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Owens By Rick Mohn Gamccock Staff! Wrttw wiui me origin promise ot tfte 1978 USC basketball season just a week away, Carolina fans are dreaming of a return to the glory days of 1969-1974, the peak years of Frank McGuire's era in Columbia. ;'^ :;'i ^Mf ^|p^,;.;:^^:-:>' : 1 _ ; : Tom Owens goes to the bat famous 1970-71 team against former Gamecocks Brian V Tom Boswell is a standout i , ? . ? I | I Join the Sai IIIIIRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIilllllllll , Wintc iwo oi tne piayers moat important in the success of those Carolina powerhouse teams, Tom Owens and Brian Winters, are now enjoying a success of their own in the National Basketball Association, NBA. Owens made the most famous Wmk ***** ^ -; i.. ^ HI , ^tRi." aKyvi < iket as a member of USC's ; Duke. Owens, along with Vinters, Alex English and In professional basketball. 1 iling Club Meeting on Wed. 30: >r?s har layup in Carolina history. With three seconds left in the 1971 ACC championship game, he received a miracle tap off a jump ball from Kevin Joyce, then wheeled to make the basket and beat North Carolina for the conference crown, 52-51. The skinny kid from New York was always somewhat in the shadow of his friend John Roche while he played at USC, 1969-1971. And at Portland the shadow was even deeper: he played behind Bill Walton. Now, with Walton gone, Owens has stepped into the limelight. "I'm having the best year of my pro career so far," the 6-10 center said last week from his hotel room in New York City. "I've started every game this year, and I'm averaging about twenty points and (An rphonnris a cnmp " Owens' team is not doing too badly either, all things considered. Two weeks ago the Blazers were 96 in the Pacific Division, one of the NBA's toughest, despite the fact that "injuries have really held us back," Owens said. "Maurice Lucas just rejoined the team after injuring his hand. He missed all of our first eleven games. Lloyd Neal and Bobby Gross have been hurt, too, and neither of them is playing now. So we've been hurting pretty bad." Most observers would say the departure of the NBA's best center must affect the team, too. But uwens aoesn i agree. "We really haven't made much mention of Bill. I mean, he's gone and there's nothing we can do now but play without him," he said. And if any team can do that, it is the Blazers. With Owens in the middle, Lucas at forward along. with rookie sensation Mychal Thompson, Portland's front line may best be described as awesome. Owens also expressed optimism for his alma mater's team this HIMIMHiMig ^ | , Nov. 29 - 8:00 = 2 Russell House ?? imnnnmiiilllllllllllllWIIiffltlin; in\7 ir? iY w A A Vto A I year. "I played with some of the players this summer, and Frank definitely has some talent there. Plus, his schedule is a little easier, so that should help. I hope they do well," he said. Winters, who played at USC from 1972-1974, has never had problems adjusting to pro basketball. After a successful rookie year with the Lakers, he went to Milwaukee in the Abdul-Jabbar trade. Since then he has been the leader of a bevy of young stars for the Bucks. He has already played in an All-Star game, and teamed with Marques Johnson to carry Milwaukee to the Western Conference finals last year. This season he is playing the same, but the Bucks aren't. "I'm averaging in the low twenties (points per game), but I'd trade that for winning more games," the accurate shooter said from his Milwaukee apartment, i "Our main problems in this poor start (6-13 two weeks ago) are road games and a big injury. Dave Meyers, who usually starts at one rorwara, nas a disc problem in his back, and they don't know when or , even if he'll play again. Also, i M PRATT & \ AIRCRAH a -it. _ - IM UIVISK UNITED TECh wili 01 INovemb to interview c for attractive oi in HIGH TEC! Consult your Pla< for degree and rani iiron An Equal Opportu >p nrnc fourteen of our games so far this season have been on the road, where it's hard to win." The Meyers injury has worse implications because of the absence of another former Gamecock. "Alex English was our third forward last year. With him gone to Indiana, our depth has really suffered," Winters said. "I wish we had him back. But we're not panicking. A bad start does not iicvcssoiii) mean wc wuii i inane the playoffs. We'll get it together." Like Owens, he sees good times for roundball fans at Carolina. "USC has more talent this year, along with a lot more height. I'll expect them to win twenty games," he said. The careers of these two men spanned the six greatest seasons in USC basketball history. Now they are doing what so many others taught by McGuire have done: made good in the pros. And they think their former coach and his program are both definitely back near the top. vmiNtY p: GROUP INOLOGIES I be I m er 30 Bb candidates [ l | pportunities pi j WOLOGY |Ck I I nity Employer