Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 8, 1992 TAG: 9201080193
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BOB TEITLEBAUM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: BUCHANAN LENGTH: Medium
LATE SHOT SAVES GLENVAR
When James River lost two of its top three scorers because of ankle injuries, it seemed to be only a matter of time until Glenvar caught the Knights.Time nearly ran out on Glenvar, though. The unbeaten Highlanders finally tied the score on Wes Jones' 3-point shot with 40 seconds left and won when Steve Ashworth rebounded a missed jumper by Adam Harrell for a follow shot with two seconds left in a 48-46 Pioneer District boys' basketball victory Tuesday night.
Harrell might have missed his final shot, but the senior guard, who was Timesland's golfer of the year in the fall, provided the impetus to a rally in which the Highlanders (5-0 overall, 5-0 Pioneer), ranked eighth in the Group A poll, outscored James River 9-2 in the final 2:07.
First, Harrell made a driving layup with 1:26 left to cut Glenvar's deficit to 44-41. He was fouled on the play but missed the free throw. However, the Highlanders retained possession and Harrell was fouled. This time, he made both free throws to make it 44-43.
"Hitting free throws," Harrell said, "is like sinking a putt. You just have to keep your concentration."
After James River's Chad Caldwell sank two free throws with 1:07 remaining, Harrell fed Jones in the corner and his 3-point shot tied the score.
"That was one of our options," Glenvar coach Art Lawrence said. "We wanted to look inside or take the 3-point shot and hit the boards."
Then the Knights (4-4, 4-2) turned the ball over with 13 seconds left, setting up Harrell's miss and Ashworth's follow shot.
"It was designed to penetrate, but they went to a zone," Harrell said. "I saw time running down and I knew we had to get a shot off. It's lucky Steve was there."
Ashworth said he was in the right place at the right time.
"I . . . went right back up with it. I had a pretty good idea it would go in," he said.
It was more than that, Lawrence said. "We preach in practice not to look at the ball, but to get in position to rebound. So many times, kids look at the ball off the rim and it goes back over their heads."
In the other dressing room, James River coach John Shotwell was mumbling to himself over a game that appeared, at one time, to be secured. "How did we give that one away? Turnovers. Two in the final few minutes," Shotwell said.
It didn't help when Solan Wooden, the team's leading scorer, went down midway through the third quarter with a bad ankle. Three minutes later, out went Jody Steger, the Knights' third-leading scorer. They combined for 16 points.
"I don't think either of them will play Friday [against Craig County]," Shotwell said.
Glenvar opened with an 11-2 run as Scott Highberger got inside and freshman Matt Woolwine and Harrell hit from the outside. But James River closed off the Highlanders and took a 35-32 lead when Steger made two jumpers just before he left with his injury.
Glenvar made 18 of 42 shots from the floor and outrebounded James River 35-26, with Ashworth collecting nine.
The Knights never could mount a consistent offense and made only 16 of 50 field-goal attempts. Guard Troy Thompson had a game-high four assists and three steals for James River, and teammate Ryan Shotwell led the Knights with 10 points.
NOTE: For statistics see microfilm.