Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 5, 1993 TAG: 9303050072
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
STATE TOURNEY BERTHS ON LINE FOR 9 TIMESLAND HOOPS TEAMS
It's high school basketball's most important time of the year.Tonight, nine Timesland teams find out whether they will be playing again next week in the state tournaments. Only Blacksburg knows for sure, and it won't be going. The Indians lost 74-59 to Gate City on Thursday night and failed to become the first area squad to qualify for a state tournament.
Timesland is assured of at least two spots in the state tournaments. In Region III, Laurel Park plays Salem at 6:30 p.m. at Liberty University, with the winner advancing to the regional championship game and the Group AA Tournament.
In Region C, Glenvar meets Floyd County for a spot in the Group A Tournament and the regional championship game.
Glenvar (15-7) hopes to get the magic back after losing two of its past three games, including a semifinal upset loss to Bath County.
Floyd County (18-6) is on a roll with five straight victories, in part because of 6-6 junior Jason Light, who has scored 81 points in the past three games. If the Buffaloes win, coach Alan Cantrell will be in his second Group A state tournament this school year; his girls' team made it in the fall.
In Group AAA, the William Fleming and Pulaski County boys take to the road. Fleming's Colonels (19-5) will be out to make the state tournament for the first time since 1989 when they play at Gar-Field. Pulaski County (18-7) plays at Woodbridge in a bid for its first state tournament spot since 1984 when Mike Porter paced the Cougars to the runner-up spot.
Fleming (19-5), ranked second in Timesland, reached the state tournament in 1989 when they won the regional title 88-86 at Gar-Field.
The Indians have three front-court players standing 6-5 or taller.
"We may have to play our old spread," Fleming coach Burrall Paye said.
Pulaski County might have the toughest task of any Timesland team against a non-area squad. Woodbridge is 23-1 and led by 6-5 forward Damion Keyes, averaging 18.5 points, and point guard Brion Dunlap, who averages 10.7 points per game.
"I think our kids just want to win. We are still young, but they have matured over the course of a season," Pulaski County coach Pat Burns said.
The Cave Spring girls haven't missed going to a state tournament since 1987. Tonight, the Knights (22-3) play host to Albemarle, a team with which they split during the regular season.
Cave Spring must contain Albemarle guard Amanda Frazier, who averages 15 points and is a 3-point threat.
"They have size inside and play physical. Sometimes we have a problem with that," Knights coach Linda Long said.
In Group AA, Martinsville (20-4) hopes to give coach Husky Hall another trip to the state tournament when it battles Amherst County in the other Region III semifinal.
"I don't know how many [state tournaments] we've been too. I don't keep up with it. I just work with it one year at a time," Hall said.
In Group A, Covington hopes to make a second straight trip to the state tournament by going up against Lebanon in the other Region C game.
Covington (16-8), which has won nine in a row, might be the hottest Timesland team. Junior scoring leader Van Wallace has recovered from an ankle injury, and the Cougars are getting strong inside play.
The Salem-Laurel Park matchup brings together Timesland's first- and third-ranked teams. The Lancers (22-1) finished on top after an unbeaten regular season.
"Salem's one of the best teams we've faced all year," Laurel Park coach Frank Scott said. "We'll try and keep pressure on the ball in one form or the other."
The problem will be Salem's height. The Spartans (17-4) have 6-foot-4 Josh Pugh and 6-3 Nathan Routt starting, and 6-5 Shawn McMahon coming off the bench. Pugh missed the Blue Ridge District Tournament because he had pneumonia.
"We just haven't been able to run him in practice," Salem coach Charlie Morgan said.