THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 21, 1994 TAG: 9409210528
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
They're called free throws, but Catholic's Samantha Green paid dearly for each of her 16 trips to the line last week against York.
``I got beat up in that game,'' Green said. ``Actually, I get beat up in every game. Look, I've got half a black eye from (a game against Norfolk) Academy.''
But even though she's comfortable shooting 3-pointers, don't expect the 5-foot-8 Green to abandon her inside game.
``That would take away all the fun,'' she said.
Besides, if Green hadn't been so willing to take the ball - and the punishment that goes with it - inside against the physical Falcons, the Crusaders probably would never have pulled out their surprising 47-43 victory.
``I definitely think Samantha was the difference,'' Catholic coach Jerry Carmody said.
Two weeks ago, with Green nursing an ankle injury, the Crusaders lost by 18 to York. Last week, however, a healthy Green lit up the Falcons for 24 points. The Falcons were so impressed their scorekeeper credited her with 27.
Green hit 14 of her 16 free-throw attempts, including 10 in the fourth quarter when the Crusaders erased a six-point deficit.
The accomplishment was enough to earn Green The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star's athlete of the week honor. Carmody also hopes it might spur Green take more of a leadership role for the rebuilding Crusaders.
``She doesn't really want to take charge the way we'd like her to, because she's new,'' Carmody said of Green, who spent the past two years in Hawaii. ``But when we got down against York, we more or less just posted Samantha up.''
The idea of taking charge on the court still hasn't sunk in completely with Green. In the Crusaders' next game, against Norfolk Academy, the Bulldogs took a 25-3 halftime lead while Green, a 19-points-per-game scorer this year, went without a point.
``Just one of those games, I guess,'' Carmody said.
Green recovered to make five 3-pointers and score 17 points in the 49-27 defeat. But she was hardly satisfied.
``They're a good team, but we can be up there too, if we really want it,'' Green said. ``You just have to want to win. I want to win. I'm a sore loser.''
Considering the way she plays, Green's sore even when she wins. ILLUSTRATION: Samantha Green
by CNB