ROANOKE TIMES

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

DATE: TUESDAY, December 21, 1993                   TAG: 9312210052
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium


JUNIORS DOMINATE GROUP AA GIRLS' TEAM

FIRST-TEAMERS include Blacksburg's Mary Thorn and Bassett's Kim Hairston. Staunton River's Linwood Roberts is coach of the year.

Charlottesville's Mandisa Turner leads a talented group of juniors named to The Associated Press' 1993 All-Group AA girls' basketball team.

Turner, the player of the year, already has attracted the attention of college recruiters. The 6-foot-2 center averaged 20.9 points, 13.2 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.6 assists.

Other juniors named to the All-Group AA first team in voting by a panel of sportswriters were Hope Cook of William Campbell, Kim Hairston of Bassett and Kish Jordan of Harrisonburg.

The lone senior on the first team is East Carolina-bound Mary Thorn of Blacksburg, a 5-6 guard who averaged 10 points and 6.4 assists as the Indians won their second consecutive state title.

The AP's Group AA coach of the year is Linwood Roberts, who guided Staunton River to a 23-3 record and the Region III championship. The Golden Eagles had not won even a district championship in any boys' or girls' sport since 1975.

Hairston, a second-team All-Group AA pick last year, was the key player as Bassett went undefeated during the regular season for the second consecutive year and won the Piedmont District. The 5-5 guard averaged 15.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 4.5 steals.

Cook, a 5-11 center, was named the Seminole District's top player after averaging 26.8 points.

Jordan, named to the first team for the second year in a row, averaged 20.1 points and 8.1 rebounds despite being double- and triple-teamed much of the time.

Second-team selections were Ashley Moore of Lord Botetourt, Rebecca McNeil of Christiansburg, Miyoka Jones of Brunswick County, Danielle Golay of Osbourn and Jenni Corbin of R.E. Lee-Staunton. Golay and Moore also were second-team picks in 1992.



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