Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, February 18, 1994                   TAG: 9402180370
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-12   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: By RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DUBLIN                                LENGTH: Medium

HONOR IS THE BRIGHT POINT IN PULASKI PLAYER'S BAD WEEK

"It has not been a good week," she said.

True, the past five days have not been happy ones for McConnell and the rest of her Pulaski County girls' basketball teammates.

The week began horrifically, with the front-running Cougars being derailed by Roanoke Valley District arch-rival Cave Spring.

It wasn't so much that Pulaski County lost to the Knights - after all, Pulaski County had already beaten Cave Spring twice this season and knew it was in for a tough game on the enemy's home floor - rather, it was the margin of defeat that was so discouraging.

Twenty points. A real thrashing.

Of course, Cave Spring is no slouch. The Knights have been the RVD's top program for many campaigns and Pulaski County has been the only burr in Cave Spring's side these past few winters.

"They're a proud program," Pulaski head coach Rod Reedy said of his squad's chief foe. "They didn't want to get swept."

Wednesday afternoon, McConnell pontificated on the positives of losing a game - the Cougars' first district loss this season - this late in the year.

"Maybe we thought we couldn't lose in the district," said McConnell. "We'll build on that [loss]."

Wednesday night, the Cougars were shocked by William Fleming, a defeat that dropped them into a tie with Cave Spring.

McConnell was right. It hasn't been a good week.

Alas, we have forgotten why we are here, to praise McConnell, not to bury the Cougars.

During better times, like last week, for which McConnell is being honored, the Cougars were rolling and the junior point guard was a model of consistency in victories over Franklin County and Patrick Henry.

McConnell had 14 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals against the Eagles, and she turned in a near-carbon copy performance against the Patriots with 14 points, three rebounds, six assists and two swipes.

A year after having reconstructive knee surgery, McConnell has made a sparkling return as Pulaski County's floor leader. Like most of the Cougars, her statistics are modest, which shows the balance of a squad that has a 13-5 overall record, 9-2 in the RVD.

McConnell's main job requirement is make sure the Cougars understand the benefits of playing team ball.

"I don't really keep up with statistics," she said. "The main thing I keep up with are assists, but I really don't keep up with them. I think our whole team has been real consistent. When I pass the ball to my teammates, they know how to finish."

That fact alone makes it clear that even though the Cougars are currently in a two-game swoon, they'll bounce back before next week's RVD tournament. They know how to finish.