ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, February 1, 1997 TAG: 9702030106
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: DUBLIN
SOURCE: CHRIS LANG STAFF WRITER
CAVE SPRING MAKES six 3-pointers in the fourth quarter but loses 61-60 at Pulaski County.
The Cave Spring Knights learned an important lesson in a 61-60 boys' basketball loss Friday night at Pulaski County. A team has to play more than one quarter to win.
After scoring just 32 points in the first three quarters, the Knights exploded for 28 in the final frame to pull within one.
But Corey Paxton's jumper from the right side could not find the bottom of the net and the Cougars escaped with a Roanoke Valley District victory.
"I don't know if I've ever been more satisfied with a win than tonight," Cougars coach Pat Burns said. "We got beat bad Tuesday night and we could have been down, but we did what we had to do to win."
Pulaski (9-7 overall, 2-3 RVD) dominated inside, controlling Cave Spring big man Alex Phillips in the first three quarters. Cougars forward Ronald Branch was rolling along to a game-high 20 points while dominating Phillips.
But Phillips began to work the inside toward the end of the third quarter, and the Knights (11-6, 3-3 RVD) began to come to life.
"We had trouble getting the ball in the post," Cave Spring coach Billy Hicks said. "And when we did get it in there, we got it taken away."
The Cougars led 46-32 at the end of the third, but the momentum shifted the Knights' way when Phillips made a shot and was fouled by Randy Grubb. Phillips, who finished with 14 points, missed the free throw, but Darnell Glover tipped it in to cut the lead to 46-36.
The Knights hit six 3-pointers in the final quarter to get within striking distance.
Things began to heat up. Phillips and Branch repeatedly got into tangles under the basket, with each delivering a hard foul to the other. Referees and teammates pulled the two apart before it came to blows.
Referees held a conference with all the players on the floor and tempers did not flare again.
"When Alex fouled him on the break, he thought it was intentional," Hicks said. "Ronald hit him with a cheap shot and cut him above his eye."
Every time Pulaski appeared ready to put the game on ice, Cave Spring responded. Two Justin Peek free throws pushed the lead to 57-52 with 4:07 remaining, but Ricky Dierker responded with a 3-pointer.
"They shot the ball extremely well," Burns said. "We knew they were capable of shooting like that and they came out and did it."
Pulaski played Friday with a new lineup. With Craig Hodge off the team and Peek sick, Burns had to adjust, plugging Roger Adams in at guard and Randy Grubb at forward. Both were on the junior varsity team two games ago. Hodge was the second starter to leave the team within the month, joining Robert Rogers.
Peek's illness must not have affected him, as he tallied 16 points and made a critical 3-pointer halfway through the fourth quarter that gave the Cougars a six-point edge.
"Peek's been really sick," Burns said. "We all said a prayer for him and we didn't know how much he could play. I thought he did a tremendous job. He wasn't well at all."
Pulaski outrebounded Cave Spring 20-11, but most of that came in the first three quarters because neither team missed many shots in the fourth. Cave Spring went 8-for-12 in the final frame, 6-of-7 from beyond the arc.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines KEYWORDS: BASKETBALLby CNB