Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 4, 1993 TAG: 9303040218
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG LENGTH: Medium
MARTINSVILLE RALLY ELIMINATES BYRD
Martinsville coach Husky Hall might retire before the turn of the century and when he does he'll take his bag of miracles with him.Hall's Bulldogs pulled off another act of magic Wednesday at the expense of William Byrd. Seemingly down for the count after three quarters, Martinsville rallied from 12 points down to nip the Terriers 57-55 in overtime.
Officially, Maurice Spencer ended this game with a 10-foot jumper with six seconds left for the winning basket. The Terriers tried to hustle the ball down court and call a quick timeout, but the last second ticked off before Byrd could do it.
Martinsville's victory gave the Piedmont District an opening-night sweep in the Region III boys' basketball tournament. Laurel Park demolished Jefferson Forest 82-58 as the Cavaliers played their fourth game in five days because of delays in the Seminole District tournament.
The Lancers will play Salem at 6:30 p.m. Friday, and Martinsville will face Amherst County at 8 in the semifinals. The winners will qualify for next week's Group AA state tournament.
Martinsville's pressure defense took the Terriers out of an offense that had picked the Bulldogs to pieces. For three quarters, Byrd (17-7) owned Martinsville by making 20 of 32 shots from the field for a 48-36 lead.
"We just sucked it up the last quarter and went to a deny defense," said Hall, whose 500-plus victories are the most for any public school coach in the state. "Byrd was very patient and a patient club makes it tough."
Spencer, who had a game-high 26 points, missed two free throws to start the extra period, but a Byrd turnover gave Spencer another chance. He gave the Bulldogs (20-4) a 55-53 lead with 1:04 left on a short jumper. After David Robertson, who led Byrd with 19 points, knotted the score on an inside move, Martinsville played for one shot and went to Spencer.
"We wanted to go to him. He has the knack of getting the shot off or getting fouled," Hall said.
'`I was thinking more about the free throws," said the Martinsville senior. "But I'm used to pressure. I'm used to being the go-to guy. Other years I was a control player, but this year Coach Hall asked me to step up."
After the shot, Chris Lester hustled down court and tried to call time. But the clock rolled to zero and, after a short conference, officials ruled the game was over.
"There was no one open, so I thought I'd go all the way. I thought there was a second left when I called time," Lester said.
Byrd lost this game by making seven turnovers in the final quarter and sinking only two of seven shots from the field.
"They were pressuring the passes and running some half-court traps," Robertson said of the Bulldogs. "It's off and on how we handle pressure. Some games we handle pressure and others we don't handle it."
Byrd still led 53-46 with 2:17 left. Then the Bulldogs' Todd Johnson hit a short jumper and was fouled. He missed the free throw, but Chris Frith got the rebound for a follow shot to make it 53-50. A Terrier turnover was followed by a 3-point shot from Johnson that tied the score with 1:22 left.
Then Byrd held for a last shot. They never really got one as Mike McGuire wound up throwing an off-balance desperation 30-footer at the buzzer. \
see microfilm for box score