Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 10, 1995 TAG: 9511100099
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
First, Sara Hicks destroyed Salem. Then, she consoled her friends on the Spartan girls' basketball team.
The Lord Botetourt junior scored 30 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked four shots to lead the Cavaliers to a 68-53 victory over the battered Spartans in a Blue Ridge District tournament semifinal Thursday night at William Byrd.
Coupled with a victory by Byrd earlier in the evening, the Cavaliers (20-3) qualified for next week's Region III tournament. They will meet the Terriers in Vinton at 7:30 p.m. Saturday for the Blue Ridge title.
Hicks, who was hugging Salem senior Shellie Johnson at the end of the game, scored 59 points and collected 38 rebounds in two games against the Spartans in the past eight days. On Nov.2, Hicks sparked the Cavaliers' upset of Salem (15-6) to keep the Spartans from clinching the regular-season title and a Region III berth.
``This is where it's big. It's what matters,'' Hicks said. ``While the team has to step up, I had to help them pull together and maybe come out on top in this thing.''
She hit a 3-point shot, an underhanded running hook and several other jump shots Thursday night as Botetourt appeared to relish its shot at redemption. The Cavaliers lost two tough games to William Byrd and were left with only the spoiler's role during the regular season.
``Finishing third in the district, everyone underestimates us in the district,'' Hicks said. ``We figured we could beat a couple of teams and that puts [us] in the region.''
As for consoling Johnson in the final game of a great career with the Spartans, Hicks said, ``Shellie, myself, Sara Moore, Cathy [Smith] and Brandy [Allen] of Byrd are all close. We support each other with good sportsmanship, but it's different when we're on the court.''
David Wheat, Botetourt's coach, says there is a difference between Hicks' play now and earlier in the season.
``She's more confident,'' Wheat said. ``Earlier - and this might be left over from last season - anytime she'd make a bad play or miss a shot, Sara would get down on herself. This [improvement] comes with maturity and confidence.''
After Salem's Sarah Palmer scored the game's first basket, Botetourt reeled off 14 points to take control. Hicks warmed up with two baskets, but in the third quarter, she scored 10 points to help stem a Spartans rally. Salem, which was down 49-29 at one point, closed to 51-44.
``We quit attacking their defense,'' Wheat said. ``The whole momentum shifted. We wanted to keep moving the ball up the court quickly.''
Palmer kept the Salem rally going, connecting on her third 3-point shot of the second half to make it 53-47. But the Spartans were too tired to keep going. Playing without point guard Mandy Williams, who was out with a knee injury, Salem got into a running game against the Cavaliers that was not their style.
``To say the least, we went too fast,'' said Dee Wright, Salem's coach. ``We had way too many turnovers. It was just one of those tough things for the seniors who have put so much into it.''
Sara Moore, another junior for a Cavaliers team that has only one senior, added 19 points. Hicks and Moore connected on 18 of 34 field-goal attempts. Moore also had six assists and five steals.
Palmer, a sophomore, had 23 points and 17 rebounds for Salem, but missed her last five shots as fatigue took its toll. Johnson closed with 20 points. Lindsay Carroll took over at point and had three steals and three assists under incredible pressure for a freshman called up from the junior varsity to make her first start.
Salem had its chances, firing 72 shots, but connected only 19 times. The Spartans had a 52-42 edge on the boards that did them little good because of the shooting.
see microfilm for box score
by CNB