ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, February 13, 1997 TAG: 9702130038
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
Faced with losing to a public school team for the first time in two seasons, Liberty responded with toughness down the stretch Wednesday night.
The Minutemen, top-ranked in the Associated Press Group AA poll and Timesland, went on a 12-0 run in the fourth quarter for a 59-47 non-district boys' basketball victory at Cave Spring.
It was a different finish than when the teams met in December. The Minutemen tied that score on a late shot and got a nine-point overtime victory after the Knights missed two free-throw attempts at the end of regulation.
Liberty, holding a 47-44 lead with 2:38 left Wednesday, got its winning spurt as Rodney Morris and Raymond Arrington each hit four points. At the same time, Cave Spring got nothing to fall. Liberty's pressure tired the Knights, who broke the scoring drought on a 3-point goal by Micah Bibby as the game ended.
``They played well. It's tough to play a good team with a good crowd behind them,'' said Liberty guard Robert Carson, who was one of four Minutemen with two steals and who had eight points in the final quarter.
Liberty, unbeaten state champion last winter, closed a 20-1 regular season, the only loss coming to private school power Oak Hill. Cave Spring, playing the second of three games against Timesland's top-ranked teams, is 12-8 with a date Friday night at No.3 William Fleming.
Cave Spring's 6-foot-6 Alex Phillips scored 14 of his game-high 22 points in the first half, forcing Liberty to change defenses and pick up its press. As a result, Phillips didn't dominate the second half and the Minutemen had six steals in the third quarter.
``They started fronting me, bringing in a double-team. They showed why they were state champions,'' said Phillips.
Liberty opened a 36-28 lead midway in the third quarter. Then Morris was called for a foul while trying to block Phillips' shot, and Liberty coach Mark Hanks was hit with a technical.
Phillips and Ricky Dierker each made two free throws, and Spencer Baird sliced down the middle for a layup to make it 36-34.
``That's my first technical in seven years. I thought I had blown the game,'' said Hanks.
``Our pressure got to them as the game went on. We played them straight up the first half and we knew they'd go to Alex. He was drop-stepping and faking, so we had to go for a double team,'' said Hanks.
``I knew they were going to make that change. We wanted to bring the opposite post player up so Alex could get a lob. But they put such tremendous pressure on us,'' said Cave Spring coach Billy Hicks.
Neither team shot well. Liberty made only 18-of-50 while the Knights were 15-of-43. Liberty held a 38-29 advantage on the boards, thanks to Morris, a transfer from William Fleming, who had 13 rebounds in his first game back in the Roanoke Valley.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 58 linesby CNB