THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 24, 1995 TAG: 9502240710
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 99 lines
In Johnny Pope's three years as Tallwood's only boys basketball coach, the Lions were 0-and-4 in overtime.
Make that 1-and-4.
The Lions, after blowing a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, recovered in overtime to top Cox, 76-72, in a Beach District semifinal Thursday night at Tallwood, earning a trip to next week's Eastern Region tournament.
The Lions will travel to Churchland Tuesday for a regional quarterfinal game. But first they will face Bayside in tonight's Beach District final.
``What a fight just to get in,'' Pope said. ``We had four overtime games last year and every time our kids would hang their heads.''
The Lions went to a four-corner offense in the fourth quarter with a 54-44 lead and it would have worked had they made some foul shots. But they missed nine of their last 11 free throws in regulation.
Cox, meanwhile, was charging behind the dead-eye shooting of Ben Green. The 6-foot-6 junior scored 13 points in the fourth quarter and finished with a career-high 29 points. Green scored on a putback with 23 seconds left in regulation to cut Tallwood's lead to 63-61.
Matt Whalen tied matters at 63-all on a layup with 11 seconds remaining and was fouled by Tallwood's Chris Lawler. After a Tallwood timeout, Whalen missed the free throw. Tallwood's Rian Everett (17 points) then missed a 24-footer at the buzzer.
In overtime, Cox took its first lead since the second quarter when Xavier Wilson canned a mid-range jumper for a 65-63 advantage.
Tallwood's starting backcourt, Rian Everett and Chris Lawler, fouled out. But junior Phillip Clay came off the bench for 17 points.
Clay penetrated on Tallwood's first possession of overtime and found Tallwood center Jake Lovelace, who answered with a 3-point play as Tallwood retook the lead. They never gave it back.
The Lions went to the line 11 times in overtime, but this time they made seven, including two free throws by Neil Roberts (17 points, 14 rebounds) with 16 seconds left for the final margin.
RICH RADFORD
SOUTHEASTERN DISTRICT
PORTSMOUTH - Indian River joins Churchland as the Southeastern District entries in next week's Eastern Region boys basketball tournament.
But tonight the regular-season champion Truckers and the second-seeded Braves square off for the district tournament crown with a capacity crowd expected in the Churchland gym for a game that actually is meaningless.
Indian River gained the No. 2 seed into the regional by thumping Deep Creek Thursday night, 91-66.
The Braves will go against Beach District regular-season winner Bayside.
Churchland, a 71-58 victor over crosstown rival Norcom in the other Thursday semifinal, will meet Tallwood as the Truckers open defense of their region title.
But none of the Truckers were looking ahead any farther than tonight's game. A year ago these same two teams tangled for the district championship with Indian River scoring the game-winning basket with no time on the clock.
The Braves came out in a sticky man-to-man defense that limited the usually potent Hornets to only three field goals in the entire first half. Deep Creek shot 13.6 percent for the half, unquestionably an all-time low effort for the Hornets.
The Braves made 24 of 32 free throws with freshman guard Jason Capel connecting on 10 of 11.
With his dad, Old Dominion basketball coach Jeff Capel, looking on from the top row seats, Jason slammed in a game-high 23 points. Robert Freeman and James Boyd each added 14 for Indian River (16-6).
Mike Harrington paced Deep Creek (13-9) with 16 points.
In the nightcap, Churchland (19-4) led 12-11 when the Truckers ran off 12 points in a row to pull away.
Marvin Rodgers showed the way with 21 points and Dunbar chipped in 20. Norcom (9-13) got 19 points from Vic Johnson.
BILL LEFFLER
BAY RIVERS DISTRICT
SMITHFIELD - With five seconds left, Antoine Willie drained a jumper from the top of the key to lift Nansemond River to a 64-62 win over Franklin and overcome Sidney Gainey's 42-point performance for the Broncos in the semifinals of the Bay Rivers District tournament at Smithfield.
Gainey's 42 was a career high. He also posted a Franklin and Bay Rivers District tournament record nine 3-pointers. With 1:24 left Gainey knotted the score at 57 with a 3-pointer. After a Warriors miss,Gainey nailed a short jumper to put the Broncos in front 59-57.
Willie answered with his only score from bonus range to give Nansemond River a 60-59 edge with 31 seconds remaining.
But after Maurice Fofana scored for Nansemond River, Gainey hit a 3-pointer from the left side with 13 seconds left, tying the game and setting up Willie's game-winner.
Sebastian Yates paced Lakeland with 17 points in the win over Southampton. Brian Baker and Damon Tillery added 11 each.
DENISE MICHAUX ILLUSTRATION: MOTOYA NAKAMURA/Staff
Marvin Rodgers shoots in Churchland's 71-58 Southeastern District
semifinal win over Norcom. He scored a game-high 21 points.
by CNB