THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 25, 1995 TAG: 9502250373
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Long : 105 lines
Granby's Shawn Hobson needed just one point Friday night to reach 1,000 for his career. It took him almost the entire first quarter to get it.
His others came much easier.
The 6-foot-5 senior scored 12 points in the fourth quarter to finish with 19 as the Comets held off Maury, 63-58, in the Eastern District tournament final at Lake Taylor.
``I think he was a little tight about that first point,'' Granby coach Tim Sweeney said. Hobson didn't score until he made the second of two free throws with nine seconds left in the opening quarter. ``But he was clutch when the game was on the line. We knew this was the rubber match and was for the true championship of Norfolk.''
The teams split during the regular season.
Toweh Ketter scored a game-high 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Comets (20-2), who added the tournament trophy to their regular-season title.
Down by five early in the third quarter, Maury cut the Comets' lead to 56-55 on a Ray Heard basket with 1:25 remaining. But Hobson made two free throws with 1:06 left, then turned a steal by teammate Anthony King into a breakaway dunk 10 seconds later for a 60-55 lead.
Maury (16-7) was paced by Shaun Jackson's 13 points, but the Commodores' standout forward sat out nearly nine minutes of the second half after picking up his fourth foul with 5:17 remaining in the third quarter.
``That killed us,'' Maury coach Jack Baker said. ``But we still had a chance when we were down one late in the game. I didn't think we played very well. We weren't aggressive. We've got to attack and we played soft.'' Bayside pounds Tallwood, 56-42
VIRGINIA BEACH - Bayside used superior size and strength to manhandle Tallwood, 56-42, in the Beach District tournament final at Tallwood.
Both teams advance to Tuesday's Eastern Region quarterfnals. Bayside (21-2) hosts Indian River and Tallwood (17-6) is at Churchland.
Bayside scored 18 of its 20 field goals in the paint and outrebounded Tallwood, 42-27.
``We felt we were stronger,'' said Bayside's Lashawn Jones, who had 13 points and 10 rebounds. ``We wanted to go inside and get them in early foul trouble.''
The championship was Bayside's third since 1991 avenged a 50-48 loss to Tallwood last Friday.
The Lions led that game 39-26 and then staved off a furious comeback by the Marlins. This time Tallwood led only once, at 2-0.
Bayside opened and closed in a man-to-man, but played a lot of zone in between. The Marlins also pressed after most baskets.
It took almost 13 minutes for Tallwood to score its first 2-point basket and the Lions trailed, 23-12, at halftime. Tallwood was 4 of 26 from the field in the first half, 2 of 10 from behind the 3-point arc.
Bayside, which shot 36 percent from the field in the first half, was 11 of 22 from the floor in the second half. Guards Shawn Blassingill and Eric Carballo continually beat the Lions with dribble penetration that produced either a basket or a foul.
``We always feel like our guards can penetrate and dish off,'' Blassingill said. ``Tonight it worked out well.''
ROBIN BRINKLEY Churchland trumps IR with 10 treys
PORTSMOUTH - Churchland hit a tournament-record 10 3-pointers in breezing to a 72-54 victory over Indian River in the Southeastern District championship game at Churchland.
``I reminded them we had this tournament won last year and Indian River beat us at the buzzer. This was a chance to atone for that,'' said Churchland coach Mac Carroll.
D. J. Dunbar racked up 24 points to share game-scoring honors with teammate Marvin Rodgers. Both hit on four 3-pointers.
Point guard Mike Holland added the other 3-pointers as Churchland (20-4) won its first district tournament since 1968.
James Boyd paced the Braves (16-7) with 18 points. Dunbar, who scored 53 points in Churchland's three victories, was picked as the tournament's most valuable player.
BILL LEFFLER Willie lifts Warriors to title
SMITHFIELD - Antoine Willie did it again.
With nine seconds left, Willie sank a 3-pointer to lift Nansemond River to a 55-52 victory over Lakeland in the championship game of the Bay Rivers District tournament at Smithfield.
Franklin earned the final berth into the Region I tournament with a 70-62 win over Southampton in the consolation final.
A jumper by Maurice Fofana gave the Warriors a 50-49 edge with 5:13 to play, then both teams hit a dry spell. The Cavaliers sent the Warriors to the foul line four times during the next three minutes, yet Nansemond River could hit just two of eight free throws. Lakeland managed just one of three, and the margin was 52-50 with just more than two minutes to play.
Sebastian Yates hit a layup with 1:33 left to tie the game.
Nansemond River couldn't convert on the other end and John Ricks grabbed the rebound for the Cavaliers, but Montoria Valentine intercepted a pass and the Warriors set up for the game winner.
The entire Nansemond River bench was shouting for a timeout when Willie, who finished with 20 points, pulled up and let loose the game-winner.
DENISE MICHAUX ILLUSTRATION: Photo by JOSEPH JOHN KOTLOWSKI, Staff
Maury's Shaun Jackson, left, battles Toweh Ketter for a rebound in
Granby's 63-58 victory Friday.
by CNB