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nV9PPPP9VPWRIPPPP HBHB Lucas anxi imfer J AREP KELOWITZ Freshman point guard Aaron Lucas is focusing on contributing to the success of the Gamecocks this season the only way he knows how ? hard work. Lucas came into this season not expecting to see a great deal of playing i time. With the injuries to key Gamecock starters Recus Nix and Herbert Lee Davis, however, he will be forced to learn more and grow faster as a college play- i er, a challenge he looks forward to. 1 will do whatever it takes to help the team this year," he said. "I know that as a freshman I have a lot to learn and I am looking forward to learning and improving every day." Regarding the jump from high school to college, Lucas said, The hardest part will be the change in the pace of the game. In high school the team T played for played a quick game, but not as quick as on this level. "My major adjustment will be speeding up my decision making and still making smart choices." Lucas feels that working with the caliber of players he did in the off-season [as in B.J. McKie and former USC guard Melvin Watson] will prove to be an advantage as he tries to get his bearings as a college point guard. After his days in the garnet and black are over, Aaron Lucas goes up for a dunk In a will see playing time as point guard 1 I RUM Saturday 11/27 I 10% OFF AIL I | 1215 Wayne Street ?in Candmark Specializing in Cond in the USC & Uptov Cet Us find You A Call Us For All Youi Sales: 799-0859 i\ ?i ious to get Lucas plans to go to graduate school for a degree in retail. r "It is any basketball player's child- i hood dream to play in the NBA, but at < a certain point in time you can't look at k that, and right now it really doesn't fac- k tor into my plans," Lucas said. '< "If I work hard and the opportuni- i ty comes, then that is just great, but ( right now I am concentrating on making the best of my scholarship by get- , ting a good education." Lucas cites his family as his source ( of inspiration, especially his mother, but feels now is the time to start ac- \ complishing things of his own. ] "Right now I really can't look up to ( anyone 'cause they already accomplished their goals like they wanted to; I feel that now I have to work on my own," * Lucas said. 1 At South Carolina, Lucas brings 1 f fV* n ^ ft V\1 a a I* 1 s-v r\ f nnnnin/* lu liic iauic a uaiautc ui passing skills, scoring ability, defensive ag- | gressiveness, and basketball smarts unprecedented at USC. These skills were showcased as a ' senior at Richland Northeast High 1 School, when Lucas led the Cavs to the third round of the state playoffs and a \ top 10 state ranking. } That season, he averaged 22.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 2.6 steals per game. , With statistics like those, it's no < wonder Lucas received honors such as: : KSHyMKi KjmjL n exhibition game earlier this year.1 his season. PpM J|\ 1 * SALE! I Sunday 11/28 MERCHANDISE the Vista 799-7571 | I* Resources los and Townhomes vn Columbia Areas Senate Vlaza ~Wfl shire Jiouse Tark Circle Tlace on the Greene Barnwell Colony Vlaza Centre Jiome in The City r Real Estate Needs or 888-799-0859 J i si : feet w< L998 Coaches Select Player of th rhe State High School Playei ifear, selection to Carolina's ( South Carolina vs. North Carol Star game, All-Region honors, I lid's Ail-American nominee, Ni \merican, and MVP of the Bea Classic. Not only is Lucas a star on th Dut he carries the same success dassroom. In high school he was a mei ;he Urban League Young and Boys' State, and Thurgood Mars) nety of Excellence programs. Lucas' attitude toward the tance of education is reflected ;he quote he lives by and by ] /ice to younger athletes. Lucas goes by the quote, "1 to the fullest, learn somethii jveryday, and just have fun." T( people aspiring to succeed in at Lucas offers this advice: "Focus on your goals, work t them, display good character a nility when you reach them, ai importantly make sure you do school, 'cause if you don't, yoi sven have the opportunity t sports." f?unJflBW3" in , ' : : .I"' V:'.. ' - </: ' ; . V / : \ , ' SEAN RAYFORD Sports Photo K^ith his speed and agility, 1 | FREE FOOD F et USC advan *s Tourname Classic senior writer BROCK VERQAKIS I dcDonike All- With big plays and a solid defench Ball s*ve e?or* by goalkeeper Henry Ring, USC advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament by defeating i e court, VCU 2-1 at the Graveyard. 3 in the Carolina came close to scoring within the first 20 seconds after kickoff 1 nber of when a VCU defender gave an er- | i. xl_ 1 1_ * _1_ i Gifted " tneir Keeper wmcn came ' extremely close to crossing the line. | USC's scoring opportunities would not be quite as easy the rest of the impor- game. The Rams controlled the ball in both for much of the first half. A couple of | hiS ad- defensive lapses gave VCU perfect scor- | ing opportunities. Only the stingy play of Goalkeeper Henry Ring prevented | ave life vcu from taking the lead on many oclg new casions. s ) young The Rams offense managed to fire ( hletics, nine shots on goal in the first half. Ring displayed his brilliance on a free , kick caused by Kim Eriksen taking c down a VCU player from behind. f On the ensuing kick, Ring made t id most the decision to go after the ball instead t well in of waiting on it to come to him. He col1 won't lided mid-air with a Ram defender be- 1: o Dlav f?re coming back down with the ball r safely in hand. I Ring was not the only one for the I I Gamecocks that made a strong defensive effort. Hans Whetstone had the 1 most difficult assignment on the field J defending against leading scorer Kevin r Jeffrey. Whetstone's tenacity resulted c in a yellow card late in the first half. 1 While the Gamecocks defense proved to hold, their offense had diffi- t culty getting shots off. Throughout the t first half, they had only two shots on c goal. Each time Carolina got the ball t inside the penalty box, VCU defend- j ers were all over it, clearing it out time and time again. r Despite the lack of offense Coach p Berson was pleased with play in the a first half. a "I don't ever look at shots or saves. I don't look at anything other than how i I TAG FREE SCAVENGER HUNT FREE Mark your colt Semi-Annual I L"LATE NIG Friday, Decern! REE HEALTH SCREENINGS FREE HOLID, I we played. In the first half I thought c we played very well, we had a lot of t great chances," Berson said. f ^^<5** I Senior Kim Eriksen passes the ball test against VCU. Carolina won 2-1. > EditOr Lucas Need a loc I Dr. Don Elton, a board ce graduate), is accepting new Pulmonary Med Mid Carolir http://www.midcarolina.or ices in N( nt, faces 1 SEAN RAYFORD Sports Photo Editor to a teammate in Sunday's con al asthma s rtified pulmonary medicine s| patients by appointment at \ icine. Sleep Disorder 796-2222 ta Internal Medicine Assoc 138 North Hospital Drive West Columbia, SC 29169 g em BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT mdars now ? ii JSC STRESS HT AT THE ber 4,1998 6 pm Blatt P.E. Center AY FUNK AEROBICS FREE V * : - : 1 ophomore Chris Lockwood cro: )'Neill and Jonas Myllenberg durii The second half proved to be a roller oaster ride full of scary ups and downs br Carolina. Less than one minute in, he Rams nearly scored on a header hat barely went over the crossbar. However, just as the Gamecocks Lave done all season long, they showed esiliency scoring just three minutes ater. John Harr made a cross to Chris dorman in the Carolina backfield. Morman then showed great vision, aunching a long pass to a sprinting fonas Myllenberg deep into VCU teritory. Myllenberg dribbled past his lefender for a one-on-one with VCU :eeper Adam Mead. Myllenberg volleyed a soft shot from he left side of the goal past Mead ino the lower right corner giving Carilina a 1-nil lead. "I don't want to take oo much credit" said Myllenberg. "It's ust great to see it go in." Myllenberg's goal gave Carolina nore confidence and it showed in their >lay. The defense began to play tighter ind the offense was beginning to creite more opportunities. Defender Chris Lockwood even got nto the offensive mix firing a shot from 10 yards out before being stopped by he lower right post. It wasn't long beore VCU regrouped and began at ;aa UVAnext SEAN RAYFORD Sports Photo Editor sses the ball to teammates Ryan lg Sunday's match. tacking, trying to work some magic inside the box. In the 62nd minute, the Rams got the break they were looking for. Off a comer kick from Erwan Lecrom, Lorenz Baumgartner crossed the ball to the Trinidad Terror, Kevin Jeffrey. Jeffrey headed the ball in from eight yards out, never giving Ring a chance for a save. "It was just being at the right spot at right time," Jeffrey said. "I can't take any credit, the other guys have to provide me the ball. Most of the time I'm on the end of the last ball." Not to be outdone, USC responded with a header of their own that found its way into the back of the net. In the 70th minute, John Han found Myllenberg racing towards the goal. Myllenberg managed to get past all VCU defenders, posting up two yards away from Mead when Hanmade a cross to Myllenberg. Myllenhprp nnt.pd t.r> hpad t.hp hall nntn fhp ground, giving the ball an awkward bounce that the keeper could not handle. USC the lead once again. "I decided to head it. It was kind of a weird cross. I took my chances and it went it," Myllenberg said. It was Myllenberg's first multigoal game all season. For the rest of the game, Carolina tried to detain Kevin Jeffrey from scoring. Jeffrey dazzled the 1,500 in attendance with, his dribbling abilities taking on two Carolina defenders simultaneously at times. While Jeffrey was able to get neatthe goal, his efforts remained fruitless. He was only able to get one more shot off by game's end. In the end, it was Carolina's defense and their ability to capitalize on key chances that gave the Gamecocks the victory. VCU outshot USC 16-6. "South Carolina did a very good job making big plays, finishing their opportunities." said Coach Tim 0' Sullivan of VCU. "It takes great goals to win in this tournament and thaf s what we did," Berson said. Carolina now advances to the second round of the tournament to face ACC power Virginia. Virginia is the same team that defeated the Gamecocks in the National Championship game in 1993. Four more victories for USC, and they will complete their season's goal of a national title. M Jfl WI CI I B d I jH pecialist, (and Carolin|fl lis West Columbia rs. Critical Cam AatesM iaiN^H * Ffl t :> I H OLLEYBALM .