subjects in the fall and had to give up volleyball during the winter.
What is impressive about McDaniel is the way she posts up inside. Thrasher said his star also can go outside.
"She gets her post moves because we have three forwards who are interchangeable," said the Byrd coach. "But she can shoot the 3-point shot. I just wouldn't let her. She's one of our best shooters.
"The thing is that Angie is so strong and has such big hands. Once she gets a hold of the ball, no one takes it away."
by CNB