THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 25, 1995 TAG: 9510250630
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: Athletes of the Week
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
One small step for Elizabeth Swearingen last Friday turned out to be a giant leap for Norfolk Collegiate as the Oaks remained unbeaten in Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools girls basketball.
With the score tied at 43 against Walsingham, the Trojans' Erin Ford hit the front end of a one-and-one to give Walsingham a 44-43 lead. Collegiate's Julie Tebault rebounded the missed second shot and sent a pass to Swearingen just over halfcourt.
The junior guard made a quick dribble, then launched a buzzer beater with three seconds on the clock to lift the Oaks 46-44.
``It was a prayer that the basketball gods answered,'' Collegiate coach Larry Bowman said. ``A shot like that, you could throw it up 50 times and make it only once.''
Added Swearingen: ``When I got the ball, I had to think of the time and get in close enough range to take the shot.''
And to her amazement, it was nothing but net.
``It was so lucky. I turned to look at my coach,'' said Swearingen, who said she'd never been in position to shoot a game-winning shot at the buzzer before. ``I was in shock and I started shaking. People I didn't even know hugged me.''
But Friday's heroics against Walsingham certainly weren't the first time Swearingen has come through for the Oaks.
Swearingen, whose efforts were good enough to earn The Virginian-Pilot's female athlete of the week award, averages two treys per night and 11.2 points a game.
Despite Friday's heroics, Swearingen says her shots aren't falling like before.
``I don't feel like I'm on as much as I was last year,'' she said. ``But I'm getting better in other areas.''
And so are the Oaks, who meet both Norfolk Academy and N-SA this week to jockey for position in the league's tournament.
Though Swearingen insists that her last-second heave was pure luck, there's no place Bowman would rather have the ball than Swearingen's hands when the game's on the line.
``She's definitely our go-to girl,'' he said. ``But that shot was a kind of desperation.''
No acts of desperation were necessary Tuesday night against Peninsula Catholic.
Swearingen poured in a season-high 20 points - just three shy of her career high - as the Oaks prevailed 61-50.
``We were in control of the game,'' Bowman said. ``She just did what she's capable of doing any night.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Elizabeth Swearingen
by CNB