Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 24, 1994 TAG: 9402240269
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A high school basketball player who had seen a total of six seconds of action departed the floor on a makeshift sedan chair formed from his teammates' shoulders.
Jeff Eenigenburg's feet won't soon touch the floor after he made the shot with which Patrick Henry defeated Pulaski County 60-58 in the semifinals of the Roanoke Valley District tournament.
Usually deployed as a defensive specialist, Eenigenburg was sent in because he was the best shooter coach Woody Deans had left.
"There's not much dialogue in that situation other than, `You go in,' " Eenigenburg said of his marching orders. "He did ask me if I was OK. I said I was fine."
The ball went inside to forward Shannon Taylor, who had scored 26 points. Taylor kicked it out to Eenigenburg, who was open for the 12-footer from the right wing. Swish.
"I tried to go in there with confidence because if you don't go in with confidence, you're destined to fail," Eenigenburg said. "I didn't even think what I would do if I got the shot. It was just a reaction."
Pulaski County (7-13) set up a last shot, but instead of Tyrone Hash or Eric Webb, who had combined for 33 points, the player who took the running jumper was Jason Lawson. The ball went about halfway down the cylinder, rattled once and bounced free. Game over.
"We wanted to either hold for a last shot or get a layup," Pulaski County coach Pat Burns said. "He must have thought the layup was open until they cut him off and he had to pull up for the bank shot."
There were 10 ties and six lead changes, and Pulaski County had led by six points and was ahead 57-54 with 1 minute 47 seconds left. But fortune has rarely shined on this team this year. No better example was the winning shot that came after two PH starters, Quinton Twine (12 points) and Eugene Cook, had fouled out.
"That's the type of thing we've seen all year," said Burns, whose team had won three of four coming in. "We had the triangle and two [defense] on Taylor and [Chris] Combs and pressure up top on [guard Moe] Preston. And the kid who plays six seconds makes the danged winning shot."
Deans was glad that it turned out that way - and for reasons other than it put the Patriots (15-5) in Saturday's 7:15 p.m. championship game against William Fleming.
"Eenigenburg is the type of kid who sits on the bench and doesn't play a lot," Deans said. "But when you call on him, he's always ready to play. He's just a great kid."
by CNB