Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 15, 1994 TAG: 9401150207
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Perdue took up the scoring slack for foul-hampered Christiansburg by scoring a career-high 19 points and holding Carroll County's John Wolford in check as the Blue Demons beat the Cavalier 53-48 in Friday night's New River District basketball opener.
Christiansburg (7-5), which won just three games last season, equaled its NRD victory total from a year ago with the win.
The Blue Demons beat Carroll County (2-6) without much production from leading scorers Denny Self and John Hairston, both of whom spent time on the bench after picking up two first-half fouls apiece.
Perdue filled in nicely in their absence. He was 5-of-7 from the floor and 9-of-10 at the free-throw line. Entering the week, Perdue was scoring about six points per game and shooting less than 50 percent from the free-throw line.
"I've had a couple of bad games lately," said Perdue. "I decided just to concentrate on defense and let my offense come when it came . . . I've been in foul trouble the last couple of games, and [Self and Hairston] stepped up when I was out. Tonight was my turn."
On the defensive side, the 6-foot Perdue held 6-4 Carroll County center Wolford to 13 points, four points below his average.
"I tried to [play in] front [of] him," said Perdue. "I got some help from the weakside. I thought a man that big would bang a lot inside, but he didn't, really."
Anthony Thomas, Carroll County's other big man, had 10 points.
Although the Cavaliers outrebounded the Blue Demons 42-23, Perdue and Self were able to drive by Carroll County's big people for layups or short jumpers.
"We rely on small, quick post people," said Christiansburg head coach Gerald Thompson. "[Carroll] has big, slower post people. It's a tradeoff. That worked to our advantage tonight, because we could bring them away from the basket."
Christiansburg took the lead for good in the second quarter. Perdue scored the last five points of the half on a leaning jumper and a 3-point play off a layup and free throw to give the Blue Demons a 27-17 halftime lead.
Carroll County never came closer than the final margin. Christiansburg, which made three fewer field goals than Carroll(18-15) kept the Cavaliers at bay by draining 22-of-30 free throws.
Perdue wasn't the only hero of the game. Senior forward David Powers was called into active duty off the bench and responded with six points, all in the first half. He scored four points during a 10-0 run that opened the second quarter and gave Christiansburg control.
Powers "was probably the key to winning the ball game," said Thompson. "If he doesn't step it up a notch when Self and Hairston go out, we could be in trouble."
Self came back to score 13 points.
Carroll County led 12-10 after one period but struggled in the second. The Cavaliers wouldn't have been colder had they wandered out into the frigid night in their basketball britches, as they went 4 1/2 minutes without a point and turned the ball over six times.
"Inconsistency," said Pat Sharp, Carroll County's coach. "We've had that problem all year. We'll have three good quarters, then we'll have one where we're non-existent." \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB