Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 19, 1993 TAG: 9311190282
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MAX MEADOWS LENGTH: Medium
The higher seeds advanced without suffering many of the anxieties of tournament basketball in the Group A Region C semifinals. Floyd County was overpowering in dispatching Rural Retreat 84-43, and Glenvar was solid and efficient in dispatching Shawsville 48-36.
Floyd County, a state semifinalist a year ago, is back in the state again. Glenvar returns for the first time since 1989, when it was the state runner-up.
"It feels good to go," said Glenvar's Marilea Hale, a junior who scored 18 points against Shawsville. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing for me."
First, though, there is the formality of the regional championship, which will be 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Fort Chiswell.
Glenvar took control in the first half then played Shawsville to a standstill. The Highlanders (18-5) led by 11 points after eight minutes and 31-18 at the break.
"We were trying to clog up the middle and force them to take the outside shot," Glenvar coach Dennis Layman said. "Then our press started to work a little for us and we started to get some easy shots out of it."
Fearing foul trouble, Shawsville played a more passive defense in the first half and that may have enabled Glenvar to expand its lead.
"We went with the matchup zone and we only had one foul by halftime," Shawnees coach Tracy Poff said. "At halftime, I told them we were going to go out there and get after it. That worked out well for us."
Shawsville (16-9) outscored the Highlanders 18-17 in the second half. Brandy Alexander helped in that effort by hitting both of her 3-pointers on the way to scoring 10 points. Kelley Ryan added nine before fouling out.
Amanda Kennedy scored 11 for Glenvar.
"We were fairly consistent throughout the game," Layman said. "But when you get out to that kind of lead [18 points in the second half], you tend to lose your focus a little."
In the other game, Rural Retreat found out practicing for the Floyd County High press is one matter. Seeing it in deadly reality is another.
Overpowering defense was the Buffaloes' primary weapon in the wipeout of the Squaws.
Rural Retreat had 28 turnovers in the first three quarters, and by that time it was well on its way to being blown out big time.
"All week we worked on press breaks, but when we got in the situation, we were intimidated," Rural Retreat coach Pat Brewer said.
"We knew we had to play hard to go to the state," said Floyd County forward Lynette Nolley, who scored 19 points. "We really wanted to win."
The Buffs played like it, contesting every shot, scrambling for every loose ball, seizing every opportunity to force a turnover.
Say this, too, for Floyd County: It knows how to finish. Over a 9 minute, 48 second span in the third and fourth quarters, the Buffs outscored their flustered opponents 23-0.
Twelve of 15 Floyd County players scored. Sophomore guard Melissa Cantrell buried three 3-pointers and finished with 18 points. Carrie Chaffin scored 12. The Buffs sank six 3-pointers, one of them by Nolley, who is 6-foot-1.
"They are such awesome shooters," Brewer said.
Tanya Tarter led the losers with 14 points.
Rural Retreat was no match for the Floyd County pressure in the first half, so matters got out of control for the Squaws in a hurry.
By halftime, Rural Retreat (20-2) had 21 turnovers and seven Floyd County players had scored.
Nolley had 13 points by the break and opening-round heroine Chaffin had 10. Foul troubles for Nolley and Leigh-Ann Pursifull, who had three each and were called to the bench, didn't seem to bother the Buffs a whit. The replacements were equally effective.
Floyd County (25-1), which won its 22nd straight game, took control in the last 4:37 of the first quarter. The Buffs forced eight turnovers and allowed Rural Retreat only two shots. That produced a 13-2 run.
It got worse. Floyd County led by 27 points in the second quarter. The lead grew to 51 points.
by CNB