Winning teams not pumped up

December 27, 1998|By DAN SPEARS

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - What everyone had for Christmas dinner was obvious during Saturday's Martinsburg-Jefferson girls semifinal at the Blue Ridge Bank Holiday Shootout Saturday at Shepherd College.

The No. 6 Bulldogs got all the chocolate, and used their sugar high to take a big halftime lead and hold off the Cougars after they awakened from their postmeal nap, 64-45.

Martinsburg will face No. 10 Hedgesville in the girls final Monday at 7. The Eagles defeated Musselman, 25-22.

"This was a good team effort today," Martinsburg coach Don Bullett said. "Everybody did a real nice job and hustled to every ball. You do those things, and you'll get a lead like that."

The Cougars (2-4) were within five after one quarter, but simply couldn't handle the Martinsburg pressure in the second. The Bulldogs (2-2) got a 24-11 edge in the quarter behind nine points from Maggie Robinson and eight from LaToya Parks for a 40-23 halftime lead.

"We still had the opportunity to make it close," Jefferson coach Cheryl Roberts said. "We just didn't play with the intensity we should have."

They must have given that missing intensity to Robinson for the holidays. She finished with a game-high 22 points and 16 reboudns, including 10 on the offensive end. LaToya Parks added 18 points and eight steals. Brandi Helmick had 11 to lead the Cougars, and Sarah Hoffman-Benadom added 10.

In the second semifinal, the Eagles went 9-for-22 from the line. Musselman was 4-for-31 from the field in the first three quarters. The teams combined for 50 turnovers.

"It was a really ugly game," Hedgesville coach Denny Fiery said.

And it was exactly what Musselman coach Gary Orsini wanted.

"Our defense has been good throughout the year," Orsini said. "On any other night, giving up 25 points is going to get you a win."

The Applemen also got plenty of help from the Eagles at the line, where Hedgesville usually puts people away.

"I think it's a reflection of the way we played - very tentative," Fiery said. "Scared is also a good word to use."

|

|

|