ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 3, 1996 TAG: 9601030082
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
It didn't take long for Patrick Henry to erase the sting of three losses in a holiday boys' basketball tournament.
Starting the new year looking like the Patriots of the championship years, PH blasted past visiting Pulaski County 75-56 in a Roanoke Valley District contest Tuesday night.
Brooks Berry, a 6-foot-5 guard, led the assault with a career-high 26 points. It was total domination in the second half as the Patriots (5-6 overall, 1-1 in the RVD) hit 34 of 62 shots and dominated the boards 40-29. The victory was PH's first over an RVD opponent since the Patriots beat Pulaski County in the 1994 RVD tournament.
Berry also had nine rebounds, three steals, two blocks and an assist. He had plenty of help from center Phillip Taylor, with 18 points, and sophomore Boo Battle, who came off the bench to add 14 points and 13 rebounds.
``It varies from game to game whether I play guard,'' Berry said. ``Tonight was all guard. I prefer guard. When I was younger and average height, I always played guard.
``Everyone was hitting me for open layups. On this team, anyone who gets open will get layups when we pass the ball.''
That was demonstrated by guards Brian Jackson (six) and Ronnie Kasey (seven), who dealt out 13 assists between them.
Berry said last week's 0-3 record in the NationsBank Holiday Hoops Classic, including a loss to Group A Glenvar, was motivation.
``We just had a lack of effort,'' he said. ``We needed to work hard during practice, get focused. We had a lot of good practices.''
Pulaski County (3-3, 0-1) just happened to be the next team on the PH schedule after the tournament. The Patriots scored the game's first five points and led most of the first quarter. By the half, PH was ahead 34-27 after Battle and Taylor scored the final six points of the second quarter.
``PH played like they're capable of playing,'' said Pat Burns, the Cougars' coach. ``They blasted Heritage, and Heritage has a good club. They have people who can run the floor, shoot and do everything. I know Woody [Deans, PH's coach] was wondering where his team was. This club tonight certainly wasn't the same one I saw at Salem'' during the NationsBank tournament.
Deans said Berry plays guard whenever PH goes with a big lineup. He acknowledged this was a great game for the senior.
``You might say he came out of the doldrums and played like Brooks can play,'' Deans said.
``We played with some intensity tonight,'' Deans added. ``We were all ashamed of [the way we played] the Salem tournament. We started the new year with a resolution to just put December behind us. This season, it depends which team shows up, and we had the good team show up tonight.''
The Patriots also slowed Pulaski County guard Jamar McNair. The senior got 20 points, but hit only eight of 23 from the floor and was unable to dominate.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: STEPHANIE KLEIN-DAVIS/Staff. 1. Jamar McNair (right) ofby CNBPulaski County shoots over the outstretched arm of Patrick Henry
defender Brooks Berry. color. 2. Boo Battle (34) of Patrick Henry
pulls a rebound away from Jabbar Patterson of Pulaski County as the
Patriots' Phillip Taylor (50) and Rashad Myers (left) watch Tuesday
night.