Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 8, 1992 TAG: 9203080080
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
All were there to court guard Bobby Prince, hoping he'd say the magic words and choose their school to further his education and athletic career.
The ODAC is a good conference, with good coaches such as Roanoke College's Page Moir, Lynchburg College's Joe Davis, Emory & Henry's Bob Johnson and others. The ODAC, however, is Division III and can award scholarships based only on need or academic excellence.
The wonder is that there weren't some Division I coaches outside the same dressing room door. What did Prince have to do to attract the attention of schools that can give scholarships based on athletic ability?
Prince averaged nearly 23 points and 8.7 assists, shot 85 percent from the free-throw line, 50 percent from the field and 45 percent on his 3-point attempts. He often was Botetourt's best rebounder, although nobody expects a guard to do that in college.
"Bobby made more free throws [145] in Timesland than anyone else" listed among the leaders has shot, Botetourt coach Don Meredith said. "He's a very active player who has a knack of getting to the line."
Although Cave Spring's Kerry Whitt attempted 152 free throws, Meredith's statement suggests how smart a player Prince is.
While Prince might not be an ACC- or Big East-type recruit, he certainly should have drawn more attention of schools from the Colonial Athletic Association, and Big South and Southern conferences. VMI is the only Division I school that has made an offer.
"William and Mary said they're giving one scholarship to a guard, that I was in the running" with one other player, Prince said. "They've started mailing me things again, so I don't guess they got the other guy."
Tennessee-Chattanooga also contacted Prince, but hasn't talked to him recently.
Meredith is surprised by the lack of attention Prince has received from lower Division I programs, but ". . . I think in the next few days he'll hear from a lot of people. VMI was dying to get him on the dotted line because they're afraid someone will come in the last minute.
"I can't figure out James Madison" coach Lefty Driesell, Meredith said. "If he recruited [former Botetourt player] Tony Burrell for two years, I don't know why he wouldn't recruit Bobby Prince. We haven't heard a word from Radford."
Anybody who watched Prince play Northside, Altavista and Laurel Park in the past two weeks knows there are so many dimensions to the 6-foot guard's game. He might not have been the quickest player or the best shooter, but he did things that keep the Cavaliers winning against opponents that have them outmanned.
"I feel I play taller than I am," Prince said. "My leaping ability is not great, but I use my body well. If they put a little guy on me, I can post him up.
"You wonder" about not being recruited. "A lot of times last year, our schedule wasn't strong and [the coaches] figured I was playing weaker teams. But this year I've put up stats against stronger teams. I've exceeded expectations that people had for me."
Meredith is busy calling Ivy League schools such as Princeton, where coach Pete Carril would die to have a guard like Prince if he knew about him. Prince is a 4.0 student and will join teammate Craig Layman and another student (non-athlete) as the valedictorian at Botetourt's graduation this spring.
What some Division I coaches might not see is Prince's heart. When Botetourt trailed third-ranked Altavista 55-43 at the half in the Region III tournament, one coach said, "Prince will figure out a way to win it."
The second half was vintage Prince. His offensive and defensive leadership frustrated the Colonels and Lord Botetourt rallied for a 95-83 victory.
So, if Division I coaches don't catch on to Prince, he may make one ODAC coach a happy person.
\ Noting Timesland:
Cave Spring apparently expects to pick a football coach this week. Sources say the choice is down to between Bayside High's Billy King and Cave Spring assistant Steve Spangler. King plans to return for another interview and seems to be the leading candidate.
There has been little word from Franklin County on its football vacancy. Sources say the Eagles were leaning toward former University of Maryland assistant John Zernhelt, who coached at Ferrum. But Zernhelt, who was let go at Maryland when Joe Krivak was fired, got a job at Rice.
King also backed out of the picture, leaving Kris Kahila, who has made Franklin County's wrestling program a perennial power in the Roanoke Valley District and Northwestern Region.
Kahila says he will talk to Benny Gibson, the principal at Franklin County, about the football job. He stresses, though, that he wants to keep coaching wrestling at least one more year because he has most of this year's team, which finished fifth in the Group AAA tournament, returning.
Jefferson Forest's Kari Abney, a second-team All-Timesland softball pitcher a year ago, moved back to Texas with her family after the end of the first semester.
The Cavaliers would have been favored to win Region III this year had Abner remained. She had a 17-6 record last year and led Jefferson Forest to the Region III semifinals before losing to eventual Group AA champion Salem.
by CNB