Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 21, 1992 TAG: 9203210295
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUMM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
The Patriots waited until the last quarter to pull away and beat Highland Springs 65-54 in the Group AA boys' basketball semifinals Friday.
The Patriots will play Booker T. Washington tonight at 7:45 for the state title. The Bookers' bounced South Lakes 80-65 in the other semifinal game.
The Bookers won behind an incredible performance by 6-foot-3 guard Michael Evans who had 47 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and seven steals. Only Barry Parkhill of the University of Virginia has scored more points in University Hall, 51.
What started as a running game turned into a defensive match, with Patrick Henry's Timmy Basham leading the way.
First, Basham held high-scoring forward Melvin Jones to four points. When the Patriots (26-1) had to stop Richmond player of the year J.J. Williams in the last quarter, Basham handled that assignment too.
Offensively, the 6-foot-6 junior put the game in the PH win column when he hit a 3-point shot with 3:27 left for a 55-47 lead. It was all the Patriots needed to take control.
"I just stepped back to make sure I was behind the line," said Basham, who earlier shied away from attempting the 3-pointer.
"I didn't have a feel for the shot because at first I wasn't making my shots," said Basham. "I started backing off."
Highland Springs coach George Lancaster said, "I knew someone would ask that [about Basham's 3-point shot]. I know I looked up when he shot it and I said, `Doggone it.' It looked great when he released it."
Lancaster was most impressed with PH's defense, especially that of Basham.
"On the defensive end, no team has played defense against us like PH, especially Basham. The difference tonight was the job he did on Melvin Jones. I've never seen anyone play that type of defense," Lancaster said.
PH coach Woody Deans finally had to shift Basham to Williams, who wound up with 27 points for the Springers (25-3). Williams missed his last couple of shots.
Highland Springs came out ready to run, but PH opened a seven-point lead forcing Highland Springs to shift gears.
"This is the first time [in the tournament] that we've had to play a half-court game," said PH playmaker Troy Manns who dished out five assists. "But we've worked on it all year in practice, so it paid off. We just had to keep concentrating."
The score was tied at halftime, and the teams traded leads for most of the third quarter. PH got the upper hand for good when Curtis Staples, who led the Patriots with 18 points, hit a short jumper with 44 seconds left to snap a 41-41 tie.
In the final period, Staples hit four straight points to give the Patriots a 47-42 lead and control of the game.
"I calmed down in the second half and let the game come to me," said Staples, who admitted that being in the state semifinals as a sophomore was a little unnerving.
"I think we got a little lead and played smart basketball," said Deans. "We widened it out and took some good shots. Then as they missed, we got some easy ones." \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB