Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 24, 1993 TAG: 9311240182
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Lord Botetourt began and ended its girls' basketball season with Blacksburg.
But unlike the first time, when both teams went on to greater glories, only Blacksburg is still playing.
The Indians maintained a steady hand in the clutch and avenged an earlier defeat with a 47-41 state Group AA quarterfinal victory Tuesday night over the visiting Cavaliers.
Blacksburg earned a rematch with Gate City in the state semifinals Dec. 3 at the Salem Civic Center at 8:30 p.m. Blacksburg beat the Blue Devils, a 55-53 winner Tuesday over Staunton River, for the Region IV championship.
Blacksburg's game with the Cavaliers made up for its lack of elegance with suspense and gritty play.
Lord Botetourt (23-3) had erased a 30-21 deficit when Jenny Gates drilled a 3-pointer with 5 minutes, 17 seconds left in the game, and every bit of momentum seemed to have shifted in the Cavaliers' favor.
Blacksburg coach Mickey McGuigan grew uneasy when his counterpart, David Wheat, called a timeout after Mary Thorn had drained a 3-pointer with 2:01 left in the third quarter to give the Indians their biggest lead.
"I was afraid we'd gotten it into our heads that the game was over," McGuigan said. "But Lord Botetourt has too talented a team for that."
Blacksburg didn't buckle under the onslaught. As soon as the Cavs tied it, Blacksburg scored on two of its next three possessions to go up 38-34. Just as swiftly, Ashley Moore's stickback, a Blacksburg turnover, and two Moore free throws left it tied again.
The Indians' Abigail Murrmann worked free inside for a bucket as Blacksburg regained the lead. Murrmann then fouled Moore, who made the second of two free throws with 1:57 left. Lisa Price answered for Blacksburg to push the lead back to 42-39.
A turnover by the Cavaliers and a Moore foul put Blacksburg floor leader Thorn on the line. She sank both free throws with 36 seconds left. Thorn buried another free throw with 18 seconds left after Moore had dropped in a couple of foul shots 10 seconds before.
Meredith Braine added two more free throws with two seconds left for the final margin.
"I remembered last year at this time when Suzanne Moore and Katie Ollendick made clutch free throws against Salem," Thorn said. "I said to myself that now it's my time."
That team went on to win the state championship, and Thorn and Braine, who scored 23 points between them against Lord Botetourt, are as big reasons the Indians (24-2) have another shot.
There will be no more shots for the Cavaliers' trio of Gates, Moore and point guard Laurie Ottaway, all four-year starters. Gates finished with 12 points and seven rebounds and Moore with eight points and six rebounds. All three battled foul problems, Ottaway fouling out.
"Having her not out there changes everything for us," Wheat said.
The Cavs had 20 of the 42 fouls called in the game and that seemed to hurt them more than it did Blacksburg.
by CNB