Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, April 2, 1990 TAG: 9004020171
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOHN SMALLWOOD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Apparently the fantastic finishes that have highlighted college action inspired this group to put on a white-knuckler of their own.
Boo Williams Summer League, out of Hampton, got a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Morocco Brown to send the game to overtime. Then it used that momentum to post a 70-66 win over the Roanoke Hawks to capture the Virginia 14-under Amateur Athletic Union championship on Sunday at Patrick Henry High School.
Brown scored 17 of his 23 points in the second half and hit three free throws in the final 14 seconds of overtime to seal the win.
The victory avenges Boo Williams' championship loss to the same Roanoke team in last year's 13-under state tournament.
"It's a tough way to lose," said Hawks coach Joe Gaither, who didn't win a state AAU title for the first time since he formed the Hawks for the Inner City Athletic Association in 1986. "It's just the breaks of the game."
It appeared that the Hawks had secured their fifth AAU championship in a row when they hit four of six free throws in the final minute to take a 60-57 advantage with 22 seconds left.
With about four seconds left, Brown got a rebound, dribbled outside the 3-point line and swished a desperation shot an instant before the buzzer sounded, sending the game to a three-minute extra session.
Maurice Preston (13 points) put Roanoke up 62-60 to start the overtime, but disaster struck a few seconds later.
Jermare Crump, who led the Hawks with 22 points, picked up his fifth foul with 2:29 remaining and had to join AAU All-American Isaac Williams, who had fouled out in regulation, on the bench.
Boo Williams outscored Roanoke 9-4 to take a 69-66 lead with 14 seconds remaining. With Crump, who had hit five 3-pointers, on the bench, Boo Williams didn't give Curtis Staples (11 points), the Hawks' other 3-point shooter, room to get off a shot.
Marcus Toney couldn't match Brown's miracle and the Hawks were done.
"We didn't pull it off, but I'm pleased with their effort," Gaither said. "They did everything we asked them to do. If guys give you their best, you can't ask anymore."
Both the Hawks, as state runner up, and Boo Williams, as champion, qualify for the 14-under National Championship set for August 4-11 in New Orleans.
In other AAU action, Corey Wilson scored 25 points and Mike Martin added 15 more to lead Martinsville to a 95-60 win over Richmond Gold for the 12-under boys state championship at William Fleming High.
Martinsville finished the tournament 5-0 and qualifies for the national tournament June 30-July 6 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Richmond Gold, which advanced to the championship game with 53-31 win over Boo Williams, also qualifies for nationals.
At William Byrd High School, Kimberly Hairston scored 15 points as the Roanoke Stars White defeated the Roanoke Stars Red 49-37 to win the winners' bracket of the 13-under girls Western Region tournament.
The Stars White, who finished 4-0, will advance to the 13-under Final Four April 20-23 in Charlottesville for a chance to make it to the national tournament the last week in July in Shreveport, La.
The Roanoke Stars Red still had a chance to advance to the final four but fell 51-45 to the Roanoke Hawks in the championship game of the losers' bracket.
Elisha Jones scored 28 points for the Hawks, who finished the tournament 5-1. Tonia Zehr paced the Stars Red with 16 points.
The Hawks advanced to Charlottesville by defeating the Pulaski Cougars 57-22 and the Glenvar-Salem Pacers 51-28 before winning the showdown with Roanoke Stars Red.
Elisha Jones took control by scoring 28 points as the Hawks (5-1) eliminated the Stars Red 51-45. Tonia Zehr paced the Stars with 16 points.
by CNB