Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 16, 1993 TAG: 9301160292
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN A. MONTGOMERY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
FLEMING FLATTENS EAGLES 78-57
How good is William Fleming's basketball team? It's a state-title contender, according to coach Burall Paye.Judging by Fleming's 78-57 dismantling of Franklin County in an important Roanoke Valley District game Friday night, Paye might not be exaggerating.
"This is the eighth straight game we've been up by 20 points or more," Paye said. "Shoot, Duke hasn't even done that. We can't play any better."
Franklin County led 15-14 after the first period, and only trailed only 31-27 late in the half.
But the Colonels (8-2 overall, 2-0 in the RVD), led by smooth shooter Carlos Rhodes, exploded with the final 14 points of the quarter. Rhodes canned five consecutive jumpers, three beyond the 3-point arc.
Fleming scored 31 points in the period, with Rhodes accounting for 16. He finished the game with 33 points, nearly all from long range.
Rhodes came into the game averaging 18.0 points, tops in the district.
This was no cupcake that Rhodes and company devoured. Franklin County entered the game 7-3, 1-0 in the district, and ranked ninth in Timesland.
"Rhodes was hot tonight," Eagles coach Calvin Preston said. "He really hurt us in the second quarter. All I can ask my kids is to get a hand in his face. They did that, but . . .
"And Fleming killed us on the boards," Preston continued. "They just outjumped us tonight."
"Carlos is a super shooter, a super player," Paye said.
Rhodes received significant support from Reggie Reynolds, who scored 22 points, 16 in the second half. Reynolds was 9-of-12 from the field and made all four of his free-throw attempts.
Fleming shot 55 percent from the floor.
Tremayne McHeimer, second-leading scorer in the RVD, scored 17 points to pace four Eagles in double figures. But most of McHeimer's surge came early, when the game was close. He was only 3-of-11 after the first quarter.
Franklin County shot only 37 percent from the floor, but many of its second-half misses were frantic 3-point launches in an effort to close the scoring margin.