Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 8, 1992 TAG: 9201080228
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOHN SMALLWOOD
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
PATRIOTS TOO STRONG FOR CAVALIERS 77-49
Fresh from receiving the No. 1 Group AAA ranking in the first Associated\ Press boys' basketball poll of the season, Patrick Henry High wasn't about to\ open the door for skepticism.Lord Botetourt isn't a doubter.
The undefeated Patriots sprinted out of the gate and left the Cavaliers\ gasping for air as they rushed to a 77-49 victory in a non-district game\ Tuesday at the Roanoke Civic Center.
Sophomore guard Curtis Staples led four Patrick Henry players in\ double-digit scoring with a game-high 20 points, and the Patriots (10-0)l posted a 55-26 advantage in rebounding to swamp the Cavaliers.
Lord Botetourt, ranked ninth in Group AA, fell behind 12-2 early and then\ saw things get worse.
"We wanted to get on them right away, so they wouldn't be in a position to\ try and come back in the third or fourth quarter," said Staples.
"We wanted to get the tempo up early because we don't think anybody can run\ with us."
The Cavaliers (4-4), who consider themselves a running team, found out what\ life in the fast lane is really like.
"We just got outmanned and overpowered," said Cavaliers coach Don Meredith. "They had so much foot speed we couldn't cover them. Nobody runs it back against\ us. Our kids aren't used to running from offense to defense. We're usually\ going from defense to offense. It's hard for us when somebody is blowing it\ back down our throats. In [the Blue Ridge District] a team might get three or four transition breaks against. [Patrick Henry] must have had about thirty." Not quite, but close.
With 6-foot-6 sophomore center Jeff Cronise out three to four weeks after\ injuring ligaments in his ankle after practice on Thursday, what little hope\ Botetourt had of rebounding with the quicker Patriots was gone.
Off the defensive boards, Patrick Henry unleashed its transition game. When\ the Patriots did miss, they crashed the offensive boards to earn another shot\ at the basket - several times four or five attempts on one trip down court
"I thought we played very well at both ends of the floor," said Patrick\ Henry coach Woody Deans. "We did a good job on the boards. We won the\ rebounding battle pretty well."
The Cavaliers tried anything to slow the Patriots, even resorting to a zone\ defense which Meredith admitted "we never play."
The Patriots had little trouble picking it apart. Timmy Basham (12 points)\ softened it up by sinking two quick 3-pointers, then 6-7 center Jonas Callis\ (14 points) pounded the Cavaliers inside. Shannon Taylor added 10 points for\ Patrick Henry.
"We executed against their zone," said Deans. "We got the ball inside and\ shot well from the outside. This is a serious group. They don't like to lose.\ They know what they have to do every game to get ready to play. They'll have to\ know because with the No. 1 ranking people will be fired up to play us."
Botetourt's four defeats have been to No. 1 ranked teams - two each to Patrick Henry and Robert E. Lee of Staunton, No. 1 in Group AA.
"We learned a lot," Meredith said of his early-season gauntlet. "At least we\ know what it's like to get drilled. Hopefully, we will be able to see what they\ did to us and be able to correct it. We know what it's like to play the big\ boys and can use that to improve."
LORD BOTETOURT (49)\ Prince 4 7-7 15, Loyd 2 0-0 5, Layman 5 0-1 11, Dooley 2 0-0 4, Martin 1 2-4 4, Divers 1 2-2 4, Hilger 3 0-0 6, Lang 0 0-1 0, Clinton 0 0-1 0. Totals 18 11-16 49.\ PATRICK HENRY (77)\ Callis 6 2-3 14, Manns 3 1-3 7, Noel 2 0-0 4, Basham 5 0-0 12, Wilson 2 0-0 4,\ Taylor 4 2-2 10, Staples 7 5-6 20, Smith 1 0-0 2, Harper 1 0-0 2, Preston 0\ 0-1 0, Boyd 0 2-2 2. Totals 31 12-17 77.\ Lord Botetourt 1491511-49\ Patrick Henry 23221814-77\ Three-point goals: Loyd, Layman, Basham 2, Staples. Team fouls: Lord Botetourt\ 16, Patrick Henry 27. JV: 58-49, Lord Botetourt.