ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, November 8, 1996 TAG: 9611080083
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: DALEVILLE
SOURCE: KEITH POMPEY STAFF WRITER
The Lord Botetourt girls' basketball team has taken another step toward its ultimate goal.
The Cavaliers, defending Group AA champions, dismantled Salem 55-37 in a Blue Ridge District tournament semifinal on their home floor Thursday. Lord Botetourt will play host to William Byrd in the final at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
After winning it all last year, Cavaliers coach David Wheat wanted to keep his team focused.
His team responded by winning the Blue Ridge regular-season crown. Now Lord Botetourt (22-1) has the tournament title in its sights.
``It feels great to be playing in the district championship,'' said Sarah Hicks, the Cavaliers' standout forward. ``We accomplished our first three goals of the season. Hopefully, we will come out strong for the championship game Saturday night. We are really pumped up.''
That's an understatement.
The Cavaliers held Salem (12-10) to 37 percent shooting in the first half. In the second half, Botetourt was unstoppable, twice taking a 20-point lead.
``We knew that we had to play four good quarters to stay in this game,'' said Dee Wright, the Spartans' coach. ``We just didn't achieve that. Botetourt did what they had to do. We would have had to play awfully, awfully good to beat them. They are the state champions, and we are glad to say that they are from our district.''
Hicks, who is headed to Virginia Tech on a basketball scholarship, led the Botetourt assault with a game-high 16 points. The reigning Timesland player of the year added two steals, two assists and one block.
She wasn't the only Cavalier to shine.
Teammate Aimee Bird scored 11 points, Sara Moore added nine and Kim Daugherty came off the bench to score eight.
``They had a pretty good overall team effort,'' Wheat said. ``They are all very capable of playing.''
Early on, Salem looked capable of pulling off the upset.
The Spartans took a 6-3 lead as the Cavaliers took some ill-advised shots. And the underdogs trailed only 10-8 after Botetourt forward Takisha Basham hit a layup to end the first quarter.
``Salem came to play,'' Wheat said. ``They have a lot of talent, but happened to have a lot of injuries this season. What you saw in the first quarter was the real Salem team.
``We had to go up another level.''
Wright, whose team featured no seniors, is upbeat about Salem's future.
``I know that we will be back next year,'' she said. ``I look for us to be more competitive.'' see microfilm for box score
LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY STAFF Salem's Erin Patrick passes out of aby CNBdouble-team by Lord Botetourt's Sarah Hicks (left) and Sara Moore on
Thursday.