Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 9, 1994 TAG: 9402090130
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"Nothing," the Viking junior forward said. That confirms it; he was unconscious.
Brammer came off the bench to score 25 points, nearly twice his previous career high of 13, helping Northside to an 86-75 Blue Ridge District victory.
Alleghany (9-7 overall, 3-4 district) had won three straight games.
"I was pleased with our play," Northside coach Billy Pope said. "We were not only playing Alleghany tonight; we were playing ourselves. We put a lot on the line Saturday night [in a loss to district leader Salem], and we came back and pushed the ball very hard."
Brammer made 10 of 13 field-goal attempts, including five of seven 3-point attempts from the wing. "I was feeling good about my shot," Brammer said.
"Brammer had how many?" Pope asked. "You're kidding me. That's incredible. I know I kept wanting him to hit one more, and then one more . . . He had that look on his face."
Northside (15-2, 6-1) also received assistance from Nathan Hungate, the district's second-leading scorer, who matched Brammer with 25 points. Hungate was especially sharp from the free-throw line, where he made all 10 of his second-half attempts.
Hungate missed seven of his eight 3-point tries, but the one he made was a big one. It came with three seconds remaining in the third quarter, and it broke a 61-61 tie.
Northside also slowed down Alleghany center Todd Wheatley, who was riding a scoring binge. Wheatley scored 15 points, on 7-of-11 shooting from the field, but was held to two field goals after halftime.
"When Todd gets in good position, he's got a great shot," Pope said. "We just tried to keep things moving."
Northside's break-neck pace seemed to unsettle Alleghany early, as the Mountaineers committed 11 turnovers in the first quarter. The Vikings opened a 15-10 lead and expanded it to six (22-16) at the quarter break. The lead could have been more if Wheatley hadn't scored nine points on perfect shooting.
Alleghany's only lead was 2-1, but the Mountaineers refused to fold. They trailed by 11 (57-46) in the third quarter but rallied to tie it at 61 when James Hughes hit one of two free throws with :22 left in the period.
Northside pulled away at the end, as Brammer hit two 3-pointers, and point guard Justin Porterfield made two layups after Alleghany turnovers.
Both teams shot comparably from the floor and the free-throw line. Northside made 31 of 61 field-goal attempts, and Alleghany was 28-of-58. The Mountaineers made 19 of 25 free throws, and the Vikings were 18-of-26.
Hughes, a junior guard, paced the Mountaineers with 19 points.
by CNB