Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 2, 1991 TAG: 9103020342
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
That year, once-beaten PH fell 43-37 when Hayfield refused to run with the Patriots in a first-round Group AAA Tournament game.
Franklin County's delay offense in the Roanoke Valley District boys' basketball semifinals Friday was no match for Patrick Henry's press. The Patriots (18-4) had little trouble posting a 76-50 victory at the Salem Civic Center and moved into tonight's 8 o'clock championship game against William Fleming, which defeated Cave Spring 70-67.
"Franklin County had a good game plan and executed it well," PH coach Woody Deans said. "They got a couple of back-door layups. We went to a full-court press and they dribbled right through us. So we went to half-court press and it worked better."
The Eagles made 25 turnovers and, after leading midway through the second quarter, were behind 28-20 at the half. Franklin County (2-20) scored the first two baskets after intermission, then PH turned on the burners and opened the lead to 16 near the end of the quarter.
The Patriots, despite two victories over the Eagles, weren't looking past their first tournament foe. Ten days ago, Franklin County had stayed close to PH much of the way before losing 89-67.
"They could have beaten us," PH point guard Troy Manns said. "So we felt as if we had something to prove. When they spread it, we wanted to play tight offense, take as many good shots as we could."
"I saw Franklin County play against Pulaski County and they played with a lot of emotion," said Deans about the Eagles' 67-65 upset of the Cougars in the first round. "We told the kids to be ready because Franklin County was playing with confidence."
The Patriots connected on 32-of-62 [51.6 percent] from the floor and spread the wealth in scoring with four players hitting double figures. Troy Anderson and Troy Johnson each scored 13 points. Manns, Toby Webb and Johnson had 11 assists among them.
Kenny Wade had 16 points and Kordy Bernard had 12 for the Eagles. Franklin County took only 48 shots, making 19 for 39.6 percent. That percentage and the turnovers doomed the delay game.
About the only sour note for PH was that Richard Noel, who has been a key reserve, sat out the game for missing practice. That forced Deans to leave some key players in at the end when the game was decided.
Franklin County might have held PH's scoring down, but the Eagles ditched the conservative style in the final quarter in an attempt to pull out an upset. With the game opened up, the Patriots outscored Franklin County 28-16 to go four points over their seasonal offensive average of 72 points a game.
see microfilm for box score
by CNB