University of Virginia Library

Maryland Blue Chipper Added To Basketball Signees

By Doug Doughty
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Virginia outbid ACC mates
N.C. State and Maryland last week,
in acquiring a letter-of-intent from
All-Metropolitan Spencer Graham
of Bethesda-Chevy Chase High in
Maryland's suburban Montgomery
County.

The 6′ 8″, 205-pound Graham
also earned recognition as a
consensus Maryland All-State pick
and as All-Montgomery County.

Graham averaged 24.2 points a
game in his senior campaign and
grabbed 15.2 rebounds per contest.
Rated as one of the top 100
high-school prospects in the
country by one magazine, he
turned down the opportunity to
join brother Steve on N.C. State's
squad. He received more than 150
inquiries from other colleges but
"was impressed with Virginia's
academies".

Five Committed

This latest signing was the fifth
and final one by the Cavalier
recruiting staff. 6′ 6½″ Dan Gerard,
6′ 7″ Dan Bonner and 6′ 2″ Brian
Tulley had committed themselves
earlier in the spring and, with
Graham, form the nucleus of an
impressive Cavayearling crew for
next year. The fifth player has
signed his letter but the basketball
office is reluctant to divulge his
name until details are worked out.

Graham, co-captain and most
valuable player on his high-school
team, played center for B-CC but
Cavalier coach Bill Gibson expects
him to play forward in college.
Gibson describes Graham as a
"natural forward with exceptional
ability to score and handle the ball
outside". Another plus is Graham's
age: the blue chipper has only
recently turned 17.

Virginia assistant Chip Corner
was effusive over the acquisition of
Graham adding. "In the four
years since I have been here, this is
the best front line we've recruited".
He was also quick to remark that
there is no indication how well a
player will be able to fit into the
program until he has played side by
side with the other members of the
squad.

Gerard At Center

Conner, speculating on a
possible alignment for next season's
first-year men, cited Gerard as a
natural for the center spot because
he is "much stronger inside than
outside", thus freeing Graham and
Bonner for wing berths. He also did
not eliminate the possibility of a
rotating three-man front line.

Playmaking chores have been
assigned to Tulley, with the fifth
signee presumably his back-court
companion. Although Virginia only
allotted four grant-in-aids last year,
this year's total represents a goal
which the coaching staff has hoped
to achieve in recent recruiting
efforts.

Earlier last week Virginia lost a
chance to nab one of the biggest
catches of all. Ferrum Junior
College ace Larry Robinson had
narrowed his decision about where
to play next year to Virginia and
Tennessee.

He had been close to signing
with Virginia, probably due to the
high standard of competition in the
ACC and also the noted academic
reputation of the school.
Nevertheless, at the last moment.
Robinson was possibly dissuaded by
the chance for immediate success in
Tennessee's program, contrasted
with Virginia's rebuilding efforts,
and decided to go the way of the
Volunteers.