Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 1, 1993 TAG: 9310010314
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DALEVILLE LENGTH: Medium
"I told the team that was the best first half we've played. Now we're looking forward to opening district play," Botetourt center Jenny Gates said.
That will come Tuesday against Salem, the defending champion. This year, Botetourt is favored to win the district.
Gates, a 6-foot senior, scored nine of her game-high 22 points in the opening period as Botetourt opened a 23-4 lead. It was 40-15 at halftime, and the Cavaliers (10-1) didn't have a problem the rest of the night.
"I was really psyched for them. The last time Christiansburg was physical and rough," Gates said. "We came out ready to play."
Botetourt, Timesland's second-ranked team, has something to prove. The Cavaliers were upset by William Byrd last year and failed to make the Region III tournament on their court.
Gates isn't the only star on this deep team. Fellow senior Ashley Moore, also a 6-footer, gives the Cavaliers strength underneath. She scored 10 points and made four steals to lead the Botetourt defense.
Out front, Laurie Ottaway dealt out five assists, had two steals and scored eight points. Botetourt coach David Wheat used his entire team, including freshman Sara Moore, Ashley's sister, who came off the bench for eight points. Starter Summer Plunkett scored 14.
"We have a lot of players. We have people to go to if we're in foul trouble. People can't use a box-and-one or triangle-and-two defense to stop us," Wheat said.
Gates played longer than she might have in the blowout as Wheat wanted her to hit the 1,000-point mark. Gates did that on a layup and was fouled, so she now has 1,002 career points.
Christiansburg (2-6) was held to four shots by the Cavaliers' defense in the opening eight minutes and got only four in the final quarter. Rebecca McNeil was the only Blue Demon who could stay with the Cavaliers; she scored 16 points and had 10 rebounds.
"Botetourt played real good defense. They over-played where we wanted to go and we didn't reverse the ball enough," Christiansburg coach Danny Knott said. "Rebecca plays AAU ball with a lot of their players. I don't want to say she had something to prove, but she really wanted to play."
by CNB