Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 12, 1994 TAG: 9407130068
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: Medium
Gates, who never could get the biggest honors from Ashley Moore during the season, scored the final seven points to propel the West past the East, 82-77, in the Virginia High School Coaches' Association Girl's All- Star Basketball Game.
Moore was ready to take a starring role along with Gates, but she went out in the final minute of play with a dislocated shoulder.
Moore's injury was the third in the game. The East lost Group AAA Tiffany Bower of Monacan with a knee injury early and then Menchville's Misty Hart went down with another knee injury in the second half for the East.
The West's strategy was made for players like Gates and Moore, who between them scored 27 points. These two 6-footers, along with 6-foot-1 Mary Klima of W.T. Woodson dominated the East inside.
Gates was voted the West MVP over Klima for her final flurry. Klima finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds.
"I've been used to playing [out of the limelight]," said Gates. "I've worked really hard. I wanted to prove I could play. I'm glad to be MVP, but really everyone is MVP."
The West led by 10 points at the half. The East, though, rallied behind Culpepper's Christine Roberts to come from 10 points. Roberts' jump shot gave the East its first lead at 56-54, and then it was a back-and-forth game until Gates took over in the last two minutes.
"We have a baseline play that was open for me," Gates said of the final few minutes.
Roberts finished with 12 points. She missed just two shots and proved how quick the guards were for the East.
"The coaches wanted us to go inside and not pass it around the perimeter because of their quickness," said Gates.
"We felt we had good inside people," said Blacksburg coach Mickey McGuigan, who was one of the West coaches. "If they doubled down, then we could kick it back to one of our good shooters."
The taller West team dominated the boards 59-49, thanks to Klima. Gates hit two 3-point plays and Moore, before her injury, looped in key 3-pointers that put the West ahead 70-69 in the fourth quarter.
Christiansburg's Rebecca McNeil hit eight points to help dominate inside, while Lynette Nolley of Floyd Co., yet another 6-footer in the West arsenal, also hit a 3-pointer in the third quarter.
"They don't expect big people to hit 3-pointers," said Gates.
Blacksburg's Mary Thorn, who shared point guard duties with Floyd County's Monica Lucas, also hit a last quarter 3-point shot as the West scored 26 points against a tiring East squad.
This was the fourth straight victory for the West girls in this series.
by CNB