Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 6, 1992 TAG: 9203060199
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: RICHLANDS LENGTH: Medium
Then the Indians transformed those thoughts into actions and eliminated host Richlands 61-54.
Blacksburg (19-5) will play at least twice more. It travels to Virginia High for Saturday's regional final. It also will play host to a first-round Group AA tournament game on March 14.
It was the third time in four years Blacksburg has knocked the Blue Tornadoes out of the region tournament by winning at Richlands Middle School. It also was the first home loss of the year for Richlands (19-4).
Trailing by 15 points early in the second half, Blacksburg increased its pressure. The Indians got six steals and forced eight turnovers in the last two quarters.
Slowly, Blacksburg rallied. To do that, it turned to Jon Maher. And the 6-foot-7 forward responded with five mid-range jumpers.
"They nudged me out a little further," said Maher, who finished with a 24 points and 12 rebounds. "But the team was passing well. They would hit me if I was open."
Maher's last basket of the quarter brought the Indians to 44-42.
Richlands tried to open some breathing room. Richie Drum scored the last basket of the third quarter and Eric McComas got the first basket of the final quarter.
But back-to-back 3-pointers by Matt Smith and Darren Morton pulled the Indians' even.
With 5:20 left, the Indians went inside to Chris Smith. Twice in a 30-second span, the reserve power forward penetrated and scored to give Blacksburg its first lead - a lead it would not give up.
"We just slowed it down on offense," Chris Smith said. "We wanted to keep working to get a good shot. We knew we could take it inside. We played tough and worked tough to get the good shot. That's how we came out on top."
The Indians' lead was 56-52 with 1:35 left when Richlands - which had one foul in the half - started to foul for the ball.
Five fouls and 30 seconds later, Blacksburg turned over the ball. McComas scored, pulling the Tornadoes to two points back.
With Blacksburg up 57-54, Brandon Blackenship came up with a rebound off a missed Blacksburg free throw to put Richlands in position to tie in the last 45 seconds.
It was not to be. As the Tornadoes set up, Morton stole an Eric Alsbrook pass with 25 seconds left and drove for a layup. \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB