Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 18, 1995 TAG: 9502200052
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Not long after that, the Knights found themselves locked out of contention for the Group AAA Roanoke Valley District championship.
The Colonels cashed in Cave Spring's errant shots and turnovers for points on the way to a 77-53 victory. The Colonels and Pulaski County are tied for the regular season championship at 6-2 after Pulaski County won at Franklin County 82-71 Friday. The two teams will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at Patrick Henry to settle the issue.
On Thursday, Pulaski County beat Fleming for the second time this season, 60-54.
``We were a little bit tired, but that's all right,'' Fleming forward James Stokes said. ``Coach [Burrall Paye] said that it would be just like playing the semifinals and finals at the state tournament.''
And that's essentially the approach the Colonels (16-5) took.
``It's tournament time,'' Paye said. ``We're starting to look pretty good now.''
No doubt about that, but the Knights (12-9, 5-3 district) gave them a fight for a while.
Cave Spring closed a nine-point halftime deficit to 40-34 on two Matt Matheny baskets sandwiched around a Fleming turnover a little more than two minutes into the third quarter.
Derrick Hines answered with a fastbreak score seconds later and, after a Cave Spring turnover, scored again. Then, the Knights' bench was charged with a technical foul for the use of unsavory language.
Cave Spring coach Chris Carr pleaded innocent, but the conviction stood. Keath Hampton buried both free throws and Mondre Burnette then stuck back his own missed shot to convert the subsequent possession.
The Colonels led 48-34 and never were threatened after that. The technical was costly for Cave Spring because Jeff Lang had been handed one in the first half that cost Cave Spring seven points.
``You spot Fleming 11 points at home and you don't stand a chance,'' Carr said.
Cave Spring stood even less of a chance once Fleming really started playing. As the Colonels ran away in the second half, they made 17 of their first 26 shots (65.3 percent), much of that in transition.
Fleming was playing zone defense and Cave Spring wasn't getting many second-chance shots.
``The beautiful thing is we play zone and they miss and Derrick Hines is out front on the fast break,'' Paye said.
Hines finished with 23 points, Hampton and Mondre Burnette 14 each, and Sterling Tate 10.
Most of Cave Spring's offense came from the outside, where Dusty Beekman scored 15 of his 21 points on 3-pointers. Matheny added 18.
CAVE SPRING (53)
Lang 0 0-0 0, Shertz 1 0-0 2, Irvin 1 1-2 4, Finnerty 2 0-1 4, Cullinan 1 0-0 2, Beekman 6 4-7 21, Frantz 1 0-0 2, Matheny 8 1-1 18. Totals: 20 6-11 53.
WILLIAM FLEMING (77)
Hines 9 3-3 23, Hampton 4 5-6 14, Tate 5 0-0 10, Stokes 4 1-2 9, Webb 1 0-0 2, Burnett 6 2-2 14, Copney 1 0-0 2, Crutchfield 1 0-0 2, Terry 0 1-4 1. Totals: 31 12-17 77.
Cave Spring 11--16--16--10-53
William Fleming 25--11--23--18-77
Three-point goals: Beekman 5, Irvin, Matheny, Hines 2, Hampton. Total fouls: Cave Spring 14, William Fleming 16. Technical fouls: Lang, Cave Spring bench.
JV: William Fleming, 93-47.
Roanoke Valley playoff
Pulaski County (17-3) vs. William Fleming (16-5), 7 p.m. Monday at Patrick Henry High School.
by CNB