Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 25, 1993 TAG: 9302250185
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Bob Teitlebaum Staff Writer
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
BYRD EARNS BLUE RIDGE FINAL
Asked to put up the shot, Chris Adcock responded for William Byrd.The Terriers' forward had been in double figures only one other time this year. Wednesday, he entered once more what for him has been a twilight zone to score a career-high 14 points and help Byrd ease past Salem 78-68 in the Blue Ridge District boys' basketball semifinals at the Salem Civic Center.
"Coach [Paul Barnard] had been talking a lot about seniors stepping forward or it would be our last chance to play. Salem sagged off me," Adcock said.
The victory puts Byrd in Saturday's championship game against Alleghany, which eliminated defending champion Northside 71-63. The winner, along with regular-season champion Salem, will qualify for a berth in the Region III tournament next week at Liberty University.
Alleghany has beaten Byrd twice, but Barnard has no fears. "Alleghany has to play us a third time and we look forward to playing again. Hey, it's a championship game," he said.
The Spartans (17-4) came out in a swarming defense intent on cutting off the Terriers' David Robertson. The 6-foot-4 senior still got a game-high 27 points because of people such as Adcock.
"They sagged off on David. Jump shots are not usually my game, but I hit the first couple and that gave me confidence," Adcock said.
Byrd (16-6) had a good all-around game as the Terriers sank 28 of 50 shots from the field, held a 30-23 rebounding advantage and knocked down 22-of-26 free throws.
"I also thought we played a great half-court game. Salem didn't get many transition goals," Barnard said.
Salem was running short of superstars the entire night. Josh Pugh, the team's second-leading scorer, was in a hospital with pneumonia. Leading scorer Mark Byington picked up three fouls in the first half, got his fourth less than three minutes after intermission and fouled out with 2:13 left in the third quarter after Spartan coach Charlie Morgan gambled by leaving him in the game.
"I had a lot of confidence in Mark not to get his fourth personal. I really didn't think we'd lose him that early," Morgan said.
Salem, though, didn't go easily without Byington. Kevin Garst ran the offense as the Spartans crept to four points behind after trailing 54-44 when Byington went out.
Salem never drew closer than four. The Spartans cut the margin to four five times - the last at 68-64 when Tra Wilson hit a running jump shot with 2:48 left. Byrd's Mike McGuire answered with a layup. After Wilson missed, the Terriers went inside to Robertson for an easy layup and Byrd started opening some space.
Robertson had 10 points in the final quarter. By now, Salem's Nathan Routt had also fouled out and the Spartans had no one left inside to stop the Terrier center.
"I thought Garst did a great job after Byington fouled out. We went to a single post to go to David because we didn't think they had people to stop him inside," Barnard said.
The Spartans made 25-of-49 shots. Before Byington went out, he had a game-high six assists. Shawn McMahon, starting in place of Pugh, led Salem with 17 points and eight rebounds. He made all seven shots he took from the field.
"A couple of kids didn't step up, but I won't name those," Morgan said. "I thought Shawn played a heck of a game. He was ready to play. He did his job."
\ see microfilm for box score
Memo: ***CORRECTION***