ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, November 8, 1996 TAG: 9611080064
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
TYPE: GIRLS' BASKETBALL
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
The Bengals advanced to the championship of the Piedmont District tournament with a stunning 52-44 win over the top-seeded Cougars at Magna Vista High School in Ridgeway on Thursday.
Bassett will take on third-seeded Laurel Park, a 56-53 winner over Martinsville, in the championship game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
The Bengals exploded in the third quarter, outscoring the Cougars 17-5. April Merriman scored seven of her 16 points in that period. Teammates Megan Washburn and Jaime Roberts finished with 12 and 13 points, respectively.
Patrick County was led by Summer East's 16 points and Holly Weber's 12.
The Cougars' season is not over, however. They won the regular season championship, and receive an automatic regional berth.
Laurel Park 56, Martinsville 53: The third-seeded Lancers pulled a minor upset in the semifinals of the Piedmont District tournament with a three-point win over the Bulldogs at Magna Vista High School in Ridgeway.
Laurel Park advances to the championship game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday night at Magna Vista against surprise opponent Bassett.
The two teams battled back and forth with Martinsville, taking a 44-41 lead into the fourth quarter.
Brandy Martin, who finished with a game-high 19 points, made a 3-pointer to begin the fourth quarter. Tiffany Lynch followed with a basket as the Lancers took the lead and never looked back. Lynch finished with 14 points and Lattarri Pritchett added 13.
Jamie Farrington led a balanced Martinsville scoring attack with 14 points. Tiffany Watkins added 13 points and teammates Monica Johnson and Tekeshia Mitchell finished with 10 points each.
Narrows 63, Rocky Gap 33: In Fort Chiswell, the Green Wave (17-5) dominated in the paint as it breezed to a victory over the Eagles (10-13) in a Mountain Empire District semifinal.
Narrows advances to play Galax in Saturday's final.
Six-foot-two center Tara Collins scored a game-high 23 points and forwards Suzanne Webb and Amanda Clemons scored 11 and 10 points, respectively, for Narrows.
The Green Wave owned a 27-13 halftime lead and put the game away in the third quarter behind 11 points from Collins.
Michelle Sarver scored 11 points to lead the Eagles.
Galax 59, Fort Chiswell 40: Tiffany Williams scored 23 points to help the Maroon Tide (17-6) advance in postseason play in a victory over the Pioneers (13-9) in Fort Chiswell.
Williams scored seven points in each of the first three quarters as the Maroon Tide built a comfortable lead in its Mountain Empire District semifinal.
Galax led the Pioneers 49-25 after three quarters. Catherine Cockerham added 14 points for the Tide, which will face Narrows on Saturday for the district championship.
Amy Coleman led the Pioneers with 13 points.
Parry McCluer 42, Bath County 33: The top-seeded Fighting Blues were shut out in the first quarter and had to rally past the Chargers in a Pioneer District tournament semifinal at Bath County.
Bath led 5-0 after one period and 14-10 at halftime before Parry McCluer came back and put the game in the hands of Lindsay Coleman.
The Fighting Blues took a 21-20 lead, then Coleman scored 11 of her game-high 14 points in the fourth quarter, as the Blues ended the game on a 21-13 run. Coleman made eight of 10 free throws in the fourth.
Suzanna Shanks led fourth-seeded Bath County with 12 points and Katie Hardbarger added 11.
Brookville 53, Staunton River 50: Lindsay Ferguson scored 20 points as the Bees edged the Golden Eagles in Seminole District tournament play in Bedford.
The Golden Eagles led with less than two minutes remaining in the game but could not hold on in the end. Free-throw shooting proved to be the difference. The Bees hit 8 of 11 attempts as the Golden Eagles made only three of nine in the fourth quarter. Courtney Jones added 14 points for the Bees.
The Bees play Jefferson Forest, overtime winners over Rustburg, at 7 p.m. Saturday for the championship.
Crystal English scored 14 points for the Golden Eagles.
Wednesday's game
Fort Chiswell 55, Pocahontas 33: The Pioneers used a stifling press to turn a close game into an easy victory in the opening round of the Mountain Empire District tournament. Fort Chiswell began the second quarter with a 19-2 run that resulted in a 31-9 lead.
Amber Gunter led the Pioneers (13-8) with 14 points. Pamela Nunley scored 16 for Pocahontas (4-17).
see microfilm for box score
LENGTH: Medium: 93 linesby CNB