THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 8, 1995 TAG: 9502080670
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
After losing to No. 3 Great Bridge on its own turf earlier this season, fourth-ranked Deep Creek had one objective: Beat the Wildcats at their house.
Not only did the Hornets do that, but their 58-48 win Tuesday night created a three-way tie for first place in the Southeastern District, leaving the final two games of the season to decide the winner.
Great Bridge was in the catbird seat alone but now shares a 10-2 record with the Hornets and Churchland, which blistered Indian River, 90-43, Tuesday night.
``That's what we didn't want to happen,'' said Great Bridge coach Ro Moore, whose team's 10-game win streak was brought to a halt.
The Hornets came out fired up in the first quarter with a 13-3 run that kept the lethargic Wildcats playing catch-up all night. Great Bridge was 0 for 13 from the field in the first eight minutes and a miserable 21 percent for the half.
``We were just out of synch,'' Moore said. ``We couldn't get anything going. We were taking what we could get instead of trying to set something up.''
And the Hornets weren't waiting around for the Wildcats to get hot. They grabbed 28 defensive rebounds to the Wildcats' 10 offensive boards and converted numerous fast-break opportunities.
But when the fast break fizzled, the Hornets didn't. They patiently set up their offense against Great Bridge's matchup zone and worked the ball inside to Michelle Boyd and Tamara Sivels, who combined for more than half of Deep Creek's total offense.
``We were ready for them,'' said Sivels, who finished with a game-high 22 points. ``I think we won it on the fast break.''
The Wildcats, however, couldn't seem to get a break anywhere.
The Hornets' full-court man-to-man defense held the core of Great Bridge's offense - Lashelle Griffin and Carey Stafford - to 10 points.
``We came in with a good game plan,'' said Deep Creek coach Otis Etheridge. ``We wanted to keep Stafford from shooting the 3's and Griffin from driving the lane.''
The Hornets may have succeeded in that aspect, but they forgot about Courtney Simons, who finished with 17 points.
In any case, it wasn't enough.
Deep Creek, which led, 28-20, going into the locker room, iced the game with a 30-point second half.
Boyd and Sivels were 6 for 10 from the line to seal it in the final five minutes.
``It's just another game towards winning the district,'' Etheridge said confidently. ``We still have two more games to go.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
RICHARD L. DUNSTON/Staff
Lashelle Griffin of Great Bridge and Stacie Watson of Deep Creek
stretch for the ball. Deep Creek won, 58-48.
by CNB