THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, November 28, 1994 TAG: 9411280135
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
What a difference a day makes.
In the opening round of the Dial Soap Classic, Old Dominion forward Clarisse Machanguana was a nonfactor in a 54-53 win over Syracuse, scoring four points over 18 minutes because of foul trouble.
In the finals Sunday, Machanguana could not be stopped.
The sophomore from Mozambique scored 28 points against Duke, including six of the last seven Old Dominion baskets, and the Lady Monarchs rallied for a 64-59 win.
``We couldn't stop her in the post,'' Blue Devils coach Gail Goestenkors said of Machanguana. ``Her spin move is unstoppable unless she gets called for traveling. It may be an international move, but in the U.S., it's traveling.''
Old Dominion's spirits were boosted before the game with the availability of point guard Ticha Penicheiro, who suffered a broken nose against Syracuse and used a face mask for protection Sunday.
Against Duke (1-1), Machanguana was on her game from the opening tip, outscoring the Blue Devils 6-2 to give the Lady Monarchs an early 8-2 lead.
Duke went ahead on a jumper by center Alison Day and increased their lead to as much as nine points with 5:52 left in the first half. Two layups and a free throw by Machanguana cut into the lead, and Shonda Deberry hit a 3-pointer with 57 seconds left to tie the game at 32.
Sarah Willyerd hit the front end of a one-and-one to give Old Dominion the lead, but Duke's Carey Kaufmann gave the Blue Devils a 34-33 edge to close out the half.
After the break, Deberry tied the game at 37 on a short jumper before Duke went on a 10-0 run, holding the Lady Monarchs scoreless for more than five minutes to take their biggest lead of the game.
``We had the rebounds, we just couldn't finish,'' Old Dominion coach Wendy Larry said. ``The shots just wouldn't drop.''
Old Dominion chipped away at the lead and trailed by four with less than eight minutes left to play. Esther Benjamin hit a jumper to close Duke's lead to 52-50.
Then Machanguana kicked into overdrive, using her NBA-caliber spin move to score 11 of the Lady Monarchs' next 12 points before fouling out with Old Dominion ahead, 62-58, with 1:34 left to play.
``Clarisse's step-through is not a travel,'' Larry said. ``She plants her pivot foot, and she's just too quick.''
Down the stretch, the Lady Monarchs relied on their defensive prowess to keep the game just out of reach, and Duke failed to convert on three straight one-and-one opportunities from the line.
With Old Dominion up 62-59 with four seconds left, Deberry grabbed the rebound of Tyish Hall's missed free throw and was fouled by Kira Orr. Deberry sank both free throws to make it a two-possession game and clinch the victory.
Deberry finished with 16 points and represented Old Dominion on the All-Tournament along with tournament MVP Machanguana.
``I was trying to play good enough today so that Ticha would not have to come out on the floor,'' Machanguana said. The two have played for the same club team in Portugal for two years and arrived at Old Dominion together. ``But I think our defense was the most important. You can score six points in a row, but if you don't have D, you die.''
Also named to the All-Tournament team were Kaufmann, Orr, Hall, and Montana's Kristy Schlimgen. ILLUSTRATION: Color staff photo by Paul Aiken
Ticha Penicheiro, who suffered a broken nose Saturday against
Syracuse, scrambles for the ball during ODU's 64-59 win over Duke on
Sunday.
by CNB