Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 10, 1990 TAG: 9007100296
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG LENGTH: Medium
The East had the state's player of the year in all three classifications and featured a dominating front line that was expected to sweep the boards.
Forgotten in all that speculation was a rule change forcing the coaches to play everybody for an equal amount of time in the opening 32 minutes. That rule virtually wiped out the East's advantage.
The West was deeper and quicker. In fact, it had quicksilver in Ervinton's Trazel Silvers, who led two comebacks as the West won 92-82 Monday night at Liberty University.
The West trailed 30-21 in the opening half when Silvers and the reserves took the court. James River's Don Turpin hit a 3-pointer that tied the score, but by intermission the West was down 45-39.
In the second half, the East led 62-56 when Silvers and the second team came on for the West. Turpin, also a member of the second team, tied it at 67 with a reverse layup with 8:54 left. Franklin County's Mark Mitchell hit a layup 46 seconds later to give the West the lead for good.
"They didn't really know where I was from; I guess they know now," said Silvers, who was a second-team All-Group A selection after he was left off the early Associated Press ballots.
"Our second unit couldn't wait until we got into the game," he said. "I had no doubt we'd come back. We were up by 17 in a game at Ervinton and got beat by 10. So a lead means nothing."
James River coach John Shotwell figured his team had a chance to win, though he didn't pass along that thought during the four days of practice preceding the game. It also helped that the Group AAA player of the year, Kendrick Warren of Thomas Jefferson High in Richmond, was a no-show, although All-Group A player Maurice Davenport of James River also failed to make the game.
"We just played defense," Shotwell said. "We thought we'd have to get in their britches. We played good defense the first half, but we also took a lot of bad shots."
The West's first unit wasn't a complete washout. Blacksburg's Jay Purcell had 13 points and hit two 3-pointers to keep the West within striking distance.
Purcell, a guard headed to Virginia Tech, couldn't do anything about the East's 32-19 rebounding advantage in the first half. By the end of the game, however, it was 58-49.
Silvers had six rebounds and blocked four shots. He went one-on-one with R.E. Lee-Staunton standout Reggie Waddy and held his own.
Waddy still had a game-high 21 points and 15 rebounds.
EAST (82)
Walker 5-12 0-1 10, Baker 2-6 1-2 5, D. Johnson 1-6 1-2 3, Paul 3-6 0-0 6, Miller 1-3 0-0 2, L. Johnson 3-8 4-6 10, Edwards 2-3 1-2 5, Burgess 6-10 2-2 14, Stewart 1-6 1-2 4, Waddy 10-18 1-4 21, Warren 0-0 0-0 0, Shifflett 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 35-82 11-21 82. WEST (92)
Harris 0-2 1-2 1, Mitchell 2-3 1-2 5, Breedlove 2-6 0-0 4, Purcell 5-9 1-2 13, Turpin 2-6 0-0 5, Lee 2-6 2-2 6, Hunter 6-11 2-2 14, Saunders 2-6 1-3 6, Jeffries 4-8 1-2 9, Paynes 2-5 0-0 4, Silvers 6-10 0-0 12, Pennix 5-9 3-8 13. Totals 38-81 12-23 92.
Halftime-45-39, East. Three-point goals-East 1-5 (Walker 0-2, Miller 0-1, Burgess 0-1, Stewart 1-1), West 4-14 (Harris 0-1, Breedlove 0-1, Purcell 2-3, Turpin 1-3, Lee 0-2, Hunter 0-1, Saunders 1-3). Rebounds-East 58 (Waddy 15), West 49 (Hunter 7). Assists-East 10 (D. Johnson, Paul 3), West 14 (Mitchell 4).
by CNB