ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, December 27, 1996 TAG: 9612270058
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
Assuming that Glenvar High returns to the NationsBank Holiday Hoops tournament next year, the coach who draws the Highlanders in the first round is likely to wince when he finds out.
The Group A Highlanders, the smallest school in the eight-team field, pulled off their second opening-round shocker in as many years when they upset AAA Cave Spring 72-64 Thursday afternoon at Salem Civic Center.
During last year's tournament, Glenvar got off to a rousing start by upending Patrick Henry, a fact Cave Spring's players knew well.
``It was the last thing we told them before we went out on the floor,'' Knights coach Billy Hicks said.
Being well-informed didn't translate into victory for the Knights (5-2), though. Less discussed in the Knights' dressing quarters was the peril of excessive fouling. Cave Spring was found guilty of 31 fouls, which cost it dearly.
Glenvar (2-5) went to the line an astounding 45 times and sank 37 shots. At the head of the parade was Josh Williamson, who buried 17 of 20 foul shots en route to a game-high 27 points.
``We're happy that we won, of course,'' Glenvar coach Art Lawrence said. ``But we're also happy for a couple of more reasons. We did a couple of things well that we hadn't been doing so far. One is shoot the ball well. The other was get to the line.''
Hicks was painfully aware of the Highlanders' trips to the stripe.
``I have never been associated with a game in which somebody went to the foul line 45 times,'' he said. ``We don't take that many free throws in practice.''
Chris Evans was good on seven of eight foul shots and scored 18 for Glenvar. Josh Hollifield hit five of six from the stripe and scored 11.
``Down the stretch, we did enough good things to hold on to the lead, something else we haven't been doing very well,'' Lawrence said.
The giant-slaying Highlanders next take on Riverside (N.C.), a 70-55 winner over Northside, in the third game today at 6 p.m. Cave Spring falls into the losers' bracket and will play Northside at 2 p.m. today.
Cave Spring guard Ricky Dierker bottomed out three treys and scored 17 points and 6-foot-6 Alex Phillips chipped in 17 before fouling out late in the game.
``Glenvar did a great job of executing their game plan,'' Hicks said. ``Our effort was lackluster.''
LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines KEYWORDS: BASKETBALLby CNB