Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 8, 1995 TAG: 9501100008
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Region C teams have contended for state titles recently. Lebanon, a non-Timesland school from the Hogoheegee District, won the Group A title in 1991, and Parry McCluer was a runner-up last year.
This season, six Timesland teams - along with Lebanon - can reasonably expect to make some noise at tournament time.
Parry McCluer, Grayson County, George Wythe and Glenvar wouldn't surprise anyone with long tournament runs. Floyd County and Auburn of the new Three Rivers District might improve enough by tournament time to fit in with those four teams.
One tip-off to the strength of Region C teams was the Marion Invitational, where Grayson County dominated some Group AA teams to win the tournament. One observer, though, felt Wythe was the best team, and coach Al Copenhaver says his Maroons did everything but hit free throws. Wythe lost in overtime to Group AA teams Abingdon and Christiansburg.
``Region C might be very tough,'' said Copenhaver, who was an assistant coach at G.W. Carver when that team ruled the state from Region C in the late 1980s. ``Grayson County played well at Marion. It wasn't a fluke that they won.''
Wythe once again must get by Lebanon in the Hogoheegee. The Pioneers have been a Group A power since winning the title in '91.
Wythe is led by 6-foot-3 Aaron Andrews.
``He has the best inside post moves of any kid I've coached, including all those kids at Carver,'' Copenhaver said. ``I've had better athletes, but nobody had better moves.''
That's strong praise for Andrews, because Copenhaver worked with some G.W. Carver squads that might have been the best Timesland has produced in Group A. Those teams won state titles in 1986 and 1988 and beat Martinsville, then a Group AA power, and Group AAA William Fleming.
Grayson County, Parry McCluer and Glenvar all have bigger men than Andrews. Grayson County is led by 6-7 Bryan Boyer (15.9 points per game); Parry McCluer has 6-5 Mike McElroy (20.4 ppg), who can shoot outside as well as play inside; and Glenvar has 6-4 James Williams (14.9 ppg), along with 6-5 Peery Taylor.
Auburn may have the best 1-2 scoring punch in Timesland in 6-foot Jon Reed (26.6 ppg) and 6-3 Scott Millirons (18.8 ppg). Floyd County has balance and is coached by Alan Cantrell, who has guided the school's girls to back-to-back state titles.
All this isn't meant to minimize the chances of Fleming and Northside. There just don't seem to be as many Group AAA and AA teams with tournament credentials in Timesland this season.
Fleming, with 6-6 Sterling Tate expected to return this week from arthroscopic knee surgery, should be a threat in Group AAA.
Northside, a Group AA semifinalist last season before losing to eventual-champion Salem, must be more consistent on offense. The Vikings aren't using their trapping defense as much as they have in the past, so their scoring is down.
In Group AAA, Cave Spring and Pulaski County have the potential to pull some upsets. But both teams lack the solid big man necessary to contend at the state level.
In Group AA, Liberty and William Byrd have shown they can be state contenders, but neither has gone that far recently.
STREAKS: These are not the best of times in basketball for the Patrick Henry girls or the Shawsville boys.
Heading into the weekend, PH had lost 42 consecutive games since beating Roanoke Valley Christian on Jan.1, 1993. The Patriots didn't name a coach until the start of the season, but Phil Baldwin has taken over and promises to bring stability back to the Patriots.
Shawsville also went into the weekend with a 42-game skid, last winning against James River on Dec.30, 1992. But the Shawnees, under first-year coach Eric Altizer, ended their skid with a 61-57 victory over Three Rivers District rival Radford. Shawsville nearly had ended its drought with a two-point loss to James River and a six-point setback to Roanoke Valley Christian this season.
HOT HOGGATT: Staunton River's Hunter Hoggatt, a 6-2 guard, is threatening to make a shambles of the Timesland race for Sizzlin' Sophomore of the Year. He also might run away with the scoring race.
In two games last week, Hoggatt, whose playing style is similar to that of former Salem star Mark Byington, scored 84 points against once-beaten Amherst County (31) and winless Buckingham County (53).
Hoggatt is a transfer from Altavista, where he led the Seminole District in scoring as a freshman. He left the Colonels when Stu Richardson was fired as Altavista's head coach.
If Hoggatt works as hard as Byington did, he might have similar success. He's not as big as the North Carolina-Wilmington freshman, but as a sophomore, he's ahead of Byington, who averaged 13.7 points per game and was not the Sizzlin' Sophomore.
by CNB