THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 30, 1994 TAG: 9412300647
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
At the end of the third quarter of the championship game at the Hampton Roads Holiday Prep Classic Thursday, the general consensus was that Atlantic Shores would snap Flint Hill's six-game unbeaten streak.
After all, the Seahawks held a 21-point lead and were having no trouble breaking the Huskies' full-court press. It was only a matter of running out the quarter.
Unfortunately for the partisan crowd at Atlantic Shores, no one told Flint Hill to fold. In a stunning final eight minutes the Huskies fought back to tie the game at 67, and Jim Fitzpatrick hit both ends of a one-and-one with three seconds left to give Flint Hill an improbable 69-68 win.
``We have a lot of tough seniors in our program, and they believe very much in what we do,'' Flint Hill coach Win Palmer said. ``Our game plan came together in the fourth quarter.''
Atlantic Shores (11-3) led 59-38 going into the fourth but went stone cold from the field and had to watch helplessly as the Huskies cut into the lead. The Seahawks didn't hit a basket until Barry Davis' layup with three minutes left to play gave Atlantic Shores a nine-point cushion.
It was the Seahawks' only basket in the final period.
Damon Thornton fouled out with 2:40 left, hurting the Seahawks' inside game and rebounding ability. Flint Hill (7-0) went on a 10-2 run with 90 seconds left courtesy of good dribble penetration by Fitzpatrick, Chris Larson, and Josh Stringer. Stringer's 3-pointer from far behind the arc with 29 seconds left to play tied the game at 67.
Larson fouled Kenny Inge on the next possession, and Inge converted on the one-and-one to give Atlantic Shores a one-point lead.
Fitzpatrick brought the ball to halfcourt and let the clock tick down to 10 seconds before starting his drive to the basket. Brandon Wynn responded with a pushing foul to send Fitzpatrick to the line, and the Campbell University recruit hit both shots to put the Huskies ahead with three seconds left.
The Seahawks got the ball to midcourt but couldn't get off a final shot.
Larson led all scorers with 25 points, with Fitzpatrick adding 15. Stringer finished with 22 points, 14 in the final period, and earned tournament MVP honors.
Inge led Atlantic Shores with 20 points and 15 rebounds. by CNB