Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 5, 1991 TAG: 9102050196
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN SMALLWOOD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LEXINGTON LENGTH: Medium
breaks, the Keydets turned their fortunes in the final seven seconds of overtime and came away with an 80-79 Southern Conference victory.
Trailing 79-78 with seven seconds left, Greg Fittz tapped in Erek Perry's missed free throw to give the Keydets the lead.
Then with time winding down, Lewis Preston swatted away Chris Bass' attempt at a game-winner to preserve the victory for VMI (9-12 overall, 4-5 in Southern Conference) and knock Furman (14-5, 7-2) out of a tie for the league lead.
The game ended the Purple Paladins' seven-game win streak and dropped them a game behind SC-leading East Tennessee State, a 93-70 victor over Tennessee-Chattanooga on Monday.
"That was about the best effort we've given all year," said VMI coach Joe Cantafio. "There were a couple of times when we could have folded, but we didn't. We have to play almost perfect to beat them."
For most of the game, it appeared that it wouldn't matter how well the Keydets played because they couldn't buy a break.
It seemed that every call and bad bounce went against them.
With the game tied at 72 in the waning seconds of regulation, Perry knifed into the lane to get off a finger-roll layup. Furman's Tracy Garrick appeared to have goaltended when he smacked the ball away, but nothing was called and the game went to overtime in spite of Cantafio's protesting.
"I'm dying to see Erek Perry's layup at the end of regulation," said Cantafio. "By all means, we feel a little vindicated."
Visibly upset, the Keydets kept their composure in overtime.
Furman went up 74-72, but Fittz tied it with a 15-footer. At the 2:19 mark, Percy Covington put the Keydets up three by draining a 3-pointer.
But a running layup from David Stamey and a three-point play from Bruce Evans had Furman in control 79-77 with 54 seconds left.
The Paladins had a chance to seal it, but Jonathan Penn missed for VMI. Evans got the ball down court and alone under his basket, but he missed an open dunk.
Still Furman kept the ball until turning it over with 24 seconds left.
VMI worked the clock down, and again Perry went in for a winning shot. This time, Garrick fouled him.
Perry made the first to draw the Keydets to 79-78, but his second shot bounced off to the left. Fittz was positioned behind Garrick, but still managed to tip the ball in.
"Before Erek shot, [VMI guard Marty Chadwick] came up to me and said, `He's going to miss it so just jump.' It was just by chance that the ball happened to bounce my way."
Fittz led four Keydets in double figures with a game-high 23 points. Covington scored 15, Penn 13 and Perry 12.
Evans paced Furman with 19 points.
VMI shot 53.2 percent for the game, going over 50 percent for the second straight game and just the third time all season.
Penn and sophomore guard Juan Banks came off the bench to provide an offensive spark as the Keydets took a 40-34 halftime lead.
With VMI trailing 24-23, Penn hit a 3-pointer.
The Paladins answered with a 3-pointer from Hal Henderson, but Lewis Preston scored a reverse layup to put the Keydets back up 28-27.
Banks forced a turnover and went the length of the court for a layup.
Each team sandwiched a 3-pointer between two baskets. Then with 1:21 left, Banks canned a 3-pointer to give the Keydets the six-point advantage.
Furman shot just 43.3 percent from the field, but the Paladins went 7-for-11 on 3-pointers (63.6 percent) to stay in striking range.
Penn led all scorers with 10 first-half points.
FURMAN MPFGFTRAFPT Garrick 395-120-184411Evans 387-155-742219 Waugh 343-64-472211Bass 406-120-020216Henderson 263-41-22249 Stamey 163-42-22108Edwards 161-23-42005Hines 160-00-03100 Totals 20028-5515-2036121479 VMI MPFGFTRAFPT Fittz 3311-171-131323Perry 244-73-541412Preston 274-60-05028Johnson 212-40-03114Covington 365-112-217315Chadwick 340-40-01410Spriggs 30-00-01010Schroyer 10-00-00000Banks 122-30-01215Penn 295-101-122213Tegtmeyer 40-00-01010Goodman 10-00-00000Totals 20033-627-922181980 Rebounds include team rebounds Score by periods: Furmen34-38-7-79 VMI40-32-8-80
Three-point goals - Furman: Garrick 1-2, Waugh 1-1, Bass 4-7, Henderson 2-3, Totals 8-13. VMI: Fittz 0-1, Perry 1-2, Covington 3-7, Chadwick 0-2, Banks 1-2, Penn 2-3, Totals 7-17.
Turnovers - Furman 21 (Evans 6); VMI 16 (Covington 3). Blocked shots - Furman 4 (Edwards 2); VMI 4 (Preston 2). Steals - Furman 8 (Evans 3, Bass 3); VMI 13 (Covington 5).
Technical fouls - None. Officials - Mobles, Sanford, Gordon. Attendance - 1,177.
Keywords:
BASKETBALL
by CNB