Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 22, 1995 TAG: 9501260038
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DWIGHT FOXX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
There are numerous mistakes in any basketball game, but two proved crucial Saturday afternoon during the first game of the Crestar Roundball Classic.
Northside made both of those mistakes as George Washington-Danville survived a valiant comeback attempt by the Vikings to post a 55-51 victory at the Salem Civic Center.
The Eagles of George Washington took a 10-point lead, 49-39, with 6 minutes, 15 seconds remaining on a short jumper by junior forward Bobby Wimbush. His shot completed a 10-1 run during a six-minute span that started in the third period.
But the Vikings (10-3) would come back with an 8-0 run of their own, capped by a layup by Maurice Garrison that pulled Northside to 49-47 with 3:45 remaining.
Then, the Vikings killed their rally with two mistakes.
The Eagles' Nathan Poole went to the free-throw line with 3:08 remaining and made the first shot to push GW's lead back to three, 50-47. Poole missed the second shot, but the Eagles' Isaac Smith grabbed the rebound. Smith, who had been on the bench for much of the game because of an injured knee and hip, rattled in a tough jumper from the free-throw line over Garrison to give GW a 52-47 advantage.
``He forced the shot,'' said Harry Johnson, the Eagles' coach. ``That was one of those, `No, Smitty. No, Smitty. No! No! Good shot, Smitty.'``
It was the second consecutive Saturday that not getting a crucial defensive rebound in the final period hurt Northside.
``That's the same thing that hurt us at E.C. Glass,'' said Billy Pope, the Vikings' coach. Glass defeated Northside 64-56 on Jan.14.
Wimbush, who led his team with 18 points and 12 rebounds, then made his biggest play of the game at the defensive end. The Eagles' were clinging to a four-point lead, 53-49, with 90 seconds left when Vikings guard Justin Porterfield found Garrison underneath the basket.
The 6-foot-1 forward hesitated, giving Wimbush just enough time to rotate over and alter the shot. Garrison missed badly trying to shoot over the junior forward. GW controlled the rebound and put away the game with 43.6 seconds remaining on two free throws by Wimbush.
Garrison, who led the Vikings with 14 points, was finding soft spots in the Eagles' defense and turning passes into layups until Wimbush made his big play.
``We just communicated and figured out the play they were doing,'' Wimbush said.
Pope said Wimbush's height put Garrison at a major disadvantage.
``He's 6-7,'' Pope said of Wimbush. ``That causes you to shoot it a little differently.''
Despite the loss and playing on back-to-back nights - Northside beat Blue Ridge District rival Lord Botetourt on Friday - Pope thought the game was a good experience for his team.
``The positive is we got down by 10 and rattled there and we still came back and had a chance to win,'' Pope said. ``That was a good sign.''
by CNB