ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, February 1, 1997 TAG: 9702030110
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
One team played hard. The other had a hard way to go.
In a basketball meeting of ancient rivals Christiansburg and Blacksburg, the visiting Blue Demons fell hard 49-32 Friday night.
Blacksburg, bonked 47-41 when the teams hooked up across Montgomery County on the Demons' floor earlier in the season, played with a vigor that has not been readily apparent in recent games.
``I'll acknowledge that,'' said Blacksburg coach Bob Trear, whose pregame remarks seemed to find a receptive audience. ``The last two practices have been competitive and what you could call spirited. We played like we practiced for a change. We're not going to let it stop here, either.
``If it's something I said, I'm glad.''
Blacksburg (7-8 overall, 4-5 Blue Ridge District) was relentless offensively and threatening defensively. The Indians did a particularly nice job of putting a stop to Christiansburg's two most productive scorers, post man Mike Kazee and guard Eric Lucas.
Lucas was limited to nine points, only two in the second half. Kazee had 16, but 10 came from point-blank range against Blacksburg's second-stringers in the last 5:15 of the game.
Blacksburg big guy Philip Klaus had looked particularly fired up the last time he'd jousted with Kazee. This time, Klaus was more businesslike.
``He's just another player in our team's way,'' Klaus said. ``It's nothing personal between us.''
Klaus was off his 20-plus points per game scoring average with 12 points, but he did have eight rebounds and made the evening uncomfortable for any foe who ventured inside.
The big story offensively for the Indians was guard Krishna Pacifici, who was at attack speed all night in scoring 15 points.
``The last week, we've gone back and started working again on running our plays correctly,'' he said. ``I think that helped us.''
There seemed to be no help for Christiansburg's offense as it surrendered a 12-0 Indians run in the first half and then went 7:45 between field goals in the third and fourth quarters. The Blue Demons (9-6, 4-5), who lost starter Scott Baker and reserve Conan Morgan in recent days, scored three points in the third quarter and 13 in the second half.
``We had some good looks at the basket and couldn't throw it in the ocean,'' Christiansburg coach Gerald Thompson said.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores<.
LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ALAN KIM STAFF. Randy Cross (right) of Blacksburg andby CNBDon Haga of Christiansburg vie for a loose ball in the second
quarter of their Blue Ridge District game Friday. color.