Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 27, 1992 TAG: 9202270165
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
PATRIOTS ROMP BY EAGLES
It didn't take long for Patrick Henry to get going, but it took forever for the Patriots' first tournament game to end.PH, the No. 1-ranked boys' basketball team in Group AAA, dominated Franklin County for an Box score in Scoreboard. C2 85-61 victory at the Salem Civic Center on Wednesday night.
With 46 fouls whistled on the teams, it took nearly two hours to finish a game that was all but over midway into the opening quarter.
The Patriots (21-1) play William Fleming in the championship game Saturday night at 7:30. The most important thing on the line will be Northwestern Region pairings; the RVD champion will have to win only one game to get to the state tournament.
"I didn't expect it to be this easy," said PH coach Woody Deans, whose team scored the first six points and spent most of the first three quarters increasing that margin.
"I don't think Franklin County was as high as it was last night against Cave Spring. I thought they came out a little flat. It was tough for them to come back and play another emotional game."
The Eagles (5-17) had quite a day Tuesday, which might have determined the margin if not the outcome of their game against the Patriots.
"I'm not taking anything away from Patrick Henry. They're the No. 1 team in the state, but we didn't come here ready to play," Franklin County coach Calvin Preston said. "We were flat, but they could have beaten us by 20 even if we were ready. They're a heck of a good club and can do anything they want to do.
"But we left school at 11 Tuesday morning. We practiced here at noon. We ran the floor. Then we played the second game Tuesday and didn't get home until after midnight."
PH didn't click on offense until Troy Manns got going early in the second quarter with three baskets and a couple of assists.
Defensively, PH was solid, with Timmy Basham leading a rebounding effort that was good news for the Patriots' hopes to go a long way in the state tournament.
Basham, a 6-foot-6 junior, grabbed 13 rebounds in less than three quarters, and PH dominated the rebounding 67-36.
"Our main goal was rebounding. They had outrebounded us down there, and Coach Deans said we had to get the offensive rebounds," Basham said.
Last year, Basham played his best basketball in February, and Wednesday was an example of what he can do.
"I think I had the feeling for the shot tonight. They've been getting on me about not shooting enough," said Basham, whose 13 points led the Patriots' starters.
PH was 27-of-55 for the first three quarters and led by 34 points three times in the third quarter. Franklin County made 22 of 70 field-goal attempts.
Turk Smith also grabbed 13 rebounds for the Patriots, who had five double-figure scorers.