THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 1, 1995 TAG: 9502010608
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DENISE MICHAUX, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
For the past two seasons York has caused the only blemish on an otherwise perfect Bay Rivers District record for Nansemond River.
Just glancing at Tuesday night's 82-47 Warriors triumph, you'd never guess the Falcons almost did it again.
The Warriors remain in control of the district at 9-0 in the Bay Rivers and 14-1 overall.
York (4-6 and 7-9) actually controlled much of the first half and held the district's leading scorer, Antoine Willie, to just six first-half points en route to a 27-26 halftime lead.
``I wanted to go in with at least a six-point lead, but towards the end of the first half we had a lot of chances we didn't convert,'' York head coach Robert Shamblin said.
Midway through the third quarter the Falcons were still in it after Kurt Ward's turnaround jumper gave them a 34-33 lead.
Unfortunately for the Falcons Willie, who hadn't been able to get anything inside early on, decided to start shooting treys.
``He was putting those things up from pro range,'' Shamblin said.
Willie drained the first of four third quarter threes - he totaled five for the game - with 4:29 left in the period.
Pernell Tucker nailed a pair of free throws to tie it up at 36 before the Warriors went on to score 20 unanswered points for a 57-36 lead at the end of three.
Willie accounted for 11 of those 20 points.
``I was in a slump,'' Willie said of his first half performance. ``All of us were flat in the first half.''
A good tongue-lashing from coach Spencer Mayfield at halftime took care of that.
``He said we weren't playing Nansemond River basketball,'' the 6-0 sophomore said. ``We weren't doing what we were supposed to do.
``I was just thinking about getting the team into it (in the second half),'' Willie, who totaled 27 points and is averaging 24.26 points per game, said. ``I hit that first three, it just felt right so I kept on shooting.''
The hotter Willie's hand got, the quicker the Warriors pace became and the heavier the Falcons were breathing.
Shamblin cleared the bench in the third quarter and to give his younger guys some experience.
``They are so much quicker,'' Shamblin said. ``Their slowest guy is quicker than anybody we've got.''
Montoria Valentine added 13 points for the Warriors and Kaaron Riddick 11.
Tucker and Brian Ginn paced the Falcons with 11 points apiece, while Tommy Klump was held to six points, all in the first half. by CNB