THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 7, 1994 TAG: 9412070590
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
It took Booker T. Washington guard Ericka Simpson nearly 32 minutes to find the range Tuesday night as the fourth-ranked Bookers faced No. 10 Great Bridge.
But she warmed up just in time for the final four seconds and nailed a 3-pointer to lift the 2-0 Bookers to a 37-34 victory over the Wildcats.
``She had plenty of practice shooting that same shot in the third quarter,'' Booker T. coach Cal Davidson said of Simpson, who had missed five treys before hitting the game-winner. ``She was due.''
With the game tied at 34 with 36 seconds to go, Davidson called timeout to set up the last play.
``I knew they would collapse on Cheria (Askew),'' he said of the Bookers' 6-0 senior center, who finished with a team-high 12 points. ``I told any of the three guards to shoot it. I told them to drive in and look for a foul. Whoever had the ball with eight or 10 seconds left was to be the person who shot it.''
Just as Davidson instructed, Simpson started to drive into the lane but was stopped just outside the arc. She pulled up and banked it in.
``Coach told me to hold the ball at first,'' Simpson said. ``Then I started to go to the basket, but I decided to shoot instead. It was a reaction. I was praying it would go in.''
The final four seconds ticked off the clock as fans flooded the floor. The officials cleared the playing area, put the time back on the clock and allowed the Wildcats what appeared to be their final possession.
Great Bridge's Kalisha Brown threw a long pass downcourt, only to have it intercepted by Askew. But Askew didn't notice that there was still a second left. She took the ball and started to walk toward her bench. The officials called her for traveling and returned possession to Great Bridge.
But on the ensuing inbounds play, Brown couldn't get control of an off-target pass as time expired.
``Last year we lost to them by one point,'' Simpson said. ``We finally got our revenge.''
LaShelle Griffin led Great Bridge with 14 points. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
L. TODD SPENCER
Booker T.'s Raquita Washington, left, reaches for the ball as Great
Bridge's LaShelle Griffin drives upcourt.
by CNB