ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 24, 1995 TAG: 9512270056
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
They are separated by a some stop lights, a brickyard, a manufacturer of high-security locks and a few miles. Their young people go to the same churches, play on the same summer league athletic teams and frequent the same haunts.
Funny, then, that Salem High School and Glenvar High School haven't gotten around to playing a friendly game of boys' basketball or football in about 20 years.
Until now.
The long-awaited basketball matchup between Spartans and Highlanders will be the last of four games Tuesday as the NationsBank Holiday Hoops Classic commences at Salem Civic Center. The nightcap is scheduled for approximately 7:45.
Also included in this holiday basketball buffet is the renewal of an old rivalry between two other neighbors, William Fleming and Northside. The Colonels and Vikings, who play in Tuesday's 6 p.m. game, used to fill gyms nearly every time they played before Northside dropped from the Group AAA Roanoke Valley District to the Group AA Blue Ridge District in 1989. Since, their paths have only crossed occasionally, and then always in holiday tournaments.
The other first-round games are Patrick Henry and William Byrd at 2 p.m. and Riverside of Durham, N.C., taking on Franklin County at about 3:45.
Once tournament organizer Charlie Morgan, the Salem coach, had the field of teams settled, the choice for the prime-time matchup seemed overwhelmingly compelling. Glenvar hadn't played the high school in Salem in basketball since it was known as Andrew Lewis.
``Glenvar is coming off a great year and has most of its kids back,'' he said. ``I think it's going to be great for fans from both communities to be able to see us play.''
He also hopes that will translate into a brisk business at the box office.
Coach Art Lawrence, who directed the Highlanders to a delightfully surprising runner-up finish at the Group A tournament in the spring, is taking a well-worn motivational approach with his troops.
``We're the only Group A team here and we may be in over our heads, but I think it will make us better,'' he said. ``The pressure is on the teams that have to play us. They're the ones expected to win. We're the smallest school in the Roanoke Valley and we're playing with the big boys. We have no place to go but up.''
The tournament continues Wednesday with the loser of the Riverside-Franklin County game taking on the loser of the Northside Fleming game at 2 p.m. and the loser of the PH-Byrd game meeting the loser of the Glenvar-Salem game at about 3:45 p.m. In the night twinbill, the winner of the Riverside-Franklin County game will play the winner of the Northside-Fleming game at about 6 p.m. and the winners of the PH-Byrd game and the Salem-Glenvar game will clash at about 7:45.
Thursday, the losers' bracket games will be at 10 and 11:45 a.m. and the third-place and championship games will be at 2 and 3:45 p.m., respectively.
The opening round ought to be plenty interesting, particularly the PH-Byrd game and the Northside-Fleming confrontation. PH figures to be a contender in the Roanoke Valley District, and the Terriers will be a factor in the Blue Ridge. Northside and Fleming will showcase contrasting styles. The Colonels have the inside muscle and grace of Charles Burnette, James Stokes and Sterling Tate, and the Vikings have the outside firepower of guards Justin Porterfield and Ben Peete.
Franklin County may have the most interesting challenge of the first round. Out-of-state scouting reports being what they are, Riverside is the tournament's unknown quantity. Figure on Calvin Preston's Eagles playing the North Carolinians aggressively.
But then, Franklin County plays everybody aggressively.
LENGTH: Medium: 71 linesby CNB