Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 22, 1991 TAG: 9102220244
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
When the Cougars started picking up personals, coach Rod Reedy shifted them to a zone defense. That helped Pulaski County beat Cave Spring 57-54 Thursday to claim the regular-season championship.
Pulaski County (19-1 overall, 11-1 Roanoke Valley) started using the zone late in the first half. When Cindy Martin and Lena Jones picked up their fourth personals in the third quarter, the Cougars were hardly slowed. They outscored Cave Spring 16-6 to take a 45-32 lead and then used a delay game in the final period to hold off the Knights (17-3, 10-2).
"We really didn't want to have to play a zone against them," said Reedy. "We feel like man-to-man is our best defense. Maybe I learned something in the second half that we ought to play more zone against them."
The Cougars won their first district girls' title and clinched a spot in the Group AAA Northwestern Region Tournament. Cave Spring will have to make the region through the district tournament.
The third quarter resembled the last game between these teams when the Cougars' zone helped them double the score in a 52-26 victory in Dublin to set up the rubber game. Cave Spring won the first game, also at Pulaski County, 68-48.
The Cougars' guards and bench might have been the difference. Terri Garland had a game-high 19 points, four assists and ran the delay game to perfection in the final quarter. Becky Smith, the other guard, fired in 18 points, most of them from the outside. Patricia Turner came off the bench for four points and six rebounds in the crucial third quarter.
"In the last half of the season, Becky's played best game after best game after best game," said Reedy. "Tonight was her best."
Meanwhile, Pulaski County's defense limited Cave Spring's top scorer, Ali Colgrove to six points. Colgrove hit the first shot of the game, but then didn't score until the final quarter.
Lisa Hodges, a 6-foot junior, led Cave Spring with 16 points and eight rebounds. She had three field goals as the Knights fought back in the final period. Jennifer Kagey added 14, making six-of-seven shots including four field goals in the final quarter.
"It's like pulling teeth to get her [Kagey] to shoot," said Cave Spring coach David Layman. "She wants to get the ball inside. She's done that so much, she looks there first."
Smith's layup gave the Cougars an early 13-11 lead they never lost. Garland engineered the delay game, but some missed free throws and 3-point goals by Kagey and Nikki Clowers helped the Knights mount a rally. Out of timeouts, though, Cave Spring was never that much of a threat.
"I thought we could hold it," said Garland. "We do a pretty good job. I don't get that tired. We've worked so hard on conditioning and we work at holding the ball a lot in practice."
"We needed a five-second call or a turnover in the final quarter," said Layman. "We had a couple of chances, but just couldn't quite get it."
The Cougars connected on 20-of-44 (45.4 percent) and were outrebounded by the taller Knights 33-32. However, Jones had a game-high 11 rebounds. The Knights made 19-of-46 (41.3 percent) thanks to a good final quarter (10-of-18).
PULASKI COUNTY (57)
Ratcliffe 0 1-2 1, Martin 3 2-2 8, Jones 2 1-3 5, Smith 8 2-3 18, Garland 5 9-16 19, Davidson 0 2-2 2, Turner 2 0-0 4. Totals 20 17-28 57. CAVE SPRING (54)
Kagey 6 1-2 14, Colgrove 3 0-1 6, Hodges 5 6-9 16, Noell 1 0-0 2, Stewart 3 2-2 9, Clowers 1 2-2 5, Dierker 0 2-4 2. Totals 19 13-20 54. Pulaski County 15141612-57 Cave Spring 1115622-54 Three-point goals: Kagey, Stewart, Clowers. Team fouls: Pulaski County 15, Cave Spring 22. Fouled out: Hodges, Colgrove.
by CNB