ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, February 1, 1997 TAG: 9702030113
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN A. MONTGOMERY STAFF WRITER
SALEM CAPS a solid month by coming back to beat William Byrd 56-54.
Who was the hottest basketball team in the Blue Ridge District for the month of January?
All indicators point to Salem, which mounted an impressive comeback and edged William Byrd 56-54 Friday night, pulling into a tie with the Terriers for the district lead.
``We've been fighting uphill battles all year,'' said Salem coach Charlie Morgan, whose team started the month with a losing record and now stands 10-6 overall and 7-2 in the district. ``I've watched these guys grow together, and now they have so much confidence in one another, they don't quit.''
Spartan forward Kwam Lewis, who finished with a team-high 19 points, scored the game-winning basket from close range with 11 seconds remaining. Salem guard Marshall Wooldridge assisted on the score.
``They were trying to press,'' Lewis said. ``And I was just running the floor. My partner [Wooldridge] hit me with the pass.''
Lewis' clincher capped an explosive Salem rally which saw the Spartans overcome a 10-point deficit (49-39) with 17 points in the final four minutes.
Lewis scored eight points and senior guard Andy Beach contributed five during the stretch. Salem's biggest burst came when Lewis scored inside at the 2:34 mark, but missed the accompanying free throw. Salem grabbed the rebound and Beach hit a three-pointer at the 2:26 mark, allowing the Spartans to move from eight down (51-43) to three down (51-48) in less than 10 seconds.
Beach's finish was especially noteworthy because he had committed four fouls and several turnovers to that point, and hadn't scored in the first three periods.
``I'd had a bad game from the start,'' Beach said. ``I threw the ball away four seconds into the game, and things went downhill from there. But Coach didn't give up on me, and I don't think he ever will.''
``I was a little ticked at Andy at the end of the third quarter, when he made a foul at the buzzer (Byrd 's Josh Wheeler converted both free throws, giving the Terriers a 42-39 advantage). I told Andy, `When you get focused you will get back in the game,''' Morgan said.
``Our team played very well for 29 minutes,'' said Byrd coach Paul Barnard. ``We lost our poise a little bit [in the game's last three minutes], but we played our guts out. Salem just did a good job.''
Byrd's Mayo Wilson, who led all scorers with 20 points, hit his fourth 3-pointer with 22 seconds left, pulling the Terriers into a 54-all tie. After Lewis' final score, Wilson missed an opportunity to force overtime, when his shot in the lane with two seconds to play bounced off the rim.
``He was off balance; it was a tough shot,'' Barnard said. ``But Mayo's played for us three years, and he's made some big shots. I certainly didn't mind him taking the last shot.''
Byrd (12-5, 7-2) dominated the first half, but although Salem only led on three occasions, the Spartans were ahead 28-27 at the half. The Terriers seized the momentum quickly in the third quarter, opening a 36-30 advantage, but Salem didn't wilt.
Lewis missed just three of 12 shots from the floor. ``I wanted my teammates to give me the ball,'' he said.
Salem's Herschel Thomas and Eric Grinnell scored 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Salem has beaten Byrd seven consecutive games, and the Terriers have not won in the Spartans' gym since 1990. All five Byrd defeats during the drought have been by seven points or fewer.
``It's disappointing,'' Barnard admitted. ``But basketball's not life. And if you learn about disappointments on the basketball court, it helps young people prepare for life.'' NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: DON PETERSEN STAFF. William Byrd's Jared Foutz drivesby CNBfor a layup in front of Salem's Kwam Lewis (34) during the first
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