ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, February 12, 1997 BASKETBALL TAG: 9702120105
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
TYPE: HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
Robbie Claytor scored 23 points and Adam Jones added 20 Tuesday as Giles stunned previously unbeaten Floyd County, the state's top-ranked team in Group A, 76-71 in Pearisburg.
The Spartans (10-9 overall, 5-4 district) utilized big first and fourth quarters to upset the Buffaloes (19-1, 9-1) the Three Rivers District regular season champions, in Pearisburg Tuesday night.
Giles (10-9, 5-4) jumped on the Buffaloes (19-1, 9-1) early, outscoring Floyd 21-13 in the first quarter. After the Buffaloes, who have already clinched the Three Rivers District title, closed to within one point at the end of three quarters, the Spartans outscored Floyd 25-21 in the fourth quarter.
Travis Cantrell led the Buffaloes with 24 points.
In other games:
Salem 67, Rockbridge County 52: Marshall Wooldridge hit four 3-pointers, including two straight to open the second half, as the Spartans kept pace with William Byrd in the Blue Ridge District race with a win in Lexington.
The Spartans (13-7, 11-2) were down by four at the half after trailing by as many as eight in the second quarter.
Wooldridge, who had 18 points, nailed a pair of 3-pointers as Salem outscored the Wildcats 18-8 in the third period to take a 43-37 lead into the final eight minutes. The Spartans then put away Rockbridge County with a 24-15 fourth-period run.
Kwam Lewis scored 21 points to lead Salem, while Andy Beach added 13.
Ricky Wright scored 13 points to pace the Wildcats (5-13, 4-8).
Magna Vista 62, Patrick County 47: In Ridgeway, the Warriors battled back from a second-quarter deficit to defeat the Cougars as Magna Vista remained tied with Martinsville for the Piedmont District lead.
Patrick County built a 21-10 lead midway through the second period, but the Warriors (14-4, 8-1) turned the tables and led by as many as 17 in the final stanza.
Landa Martin led a balanced Magna Vista attack with 19 points,while Markus Hairston added 11.
The Cougars (8-11, 2-7) were led by Corey Reynolds' 23 points.
Martinsville 67, Laurel Park 62: The Bulldogs opened up a big early lead, then held off the Lancers to win a Piedmont District game at Martinsville.
Jeff Slade and Tony Carter led Laurel Park (11-7, 3-6) back from a 12-point deficit to take a brief 60-58 lead in the fourth quarter. Martinsville (13-6, 8-1) scored nine of the game's final 11 points to come away with the win.
Wells and Manti Venable led the Bulldogs with 16 points. Walker had 15.
Slade led the Lancers with 13 points, Carter had 11.
George Wythe 63, PH-Glade Spring 52: Twenty-four hours after upsetting Group AA Marion, the Maroons got off to a shaky start before running away from the Rebels and clinching a tie for the Hogoheegee District title at Wytheville.
George Wythe (17-3, 10-1), trailed by five points early before forging a 30-30 tie at halftime. The Maroons went on a 17-9 run late in the game.
Bryant Jones was 6-for-6 from the field, 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.
Parry McCluer 75, Craig County 59: Chip Coleman scored 16 points in the second and third quarters as the Fighting Blues - coupled with Bath County's loss - clinched the Pioneer District title at New Castle.
Coleman scored 12 points and made two 3-pointers in the second quarter, when Parry McCluer (18-1, 8-1) opened up a 36-27 lead. Coleman finished with 24 points and four 3-pointers.
David Downs scored 17 for the Blues, Mike Clark had 11 and Mike Decker 10.
Dwayne Crawford led Craig County (1-13, 0-8) with 18 points, Mike Fisher scored 17.
Highland 75, Bath County 68: The Rams used balanced scoring to notch a Pioneer District victory in Hot Springs.
Jacob Hull led Highland (14-3, 5-3) with 25 points, including nine in the third quarter, when the Rams took control.
Bath County (10-7, 4-3) got a game-high 31 points from Adam Grist, but lost the middle two quarters 37-28.
Patrick Henry 112, Franklin County 65: Every Patriot scored at least four points as PH clinched a share of the Roanoke Valley District title by demolishing the visting Eagles.
William Fleming can tie for the title with a win over Cave Spring on Friday. A victory by the Colonels would force a one-game playoff next Tuesday.
Ronnie Kasey scored 10 points and Boo Battle nine in the first quarter as the Patriots jumped to a 31-14 advantage. Battle finished with 25 points, Kasey 21, Malik Shareef 18 and Colby Leftwich 16 points for PH.
Patrick Drakeford scored 12 points to lead the Eagles (4-16, 0-7).
Galax 66, Rocky Gap 55: The Maroon Tide pulled out a Mountain Empire District victory over the Eagles (4-15, 2-10) in Rocky Gap despite not hitting a field goal in the fourth quarter.
Galax (12-7, 9-2) hit 18 of 25 free throws and Nate Noel hit nine of 11 attempts in the fourth. Noel led the Maroon Tide with 19 points, B.B. Brown added 12, Mac Garner 11 and Michael Shumate 10.
Kenny Shrader led the Eagles (4-15, 2-10) with 17 points.
Graham 81, Carroll County 51: Jeff Lynch scored 19 points as the G-Men won in Bluefield to remain unbeaten in the Southwest District.
Rusty Rose added 16 points and Jason Hypes and Jeremy Gibson scored 11 points each for the G-Men (18-1, 8-0).
Jeremy Ogle led Carroll County (5-13, 2-5) with 15 points.
Alleghany 62, Christiansburg 54: The Mountaineers built a lead from 3-point range and hit their free throws down the stretch to seal a Blue Ridge District victory in Christiansburg.
Alleghany (7-12, 5-8), which connected on seven 3-pointers in building a 42-39 lead after three periods, hit 13 of 20 free throws in the fourth quarter to hold off the Demons.
Casey Burks, who scored 27 points for the Mountaineers, had four 3s and Ramey Pendleton, who had 11 points, connected on three long-range bombs.
Eric Lucas and Mike Kazee each had 19 points to pace Christiansburg (9-9, 4-8)
Fort Chiswell 103, Narrows 68: Heath Bralley scored 27 points to lead the hot-shooting Pioneers to a Mountain Empire District rout of the Green Wave at Fort Chiswell.
Bralley scored 13 points in the first period, when Fort Chiswell (8-9, 4-5) ran out to a 32-13 lead. The Pioneers scored no fewer than 22 points in any quarter.
Ritchie Nester had 15 points and nine assists for the Pioneers, Derrick Jackson had 12 points and 13 rebounds and Jeremy Gravely and Jason Porter scored 12.
Joe Shipbaugh led Narrows (8-10, 4-6) with 22 points, Heath Fleeman had 13 and Dalton Smith 11.
Bland 67, Grayson County 56: John Thompson and Brent Tate made key 3-pointers to spark a fourth-quarter run that broke open a close game at Bland and tightened up the Mountain Empire District race.
Thompson scored all seven of his points in the fourth, as Bland (15-4, 9-2) outscored the Blue Devils 22-12. The Rockets made 10 of 16 free throws down the stretch.
Lee Meadows scored 19 points for Bland. Heath Puckett had 13 and Tate 11.
Wes Self scored 19 for Grayson County (14-5, 8-2), Travis Archer had 12 and Chad McMillian 11.
Liberty 69, Jefferson Forest 51: The Minutemen woke up in the fourth quarter to put away the Cavaliers in a Seminole District game in Forest.
Liberty (19-1, 12-0), ranked number one in Group AA, scored just eight second-quarter points and led only 40-36 heading into the final eight minutes.
The Minutemen, who have already clinched the regular season district title, hit 12 of 16 free throws in the final period to put away Jefferson Forrest.
Rodney Morris scored 17 for Liberty, while Cheyney Preston, who scored 10 fourth-quarter points, and Raymond Arrington added 12 each.
Kenneth Hancock led the Cavaliers (11-9, 7-4) with 18 points, while Chris Ridgeway scored 11.
Rural Retreat 64, Northwood 62: Wayne Terry hit a 10-footer just before the buzzer to lift the Indians to a Hogoheegee District win in Saltville.
Northwood (3-16, 1-10) tied the score at 62 when Shane Harris made two free throws with seven seconds left. Terry took the inbounds pass, ran the length of the floor and made his jumper to win it for the Indians (2-14, 2-8).
Todd Ridgeway scored 19 for Rural Retreat and Terry added 10. Clinton Houchins and Chad Totten led the Indians with 19.
Covington 70, James River 47: Tracy Walker scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds as the Cougars stifled the Knights in a Pioneer District contest in Covington.
Covington (8-10, 5-4) led 32-26 at halftime and outscored James River 23-12 in the third period to seal the victory. Erwin Twitty scored 16 points and Boo Stewart had 14 points and seven steals as the Cougars forced 26 turnovers.
Travis Blankenship scored 16 points for James River (7-11, 3-5).
Holy Cross 57, Staunton River 46: Caleb Buchanan scored 21 points as the Gaels won a non-district game over the Golden Eagles in Moneta.
Bart Wheeler and John Bumgarner scored 11 points each for the Gaels (20-11).
Bryan Sink had 16 points and Jason Morgan 14 for Staunton River (7-13).
Gateway Christian 64, Joy Ranch 31: Brad Duncan scored all of his game-high 14 points in the first half as the Crusaders beat the Eagles in Woodlawn.
Alan Surface and Chris Kirtner scored 10 points apiece for Gateway (11-6), which led 27-4 after one quarter and 42-12 at halftime.
Timmy Melton led Joy Ranch with 11.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Long : 181 linesby CNB