Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 1, 1995 TAG: 9503010101
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Banks methodically knocked in 13 of her 20 points in the first quarter to help the Knights turn back the Hilltoppers 80-52 in the first round of the girls' Northwestern regional.
Cave Spring (19-4) will entertain North Stafford, a 65-60 upset winner over previously unbeaten Gar-Field, on Thursday night.
``Our theory going in was to deny the post,'' said E.C. Glass coach Jeanine Michealsen. ``Deny the post and Aimee [Beightol] on the wing.''
That notion was blown in the first five minutes of the game when the Hilltoppers (11-9) came out in a 3-2 zone and Banks scored four easy baskets underneath.
The 6-foot junior has had to make a recent transition from the four spot to five with center Lisa Bryan sidelined with mononucleosis.
``They were looking for me, but I was so much taller,'' Banks said of the first quarter when the Knights took a 23-9 lead.
E.C. Glass switched to a 2-1-2 zone in the second quarter and began matching up more successfully. Glass went on a 9-0 run in the quarter and pulled to 25-18 with 2:35 remaining.
The Knights went without a field goal in the quarter until Banks scored underneath with 52 seconds left. But Cave Spring maintained control with the start of a long stretch at the free-throw line.
The Knights made seven of eight attempts from the line in the second quarter and led 32-20 at halftime.
Cave Spring was 32-of-39 on free-throw attempts (82 percent), led by Aimee Beightol, who scored 12 of her 20 points from the line.
The Knights led by 20 points in the third quarter, but Kelly Goode opened the fourth with seven straight points for the Hilltoppers. Point guard Erin Reid added two driving layups that cut the Cave Spring lead to 53-41 with 4:32 left.
But Reid, an All-Western District selection, was called for a technical foul on the next trip down the floor for questioning an official. Cave Spring responded with eight unanswered points.
``That [technical] absolutely changed the momentum,'' Michealsen said. ``It was a totally different game after that. Cave Spring broke it wide open.''
Knights coach Linda Long said she was glad to get E.C. Glass out of the way, but was disappointed her team went flat after the first quarter.
``They lost that killer instinct, and as a coach that's very frustrating,'' Long said.
``But I feel real good about the flow on offense. Any time Jackie and Cheryl [Rhodes] and Aimee get into a good flow on offense I feel like we're going to be real successful.''
Beth Malott scored a team-high 15 points for E.C. Glass. Goode added 11 but Reid was held to four.
by CNB