THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 21, 1996 TAG: 9602210571
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REA FARMER AND PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
Lavar Griffin was the wall that Great Bridge hit every time the Wildcats tried to break back into contention in a Southeastern District boys basketball tournament first-round game at Deep Creek Tuesday night.
When Great Bridge cut the deficit to four points in the first quarter, Griffin made three steals, grabbed a rebound and scored four points to spark an Oscar Smith run. He finished with 33 points, including five 3-pointers, to boost Oscar Smith to a 98-81 victory.
Third-seeded Oscar Smith (14-8) will play Deep Creek (14-6), which defeated Wilson 68-48, Thursday at 6 p.m.
``I just go out there and play,'' Griffin said. ``I try to be unselfish. I'm only a junior, but I've still got to be a leader. I just want to win.''
Griffin and Wildcats' Steve Hargrow traded 3-pointers in the first half, resulting in a 25-22 Tigers' halftime lead. Oscar Smith then opened the third quarter with a 19-8 run.
The Wildcats (7-14) cut the deficit to eight in the third quarter as Mike Cuddyer netted seven straight points. Griffin stepped in, powering nine points to put the game away.
``It was the best offensive display we've had all year,'' Oscar Smith assistant coach Shannon Smith said. ``Lavar Griffin stepped up big time inside. The guys played up to a different level.''
Hargrow manned several Wildcats charges, posting six 3-pointers with 28 total points.
``Steve had a good game,'' Great Bridge coach Martin Oliver said. ``Our two sophomores also had a good game. (Oscar Smith) is quick. They take advantage of what they do well. To beat Smith, you've got to handle their pressure defense. If you don't, you're in trouble.''
Mydrione Halsey also spelled trouble for the Tigers, scoring 25 points with seven rebounds.
In other tournament games:
Indian River 79, Norcom 42: The quick hands of guard David Selby forced the Greyhounds out of their slow-down style and helped the top-seeded Braves win their 15th in a row.
Indian River (19-3) will face Churchland in the semifinals Thursday at Oscar Smith.
Norcom, burned badly by trying to run with the Braves in a pair of blowout losses earlier this season, used their half-court sets Tuesday. The tactic worked early, as strong inside play by Jon Jamal Price helped the Greyhounds pull to within two late in the second quarter.
But Selby made three straight steals in the final 90 seconds of the half to fuel an 11-0 run that expanded a 22-20 Indian River lead to 33-20 at the break. The Braves also had a 13-0 spurt to close out the third quarter.
``That's our answer (to slow-down tactics),'' said Selby, who finished with 27 points, one short of his season high, and six steals. ``I was going for the steal every time. We made 'em play out of control.''
Indian River's Jason Capel finished with 17 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, while James Boyd added 11 points. Price led the eighth-seeded Greyhounds (2-18) with 16 points.
Churchland 63, Western Branch 46: Jermaine Turner scored 12 of his 15 points in the first half as the fourth-seeded Truckers overcame a sluggish start to win for the eighth time in their last 10 games. The defending tournament champion Truckers (12-9) scored only 18 points in the half, as the fifth-seeded Bruins neutralized Churchland's inside game by double-teaming center Jason Lewis.
Turner's shooting made the Bruins extend defensively, which opened up the paint for Lewis and Sadiki Tingling. Tingling finished with a game-high 17 points and 16 rebounds; Lewis added 10 points and 16 rebounds.
Kris Archer led the Bruins (5-17) with 13 points. David Fanning added 11.
Deep Creek 68, Wilson 48: The second-seeded Hornets were sluggish in the opening minutes, needing a tapped-in basket at the buzzer to grab a 16-11 first-quarter lead.
Deep Creek slowly built the lead in the second quarter and cruised to the win. The Presidents (3-18) were unable to close to within 10 points in the second half.
Jovan Artis led the attack with 15 points, Antonio Rhodes scored 13 and Chad Sorrell hit 12.
Wilson's Rahn Sykes scored 15; Perez Bottoms was held to 10. ILLUSTRATION: VICKI CRONIS
Photo
VICKI CRONIS/The Virginian-Pilot
Deep Creek's Antonio Rhodes has Wilson's Donald Wells airborne and
works on Perez Bottoms.
by CNB