Struggled through a losing season

Th e LBC Flames finished their 198081 basketball season with an increase in NCAA Division Icompetition and a 5-19 season record.

"How do you improve on a 28-11record and an NCCAA championship?

It isn't easy to improve on achampionshipseason," said Head Basketball Coach Dale Gibson

"When ateam moves up theladderof competition year after year," said LBC Athletic Director Terry Don Phillips, "somewhere,sometime,someone has to bitethe bullet of defeat—Coach Gibson bitthat bullet this year."

LBC lostseven players from the197980 national championship team,fiveof whom were starterson the squad With thesefivestarters gone, 62percentof the scoring was also lost as well as much senior leadership experience.

The 1980-81 team, however, had no seniors, sotheentireteam will return for the 1981-82season.

The Flames'1980-81seasonopener was against Bluefield State College,inBluefield, W.Va The Flames fell to the Big Blues, 123-96. The losssnapped the1980 season-ending 11 game winning streak.

The Flames'next challenge, however, broughtwith itthesweet taste of victory inan overtime battleinwhich LBC came out on top84-81 overLincolnUniversity. Steve Isaacs led the way for theFlames, shooting71percentfrom thefieldwitha totalof 34 points for thegame

With a 1-1 record behind them, the Flames took to the road for the Long- wood College Classic in Farmville,Va

The tournament consisted of two games which the Flames split,beating FriendshipCollegeby a scoreof78-75and then falling to their host, Longwood,69-59

With an even record of 2-2, LBC challenged Samford University, an NCAA Division Iteam The Flames were playinginSeibertCourtinBirmingham, Ala

The Flames came out smoking with the first three baskets for their biggest lead ofthe game They held the leadfor the first five minutes,but never saw it again.Freshmen guard Greg McCauley led the Flames' first halfscoringwith 10 buttheBulldogswereahead by a score of 37-31 atthehalf. Freshman forward RonnieCarter paced the Flames overallwith

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Young team struggles

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17 points and 6 rebounds. Cold shooting halted the LBC attack inthe second half The Flames shot only 36 percent from the floor* in thegame and went down to the Bulldogs,89-68

The Flames came home to Lynchburg for an eight-game homestead duringthe Christmas break Radford University was the Flames' first opponent Trying to avenge a defeat at the hands ofthe Highlanders from the previous season, LBC fought tothefinish When theclock ticked offthe final second,the scorewas 61-60 This was one of several close games the Flames would lose Steve Isaacs pulled down 11 rebounds tolead the defensive attack while sharing the lead in team scoring with Greg McCauley at14 points each.

The second game of the homestand was another close contest RandolphMacon wastheopponent andonce again LBC came up short by a score of70-68

The Pepsi-Cola Invitational tournament was next on the schedule. Inthe firstgame theFlames faced the Defenders from Baptist Bible College and won thecontest, 55-52.Steve Isaacs was busy both defensively and offensively, pulling down nine rebounds andshooting70 percent from the field for a total of26 points

The Flames evened their invitational record at 1-1 in another close contest when they fell tothePioneers ofGlenville State by a score of 56-54. Isaacs again led the way in scoring with 16 points and sophomore forward Kent Kelly followed with14

The halfway point of the homestand matched up theFlames and thePilgrims ofNew England College. TheFlamesfell short again with a final score of72-59.

The Bowie State game wasaprime example of a close contest that ended in defeat forLBC The Bulldogs were cold in first half shooting,hitting only 10 of 34 shots,yetthey stillheld thehalftime lead 27-25 The second half wasa different story astheBulldogs hit13 of 19 to slipby the Flames 50-49.Daryl Richardson led the Flamese' defensive attack with 10rebounds and Steve Isaacsled the scoring with 15points

Kent Kelly, a sophomore forward, scores two of hisfive points against the Virginia Techdefense. The Flamestrailed by eight after the first 20 minutesand fell by a score of 91-67.

The Flames wrapped up their holiday homestand as they fell toConcord College 62-52 and squeezed by Eastern College 80-79

The Flames were on theroad againto Buies Creek, N.C., in early January. There they faced the NCA A Division I Campbell University Camels. Daryl Richardson paced theFlames inthe first half with 11 points yet the score found LBC trailing 49-39 after the first20minutes. Flames shooting cooled offin the second half and theFlames dropped the contest 94-83 Steve Isaacs set the pace with 26 points and 8 rebounds

Virginia Tech wasthe next NCA A opponent the Flames faced. The Hokies, who hadbeen intheNCA A playoffs for the last two years, had everything in their favor They were on their home courtinCassell Coliseum inBlacksburg They turned the Flames away for thesecond straight year.LBC, trying toavenge the previous season's 101-88 loss, fell short,91-67. Steve Isaacs led the Flames squad with 27 points and 9 rebounds

The next three games were at home but the Flames dropped the three contests to Bluefield State, West Virginia (continued on page 126)

Guard Mike Hollis, a 5-foot 9-inch junior, is stopped in his tracks by Tim Lewisand David Bennett. Hollis dishedout fourof his season total of 118assists which was second only to Mark Swift (120).

Kentucky

Youn g team struggles

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Wesleyan and Guilford College.

Johnson City, Tenn., was thehome of theFlames nextNCAA Division I opponent East Tennessee State downed the Flames53-30. The scorereflectedthe cold shooting by both teams,but the Buccaneers proved to be too much for their Division II opponents. With 9:43 remaining inthefirst half, EastTennessee went ahead to stay and the Flames' record dropped to5-14.

The Flames traveledback tothe Liberty Multi-Purpose Center for the last home game of the season. Longwood trounced the Flames 92-79 despite the Flames'hitting 68 percent of theirfield goals.

On theroad again. This time to Huntington, W Va., to play the Division I MarshallUniversityThundering Herdat the Memorial Fieldhouse Marshall got off to aslow start and onlyledby a score of 22-20 midway through the first half. However, LBC saw trouble in the last five minutes of the half when Steve

Isaacs received his third personal foul Liberty trailed by 15 atthe intermission and lostthe contest by a score of75-63.

The Flames dropped the next two games in Belmont, N.C.,and Chattanooga, Tenn.

The final game of the season was a rematch against Radford University in which LBC's Mark Swift played a key role. Attempting toavenge an earlier defeat of onepoint, LBC sentthegameinto overtimewith a 15-footjumper by Swift in the final seconds. The Flames were finally defeated 79-71 toend the season with 11 straight losses

Coach Gibson had announced his resignation earlier in the season but completed histhird year ashead coach Gibson compiled a48-46careercoaching record and brought an NCCAA National championship toLBC.

The Flames basketball team went through trialsand disappointments, but the future looked bright All of the team's 11 players would return for the 1981-82 season with an added year of experience

-Tracy

Melanie May goes overdefenders for an easy two points. May scored 12 pointsand pulled down 11 rebounds in the victory over Clinch Valley College.

Guard Cami Coulter, a 5-6 freshman, looks for an open teammate asshebrings the ball downcourt against Bridgewater College.

The Lady Flames' leading scorer, Brenda Gunsallus, putsup an 18-footer against Bridgewater College. Gunsallus was selected to the VAIAW State District II team.