Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 25, 1993 TAG: 9302260024
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
ALLEGHANY ENDS A NORTHSIDE TRADITION
Until Wednesday, Northside basketball coach Billy Pope never had missed a Blue Ridge District Tournament championship game.In the past four years, the Vikings have been a fixture in the Saturday title game. It won't be that way this year because Alleghany knocked off Northside 71-63 in the semifinals at the Salem Civic Center.
With two seconds left, the Mountaineers' Todd Wheatley and Northside's Kelly Dampeer shook hands for what probably will be the last time in their careers. The two have battled in football and basketball for three years.
"We were just talking. We played AAU together. He was wishing us luck. They're [the Vikings] good sports," Wheatley said.
The Mounties' 6-foot-4 junior center had just done more than his share to see that Northside didn't add a fifth straight trip to the Blue Ridge title game. He scored 22 points, had 13 rebounds, blocked five shots, had four assists and added four steals.
"Todd averages three blocks a game. Our kids always know he's going to be there," Alleghany coach Jimmy Smith said. "A lot of times he doesn't get the credit because he's always playing the other team's toughest guy."
Wheatley got a lot of support from guard Michael Hunter, who had a game-high 23 points. He made 10 of 20 shots overall and scored nine points in the fourth quarter, when Alleghany made 14 of 18 free throws.
The Mounties (19-3) advance to the championship game against William Byrd, which upset regular-season champion Salem 78-68. The Terriers and Mountaineers also will play for the Blue Ridge District's other spot in the Region III tournament.
"Alleghany just outplayed us," Pope said. "They made some tremendous plays and kept the lead when we had them in several [sticky] situations. We had a tremendous year by going 17-5. It's hard to have that kind of a record and not go on."
The Vikings, who finished second in the Group AA state tournament last year, and the loser of Saturday night's game will be left at home because the Blue Ridge District had four good teams. Salem, Alleghany and Northside all were ranked among the state's top four Group AA teams.
There were a couple of key points to Wednesday's game. Northside, which trailed most of the game, caught Alleghany when Greg Pickeral sank a jumper to make it 47-47 with 6:55 left. The Mounties scored the next seven points, with Hunter getting five.
"We couldn't get over the hump," said Pope, who agreed that was a key stretch.
"They're going to make a run at you," Smith said. "Good teams like Northside are always going to do that."
The run started in the third quarter when Walt Derey, the hero of last year's tournament run, scored three baskets. Once Alleghany got the lead, it made its free throws and coasted to the victory.
Oddly, one of their four misses in the final quarter spelled doom for the Vikings. When James Hughes missed, Shawn Burks stepped in quickly for the offensive rebound and fed Hunter, who was fouled. The senior guard sank both free throws for a 66-59 lead with 46.4 seconds left to clinch the victory.
The Mounties shot well, hitting 25 of 45 field-goal attempts. Northside wasn't consistent offensively and made only 23 of 65.
The Vikings had a 38-32 rebounding edge as Derey and Jimmy Porter, who played on an injured ankle, each got nine. \
see microfilm for box score