Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 7, 1994 TAG: 9403060203
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DALEVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Salem-Northside, Chapter 5, was just like the first four installments.
The Salem crowd kept chanting "Four times!" at the Vikings' supporters before the Region III championship basketball game Saturday night at Lord Botetourt. If the teams meet again Friday in the Group AA state semifinals, the Salem fans can shout "Five times!" because the Spartans made it five straight over Northside, this time 79-56.
Before there is a sixth meeting, Salem (22-1) must defeat Graham in a Group AA state tournament first-round game Monday night at 8 at the Salem Civic Center. Northside (21-5) travels to Christiansburg, where the Vikings will play Blacksburg at 7:30 p.m. in another first-round game.
If Salem and Northside win, they will battle again in the state semifinals in Charlottesville on Friday with the Blue Ridge District assured of a state finalist. If Salem beats Graham, Timesland is sure to have a team in the championship game.
The fifth meeting between Salem and Northside had little in common with the first four battles other than a big and noisy following for both schools.
The Vikings were sloppy with 28 turnovers and poor free-throw shooting (10-of-24). Those factors kept Northside from staying in the game just 24 hours after it had used a great finish to beat Martinsville in the Region III semifinals.
"I thought Northside was a little tired, and our kids kept battling and refused to lose," Salem coach Charlie Morgan said.
Northside coach Billy Pope refused to use the back-to-back games as an excuse. The Spartans also had to play a Friday night semifinal, but they didn't have to use quite as much energy in beating Jefferson Forest by 18 points.
"We didn't play very well," Pope said. "It's funny, but we struggled for 2 1/2 quarters, and the next thing we know, we're only behind by four points."
Actually, Northside closed to 40-37 with five minutes left in the third quarter after Nathan Hungate hit two free throws. Then the bottom dropped out for the Vikings. Salem's Mark Byington zipped in one of his six 3-point shots and the Spartans finished the quarter on a 14-6 run to take a 54-43 lead into the last eight minutes.
"I felt when they made a run, we had to get more offense going. So I told [point guard] Brian [Monroe] to penetrate more so that we could get inside," said Byington, who led all scorers with 32 points.
Northside might have rallied, but Hungate, who ignited the comeback against Martinsville, fouled out midway through the quarter with 22 points. Hungate, who scored 22 points, wasn't his usual self; he went 6-of-12 on free throws and hit only two 3-point shots.
Hungate got his main help from an inside player - 6-foot-6 Dana Gibson. The junior collected 14 rebounds and scored 10 points. Still, Salem outrebounded the Vikings 35-34.
Northside closed to eight points down early in the final period, but then Nathan Routt hit two baskets and a free throw to start a 9-3 run by Salem to put away the game.
A week earlier in the Blue Ridge District championship game, these two teams combined for 14 3-point shots with Northside getting six. Saturday night, the Vikings had only the two by Hungate and Byington had all but one for Salem.
Even Byington, a player who hardly ever leaves the floor, was tired.
"He asked me to take him out for a little while, and I don't ever remember him doing that," Morgan said.
"I was exhausted," the Salem star said. "I've been in back-to-back games, but the intensity was so high [in this one]."
Still, Byington had one of his great games. Tired or not, he hit 11 of 23 shots and made six of 13 3-point attempts. The senior guard lost a lot of his help when first Routt and then Matt Woolwine fouled out.
The other difference in this game from the first four battles was that reserves finished for both teams and many in the capacity crowd headed for the exits with more than two minutes remaining.
"I didn't think it would be a 20-point game," Morgan said. "I looked down and saw Billy putting in his [subs], so it was time to get my [subs] in there."
by CNB