ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, November 6, 1996 TAG: 9611060079
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL RAY STAFF WRITER
It is common basketball knowledge that when a team is held scoreless through an entire quarter, it rarely pulls off a victory. That statement proved true once again as host Northside eliminated Christiansburg 55-34 on Tuesday night in the first round of the Blue Ridge District girls' tournament.
``That was not really what we expected,'' said Marilyn Bussey, Northside's coach. ``Even in the first game, when the score was lopsided, it was because of two spurts of scoring.''
After rallying from an 11-point deficit to close to 31-22 at halftime, the Blue Demons were unable to find the basket and did not score in the third period.
``We have done that four times this year,'' Bussey said. ``It was really nice to see our defense playing like it did at the beginning of the season.''
Northside took an early lead behind Samantha Webb's strong play. Webb reeled off eight consecutive points for Northside to set the tempo and put the Vikings up 10-4. The junior forward led all scorers, with 15 points.
``Sam is one of those players who just has so much potential,'' Bussey said. ``Sometimes she doesn't play as consistently as she could, but she was tonight and opened things up for us early.''
With Webb leading the way offensively, Northside was able to focus on defense, holding the Blue Demons' leading scorer, Lisa Dalton, scoreless in the first three quarters. Dalton was unable to sink a shot until the beginning of the fourth quarter, when she hit her only two baskets of the game. She finished with four points.
``I knew we had to come out strong,'' Webb said. ``We knew that we couldn't take them lightly.''
Despite playing strong defensively, the Vikings were able to stay out of foul trouble for the entire game, committing only 11 in the contest. But even when Christiansburg made it to the free-throw line, the Blue Demons struggled, hitting only two of nine attempts. In addition, not a single Blue Demon scored in double digits. Amber Reed led the team with eight points, six of those coming from 3-point range.
With the exception of Reed and Stewart Milton, who scored six points, the Christiansburg starters accounted for only eight of the team's 34 points.
``They were getting to us in the middle early,'' Webb said. ``So we went to a closed-box press to make them go to the outside.''
The plan worked. For the second game in a row, the Christiansburg offense was hampered by the full-court press. The Demons had similar problems Thursday against Lord Botetourt.
Once again, Christiansburg's offense was forced into numerous turnovers when the pressure was on.
``We switched the press on them a little from what they saw in the past,'' Bussey said.
With the victory, the Vikings advance to the tournament's semifinal round to face William Byrd at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Lord Botetourt High School. And a rematch with the Terriers, who defeated Northside the last time the teams played, is just what the Vikings would like.
``We want Byrd for revenge,'' Webb said. ``We go well when we play them and match up well against their players.''
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 64 linesby CNB