THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 17, 1995 TAG: 9502170665
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 95 lines
Maury hasn't played particularly well when it has a lot of time off between games.
But the third-ranked Commodores will try to change that tonight when they visit Lake Taylor.
Maury needs a victory to force a one-game playoff with Granby for the Eastern District championship and the Eastern Region berth that goes with it.
If there is a playoff game, it will be Saturday at Booker T. Washington High at 7:30 p.m. The playoff had originally been slated for Lake Taylor until Booker T. was eliminated Tuesday, losing to Granby, 59-47.
Maury hasn't played since beating Norview, 59-56, a week ago.
``This group doesn't react well to time off,'' Maury coach Jack Baker said. ``So this week we've done a little more game-type scrimmaging and game situations. And we've worked on some fundamentals that might have been lacking.
``If we're not focused for Lake Taylor, then we don't deserve to be playing Saturday.''
Lake Taylor, which has been in and out of the area's top 10 this season, is currently unranked. But at 12-6 the Titans have guaranteed themselves their first winning season in 10 years.
Three weeks ago, Maury beat the Titans, 55-50, at Maury.
``They worry me a great deal,'' Baker said. ``They beat Booker T. by 19 last week. They're dangerous. We milked a three-point lead down the stretch to beat them by five at our place.''
DUNKERS BEWARE: Lake Taylor began Tuesday's game at Norview trailing 5-0 after the Titans were called for five technical fouls for dunking in warm-ups, even though the players say they didn't dunk.
``We were laying 'em in and our fingers brushed the rim a couple times,'' said Titan guard Toot Young. ``But we didn't dunk.''
Nonetheless, the team captains were informed by game officials that they were being called for warm-up dunking during the pregame huddle.
Norview's Corey Ricks made 5 of 10 technical free throws before the game began.
``I knew something was up when I saw the blank expressions on the faces of our captains,'' Lake Taylor coach John Kelly said.
Kelly feared that since the officials couldn't identify the guilty parties that he'd be charged with the technical fouls and be ejected. But officials charged the team with the technicals instead. And Kelly tried to stay as calm as possible.
``If I'd have exploded, it just would have compounded matters,'' Kelly said. ``It was a big game for us. We had to have it to have a shot at the (Eastern District) playoffs.''
If Lake Taylor had lost, it would have guaranteed a last-place finish in the district. But its 65-54 victory gives Lake Taylor a one-game lead over Norview in the race for the fourth and final district playoff slot.
The Titans can lock up the spot tonight with a victory over Maury. If they lose and Norview beats visiting Booker T. Washington, Norview and Lake Taylor will meet Saturday night at 6 p.m. at Booker T. Washington in a playoff for the final spot. That game would precede the Maury-Granby playoff game.
PENINSULA UPDATE: Menchville sewed up an Eastern Region berth Tuesday night when the Monarchs beat Denbigh, 58-57, to win the Peninsula District.
Menchville, which was coming off eight straight losing seasons, finished the regular season 16-5 overall, 15-3 in the district.
Warwick, Kecoughtan and Hampton finished in a three-way tie for second.
Menchville will host the No. 2 entry from the Eastern District in the opening round of the Eastern Region playoffs. That half of the eight-team draw will also include Beach District-champion Bayside and the Southeastern District's second entry.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN: Before the school year, area basketball junkies pointed to First Colonial as a team to watch.
The Patriots had the look of a Beach District contender with five returning quality players.
But all five transferred, leading to the resignation of coach Leo Anthony. The result has been devastating for coach Chris Lowery, whose team is 0-17 entering tonight's final game at home against Ocean Lakes.
Things have worked out considerably better for the five former Patriots.
Guard Mike Harrington is averaging 13.7 points at Deep Creek, which finished third in the Southeastern District.
Forward Kenny Inge, a 6-7 1/2 blue chipper, is averaging 16 points and 13 rebounds for independent school power Atlantic Shores.
Kinte Smith, a 6-3 guard, led Cape Henry to a share of the TCIS championship and is averaging 22.7 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Chris DiNunzio, a 6-9 center, is averaging 13.7 points and 14 rebounds at Cape Henry.
Tobi Johnson is averaging 12.1 points for Ocean Lakes.
What would have happened had those five remained together?
``We'd have probably been a state tournament team,'' said Smith, who led the TCIS in scoring this season. ``Mike had to leave FC because he moved. But if we'd all stayed together. . . . I stay in touch with all of them, and we still talk about what could have been.''
REBOUNDS AND STICKBACKS: Cox High forward Matt Whalen needs 21 points tonight against Kempsville to reach 1,000 for his career. Granby guard/forward Shawn Hobson is 60 points shy of 1,000. by CNB