Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 11, 1995 TAG: 9501120023
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DWIGHT FOXX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Junior guard Ben Peete hit the front end of an one-and-one with five seconds remaining to break a tie as Northside escaped with a 40-39 victory over Blacksburg in a non-district matchup.
The first time these two teams met this season, the Vikings blew away Blacksburg 63-35 in the opener for both squads. In that game, Northside played without injured Dana Gibson and Blacksburg was without Tony Wheeler.
Both players were back for the rematch, but Northside would have to go without starting shooting guard Justin Porterfield, who has a foot injury, and top reserve Sam Barrett, who has strep throat. Strep throat also kept Maurice Garrison from starting for the Vikings, but he did see time off the bench.
Even though both teams had their big men back, it was the little men who would ultimately decide the game. Northside appeared to be in control when Gibson scored on a layup to give his team a 39-31 lead with 2 minutes, 32 seconds remaining.
But the Indians (2-7) would come roaring back with the 3-point shot. Wheeler, who was magnificent at both ends of the floor, hit a shot in the paint and nailed a 3-pointer to cut Northside's lead to three, 39-36, with 29 seconds left in the contest. Wheeler finished tied with Peete for game-high honors with 17 points. He also was the game's leading rebounder, with 15.
Northside gave Blacksburg a chance to tie when Gibson missed the front end of an one-and-one with 28 seconds remaining. Northside could have put away the game in the final 90 seconds but missed four consecutive free throws, including a two-shot attempt by Gibson, that gave Blacksburg a chance.
The Indians would capitalize on their opportunity when reserve guard Greg Shockley nailed a 3-pointer from the left wing to tie the score at 39 with 18 seconds remaining. In the first meeting, Shockley, the quarterback, was preparing the Blacksburg football team for its battle with Amherst County and did not dress.
Northside (8-1) got the ball to midcourt and called time out with 10 seconds remaining. After the timeout, Peete drove on point guard Aaron Marshall and drew a foul. He rattled in the first free throw and missed the second one. Wheeler snared his 15th rebound and called time out with four seconds remaining.
Wheeler tried to pass it to a teammate on the inbounds play, but a Blacksburg player snared the ball and dished to Shockley on the left wing. Shockley's 3-point attempt at the buzzer hit the left side of the rim and bounced away.
"Yeah, we got the shot we wanted," said Bob Trear, Blacksburg's coach. "With four seconds left, you want any shot you can get."
Billy Pope, Northside's coach, wasn't pleased with his team's free-throw shooting down the stretch. But he was happy with the victory.
"To go on the road and win a close ballgame, we're happy with that result," Pope said. ``Blacksburg should be given a lot of credit. They bothered us and really controlled us on the boards."
The Indians outrebounded Northside 38-25.
Pope used 12 players in each half. Ultimately, he thought his reserves were as responsible for the victory as Peete's final free throw.
"It was nice," Pope said of his reserves' effort. "A.B. [Ashley Baroulette] came in and played really nice defense. Really, I thought they [the reserves] were the difference tonight."
Keywords:
BASKETBALL
by CNB