Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 17, 1995 TAG: 9511170069
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Led by a 54-point effort from Sarah Hicks and Sara Moore, Botetourt blasted past Martinsville 85-71 on Thursday in a Region III semifinal.
The Cavaliers will play Saturday in the championship game at William Byrd, a 43-37 winner over Fieldale-Collinsville in the other semifinal. That game also will settle which team opens the state at home and which one goes on the road for a first-round game.
Botetourt scored the first five points and never trailed. The Cavaliers (22-4) dominated the boards 47-29 and led by 12 points at intermission.
``I expected Martinsville to play better early,'' said David Wheat, Botetourt's coach. ``I told the girls,if they get ahead of us early, we have the whole game to come back. By getting the early lead, we didn't have to press, plus we got momentum and kept building on that.''
The Cavaliers hit 32 of 64 shots. Moore had seven assists and despite being one of the shortest players, collected 12 rebounds.
Martinsville finally tried inside people on Moore to stop the junior guard. It didn't work.
``That's the first time,'' said Moore about the defensive strategy. ``So I just tried to use my quickness.''
Hicks collected 30 points, nine rebounds and four assists. The 6-foot junior hit 12 of 22 shots, including a 3-pointer at the start of the game. Mainly, it was a give-and-go between Hicks and Moore that worked.
``It's the first time we've run that where it's been successful,'' said Hicks, who was a freshman when Botetourt and Moore, then a starting guard, went to the 1993 state tournament.
``Sara looked for the pass. I'd give it to her and she'd give it right back,'' Hicks said.
Martinsville (21-6) rallied near the end of the third quarter when Hicks and Moore were resting as Erica Brandon, who led the Bulldogs with 27, helped them cut the deficit to four points.
Botetourt opened with a 7-2 run in the last quarter and steadily pulled away.
``We knew if we could get to the last quarter, our heart and desire would take us to the win,'' Hicks said.
Martinsville's problems came when its leading scorer, Tresita Holland, started slowly without a point in the opening quarter. Then foul problems slowed her. She fouled out with 4:35 left and only 11 points.
``We couldn't handle Hicks and Moore, plus there was no help for Erica. The main thing is they outrebounded us, but we've had trouble with that all year,'' said Martinsville coach Carla Giles, whose club started only one senior.
Martinsville made 27 of 61 shots. Sophomore Jamie Farrington finally found the range with eight points in the fourth quarter, but the Cavaliers had their second wind.
``We had to take a calculated gamble and rest some of them'' near the end of the third quarter, Wheat said. ``We nearly got overloaded. But we couldn't ask the starters to go full-tilt for eight minutes each quarter.''
Amanda Nichols, promoted from the junior varsity, provided the reserve with six of her eight points and two rebounds in the final quarter. Marisa Michalski came up with 12 points, her high for the year. That was enough to help preserve the lead.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB