Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, December 14, 1994 TAG: 9412140150
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DWIGHT FOXX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But the defending Group AA champions can turn to Kevin Garst and Matt Woolwine. The senior forwards combined for 25 of the Spartans' 29 second-half points as Salem downed Blacksburg 56-51 in its opener Tuesday night at Salem High School.
Blacksburg (1-2), which lost to Northside by 28 points a week earlier, was a much improved team with power forward Anthony Wheeler (15 points and eight rebounds) in the starting lineup and shooting guard Greg Shockley coming off the bench. The score was tied 27-27 at halftime and 35-35 with 14 seconds remaining in the third period.
Woolwine gave Salem an one-point lead going into the final period when he hit the back end of a two-shot free-throw opportunity. The score was tied nine times and featured two lead changes.
Then, Garst and Woolwine combined for the first eight points of the final period to give the home team a 44-35 lead with 6 minutes, 15 seconds to play.
``Last year, we had Mark Byington,'' Garst said. ``We gave him the ball and he led us. This year, we have to spread it around; it's not going to be one person every game. Somebody different will have to step up every game.''
Despite the Woolwine and Garst run at the beginning of the final period, Blacksburg would not go away. Salem's Ryan Reeves hit both ends of an one-and-one situation with 35 seconds left to give his team a seven-point lead, 52-45. But Shockley and Aaron Marshall nailed back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the Spartans' lead to 52-51 with 19 seconds left.
Reeves hit two more free throws with 16 seconds remaining to give Salem a 54-51 lead. Blacksburg had a chance to tie the score, but Salem's Chad Pendleton got a hand in the face of Marshall on his potential tying 3-point shot and the ball barely hit the side of the rim. Woolwine rebounded the ball and was fouled with six seconds remaining. He hit two free throws to put the finishing touch on Salem's victory.
Woolwine and Garst combined for 38 points - 19 - and 17 rebounds. Both players said the Spartans may have been too emotional going into the game.
Before tip-off, the state championship banner of the 1993-94 season was unveiled to the Salem fans, who roared with approval. Woolwine said this is not the same team that won the state championship, but he knows Salem will see everyone's best effort.
``Everybody is going to be gunning for us,'' Woolwine said. ``But this is a totally different team from last year.''
Garst said a close game to start the season may have been what the Spartans needed.
``We came out a little too fired up,'' Garst said. ``Everybody else has played two games and we've just been sitting around watching. We know now we have to work hard in practice and be prepared for every game. I guess it [the close game] could be for the better. If we had blown them out, we might have gotten lazy and not worked as hard in practice.''
by CNB