Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 11, 1992 TAG: 9201110251
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
BYRD HANDLES PRESSURE
Bobby Milliron's William Byrd teammates kidded him after the game. They told him his knees were knocking so much they weren't sure his free throws would go in.But Milliron overcame his nervousness and the Terriers overcame a six-point deficit to defeat Christiansburg 59-57 in overtime Friday night in a non-district boys' basketball game.
Milliron's two free throws broke a 57-57 tie with nine seconds left in the extra period.
William Byrd (4-3) had gotten the ball on a turnover with 1:10 left and started to run its motion offense to run time off the clock.
With about 10 seconds left, Milliron cut toward the basket and Brian Young passed the ball to him. Milliron went up for the layup, and the Demons' Chris Ruble tried to stop him. Ruble fouled Milliron, putting the Terriers' junior swingman on the free-throw line with a chance to win the game.
"We had just got the ball inside and Brian [Young] hit me with a good pass," said Milliron, who admitted being nervous at the line. "I just had gotten open. And I happened to get fouled on the play."
The Blue Demons (4-6) had one last chance to win. They moved the ball downcourt and Eric Legg took a shot from the left corner as time expired. The ball bounced off the rim, preserving the win for William Byrd.
"We missed too many opportunities," Christiansburg coach Gerald Thompson said. "We didn't execute [defensively in overtime]. We tried to do too much individually, without enough help."
Milliron's heroics were set up not only by Young's pass, but Young's play in the final 2 1/2 minutes of regulation as well.
The Blue Demons had scored 14 straight points and led 51-45. But Young scored six points down the stretch, including a 3-pointer from NBA range and a driving basket to tie the score with 36 seconds remaining.
Mike Smith scored 11 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter for Christiansburg. He had a pair of 3-pointers that brought the Blue Demons back early in the quarter, and he drove inside to give them a six-point lead.
But Smith fouled out with 56 seconds left in regulation, and Christiansburg did not score again until overtime.
Eddie Bentley paced Christiansburg with 16 points. He single-handedly kept the Blue Demons in the game in the third quarter, scoring all 15 of their points. \
see microfilm for box score