THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, July 8, 1996 TAG: 9607080126
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 69 lines
There will be an All-American on the floor for the East when it takes on the West in Monday night's Virginia High School Coaches Association All-Star basketball game at Hampton Coliseum.
But before expectations are raised too high, it should be noted that Green Run's Plaxico Burress was honored by PARADE as a football wide receiver and not as a power forward.
To play in the all-star games, players first must be nominated by their respective coaches.
Burress was nominated for basketball, but not football, said Mike Smith, co-coordinator of the VHSCA games.
Ray Shupe, an offensive tackle, will represent Green Run in the football game.
Cadillac Harris, who left Green Run this summer after eight seasons to become head coach at Elizabeth City State University, was unavailable for comment.
But according to Burress, his former coach apparently thought he didn't want to play in the football game.
``It sucks,'' Burress said. ``I wanted to play football, but I'll take what they give me.''
Whatever the reason, Burress is learning to live with disappointment.
He had his heart set on signing with Florida, but when he hadn't met the NCAA's minimum guidelines for academic eligibility in February the Gators didn't offer him a scholarship.
Burress signed instead with Michigan State, which was willing to give him more time. But when he still came up short his options were reduced to junior college and prep school.
Burress (6-6, 215) has announced he will attend Fork Union Military Academy in the fall, but it hasn't been finalized.
``I guess you could say he's planning to attend,'' FUMA coach John Shuman said. ``We'll have someone at the all-star game to talk to him and we're trying to get an application from him.
``He hasn't been on campus yet and I know he has some ill feelings about the military.''
Shuman believes he has a lot to sell.
Burress, like most of the players who enroll at FUMA, needs to raise his standardized test score.
``Twenty-six of our 27 players who needed to raise their SAT this year did so,'' Shuman said. ``The year before all 26 did.''
As for developing wide receivers, former Virginia standout Tyrone Davis as well as current Cavalier Derick Byrd spent a year at Fork Union.
But Burress doesn't need another recruiting pitch.
``I just want to get it over with,'' he said.
Once Burress achieves a qualifying score on the SAT or ACT he'll be free to sign with any school. But for now he's sticking with Michigan State.
``When I signed with Michigan State I didn't have (a qualifying) test score or grade point average,'' he said. ``Yet they let me take an official visit and hung with me. I'll be loyal back to them.''
As for the basketball game, Burress might not be an All-American but he should more than hold his own.
He was a second-team All-Tidewater pick last winter and finished his career with more than 1,000 points.
``I've been practicing,'' he said. ``I'll just make the best of it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Plaxico Burress, an All-American in football, was
chosen as a VHSCA All-Star in basketball.
SCHEDULE OF GAMES
[For a copy of the schedule, see microfilm for this date.] by CNB