THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, December 27, 1994 TAG: 9412270182
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
At times, Kempsville High can play at a level few teams in the area can attain.
In other instances, the Chiefs can be as common as the worst of squads.
Such is the case with young talent. And Kempsville has plenty.
The Chiefs hit enough of the high notes Monday night to post an impressive 80-47 victory over host Catholic High in the opening round of the Catholic Holiday Invitational.
But coach Vernon King says he is as clueless as anyone when asked which half of his Jekyll-and-Hyde squad will appear tonight when the Chiefs (4-2) meet Maury (7-1) in the evening's second semifinal game at 7:30 p.m.
Boys and Girls of Brooklyn (5-1) meets Potomac (4-3) of Oxon Hill, Md., in the evening's first semifinal at 6 p.m.
``Half of this team is sophomores,'' King said. ``They'll look tough in a two- or three-minute spurt, then they'll go two or three minutes where they don't look so tough.''
One sophomore who looked very tough Monday was point guard Rayshawn Mitchell, who scored a game-high 16 points in just three quarters of action, with many of his points coming on twisting drives into the lane.
Sophomore forwards Trey Simkins and McKinley Ford added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Senior center Tyren Johnson had 13 points.
Andrew Prickett led Catholic with nine points.
``I've been waiting for Mitchell to come into his own,'' King said. ``I've seen him look great at times and awful at times.
``I've been waiting for all of them to come into their own.
``That's why Maury is a good game for us at this point. We have a simple question ahead of us: Are we ready for the next level or are we content with mediocrity?''
MAURY 85, ANDREW JACKSON 49 Shaun Jackson scored 17 points, grabbed 19 rebounds and blocked six shots as the Commodores, ranked fifth in South Hampton Roads, won easily.
Tommy Spruill added 13 points, Ike Richardson had 11 and Greg Ridley finished with 10 for Maury.
The Commodores posted a 53-24 rebounding advantage and outscored Andrew Jackson, 26-11, in the third quarter to blow it open.
BOYS AND GIRLS 54, COX 45 Boys and Girls of Brooklyn overcame a nine-point deficit to win in the day's first game.
Guard Justin Watson scored 19 points to pace Boys and Girls.
Cox (3-3) held a 29-20 advantage early in the third quarter, but Boys and Girls' pressure defense forced the Falcons to turn the ball over on seven of eight possessions at the end of the third quarter.
Cox, the area's eighth-ranked team, played without 6-6 senior Ben Green, who broke a bone in his shooting wrist in practice last week and is out for 2-4 weeks.
``With Ben out, we were playing with some guys who aren't used to getting so much playing time,'' Cox coach Kenny Edwards said. ``The turnovers at the end of the third quarter and in the fourth killed us.''
Matt Whalen led the Falcons with 20 points and 11 rebounds.
POTOMAC 78, N. ACADEMY 64 Melvin Watson scored 22 points and had 11 rebounds as Potomac High of Oxon Hill, Md., pulled away from Norfolk Academy in the second half.
Elliot Dixon added 12 points and 10 rebounds for Potomac.
Norfolk Academy (2-7) was paced by Bryan Duquette, who had 17 points, including three 3-pointers. Billy Boyce added 11 for the Bulldogs. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
CHRISTOPHER REDDICK/Staff
Justin Watson of Boys and Girls of Brooklyn, N.Y., left, and Matt
Whalen of Cox chase after loose ball.
by CNB