Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 28, 1992 TAG: 9202280166
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHRIS STEUART SPECIAL
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
COUGARS OUTLAST COLONELS
Pulaski County coach Rod Reedy said earlier this week that he expected a dogfight with William Fleming in Thursday night's semifinal of the Roanoke Valley District girls' basketball tournament at the Cougars' gym.That is what he got.
In a low-scoring, physical game, the Cougars slipped by the Colonels 35-24. "Nothing too fast" seemed to be Pulaski County's motto.
It was a little more than two minutes into the game before Terri Garland scored Pulaski's first points. That shot put Pulaski up 2-1, and the score stayed that way until Garland went baseline for a scoop shot that made it 4-1 with five minutes left in the first quarter.
With spectators yawning, the dreadfully slow pace continued through the second quarter. The halftime score was 21-9.
"This is our lowest offensive output of the season," Reedy said. "But the credit for that goes to Fleming. They put everything they had into it and played very physical and aggressive."
The game inched along until Garland was punched in the nose and came of the game with blood trickling down her lip with about three minutes to play and Pulaski up 30-22.
"We knew they'd come out rough," Garland said. "That took us out of our normal game."
And she clinched the victory at the end.
Just as she had scored six of Pulaski's first seven points, Garland stepped to the line and connected on five of six free throws to seal the Cougars' return to Saturday's district final against Cave Spring for the third year in a row.
Pulaski County held Fleming at bay in the fourth quarter with its version of the "four corners" offense, with Garland driving to the lane and dishing the ball back to the top of the key. The Cougars used up 6:38 of the fourth quarter.
"[Dean] Smith and [Phil] Ford made `four corners' famous for UNC," Reedy said. "And Garland made it famous for us."
Despite the low scoring totals, Garland still picked up 16 points to pace Pulaski. Combine her total with Cindy Martin's nine points and that's all the Cougars needed to top the Colonels.
Pulaski County and Cave Spring play Saturday at 5:30 p.m at the Salem Civic Center. \
see microfilm for box score