Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 2, 1991 TAG: 9103020321
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: NATURAL BRIDGE LENGTH: Medium
Glenvar (14-8) will face James River (16-7) in tonight's championship game at 8:30 at Natural Bridge High. Besides the league title, a playoff berth in next week's Group A Region C also is on the line.
James River won both regular-season meetings with Glenvar.
In Friday's opener, Scott Wagstaff scored 17 points and Scott Highberger added 13 as Glenvar stopped cold-shooting Covington (16-7).
Glenvar broke a 47-47 tie on Scott Highberger's 10-foot jumper with 4:58 to play and never trailed again.
Steve Ashworth scored two key baskets and Highberger hit four straight free throws in the final minute to ensure the victory.
The Cougars, who lost to fourth-seedded Glenvar 64-60 in the regular season, were plagued by poor shooting. Covington hit only 23 of 69 shots from the field, most coming from outside against an effective Glenvar zone defense.
Senior guard Adaryl Twitty, the Cougars' big gun, had an off night, making only seven of 25 shots en route to 19 points.
"We knew they were quick up front so we wanted to make them shoot it from the outside," Glenvar coach Art Lawrence said.
"Twitty didn't shoot well the other night [in Wednesday's first-round game] and we figured we might as well make him try again."
Lawrence said he liked his club's chances as the tight game wound down.
"If you have watched Covington over the year, you know that if you can keep the game close they don't seem to play as well.
"But our kids wanted it so badly. We've had sort of an up and down season. We wanted to show people we're better than we have played."
Covington coach Brad Morton confessed his club has had better nights.
"We really struggled on offense. They sat back in the zone and made us shoot it from outside. We just didn't hit the shots or make the plays. Give Glenvar credit. They got all the loose balls and they deserved to win."
In the second game, it appeared neither team wanted to win.
After the Knights missed four consecutive front ends of one-and-one free-throw opportunities in the final minute of regulation, Bath County (13-7) sent the game into overtime on Tim Williams' desperation 3-pointer with eight seconds left.
In the overtime, the Knights quickly went up four points on Greg Wilhelm's baseline layup and Clint Barlow's stickback and held on.
Trailing 54-52, Bath County had a chance to tie with seven seconds left, but Craig Phillips missed the front end of a one-and-one.
Ryan Shotwell's two free throws with four seconds left sealed it.
"Our foul shooting was atrocious," said James River coach John Shotwell. "I've never seen anything like it."
James River, which made only 16 of 54 field-goal attempts, was 16 of 31 from the line. Derek Jones paced the Knights with 17 points. Wilhelm
added 15 and Melvin Christian had 10.
Lee Waldeck led the Chargers with 15 points, and Kiswick Phillips added 10.
Preceeding tonight's championship game, Glenvar faced James River at 7 p.m. for the league's junior-varsity title.
see microfilm for box score
by CNB