The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, March 02, 1978, Page Page 12, Image 12
Sports
Mayotte co
By MIKE HUNT
Asst. Sports Editor
The USC tennis.team has Duke
and Virginia to thank for a good
deal of its success over the past
three seasons.
"I applied to only three schools,"
said Carolina's number one singles
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looking for an education more than
tennis at the time, but I didn't get
into Duke or Virginia."
And he has not done badly at his
third choice school. Named NCAA
All-American and the Gamecocks
most valuable player last season,
Mayotte was also ranked as
number one singles player in the
nation in the 21 and under division
while compiling an amazing 22-3
record.
And this past weekend, Mayotte
finished first in the Princeton
Indoor Championships. He won the
quarter finals 6-3, 6-2 over Princeton's
John Gross, the semi-finals
over Yale's Matt Doyle 6-3, 6-7, 6-3,
anu me unais over highly ranked 1
freshman Jay Lapidus.
"It took me a couple of matches
to realize how I was doing. I didn't
think I would win because I wasn't
ready for the tournament mentally,"
he said, referring to the few
cold weather preparation matches
Carolina participated in before
Princeton.
AC!C tmirri ?im
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There are few sports events in
the United States which compare
with the total excitement of the
Atlantic Coast Conference
basketball tournament. This year
is no exception as five of the seven
teams which comprise the conference
(North Carolina, N.C.
State, Virginia, Wake Forest and
Duke) are among the nation's top
20 teams.
Yet, the thing which distresses
me about the ACC is the failure of
the conference in the NCAA
tournament. It seems the teams in
the ACC value the conference
tournament more than they value
the only meaningful collegiate
tournament, the NCAA. Only two
teams, North Carolina in 1957, and
N.C. State in 1974, have gone ail the
way to ?-?o innoi title
v ait icasuiia vvny me
has suffered in the NCAA tournament.
First and foremost, the
rivalries are intense during the
regular season and the teams then
meet each other for one last time in
the ACC tournament. No wonder
the teams are worn out by the time
they get to the NCAA tournament.
SECONDLY, even the teams
which do well during the regular
season are not guaranteed of an
invitation to the NCAA because of
ACC policy of letting all of the
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tournament.
Two years ago Virginia won the
ACC tournament even after
finishing the regular season near
the bottom of the standings. Since
the Cavaliers won the ACC tournament
they automatically
received a bid to the NCAA tournament.
The net result was
Virginia's defeat in the first round
of the NCAA tournament.
ntrihiites tr
YET COLI) WEATHER doesn't
seem to bother Mayotte, at least
the northern version. "Down here,
the winters are dry and stinging,"
said the Springfield, Mass. junior.
"I really like the snow up north.
Other than missing the snow, he
has had little trouble adjusting to
the South. "I don't like to make
'California is the best place
But the South is getting stroi
generalizations. People are
people. You have your basic jerks
i_.
ana your Dasic good people, no
matter where you go," he said.
Mayotte has had even greater
ease at fitting in with the Carolina
tennis program. "When I came
down here, I didn't think I would
improve as much as I did," he said
reflecting on his career of starting
out number five as a freshman to
moving up as number one on a
I earn that plays seven teams in the
(op 20.
MAYOTTE SAID he believes the
south is a good place for one to
improve his tennis game. "The
college competition is stronger
down here than in the north," he
ient needs imp
Virginia went to the NCAA
tournament on the basis of their
play in three games in the ACC
tournament regardless of their
play during the 12 game regular
season. Though the Cavaliers were
rewarded for winning the ACC
tournament with an NCAA bid,
other teams which did well in the
regular season were penalized.
A POSSIBLE solution to this
problem would be to have only four
spots in the ACC tournament.
Teams which played well enough
in the regular season would be
given an invitation to the ACC
tournament. As it stands now, the
d-r\ o 11.
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by Matt Ward
ACC allows all of its teams to play
in the tournament without regard
to their record during the regular
season.
This would be similar to the
National Basketball Association
allowing all of its teams to compete
in the playoffs. It would take away
all of the importance of the
regular season. The ACC should
rectify this situation by inviting
only the top four teams intrt the
tournament.
) USC tenn
said comparing North Carolina,
NC State, Miami and Georgia (o
Yale and Princeton. "California is
the best place to play for a
collegiate. But the south is getting
stronger."
With the pressure to repeat a
sensational sophomore year and
to play for a collegiate,
iger.'
?Chris Mayotte
the strains of being a business
administration major, Mayotte
seems to view his situation rather
calmly. "I just do what I've got to
do.
"I have to be disciplined to be a
student-athlete, but I don't consider
myself as a deadbeat. I enjoy
going out on weekends," he said.
ANI) THAT, perhaps, is the
aspect of normal campus life he
misses most during tennis season.
"I'd like to spend a few more
weekends on campus. When we get
done with the fall season, it's nice
to have 2-6 in the afternoon fo
yourself. Now, I can't come in and
take a nap like the normal student
because of tennis practice," he
said.
movement
This would make the regular
season extremely meaningful as
every game would have importance
as to who would make the
four positions in the tournament. It
would also help the ACC in sending
the best representatives to the
NCAA tournament. There would be
no more Virginia episodes.
The only reason why the ACC
does not have just four teams
compete in the tournament is
because all of the teams might like
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vu iuiiv uuiuniagc Ul IIIC lllUIiey
offered at the ACC tournament.
ANOTHER possible solution the
ACC should possibly consider is
that the team which wins the
regular season title should be
granted an automatic bid to the
NCAA tournament. If a team can
win the regular season title after
piaying 1 z times against ACC
competition it should be rewarded
for its fine play.
Though the NCAA usually grants
an invitation to the team which
wins the regular season title it is
not bound to do so. For example,
when Carolina was a member of
the ACC the Gamecocks finished
the 1969-70 season with a 25-3
overall record and were undefeated
in ACC play during the
regular season Th#>
however,
lost in the finals of the
ACC tournament to N.C. State and
were not invited to the NCAA or
NIT tournaments because of their
one loss in the1 conference tournament.
The ACC tournament is a great
event and the basketball played is
top notch. Yet, changes should be
implemented so the ACC can get its
best teams to the NCAA tournament
and begin to claim its fair
share of national championships.
is leam
Yet, being an All-American,
Mayotte doesn't believe hds
treated any different from the
normal student. "I'm not a famous
person. Only the people who follow
tennis and my friends keep up with
my records," he said.
Mayotte said he has enjoyed his
stay at USC. "Of course, tennis
has been the highlight. I would
really like to see us do well in the
NCAA's.
"But it was also great beating
Notre Dame (in basketball 65-60).
It was unbelievable."
As for the future, Mayotte said
he would like to play the pro circuit
for the first couple of years out of
college. "I know what it takes to
make it. It's just a matter of doing
it," he said.
Intramural game of we
Third ranked
no.4 Columb:
By BRETT FRIEDLANDER
Gamecock Staff Writer
Third-ranked Maxcy survived a
number four Columbia Hall to clai
basketball action Monday night at <
"It was a good game," said Mi
derwood. "They're ranked number
wouldn't be up there."
The first half was highlighted by tl
Underwood and Anthony Counts. Co
with hot freethrow shooting pnH final
Parham layup at the buzzer.
MAXCV JUMPED OUT to a 10 \
remaining to play. During that str<
Hall 13 to 3, and at one point scored se
Columbia Hall came back after a
points on a basket and a three point i
another time out, Maxcy stretched itf
points at 39-28 with 4:15 left in the gar
Refusing to fold, Columbia Hall pul
remaining. After a foul on Columb
coach Jim Pitts was called for a tec
two free points and the ball.
Maxcy's Jeff Archie missed the fro
Brown hit a ten foot lump shot to
points. Another technical foul on Ma
with 25 seconds to go.
ARCHIE was again fouled with 17!
first shot of a one-and-one. Columbia
the rebound and gave his team a <
seconds remaining.
But with only five seconds remaini
Paul Brown, who had a game high 1
ana tne nail went back to Maxcy.
When Cohen Greer was fouled I
Columbia Hall's hopes were still aliv
until then, calmly sank both free thr<
"There was some pressure on me,'
and there's nobody in my face, so I s
The win gives Maxcy a 6-0 recon
dormitory division. Columbia Hall i
"I think we're even with that team,
Hand. "I thought we did well coming
play with them."
A.D. Underwood led Maxcy with
tributori nino HirtK e?
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with nine points and Terry Parham
According to Maxcy's coach Pitt
team's rebounding strength. "A! .D.,
Williams) controlled the boards we
them in the game along with poor fou
a real good team; they're well coa<
them before it's all decided," said
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unris Mayotte
ek
Maxy tops
ia Hall 45-41
furious last minute rally from
m a 45-41 victory in intramural
the P.E. Center.
ixcy's leading scorer A.D. Unfour.
If they weren't good, they
le rebounding of Maxcy forwards
lumbia Hall kept the game close
tly tied the game at 20 on a Terry
joint 33-23 advantage with 10:13
etch Maxcy outscored Columbia
;ven straight points.
time out to close the gap to five
)lay by Bob Henderson. But after
> lead back to a seemingly safe 11
ne.
lied within seven with one minute
ia Hall's Scott Farnum, Maxcy
rhnical foul giving the opposition
nt half of a one-and-one, and Paul
pull Columbia Hall within three
xcy closed the gap to two points
seconds left and again missed the
Hall's Chuck Gurkin pulled down
chance to tie the game with 10
ing on the clock, Columbia Hall's
9 points, was called for traveling
before the ball was inbounded,
e. But Greer, who had not scored
>ws to put the game out of reach.
" said Greer. "But it's a free shot
said to myself why not make it."
i and the sole leadership of the
now stands 4-1.
" said Columbia Hall coach Steve
back like we did. It shows we can
18 points and Jeff Archie conibia
Hall were Brown, Henderson
i with eight.
s, the key to the game was his
Anthony Counts, and Kico (Eric
11 tonight. Their foul shots kept
1 shooting on our part. But they're
:hed. You will see a lot more of
Pitts