Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 19, 1994 TAG: 9402190156
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Northside grabbed more rebounds, but Salem's Matt Woolwine pulled down the one that counted most.
The 6-foot-1 1/2 junior was waiting underneath when Kevin Garst's layup rolled off and he stuck the ball back in with 1.3 seconds left Friday to give the Spartans a 71-70 victory over the Vikings.
It was a very big rebound, giving the Spartans the Blue Ridge District title and a second consecutive trip to the Region III tournament. Northside, the state's fifth-ranked Group AA team, will have to fight its way back through the Blue Ridge District tournament to join No. 3 Salem in the regional.
Woolwine ended the drama with his 15th rebound and the Spartans' 43rd of the game, which was two fewer than the Vikings had. He went back up with the ball as Northside defenders, who had collapsed on Garst and left Woolwine alone, could only pray he wouldn't hit.
"We thought we had everyone covered on the rebound; he just happened to get it," said Northside's Dana Gibson, who hustled over to force Garst to miss an off-balance shot.
"Coach [Walt] Raines told me that second shots win games," Woolwine said. "I fed Kevin the ball and then followed him in. I just caught it and went right back up."
For Woolwine, it was the finish of a big night. He led Salem with 18 points, hitting 10 consecutive free throws. The fact that Woolwine still was in the game was a minor miracle; he played the entire fourth quarter with four personal fouls.
Woolwine's play was a simple one ending a difficult game. Salem, down 68-67, went ahead on a short jumper by Mark Byington with 25.6 seconds left. Then Byington, who was held to 16 points - eight fewer than his average - fouled out as Northside guard Justin Porterfield drove the lane.
Porterfield hit both free throws with 17.8 seconds left to make it 70-69. Then he stole the ball from the Spartans, but lost it out of bounds with 6.6 seconds left giving the Spartans (17-1 overall, 10-0 in the district) new life.
"We just set up a little play that we had worked on during the season. Nathan [Routt] sets a screen and we try and go to Kevin," said Charlie Morgan, Salem's coach.
The play is for Byington, but he wasn't there.
"We sort of expected them to go to Garst," said Billy Pope, Northside's coach.
"Matt got the rebound because he hangs around the basket," Morgan said. "It was a disadvantage that we didn't have Mark, but maybe it was an advantage in that they weren't sure whom we'd go to."
Northside (18-3, 8-2) has lost only to Salem this season, but the Vikings came up with the perfect defense to shut down Byington, who has terrorized teams all season with his shooting. The Vikings sloughed toward the middle, left Salem point guard Bryan Monroe open and dared him to shoot.
Monroe went 3-for-13. However, he connected on a jumper and 3-point shot in the final quarter. Byington made only four of 18, possibly the worst shooting night of his career.
"We didn't tell anyone, but Mark hurt his shooting hand against Rockbridge County on Thursday night," Morgan said. "As for Bryan, he didn't hit early, but he made those key baskets late and he went to the free-throw line and made them [seven of eight].
"I've been looking for someone to try that defense. I just told Bryan that he had to keep shooting. If you shoot and miss, it's OK. But you have to make them play you honestly."
Monroe also knew the night was coming when he would be left open.
"I expected that, because the last game we played them I didn't do much. I guess Coach Morgan told me to keep shooting because he knew it would fall sometime."
Pope said assistant coach Ed Culicerto came up with the defense.
"We were trying to clog up the middle because they're so strong inside," Pope said. "We expected Monroe to get hot eventually because he's a good player."
One player who would not be denied was Northside guard Nathan Hungate. He scored 31 points including four 3-point shots. Sam Barrett came off the bench to muscle his way to 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Vikings, who made only 25 of 65 shots.
It was a seesaw game at a packed gym with the officials letting the two teams bump and jostle each other. Salem made only 20 of 56 shots, but twice rallied from deficits of 11 points early and six points in the final quarter.
The Spartans had balanced scoring paced by Woolwine as four starters hit double figures. Routt got only eight points for Salem, but he was the game's top rebounder with 17. While Byington couldn't hit his shots, he set up others with five assists.
Keywords:
BASKETBALL
by CNB