Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 15, 1994 TAG: 9401150186
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FORT CHISWELL LENGTH: Medium
The Buffaloes stampeded back from a halftime deficit and turned back host Fort Chiswell 66-54 in a Mountain Empire District boys' basketball game.
The victory was the seventh straight for Floyd County (7-1, 6-1).
For most of the game, the Pioneers (1-7, 1-6) wouldn't go away.
But 12 straight points - four at the end of the third quarter and eight to open the final period - finally let the Buffaloes take command for good.
Senior center Jason Light scored eight points in the run, including the last six.
"When the game got close, they made a defensive change, and I used my height advantage," said the 6-foot-5 Light, who scored 18 points and had five blocked shots. "Brian Harman - our point-guard - got me the ball. He does a good job looking inside for me."
After that run, Floyd County maintained at least a 10-point edge for the final 6 1/2 minutes.
"We stopped doing the things we had been doing," said Fort Chiswell coach Danny Jonas. "We had lots of turnovers [in the second half]. And most of them were unforced. They took the press off, and we turned the ball over against their half-court defense."
The Pioneers had nine turnovers in the final period, including four straight during Floyd County's run.
Of course, not all of Fort Chiswell's problems was of its own making.
With the Pioneers leading 33-31 at halftime and forward Dyer Jackson having already scored 17 points, Floyd County coach Alan Cantrell decided it was time for a defensive change.
The Buffaloes went with a box-and-one on Jackson. Harman drew the defensive assignment, and Jackson managed only four points in the second half.
"I didn't worry about what anybody else was doing, I just stuck with him," said Harman. "It was the only way we had of stopping him. Our 32 [zone] and man-to-man weren't working."
Fort Chiswell built its lead at intermission on the strength of its free-throw shooting.
The Pioneers went 10-of-12 from the foul line in the second period as Floyd County was whistled for nine fouls.
That led to Fort Chiswell scoring more points on free throws than from the field (eight) in the quarter.
And most often, Jackson benefited from the fouls. Nearly every time he the touched the ball, the frustrated Floyd county defense tried to stop him and got caught doing so. Jackson responded by making six of seven free throws in the period.
"We did some of the silliest things tonight," said Cantrell, "though it is good to win a game like that on the road. The game was really two halves. They outplayed us in the first half. And we beat them in the second half." \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB