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Sports Wednesday, March 26, 1986 ^ g >"v: , Marcum desen for selection o USC athletic director Bob 1KM -- -U 1 J t. ? 1 - J ivicticuiu miuuiu ue appiauucu for choosing George Felton as the Gamecocks' new head basketball coach. Why? Well, with the media and the fans calling for him to choose an established, successful head coach, Marcum did an about-face and chose Felton, an associate head coach at Georgia Tech. Most people wanted Bobby Cremins, the former ...i i i vj<jiiitv.u^rv mui wiiu na."> luincu the Yellow Jackets' program into one of the nation's finest. In fact, a small group of boosters went to Atlanta to try and entice him to return to his alma mater. But when it became apparent that Crcmins was not interested. Marrum rhn?f? next best tiling ? Felton, a 33-year-old Bronx, N.Y. native. In order for the Gamecocks to be successful in the Metro Conference, something they have failed to do in three years of competition, they need a young, energetic coach who can generate some excitement for basketball in a footballmad city. Felton is that type of coach. Sports Illustrated has called him the top recruiter in the nation. Ctemins says Felton has been a "direct influence" on Georgia Tech's success, and Homer Rice, the Yellow jackets' athletic director, calls Felton "one of the finest human beings I have ever known." Paul tvans, Gene Keady and Wimp Sanderson, who were rumored to be Marcum's top choices, are all fine coaches who have proven their ul'iiii) unit unu nine u^am, but USC needed a fresh face. Bill Foster was a fine coach Track opens oui By KEN COSTELLO Staff writer Ollie Taylor, a junior, won the 100-mcter dash with a personal best time of 10.44 as USC opened its outdoor track season at the Domino's Pi/za Relays in Tallahassee, Fla., last Friday. In other events, sophomore I Break i <3$0 't; \? Need I* J By JC Pep Talk 2 next Baltii Hi bccai Jy John Boyette ^sk< 11. "7 her s now mm thing /es credit f Felton Gam also, but his Gamecock squads and i iivtvi Iivvu U|; iu VAptv-imiuiis. ja A young coach such as ing t Fclton won't have to deal with "I false hopes fostered by past Wad successes. He's starting with a "He clean slate with nowhere to go Fost< but up. in sc Similarly, Gamecock fans incid shouldn't expect overnight Je success. It would be coacl preposterous to believe the with Gamecocks will make the furth Final Four next season, or "F even win the Metro Con- shou ference. But they should move We'r up from the Metro cellar and Ja phallpno#* fnr tKir/4 Ar f/MirfU I v..M..v.iev 1V/1 iilii v* U1 1UUIIII JclIIH place next season. Tark With his various connec- for t tions in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Felton hinted strongly at scheduling some I -1 ACC opponents such as N.C. State and Georgia Tech. Another point in Felton's I favor, one that should endear IVC him to the administration, is hk QtanH on araHominc u 1> stressed that he is interested in recruiting student athletes, not Sporls just athletes who are interested Th in playing major college trodi basketball. rang. This is especially important Steve when you consider the loss of ball t starting guard Tony Shaw this 'n past season because of poor and grades. Felton has intimated atten i ... ~ n. ne win not tolerate a so-so el- DlJ fort in the classroom. 1??^ It will be tough to match the Gam so-called "glory days" USC Th experienced in the ACC under seem Frank McGuire during the late Man 1960s and early '70s. But with Te Felton's enthusiasm, nation- s'nce wide recruiting and a tougher Tech non-conference schedule, the Gamecocks could rise to the lot," top of the Metro and once work again become a power on the atmc national level. Pc seasc John Boyette is sports editor w'th of The Gamecock. leave wher , "I L I the s tdoor season ra; "\ Anthony Bcnnon placed fourth . for USC in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles, with a time of 52.0. Freshman Paul Wiechern finished third in the high jump p?? with a nf A.Q * "We're much better this year than we were last year," said head coach Charlie Strong. Jaaabhcan TJScSY' ? s Over ,?a-J\ !ir Beach) */loney? ames doesn't IHN BOYETTE editor ?C sophomore guard Keith James has left I v AB )1 and doesn't plan to rejoin the team season, according to sources close to the HB( mr?r/? nntiun s mother, Brenda Gross, said James ne disenchanted with USC when head 1 :tball coach Bill Foster resigned March hat is true," Gross said when asked if on had dropped out of school. "Right he hasn't made any decisions. The only i definite now is that he's not going j mes was USC's leading field-goal shooter j lg the 1985-86 season, hitting 51.7 per- B of his attempts. He started 25 of the ecocks' 28 games, averaging 10.9 points three rebounds per game. HK& mes is reportedly interested in transferro the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. | t's not speculation. He's gone," said Bob j e, James' prep coach at Dunbar High. 's transferring to Vegas. Once Coach j . .. ;r was dismissed, he did not care to stay HHHI hool. He was very upset over the Foster ent." rry "Shark" Tarkanian, head basketball During 1 h at UNLV. said he had hern in enntaft James, but would not say anything Grc icr. and tl contacted us," Tarkanian said. "He's to lea 'n interest in us. But we're not sure yet. "H e in the middle of recruiting." Gross mes' older brother, Frank "Spoon" Fostei is, played for the Runnin' Rebels under "W anian, and is now a graduate assistant leader he UNLV team. happe oach says recruit ;y to gaining nati )HN BOYETTE editor ic VIP's who showed up for George Feiton's injction as USC's new head basketball coach ed from Metro Conference Commissioner ; Hatchell to Joe Morrison, USC's head footcoach. addition, virtually all of the major newspapers radio stations from across the state were in dance. it perhaps,the most important of the many oners who showed up to hear Felton were the ccocks' twin towers, Terry and Perry Dozicr. le twin brothers from Baltimore's Dunbar High ed to be pleased with USC athletic director Bob :um's selection. rry is already acquainted with his new boss Felton recruited the prep star for Georgia te's a real good guy. He can help the program a Terry said. "He's enthusiastic and he's a hard ;er. It's going to be a good all-around sphere." rry, who saw considerable action this past )n when Terrv suffered -a hrr?Wf?n wrict his brother. He reaffirmed the two would not : the university despite reports they would leave i Bill Foster resigned. 'm pleased and I'm happy and I'm ready to get how on the road," Perry said. "We made up riind that we were going to give whoever came least one year." Ve're still disappointed that he (Foster) had to : so soon," Terry said. "But we still had to : about our future. We've got a good group Clot <i tip? Oil! i I Nev\)s 7726 : _ Sports: features: SQlbl 1 iPnAt^ i i i i i i i "i "i~ i i r i'tt'i a Earn up to $23 a week donating plasma For information or appoii >' call 254-2280 Hyland Plasma Center 1620 Gervais St. s$$$$$$s$$$$$ssssss$sss$$$$$ss $ s This Coupon is worth ? <>4 on nni i ado ? X V ?.U UULLMIIO s | Bring in this coupon on your first donation and receive "VJJ $ $20.00 M (One coupon per person) $s$$$$$$$$$$$ss$sss$$$s$$$$$$$ plan to ret WjBm >k~ mo: dc i i-al.h ? ? ma laoj ou uusKuiuHii season, Tormer uamecoc >ss stressed James was closc to Foster, lat was his primary reason for deciding ve. e was treated very well down there," said. "He went there because of Coach r. He trusted hirn. 'hat he told me was that he needed shin. He didn't know wliai wnc oninn - fcV/?..6 IU :n. He just wanted to drop out and take ing, scheduling ional prominent coming back. It's no secret that we need < players to come in and help us." Recruiting seems to be Felton's forte, a didn't land Terry Dozicr. While at Geo Felton helped recruit the Atlantic C< ference's last tour rookies of the year in IV Bruce Dalrymple, Duane Ferrell i Hammonds. Felton said he is interested in recruiti athletes, not just basketball players. "1 want to recruit a very special type athlete," he said. "1 want somet understands the value of an education a somebody that's going to be a highly skil that can compete with the level that we'r compete against within the Metro Conft throughout the country. "Those are the types of things I want t( ward to, and to me its the young men tha difference," he said. "I think that's goin, biggest thing I'm going to try to accomp Improving the schedule is another of Fi priorities. "I would like to play tougher opponei the same time 1 want to gradually work i he said. "1 don't want to put myself or the a situation where there is no success. I want to improve the schedule, we do v competitive, and 1 feel that we will have a petitive schedule within a year. i nave a good rapport with a lot of i the ACC, and people like Jimmy Valvano anyone and everyone," Felton said. "I th like that would definitely give me the opp< schedule them." Siil % 7182 -3913 i / 1 11 I p??? o ntment I WEDNES ij WZLD 1 9k <zA/[l*l? Coti $$$$$ cNcgkt _ j ^J-'a.gEci ?$$ ! $1.00 Pitcl I f $2.00 Bar B s Ski \ND $ I SMA $ I ' SSSSS I H II urn to USC H[ ilB r RAY GRONBERGfThe Gamecock k guard Keith James averaged 11 points per game a good look at the situation." As a freshman for the Gamecocks, James averaged 12.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest and was named to the Metro Conference All-Rookie team. In high school, James was an honorable mention All-American during his senior year at Dunbar. He helped lead the team to the national championship in 1982-83. iome good if If By It hough he v a Terh . i>ast Conlark Price, ^HSHnray ind Tom ng student of student >ody that ,,lt , nd , want nes a real goo a guy. He led athlete can help the program a lot. renc^and He's enthusiastic and he's a hard worker. It's going to he 3 io?k for- a g0Q(j aj|.around att make the gtobethe mosphere. Were still disapli,sh-V pointed that he (Foster) had elton s top r _ to leave so soon. But we tits, but at still had to think about our "'?aminco future. We've got a good )ut we do group coming back. It's no /ant to be .... very com- secret mat we need some good players to come in and coaches in , he'll play helPUS,nk Pe?P|c - Terry Dozier 3rtumty,? USC forward B1.00M CU?? JuLLan ? DAY THURSDAY sents Sigma Chi Pi Kappa Phi imtjLa BAND PARTY P.f with the J HOLLYWOOD SOUAPRS I JL-ivy tiers , DRINK SPECIALS rands ALL NIGHT 7 P. ' LuLLezn d 1310 Gadsden Street