Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 1, 1991 TAG: 9103010339
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The answer was 6-foot-2 John Baker. That was about all the junior did wrong. He scored 28 points, making a lot of crucial baskets as the Vikings marched past William Byrd 77-70 Thursday into Saturday's championship game against Alleghany.
The turnover was about the only error the Vikings (20-1), ranked second among the state's Group AA teams, made in the second half as they put on a clinic in how to run the half-court offense. Every time William Byrd challenged, Northside knocked the Terriers back.
Was it the Vikings' best offensive execution of the year? "That's a good question," said Northside coach Billy Pope. "It may have been, but I was so intent on getting Byrd stopped, that I didn't notice.
"They were hitting 3-pointers and I was thinking about defense so much. They've been hard for us to stop each time."
David Robertson and Brian Young, who had 44 points between them, kept the Terriers (9-13) in position to pull the upset. Robertson sank two 3-point goals in a row in the third quarter as Byrd, down by as many as 13 points, started a rally.
Byrd's best shot at catching Northside came with 6:02 left as Robertson hit a follow shot and free throw to pull the Terriers to 60-54. Baker responded with a jumper, and, after a Byrd turnover, his follow shot put the Vikings farther ahead again.
When Byrd next challenged at the two-minute mark when Robertson's free throws made it 67-63, Northside went to the delay game and hit 10 consecutive free throws.
"Coach Pope told us he wanted us to shoot more free throws than they did and eliminate the stupid fouls," said Northside guard Chad Briscoe, who supported Baker with 13 points.
The Vikings had a few ill-timed personal fouls in the first half, including three on Briscoe. He never picked up another foul. Northside also made 30-of-40 on free throws while Byrd, which used free throws to hold off Salem in a first-round victory, had only 13 attempts.
Despite this, Northside couldn't shake the Terriers.
"They really pounded the ball inside and Robertson plays so big," said Baker. "They never gave up. They really wanted this game."
The Terriers hit 28-of-51 from the field (54.9 percent), but that was little surprise since they have had three or four players among Timesland's best shooters all year. The teams split 64 rebounds, but in the third quarter, Northside held an 11-8 edge and used part of it to score nine of the first 11 points in the period.
"They came out harder than we did and that was the key part of the game," said Byrd coach Paul Barnard. "They made a run, and we didn't respond. That's Northside's experience."
Baker, Timesland's second-leading scorer at 23.1, had averaged only 19.5 against Byrd in two regular-season games. He had 16 points in the second half and joined teammate Brian Burke in leading the Vikings' rebounding with eight.
The Vikings shot 22-of-51 on field-goal attempts (43.1 percent). They made only six turnovers for the entire game.
see microfilm for box score
by CNB