Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 24, 1993 TAG: 9302240224
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
3RD TIME A CHARM FOR PATRIOTS, 47-41
"I think we'll keep this one," Patrick Henry boys' basketball coach Woody Deans said.For the third time this year, PH and Cave Spring played a close game. It was the Patriots, though, who won the rubber game 47-41 Tuesday night to advance to Friday's semifinal round of the Roanoke Valley District tournament against regular-season champion William Fleming.
The Cave Spring-PH series hasn't been your run-of-the-mill high school battle between the district's bottom teams. Before Tuesday, each team had to forfeit its win back to the other because each used an ineligible player.
It's been that kind of year for the Patriots (4-16), the defending Group AAA champions who lost star players Tim Basham and Curtis Staples last summer when they transfered to St. John's of Prospect Hall in Frederick, Md.
Shannon Taylor, another key player last season, returned after being rebuffed when he tried to transfer to Fleming. He was present Tuesday night and scored a game-high 24 points to lead PH. He scored all 12 Patriots points in the first quarter and the opening 14 for PH before Chris Boyd hit a 3-point shot.
"We feel we're a little stronger inside, and Shannon came out shooting well," Deans said.
Eugene Cook scored six points in the fourth quarter in another matchup of Taylor and Cook - the All-Group AAA quarterback and his tight end from football season.
"I was getting inside with picks from my teammates," said Taylor, who hit 10-of-19 on field-goal attempts and hit four in a row on free throws.
Cave Spring (6-15) never could get scoring leader Robbie Hibbs open, and the senior got just nine points. No Knight reached double figures.
"It was a close game, and [during the season] we never figured out how to win the close games," Cave Spring coach Rick Crotts said. "I thought they would go to Taylor, and he was at the top of his game. He understands that for them to win he has to get over half of their points."
PH hit 19 of 42 shots, and the Knights were 15-for-52. Cook's short jumper put PH ahead 33-31 to start the final quarter, and the Patriots never lost that lead. CAVE SPRING (41)
Hibbs 3 1-2 9, Kagey 3 0-0 6, Holston 0 0-0 0, Webb 3 0-0 7, Beekman 1 2-2 4, Irvin 1 0-0 3, Krista 0 2-2 2, Davis 2 0-0 4, Matheny 2 2-2 6. Totals 15 7-8 41. PATRICK HENRY (47)
McGhee 0 0-0 0, Taylor 10 4-4 24, Chr. Boyd 1 2-2 5, Preston 2 2-2 6, Cha. Boyd 2 0-1 4, Cook 4 0-0 8. Totals 19 8-9 47. Cave Spring 7101410-41 Patrick Henry 1291016-47 Three-point goals: Hibbs 2, Webb, Irvin, Chr. Boyd. Team fouls: Cave Spring 17, Patrick Henry 12.\ Roanoke Valley District girls
\ Franklin County 47, Patrick Henry 37: At Rocky Mount, Shannon Conley sank all eight of her free throws in the fourth quarter as the Eagles pulled away to beat the Patriots in the first round of the tournament.
The fourth-seeded Eagles (12-9) will play top-seeded Cave Spring in a semifinal game at 6 p.m. Thursday at William Fleming. PH ends its season at 1-20.
Conley finished with 14 points to lead the Eagles, who pulled away from a 24-24 tie after three quarters.
Elisha Jones had 13 points to lead the Patriots. PATRICK HENRY (37)
Moore 5, Jones 13, Groves 6, Mays 8, King 3, Hill 2. FRANKLIN COUNTY (47)
Estes 2, Hudson 2, Reynolds 6, Aveline 8, Webb 4, Campbell 4, Barnhart 7, Conley 14. Patrick Henry 2121013-37 Franklin County 611723-47 Three-point goals: Moore, Jones, King.