ROANOKE TIMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, January 28, 1995                   TAG: 9501300051
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long


LORD BOTETOURT ENDS BLUE RIDGE DROUGHT WITH 58-57 VICTORY

Lord Botetourt rebounded from back-to-back losses, using 3-point shooting to get by Alleghany 58-57 on Friday night and earn its first Blue Ridge District victory of the season.

The Mountaineers concentrated on shutting down the inside play of the Cavaliers' Shannon Williams, who finished with 10 points. The scheme opened the 3-point shooting for Lord Botetourt (8-6 overall, 1-3 district), which scored 21 points from beyond the arc.

Jonathan Neal led the Cavaliers with 19 points, including three 3-pointers. Ryan Salvi added nine points, all on 3s.

Once again, however, Lord Botetourt was denied at the free-throw line. Alleghany made 14 of 26 attempts, while the Cavaliers were 3-of-7.

``It wasn't a pretty offensive scheme, but you've got to take what they give you,'' said Don Meredith, Lord Botetourt's coach. ``We're just tickled to get a win.''

The Mountaineers (8-5, 1-3) were led by James Hughes with 22 points and Rashad Worth with 17.

Roanoke Catholic 68

North Cross 67

P.L Bratton hit a short baseline jumper with two seconds left to help the Celtics sweep the season series against the Raiders, their Virginia Independent Conference archrivals, for the first time in 15 years.

Visiting North Cross (5-8, 3-5) led 67-62 with 1 minute, 55 seconds to go, but Roanoke Catholic scored the last six points of the game.

Tony Joyce and Brendan McCarthy hit field goals to cut the lead to one, 67-66. Bratton, who finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, then hit the game-winner.

Joyce led Roanoke Catholic (5-11, 4-5) with a game-high 25 points. McCarthy added 12 for the Celtics.

North Cross was led by Hal Johnson, who had 23 points, and Brian Whitaker, who added 14.

Parry McCluer 62

Glenvar 53

BUENA VISTA - The Highlanders took an eight-point lead in the first quarter, but Fighting Blues came back, outscoring Glenvar in each of the last three quarters - including 19-8 in the fourth - en route to a Pioneer District victory.

The loss was the Highlanders' first in the district this season.

Brandon Garrett led Parry McCluer (12-5, 5-3) with a game-high 28 points. Mike McElroy added 19, including seven points in the decisive fourth quarter.

Cory Willis poured in 15 points for Glenvar (8-4, 3-1), including three 3-pointers. Jason Darnell added 13 points.

Covington 67

James River 62

COVINGTON - The Cougars overcame a 23-point deficit with a 33-point fourth quarter to defeat the Knights in a Pioneer District game, marking Covington's biggest comeback in 16 years.

The Cougars (9-5, 5-1) were down 53-34 with 7 minutes, 2 seconds left before going on a 14-0 run to cut the deficit to five with five minutes left in the game.

Covington, which almost scored as many points in the fourth quarter (33) as it did in the first three quarters (34), took its first lead with seven seconds left in the game when Mike Barber hit a shot to give the Cougars a 64-62 edge.

James River (5-8, 2-4) then called a timeout it did not have and Covington hit one free throw on the ensuing technical foul to take a 65-62 lead. After the Cougars got the ball, the Knights fouled and Corey Whitaker made both free throws for the final margin.

Barber led Covington with 14 points - seven in the fourth quarter. Brian Holloway scored all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter and Dusty Roman had seven of his 11 in the final period.

Curtis Nolan led James River with a game-high 20 points. Shahan Burrell added 14.

Northside 70

Rockbridge County 55

LEXINGTON - The Vikings remained undefeated in the Blue Ridge District and kept the Wildcats winless.

Ben Peete led Northside (11-3, 4-0) with a game-high 17 points. Maurice Garrison tossed in 14 and Dana Gibson added 10.

Jaymie Terrell was the high scorer for Rockbridge County (0-14, 0-4) with 15 points and Jason Remillard added 11.

Bath County 70

Craig County 61

NEW CASTLE - David Buzzard scored 17 points and Kris Phillips added 16 as the Chargers rolled past the Rockets in a Pioneer District matchup.

Bath County (9-4, 4-2) shot 49 percent from the field and held Craig County to 32 percent as it defeated the Rockets for the second time in two days. Craig County (3-10, 1-6) cut its deficit to six twice in the final period, but could get no closer.

Matt Williams and Stewart Alexander each scored 12 for the Chargers.

Craig County's Robby Huffman led all scorers with 23 points and Jamie Fisher had 12.

Girls

Pulaski County 53

William Fleming 38

Carrie McConnell scored 22 points to power the Cougars to a Roanoke Valley District victory over the Colonels.

Pulaski County (14-2, 7-1) led 18-6 after one quarter and coasted.

Felicia Manns had 14 points for Fleming (8-5, 2-5).

Roanoke Catholic 46

North Cross 25

Abby Dickson scored a career-high 32 points as the Celtics crushed the Raiders in a Blue Ridge Conference game.

The 6-foot-1 senior, who played sparingly in second quarter after Roanoke Catholic (10-6, 9-2) led 12-2, also grabbed 12 rebounds. The Celtics' center was 13-of-17 from the field and 6-of-10 from the free-throw line.

Katherine Kelly led North Cross (1-12, 1-9) with eight points.

\ see microfilm for box score

Keywords:
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