Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 4, 1995 TAG: 9502070033
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
The Cougars knocked over the tables, kicked them across the room and stomped them into splinters on Friday night in boys' basketball.
The accounting read 59-41 in favor of Pulaski County after this roughing-up job was completed, and the Knights were fortunate it stayed that close.
Just as thoroughly as Cave Spring (10-7 overall, 3-2 in the Roanoke Valley District) had worked over the Cougars (13-2, 3-2) in Roanoke County in a 69-48 January hammering, the same came back to them this time.
``We came out pumped up and played like the No.10-ranked team in the state'' sportswriters' Group AAA poll, said Jamar McNair, Pulaski County's point guard.
There was no disputing him after the Cougars held usually high-powered Cave Spring to seven second-half field goals and 17-for-45 field-goal shooting (37.7 percent) for the game. Pulaski County outrebounded the Knights 30-23.
The Cave Spring cave-in really started after the Cougars turned to a matchup zone defense midway through the second quarter.
``No question,'' said Chris Carr, the Knights' coach. ``In the first quarter-and-a-half, they were playing man-to-man and we were pretty much having our way with it. We're a good offensive team against a man-to-man. But then they went to the matchup and we had no patience. The lack of patience led to a lack of execution, and the lack of execution led to a lack of offense.''
Nowhere was that more apparent than with Cave Spring forward Matt Matheny, who entered the game tied with Pulaski County's Eric Webb as the leading scorer in the district with an average of 20.4 points per game. Matheny took seven shots and made one to finish with three points.
``Matt was not his usual self,'' Carr said.
One reason was a mysterious back ailment that arose before the game. For a time during the proceedings when the Knights were desperate for scoring from any source, Matheny was in the bench area lying flat on the floor as a trainer attended to him.
Cave Spring, which was led by forward James Irvin's 10 points, got almost nothing from the low post. The Knights went to the line just six times, making one shot.
``We did a better job with the post defense this time, '' said Webb, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds. ``Last time, we weren't even calling out the picks well.''
The Cougars, by contrast, were effective against whatever defense Cave Spring threw at them.
``We played very well in the zone offense,'' said Pat Burns, Pulaski County's coach. ``Nobody thinks we can play against a zone.''
The Knights' loss left William Fleming alone atop the district standings.
Tyrone Hash scored 10 of the Cougars' last 17 points and finished with 22, the last two giving him 1,000 for his career. Hash was gracious in achievement.
``I thought about scoring my 1,000th once tonight, but it was more important to play hard and to help the team win,'' he said. ``Jamar McNair did a very good job of looking for the open man. He played a big-time game tonight,''
by CNB