ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, November 25, 1996 TAG: 9611260048
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
Just when it appeared Roanoke College's basketball team had lost to Ferrum on Sunday afternoon, guard Nathan Hungate took charge.
The junior from Northside High School scored seven points in the final 17 seconds of regulation to force overtime. In the extra period, he scored seven more, leading the Maroons to a 96-92 victory in the Salem Bank & Trust Tournament championship game played at the Bast Center.
``It was kind of surprising,'' said Hungate, who finished with a career-high 30 points and was named tournament MVP. ``Jason [Bishop] got his fifth foul [with 8:02 to play]. He's normally our leader and our scorer. We knew they were in foul trouble and we had to go inside, so I started driving. We couldn't lose on our home floor.''
A loss appeared imminent with 22.7 seconds left, however, as two Dontel Arrington free throws gave Ferrum an 83-78 advantage. ``I told our guys that five points down with 22 seconds left meant we needed three possessions,'' said Roanoke coach Page Moir. ``I think our team understands that now. It was good to learn the lesson in a positive way.''
Hungate drove the length of the court for a lay-up, using five seconds. After Rodney Ponzo made one of two free throws to give Ferrum a four-point lead (84-80), Hungate was fouled by Michael Hunter as he was releasing a long 3-point attempt with 10.1 seconds left.
Hungate made two of three free throws, and Roanoke again fouled immediately. After the Panthers' Jay Morris made just one of two foul shots, Hungate sank a 3-pointer from the left side, tying the score at 85 with 4.4 seconds to play.
Ferrum couldn't get a good shot off at the end of regulation, and in overtime, the Panthers quickly fell behind, as eventually, five of their players - including four starters - fouled out.
``We put ourselves in a position to win; we just didn't get it done,'' said first-year Ferrum coach Larry Mangino who now has split his first two games, both in overtime. ``I was pleased with our defense, and our rebounding, and we contained a high-powered offense for most of the game.''
Roanoke's Tim Braun, named to the all-tournament team, scored 26 points. Hungate and Braun were joined by Ferrum's Arrington and Ponzo, who scored 24 and 13 points, respectively. The Panthers' Marcus Toney had 19 and Joe Harrison 18, as Ferrum featured a well-balanced attack.
The Maroons weren't nearly as sharp as they were in their season-opening, 51-point victory 19 hours earlier, but Moir credited the difference to Ferrum's defense. ``They did a great job of taking us out of our game,'' Moir said.
Ferrum parlayed a 10-point spurt in the game's opening moments into an early lead. Harrison, Arrington, and Toney each connected on 3-pointers, and Arrington, who was fouled on his attempt, converted the free throw for a four-point play.
Three minutes into the game, Roanoke led 5-2, but 60 seconds later, trailed 12-5. ``They had us playing on our heels from the get-go,'' Moir said.
Ferrum maintained the advantage throughout the first half, as Roanoke shot poorly from the foul line (10 for 21, 48 percent), including missing the front-end of several one-and-ones. The Panthers opened up a seven-point lead on two more occasions (19-12 and 21-14), and still led by six (35-29) before hitting a drought the last two minutes before intermission.
Hungate, who opened the game with a 3-pointer for Roanoke, finished the half in a similar fashion, pulling the Maroons within one, 35-34.
A whopping 69 fouls were called during the game, including 40 on Ferrum. Six players fouled out, and five others had four fouls when the game ended.
In the consolation game, Albright (Pa.) College (1-2) broke open a tight game with Gallaudet (D.C.) University (0-2) midway through the second half to defeat the Bison, 80-65.
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY\Staff. 1. Jay Morris of Ferrum (center) triesby CNBto gain control of a loose ball while teammate Michael Hunter and
Jon Maher of Roanoke converge on the play. color. 2. Derek Bryant
(right) of Roanoke dribbles behind his back to get past Ferrum
defender Stevie Reynolds.