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Roanoke used to have an NBA Development League team called the Dazzle.

Coleman Collins spent this season playing for an NBA Development League squad named the Mad Ants.

The former Virginia Tech standout averaged 11.2 points as a power forward with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. He played in 46 games, starting 11. He poured in 52 points in his final two games combined last week.

Collins said he improved his game by playing in the NBA Development League.

"It was good to play at that level," Collins said. "I'm more comfortable being more aggressive. The league is more one-on-one, so I'm more accustomed to going one-on-one and using dribble moves, spin moves to score."

Collins helped the Hokies reach the 2007 NCAA tournament as a senior. He spent last year playing professionally in Germany. The language was no problem for Collins, who learned German in elementary school.

After returning from Germany, Collins played for the Toronto Raptors' NBA Summer League team. That led to a spot in the Phoenix Suns' preseason camp.

He opted for the NBA Development League after getting cut by the Suns so he could gain more exposure in front of NBA scouts. There was a financial trade-off, though. Collins said he earned $25,000 with the Red Ants, one-fifth of what he made in Germany.

Collins said he will choose Europe over the NBA Development League next season unless he comes "pretty close" to making an NBA roster next fall.

Because of his Fort Wayne schedule, Collins had to miss the funeral of his former Tech teammate and roommate, Allen Calloway, who died of cancer in February.

"He did everything 100 percent -- playing basketball or classwork," Collins said. "Even though he was losing his memory and not having all his mental faculties because of the brain cancer, he still stuck it out and went back and [graduated]."

Collins has been well-versed in politics for years, and was proven a sage when President Barack Obama was elected. Collins had made a $10 bet with a Tech trainer in 2005 that Obama would win the 2008 election.

"I had been trying to tell people about him since '04, since he made the speech at the [Democratic] convention," Collins said.

"I was in Germany during the primaries, and I stayed up every night to get the results. It was front-page news in Germany that he won the Iowa caucuses."

Spurlock reportedly sticking with UVa

Tristan Spurlock, who signed with Virginia last fall, told the Charlottesville Daily Progress in a text message this week that he has decided to honor his commitment to UVa.

Spurlock's status had been in question after UVa replaced Dave Leitao with Tony Bennett.

Spurlock and Tech signee Erick Green had 15 points and 10 points, respectively, to help the Capital All-Stars beat the U.S. All-Stars 128-98 last week in the Capital Classic at American University. Tech signee Cadarian Raines had nine points for the losing team.

Vassallo shines

Ex-Hokie A.D. Vassallo averaged 14 points in his three games last week at the Portsmouth Invitational, the annual showcase for NBA scouts. He was one of 13 players named to the all-tournament team.

It's official

UVa officially announced Wednesday that ex-Cavalier Jason Williford, who had been an assistant at American, will return to his alma mater as one of Tony Bennett's assistants.

UVa also officially announced that Ron Sanchez, who had been a Bennett assistant at Washington State, will be one of his aides in Charlottesville as well. Brad Soucie, who had been on the staff of new UVa assistant Ritchie McKay at Liberty, will be the director of basketball operations.