ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, January 21, 1996 TAG: 9601220106
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
For the longest time, it appeared William Fleming was going to give Roanoke area high school basketball fans one of their biggest victories.
The Colonels had the nation's No.3 team, Science Hill of Johnson City, Tenn., in trouble before the Hilltoppers rallied and held on to win 56-53 on Saturday at the Salem Civic Center in the first game of the Crestar Classic.
The Colonels, who have been up and down this season, were up most of the time against Science Hill. Fleming went on top 5-4 on Brad Dunleavy's jumper, built the lead to 19 points in the first half and finally surrendered the lead for good when 6-foot-10 Jeremy McHone's tip put the Hilltoppers ahead 48-47 with 5:52 left.
The suspense didn't stop there as the Colonels (9-5) stayed right with Science Hill (20-0) until Gabe Goulds missed a one-and-one with 44.7 seconds left and the Hilltoppers leading 54-53.
Charles Burnette grabbed the rebound and Fleming called time out.
``Our plan was to try and get the ball to James Stokes in the middle,'' said Marshall Ashford, Fleming's interim coach. ``They [Science Hill] converged on him. He saw someone [Burnette] at the side and tried to drop it off to him. But he delayed and they were on Charles.''
Burnette tried to shoot, but the shot was blocked by Brad Fields, who caught it for a rebound and was fouled. He hit two free throws, and Fleming only had time to inbound the ball as time expired.
The shot never happened as Science Hill contested it and the best the Colonels could do was inbound under their basket with a tenth of a second left, which means there can be no 3-point shot as rules allow only for a tip with that little time showing.
Stokes certainly was the player Fleming wanted to go to for the victory. He scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds. The Hilltoppers couldn't handle the 6-5 senior.
``I saw Charles on the side and wanted to feed him. It was my fault,'' Stokes said of the last play.
Still, Stokes was upbeat about the future if the Colonels can play this well. ``We want a rematch. This was my best game. I think they knew we were here.''
There was no doubt about that as Science Hill coach George Pitts praised the Colonels.
``I don't know about our players, but I wasn't underestimating Fleming because I know how good a basketball they play here,'' said Pitts.
The Hilltoppers recovered from their 19-point deficit by going on a 13-2 run to trail 32-26 at intermission. ``I thought we stunk it up when we got behind. Then we got a run and it's our philosophy to make a run like that,'' said Pitts.
``I didn't want to lose any timeouts, but maybe I should have called one there,'' said Ashford.
However, Fleming didn't lose its composure or the momentum by the final moments of the first half. Stokes keyed an 8-1 run to start the third quarter that delayed the Hilltoppers' comeback.
Science Hill was paced by Nat Bailey, who has signed a letter of intent to play at Virginia Tech, and 6-2 forward Jovann Johnson. Bailey had 19 points as he went 5-for-13 on 3-point attempts. Johnson had 21 points, including 15 points in the third quarter to help grab momentum back from the Colonels, and nine rebounds.
Fleming hit 22 of 44 shots, but had 21 turnovers under Science Hill's relentless pressure. Fleming's Sterling Tate, with 10 points, was in foul trouble, along with reserve guard R.J. Reynolds.
``There's no question we were where we wanted to be at the end,'' said Ashford. ``We just wanted to be close. I think this will be a confidence-builder.''
SCIENCE HILL (56)
Goulds 1 0-1 3, Bailey 6 2-3 19, McHone 1 1-2 3, Fields 4 2-2 10, Johnson 9 3-8 21. Totals 21 8-16 56.
WILLIAM FLEMING (53)
Stokes 9 5-8 23, Burnette 4 4-4 12, Tate 5 0-0 10, Dunleavy 2 0-0 4, Wilson 1 0-0 2, Morris 1 0-0 2. Totals 22 9-12 53.
Science Hill -6--20--20--10-56
William Fleming 14--18--15---6-53
Three-point goals: Bailey 5, Goulds. Team fouls: Science Hill 11, William Fleming 16. Fouled out: Tate, Reynolds.
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: STEPHANIE KLEIN-DAVIS/Staff. 1. Sterling Tate (54) andby CNBCharles Burnette (32) of William Fleming vie for a rebound with Roy
Jackson of Science Hill during action in the Crestar Classic on
Saturday afternoon at the Salem Civic Center. 2. James Stokes (50)
of William Fleming has the ball knocked away by Science Hill
defender Jermaine Dillahunt (left) as Roy Jackson (40) moves in from
behind. color.