Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 8, 1993 TAG: 9310080193
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
The Indians used their quick start to defeat Radford 35-26 in the New River District girls' basketball opener for both teams.
Blacksburg (11-1 overall) sprinted to the lead with a 9-0 run during a two-minute span in the first quarter.
Abigail "Tree" Murrmann got the flurry started with a follow basket and then added a three-point play after a turnover by the Bobcats (3-11).
"We were really pumped beforehand," said Murrmann, who finished with a team-high 11 points. "But we didn't get nervous. We went out there and did the things we wanted to do. And we played good defense."
Lisa Price's pair of free throws and April Rogers' layup - both immediately after Radford turnovers - concluded the run.
"They got some transition baskets on us," said Brenda King, the Bobcats' coach. "We wanted to slow them down. But that's one thing we didn't do well."
The scoring surge forced Radford to call a timeout. The defensive adjustments that followed slowed Blacksburg and allowed the Bobcats to claw back to 13-9.
The Indians then made some adjustments of their own, going in front by 13 points in the second quarter. But they couldn't put away Radford until the closing minutes.
"They've got a scrappy defense," said Mary Thorn, Blacksburg's point guard. "They're real quick. They're the best defense we've faced all year.
"We knew it was going to be tough. Coach King always has them ready for us. It's always a 10- to 20-point game."
That defense was the first to hold the Indians to fewer than 52 points this season. It also shut out Blacksburg in the third quarter, forced 22 turnovers and held the Indians to 31.6 percent field-goal shooting.
"The first thing on our game plan said we had to make this an ugly game," King said.
That ugliness prevented Blacksburg from clinching the victory until barely two minutes remained. But it sometimes worked against Radford, as well. The Bobcats committed 22 turnovers and shot 24.3 percent from the field.
With Radford trailing 31-21, Charlee Taylor, who scored a game-high 13 points, tried a short jumper. It was blocked.
Then, Cathy Richardson tried a layup, but Murrmann rejected the shot and Price came up with the rebound.
A few seconds later, Murrmann fed Meredith Braine for a layup to put Blacksburg up 33-21 with 2 minutes, 6 seconds to go.
by CNB