Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 21, 1995 TAG: 9501270017
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
He wasn't being very convincing.
``It's been five or six years since we've beat them,'' he said. ``I don't think we've been in a rut, though. We played hard. They've just been better.''
Friday, the Demons put to flight many seasons worth of poltergeists and blew out Blacksburg 62-41 in a New River District game in Christiansburg's noisy gym.
No question who had the better team this time.
``We had to bounce back,'' said Christiansburg's Darrell Calloway. ``Especially the way we've played against Blacksburg before.''
The Demons (10-2 overall, 2-0 in the district) trailed most of the first quarter before igniting like an arson site in the second quarter. Calloway's stickback of a John Hairston miss tied the score at 13, and after another tie and lead change, the Demons pulled away.
Christiansburg shot 80 percent in the second quarter (8-for-10) to run up a 33-23 halftime lead. With Calloway scoring six of his team-high 16 in the third quarter, the Demons built the lead to 48-31. The advantage was never less than 15 the rest of the way as Blacksburg fell to 3-8 and 0-1.
``You're looking for a complete effort from everybody you put in the game,'' said Bob Trear, Blacksburg's coach. ``Often you're amazed when you don't get it.
``I still think this can be one of the better teams we've had because we can play up to 10 people. It's a good group. We just have to get more of an effort.''
Christiansburg had both - a lot of bodies and a lot of effort. Thirteen played and 11 scored. Hairston popped in 11 and joined Calloway, Ryan Hubble and Brian Porter in burying a 3-point shot.
``Christiansburg looked good shooting the 3,'' Trear said. ``But you would like to guard them.''
The Indians had more size and bulk than the Demons - nobody from Christiansburg could match up with forward Tony Wheeler, who led the Indians with 16 points - but that advantage was negated early.
``One thing that hurts Blacksburg this year more than in past years is that they don't have the quickness they have had and they can't control the game with their guards,'' Thompson said. ``This year, we have a quicker team. Blacksburg is bigger and stronger than we are, but tonight, quickness won.''
Christiansburg blocked six shots, and Calloway seemed more delighted with that than anything.
``They usually call fouls and don't let us have those,'' he said.
The blocks started a lot of fast breaks for Christiansburg.
``We don't have any strategy,'' Thompson said. ``We tell them to play hard and go.''
Blacksburg, meanwhile, is off to its worst start in memory. That didn't seem to be having much of an impact on Trear's serenity, though.
``The time you can't get it turned around is when you've played your last ballgame,'' he said. ``And we haven't played our last ballgame yet.''
by CNB