Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 25, 1995 TAG: 9501260073
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
That didn't prevent Cave Spring and Northside from playing a suspenseful game on Tuesday. Host Cave Spring hit its free throws down the stretch to defeat the Vikings 71-62.
The Knights (10-6) are ranked No.4 in Timesland. Northside (10-4) is No.5. The teams split their previous meeting, and played like equal competitors on Tuesday. Cave Spring didn't have the game in hand until Jeff Lang made five of six free throws in a 38-second span in the closing moments.
Matt Matheny and Dusty Beekman led Cave Spring with 22 and 17 points, respectively. John Finnerty contributed nine points, and Lang and Doug Cullinan each added eight.
``I felt very good about this win because we came off a tough loss Friday night against Timesland's No.1 team William Fleming,'' Cave Spring coach Chris Carr said.
``We had to make sure we weren't outworked tonight. We wanted to match up with Northside physically, because when they beat us in the NationsBank tournament 58-56 on Dec.28, we felt we were mugged.''
Cave Spring was whistled for several inside fouls early, but the Vikings were cold from the free-throw line. They made only seven of 16 first-half attempts.
Northside's inside trio of Dana Gibson, Maurice Garrison and Karim Thompson accounted for 28 points in the game but missed 10 of 12 free throws.
``At least they were getting to the line,'' Northside coach Billy Pope said.
``This was a tough battle,'' Pope said. ``I thought our guys executed the game plan beautifully and played very well.''
Northside grabbed an early 8-5 lead, but the Knights scored 14 points in the final four minutes of the first quarter to lead 21-17.
The balanced Knights had six players score in the first quarter and all five starters had attempted a 3-pointer five minutes into the game.
``All of our guys can shoot the 3-pointer,'' Carr said. ``I brought this style from the University of Kentucky where I was three years ago. We're never out of a game.''
Northside used some long-range weaponry of its own in the third quarter. Vikings guard Ben Peete, who finished with a team-high 19 points, hit back-to-back 3-pointers to turn a five-point deficit into a 46-45 Northside lead with 3 minutes, 29 seconds left in the third quarter.
But Northside never led again.
``We're not happy about losing,'' Pope said. ``But I hope I never get so spoiled that 32 minutes of good effort and execution won't give me some satisfaction. I'd better be happy about that.''
see microfilm for box score
by CNB