Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, December 30, 1994                   TAG: 9412300133
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-7   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
DATELINE: ROCKY GAP                                LENGTH: Medium

ROCKY GAP GETS WIN

The Eagles (4-2) trailed 55-52 with just a few seconds remaining when Faulkner, who scored 13 in the second half, buried a 3-pointer at the buzzer to tie the game at 55 and send it to overtime.

In overtime, Nathan Blessing scored five of his 15 second-half points to lift the Eagles. Blessing finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds.

Radford (3-3) was led by Matt Linkous, who scored a game-high 20 points - 18 in the second half, including all four of his 3-pointers. Foster Ridpath and Chuck Hubbard added 12 each.

RADFORD (63)

Ridpath 12, Kinser 10, Hubbard 12, Jones 8, Linkous 20, Underwood 1

ROCKY GAP (64)

Bradshaw 10, Faulkner 19, K. Dehart 6, Blessing 17, Nunley 6, Dodson 6

Radford 12--14--14--15---8-63

Rocky Gap 9--16--16--14---9-64

Three-point goals: Linkous 4, Bradshaw, Faulkner, Dehart, Dodson 2.

JV: 55-35 Radford

Fort Chiswell 66

Rural Retreat 55

FORT CHISWELL - The Pioneers opened a big first-quarter lead on the way to a non-district victory.

Jody Burnette, with 14 points, and T.J. King with 12 led the balanced attack for Fort Chiswell (3-3).

RURAL RETREAT (55)

Rakes 9, Lethco 2, May 2, Magallanes 13, Smith 13, Goodin 2, Norton 4, Thomas 1, Word 2, Reardon 7.

FORT CHISWELL (66)

Stoots 6, Arnold 11, King 12, Hughes 6, Beasley 4, White 6, Chrisley 3, Jones 2, Burnett 14, Watson 2.

Rural Retreat 5--20--16--14-55

Fort Chiswell 23--15---9--19-66

Three-point goals: Rakes, Magallanes, Arnold 3, Hughes 2.

JV: Fort Chiswell won.

Wednesday's game

Abingdon 72, George Wythe 64: At Marion, Joe Waters made all six of his free throws in overtime and scored eight of his 12 points in overtime to hold off George Wythe in a semifinal of the Marion Holiday Classic.

The Falcons took advantage of a huge difference at the free-throw line, making 28 of 37 shots compared to 11-of-22 for George Wythe.

Wes Basham scored a game-high 23 points for Abingdon. Aaron Andrews led George Wythe (6-1) with 20.

GEORGE WYTHE (64)

Otey 6, Copenhaver 8, Andrews 20, Irvin 9, Cooke 7, Shelton 5, Branson 2, Troy 7

ABINGDON (72)

Whitlock 5, Croft 2, Humphreys 6, Ballinger 9, Johnson 12, Waters 12, Basham 23, Price 3

George Wythe 11--15--20--13---5-64

Abingdon 10---7--22--20--13-72

Three-point goals: Copenhaver, Andrews.