ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, February 24, 1997 TAG: 9702250078
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
Hampden-Sydney and Roanoke saved their best, and worst, for last in their Old Dominion Athletic Conference tournament semifinal.
After a first half when neither team could shoot better than 34 percent from the field, Roanoke hung two shots on the rim in the final seconds and Hampden-Sydney hung on for a 63-62 victory Sunday at the Salem Civic Center.
It was a fitting climax for the men's basketball tournament's best game to date, but the postgame action was what the crowd of 2,179 was abuzz about after the buzzer. A melee broke out that featured opposing players, coaches and fans running and screaming at each other.
No immediate suspensions or penalties are expected. ``If somebody deliberately did something inappropriate, we would take appropriate action,'' said Dan Wooldridge, the ODAC commissioner.
A common penalty for throwing a punch would be a one-game suspension. For the Maroons, that would not have much of an effect, because they may not have another game to play. The loss put Roanoke's chances for an NCAA Division III Tournament bid in jeopardy, although its chances improved two hours later when Lynchburg knocked off No.3 seed Bridgewater 88-73.
``We haven't been out of the rankings in two years,'' said Maroons coach Page Moir, whose team was third in the most recent South Region poll. ``Hopefully, things will work out and we'll have another shot.''
Roanoke (19-7) had two great shots to win the game. The Maroons got the rebound of a Chris Fox miss with about 10 seconds to play and Roanoke point guard Nathan Hungate ran the ball upcourt. Moir had told him to take it to the basket whenever he had the chance, because during the previous ten minutes, the Tigers (20-6) had trouble guarding him. ``We were better off getting the ball in the open court,'' Moir said.
Hungate's layup hung on the rim and Jon Maher's follow shot sat there and slid off like a poorly hung towel.
``I thought one was in,'' said Hampden-Sydney coach Tony Shaver. ``I couldn't believe it came out.''
Shaver was amazed that two late Tigers shots went in, and he credited those points with sealing the victory. With three minutes left, forward Bryan Sheridan, who was 1-for-7 from the field, squared his shoulders in the corner and put in a 3-pointer. Sheridan's shot gave the Tigers a one-point lead, 60-59, that they never let go.
Seventeen seconds later, Hungate and Jason Bishop were double-teaming Fox as he brought the ball over midcourt. Fox saw teammate Kevin Garst (Salem High School), alone on the wing. He passed to Garst, who hit another 3-pointer and gave the Tigers a 63-59 lead with 2:43 left. Moir said his players told him in a timeout with 1:19 to play that they wouldn't let the Tigers have another point. H-SC didn't score again, a fact that surprised Shaver afterward.
Neither coach was surprised by the woeful shooting numbers. After a combined 19 first-half baskets, neither team shot better than 34 percent for the game. Unlike the teams' previous two meetings, the toughest place to score was in the post. Hampden-Sydney's starting front line combined for nine points and Roanoke's combined for 12.
``There weren't a lot of uncontested shots out there,'' said Moir, whose team shot 27.6 percent in the second half.
The Tigers advanced to tonight's championship game against seventh-seeded Lynchburg. H-SC is only the third fifth seed to reach the title game, while the Hornets are the first seventh seed to get there.
While Lynchburg needs a championship victory to reach the NCAA Tournament, the Tigers have virtually assured themselves a bid. The same can't be said for the Maroons, whose season of promise may turn into one of disappointment.
``I never thought we'd lose seven games in my life,'' Hungate said. ``We deserve to go on.''
What the Maroons, and Tigers for that matter, don't deserve is for their lasting image to be what happened after the game instead of during the game.
HAMPDEN-SYDNEY(20-6)
Grimes 3-6 3-4 11, Sheridan 2-8 0-0 5, Harris 2-9 0-0 4, Fox 3-11 0-0 8, DeVan 0-4 0-0 0, Robbins 1-7 1-2 3, Garst 2-3 2-2 8, Ross 3-5 2-2 10, Jirak 4-7 1-2 9, Sharp 2-4 1-1 5. Totals 22-64 10-13 63.
ROANOKE(19-7)
Sigafoes 2-7 1-2 6, Maher 3-10 0-0 6, Braun 2-4 2-2 6, Hungate 3-13 7-8 14, Bishop 2-8 5-6 11, Bullock 0-1 0-0 0, Fitch 2-5 1-1 5, Bryant 1-5 0-1 3, Ball 2-2 7-7 11, Hathaway 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-55 23-27 62.
Halftime score-28-28. Three-point goals-H-SC 9-22 (Grimes 2-3, Sheridan 1-4, Harris 0-1, Fox 2-4, DeVan 0-1, Robbins 0-2, Garst 2-2, Ross 2-3, Jirak 0-1, Sharp 0-1), Roanoke 5-16 (Sigafoes 1-1, Maher 0-1, Hungate 1-4, Bishop 2-4, Fitch 0-1, Bryant 1-5). Rebounds-H-SC 41 (Harris 7), Roanoke 43 (Maher 14). Assists-H-SC 15 (Fox 4), Roanoke 6 (Hungate 4). Total fouls-H-SC 22, Roanoke 14. A-2,179.
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY/Staff. Roanoke and Hampden-Sydney playersby CNBconfront each other on the court Sunday during a fracas after the
Tigers' 63-62 win in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference semifinal
game at the Salem Civic Center. color.