THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 10, 1996 TAG: 9603100198
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: BETHEL, N.C. LENGTH: Short : 49 lines
Danita Whidbee hit two free throws with 6.6 seconds to play to lift Perquimans County over Gates County 30-29 in the sectionals of the North Carolina 1A state girls basketball playoffs Saturday.
Perquimans moves on to the regionals on Wednesday with an opponent still to be determined. It is the farthest Perquimans has gone in the playoffs in the history of the school. Gates ends the season at 13-12.
With 9.3 seconds to play, Gates' Patika Jordan was fouled by Dysheba Jennings. Jordan sunk the first throw to put the Lady Red Barons up 29-28 but she missed the second attempt.
Perquimans took control on the rebound. Near midcourt, Whidbee was fouled by Jordan with 6.6 seconds. She sank the first free throw to tie the game.
Perquimans head coach Tanya Turner then called a strategic timeout to set the defense. She reminded her team that Gates was not in the bonus, so the Lady Pirates could be aggressive on defense after the second shot.
Back on the court. Whidbee hit the second free throw to put the Lady Pirates up 30-29.
Gates advanced the ball to midcourt on its last possession, but Whidbee reached in for a steal to end the game.
Gates led almost the entire game and held a 24-18 lead at the end of the third quarter. Perquimans scored the first five points of the fourth period to get back in the contest. Kristie Roberson, who has been Perquimans most dependable go-to player all season, scored to open the quarter. Whidbee followed with a a rebound and jumper. Jennings added a free throw with 4:02 to play to cut the Gates lead to 24-23.
Both teams played sloppily in the first half. The Lady Pirates did not score their first basket until the second quarter.
``There was a lot of pressure on both teams,'' Turner said. ``Neither team had ever gotten this far in the playoffs.''
Turner also said that Perquimans played Gates' run-and-gun style of offense in the first half.
``We're more of a slow down type of team,'' Turner said. ``In the second half we switched to a zone offense. It worked. That's when we started playing better.''
Whidbee and Jennings both scored six points to lead Perquimans.
For Gates, Jordan scored 11 points and Hope Riddick added eight points. by CNB