THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 5, 1996 TAG: 9601050585
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH AND REA FARMER, STAFF WRITERS
LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
Just when you thought an exciting boys game was the place to be on a Friday night, you might have to change your plans.
The girls game is getting more and more exciting, thanks to some sharp 3-point shooting.
So far, 75 South Hampton Roads players have accounted for 262 3-pointers - and we're not even midway through the season.
Are the shooters just getting better, or are coaches finally feeling more comfortable integrating the long shot into the offense?
``It's a combination,'' said Churchland coach Duke Conrad, who has one of the area's best 3-point shooters in Nicole Council. ``Rarely do you have a dominant inside player, and the 3-point shot can really open up the game.
``The younger players are also developing their range to give themselves an opportunity to play more.''
Look at the stats of Shannon Drury of Cox. The University of Florida signee is leading the area with 36 3-pointers. She converted 17 of them in a three-game tournament in North Carolina. Next is Bayside's Christy Bryant. She's connected on 21. Take Salem freshman Michelle Garcia, who's reeled off 16, including five against both Altoona, Pa., and Norview. Or Council, for the matter, who's 35 percent from 3-point land. How about top-ranked Kempsville? Seven of its players have combined for 40 treys.
``It's a crowd pleaser,'' Conrad said. ``In girls basketball - aside from good passing - it's the most exciting part of the game. The crowd knows who the shooters are and as soon as it's in their hands, there's that anticipation.
``Now if we can get somebody that can dunk. Well, that'll really be something.''
PAROCHIAL DYNASTY: Just think what could have been. . . . Perhaps if the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools didn't play in the fall, Catholic High might be the benefactor of some of the area's top talent.
St. Gregory's Catholic School - once thought of, along with the other parochial schools, to be Catholic's feeder program - has produced seven of the Beach's best players.
Bayside's Carolyn Zanelli, Salem's Michelle Garcia and Jenny Harmon and Kempsville's Melissa Kristofak, Lori Henn and Maria Sciortino are all St. Gregory's and Catholic Youth League alums.
``We have a center of excellence and we're producing top-quality girls,'' said St. Gregory's athletic director and senior girls coach John Zanelli.
Because Catholic High, a TCIS member, plays in the fall, it seems the female players are taking their talents to where the competition is - the winter.
``It's a factor,'' Zanelli said. ``There's multiple reasons people don't go. But if all those girls were on one team, it would be unbelievable.''
1,000-POINT CLUB: Churchland senior guard Nicole Council is the first player of the 1995-96 season to reach the 1,000-point mark.
Council, needing 10 points going into a Southeastern District match-up against Great Bridge, scored 13 to reach the magic number. Since then, Council has increased her total to 1,027, 79 points shy of Kizzy Butler's 1,106 school record.
Council, who is fifth in the area with 17.4 points per game, is on target to break Butler's record midway through the Truckers' district matchup against Wilson on Jan. 19.
TIMELY TURNAROUND: Lake Taylor found its groove just in the nick of time. After struggling through a lackluster early season, the Titans (2-4) pulled together and nipped Indian River 63-62 in overtime Wednesday night.
The exhausting game ended less than 48 hours before the Titans open district play against ninth-ranked Maury (5-3). However, coach Theresa Jones is unconcerned about any lapse in momentum.
``I think it's going to pump the girls up,'' she said. ``It's what they needed. They finally played as a team. They hustled a lot and their heads were in it. I finally have my whole team ready to go.''
PLAY BALL . . . FINALLY: After two weeks off, the Western Branch Bruins are restless to play someone other than themselves. Although the Bruins have practiced steadily for the past 11 days, coach Kim Aston is concerned that they will re-enter district play cold.
Western Branch (5-2, 2-1 district) is in a four-way tie for second in the district. The Bruins' first post-holiday opponent, Deep Creek, has remained busy playing over the holiday break.
``It's a big challenge,'' Aston said. ``Deep Creek has been playing. Hopefully, we'll be ready to play.'' by CNB