VIRGINIA TECH'S BASHAM QUITS BASKETBALL TEAM

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 11, 1992                   TAG: 9202110082
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B7   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Scott Blanchard
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
VIRGINIA TECH'S BASHAM QUITS BASKETBALL TEAM
Bernard Basham's fling with Virginia Tech basketball ended - for this year, anyway - when he left the team over the weekend.
Basham, a former Patrick Henry High School star, was not in coach Bill Foster's seven- or eight-man rotation and had gotten minimal playing time. He joined the team as a walk-on in November after completing the football season as a defensive end.
"It hurt me a little bit," Basham said, "but the main reason wasn't lack of playing time. I'm getting behind as far as football went."
Basham said he needs to "get stronger and bigger for football right now. I'm not gaining weight like I should be." Foster said Basham was feeling "a little subtle pressure" to increase his weightlifting.
"They wanted me to (lift weights more)," Basham said of the football staff. "But it came down to my decision."
Basham also said he could use the extra time without basketball to help keep his grades up.
Basham's loss will be felt in Tech's practices. The only walk-ons remaining with the team are Andy Reed, Mike Davis and Todd Hutson, all guards. Basham was a muscular 6-foot-5 forward.
"Since he wasn't playing much, it appeared he wasn't helping us, but he really was," said Foster, who now will have 11 players in uniform.
Foster did not rule out Basham's return to the team next season if the Roanoke native is interested. Basham, a starter on the 1988 Patrick Henry Group AAA state champion team, said "most likely" he'll try out for basketball again.
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB