
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 6, 1995                   TAG: 9509060151
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: FLOYD                                 LENGTH: Short

BUFFALOES' WIN STREAK ENDS AT 59

FLOYD COUNTY loses its first girls' basketball game in two years on a shot at the buzzer, 64-62, to Salem.

Shellie Johnson sank a pull-up jump shot with 1.8 seconds on the clock Tuesday as Salem defeated Floyd County 64-62 in high school girls' basketball.

The Group AA Spartans ended two-time defending Group A champion Floyd County's 59-game winning streak in a non-district game.

Floyd County's last loss came on Sept.4, 1993, when Blacksburg defeated the Buffaloes 60-58 in overtime in the finals of the Lady Buffs' Invitational Tip-Off tournament. Floyd County has played in the past three state championship games, losing in November of 1992 and then winning the past two titles.

After jumping out to a nine-point halftime lead, Salem (1-0) saw its lead shrink in the second half and eventually disappear on Melissa Cantrell's 3-point goal with 10 seconds left in the game. Johnson then hit her go-ahead shot, giving her a game-high 25 points. Sarah Palmer and Marilyn Huang each added 11 points for the Spartans.

Sarah Conner led Floyd County (3-1) with 16 points and Julie Sowers added 15. Cantrell finished with 10 points.

see microfilm for box score

by CNB