THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 8, 1996 TAG: 9603080744
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
Salem girls basketball coach Larry Bowman often refers to senior Kelley King as the Sun Devils' blue-collar worker.
``She does all the dirty work,'' he said, ``and she doesn't always get the glory.''
And now that King has helped her team sweep through the Group AAA Eastern Region tournament, she's ready to put on some elbow grease as the Sun Devils make a run for the state title, beginning with Saturday's 6 p.m. quarterfinal at Churchland against Central Region runner-up James River.
``I'm really happy that we've made it to state twice in my career,'' said King, who was a sophomore when the Sun Devils won their first state title in 1994. ``I think it says a lot for Bowman's coaching abilities and the people that are coming into the program.''
King, a 5-foot-11 forward who has signed with Adams State, a Division II team in Colorado, is a big factor in Salem's return trip to the playoffs, but is always gracious and ready to spread the credit around when it comes to the team's success.
She is the Sun Devils' leading scorer and rebounder with 14.9 points and 5.6 boards. She also averages 1.3 steals and 1.2 assists.
But numbers could never demonstrate the depth of her game.
King usually draws one of the toughest defensive assignments and though she may not match up with her opponent's size, she usually finds a way to get the job done . . . with grace.
And she always seems to be there to help her teammates.
King, along with Antoinetta Gabriel, teamed to hold Menchville's Chalois Lias to 12 points in the Eastern Region semifinal. Lias, a 6-1 forward and the Peninsula District's most valuable player, averages 17 points, but was held to four in the first half.
In the games she's mismatched on offense - as she was against Menchville - King can also move out to the perimeter and take over a game. She has a soft touch, but the strength to nail the treys.
According to Bowman, she's also Salem's spiritual leader and the player whom most teammates seek out for advice.
``After we won the state two years ago,'' Bowman said, ``most of the team graduated, and it was left in Misty (Colebank's) and Kelley's hands. They've done a good job getting them back.
``The girls really look up to them. They know they've been there before.''
Tickets for the Group AAA state quarterfinal doubleheader at Churchland are priced at $6. The Menchville boys will play Hopewell following the 6 p.m. Salem-James River girls game. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Kelley King, a state winner once already at Salem, is in another
state quarterfinal, against James River Saturday.
by CNB