Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 22, 1995 TAG: 9501310010
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
The Franklin County High center helped spoil the party Pulaski County had planned to throw when Eric Webb scored his 1,000th career point.
Webb reached his milestone, but it came in a loss as Holland and his Eagles teammates held off the Cougars 66-64 in a Roanoke Valley District boys' basketball game.
The outcome left both Franklin County (8-5 overall, 1-2 district) and the Cougars (9-2, 1-2) tied for third place in the five-team RVD.
Holland sealed the victory with a rebound and a free throw in the last nine seconds.
Webb scored on a layup with 52 seconds left, cutting Franklin County's lead to 65-64. The Eagles then spread the floor. But the Pulaski County defense proved to be too much. After two near steals, Bryan Ratliff intercepted a pass with 14 seconds left. Ratliff passed the ball to Webb, who was fouled by Jason Conklin with nine seconds remaining.
The foul sent Webb to the free-throw line, shooting a one-and-one. But Webb missed his first shot, and Holland rebounded it.
``Coach [Calvin Preston] had been talking to us and said that [Pulaski County forward Ty] Hash had been going in fast,'' said Holland, who led the Eagles with 22 points and 15 rebounds. ``Chad [Foutz] and I focused on pinning him inside the lane. It worked, and we blocked him out. Luckily I was about to get to the ball.''
Quickly, the Cougars fouled Holland. With six seconds left, it was his turn to go to the line. He made the first free throw, extending the lead to 66-64, before missing the second one.
The miss gave Pulaski County one last chance. Ratliff came up with the rebound. He passed it to Jamar McNair, who drove the length of the court and went in for a layup. But the shot rolled off, Holland knocked the ball away and time expired.
``We had enough time to go the length of the court and try to lay it up,'' said Pat Burns, Pulaski County's coach. ``They weren't going to foul us in all likelihood. We got it. It just didn't go.''
The missed layup left Pulaski County's fourth-quarter comeback just short. After trailing by 12 points with 71/2 minutes left, the Cougars got five points each from Hash and McNair on a 14-2 run. They briefly pulled even at 60 on a pair of free throws by Matt Burns with 2:07 to go.
But a three-point play by Foutz and a press-breaking layup by K.C. Hancock allowed the Eagles to move back in front and stay there.
``Coach always tells us to fill the lane on the fast break,'' Hancock said about his only basket of the second half. ``I ran through and was open, and Carlos was able to get the ball to me.''
Hancock and Holland also teamed up in the second quarter. Each scored eight points in that period for the Eagles as they rallied from a nine-point deficit to take a 33-28 lead at intermission.
Webb, who became just the fourth player in Pulaski County High history to score 1,000 points, led the Cougars with 18 points.
\ see microfilm for box score
by CNB