Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 4, 1995 TAG: 9510040105
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAMES C. BLACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Dee Wright couldn't have asked for a better effort Tuesday night from her Salem High School girls' basketball team.
The Spartans were up 20 points and each starter had contributed a basket with the game only five minutes old. The result was a 79-33 victory over visiting Alleghany in the Blue Ridge District opener for both teams.
Salem (7-2), the 1994 district champion, has defeated the Mountaineers (8-4) three consecutive times.
``The whole team executed the way we wanted to,'' Wright said. ``I'm just proud of them. This was a real good effort.
``We just did things right and we were consistent. Inconsistency hurt us in the first eight games.''
Not trying to make excuses, Alleghany coach Danny Keene said the task was made a bit more difficult when his starting point guard, April Cook, got hurt Monday.
``We didn't have time to prepare for what Salem has to offer,'' Keene said.
Cook, who is expected to be out for two weeks, injured an ankle in the Mountaineers' victory over archrival Covington, so Keene was forced to start Keisha Jordan, a junior varsity player.
``We had no time to prepare for this game,'' Keene said. ``Keisha did a good job, but she's not used to running the point.''
Salem was in control from the start. The Spartans scored the first 20 points, getting at least one basket from each starter during that run. The Mountaineers' first score came on a jumper by Natasha Chapman with 2:37 left in the quarter.
Alleghany managed to close to 23-9 at the end of the quarter, but never got closer.
``We were totally out of sync,'' Keene said.
Each of Salem's starters scored in double figures, led by Shellie Johnson with 18 points.
``We were more focused for this game,'' said Johnson, who was second among district scorers (21 points per game) coming into the contest. ``Last Monday [Sept.25] was our last game. We were ready.''
Alleghany's leading scorers, Chapman and Katie Craft were held to 12 and seven points, respectively. Melissa Page had six blocks for the Mountaineers.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB