THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 28, 1995 TAG: 9512280422
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
Ocean Lakes' Toby Johnson had everything working Wednesday against sixth-ranked Lake Taylor, the spot-up 3-pointer from the wing, the medium-range jumper off the dribble, even the hustling stickback off the offensive glass.
All that was missing was the measly foul shot. Johnson, who scored a career-high 31 points, missed 4 of 5 free throws in the fourth quarter, including one with 0.7 seconds left that let the Titans escape with a 69-68 victory in the first-round of the South Norfolk Holiday Classic at Oscar Smith.
Johnson, who was suffering from a bad cold and claimed he had no stamina, scored 15 points in the fourth quarter. None was bigger than the basket he notched off his own missed 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds left.
Lake Taylor called time out to make Johnson think about the free throw and apparently the strategy worked.
``I pulled back,'' Johnson said. ``I didn't follow through. Maybe I was concentrating too much.''
None of the Dolphins criticized Johnson, perhaps realizing they never would have been in position to win without him.
``We all expected it to go in,'' center Jack Wheeler said. ``He makes 10 out of 10 every day (in practice).''
Lake Taylor coach John Kelly wouldn't have been too upset if Johnson had made the free throw.
``Ocean Lakes outplayed us,'' he said. ``They deserved to win.''
The Titans (5-1) led 67-57 with less than two minutes left. Then Johnson scored and was fouled with 1:39 left. He missed the free throw, but the Dolphins grabbed the rebound and Derrell Stephens hit a driving layup to make it 67-61.
The Titans turned it over and Walter Amos put back a rebound to cut the lead to four with 53 seconds left.
Deshawn Hendrick, who missed two technical free throws with three minutes left, was fouled hit a pair to make it 69-63 with 40.3 seconds left. Wheeler's 3-pointer pulled the Dolphins back to within three and then Lake Taylor turned it over twice and Ocean Lakes once before Johnson scored and was fouled with 0.7 seconds left.
Ocean Lakes' biggest lead was 44-38 with 11:06 to play. Toot Young, who led the Titans with 23 points, sparked an 18-3 run with 10 points and two assists that put the Titans in front 56-47.
In other games:
Oscar Smith 80, Kellam 66: The host Tigers trailed 39-38 when they went on a 17-2 run to take control in the third quarter. Lavar Griffin fueled the rally scoring 16 of his game-high 26 points in a 3 1/2-minute stretch.
Jamar Lewis added 19 and Moses Johnson 18 for the Tigers, who played most of the game with no one taller than 6-feet. Ben Matthews, a 6-6 senior, led Kellam with 23.
Great Bridge 64, Princess Anne 58: Tony King had eight points and Mike Cuddyer added six as the Wildcats converted 11 of 16 in free throws in the fourth to come from behind. The Cavaliers were 3 for 11 from the line in the final period.
King finished with a game-high 18 points. Steve Hargrow added 14 and Cuddyer 13.
Ryan Nicodemus had 14 points for Princess Anne.
Kempsville 78, Western Branch 61: Tom Dettloff scored 19 points and McKinley Ford added 13 for the Chiefs.
Daryl Walton led the Bruins with 20 points. Lorenzo Ferguson added 14 and Josh Brinkley scored 12. ILLUSTRATION: RICHARD L. DUNSTON\ The Virginian-Pilot
Lake Taylor's Brian Kelly looks for an opening as the Ocean Lakes
defense tightens around him in the Titans' 69-68 win Wednesday.
by CNB