THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 31, 1994 TAG: 9412310443
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
It was about midway through the second quarter that the chinks in Oscar Smith's armor started to show.
The Tigers played Great Bridge even in the opening period. Then the Wildcats' defense got on track, and Oscar Smith cracked under the pressure of a relentless man-to-man as Great Bridge scored a 75-63 win over the host Tigers Friday in the title game of the South Norfolk Holiday Classic.
Both teams started tentatively and dueled to a 14-14 tie after the first quarter. With the score tied at 18 a minute into the second period, Great Bridge took advantage of its quick hands and superior speed during a 14-2 run keyed by fast-break baskets. Two of Torey Jordan's 14 first-half points in the closing seconds gave the Wildcats a 39-24 lead at the break.
``We started pushing the ball up and working our offense (in the second quarter,'' said Great Bridge guard Tony King. King connected on two long-range jumpers as the Wildcats shot 11 of 16 from the field during the quarter. ``Coach (Martin Oliver) told us we needed to turn up the defensive pressure.''
``We got our transition game going . . . we're not very big, so that's what we count on,'' said Oliver of his team's second-quarter push. ``We started getting layups, short jump shots, and really opened it up.''
Oscar Smith couldn't adjust in the second half. With the Tigers still a step slow getting back on defense, Great Bridge (5-4) routinely got a first shot off before Oscar Smith was in place for the rebound.
Jordan nailed a 3-pointer, his only points of the quarter, at the 4:00 mark to give the Wildcats' a 52-31 lead.
Although Oscar Smith (2-4) cut the lead to nine, 69-60, with 1:13 left to play in the fourth quarter, Great Bridge hit both ends of a one-and-one on three consecutive trips down the court to seal the win.
``We had a lot of mental mistakes and trouble communicating. Sometimes I would run to the boards and my man would go the other way, and no one could pick him up,'' said Oscar Smith guard William Bonner, who led the Tigers with 16 points. ``We beat ourselves.''
Jordan, who finished with seven rebounds and a game-high 21 points, was chosen MVP of the tournament. King added 15, and Gorum tallied 13 with a team-high eight rebounds.
Antoine Hunt led Oscar Smith with 10 rebounds and scored 12 points.
Named to the all-tournament team were Hunt, King, Ernest Harrell (Ocean Lakes), Antonio Spencer (Manteo), and Matt Morelewski (Norfolk Christian). by CNB