Thursday, January 28, 2010
Barnettes lead Salem to win
varsity.roanoke.com
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The father of Salem High basketball twins Reggie and Stephen Barnette stopped by the scorer's table after Wednesday night's epic with Cave Spring and asked if anybody had turned in a stray cell phone. The answer wasn't the one he was hoping for.
That's too bad. He probably had some calls to make to tell people about the ball his boys played against the Knights in a match featuring two 2008-09 VHSL state finalists.
The two high-flying seniors combined for 32 points, 25 rebounds, five assists and three steals as the Spartans edged Cave Spring 53-51 to avenge an earlier defeat and throw the top spot in the River Ridge District standings into a deadlock.
"They are a tremendously difficult matchups," Cave Spring coach Billy Hicks said of the Barnettes.
"They get their hands on so many balls and they keep everything alive around the basket. They're almost impossible to box out because of their quickness and jumping ability."
The first game between the two Jan. 7 was just as tight -- 49-48, Knights -- but couldn't have been any more thrilling. This time, the Spartans had to rally from a 10-point third-quarter deficit then weather the remainder of a contest that included five ties and six lead changes going down the stretch.
"Honestly, every game in our district is like this," Salem coach Kevin Garst said. "It doesn't matter who you're playing. Teams are so well-prepared, so well-coached. The kids play hard. They're good physically, especially the second time around when they know each other that much better."
Salem took the lead for good when point guard Bud Tolliver buried a pair of foul shots with 1:05 left to make the score 51-49. Reggie Barnette subsequently missed the back end of a couple of one-and-ones at 17.8 seconds and 8.5 seconds to allow the Knights to maintain hope.
Cave Spring guard Quentin Dill nailed a pair of foul shots with 3.1 seconds left to make the final margin, but that would be the end of the scoring.
Knight Mark Overstreet hit the rim on a last second long-distance heave with 6-foot-11 teammate Josh Henderson lurking for the putback, but time ran out before the big man could collect his 15th rebound and add to his 21-point scoring total.
"What a phenomenal player," said Stephen Barnette of Henderson.
Similar wording could also apply to the Barnette twins. Reggie Barnette had 18 points and 13 rebounds and Stephen chipped in 14 points, 12 rebounds, and a blocked shot.
"We got give our coach credit," Stephen said.
"All week long he's been beating it into our heads that we could beat this team. That kind of got us fired up. He told us nobody out there believed we could beat them and the only ones that do are in this room right here. "
Clay Lacy contributed 11 points and six rebounds for Cave Spring.
Henderson was in the thick of it all night, taking advantage by making it to the free throw line, where he went 9-for-10.
CAVE SPRING (13-3, 5-1)
Dill 1 4-6 6, Overstreet 2 0-0 5, Hager 3 0-0 8, Lacy 5 0-0 11, Henderson 6 9-10 21, White 0 0-0 0, Jacobson 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 13-16 51
SALEM (11-5, 5-1)
Tolliver 2 2-4 7, R. Barnette 6 5-8 18, S. Barnette 7 0-2 14, Carroll 1 0-0 3, Belton 2 0-0 4, Haskins 2 0-1 4, Mann 1 0-0 3, Tiedeman 0 0-0 0, Bradley 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21 7-15 53.
Cave Spring 12 16 12 11--51
Salem 12 12 16 13--53
3-point goals -- Cave Spring 4 (Hager 2, Overstreet Lacy), Salem 4 (Tolliver, R. Barnette, Carroll, Mann). Total fouls -- Cave Spring 12, Salem 18.
JV -- Cave Spring 48-34
