THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 14, 1995 TAG: 9509140472
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 41 lines
Old Dominion has landed its first basketball recruit for the 1996-97 season.
Michael Williams, a 6-foot-1 guard out of Thomas County Central High in Thomasville, Ga., has told the Monarchs he will accept a basketball scholarship. Williams will have to wait until November to sign a national letter of intent, at which time ODU's coaches will be free to comment about him.
Williams, who attends the same school former Florida State star Charlie Ward went to, averaged 19.5 points, four assists and five rebounds as a high school junior. David Bice, Williams' coach, said the Monarchs saw Williams at a summer camp and AAU tournament and began to pursue him.
Williams has not visited ODU, but plans to do so in the coming weeks, Bice said. Williams chose the Monarchs over Houston, Radford, Georgia State and Georgia Southern.
``He plays point guard for us, but he's kind of a combination point guard/shooting guard,'' Bice said. ``He shoots the ball pretty well.''
Bice said Williams has not met the NCAA's freshman eligibility guidelines yet. Williams was scheduled to take the Scholastic Assessment Test in the spring, but his grandmother died and he missed the test. Bice said he will take it Oct. 14.
``We're working like hell to make sure he does (qualify),'' Bice said. ``I think he will. I think he'll be a great addition to the program if everything works out with his SAT score.''
The Monarchs have three scholarships to give in the coming recruiting season. The seniors on the 1995-96 team are guard Duffy Samuels, forward Mario Mullen and forward/center Derrick Parker. by CNB