Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 23, 1994 TAG: 9402230166
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROCKY MOUNT LENGTH: Medium
The Cougars exploited a big second-quarter surge to beat the Knights 48-47 at Franklin County High School in a playoff for the Roanoke Valley District regular-season title.
Pulaski County defeated Cave Spring for the third time in four meetings this season and remained the only team to beat the Knights this season.
"So I guess that means that we're pretty good, if they're the only team we've lost to," said Linda Long, Cave Spring's coach. "Pulaski County is a heck of a team. They do the right things at the right time."
The opportunism to which Long referred was readily apparent in the second half, when the Cougars (16-5) made sure the basketball found its way to the correct hands. Power forward Jodie Hallett scored eight of her 15 points and point guard Carrie McConnell had five of her 12, including a 3-pointer, as Pulaski County went up 28-18 with a 12-2 run.
"I hadn't been getting the ball, and it took me awhile to get my confidence up," Hallett said.
Added McConnell: "We just wanted to get it to Jodie and [center] Kim Cruise on the blocks."
With the victory, the Cougars earned the district's automatic berth in the Group AAA Northwestern Region tournament. Pulaski County next plays at 6 p.m. in the opener of Thursday's district semifinal doubleheader at Franklin County. The opponent will be the host school, a 51-37 first-round winner over Patrick Henry on Tuesday. Cave Spring (18-3) plays William Fleming in the nightcap.
Aimee Beightol scored 14 points, Leah Daigle added 12 and Cheryl Rhodes chipped in 10 for the Knights. Cave Spring went on a 10-0 roll to start the fourth quarter and took the lead, 42-41, on Beightol's 3-pointer with five minutes left.
But the Cougars' Stephanie Williams, in her second start, countered with another 3-pointer with 4 minutes, 38 seconds left. Beightol's three-point play at 3:10 forged the last tie.
Hallett gave Pulaski County the lead with a free throw at 2:23, and Daigle missed a chance at a wide-open baseline shot when Pulaski County got caught in a defensive switch.
"It looked like it just slipped through her hands," Long said.
McConnell added two free throws with 21 seconds left. Lisa Bryan cut the deficit to one point with a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left, but the Knights never regained possession.
by CNB