THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 30, 1994 TAG: 9412300617
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: AUGUSTA, GA. LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
File this one under ``E,'' for ``Escape.''
Norfolk State, which seems to bring out the best in opponents on the road, managed to survive a barrage of 3-pointers from a revved-up Augusta College team Thursday night, holding on for a 70-68 victory in the championship game of the Augusta Holiday Classic.
The victory wasn't sealed until a 3-point attempt by Augusta's Adam Miller went in and out at the buzzer.
``They took us to the wire,'' Norfolk State coach Mike Bernard said. ``It's good to have a good, tough ballgame on somebody else's floor and come out with a victory.''
Good indeed, for the game could have just as well been filed under ``D,'' for ``Deja vu.''
The game was spookily similar to Norfolk State's upset loss to UMass-Lowell on Nov. 20. All the elements were there: a tournament far from home, a scrappy opponent tossing in treys from all over the floor, and a small (1,063) but noisy crowd.
This time, however, Norfolk State (6-2) prevailed, coming up with a couple of key defensive stops down the stretch.
The final one came with three seconds left, when Miller rolled off a screen and let fly with a trey from the right side.
``I thought it was in,'' Miller said.
``You couldn't ask for a better look,'' Augusta coach Clint Bryant said.
Miller already had hit eight treys. He finished with a game-high 28 points. The Jaguars (4-5) were 13-of-30 from behind the arc.
``We just executed,'' Miller said. ``Everybody set picks like they were supposed to.''
Norfolk State had its moments, too. The Spartans were down, 15-6, with 15:34 left in the first half but went on a 20-0 run to go up, 26-15, with 8:52 remaining.
Augusta crept back, however, as Miller and fellow guard Dan Davis kept bombing away. Seven of Augusta's first eight field goals were treys, and the other came on a three-point play.
The Spartans led, 42-34, at halftime and couldn't stretch the lead any larger. Augusta cut the margin to five at the 12-minute mark and stayed just a trey or two away the rest of the night.
Norfolk State mixed up its defenses in the second half and did a better job of contesting the perimeter shots, but Miller was able to sneak free and can a trey with 4:17 remaining to make it 65-63.
Augusta cut it to 66-65 before Corey Williams hit a trey with 3:25 left to make it 69-65.
Williams had 18 points while tournament MVP Derrick Bryant had 21 on 10-for-13 shooting. Bryant also had 10 rebounds and wrestled effectively underneath with Augusta's 6-foot-6, 280-pound William Adair.
Adair, who averages 21 points, had just 15.
Bryant and Carnell Penn (23 points) carried the Spartans offensively in the second half. Bryant missed just one shot in the second half, going 4 for 5.
``He played both ends extremely well,'' Bernard said. ``He had a tough defensive assignment and he did the job.''
The entire Augusta team proved to be a tough defensive assignment.
``We felt if they could beat us, they would do it on the perimeter,'' Bernard said.
Augusta was one shot away from doing just that. by CNB