Damascus, playing behind almost from the outset, took a one-point lead in the final three minutes and used the confidence borne of success to put away a homestanding Liberty team that is still working on that phase of its game.

Favored Damascus (19-5) did not expect to have to climb out of an early 17-6 deficit, but the Hornets were there at the end for a 39-36 victory over the Lions (13-10) in the first Class 3A, West Region action for both teams.

The Lions must be wondering how their shooting touches could have collectively evaporated, going from 70 percent in the first quarter to practically zero for the last eight minutes. It was enough to let the visitors back in the game.

Asia Haney led the winners with 10 points, including two three-pointers in the fourth quarter. The first cut the gap to 33-30, and the second made a tenuous one-point lead seem huge at 37-34 with 1: 42 to go.

Her backcourt mate, Adeline Abrue turned a rebound into the go-ahead basket, 34-33, at 3: 05, and then hit two foul shots for a 39-33 lead with 45 seconds on the clock.

Junior Jessica Roguski and sophomore Lauryn Smith shared high-scoring honors for the Lions with nine each. The eight points by senior standout Colleen Cox, the school's all-time scoring leader, marked only the fifth time in 23 games she failed to reach double figures.

Damascus now goes home to play Wheaton, a team it lost to earlier in the season, in one of tomorrow night's semifinals. In the other, Kennedy will be at the Walter Johnson-North Carroll winner.

The high-low points in Liberty's effort were in the first half.

Sparked by four Roguski baskets, the Lions went 7-for-10 from the field in the first eight minutes, building a 17-8 lead against a Damascus team that missed nine of its first 10 shots and was 4-for-13 for the quarter.

Liberty turned right around and made only two of 14 shots in the second quarter, but managed to hold on for a 22-16 advantage.

The visitors were on the comeback trail in the third quarter, however, closing to within 26-24 at one point, but they still trailed going to the fourth quarter, 31-26.

At that point, it is likely no one would have predicted Liberty going scoreless from the field until a Smith put-back with three seconds left. In between were three free throws -- and 19 missed shots.

"It was scary, but it was something we hoped we could fix," Damascus coach Steve Pisarski said of the opening minutes. "Liberty dominated the backboards. They came at us -- they decided they wanted it."

Pub Date: 3/03/99