Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 8, 1991 TAG: 9103080718
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN WEBSTER SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
You bet it does. Just ask the Cave Spring girls' team.
Coach David Layman's Knights scored 21 points - all from the free-throw line - in the final six minutes Thursday night en route to beating the Gar-Field Indians 84-73 in a semifinal game at the Northwestern Region Tournament.
Cave Spring (21-3) advances to the state tournament for the fourth straight year because the top two teams in the Northwest Region are assured a state tournament berth.
In Saturday night's regional championship game, the Knights play host to Pulaski County, a 53-38 winner over E.C. Glass.
Cave Spring saved its best for last in the first two periods against Gar-Field (24-2), which carried a 19-game winning streak.
The Knights went on a 7-0 run in the final minute of the first quarter to turn a 15-12 deficit into a 19-15 lead. A 6-0 run in the closing moments of the second quarter propelled the Knights to a 38-27 lead.
The Indians never got closer than six points after that.
Cave Spring got only one field goal in the final quarter. An easy layup by Lisa Hodges, who scored 19 points before fouling out with 3:54 left, put the Knights in front 63-52 with six minutes left.
That's when the Knights' hours of practice at the free-throw line started paying off.
With time running out, Gar-Field was forced to foul. Cave Spring went to the line 14 times in bonus situations and converted 21 of 24 tries.
Senior Jennifer Kagey and sophomore Kim Stewart did most of the damage. Kagey hit seven of eight free throws down the stretch and finished with 23 points; she hit 15 of 20 free throws in the game. Stewart made 11 of her 12 free throws near the end and finished with 19 points, including 13-of-16 shooting from the line.
In all, Cave Spring was 36-of-52 on free throws against 16-of-23 for Gar-Field.
The Knights also were sharp from the field, making 57 percent of their field-goal attempts (24-of-42) while the Eagles shot 30 percent (25-of-82).
"I have never shot that many free throws in any game," said Kagey, "but I have been practicing a lot, and tonight I just did what I do in those practices."
Layman said Stewart's accuracy at the line was no surprise to him, and he had nothing but praise for his 5-foot-4 guard.
"She is close to an 80-percent free-throw shooter," he said. "And although she was not selected to the all-district team, she is going to make some college coach very happy some day."
see microfilm for box score\ Pulaski County 53 E. C. Glass 38 Pulaski County jumped on E.C. Glass early and never let up en route to a Northwestern Region semifinal victory.
The Cougars (22-2) earned the right to play Cave Spring, which beat Gar-Field 84-73, for the regional title.
Terri Garland led Pulaski County (22-2) with 16 points, seven assists and five steals. Cindy Martin chipped in 14 points and eight rebounds.
The Hilltoppers were led by Melanie Paris with 15 points. see microfilm
for box score
by CNB