Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 13, 1992 TAG: 9203130024
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The Northside-Blacksburg game, set for 7:30, starts a busy weekend of state quarterfinal play involving seven Timesland teams. Tonight's game is the only one matching Timesland teams, and it assures the area of having at least one team in next weekend's final four at Charlottesville.
Four Timesland teams will be in action Saturday at Lord Botetourt. In the afternoon Group AAA girls' tournament, Cave Spring plays nationally ranked James Madison at 1 and Pulaski County takes on West Springfield at 2:45.
Saturday night, Covington meets Twin Springs in a Group A boys' game at 7 p.m., followed by a Group AAA boys' game between Patrick Henry and Chantilly at 8:45. In a Group AA boys' game at Emory & Henry, Laurel Park battles Virginia High at 7 p.m.
When Northside played Blacksburg during the season, the Indians didn't have Kevin Schug for the second game and the Vikings won 78-76. In the first game, which Blacksburg won 73-62, Schug scored only four points.
"He was sick the second game and didn't play a major role in the first one," said Blacksburg coach Bob Trear. In the past few weeks, though, the junior forward has scored in double figures five times.
Northside also has changed. John Baker, a second-team All-Group AA selection last year, played in the first game, then quit the team two days later. Also, Jim Porter wasn't starting then as Northside opened with 6-foot-5 Walt Derey and four guards.
"Porter was playing then," Northside coach Billy Pope said. "It doesn't make a lot of difference whether he was starting because he still had his minutes. It was just a question of when he gets them.
"We haven't gone with the four-guard offense [lately]. But now we have Nathan Hungate, who has helped us in February [at guard], and he was on the junior varsity when we played Blacksburg."
The game boils down to a matchup of Derey against Blacksburg's Jon Maher inside. On the outside, it's Blacksburg point guard Darren Morton against Northside's depth, including Matt Hill and Aaron Burford. Maher can score from the outside while Derey works mostly around the basket. Morton is a point guard who can take over the game.
"Walt is playing exceptionally well. His rebounding has been incredible. I think since Feb. 1, he's been in double figures every time in rebounding," said Pope.
The Vikings shot less than 40 percent in a 57-50 win over Brookville in the Region III semifinals, then upset Laurel Park 58-56 in overtime shooting around the 40 percent mark.
Pope says that's misleading.
"We've gotten a lot of hustle points where we've missed the first shot and maybe even the second," he said. "But we rebound and the third one goes in or we've gotten a steal and scored. Our shooting percentage might be down, but on possessions scored it might not be down."
A look at Saturday's games:
\ Patrick Henry vs. Chantilly: PH point guard Troy Manns, injured in the Northwestern Region title game at Fauquier, is expected to be at full strength. Chantilly is led by point guard Daryl Franklin (23.6 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals per game). Chantilly coach Jim Smith says: "Our scouting report said Manns is quicker than Franklin. That caught our attention real fast." PH coach Woody Deans hopes to slow down Franklin and says he doesn't believe in letting a scorer have his points while trying to shut down the rest of the team.
\ Laurel Park vs. Virginia High: The Lancers have had surprising losses in the Region III and Piedmont District finals. Either the No. 1 Lancers have a few holes that are showing up against tougher competition or there was pressure on 6-foot-9 Odell Hodge as he went after the state career scoring title. He has that mark now, so the Lancers might be looser. Virginia High, though, is a big, physical team that might try and go at Hodge.
\ Covington vs. Twin Springs: The Cougars had won 20 games in a row before losing to Lebanon 66-63 in the Region C final. Twin Springs beat Haysi, one of the teams to beat Lebanon. "For that reason, this should be a good game," said Covington coach Brad Morton. The return of sophomore Van Wallace, averaging 15.2 points per game, to the lineup in late January wasn't the only reason for the Cougars' good play. Morton says Covington actually got it turned around after some good confidence-building practices at Christmas.
\ Cave Spring girls vs. James Madison: The Knights expected to play West Springfield after beating Pulaski County in the Northwestern Region final but instead got the Warhawks, ranked 25th nationally, after they were upset in the Northern Region final. "I think the girls' first reaction [to playing Madison] was disappointment and then surprise. You win the regional and have to play a nationally ranked team. But if you have to beat the best, why not play them 250 miles away from their home," Cave Spring coach Dave Layman said. The Knights will have to come up with enough firepower to beat a balanced Madison team that has four double-figure scorers, including outstanding seniors 5-9 Denise Wojciech (averaging 11 points, five steals, five assists, six rebounds) and 5-11 Renee Jaksch (13.3 points).
\ Pulaski County girls vs. West Springfield: Did Pulaski benefit from Madison losing? Not if you consider that 6-foot-1 Julie Wight hit six 3-point shots against the Warhawks from her point-guard position. It might give Pulaski County a matchup problem as an inside player would have to cover Wight. But West Springfield's 5-11 Jen Terry, averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds, injured a knee and is out of the lineup. "We're going to have a big job because you don't beat a Madison unless you have a good team," said Pulaski County coach Rod Reedy.
by CNB