Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 5, 1995 TAG: 9503060082
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Vikings controlled the tempo against Liberty, which likes to run, shoot 3-point shots and push it inside at a fast pace. After giving up the first six points, Northside scored the next 10 and never trailed again in dominating the Minutemen 63-42 to win the Region III title Saturday at Roanoke College.
Both teams had already qualified for the first round of the Group AA state tournament. Northside will play Christiansburg in a game that likely will be at Salem High School next weekend. Liberty will take on Gate City at Virginia High in another first-round game next weekend.
The Vikings (19-7) picked their spots to run and threw a tough defense at Liberty (21-4) in surprising a standing-room only crowd at how easily they dismantled the Minutemen.
Northside's Dana Gibson dominated inside with 18 points and 11 rebounds. He had all but six points and one rebound in the first half as the Vikings led 26-17.
More important, Gibson kept Liberty center Stephen Shrader from dominating as he has done so often this winter. Shrader, a 77 percent shooter from the field, scored 17 points. He missed three of his first five field-goal attempts before figuring out how to deal with the 6-foot-61/2 Gibson and connected on his last six attempts.
``One of our keys was to do well inside,'' Gibson said. ``I think I kind of disturbed him because I'm a little taller. Another key was to get back and stop them on their run. We knew their guards were really good.''
Liberty guards J.J. Coles and Gregg Reynolds, under the watchful eyes of Justin Porterfield and Ben Peete, scored just 11 points and hit only 4-of-24 shots. From 3-point range, they made only 2-of-11.
``We knew they were quick and good,'' Peete said. ``We played off of them but kept a foot on the 3-point line. Then we pointed a hand at them.''
Liberty made only 18-of-56 field-goal attempts. Shrader did not get much scoring help, while Gibson had help inside from Maurice Garrison with 13 points and eight rebounds and Sam Barrett, who came off the bench to score seven points.
Northside coach Billy Pope said his team had no goals about keeping the score within a certain range.
``We felt we had to protect our basket,'' he said. ``They're a great team, and to hold them 42 points is an unbelievable effort by our defense. I could name some guys, but I'd rather talk about our defense as a team. We wanted to do certain things. It worked out. I can't think of many easy shots they had.''
The Vikings dominated the boards 41-30, and their defense usually made Liberty work the ball before shooting, which was another way to control the tempo.
``They defensed us so well,'' Liberty coach Mark Hanks said. ``You could tell which team had been in a regional final in the past.
``That's the first team we've played all years with two guards who are better or as good as ours. They're so much bigger [as a team] than we are. Not taller. I don't think our kids realized that guys like Garrison, [Sam] Barrett and [Karim] Thompson have such thick bodies.''
Offensively, Justin Porterfield made the Vikings a force as they hit 27-of-54 field-goal attempts. Porterfield had six assists. The Vikings used a controlled run, getting the ball up the floor fast, then pulling it outside if the break was covered.
``They didn't run as much as they like,'' Porterfield said. ``It fell into place, and we controlled the tempo.''
by CNB