ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 24, 1996 TAG: 9601240058
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: BEDFORD
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
On the day when Liberty vaulted to No. 1 in the Group AA rankings, the Minutemen lived up to their top billing.
With the second-best team in the Seminole District, Altavista, coming to town, there was every incentive to admire the rankings and not worry about the Colonels.
But Liberty took care of business, destroying Altavista 88-68 on Tuesday to put enough distance between itself and the rest of the district to virtually sew up the title before the end of January.
``We knew everybody would be out for us, so we had to give it our best,'' said Liberty sophomore Raymond Arrington. ``Being No.1 was just like a target on our chest.''
If Arrington, one of the youngest Minutemen was concerned, it didn't show. He led Liberty with 18 points, including three 3-point goals, and then put the defensive clamps on Altavista star Dennis Brown after he got Liberty veteran Gregg Reynolds in foul trouble. Brown finished with 19 points.
The victory leaves Liberty (12-0 overall and in the district) with a three-game lead in the loss column of the district standings. The winner of the regular season district title will need to win only one Region III game to get to the Group AA tournament, so the Minutemen are in prime position for a repeat trip.
It took nearly the entire first quarter for Liberty to break on top for good, but the Minutemen went ahead 20-17 when Neil Roop hit a follow shot, drew a foul and made the free throw.
Liberty closed the first half with an 8-3 spurt, topped off by a 3-point shot from Robert Carson. Seven Liberty players canned 9-of-20 3-point attempts for the Minutemen.
``They have an outstanding team,'' said Buena Vista native Mike Cartolaro, in his second year as coach at Altavista (9-3, 9-3). ``The tempo was where they wanted it. From the get go, we were not able to slow it down, and that wore us down.
``They're deserving of the No.1 ranking in the state. They've got so many players. It's like a stable. They shot the ball really well and once we get down to a team like that, we're in trouble.''
J.J. Coles pumped in 17 points for Liberty. Roop scored 16, and Cheyney Preston came off the bench for 10 points. The Minutemen hit 33-of-58 field-goal attempts and owned the boards 31-24, though no one player had more than six rebounds.
Coles said Liberty coach Mark Hanks settled the team down about the No.1 ranking.
``He called us into one room and told us we were No. 1,'' Coles said. ``He said not to get big-headed and to play hard. To do like we've been doing.''
``In the second half, minus the turnovers, it would be as well as we've played. But I'd like to think we can play a lot better.''
The only problem for Liberty came when veteran guard Reynolds picked up three first-half fouls and then got a quick one in the third quarter to earn a lot of bench time.
``Robert Carson, Cheyney Preston and Ryan Stevens stepped in,'' Hanks said. ``I think the foul trouble worried me because it could take away some of our defensive intensity.''
In the third quarter, Liberty took complete control by moving ahead 10 points and then widening the margin. Arrington hit two of his 3-point shots and Preston had seven points during the quarter.
``If we get it going at our pace like we did in the second half, there's not a team that can go at that pace,'' Arrington said.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 70 linesby CNB