Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 30, 1994 TAG: 9409300058
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The 5-foot-8 junior stepped up with 19 points and a key block in the second half to lead Byrd out of trouble in a 67-64 non-district girls' basketball victory Thursday night.
In a battle of Timesland High Five teams, the Terriers won the rubber match with the Highlanders. Smith snared 12 rebounds - seven in the second half - to go with her points.
The play that sealed the victory for fifth-ranked Byrd (6-3) came when Smith, playing with four personal fouls, stepped in to block a 3-point try by third-ranked Glenvar's Marilea Hale with 1 minute, 40 seconds left and the Highlanders down 61-57. Smith grabbed the rebound, was fouled and hit one free throw to give the Terriers a five-point lead.
``I played AAU ball with her and we're pretty good friends,'' Smith said. ``I knew how she shot.''
What a way to treat a friend. ``Well, it's not really unfair,'' Hale said as she walked off with Smith after the game as if they had just finished another AAU game.
Marilea Hale and her younger sister, Erica, did a number on the Terriers. They combined for 39 points and led the Highlanders (8-2) back into the game after Byrd had built a 26-10 lead.
Erica Hale got most of her points in the first three quarters as Glenvar struggled to get back into the game, and Marilea hit four jumpers in the final quarter. The Highlanders were down 33-24 at the half and cut Byrd's margin to two points twice in the second half.
``We have to play more under control on defense,'' said Richard Thrasher, Byrd's coach. ``Our press created some turnovers, but because of fouls we couldn't keep up the intensity.''
The Terriers got off to a fast start when 6-foot junior Kristi Dyer scored 16 of her game-high 22 points in the opening quarter. Unfortunately for Byrd, Dyer also picked up two personals and gave way to freshman Brandy Allen, the Terriers' other six-footer. Allen scored six points and collected as many rebounds in the second quarter.
``We came out flat all the way around,'' said Dennis Layman, Glenvar's coach. ``I was just trying to get our girls up and running. I wasn't worried about what we did wrong. I told them at the half the bad news was that we had just played our worst half and the good news was that we only trailed by nine points.''
It might have been worse, but Smith got only two shots at the basket in the opening half and had but four points. It wouldn't have been that bad except that Nanda Channaiah came off the bench to get four steals and completely break up the Highlanders' offense.
``We haven't been doing a good job getting the ball to Cathy lately,'' Thrasher said. ``She got only two shots the other night [in a loss] against Martinsville.''
``We just couldn't pass it inside,'' Smith added. ``Most of Kristi's points came from the high post.''
Neither team shot well, but Glenvar made nine of 17 field-goal attempts in the final quarter. Part of the offense came from Kristy Robinson, who had three of her six assists in the final eight minutes.
``Give them credit; they hit some tough shots to make that comeback,'' Thrasher said.
by CNB