Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 10, 1990 TAG: 9003102495
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: RAY COX SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Robert E. Lee of Staunton worried the Lancers right out of the Group AA basketball tournament, using a pressing and trapping defense to win their semifinal game. Laurel Park turned over the ball 26 times and fell 69-47 at University Hall.
Lee (27-0) will seek its fourth state title when it plays Matoaca, a 68-56 winner over Martinsville, at 3 p.m. today. Laurel Park, the Region III runner-up, finished at 20-9.
"The perimeter defense gave us some trouble," said Frank Scott, Laurel Park's coach. "I thought that for the most part, we did a pretty good job with it, but we did have lapses."
Lee led 28-25 at halftime but then opened things up with a 12-4 roll in the first 4:21 of the third quarter. The Leemen then held a nine- to 13-point lead until pulling away in the closing minutes.
When the Lancers' were able to beat Lee's press and get into their halfcourt offense, the ball was being deposited safely in the big hands of 6-foot-7 sophomore Odell Hodge. The young bruiser scored 18 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked six shots.
That was while matched up against 6-7 senior Reggie Waddy, who finished with 22 points and 14 rebounds.
"Reggie's bigger, stronger and older than Odell, but I still think Odell did very well with him," Scott said.
Hodge simply didn't have enough help. Only five Lancers scored, and Lemont Wells (13 points) was the only other Laurel Park player in double figures.
Laurel Park was 18-of-57 (31.6 percent) for the game after missing 28 of 36 shots in the second half.
"We wanted to make Hodge bring the ball up the court by denying the guards the ball," said Paul Hatcher, Lee's coach. "I think we did a very good job of it."
The Leemen weren't exactly smoking offensively, shooting 38.5 percent (25-of-65) for the game, but the main problem was on the perimeter. Marcus Reed and Keith Scott were a combined 9-for-30, mostly from the outside or on the fly.
"Our defense got them," Waddy said. "We played hard all night. Last night, [in a 58-37 victory over Gloucester] we only played hard for a half."
Laurel Park was held to 22 second-half points.\ LAUREL PARK (47)
Wells 6-12 1-2 13, Morrison 1-5 3-4 5, Hodge 7-17 4-4 18, D. Hairston 2-7 3-7 7, Dillard 2-10 0-0 4, L. Hairston 0-2 0-0 0, Belcher 0-2 0-0 0, Scott 0-1 0-0 0, Mack 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-57 11-17 47.\ R.E. LEE (69)
Reed 6-17 5-8 18, Huffman 1-7 2-3 4, Waddy 10-19 2-4 22, Stuart 3-5 1-4 7, Scott 3-13 7-9 13, Davis 2-3 0-0 4, Bush 0-0 1-2 1, Coggin 0-1 0-0 0, McCormick 0-0 0-1 0. Totals 25-65 18-31 69. Laurel Park 1213814-47 R.E. Lee 9191823-69
Three point goals-Laurel Park 0-6 (Dillard 0-2, L. Hairston 0-2, Belcher 0-1, Hodge 0-1), Lee 1-6 (Reed 1-3, Keith 0-3). Rebounds-Laurel Park 44 (Hodge 16), Lee 41 (Waddy 14). Assists-Laurel Park 7 (Dillard, D. Hairston 2), Lee 9 (Stuart 5). Fouled out-None. Total fouls-Laurel Park 20, Lee 13. Technical fouls-None. A-4,000.
by CNB