THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 1, 1995 TAG: 9503010630
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
A driving jump shot by point guard Mike Holland with seven seconds left enabled Eastern Region defending champion Churchland to stave off a first-round upset by Tallwood, 51-50, at Churchland Tuesday night.
Tallwood (17-7), the No. 2 seed from the Beach District, led most of the game and went in front, 50-49, on a lay-in by Marche Gorum with 21 seconds left.
With 15 seconds remaining, Churchland called timeout and set up a play for Dion Langley.
``I knew time was running out and I wasn't going to be able to get the ball to him,'' said Holland, a 5-foot-9 senior.
``I had a good shot from just inside the key. You know, it was the very same shot from the same spot on the floor that I made to beat Western Branch two years ago.''
Tallwood coach Johnny Pope called it ``a one-shot decision.
``If he missed it, we win. He made it and they won.''
Actually, it was a game that Holland called ``one of my worst.'' He scored 11 points. But he missed his first five shots and was benched briefly after launching a 3-pointer Churchland coach Mac Carroll thought ``came from the moon.''
``I had to get his attention,'' Carroll said. ``I knew he was going to produce at the finish when he came over and apologized for missing a free throw when we were a point up and there was 36 seconds to play. I told him he would have another chance and he did.''
Southeastern District scoring leader D.J. Dunbar powered the Truckers from a 12-point deficit after the worst first half of his career.
Dunbar, shadowed everywhere by Rian Everett, was held without a field goal in the first half. He was limited to four free throws as the Lions led by as many as 12 points in the first half. They led by nine at the intermission.
In the third quarter, the 6-3 senior scored 14 of Churchland's 18 points as the Truckers took a 39-37 lead.
Dunbar finished with a game-high 24 points.
``At halftime I told myself just to stay calm and not get mad,'' Dunbar said. ``I just had to go out and play the way I'm supposed to play. Maybe I made the points but it was a real team effort.''
Neil Roberts, a 6-4 junior forward, paced the Lions with 14 points. Everett chipped in 11, nine in the first half when he was shutting down Dunbar.
``That's our first regional and we'll be back,'' Pope said. ``Nine of our players return. We hurt, but we're happy. We wanted to take the ball right at them and I think we accomplished that.''
Pope had instructed his Lions to move the ball quickly, take it to the basket and not to be intimidated by Churchland's superior height.
Churchland (21-4), regular-season and tournament champion in the Southeastern District, advanced to the semifinals and will meet Peninsula tournament winner Kecoughtan, a 64-62 victor over Granby. It will be a rematch of last year's region finalists. Churchland won that one, 69-53.
It was the 17th home victory in a row for the Truckers, who have lost four games in three years in their new gymnasium.
``But this one was too close for comfort,'' Carroll said. ``I'm still sweating.'' by CNB