Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 15, 1992 TAG: 9201150216
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: ROCKY MOUNT LENGTH: Medium
FRANKLIN COUNTY PULLS UPSET
It appeared as if it would be another long night for Franklin County on Tuesday. Chris Mattox opened the game with a layup, fell hard to the floor and left the game clutching his right wrist."I thought at first I might have reinjured it [from preseason practice]," said Mattox, who was getting ready to ice it down after the game.
Mattox eventually returned to score a game-high 14 points as the Eagles stunned Blacksburg 53-41 in a non-district boys' basketball game.
The Eagles' defensive effort set a new standard for first-year Franklin County coach Calvin Preston, who is trying to rebuild a program. The Eagles' opponents had been averaging 75.8 points per game. Franklin County's best defensive effort, before Tuesday, was holding an opponent to 65 points.
"Coach said to try and keep them under our defensive average because defense wins games," said Mattox. The Eagles (2-8) did it with the help of six steals and 24 Blacksburg turnovers.
"I had seen No. 12 [Darren Morton] play at Pulaski County and knew he was pretty good. The kids did a good job on him," said Preston of the Eagles' defense against the Indians' playmaker.
"Also No. 41 [Jon Maher]," added Preston about Blacksburg's 6-foot-6 senior who was held to 10 points and 10 rebounds. "We didn't do anything different. The kids were just ready to play."
In the other dressing room, Blacksburg coach Bob Trear said the opposite was true of his team as it dropped to 6-4. "We have to get it done up here," said Trear, pointing to his head. "It was just a flat, unemotional game. We didn't have much enthusiasm."
After Mattox's first basket, Franklin County never lost the lead. The Indians got only 15 shots for the first half and scored 15 points. The Eagles led by 13 points several times in the second half and Blacksburg could never muster the energy to rally.
"We might hit a shot or two and there was no emotion on the floor or the bench," said Trear. "Franklin County played pretty good defense. The thing about it is we threw the ball away a lot of times when we didn't have to throw it away."
Franklin County's offense didn't really click as the Eagles hit 21-of-57 and were 10-of-22 from the free throw line. On the boards, it was Franklin County 38-33 thanks to Mattox with nine rebounds and Alessandro Lima with seven.
Blacksburg made 16-of-41 shots, but forward Chris Smith picked up his fourth foul with 6:10 left in the third quarter. Maher sat out much of the first half with three personals. Morton did have a game-high six assists and two steals, but the point guard never really got into the flow.
"I reminded the kids about [our first win against] Cave Spring. Then we went out and lost by 26 to Magna Vista and 20 at Halifax County. We've got William Fleming coming here and they're capable of beating us by 40 if we're not ready to play," said Preston. \
see microfilm for box score