DATE: Friday, November 21, 1997             TAG: 9711210914

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C8   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY DOUG DOUGHTY, LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE 

                                            LENGTH:   29 lines

A PRIME HOOPS PROSPECT IN TEXAS SIGNS WITH VIRGINIA

Adam Hall, rated the No. 6 men's basketball prospect in Texas, signed a letter-of-intent with Virginia on Wednesday, the last day of the fall signing period.

Hall, a 6-foot-6 swingman from Katy High School, picked the Cavaliers after visiting Texas A&M and Michigan State. He canceled a trip to Florida State.

``I think a key factor was his visit to Virginia,'' said Larry Brown, an ex-Clemson assistant in his first year as the Katy High School coach. ``It looked like some of the other schools had edged ahead of Virginia before that.''

Hall averaged 23 points as a junior and began the 1997-98 season in spectacular fashion Tuesday night when he scored 28 points in the second half to lead Katy past South Houston 79-59.

``He's got to improve on some things, mostly his shooting and ball-handling,'' Brown said, ``but he's definitely an ACC-caliber athlete.''

Hall was the second player to sign with the Cavaliers, joining 6-5 Chris Williams from Adamsville, Ala., who announced his decision Tuesday. Ronald Curry, a 6-3 point guard from Hampton High School, made an oral commitment to U.Va. in September.

Curry plans to play football and basketball in college and is expected to sign a letter during the winter-signing period in February.

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