THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 3, 1996 TAG: 9611030207
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C13 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 44 lines
Tournament Most Valuable Player Katherine Julian scored a game-high 16 points as Walsingham defeated Nansemond-Suffolk 42-33 in the TCIS girls basketball final Saturday night at Norfolk Collegiate.
The victory gave the Trojans their 24th straight win since a two-point loss to Norfolk Academy in their season opener. Walsingham's winning streak included three victories over Nansemond-Suffolk.
Saturday's win also gave Walsingham its first girls basketball tournament title since the TCIS event began in 1980.
``I thought we played hard, but Walsingham's just a good team,'' Nansemond-Suffolk's Ann Murden said.
The Saints closed their season at 22-4.
Although Nansemond-Suffolk never led Saturday, the game never took on the look of the 22-point Walsingham rout the first time the teams met. But while the Saints never trailed by more than 10 points, they failed to establish enough consistent offense to make a serious run at the Trojans. They never scored field goals on consecutive possession after the five-minute mark of the first quarter, and had just one field goal in the second quarter and only two in the third.
Murden led the Saints with 15 points, but struggled to find her rhythm all night. The conference's second-leading scorer picked up her third foul late in the second quarter and finished the half with just six points. She then tried to take charge as the fourth quarter began, but was forced to take shots out of her range by an active Trojans defense.
``I tried to come out aggressive, but it just wasn't an on night,'' Murden said.
Allison Dunn (10 points) and Brianne O'Berry (8) were the only other Saints to score. O'Berry led Nansemond-Suffolk with six rebounds, while April Murden added five boards and five steals.
Neither team shot well from the field, but the Trojans made 18 free throws, one more than the Saints attempted. Twelve of Julian's 16 points came from the line.
Courtney Naparlo scored eight points and Selby Rawlings added six for Walsingham.
Murden, Dunn, O'Berry, Naparlo and Norfolk Academy's Kendra Robins joined Julian on the all-tournament team. by CNB