THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 20, 1996 TAG: 9602200400
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
When Kempsville found the front door locked, the Chiefs simply went around back.
Kempsville, which came into the game ranked No. 2 among South Hampton Roads girls basketball teams, converted five back-door layups to put away feisty top-ranked Princess Anne 65-47 in the final minutes of the Beach District's last regular season matchup Monday night.
The teams, declared co-champions, will meet again at 7 p.m. tonight at Tallwood for the league's top region berth. The Chiefs (19-3, 14-2) also ascended to the top of the Virginian-Pilot poll with the victory. Princess Anne (19-3, 14-2), which has suffered all of its losses to Kempsville, fell to No. 2.
Kempsville carried a 45-36 lead into the fourth quarter before the Cavaliers trimmed the deficit to six with three unanswered baskets and a pair of free throws.
Plagued by cold outside shooting and foul trouble, Kempsville opted for plan two: spread the court and find the holes.
It worked. The Chiefs wore the Cavaliers down in the final 5:28 of the game with a 19-9 run.
``We were looking to score on our layups and cuts,'' Kempsville coach Greg Dunn said. ``It settled us down.''
In the first half, Kempsville made just 7 of 37 field-goal attempts - 18 percent. Princess Anne's full court man-to-man press agitated the Chiefs, who held a 12-11 advantage at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Princess Anne fell victim to foul trouble and allowed Kempsville to slowly pull away. The Chiefs connected on eight of 14 free throws and got a pair of treys from Lori Henn for a 28-17 halftime lead.
But Princess Anne held its own in the third quarter. Suwanna Taylor hit a 3-pointer and jumper, opening up the lane for Rasheda Rogers, who scored eight of her 15 points in the period and helped foul out two Chiefs - Toni Patillo, Kempsville's top rebounder, with 1:37 to play in the quarter and Charlette Fayton, who finished with 10 points, less than halfway through the fourth.
But by then, Princess Anne was in even worse trouble. The Cavaliers, who had four starters with four fouls, were tentative and were left with an inexperienced front line after Daminica Moody and Rogers fouled out.
Erin Duckett led Kemspville with 14 points.
Tonight's game marks the beginning of an exhausting week for the Chiefs and Cavaliers, who will play at least three games in as many days as the Beach District tournament starts Wednesday. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photos]
JIM WALKER
The Virginian-Pilot
Suwanna Taylor of Princess Anne, right, reaches over a fallen Tony
Patillo of Kempsville for a loose ball in their gorls basketball
Beach District showdown Monday.
by CNB