Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 20, 1993 TAG: 9301200197
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DALEVILLE LENGTH: Medium
HUNGATE IN GROOVE FOR VIKINGS GUARD LEADS WIN OVER CAVALIERS
Nathan Hungate has been working on his shooting, which is one of the reasons that future Northside High School basketball opponents may be working on an some ulcers.The Vikings' junior playmaker scored a game-high 21 points, including eight in the final 2:12 of the first half, as Northside pulled away for a 63-47 Blue Ridge District boys' basketball victory over Lord Botetourt on Tuesday.
Hungate hasn't been known so much as a scorer to date, but that may be changing fast.
"I've been staying after practice to work on my shooting and I'm more confident in my shot now," he said.
The confidence was no secret to anybody after he made a pair of 3-pointers - he made three of four in the game - and another shorter shot as the Vikings broke open a nip-and-tuck game and raced to a 31-18 halftime lead.
"On one of the threes, they weren't paying attention, so I shot it," he said. "On the other [with five seconds left before intermission], we were supposed to be running a play, but I didn't run it right so I just pulled up and shot."
Which turned out to be the thing to do. Hungate nailed seven of nine shots from the floor for the game and was 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.
The points came in handy because Lord Botetourt (4-6 overall, 0-2 Blue Ridge) proved too stubborn to bow out quietly. The Cavaliers were down 18 in the second half and cut the deficit to nine points before inadequate ball-handling betrayed them.
"We got back in the ballgame against a superior team, then gave it away and gave it away and gave it away," Lord Botetourt coach Don Meredith said. "We really have trouble taking care of the ball."
The Cavaliers had 26 turnovers, 14 in the second half, against Northside's typically fierce defense. Still, Billy Arthur sank a free throw with 1:08 left to cut the deficit to 57-47, but missed the second.
"We get it down to nine then and you don't know what might have happened," Meredith said.
"They've got a scrappy team and they keep coming at you," said Northside center Walt Derey, who had eight points and 12 rebounds, including one lying on his back. "It's hard to put that kind of team away."
Northside (11-1, 2-0) got scoring from nine players, including 11 points from Kelly Dampeer. However, the Vikings made things hard on themselves by making only 15 of 25 free throws.
"I think we're starting to get a little better at the line, though," Northside coach Billy Pope said, "especially down the stretch."
Northside made five of six in the last 54 seconds.
Lord Botetourt sophomore Shannon Williams had 20 points, including two 3-pointers, and had half of the Cavaliers' 16 field goals. Northside outrebounded Botetourt 36-28 and had nine fewer turnovers, but the victory was in no way a romp.
"They [the Cavaliers] kept working hard," Pope said.