ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, December 10, 1996 TAG: 9612100102
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
MEMO: ***CORRECTION***
Published correction ran on December 11, 1996.
Tuesday's Roanoke Times inadvertently published a photograph of Lord
Botetourt girls' basketball player Sarah Hicks. The photo should have
been named Group AA girls' basketball Player of the Year by the
Associated Press.
Sara Moore and Sarah Hicks, the mainstays on Lord Botetourt's championship girls' basketball team, headline the Group AA all-state team announced Monday.
Moore was chosen the Group AA player of the year and heads a team that has a strong Timesland and Blue Ridge District flavor. Four Timesland players - Moore, Hicks, William Byrd junior Brandy Allen and Bassett sophomore Heather Miller - are first-team selections along with Louisa County point guard Telisha Quarles.
Lord Botetourt's David Wheat was voted coach of the year following his team's second consecutive state title.
The Lady Cavaliers finished 27-2, with both losses against Blue Ridge District rival William Byrd. Lord Botetourt beat William Byrd three times, including a 51-41 decision in the state semifinals, and beat Charlottesville for the title.
The second team comprises Alleghany senior Natasha Chapman of Timesland along with freshman Nykeia Washington of Charlottesville, Leigh Jones of Marion, Kristi Bennett of Richlands and Kara Connelly of Western Albemarle.
Moore and Hicks tied for Blue Ridge District Player of the Year honors. They were the leaders the past two years on Lord Botetourt teams that compiled a 53-6 record.
It was just as close a battle between the two for top honors on the all-state team. Moore, a 5-foot-9 senior guard who has signed with Campbell University, averaged 15.3 points a game and scored 1,438 career points. She also pulled in 6.2 rebounds and dealt out 4.8 assists while coming up with 3.1 steals per game.
Hicks, a 6-0 center who has signed with Virginia Tech and was the 1996 Timesland Player of the Year, averaged 19.5 points and scored 1,699 career points. She shot 53 percent from the field while averaging 7.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game.
``I know I couldn't have done this without my team,'' Moore said. ``Really, they won the award. I thought I improved my game over the summer because we had a lot of workouts in the AAU. I'd say my shooting improved. In leadership, I was more vocal.''
As for beating out Hicks for the top award, Moore said, ``Sarah is definitely a great player and I think they should have ties [for player of the year].''
Wheat felt the same way and he refused to choose which one of his stars was better. ``I am extremely proud of both girls. As far as I'm concerned, they were the two best players in the state. I'm glad I didn't have to choose.''
In the past four years, Lord Botetourt has been a state power. The only losses during this span came against teams that either won state titles or played in the state tournament.
``Any success that our coaching staff brought to this one was equally shared and due to the hard work of [assistant] Ed Purdy,'' Wheat said. ``If there was a way to share [the coaching award] between the two of us, that's what I'd like to do.''
Allen, a 6-0 junior, was the leader at William Byrd, the only team to get the better of Botetourt this season. Allen averaged 15 points and eight rebounds a game. She's started since she was a freshman and Byrd hasn't missed making the state tournament during her career.
Miller, only a sophomore, was the Region IV Player of the Year. The 5-9 Bassett forward already has scored 1,001 points, and this year she averaged 22 points and 9.3 rebounds a game.
Chapman averaged 18 points and 3.6 assists per game. She was the primary reason Alleghany became competitive in the Blue Ridge District race.
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: 1. File photo. Sara Moore averaged 15.3 points, 6.2by CNBrebounds and 4.8 assists per game in leading Lord Botetourt to the
state title. (headshots) 2. Wheat. color. 3. Allen. 4. Hicks.