Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 3, 1992 TAG: 9203030096
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
To move on, the Cavaliers will have to defeat the once-beaten Colonels when the two teams meet tonight at 8 p.m. in the second half of a Region III boys' basketball doubleheader at the Salem Civic Center.
In the first game, surprising Martinsville tests Brookville at 6:30 p.m. It's Timesland vs. the Seminole District (Altavista and Brookville) for survival in Region III.
Other regional competition tonight has William Fleming going to Halifax County in a first-round Group AAA Northwestern Region boys' game at 7 p.m.
Both Roanoke Valley District girls' teams - Cave Spring and Pulaski County - have home games. The Knights take on Woodbridge, and the Cougars play host to Albemarle. All Northwestern Region games begin at 7 p.m.
In Region IV, Blacksburg is home to Marion in a battle of Timesland teams that begins at 7:30 p.m. and Carroll County plays at Tazewell at 7 p.m.
"People say not to run with Altavista," said Lord Botetourt coach Don Meredith. "But if we get the ball up court, beat the first trap, we have an excellent chance of beating them. They don't like to play half-court defense. They'll go crazy."
Beating the press is another matter, but Meredith believes his team can do it.
"If we handle them the first 15 feet on the floor, when they stick [press] you on the end line, we'll be OK. That's when they double- and triple-team you, beat you, bang you and deny the ball. They rely on turnover, turnover, turnover."
The key to beating Altavista's press will be Bobby Prince, the senior guard who refuses to let Lord Botetourt lose. Saturday night, Prince scored eight points and had three assists in the final quarter as the Cavaliers upset Northside 64-63 for the Blue Ridge District tournament title.
The Cavaliers must stop Altavista's twin terrors - juniors Mark Johnson (20.3 points per game) and 6-foot-3 Sherman Pannell (21.4 ppg.).
Martinsville won't have to worry about running according to coach Husky Hall, whose team is coming off a 63-61 victory over No. 1 Laurel Park.
"Brookville's a patient club and that means we have to come out and play good man-to-man defense," said Hall.
Marion wants to run in its game at Blacksburg. "We're going to look to push it up the court," said Marion coach K.W. Lawson. "Blacksburg looks to play up-tempo too. We don't want them to be able to push it up on us. So we're going to have to play some super defense."
Marion is seeking its third consecutive berth in the Group AA tournament, but must win road games at Blacksburg and Richlands to get there.
Carroll County wants to return to the Group AA tournament and the Cavaliers won at Tazewell 63-45 two weeks ago. "I feel good about the way we're playing," said Carroll County coach Pat Sharp.
In the Northwestern girls, Pulaski County must come back from a bad performance in the Roanoke Valley District finals, a 48-30 loss to Cave Spring.
"We have some little mental problems affecting our play," said Pulaski County coach Rod Reedy, whose team is the defending Northwestern Region champion.
Cave Spring's Dave Layman is happy about his club's play. "I thought our intensity was very good [against Pulaski County]. Woodbridge doesn't have the height we can throw at them. That's to our advantage. They play pressure and transition so I'm sure we'll have to do a lot of switching on defense."
Fleming lost 96-83 at Halifax County in early February, but the young Colonels have played well since them. Included are a pair of close losses to top-ranked Patrick Henry. Tonight's game figures to be a shootout because Fleming relies on the offensive skills of Carlos Rhodes and Derrick Hines.
Northside, Laurel Park and Patrick Henry are Timesland teams with first-round regional byes. The Region C tournament doesn't start until Wednesday at Lord Botetourt.
by CNB