The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, March 27, 1985, Page Page 15, Image 15
| THE GAMECOCK Sports _ March 27, 1985 ? Page 15
I Lousy hoop season
leaves fans dribbling
i ^^"PEP^LK
While Metro Conference champion Memphis State is battling
it out in the NCAA college basketball tournament, where
are our Gamecocks? Reflecting upon an outstanding 15-13
i season? Countine their number of blue rhin ri?rriiii?,> Truino
w - " r O
" to figure out what that black glob is in the middle of the Coliseum's
basketball court?
Nope.
This past season's highlight film could probably be shown
during the evening news sports segment and still have time left
UMI .
A Keith James dunk here, a Mike Brittain blocked shot
there. But with the exception of an upset win over No. 3 Mem
phis State and some gutsy play by Michael Foster, the
Gamecocks showed little championship-quality material.
It's hard to believe that with the "talent" on this year's
squad, the Gamecocks could compile a road game losing
streak comparable to General Custer's Last Stand ? 11 times
I over.
But what's to be expected when the seven-foot Brittain can
be pushed around and outnlaved under the hnnrris hv mr??f
opponents?
Maybe we'll have someone who can rebound next year.
Alter all, Brittain will be gone.
If USC doesn't get that rebounder, fans can look forward to
a continued losing record on the road that may extend to home
games.
I wonder if Custer had any deserters among his ranks? Head
coach Bill F oster has had two players express their dissatisfac
tion with the amount of playing time they had ? one even
went as far as to leave the team.
The other, one of those highly touted freshman from the
k , high school basketball factoiy, Dunbar High School, is said to
P be seriously considering a move to another university.
At first, Foster said he would like to use the younger players
as the team's nucleus, but he still used a predominantly
veteran line-up when things got bad. Sorry, coach. We all
learned that a team can't capitalize on young talent if those
players see limited playing time.
As the successor to Frank McGuire in 1981, Foster came to
USC with the reputation as the savior to faltering basketball
programs. Successful programs arc not unusual for Foster,
? ho hns coiirlu'd inm>rv hi kiito*?rc 1 Itah nnlmin/l
here at Carolina.
I oster is the only coach in NCAA history to guide lour different
teams to 20-win seasons.
Carolina became the fourth school when, during the 1983
|, campaign, Foster directed the Gamecocks to a 22-9 record. It
seemed the savior had arrived.
But over the following two seasons, the Gamecocks seem to
have fallen apart. The program has seen better times under the
coach, despite attracting top-rated recruits.
l oster has one season left on his contract.
It it doesn't work out during the 1985-86 season,Coach, it
mignt oc iimc to look lor that tilth school to guide to another
20-win season.
Joe Sitarz is the assist am spur is editor of The Gamecock.
, Southers honored again
From Staff Report*
Brantley Southers has been named to the Kodak All-District
Three women's basketball
' as chosen by the
Women's Basketball Coaches
Association.
The
from Columbia's Dreher
ftr ^BBHM High School averaged 17.2
|P$*> points per game and pulled
& ^BEB t: \ down 6.9 rebounds per con9
I Jm test. I tic scoring average was
_ tops on the team, and the rey
'' bounding average was third
! ^ I best, behind Sharon Oilmorc
SI and Renee Najarin. Souther*
? 1/ n ? a
tinu siiui /o. / pcrccm irum
the free throw line, good for
rnttoy SoutKtrs "f,h in 'he ^e,r? c?n:
llt,? / . ference. She also finished
USC forward thr|rd jn ,hc confcrcnce in
scoring.
The rest of the all-district team includes Pam t puke nf
North Carolina; Tracy Claxton and former US C player
Medina Dixon of Old Dominion; and Linda Page of North
pt Carolina State. There were nine regional teams selected nationwide,
and the coaches will select the final All-American
squad Thursday.
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Another win
USC's Brian Barker competes yesterdi
College of Charleston, 8-1. The Gameco
a 14 3 rocord, travel to Montogomery,
in the Blue-Grey Championship.
USC plays i
From Staff Reports
USC's 14-5-3 softbaH team takes on
Eastern Illinois tomorrow in double
header action beginning at 2:30 p.m. at
Lady Gamecock Field by Weems
Bask in Track.
USC is ranked third in the National
Collegiate Athletic Association South
Region, behind Nicholls State and
Louisianna Tech.
The I.ady Gamecocks swept a
doubleheader with Ohio University
Monday, 5-1, 5-0.
In the first game, USC pitcher Grctchen
Koenig recorded eight strikeouts
and gave up two singles ? both to
Ohio's Patti I.oprowski ? to improve
her record to 3-1-2.
Carolina had six hits in the opener,
including a triple by Shirley Burton
and a double hv Cindv I ono
The Lady Gamecocks have been in a
mild hitting slump recently, and head
coach Lou Piel said her squad changed
its approach for the game.
"We set a specific number of hits we
wanted to get," she said. "The fact
that people realize that hitting is going
to be a kev was a nositive factor from
the games."
Piel said she saw the wins as a confidence
builder for USC.
"That's what we need," she said,
"is for the players to see that if they go
out and make things happen, that they
can relax and take a few chances on
defense instead of alwavs holdina their
breath,!,which it seems like they've
been doing alt the time lately."
In the second game, Lady
Gamecock pitcher Darlene Lowery,
10-4-1, threw her second no-hitter of
the season, allowing only one batter to
reach base on an error and throwing 11
strikeouts.
After tomorrow, USC travels to
East Carolina Saturday for another
HaiiKIA tt?iH /*
UUI1I/IV IIVHMVI I HUM IBBV1I IV MU1 III
Carolina for two more games. The
Lady Gamecocks return home Tuesday
to play Adelphi.
w- / - 9
r/
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JOE RICKER I The Gamecock
iy as the men's tennis team beat the
cks, ranked 15th in the nation, with
Ala., tomorrow to play Florida State
Joublehead
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USC's Sonya Smith round* third d
Ohio Univorsity Monday.
1 Baseball sauad
?a
faces Furman
By Joff Owens
Ranked 22nd in the nation by Collegiate
Baseball, USC will take its 18-6 record to
Greenville today to take on the 18-13 Furman
raiauui).
The Paladins have a good hitting team,
which has compliled a .314 team average and
hit 26 home runs. Bob Thomas and Paul
McBride, who alternate between first base
and the designated hitter, lead Furman at the
plate with eight home runs each. Catcher
Rock Hurst has six home runs and hit two
against USC last year in a game played in
Columbia.
Brad Rogers is expected to be on the
mound for Furman. Rogers is 1-1 and has the
team's best earned run average at 3.86.
USC will send its ace, right hander Mike
Cook to the mound, who has a 5-1 record
with a 2.03 ERA. Cook also ranks among the
nation's best in strike outs with 55 in 44 and
one third innings for an average of 11.2
strike outs per game.
The Gamecocks are led at the plate by
leadoff hitter Jeff Barnes, who is hitting
.384. In USC's recent nine game home stand,
Barnes went 18-36 with five doubles and
three home runs.
Carolina has lived by the home run this
year, hitting 61 in only 24 games. Most of
those have been provided by the top four batters
in the Gamecock lineup.
Barnes, Jeff Morris, Joe Datin, and Keith
Killian have combined for 32 homers. Lewis
Jenkins, the fifth batter in the lineup, has ad
ded seven home runs to the total, but is
doubtful for the game due to a stress
fracture.
The game will be the first of two between
Furman and USC. The Paladins will come to
Columbia for one game on April 2.
The Gamecocks will return to Sarge Frye
PIpIH fnr a tY\ms* CI orr*#* cnriot um?K Ahlrv Ctofrt
beginning Thursday night at 7:30
The Buckeyes, 2-0, are just beginning their
season. They have beaten Jacksonville State
twice and will play two games at Alabama_
Birmingham before coming to Columbia.
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RAY GRONBERG/Tht Gamecock
luring the Lady Gamecocks' 5-1 victory over