SPORTS BRIEFS: Tuesday, Febraury 24, 1998

Penn recruit draws big crowd to JV hoops game The JV basketball game that is. The star-studded turnout was there to welcome high school senior Solomon Hughes, a star on the team of Penn opponent Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia. Hughes, who stands at 6'10", is a highly sought after recruit who would consider attending Penn next year if he is freed from his commitment to Tulane. Hughes signed a letter of intent to play for the Green Wave, but reportedly wants to be released from that commitment. If the high school standout chooses to go to another scholarship school, he will have to sit out his freshman year. At Penn, however, Hughes will be able to play immediately. In Saturday's game, Hughes had little trouble dominating the defensive glass by jumping above the competition. He also ran the court with ease. Hughes' shooting touch, though, left something to be desired, as his short bank shots continually rimmed out. Eugene Dabney, a 6'9" forward, was the most effective player for Fork Union as Hughes watched much of the second half from the bench. In a see-saw battle, the Penn JV team rallied in the second half before giving up the lead and the game in the final minutes. For trivia buffs, Fork Union High School is the same high school that Princeton's 1996-97 captain Sydney Johnson attended. -- Josh Callahan