Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 7, 1991 TAG: 9103070030
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Another piece of evidence that the New Orleans' university got a good man with the X's and O's came on the eve of the Metro Conference tournament at the Roanoke Civic Center.
Clark, the second-year head coach whose program has shown an 11-game improvement this season, on Wednesday was selected the Metro's coach of the year at tournament's annual luncheon at the Airport Marriott.
Sharing the spotlight with Clark was Southern Mississippi forward Clarence Weatherspoon, who won his second straight Metro player-of-the-year honor. Weatherspoon is the first player in Metro history to be selected the league's top player twice.
Tulane rookie Kim Lewis became the second straight Green Wave player to earn the Metro's freshman-of-the-year award. Lewis headed a six-man Metro all-freshman team, the extra player picked because of a tie in balloting by the Metro Conference Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association and the league's eight coaches.
Tying for the last spot on the squad was Virginia Tech guard Jay Purcell of Blacksburg.
Clark, 39, was hired to restore Tulane basketball after the program was shut down for four seasons because of a point-shaving scandal. Clark's first Green Wave team a year ago was 4-24. Tulane (15-12) and Memphis State tied for fourth place in the Metro this season and will play in today's second first-round tournament game at 3:35 p.m.
Clark and South Carolina head coach George Felton were assistants together under Georgia Tech head coach Bobby Cremins. However, being a boss is different, Clark said.
"I always thought I could be a good head coach," said Clark, bestowing praise on his longtime mentor and former high school coach, Morgan Wootten of DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville, Md. "I think I've always been a person who has strived to be the best at whatever I was doing.
"I wanted to be the best recruiter. I want to be the best head coach I can. Coach Wootten taught me a lot, and Bobby gave me a lot of responsibility. Maybe the biggest thing I learned from Coach Wootten was how necessary it is to have a program with character.
"Doing it the right way is very important to me."
Clark said the Green Wave improved most on defense.
"The next step is probably the hardest," Clark said. "People say the key is to keep recruiting better so you don't level off. We have to keep working hard to make that next step."
Clark is the 13th different coach to win the Metro honor in 16 years. The only coaches to win more than once are Louisville's Denny Crum (three times) and Larry Finch of Memphis State (twice).
The only other coaches to receive votes in this season's balloting were M.K. Turk of Southern Mississippi and Pat Kennedy of Florida State.
Weatherspoon led 22nd-ranked Southern Miss to its first regular-season title. The 6-foot-7 junior from Crawford, Miss., was listed on 38 of 53 ballots.
Memphis State senior guard Elliot Perry, like Weatherspoon a unanimous pick to the All-Metro team announced Monday, got the other 15 votes.
Weatherspoon leads the Metro in career rebounding, ranks second in field-goal percentage and is third in scoring this season. He was a member of the United States' Goodwill Games team last summer.
Lewis, a 6-4 guard, is the top freshman scorer in the Metro although he didn't start a game all season. Lewis, of Varnado, La., is averaging 10.8 points and 4.1 rebounds and ranks second in the Metro in steals.
Green Wave center Anthony Reed, a first-team all-conference pick, was the Metro's top freshman a year ago.
Lewis was listed on all 53 all-freshman team ballots. He edged Bernard Haslett of Southern Miss for the top spot on the squad.
Haslett had 50 votes, followed by Charlie Ward of Florida State (36), Jamie Watson of South Carolina (26) and the two players who tied for fifth, Tech's Purcell and Carlin Hartman of Tulane (19 each).
by CNB