Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 17, 1992 TAG: 9203170108
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Shaquille O'Neal was the lone repeater from 1991, giving LSU its fourth first-team selection in as many years.
Georgetown's Alonzo Mourning and Laettner were the only seniors selected as O'Neal was joined by fellow juniors Harold Miner of Southern Cal and Jimmy Jackson of Ohio State.
The 6-foot-11 Laettner, a second-team selection as a junior and the MVP of last year's Final Four, was named to the first team on all 63 ballots by the same nationwide poll of writers and broadcasters that selects the weekly Top 25. Voting was done on a 5-3-1 basis.
Laettner averaged 21.9 points and 7.9 rebounds for the Blue Devils, the wire-to-wire No. 1 team this season as defending NCAA champions. His game has been augmented of late with a new weapon - the 3-pointer. Laettner has made 47 of 82 attempts, 57 percent.
"I think I practice as hard or as long as anyone on our team or anyone that I've come across in four years," Laettner said. "I think that is a strength of mine. It's something I need to keep in my personality for the rest of my life."
O'Neal averaged 23.6 points, was the nation's second-leading rebounder (14.1) and tied for the top spot in blocked shots with Mourning (5.0). O'Neal became the 43rd player to repeat as an All-American. His appearance as a sophomore last season followed the consecutive years of Tigers guard Chris Jackson as a first-team selection. The 7-2 O'Neal was four votes shy of being unanimous.
"This shows all young people that hard work truly pays off," LSU coach Dale Brown said. "Shaquille was cut from his high school team as a freshman and was told he was too slow and his feet were too big. He was encouraged to be a goalie in soccer. Now he repeats as first team All-American. Hard work and perseverance do pay off."
Miner, the guard who averaged 26.7 points and almost as many thrills per game, was named on 52 first-team votes, and like O'Neal, was never voted below second team.
"This honor is consistent with his performance all year," Trojans coach George Raveling said. "He's done so much for this program. I certainly think he's played like one of the five best players in the nation this year. I knew three years ago when he came here, he was a kid who could take this program to the next level."
Jackson, a 6-6 swingman who was a second-team selection last season, received 58 first-team votes, while Mourning, at 6-10 the latest of the strong centers to emerge from Georgetown, had 37.
Jackson averaged 23 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 45 percent from 3-point range.
"This is a very deserving honor as he was very consistent with his play," Buckeyes coach Randy Ayers said. "The times we struggled he carried us through. When we got back on track and others played well, he stayed consistent. He has improved every year in the program."
Mourning averaged 21.5 points and 11 rebounds and was the only player above the sophomore class on the Hoyas' roster.
"The biggest indication of Alonzo's season was what he did with six freshmen and six sophomores with him," Georgetown coach John Thompson said. "His greatness makes other players better. I feel great that a player who made the sacrifices he did was honored and I'm appreciative it was by someone other than John Thompson."
LSU's four-year run with an All-American leaves the school one season - O'Neal does have one year of eligibility remaining - shy of matching the record set by UCLA from 1971-75. The Bruins, who had Lew Alcindor as an All-American from 1967-69, did not have a first-team selection in 1976 and then had at least one for the next three seasons.
Duke's last All-American was Danny Ferry in 1989 and Georgetown was last represented two seasons before that by Reggie Williams. Ohio State last had an All-American in 1964 when center Garry Bradds repeated and Miner is the first such selection from the Trojans.
Maryland guard Walt Williams led the second team and was joined in the backcourt by Missouri's Anthony Peeler. The frontcourt was Byron Houston of Oklahoma State, Don MacLean of UCLA and Adam Keefe of Stanford.
Arkansas teammates Todd Day, a forward, and Lee Mayberry, a guard, highlighted the third team. They were joined by Duke guard Bobby Hurley and forwards Malik Sealy of St. John's and Calbert Cheaney of Indiana. Day was a second-team pick last season and Cheaney was on the third team.
Keywords:
BASKETBALL
by CNB