Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 21, 1995 TAG: 9502210097
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DALEVILLE LENGTH: Medium
The Vikings were as close as it gets to unstoppable offensively while Salem spent the best part of four quarters doing its best to recreate the first day of practice.
The result was swift and decisive on the neutral floor at Lord Botetourt: Vikings 68, Spartans 41.
Northside moves into the Blue Ridge District tournament with the throttle wide open and will be taking on the winner of today's Alleghany-Lord Botetourt match in the 7 p.m. game of Wednesday's semifinals at the Salem Civic Center.
All Salem can do is hope for the best and try to recapture some of the grit it showed in winning its last six games before Mondays's wipeout.
``I don't know if this is going to hurt us or help us,'' Spartans coach Charlie Morgan said. ``I don't think the kids are going to let this affect them. We got to get ready to play Wednesday.''
Salem has to make it to the championship game to have any hope of returning to the Group AA Region III tournament and defending its state title. If Northside is upset before the championship game, then Salem is going to have to win the tournament or be done for the year.
The pressure is off the Vikings now. Mondays's playoff game not only rewarded them with the top seed in the district, but it also guaranteed them a return trip to the regional playoffs.
Northside beat Salem for the third time this year by shooting 58.4 percent from the floor (28 of 50) and drilling nine 3-pointers, seven of those by guard Justin Porterfield.
Porterfield finished with 23 points, all but two of that coming from beyond the arc.
``I felt like after the first one went in, I had a lot of confidence in myself,'' he said.
Maurice Garrison added 20 points and Ben Peete 11, so Porterfield was far from the whole show even if he did leave the floor for the final time atop his teammates' shoulders.
``To come in here and play like this is really a credit to the players and I mean that,'' Northside coach Billy Pope said. ``Players make the plays, and tonight they made a whole lot of plays.''
Particularly on defense, where Salem was denied any semblance of an inside game, and on the backboards, which the Vikings controlled 38-20 before the proceedings were given over to the reserves. Dana Gibson had 11 rebounds to go with seven points and Garrison added eight caroms.
The effectiveness of the Vikings' man-to-man defense was illustrated by Salem's 32.6 percent (16 of 49) shooting. Kevin Garst and Matt Woolwine combined for 11 field goals and 27 points.
If Northside was anxious about playing Salem for a third time, it was not apparent.
``Never make it personal,'' said Garrison, a veteran of six losses to Salem last year. Added Porterfield: ``Same teams, new game. You can't go in saying, `We've already beaten them twice.' You know they're going to come after you hard.''
by CNB