ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 24, 1996 TAG: 9601240028
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
Parry McCluer converted seven of 10 free-throw attempts in the final 30 seconds Tuesday night to defeat Bath County 68-60 in a Pioneer District boys' basketball game.
Bath County (8-2 overall, 1-2 district) trailed 54-50 heading into the fourth quarter. Parry McCluer (9-1, 3-1) led by one point with 30 seconds left to play.
Chip Coleman knocked down three of the seven free throws for the Fighting Blues. Coleman finished with 11 points and teammate Boo Rowsey led all scorers with 17 points.
Covington 75, Glenvar 70: The Highlanders made it a game in the fourth quarter, slicing a 12-point deficit, as they scored 34 points in the period, but Covington held on to win the Pioneer District contest.
Glenvar (8-6, 4-1) never led, and was tied only once, 10-10 towards the end of the first period. The Cougars pulled away in the second and third quarters, their lead swelling to as many as 16, building a 12 point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
The Highlanders put on a clinic in the fourth quarter, sinking 11-of-16 free throws, and Covington (5-6, 4-1) shot only 11-of-22 from the line in the period. They couldn't pull any closer though, and the Cougars escaped.
Five Covington players scored in double digits, led by Dusty Roman and Boo Stewart with 16 points each. Brian Holloway scored 11 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, Erwin Twiddy added 14 points, and Mike Barber had 12.
Laurel Park 62, Gretna 56: The Lancers finally found their shooting touch in the second half and pulled away for a Piedmont District victory.
Laurel Park (6-6, 6-5) scored just seven points in a physical first quarter and 11 more in the second, most of those coming on free throws.
But led by Josh Crabtree, who had three 3-pointers in the third quarter, the Lancers broke out of their funk. Crabtree had a career-high 20 points to lead Laurel Park, while teammate Tony Carter had 17 and Rashad Wall 14.
Jay Patrick had 14 to lead Gretna (4-7, 5-9), while Howard Slayton had 12 and Rhonday Hall 11.
Floyd County 67, Galax 52: Travis Cantrell had 20 points and the Buffaloes made their free throws down the stretch to win in Galax.
The Maroon Tide used strong second and third quarters to get back into the game, but the Buffaloes (8-2) converted a three-point play to start the fourth quarter and held on.
Nate Noel led Galax (4-6) with 11 points and B.B. Brown had 10.
Giles 57, Bland 44: The Spartans, ranked fourth in Group A, outscored the Bears in every quarter to notch the non-district victory.
Robbie Claytor led Giles (10-1) with 17 points and Anthony Myers added 12. Lee Meadows led Bland (3-5) with 17 points, while Andy Selfe and Heath Puckett combined for 19 rebounds.
Magna Vista 71, Dan River 53: The Warriors rallied behind Elliott Millner's 13 second-half points to beat the Wildcats in a Piedmont District game at Ridgeway.
Millner finished with a game-high 21 points to lead Magna Vista (8-3, 8-3). Chad Blackstock had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Markus Hairston scored 11.
George Wythe 70, Holston 68: Brian Barnes scored 23 points as the Maroons barely escaped the Cavaliers in a Hogoheegee District game at Damascus.
George Wythe (9-5, 7-2) jumped out to a 11-1 lead but Holston fought back, and cut it to 31-26 at halftime. The Cavaliers stayed close throughout the second half but missed two free throws with time running out that would have sent the game into overtime.
Traves Owens scored 18 points to lead Holston (6-4, 3-4).
Radford 55, Rocky Gap 38: The Bobcats employed a 3-2 zone to force the bigger Eagles to shoot from outside, a strategy that surrendered just 14 first-half points as Radford won a non-district game at Rocky Gap.
Spurred by Kelly Underwood's seven points in the second quarter, Radford (8-3) took a 34-14 halftime lead. John Robertson finished with 13 points and three 3-pointers for the Bobcats.
Nathan Blessing led Rocky Gap (5-7) with 15 points.
Gateway Christian 66, Ballard, W.Va. 57: Crusaders coach Stan Smith never made a substitution as his team rumbled to the victory across state lines.
J.T. Surface had 27 points and 15 rebounds, both career highs, to lead Gateway Christian (6-5).
The Crusaders got up by 14 points late in the second half, but Ballard cut it to seven with :45 left. Gateway, however, made a few free throws and ran out the clock.
Rural Retreat 62, PH-Glade Spring 54: Sophomore guard Wayne Terry scored a career-high 32 points as the Indians (2-9, 2-5) won in the fourth quarter.
The Rebels collapsed under the pressure of Rural Retreat's press in the second half of the Hogoheegee District matchup.
Jarrod May led Patrick Henry-Glade Spring with 16 points and Dennis Hill had 12.
James River 72, Covington Boys Home 47: The Knights charged out to a 20-point halftime lead and never looked back as they swamped the Indians in a non-district contest in Covington.
Quincy Springs was the leading scorer for James River (8-4) with a game-high 15. Jason Perry added a dozen in the win.
Monday's games
James Monroe 73, Narrows 53: Mark Grigsby scored a game-high 26 points in home-standing James Monroe's non-district victory. Narrows (3-7) was paced by Bryan Pruett with 23 points and Robbie Stafford with 14.
Carlisle 77, Timberlake Christian 68: At Lynchburg, Carlisle (11-1, 8-0) won a key Virginia Independent Conference game over Timberlake Christian as Joseph McClinton scored 24 points and Chad Martin added 23.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Long : 114 linesby CNB