Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 25, 1995 TAG: 9502280023
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Colonels guard, who didn't attempt enough 3-point attempts to qualify in Timesland statistics during the season, hit three in the first half. Hines' 3-pointers helped Fleming open a lead en route to an 89-75 victory over Franklin County in a Roanoke Valley District Tournament boys' basketball semifinal Friday night at the Salem Civic Center.
The Colonels face Pulaski County tonight at 8:30 in the championship game. The Cougars won two of three over Fleming during the regular season, but the Colonels took Monday's playoff for the regular-season RVD title.
While every starter in the Fleming lineup made at least one 3-point shot, it was the trio by Hines that settled the game.
``We're going inside no matter what everybody else does [defensively],'' Fleming coach Burrall Paye said. ``But Derrick has the green light to shoot the 3. Tonight, they were backing off him.''
``They were giving me the perimeter to shoot the trey,'' Hines said. ``I shoot them when I have to or we need the points.''
Franklin County coach Calvin Preston said, ``we started playing off [Hines]. If he hits, it opens us up for the drive. But his jump shot is better this year.''
Hines, a senior who was an All-State selection as a junior, finished with 25 points. Teammate and junior center James Stokes scored 27. Stokes connected on 10-of-13 field goals including a couple of short jumpers. Hines had six assists, most of them leading to a Stokes basket.
Fleming's shooting guard, Keath Hampton, added 19 points and another 3-pointer. Hampton had only two points at the half, but he was the top scorer in the last half as Franklin County just couldn't get a run going to catch up to Fleming.
The Colonels (17-5) hit 31 of 57 field goals. They came up with eight steals even though Paye said he had a hard time finding any intensity on defense.
Franklin County (11-10) managed 28 of 59 field goals and hit seven 3-pointers. The Eagles led 23-21 with 5 minutes, 42 seconds left in the half when the Colonels went on a 9-2 run to take the lead for good. Hines had five of the points.
``We couldn't stop Hines and Stokes. We did a good job on everybody else,'' Preston said. ``They were the key.
``It's a lot of difference to play someone who had been there before. Hines has. He knows what it takes to win.''
When Fleming finished second in the Group AAA State Tournament a year ago, Hines made a vow to return and try to win a state championship. That's still at the top of his list.
``I feel like I have to keep my teammates happy. My game will come and then we'll just have to get back to the state and win the championship,'' said Hines.
Fleming's big man, Sterling Tate, a 6-foot-6 junior, was used sparingly. He banged his knee in Monday's 56-47 playoff win over Pulaski County.
``I figured if I don't play him much tonight, that's one more day for him to heal,'' Paye said.
Tate said it wasn't the same knee on which he had arthroscopic surgery during the preseason. Ray Copney took his place and came up with four points and six rebounds.
``I felt we did a better job on the boards than we did at our place,'' Preston said.
That much was true for the Colonels, who had 18 more rebounds when the teams met two weeks ago at Rocky Mount. This time around, Fleming held just a 32-31 edge as Charles Holland claimed 10 rebounds for the Eagles.
Fleming's Chad Foutz dished out 10 assists, the most in the game, while Holland inside and Hancock all over the court each scored 21 points. However, there was no other consistent offense for the Eagles.
by CNB