Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 13, 1993 TAG: 9302150258
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
SALEM TURNS BACK VIKINGS
Associating Salem with district basketball championships has usually been a stretch.This year, it might not even be a bend. The Spartans took a big step toward a Blue Ridge District title Friday by outlasting Northside 76-67 on the Spartans' court.
Though Salem (12-3 overall, 6-2 in the district) is tied with Alleghany atop the Blue Ridge District standings, the advantage is now Salem's. The Spartans have only games with non-contending Rockbridge County and Lord Botetourt while Alleghany must still visit Northside (15-4, 5-3) and play William Byrd at home next week.
"There's no sense trying to figure out the different combinations," Northside coach Billy Pope said. "We have to get better down the stretch. I'm not concerned with anyone else's position. I'm just concerned that we get better by tournament time."
It didn't always appear Salem would be in a position to thrill a packed house of 1,800 with a victory. Northside, behind the efforts of forward Jimmy Porter, rallied in the third quarter to lead by five points.
The Vikings still had that margin when Kelly Dampeer hit a layup with 6:35 left to make it 64-59. Then Salem's defense shut down Northside's offense, going on a 17-3 run to finish the game.
"We kind of looked at each other and I told them, `This is our best shot to get a district title. But we have to win this game,' " Salem center Josh Pugh said.
The 6-foot-4 senior led the charge with nine of his 28 points in the final quarter as the Spartans did an about-face. Outrebounded 14-4 in the third quarter, Salem dominated the boards 16-9 in the final eight minutes. The Spartans also connected on 9 of 16 shots during this segment while the Vikings went cold with only 2-of-11.
Porter, who had a career-high 34 points, got only two shots in the last quarter. Though the Vikings' 6-5 Walt Derey came back in after sitting much of the game with foul trouble and an injured knee, he couldn't get Northside going either.
Salem looked as if it would take control to start the second half. The Spartans went up by five when Carlos Terry hit a jumper to make it 47-42. But Porter got hot, scoring 10 points in the next 4:29 to to spark a 17-9 run for a 59-56 Vikings lead after three quarters.
"It was nothing special. I just happened to be there," Porter said.
"We just went flat," Salem coach Charlie Morgan said. "I don't know whether we got tired or out of focus. We were trying to slow Dampeer down and a few things sort of took us out of sync."
While Pugh fueled Salem's comeback, key baskets by reserves Shaun McMahon and Terry settled the issue. Terry's jumper pulled Salem within a point at 64-63 and then McMahon made a couple of jumpers in the next two minutes that helped put Salem on top 71-66 with 2:09 left.
"I look out on the floor, and there's Shaun with the ball. He's usually around the basket, but he hits that jumper. Carlos understands his role: to play good defense, take care of the ball and take nothing but a layup," Morgan said.
Terry almost double-clutched on his final jumper. When the defense fell off him at free-throw line, Terry had no choice but to shoot and he buried it.
The Spartans' strategy was simple as they went right to Pugh and Nathan Routt inside to start the game. The Vikings' Andy Clemmer hounded Salem scoring leader Mark Byington, who managed only 13 points.
"Northside was switching on the screen and lost us inside," said Routt, who scored 18 points. "So we got the ball for easy shots."
Routt wasn't around for much of the final quarter. He was assessed a technical - which also counts as a personal foul - when a ball was bounced hard during a frustrating moment in the third period. Routt, however, was not the culprit. Pugh bounced the ball when he was called for a personal, but in the confusion, the officials singled out Routt. So Routt eventually fouled out with five personals while Pugh finished with four personals.
The Vikings made only 24-of-60 and needed their 42-38 rebounding edge to stay in the game. Porter also had 11 rebounds. Salem hit 31-of-50 from the field while Routt and Pugh combined for 15 rebounds. Salem struggled at the free-throw line, making only 14-of-31 that included misses on seven one-and-ones. \
see microfilm for box score