THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 5, 1995 TAG: 9503050222
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DENISE MICHAUX, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: COURTLAND LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
Nansemond River head coach Spencer Mayfield has grown very fond of the saying ``If it ain't broke, don't fix it.''
His Warriors needed no adjustments Saturday night as they powered their way to the Group AA, Region I boys basketball title with a 106-77 rout of Bluestone at Southampton High School behind Antoine Willie's 41 points and Montoria Valentine's 32.
Nansemond River will play host to Region II runner-up Warren County Saturday in the state playoffs.
As the Barons, the top seed from the Southside District, took an early lead and continued to make a game of it until midway through the second period, Mayfield was watching the body language happening on the court.
He told his assistant coaches not to worry: ``If it's not broke, don't fix it. Something is about to happen.''
With that, Region I player of the year Willie and first-team All-Region player Valentine shifted into high gear and the rest of the Warriors followed for their best team effort of the season.
The Barons never knew what hit them.
Bluestone's 6-7 center Alphonso Davis nailed a one-handed slam to pull the Barons to within two at 32-30 with 5:26 to play in the first half. But that would be their final highlight of the night.
Valentine drained a long jumper and then a 3-pointer to begin the 22-11 spurt that boosted the Warriors to a 54-41 halftime lead.
The final period was the Willie and Valentine show at its best, as Willie hit two treys and Valentine converted a pair of three-point plays and a layup to put the team over 100 points.
``As a whole team this was definitely our best game of the season,'' said Willie, who is Nansemond River's first Region I player of the year since Norfolk State's Derrick Bryant in 1992. ``I don't care who scores as long as the team wins. Everybody stepped up. I had a bad night last night and Montoria came in and took up my slack. I think that really boosted his confidence to play tonight.''
Always capable of scoring, Valentine really took advantage of every opportunity he had the past two nights to put points on the board from everywhere on the court, not just his usual spot down low.
``You still haven't seen his best game yet,'' Mayfield said. ``And that's no brag. I just hope he saves it for the most appropriate time.
``I'm just waiting for the night when all 15 of them go in there and play like they can play.
``That would be something to see.''
While the tight district tournament games gave the Warriors the tests Mayfield thought they needed, Saturday night put them back on a peak of confidence to go into the state tournament with.
``The last three games, we've been like in a slump,'' Willie said. ``But we picked up our offense and defense, and this did a whole lot for our confidence.''
``You hit a high at tournament time,'' Mayfield said. ``And you can flow with that all the way and by the time you come down everything is over.''
The Warriors are hoping that day won't come until March 19 with the state title in hand. by CNB