Dazzle Switch Strategy to Stop Skid

The Dazzle rallied in the second half for an 87-81 victory over Fayetteville at the Roanoke Civic Center, as Roanoke coach Kent Davison employed a 6-foot-5 power forward at crunch time.

Davison got some advice two days earlier from a player he coached in junior college -- Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Keith Smart, for whom Davison worked as a CBA assistant coach two seasons ago in Fort Wayne, Ind.

"Keith said to take the big ones out and put Marshall Phillips at the four spot," Davison said. "Then, [the Patriots] had to take their big ones out to match up. That made a difference. That, and we found some guys who believe. Now, we've got to find people like that every day, to keep working at it."

Phillips, who starts at small forward for the Dazzle (6-10), went to the basket in mismatches and finished with an impressive double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds. The former Appalachian State star made 12 of 14 free throws. Phillips' conversions at the stripe matched the NBDL season high of North Charleston's Fred House.

"Defense and a never-say-die attitude were the difference for us," Phillips said. "We got up and down the court quicker. I just decided to take it to the basket. You can't just keep shooting threes."

Fayetteville (5-13) had a 58-43 lead early in the third quarter, but the Dazzle rallied behind the play of Phillips and backup forward Jeff Boese, who had a personal-high 13 points and made a crucial steal near midcourt with 25 seconds left to seal the win. Roanoke outscored the Patriots 27-11 in the final quarter, with Phillips and Boese combining for 18 of those points.

"That steal by Jeff may have been the biggest play of the game," Davison said. "He played big for us, going on the floor for the ball, taking it to the hole and shooting the three (3-for-6 behind the arc)."

Roanoke, which came into the game averaging an NBDL high of more than 21 turnovers per game, committed only 12 -- and just three in the second half, none in the fourth quarter. Davison left 7-foot-2 Thomas Hamilton on the bench the entire fourth quarter, going without the only NBDL player averaging a double-double.

"We didn't control the game in the fourth quarter," said Fayetteville coach Nate "Tiny" Archibald, whose team is 1-8 on the road. "We threw the ball away (six turnovers), and we were helter-skelter and we didn't run any plays. They did what they had to do. They double-teamed our best post-up guy (John Strickland) and just took the game away from us."

The Dazzle had five double-figure scorers, led by Phillips' 21 points and 17 from Artie Griffin. The Patriots, who are off until returning to the Star City for another date with the Dazzle on Thursday night, had a double-double off the bench from Antwain Smith (21 points, 10 rebounds).

"The difference was that we played hard, and we played together," Boese said. "Marshall played the way we know he can play. He just dominated when he wanted to. Now, we have to get this thing back to .500 and go forward from there."

Roanoke again played without starter Danny Earl. The Roanoke point guard, who has an abdominal strain, missed Thursday's loss at Mobile as well. He is doubtful for Sunday night's Dazzle visit to Greenville.