Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 11, 1995 TAG: 9501120025
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Knights had won six of their previous seven games, including a couple of blowouts against Roanoke Valley District teams. The Terriers ignored the warnings and drilled Cave Spring 79-62 in a non-district game.
Now, Byrd is the hot team. The Terriers are 7-1 and hoping to achieve big things in the Blue Ridge District race, which opens this weekend.
``We knew they had been playing well, so we had to come out, play hard tonight and let whatever happens happen,'' said Byrd guard Michael McGuire.
McGuire was one of Byrd's toughest players Tuesday, scoring 18 points and adding nine assists. Chris Childress led Byrd with 19 points, including 10 as the Terriers went up 56-50 in the third quarter.
``[Matt] Matheny was guarding me tough in the first half,'' Childress said of the Knights' high-scoring forward. ``We were setting a lot of screens and he was fighting over the top of them.
``So I went to the boards. I got a tip and after that I got going.''
For a half, it was close. Byrd scored the final five points of the second quarter, including a wing jumper by Childress that gave the Terriers a 35-34 lead at the half.
Cave Spring's James Irvin opened the second half with a 3-pointer, but that would be the Knights' last lead. Jeremy Obenchain hit a layup and Childress made two free throws. After that, Byrd pulled away.
``I think they wanted to make a point to their community by beating Cave Spring, a team that had just won two Group AAA games by 21 points,'' said Chris Carr, the Knights' coach.
``They were able to execute and keep us from executing. They did a pretty good job on the glass,'' he said. ``Two things that win games are execution and doing well on the boards.''
Byrd held a whopping 36-21 edge in rebounding, and it was Kevin Tuck who put away the Knights (8-5). He had 10 rebounds, but eight of them came in the final period.
``At the half, we talked about rebounding and getting tough on defense,'' said Paul Barnard, Byrd's coach. ``We wanted to make them put the ball on the floor and take the two-point shot instead of the 3-point shot.''
Matheny led all scorers with 22 points, including four 3-point goals in the opening half. After intermission, Matheny had but six points
by CNB