Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 13, 1994 TAG: 9403130158
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: E-1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Overachieving and proud of it, Parry McCluer battled gifted William Monroe - No. 1 in the state sportswriters' poll for much of the season - to the final minute before the Green Dragons' Percy White buried some free throws to finish the Fighting Blues 51-43 on Saturday in the Group A title game.
It was the first state basketball crown for William Monroe, which finished with a 24-game winning streak. The Green Dragons (27-1) had never won so much as a Region B title before this season.
"We had some great teams, but we always got beat in the regional semifinals," said Randy Michie, who has been coaching William Monroe for 18 years.
Parry McCluer (24-3) had whittled a 12-point second-half deficit to four points, 47-43, on a 3-pointer by Mike McElroy with 2 minutes, 33 seconds left. McElroy had buried a couple of 3-pointers and scored eight consecutive points as the Dragons' offense stalled.
"We had a run at them, and when we got it down to four points, I thought we were going to catch them at the last," said Nelson Fox, the Fighting Blues' coach. "But then we had some turnovers . . . "
Make that three in the last 1:53, and in a tight game, that was too many. Parry McCluer never hit another field goal.
William Monroe finally made some free throws, four by White in the last 28 seconds. The Dragons missed 12 of 21 from the line for the game and nine of 15 in the fourth quarter. Included were the front ends of seven of one-and-one opportunities and both shots of a two-shot foul.
"If we had made some free throws, it would have been different," Michie said. "We'd made about 64 percent per game during the year, but that went to about 85 percent in the regionals and state."
Parry McCluer held William Monroe to 33.3 percent field-goal shooting in the second half and outrebounded the Dragons 39-36, accomplishing both objectives while playing a zone defense much of the time.
But the Blues couldn't take advantage because they shot 25 percent in the first half and 31 percent (18-for-58) for the game.
"We just missed too many easy shots in the first half," Fox said. "We weren't being nearly as patient as we should be."
McElroy was the top man off the bench with 21 points and 10 rebounds, Nathan Baker had nine points and 10 rebounds before fouling out and Brian Sizemore added six points and nine rebounds.
Parry McCluer had nobody to match up with White, and the 6-foot-6 center scored 20 points on 8-for-12 shooting to go with 13 rebounds. He scored eight of William Monroe's last 10 points.
"We weren't intimidated, but we didn't play as well as we're capable," Blues forward Craig Floyd said. "If we had, I think we would have beaten them. But those guys played better than us. They deserved to win."
by CNB