Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 2, 1991 TAG: 9103020213
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: JOHN SMALLWOOD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: BASSETT LENGTH: Medium
Four times in the 1980s, Gretna, then a member of the Seminole District, had its journey through the state basketball playoffs ended by Martinsville.
Friday night, the Bulldogs did it again.
Carl Brandon scored a game-high 24 points, and Troy Brandon added 18 as Martinsville moved into the tournament championship game by edging Gretna 59-56 at Bassett High School.
The victory sets up a rubber-match game between Martinsville and regular-season champion Laurel Park, which is 21-1 and ranked No. 1 in Group AA, for the district title at 7:30 tonight at Bassett.
During the regular season, each team won on its home court.
By making it to the district final, the Bulldogs (19-3) also assure themselves a spot in the regional playoffs. Gretna (11-11) is done for the the season.
"Martinsville is always in the way," Locust said with a sigh.
Trailing 37-33 at the half, Martinsville wore down the Hawks in the second half with constant pressure.
With 5:53 left and the score 49-49, Carl Brandon put in consecutive layups. Then Jason O'Dell made two free throws, and Martinsville was up by six.
Steven Womack made a jumper with 2:04 left to pull Gretna to 55-51. But Carl Brandon answered back. After Womack made a free throw, Brandon tipped in a miss to put the Bulldogs up 59-52 with a minute left.
Troy Brandon missed the front end of three bonus free-throw opportunities in the closing minutes, but Gretna failed to capitalize.
"We don't have that true floor leader to make things happen for us," said Locust, whose team upset Bassett to reach the semifinals. "We weren't moving the ball or cutting.
"That game against Bassett was tough and took a lot out of us. We got tired at the end and didn't react very well."
Martinsville won with defense.
Sophomore guard Maurice Spencer alternated with O'Dell in hounding Gretna's top gun, Tracy Hall.
Hall scored 12 points, but only three in the second half.
"We wanted to prevent Hall from getting going," said Martinsville coach Husky Hall. "He's a good shooter. [Spencer and O'Dell] did a great job against him in the second half.
"Defensively, we did an excellent job on them. We took them out of their offense."
Hall scored nine points and Richard Slayton and Womack added eight each to put Gretna ahead at the half.
The Hawks trailed 14-5 midway through the first quarter, but outscored Martinsville 32-19 the rest of the way.
Down 31-30 with 1:10, Hall sank a 3-pointer for Gretna. Then Roddy Locust made a steal and scored a layup. Another Bulldogs turnover led to baseline jumper from Womack and a 37-31 Gretna advantage.
Martinsville's Michael Fraser drove through the middle of the Hawks' defense for a layup with five seconds on the clock. see microfilm for box
score
by CNB