Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 13, 1994 TAG: 9403120126
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
The Spartans held off the Vikings 63-59 Friday in the Group AA state tournament semifinals with Northside proud despite tough loss. B7. Byington on the sideline after he fouled out during regulation.
It was Salem's sixth consecutive victory over Northside in a series that now will rest for a year. The victory came because Nathan Routt took over in the extra session by hitting four free throws and a basket.
The Spartans (24-1), ranked No. 5 in Group AA, will play unranked Louisa County, a 68-57 winner over Nansemond River, today at 2:45 p.m. for the state championship.
"That just shows you about team play," Salem coach Charlie Morgan said. "One guy goes out of the game, and the team still wins. That's what this game's about."
Northside coach Billy Pope, asked, after losing six games to Salem, if the Spartans have the better team, said, "They're in the finals and we're not. That's all I'm going to say."
Byington, who had been hounded by the Vikings' diamond-and-one defense, fouled out on a play that might have been infamous in Salem basketball history had the Spartans not won.
Byington bellied up to Nathan Hungate with Salem leading 54-51. The Vikings' senior, who refuses to yield to any odds, went up for a 3-point attempt to tie, and Byington was called for his fifth personal foul.
"It was a call that could have gone either way," said Byington, a senior who was held to 17 points by Justin Porterfield and Darius Henderson. "I didn't like it, but it's something you have to accept. I hate to be on the bench and not able to help my teammates. I told them, `Hit your free throws and I'll see you tomorrow [for the championship game].' "
Of the teams' six meetings, this was the best. It had all sorts of twists and surges, starting at the opening jump when the Vikings (22-6) scored the first nine points. Salem rallied behind the shooting of Bryan Monroe, who finished with four 3-point shots and a career-high 17 points.
"We figured they'd do something to cover Mark [Byington]. When I found out what it was, I knew I had to step up," Monroe said.
For this game, Northside also slowed the tempo, a strategy Pope said worked. He said his team had to do something to open up the middle.
Said Morgan, "I thought Billy would probably do something different. Whatever he did, we had to make adjustments, and we did."
Hungate, who fired up the opening salvo, went out with three fouls in the opening half. He shot poorly in the third quarter, going 0-for-6, but then he hit 13 points to lead a last-quarter rally.
Salem led 54-47 with 1 minute, 17 seconds left after Matt Woolwine hit two free throws. Then Northside went to work and tied the score on Hungate's free throws after Byington's fifth foul.
His three free throws with 12.3 seconds left weren't easy. The guard had missed four of his first five tries in the game.
After the free throws, Salem got Routt open for a close-in shot that went off the rim at the buzzer.
Until the overtime, Salem seemed close to ending its season. First, Byington missed two free throws with 44.5 seconds left that could have put away the game. Then Monroe, for all his great play, missed a one-and-one.
Routt's final miss in regulation seemed to be just what Northside needed to swing momentum completely.
Pope wasn't so sure.
"You never think that. If you thought the game was yours, there wouldn't be overtime to begin with," the Northside coach said.
In overtime, Routt started boosting Salem's momentum right away, drawing a foul 15 seconds into overtime and hitting both free throws. Moments later, he hit a follow shot and was fouled. The 6-foot-4 senior missed the free throw, but Salem had some room with a 58-54 lead.
"Coach [Walt] Raines [an assistant] said all we needed to do was get the ball inside," Routt said. "I knew someone had to step up. Bryan did it in regulation. I looked over and saw Mark [on the bench]."
Still, Northside had one final gasp. It was 60-54 after two more free throws by Byington when Hungate fired in a long 3-point shot to make it 60-57 with 49.3 seconds left.
Woolwine hit one free throw for Salem with 31.5 seconds left. The Vikings couldn't get a fast shot off, and when they did, it was a miss. Finally, Sam Barrett hit a follow shot with 6.7 seconds to cut the deficit to 61-59.
Forced to foul, the Vikings tried Kevin Garst, who hit two free throws to bring an end to one of the longest high school basketball season series in state history.
by CNB