Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 26, 1994 TAG: 9401260156
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
There was no arguing the fact that Patrick Henry won 72-63 after trailing by four points with 4 minutes, 28 seconds left.
The point of contention came midway through the final quarter when the Cougars, leading 57-55, went to a delay game to draw PH (8-3 overall, 2-1 RVD) out of a zone defense. Tyrone Hash scored on a short jumper as Pulaski County (4-7, 0-2) stayed in position to pull off a huge road victory.
Then PH's Chris Combs, who had been held in check most of the night, barged in for a layup. After Pulaski County committed a turnover, PH point guard Moe Preston tipped in a missed shot for the tie.
Quickly Combs and Preston came up with three consecutive steals between them. Each time the Patriots scored, with Combs hitting one free throw, Eugene Cook scoring a layup on a pass from Combs and Shannon Taylor getting a layup to make it 64-59 in favor of PH.
"We put in a special defense yesterday for Pulaski County's delay game," said PH coach Woody Deans, who also inserted C.J. Walker, a quick guard, to help disrupt the Cougars.
Pulaski County coach Pat Burns didn't agree that PH's defense was the difference.
"We had scored in our delay game. As long as we were doing what we were supposed to do, we were OK," Burns said. "Patrick Henry didn't have to do anything. We threw [the ball] where they were. We didn't do what we were supposed to do. There were gaps [in the defense]. All we had to do was hit the open man. I'm upset with the way we finished. It was our game to win."
What no one will disagree about is the game turned in by Preston. The senior had nine assists, nearly double the five Pulaski County had as a team, and four steals, two more than the Cougars collected.
"I thought I had to step it up. I had to hustle and get my team in the game," said Preston. "Pulaski County has a real good team and they played well. I sort of felt we might have a game like this because we were sluggish in the warmups."
The Patriots were outrebounded 21-15 in the first half but wound up with a 31-30 edge for the game. That also helped turn things around.
Down by four points at halftime, PH scored the first six points of the second half, starting with a couple of baskets by Quinton Twine.
The Patriots' most consistent player offensively was Taylor, who scored 27 points, including seven of PH's last 10 to keep Pulaski County from rallying.
"That's two good games we've done well at the end," said Deans, noting that PH rallied and pulled away from Princeton, W.Va., over the weekend.
Pulaski County got 20 points from Hash and 18 from Eric Webb. The Cougars hit 27 of 58 field-goal attempts.
PH, because of a hot second half in which it shot 17-for-26, finished 30-of-55.
by CNB