ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, January 25, 1996 TAG: 9601250034
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: BEDFORD
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
On the day when Liberty vaulted to No.1 in the Group AA boys' basketball rankings, the Minutemen lived up to their top billing.
With the second-best team in the Seminole District, Altavista, in town, there was every incentive to admire the rankings and not worry about the Colonels.
But Liberty took care of business, destroying Altavista 88-68 on Tuesday to put enough distance between itself and the rest of the district to virtually sew up the title before the end of January.
``We knew everybody would be out for us, so we had to give it our best,'' said Liberty sophomore Raymond Arrington. ``Being No.1 was just like a target on our chest.''
If Arrington, one of the youngest Minutemen was concerned, it didn't show. He led Liberty with 18 points, including three 3-point goals, and then put the defensive clamps on Altavista star Dennis Brown after he got Liberty veteran Gregg Reynolds in foul trouble. Brown finished with 19 points.
The victory leaves Liberty (12-0 overall and in the district) with a three-game lead in the loss column of the district standings. The winner of the regular season district title will need to win only one Region III game to get to the Group AA tournament, so the Minutemen are in prime position for a repeat trip.
It took nearly the entire first quarter for Liberty to break on top for good, but the Minutemen went ahead 20-17 when Neil Roop hit a follow shot, drew a foul and made the free throw.
Liberty closed the first half with an 8-3 spurt, capped by a 3-point shot from Robert Carson. Seven Liberty players canned nine of 20 shots from beyond the arc for the Minutemen.
``They have an outstanding team,'' said Buena Vista native Mike Cartolaro, in his second year as coach at Altavista (9-3, 9-3). ``The tempo was where they wanted it. From the get go, we were not able to slow it down, and that wore us down.
``They're deserving of the No.1 ranking in the state. They've got so many players. It's like a stable. They shot the ball really well and once we get down to a team like that, we're in trouble.''
J.J. Coles pumped in 17 points for Liberty. Roop scored 16, and Cheyney Preston came off the bench for 10 points. The Minutemen hit 33 of 58 field-goal attempts and owned the boards 31-24, though no one player had more than six rebounds.
In the third quarter, Liberty took control by moving ahead 10 points and then widening the margin. Arrington hit two of his 3-point shots and Preston had seven points in the quarter.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 56 linesby CNB