Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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...sports r?:n r a? diii rosier i By Johnny Boggs , Two months and three days after un- J dergoing heart surgery, USC Head Basketball Coach Bill Foster said he felt "a i little tired," but otherwise OK after his t return to the Gamecock bench. "I felt a little apprehensive before the game," the 52-year-old coach said shortly ' after USC whipped Holy Cross 85-59 1 Saturday. "I tried to control my emotions, and the applause I got when I came out felt 1 good." ? When Foster walked onto the court about 2 1/2 minutes before the game started, he received a standing ovation from the s sDectators in Carolina Coliseum. 1 FOSTER, WHO suffered a heart attack } shortly after the Gamecocks upset Purdue j Dec. 11 and underwent quadruple coronary bypass surgery a few days later, said he is gradually building his strength to take over j as head coach. During his recuperation, Assistant Coach StPVP Stpiriu/fvfal ic ar?tir?c? Vionrl nnnnli v MVw?a*? au MVVlIlg II\/UU WaVAI. 4 Steinwedel said he made all coaching decisions in Saturday's game. Foster worked his way from not listening to the games at all to listening to them on the radio and then to watching the USC Clemson game on television. This culminated in his sitting on the bench Saturday. But he said he wasn't sure if he L ;; vi.' t - -Ml; ^ \ ; : \ w<r. t RnrLu Pnrbor nulls nn hnr rlrihtiln unit Innlra t?i wuvnj mi nui |iuaitf u|i nui uiimuiu unu iwwnu tv g Saturday night's game. The Lady Gamecocks defea Birmingham 73-71. Carolina punishes with worst beatir By Johnny Boggs After playing "about as good a half as we've played all year," USC acting Head Basketball Coach Steve Steinwedel said his Gamecocks are definitely postseason material. "I thought the second half was about as good of basketball as we've played all year," Steinwedel said after USC trounced Hnlv f!rr?ss RF?-F?Q in flnrnlinn Pnlispnm Saturday. "We had six turnovers in the first half and only had four in the second. "I don't think any other team has beaten Holy Cross that badly except Ohio State. I think this win will have a definite bearing on NCAA possibilities, for which I think we are very much in the running." use IIEAI) COACH Bill Foster, on the bench for the first time since suffering a heart attack Dec. 11, also said the win will increase Carolina's chances of a National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament bid. "I think that will have an effect on our NCAA hopes," Foster said. "I think we are definitely in the running." <m Holy Cross Head Coach George Blaney said the Gamecocks are a good team, but added that "overall team speed might be a problem somewhere down the line. . "However, they run so much, the speed factor is iiotjiptkttable.'' returns to vould be on the bench for the rest of the season. 'Tve got to see hew things go," he said. "I still don't have a timetable yet. There are still some things I can't do myself." THE THIRD-YEAR USC coach said hJ;. ioctors were cooperative in his decision to sit on the bench. "They wanted to see how I felt about it," tie said. "I felt it wasn't a bad idea to give it a try. But I was concerned about my family, and my doctors were concerned about me.'' Holy Cross Head Coach George Blaney said he was also glad to see Foster back on he sidelines. "Coach Foster has helped many coaches nore than any other in the coaching raternity," Blaney said. "AND THE COACHING fraternity is not mown for having members help one mother. I was happy to see him back. "On the other hand, I wasn't too excited about the way his team played." The Gamecocks delivered Holy Cross its worst defeat of the year. Foster said he wasn't sure when he will be able to resume his job fulltime. "I'm not worried about it," he said. "Time will tell. Right now, I'm pleased to have 17 wins." Lady Gam SBy Johnny Boggs Coach Terry Kelly said his1 basketball team needs to get a winning track if th< Gamecocks are to get a po tournament bid. And Saturday afternoon, got the win ? but it didn't co Alabama-Birmingham over* 11-point deficit in the second Dulled to within one noint la ASSBK game before USC finally won ! "We needed a win," Kelly s Wfc w need to win a lot down the aflfv Every game has been impor &E*1* they get more important to "Now every game is of th importance to us." The Lady Gamecocks, 12-1 to the University of North Cc }? - Charlotte Wednesday, and K UNC-Charlotte is "a team beat us. "We haven't played well a\ i pass during home. We need a good, solid g ited Alabama- Senior forward Becky Par scored a season high 19 poin > WH UdOUCIS tg of season THE GAMECOCKS NEVER trailed in the contest, but Blaney said he thought his PnicaHorc holnoH ITQf""c pmico hi; f aUnrt V/A MUMVtV* U tlVl^VU U/kJV/ U VC?UOV WJ bad shots. "We were impatient with our shot selection and pretty much took ourselves out of the game," Blaney said. "Carolina showed they were much stronger than we were. They got every important rebound and executed offensively better than we did." THE WIN IMPROVED USC's record to 17-7, while the Crusaders suffered their worst defeat of the year and dropped to 1311. Carolina took a 36-27 halftime lead. The Gamecocks continued to build their advantage, and were ahead 77-53 ? their largest lead of the night ? with just under three minutes left in the game. USC played its entire 14-man squad, with 11 of those players scoring. Kenny Holmes paced Carolina with 20 points ? 15 in the first half. Jimmy Foster added 18 and pulled down 15 rebounds, while Gerald Peacock scored 15. Chris Logan scored 20 points to lead Holy Cross, while Jim Runcie added 15 in a losing cause. The Gamecocks play hoat to Georgia Southern Wednesday and follow with games against- Marquette, Florida State and DePaul. Gamecock I .*i"' ^imlfc^nMftfihW v>.y; : *-' ...... ; J - 3"'; j-' ^ - ; ^ .. >|m ~ ~~ ?'-":J V - gs|ry/^fy X-;-*flflilll|ip;:;:s-: ? JW USC Head Basketball Coach Bill Foster returnee time since suffering a heart attack on Dec. 11. ecocks earn 'imp Carolina Saturday, said the Lady women's Gamecocks need to get back on a Kos>lr winning track for th#?m tn mnltp tho uaviv vii o - - v"'l/ 2 Lady National Invitational Tournament. stseason "I think we are out of the NCAAs unless we beat Old Dominion," she Carolina sa^- "Of course, everything is me easy. possible." a" After Wednesday's game, USC half and travels to Florida for a three-game ite in the roa(j Saturday through Monday 73-71. facing Stetson, Florida International aid. "We and Miami. i stretch. Saturday, the Lady Blazers out tant, but scored USC 21-12 during the last seven ward the minutes of the same. Kellv said his team didn't "goblank," but the shots e upmost weren't falling. "We shot; they just weren't going 10, travel in?" he said. "While UAB was scoring irolina at four or five times in a row, we were telly said shooting four or five times, but they that can weren't going in. "We're back on a winning streak,' vay from Parker said. "Hopefully, we can wir ;ame." away from home." ker, who UAB Head Coach Avie Bridges said ts to lead she thought her team was canahta ol r?? --I y JF^Pl i--^P ' H^,...JIK? \ 7 ' . V * JHr 9 . USC's Kenny Holmes jumps above the reach, of h J a _ _a_ _ vi . n . i. . < ouring aaiuraay mgnx s game, ine uamecocKS oeai lench 1 '::-^-JJLLir:~' 7:_\-L~-I,:^ -- -" ^ vhF ppP^2 Photo by Dave Criml?y I to a Carolina basketball game for the first ortant' victory winning even when it was behind 11 points. "Over the whole season, we've been a come-from-behind team," the second-year head coach said. "Normally, we start one half sluggish, then play better. "We beat Florida State, ranked 20th, by two, and we were down by 20 with 13 minutes left. The Blazers shut down USC's inside game, Bridges said, but Carolina's outside game beat them. "I feel the inside game is the most important, and most of the time the outside game won't beat you," Bridges said. "I still agree with that as long as you play on the other end of the floor. We just weren't aggressive on our offensive end of the floor." In addition to Parker's 19 points, freshman Sharon Gilmore had 16. Marsi McAlister pumped in 14 for the Lady Gamecocks, while freshman Gwen Lynch scored 10. The Lady Blazers, 12-11, were paced by Sonya Meadows' 26 points. Linda | Earls contributed 15, and Kathy Betz added 11. Photo by Dave Griml*y is. defender and releases a orb handed shot Holy Cross 85-59.