Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 20, 1991 TAG: 9102200307
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: JOHN SMALLWOOD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: HAMPDEN-SYDNEY LENGTH: Medium
A Roanoke College lapse during the final five minutes of the first half and first five of the second was all Hampden-Sydney needed to end the Maroons' season 92-76 in the opening round of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference basketball tournament Tuesday at S. Douglas Fleet Gymnasium.
The third-seeded Tigers (21-5) will play second-seeded Emory & Henry in the ODAC semifinals at 8:30 p.m. on Friday at the Salem Civic Center.
It was the first time since Roanoke became eligible for the ODAC Tournament in 1981 that the Maroons have failed to make it to the semifinals.
"I can't wait to get back [to the Salem Civic Center]," said Hampden-Sydney forward and former Patrick Henry star Russell Turner, who had 18 points and eight rebounds. "You know, I've never lost a game in that building, not in college, high school or little league. That's about 30 games [including the 1988-89 ODAC Tournament that the Tigers won]. I'm looking forward to adding some more good memories about that place."
Trailing 29-25 with 5:34 remaining, Hampden-Sydney closed the first half by outscoring Roanoke 16-7. The Tigers also scored the first 10 points of the second half to make it 51-36 with 16:20 left in the game.
"We played a very good first half and executed our game plan," Roanoke coach Page Moir said. "We had talked at halftime about getting some fast-break baskets and being patient. Our first three or four possessions, we didn't do that and took some quick shots."
The Maroons failed to score on their first seven possessions of the half, and Hampden-Sydney took advantage.
Brad Pomeroy started the run with a three-point play, and Bat Barber, who scored a game-high 24 points, followed with a transition layup and a 3-pointer.
A jump hook by forward Orson Williams put the Tigers up by 15 points with 15:26 remaining.
"We felt that as long as we kept our intensity up, the pressure would take hold of them," Hampden-Sydney coach Tony Shaver said. "We didn't know when. It just happened to be in the middle part of the game."
Falling behind forced Roanoke to abandon the rotating zone it used throughout the first half to frustrate the Tigers' big men. Turner and Williams combined for just 15 points in the first 20 minutes.
"It was only a matter of time before our outside game starting hitting," Turner said. "It used to be that you could just go and pack it in against us. But now, with the shooters we've got, if you sit back in a zone you're going to pay for it."
Once the Maroons switched to man-to-man, Turner and Williams took over. The duo combined for 23 second-half points.
Up four points and with possession, Roanoke had a chance for more, but a turnover led to a break-away dunk by Williams. Moments later, he tied the score with a reverse layup. He finished with 20 points.
"Orson is our emotional leader," Shaver said. "Anytime you can get a break-away dunk, it gets a team fired up."
Barber and Brad Pomeroy scored consecutive baskets to put the Tigers up 35-29.
And after Bill Cross, who lead Roanoke with 16 points, scored a layup, Barber put in a 3-pointer aned Turner followed with a three-point play to make the lead 10 points.
A 3-pointer from Cary Gentry and a hoop from Pendleton left Roanoke down five at the half, but the Maroons couldn't sustain the monmentum.
ROANOKE FGFTRAFPT Williams 2-20-01326Spickard 1-20-00202Gentry 2-30-01105Jones 2-41-20015Scott 4-80-01128Lineburg 2-90-02234Thornton 2-40-00115Becker 0-10-01000Pendleton 2-91-24215Otten 3-40-01136Swartz 1-20-12012Cross 8-130-070216Murphy 6-70-250412Faulkner 0-00-00000Martin 0-00-00100Totals 35-682-728142076 HAMP.-SYDNEY FGFTRAFPTBarber 9-132-339124Musilli 0-00-00000Benefiel 0-22-22102Mulquin 0-14-45014Carnohan 3-72-242110Vick 0-00-01200Reid 0-00-01000Wilson 1-30-03422Pomeroy 5-102-352212Burcher 0-20-00000Gauntlett 0-00-00000Wise 0-10-00000Turner 8-132-280218Williams 9-142-450220Totals 35-6616-2039201192Rebounds include team rebounds Score by periods: Roanoke 36-40-76 Hampden-Sydney 41-51-92
Three-point goals - Roanoke: Williams 2-2, Spickard 0-1, Gentry 1-1, Jones 0-1, Thornton 1-3, Murphy 0-1, Totals 4-9. Hampden-Sydney: Barber 4-7, Mulquin 0-1, Carnohan 2-5, Wilson 0-2, Totals 6-15.
Turnovers - Roanoke 16 (Murphy, Pendleton 3); Hampden-Sydney 20 (Turner, Mulquin 4). Blocked shots - Roanoke 2 (Swartz, Cross); Hampden-Sydney 1 (Wilson). Steals - Roanoke 12 (Pendleton 6); Hampden-Sydney 11 (Pomeroy 4).
Technical fouls - None. Attendance - 600.
by CNB