Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 14, 1995 TAG: 9501160081
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Colonels coach Burrall Paye, who had only one timeout left when this affair was over Friday night, probably hadn't spent that much time engaged in midgame lectures to a team since he first took up a whistle and clipboard in the days before his hair turned white.
``This was like our second opening night,'' Paye said with a frown. ``It showed, didn't it?''
No doubt about it. Despite being on the verge of dispatching guest Franklin County swiftly on several occasions in the hot and crowded Fleming gym, the Colonels didn't get the job done and were in a tussle to the end before winning the Roanoke Valley District game 70-65.
``Franklin County wouldn't give up,'' said Derrick Hines, Fleming's left-handed point guard. ``They played it all the way down to the end. That's what we've got to learn how to do.''
Fleming (8-1 overall, 2-0 in the district) led 65-50 when James Stokes broke free for a layup on one of the Colonels' numerous fast breaks, with 4 minutes, 12 seconds left.
The Eagles then closed with a 15-5 run in the final 3:34.
``I'm super proud of our kids,'' said Calvin Preston, Franklin County's coach. ``They never quit; they never laid down. There were several times that they could have been blown right out of here.''
Fleming had an 18-0 run in the second quarter and a 16-3 blitz in the third. But like a boxer with indigestion, Fleming couldn't finish.
``We had a bad night,'' said Fleming guard Keath Hampton, who sliced up the Eagles by scoring 20 points. ``Long time off for us.''
Paye sourly agreed with that.
``We hadn't played since Dec.21,'' he said. ``I don't know what it is any more, but when coaches were the ones scheduling games, we'd play every Tuesday and Friday.''
The Colonels certainly had their moments, especially Hampton, Stokes, Hines (13 points) and sophomore Mondray Barnette (nine points). But Hines was in uncharacteristic foul trouble (he got his third with 6:37 left before halftime), and big man Sterling Tate looked rusty after missing December with injuries.
Franklin County (7-4, 0-2) had foul trouble of its own with center Carlos Holland spending lengthy stretches on the bench. When he was in there, he was tough with 13 points. K.C. Hancock (17) and Chad Foutz (13, two 3-pointers) carried the load when Holland sat.
``We got a lot out of our bench, too,'' Preston said. ``Guys like Eric McEnheimer, Larry Turner, Tony Wright and Ashley Moore don't play much, but they had to tonight. Sometimes guys who sit a lot come in with a chip on their shoulder and drag, but those guys gave us 110 percent.''
The whole team did, really.
``They played well,'' Stokes said. ``Real well.''
by CNB