ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, December 2, 1995 TAG: 9512040004
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM
Lord Botetourt looked up and all the Cavaliers could see was a tall Culpeper team barring the way to a fifth and final game against William Byrd.
The Cavaliers proved to be no match for the young Culpeper team, which appeared the original gang that couldn't shoot straight. Lord Botetourt posted a 53-37 victory Friday at the Salem Civic Center.
Botetourt and Byrd will be pitted in the ultimate matchup today at 2:30 p.m. in an all-Blue Ridge District affair for the Group AA girls' basketball championship. That Byrd has won three of the four previous games makes no difference, for all were closely contested and besides, the Cavaliers got the last one in the Region III title game two weeks ago.
Lord Botetourt (25-4) never trailed as Sarah Hicks and Sara Moore scored 38 points between them. If the Cavaliers hadn't been nervous at the free throw line in the first half (7-of-14), the victory might have been more decisive.
Culpeper (26-3), a team which has only one senior, showed jitters with four sophomore starters. The Devils made only 16-of-81 shots, dominated the boards 60-43 and finished the game with one starter on the bench injured and the other four with four personal fouls.
``We knew they were big, but not that big,'' said Moore. ``I think getting a fifth game with Byrd inspired us. We got nervous after we watched them go overtime.''
Botetourt didn't exactly light up the scoreboard, but the Cavaliers hit 19-of-47. Hicks scored 17 of her 22 points after the halftime, when she took over as the tallest Cavalier to battle a team that featured three six-footers.
``I knew they'd be tall. They were all over us underneath, so we had to take it to them,'' said Hicks. ``They like to block shots, so we'd pump fake and then when they got in foul trouble, they backed off. So our shots went in.''
Aimee Bird added 10 points, with eight coming in the second quarter, to help Botetourt take a 26-13 lead at intermission. Culpeper was too big and slow to press, but the Devils used their height to dominate the offensive boards as they tried to rally. They never got closer than eight points.
``We knew we couldn't relax,'' said Hicks. ``Playing on a bigger floor than they're used to, we knew if we played good defense, their shooters would have a hard time getting their shots if we had a hand in their face.''
Veteran Culpeper coach Kate Carter, whose school moves to the Group AAA ranks next year under the Virginia High School League realignment plan, said a wide-open building such as the Salem Civic Center had an effect.
``We didn't show anything we could do and Lord Botetourt played well,'' said Carter. ``We couldn't relax on offense and our youth and inexperience showed up. We've never been in a place like this with all that space behind the basket.''
``What I didn't know was whether they could keep their athletic pace up the whole game,'' said Lord Botetourt coach David Wheat. ``It helped that we got the lead and held it. It's easy to see good athletes like they have and be intimidated, but we weren't.''
While Byrd, a senior dominated club, expected to be a state title contender, Botetourt is a team full of juniors that has never made it this far.
``I thought [at the beginning of the season] that we had the ability to get here. We had to put it together and we did, but some things also had to fall in place,'' said Moore.
Wheat has nothing different for Byrd. ``I'd like to repeat the Region III championship game, but obviously, we have two teams evenly matched,'' he said.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Mike Heffner. The Lord Botetourt and William Byrd girl'sby CNBbasketball teams will play in today's Group AA championship game at
2:30 p.m. at the Salem Civic Center. Cathy Smith (top right photo)
scored eight of her 24 points in overtime to help lead William Byrd
to a 64-57 victory over Park View-Sterling on Friday. Sara Moore and
Sarah Hicks (in top left photo) led Lord Botetourt to a 53-37
victory over Culpepper. In above photo, the Cavaliers' Katrina
Elliott lobs a pass on one knee after fending off a steal attempt by
a Culpepper defender. color.