Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 25, 1992 TAG: 9201250265
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JOHN WEBSTER SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: ROCKY MOUNT LENGTH: Medium
COUGARS STOP EAGLES 77-73
When it came to crunch time Friday, Pulaski County had what it took to post a 77-73 Roanoke Valley District boys' basketball victory over Franklin County.The game was close all the way. There were numerous ties, and neither team could muster more than a six-point lead.
With 2:14 left to play it was 68-68. That's when the Cougars (6-6 overall, 1-2 in the RVD) took charge. Kevin Alexander drove the lane for a layup and added a free throw to put Pulaski County on top for good.
The Cougars quickly forced a turnover and picked up two more points on a pair of free throws by Eric Webb.
The Eagles (2-10, 1-2) weren't finished yet. Brian Davis, who had a game-high 21 points, sank a 3-pointer, making it 73-71. The game was finally decided with 19 seconds left as Franklin County's Alessandro Lima was whistled for an intentional foul while battling for a rebound. The Cougars' Chris Burns hit one free throw for a 74-71 lead and Pulaski County controlled the ball and the game.
"I didn't foul the Pulaski County player intentionally," said Lima. "I was just trying to smack the ball out of his hands. I had already smacked him once, but when I smacked him the second time, the referee blew his whistle."
Eagles coach Calvin Preston said, "I thought it was a tough call. But give the officials credit, they did take time to explain it."
Franklin County stayed in the game by hitting 9-of-12 3-point shots in the second half, but Pulaski County offset this by dominating the rebounding 45-17.
"We had to battle a lot of things," said Pulaski County coach Pat Burns. "Most particularly those three-pointers. But we played with a lot of emotion and we had too to win.
"One reason for their domination of the boards, we used a smaller lineup. A lot of times we played four guards and they're not used to going to the boards." \
see microfilm for box score