Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 9, 1993 TAG: 9309090140
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BRIAN DEVIDO STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Terriers used a stifling second-half defense to stop a feisty Radford girls' basketball team 37-33 in the opening round of the William Byrd Tipoff Tournament. Byrd plays Glenvar, a 39-29 winner over Northside, for the championship at 7:30 p.m. today.
The biggest pressure play of the William Byrd-Radford game came with 10 seconds remaining. Radford was trailing 35-33 and was bringing the ball upcourt when the Terriers' Wendy Hayden picked off pass from Radford point guard Jenny Bishop.
Hayden drove downcourt and was fouled immediately. The 5-foot-6 junior calmly sank both free throws to clinch the victory for the fifth-ranked team in Timesland.
"It was anticipation," said Hayden, who led all scorers with 14 points. "I could totally see it coming."
It was a game in which both defenses worked overtime, pressuring the offenses into mistakes. In the first half, Radford swarmed all over the Terriers (2-0) and took a 17-15 lead.
"We were standing around too much," Byrd coach Richard Thrasher said. "We threw the ball away a lot."
The second half was a different story. Byrd's pressure began to take its toll, causing the Bobcats to throw several errant passes.
"Their pressure just wears on you," Radford coach Brenda King said. "They're always on the attack. They never seem to stop."
The Bobcats trailed 31-27 early in the fourth quarter, but a pair of 10-foot jumpers from the right corner by freshman guard Charlee Taylor tied the score with four minutes remaining. Byrd answered the challenge when Hayden and 5-8 sophomore forward Cathy Smith scored tough inside baskets, giving the Terriers a 35-31 lead.
But Radford would not go quietly. Cathy Richardson, a 5-9 senior forward, scored on a fast-break layup with 37 seconds remaining to cut Byrd's lead to 35-33. Jaclyn Banks, the Terriers' 6-1 sophomore center, missed a shot underneath and Radford got the ball back, setting up Hayden's steal in the final seconds.
"We were fortunate to win tonight," Thrasher said. "The key was that we were finally able to run the press right a couple of times at the end."
Glenvar was able to shut down Northside center Shannon Yopp, who scored 20 points against the Highlanders last week in a 57-49 overtime Glenvar victory. This time, the Highlanders double-teamed Yopp and held her to four points.
Northside's offense never seemed to get untracked. The Vikings (1-2) missed several 3-point attempts and appeared frustrated by Glenvar's hustling defense, which held Northside to two points - both free throws - in the second quarter.
"We were willing to give up the outside to them this time," Glenvar coach Dennis Layman said. "We were aggressive on the inside, and it paid off."
The Highlanders (2-0) took a 24-6 lead at halftime, and were led by 5-4 junior guard Toree Morris, who scored 19 points. Northside will play Radford, a team it beat 52-51 on Saturday, in the consolation game at 6:30 p.m. today. \ see microfilm for box score
by CNB