Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, March 2, 1991                   TAG: 9103020241
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: BEDFORD/FRANKLIN 
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: RADFORD                                 LENGTH: Medium

INDIANS KEEP TRADITION BY MAKING DISTRICT FINAL

The victory propelled the regular-season champion Indians (17-4) into tonight's tournament final against Carroll County, a 60-54 winner over Christiansburg. Radford ended the season 8-14.

It will be Blacksburg's 25th appearance in the final in the 31-year history of the tournament. The Indians have won the title 17 times.

Blacksburg's 3-pointers started with Thompson Lester. With the Indians trailing 51-49, he put them in front to stay with a long-range shot with 5:36 left.

"It was pretty much open," said Lester. "I knew I could make it if it was open."

Less than two minutes later, Darren Morton hit the second key 3-pointer for Blacksburg. This one capped an 8-0 run that put the Indians in front 57-51.

"Coach [Bob Trear] has pretty much given us a green light to shoot [3-pointers]," said Morton, who also had a pair of free throws in the run. "I hadn't been shooting that many of them. But tonight I felt it - I was in the groove."

After the surge, the Bobcats never got closer than four points.

"It's been true all season," Radford coach Buddy Martin said. "We'll go through a stretch like that - we'll hit a streak where [the other team] will make four or five baskets in a row. And that will be the difference."

Blacksburg protected its lead by hitting 7-of-10 free throws in the final 1:20.

Meanwhile, the Indians' defense held Radford to just one basket and five free throws in the final 3 1/2 minutes.

Blacksburg had its largest lead - 68-59 - in the final minute.

Lester and Morton combined for 13 of Blacksburg's 21 points in the fourth quarter.

The Indians burst out to a 9-2 advantage in the opening minutes. But the Indians could not hold the lead - or the ball.

Blacksburg turned it over five times in the final four minutes of the quarter and had nine turnovers for the quarter. The Bobcats trailed 14-12 after one quarter despite making just four of their first 15 shots.

Jon Maher led Blacksburg with 22 points and nine rebounds. Lester added 15 points - including three 3-pointers.

Chad Phillips paced Radford with 22 points, and Brian Canaday had 18 points and 10 rebounds. see microfilm for box score