Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, November 7, 1994 TAG: 9411120056
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Bassett's Kim Hairston never has missed making a Group AA region girls' basketball tournament.
In fact, her high school varsity career, which winds up either this month or early in December at the girls' state basketball tournament, has been pretty amazing.
As a freshman, she helped the Bengals make their first Group AA state tournament. She was Timesland's Sizzlin' Sophomore of the Year a season later and last year was a junior member of the All-Timesland team.
This fall, no one has challenged her as Timesland's scoring leader. After scoring only 20 points in her first two games, Hairston finished with 448 points in 20 games, a 22.4 average.
Until Craig County's Chrissy Robertson hit 38 in the season finale to finish with a 20.6 average, there was no other Timesland player averaging 20 points.
Hairston will visit Radford University next weekend, where she says she'll attend college and get a full scholarship after it appeared that Division I schools might pass on her because she stands only 5-foot-5. Hairston's decision to attend Radford means all five players on the 1993 All-Timesland team will get Division I scholarships. That's a first.
Returning to the region might be another matter for Hairston. Her Bengals were upset by Fieldale-Collinsville last Thursday, costing them a chance to tie Martinsville for first place and earn a spot in a playoff game against the Bulldogs for an automatic berth in the Region III tournament.
Now Bassett must make its way to the Region III tournament by winning the Piedmont District as girls' tournament action starts tonight. It's likely that the path will be barred by Fieldale-Collinsville, one of Timesland's sleepers. The Cavaliers have won seven in a row, beating both Bassett and Martinsville during the streak.
But win or lose, Hairston's improved with age.
``I had to take a lot of responsibility and step up, become a leader,'' said Hairston, who became a scorer when it was apparent the young Bengals needed one early in the year.
``I think Kim is better in her shooting; it's improved tremendously,'' Bassett coach Lisa Black said. ``Her field goal percentage has gone up. Obviously, she's having to score more because we don't have two or three other double-figure scorers.
``She passes up a lot of open shots to make us more balanced. Her assists could be higher. She makes the passes, but the kids aren't always ready. It was the same situation [former Timesland Player of the Year] Patrinda Toney was in when she was here.
``What marks her improvement more than anything is that her defense has gotten better. She's tried to work on it.''
Toney went on to have a great career at Radford, but Black says her two stars are different in that Hairston has to work for everything. ``For Patrinda, she was one of the purest athletes I've seen in this area,'' Black said. ``Everything came easy to her.''
Three of Hairston's summer AAU teammates - Byrd's Cathy Smith, and Glenvar's Toree Morris and Marilea Hale - hope to guide their teams to the state tournaments.
Of the three, Smith has the biggest task. The Terriers are almost sure to meet Lord Botetourt in the semifinals of the Blue Ridge District tournament Thursday, with a Region III berth on the line if Salem wins the first game that night. Botetourt and Byrd split two games during the regular season, but the Cavaliers, by dividing the season series with Salem, finished second.
As the third-place finisher, Byrd must beat winless Rockbridge County Tuesday night to make the Blue Ridge semifinals while Lord Botetourt has a first-round bye.
Glenvar is an overwhelming favorite to win the Pioneer District. In Region C, the Highlanders will be in an opposite bracket from Timesland's No.1 team, Floyd County. So Hale and Morris have a chance at taking the Highlanders, whose only losses came to Byrd, back to the Group A state tournament.
Floyd County, 21-0, is a favorite to win the Three Rivers District, the Region C next week and defend its Group A state title. The Buffaloes once again are loaded with good players and feature a tough press.
Blacksburg and Christiansburg meet tonight at Carroll County to settle the New River District regular season champion while Galax tackles Narrows at Fort Chiswell to come up with a Mountain Empire District winner. Both victors earn berths in next week's regions.
Martinsville is the Piedmont favorite, but Bassett, Fieldale-Collinsville and Magna Vista all appear capable of joining the Bulldogs in the Region III field.
Liberty and Staunton River meet Wednesday in a first-round Seminole District battle. The Minettes might have a little more balance and could pull off an upset to make their way into the Region III tournament.
In the Hogoheegee District, George Wythe goes to Rural Retreat for a first-round battle of Timesland teams, but neither squad appears capable of knocking off Castlewood and winning the district title, as the winner will have to do to make the Region C tournament.
by CNB