
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, November 17, 1995                   TAG: 9511170092
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-9   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

BUFFALOES ROAM INTO REGIONAL FINAL

Both Floyd County and Glenvar played basketball they were not entirely accustomed to Thursday night.

Nevertheless, it was Floyd County once again winning a trip to the Group A girls' basketball tournament. The Buffaloes advanced to their fourth state tournament in as many years by beating the Highlanders 58-40 in a Region C semifinal at Lord Botetourt High School.

Floyd County (20-5), the two-time defending Group A champion, plays Northwood at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Christiansburg High School for the regional championship. Northwood beat Galax 55-36 in the other semifinal.

Floyd County spread the floor late, which it does not usually do, and did not make a a field goal in the fourth quarter. Still, the Buffaloes made 10 of 21 last-period free throws to pull away.

Floyd County went 14-for-29 from the free-throw line for the game.

``We weren't going to keep playing against that zone they had, so we pulled the ball out to make them come out and play us man-to-man,'' said Alan Cantrell, Floyd County's coach. ``Maybe down the line, this will help us when we have to make some clutch free throws.''

Glenvar's Dennis Layman achieved one of his objectives when Floyd County started missing from the free-throw line.

``But then we'd get the rebound but couldn't make the shot at the other end,'' he said. ``If we had, then we would have been right dead on it and back in the game.''

Glenvar (15-7), which played much of the game in the unfamiliar defense, got 16 points from Erica Hale.

Floyd County was led by senior Melissa Cantrell, who had 18 points and all four of her 3-pointers in the first half. She finished with 22 points.

``They were playing that zone and giving me my shot around the top of the key,'' she said. ``I wanted to step up because this is my senior year and I need to show some leadership.''

Sara Conner added 10 points as eight players scored for Floyd County.

Glenvar was down eight points, 38-30, with 2:19 to go.

NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.

Memo: NOTE: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.

by CNB