THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 10, 1996 TAG: 9603100214
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
Earlier this week Caroline coach Reggie Underwood said to beat Nansemond River, his team would have to contain Antoine Willie and hold its own under the basket.
The Cavaliers did neither Saturday night at Lakeland in a Group AA boys basketball state quarterfinal.
Nansemond River outrebounded Caroline 50-25 and Willie scored a game-high 37 points to lead the defending state champion Warriors to a 72-65 win.
Nansemond River (24-2) advances to a state semifinal Friday at 1 p.m. at Liberty University in Lynchburg against the Gate City-Liberty winner, while the Cavaliers finish their season at 24-3.
``He was unconscious,'' Underwood said of Willie, who scored 20 in the second half as the Warriors built an 11-point lead. ``He has unlimited range. You've got to give the young man credit.''
``It was just a regular old night tonight,'' said Willie, who also had eight rebounds. ``I feel I just have to step up my game more (in the state tournament).''
When Willie (13 for 29 from the field for 44.8 percent) missed, the Warriors' Montoria Valentine and LaShaun Pugh were there for rebounds. Valentine grabbed 17 boards, while Pugh added 15, 11 in the second half.
``We did the same thing we do every night - box out and rebound,'' said Pugh, who finished with 12 points.
Nansemond River jumped to a 7-0 lead and quieted several hundred fans who made the trip from Milford. Willie hit a short jumper and a 3-pointer and Caroline committed three turnovers and missed its first three shots from the floor.
The Warriors went up 22-14 early in the second quarter before hitting a cold spell. The Cavaliers' Damian Woolfolk scored two straight baskets and Nansemond River missed nine consecutive shots, four on one possession, as Caroline pulled to within one at 24-23 with 4:16 left until halftime.
``This is the type of game I expected,'' said Warriors coach Spencer Mayfield, whose team led 36-31 at the half. ``A grudge match. Two big bulldogs on the block, one's got to give.''
Willie made two foul shots and a jumper and Valentine had a steal and layup as Nansemond River scored six unanswered points to open the third. Kevin Lewis' steal and layup pulled the Cavaliers to within one with 1:19 left in the third, but to open the fourth Willie nailed two treys and scored on a drive to make it 62-55 with just under 5:00 remaining.
``We hung in there, we just couldn't get over the hump,'' Underwood said. ``Pressure got us back into it, but we turned the ball over too many times.''
Caroline's Merando Latney hit a foul shot with 1:54 left to make it 65-63, but Willie scored the final five points of the game, three on free throws, and the Cavaliers missed three desperation 3-pointers.
Valentine scored 12 points and Maurice Fofana added seven assists for Nansemond River. Woolfolk led Caroline with 21 points, while Lewis had 15 and Latney added six blocked shots.
CAROLINE (24-3): Smithers 0, Toliver 1, Moore 4, Lewis 15, S. Jones 8, Woolfolk 21, G. Jones 8, Latney 8. Totals: 22 21-33 65.
NANSEMOND RIVER (24-2): Fofana 3, A. Jones 0, Pugh 12, Skinner 4, Valentine 12, R. White 4, Willie 37, Wilson 0, Woodson 0. Totals: 28 11-22 72.
Caroline 12 19 18 16 - 65
Nansemond River16 20 16 20 - 72
3-point goals: Willie 3. Total fouls: Caroline 20, Nansemond River 20. Fouled out: S. Jones, A. Jones, Pugh. Technical foul: Caroline (illegal participation). by CNB