Holy Cross rallies past Timberlake

Holy Cross coach John Laneve could afford to smile in the locker room afterward, joking that his team liked to live dangerously. The Gaels, using a 1-3-1 trapping defense, rallied from a 16-point first-quarter deficit for an 80-59 Virginia Independent Conference win over Timberlake at the Holy Cross gym.

Holy Cross, which improved to 14-6 overall and 9-3 in the VIC, made just two field goals in its first seven minutes as Timberlake built a 24-6 lead behind six points apiece from Travis Stickle and Jon Phillips. Preston Snell, who finished with a game-high 24 points, scored eight in a stretch that cut the margin, and the two teams were tied at 34 in the closing seconds of the first half.

Timberlake, now 10-8 overall and 2-7 in the VIC, actually regained a 32-22 edge in the second quarter on 3-pointers from Phillips and Stickle before Holy Cross tied it at the break. Bryan Lightner's four-point play gave the Gaels a 46-39 lead early in the third quarter, and Holy Cross pulled away from there against a cold-shooting Timberlake squad.

"We didn't react to the trap and we were playing tentatively," said Timberlake coach Tim Hill.

By Dave Thornton, Staff Writer
The News & Advance