Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 15, 1991 TAG: 9103150479
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: WILLIAMSBURG LENGTH: Medium
George Wythe's Simpson Toliver evidently is one of them. Despite two Patrick Henry timeouts to allow him opportunity to reflect on his situation, Toliver plugged a pair of pressure free throws with three seconds left to provide the winning margin in a 47-46 victory in the opening round of the Group AAA tournament at William and Mary Hall on Thursday night.
A number of reasons caused the Patriots (22-5) to make an early return to Roanoke, but none more decisive than the fact that Simpson would not be iced.
"I was nervous, but we work on free-throw shooting a lot in practice," said Simpson, a 6-foot-7 senior center. "What I was worried about was them getting a last shot."
Certainly a legitimate concern with three seconds left. But Darryl Cousins stepped in to swat away Timmy Basham's attempt at a long inbounds bomb and the victory was secure.
"You've got to give that kid credit," Patrick Henry coach Woody Deans said of Simpson. "Those were pressure free throws, but he stood right up there and made them."
Given a similar opportunity 20 seconds before, Patrick Henry point guard Troy Manns failed. With the Patriots leading 46-45, Manns missed the front end of a one-and-one.
"He's a 73 percent free throw shooter," Deans said. "He was as good a one as any to have up there."
PH was 0-for-3 in second-half free throw shooting and 4-for-7 overall. The way this game went, every miss was crucial.
"It was a poor offensive game, but it sure was tough defensively, especially inside," said George Wythe coach Robert Booker, 20 years in the business. "They were really battling."
Nevertheless, inside is where the Bulldogs went after Cousins snagged the rebound on Manns' miss. After a timeout to prevent a 10-second call against the Patriots' press, the Bulldogs were looking for Simpson.
"We took our time in order to do what we needed to do to get him the ball," said Cousins, who was terrific with 13 points and 12 rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and two steals. Twelve of the points and seven of the rebounds came down the stretch.
When the 'Dogs got it to Simpson, he was hammered by a knot of Patriots. Troy Johnson was charged and the rest was up to Simpson.
He made all four of his free throws for the night and was one of three George Wythe players in double figures, finishing with 10 points.
Wilbert Jones added 10 points and six rebounds as the Bulldogs dominated the backboards, 37-23.
The main reason for that was an extremely active zone. The Patriots, who scorched Fauquier 100-77 in the final of the Northwest Region, were never allowed to run free, which is their preference.
"We tried to stay away from that kind of game," Booker said. "They have way too many good athletes."
Forced to attack from afar, the Patriots shot 27.3 percent in the first half and 36.2 percent (17 of 47) for the game. PH was eight-for-27 from 3-point range, with sophomore Timmy Basham 4-for-6 en route to game scoring honors with 18 points.
Six of the eight 3-pointers came after intermission. The Patriots had a couple in the fourth quarter while outscoring George Wythe 12-6.
After watching George Wythe deliver a seminar on effective team offense in the third quarter, which it won 22-16, PH put the defensive clamps on the 'Dogs in the final period.
George Wythe (21-3), the Central Region runner-up, started the frame with five turnovers in as many possessions as PH erased a 41-34 deficit.
"They just came out and stuck it to us then," Booker said.
Basham drilled a 3-pointer and then added a jumper with 2:56 left to give the Patriots a 46-43 lead, but that was the last points PH would score.
see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
BASKETBALL
by CNB