ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, November 7, 1996 TAG: 9611070049
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
Elton Brand, rated the No.9 men's basketball prospect in the country by recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons, disappointed Virginia on Wednesday night when he made an oral commitment to Duke.
Brand, a 6-foot-8 power forward from Peekskill, N.Y., picked Duke over UVa, Villanova and Kentucky. He joins two other preseason All-Americans, Shane Battier and William Avery, who have committed to the Blue Devils.
In other sports news in the region:
* Three former Timesland coaches have been recognized by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame with Lifetime Service to Wrestling awards. Ron Childress, Dr. Ken Shelton and Jack Duncan each are recipients of the annual award for service to sport and young wrestlers.
Childress was a three-year starter at Northside High School as a youth. In 1969, he became the coach at William Fleming.
He is best recognized as the founder of the city of Roanoke's junior high wrestling program. He compiled an 88-2 record and won eight of nine city titles as coach of Breckinridge Middle School.
Shelton, known by many as the ``Father of Wrestling'' in the Roanoke Valley, coached Northside to four state team championships and 14 individual titles from 1961 to 1969. His teams lost only two matches from '64 to '69. Shelton left the area in 1970 to become a professor of education and wrestling coach at The Citadel, positions he held for 20 years.
Duncan, a Pulaski High School graduate, began his 20-year coaching career at his old school in 1962. Four years later, he moved to Gar-Field High School in Woodbridge, where he won 11 district, eight regional and one state championship. He was named the Virginia State Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1982 and his junior varsity teams never lost a match.
* There will be American Softball Association tryouts for girls this weekend at the Moyer Complex in Salem.
Girls 18-and-under are to report at noon on Saturday while girls 16-and-under are to try out Sunday at 1 p.m. Parents should accompany the girls to sign a waiver claim. For further information, contact Susan Wood at 342-8808.
LENGTH: Short : 45 linesby CNB