The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, March 01, 1999, Page Page 8, Image 8
ACC BASKETBALL SEC
With their 81-61 win at North The 1
Carolina, the Duke Blue Devils Baske
became the first team in the begin:
history of the Atlantic Coast Atlant
Conference to go through the No. 1
season 16-0. The win also Aubui
marked the worst defeat for the the W
Tarheels at the Smith Center. ( oppor
Page 8
NBA ^
deserves ?.
Senio
contempt j:
shard
Harris or that t_lirn
peskyMen- ^
tos jingle Q
you 'an ' abam
William Folks seem to get A,
Common Folklore out of your
J=====L head, the
NBA and its ?jTel]
players are back. 0 ?0,
And on the heels of what was ar- J
guably the most tasteless, duplicitous out' 1
and disgusting labor dispute in the history
of professional athletics, the world's we re
most notorious collection of self-serv- cially
ing millionaires is once again out to con- M
vince you, the hard-working fan, that as sui
you "still love this game." T1
This, despite the glaringly obvious chang
fact that they have no such love to give energ
in return. nesse
With a barrage of free key chains, G<
i ?a:?I , u?? ?J
uuiiipei autivei &, ucvci age euuz.ieo <mu Up W?
other assorted penny-ante merchan- forma
dising efforts, NBA franchises around the q
the league are trying desperately to sur- a g_p(
vive their collective public relations de- Galln
bade by using the most insulting and 0ther
ingratiating of methodologies ? trad- ^
ing lousy trinkets for lost trust. f ,
My Kobe Bryant Beanie Baby is 0 , '
supposed to do that? C'mon. an .
Afte observing the first two weeks
of 1998-1999's lockout-shortened season,
I've reached the conclusion that, Eayne
though the NBA (much like Bill Cftn- time,
ton) might survive such a callous display
of pretentiousness and disrespect, has n
it nonetheless deserves our scorn, our for tl
apathy, and all the well-principled, team'i
righteous contempt we true sports fans next f
can muster. ers.
Sure, the CNN-SI and "SportsCen- Jo
ter"-led media will embrace the sport 10 poi
like their prodigal son, bestowing elo- 19 an
quent praise and preparing the fatted Hi
calf of all highlight reels in a vain at- jn the
tempt to persuade us that the game
hasn't lost its authenticity. mary
Don't be fooled. They're filling air
time. he wa
The Stuart Scotts, Rich Eisens, In- didn't
ga Hammonds and Vince Cellinis of the ^
world only appear revitalized because ^h t
they've got something to talk about other
than the Winter X-Games, John
Elwa/s retirement or Mike Tyson's television
toss.
Sn the next, time vou find vourself
mesmerized by a two-second sound bite
of Derrick Coleman dunking on some
woefully out-of-position isolation de- rpr
fense, and you hear Scott rhetorically
inquire, "Booyah, where my dawgs at?,"
Ill tell you exactly where they are: back
in the limelight, but missing the point
entirely.
Just ask Atlanta Hawks center
Dikembe Mutombo, who used the occasion
of Black History Month to encourage
his comrades to at least attempt
to rise above their historic insensitiviLast
year, Mutombo staked $2 million
of his own money to start construction
of a hospital in his native ConMutombo
had hoped his NBA compatriots
would chip in to foot the bill ^
for the $44 million facility, but with the
notable exceptions of Sonics' guard Gary msm
Payton and fellow Georgetown centers jm!
Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning, K
response has been all but nonexistent. UHg
cnr> oroforc urVinrn
u\j\jy an, j.i xjt. i oupciq(>uio9 ttiivxv
are your priorities at?"
* When Mutombo organized a summer
trip to Africa last year, only Ewing
and Mourning agreed to go.
But who did manage to make time
in his schedule to go? Much-rebuked
NBA commissioner, David Stern.
"When I talk to people about it, they
say they'll go, but when it comes time
to leave, I can't find anybody," Mutombo
said "The ones I can get are always
worrying about where well stay or what
we're going to eat." Typical. ?
Kids are starving in Africa and lacking
the basic medical care we take for " I
granted.
When Mutombo tried to do something
about it, all his cohorts could do ~ ^ .
vas worry about their own interests. I
This is the very attitude the NBA doesn't
need right now. : s " *
Don't get me wrong. Not everybody
in the NBA is a selfish, immature prima
donna. Mutombo, Grant Hill and
Gameci
CONTEMPT page 9 Carolin;
TOURNAMENT
999 SEC Men's
tball Tournament i
5 play Thursday in '
a. Tennessee is the
seed in the East, and a
-n is the No. 1 seed in m
<=>ct T TQP'c fircf r/~\iir<rl M
V-Ul. *_> 111JI 1 VU11U
lent is Ole Miss. ^
ISC sque;
odd Money
r Writer
ir the Gamecock men's basketearn,
all's well that... ends.
SC, looking to snag some small
1 of momentum heading into this
s SEC Tournament, out-hustled,
lot and out-ran Georgia, but still
id some clutch free throws down
retch to top the Bulldogs in overtie
Gamecocks (8-20, 3-13 SEC) Lmy
nove on to face Ole Miss in the Qn
ament's first round Thursday in
eorgia (15-13,6-10) must play Ala
the same day.
Eter the game Saturday, howeve
feeling for USC was .one more
ief after a hard-earned win than f* ]|
knew we were going to pull it Wffl|
senior BJ McKie said. B3||
hings were going wrong ... but
playing so well together, espe- bvj
on both ends of the court."
ost onlookers probably weren't NHLg
[tJ.
tie first half saw eight lead
;es and about as much spirit and BP?
y Frank McGuire Arena had wit- % jm
d since the circus came to town.
jorgia guard D.A. Layne, picking rfj
lere he left off in his 26-point perince
three weeks earlier against if J
amecocks, began the game with
linter, and Carolina's William if
lan followed with a dunk on the i?
end.
le tone was set for a back-and- Carolir
hard-on-the-fingernails contest, Rouse,
he sparse crowd in attendance r
stthat. i ,.
ir the Bulldogs, though, it wasn't ^
i doing most of the damage this
up for
jphomore Jumaine Jones, who pja
icently declared himself eligible lightin
he NBA Draft, became his team's
s catalyst, scoring three of UGA's cludin:
our baskets, two of them 3-point- US
scorinj
mes finished the first half with of its 1
ints and nine rebounds, and had early a
d 16 for the game, respectively, cent fii
3 also hit a team-high five treys US
i game. erroon
/ow," said Gallman, Jones' pri- Thi
defender. filled i
[e [Jones] is a great player. I knew ted1 te
is a good 3-point shooter, but I onknow
he was that good ..."
le long-range bombs were key to knock
earns' successes in the half.
aseball
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''&* s&gAjy*#.-, ''/4&, , ,m/ ' ' " *, ' 4 '
* * .jck
shortstop Brian Roberts makes a
a's 15-10 win over George Washington.
Sp
TL _
in e
la's BJ McKie drives to thi
, the win against the 'Dawf
argia went 6-of-18 on threes,
I three in a row at one point, a
^as 4-of-7.
ard Ray Harrison also stepp
the Bulldogs.
rrison founa me nole with ea
g up the Gamecocks for 12 of]
; last 17 points in the half,:
g two 3-pointers.
P tY\nnr\tirV?iln An Knlon/
IV-/, lllCCUlWlJLilC, ICUCU Wll kJCLlCXXIV
I and tight defense, getting
)ench into the game relativ<
nd holding the 'Dawgs to 34 p
eld-goal shooting.
C took a 32-30 lead into the la
1 at halftime.
e second half was just as acti(
as the first, with the stars 1
ams deciding much of what w(
USC's case, McKie came air
ing down shots on the insi
wins:
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llill life ?|||g? * #H
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Sean Rayford I'hoto
throw to first base Sund
l
>amecock A
orts
Gamecock
r 'Dawes n
o ~
wf !
*^*<' ^iss, * sfc- J*?*
5S^%1 ' :yi At iSm?$k ?Bpii
WTSoBfct -v JrmKm I
9 basket in Saturday's 70-66 victory over G<
is was bittersweet because the game marke
in- while continually being a force on dend
fense. 1
For Georgia, Jones continued his t
ed hot hand from long range, even after
verbal reprimands from the crowd for s
se, an earlier airball. s
hie TISn VipIH a slim lpaH thrniiphnnt f
in- the period before finally stretching it
to eight, at 55-47, with just more than
?d four minutes left. c
all At that point, things got wild. i
jly Georgia struck for eight straight 1
er- points, tying up the game on a Harri- j
son 3-pointer. j
ck- After successful trips to the foul
line for both teams, the Carolina lead
m- was 59-57. f
for After Georgia center Jon Nordin t
ait drove under the basket for a shot with i
10 seconds left, the game appeared to t
ve, be USC's to win. e
de In effect, it was.
]
series ag;
by Michael Strickland
Senior Writer
After losses to mid-major conference
teams such as Charleston South/M
1 T~\ 1 T"?* 1 J Al_ _
ern, uia uominion ana mcnmona, ine
USC baseball team took out its frusStrations
on George Washington, getting
back on track over the weekend
with a three-game sweep of the visiting
Colonials.
Continued good pitching and the
awakening of the Gamecock bats
spelled doom for GW as USC (8-3) took
the series by scores of 6-0,9-2 and 15In
Friday's 6-0 win, All-SEC performer
and staff ace Kip Bouknight
|k threw a complete game three hitter.
Bouknight (2-0) set a career high of
14 strikeouts [three shy of the school
1 single-game record] while walking on
ly one batter.
The Gaston native turned in his
most dominant performance in his
brief tenure with the Gamecocks.
"I felt pretty good, and just want%''
ed to do what I could to help the team
win," Bouknight said. They gave me
the runs to work with and made all
the plays in the field."
As for going the distance,
Bouknight said he wasn't too concerned.
"I got a little tired, but that helped
my slider by slowing it down," he said.
Head Coach Ray Tanner was
singing the praises of his sophomore
? l right-hander.
^ "Fourteen strikeouts, complete
- ^ game, wow! That's a tremendous effort."
While Bouknight completely shut
down the GW offense, the USC bats
<f* came alive with several timely hits.
Tanner took tight control of the of
fense, utilizing the sacrifice bunt many
Editor times to advance runners,
ay in "I don't like to bunt that much normally,
but it put us in position to get
SCHEDULE
Baseball vs. Wofford, 7:00
p.m. Wednesday, Saige
Frye Field.
?n seme
I ? *
Wm. <- :?**' j&
' * %
jjj^ ^ ^
eorgia. For McKie, Bud Johnson,
id the final time the five would pi
McKie took the ball downcour
ooked like he might shoot a three, ar
hen drove inside.
He was called for a charge on h
;hot attempt, though, and with tw
leconds left, there wasn't enough tin
or either team to go for a realistic she
Overtime, then, was McKie tim
Although it was Senior Day for foi
ither seniors on the USC club, Mcl
e, the school's new all-time scorir
eader, got by far the most applause
jregame ceremonies and seemed to 1
reaming for one more shining momer
He would get it.
With the Gamecocks' lead at 6
>6, and after already having been
he foul line three times in the exti
jeriod, McKie was sent there again z
pr Georgia's Jones missed a 12-fon
;r with 10.1 seconds to go.
Though McKie had gone only 7-c
L4 from the line before then, he wa
ainst C
some runs," Tanner said. Tanner e
coached third base, at the sug|
tion of assistant Jim Toman.
"Coach Toman said, 'Hey, w
been struggling, so let's mix thi
up.'"
All of the plans worked. Junior
an Roberts, who went 2-for-3 v
three RBIs, opened the game wi
home run to left field for the sec
time this season.
The Gamecocks resumed their 5
ing in the fifth as Marcus McE
(2-for-3, two rims scored) opened
inning with a walk.
After advancing to second on a
pitch by Colonial starter Adam
licic (2-1), McBeth scored on a Is
Janowicz single to right.
USC tacked on three insura
runs in the eigth on a homer by
Angiolini and RBIs from Roberts
Tripp Kelly.
Saturday's 9-2 drubbing of GW
much of the same for the Gamecc
Starter Randy Hadden (2-0) woi
seven solid innings to pick up the
Hadden allowed two runs (one ear
on eight hits, all while striking
four.
Strong relief appearances by Ja
Poston, Matt Wilson and Brett F
finished the final three innings or
muuuu.
At the plate, Roberts again si
ed the show in the first inning. Rot
walked and scored on a Janowicz
ble.
Roberts went 2-for-2 and sc<
four times Saturday. Janowicz
equally potent at the plate, goir
for-2 with five RBIs, and scoring t
times.
"I'm iust trvine to see the ba]
the way in and take it the other w
said Janowicz, a junior from C
fornia.
Two runs in the sixth and a 1
spot in the seventh provided the \
ning margin for USC. ?
NATE SAYS...
Nate says the Pentagon, in
Arlington, Va., has twice as
many bathrooms as is necessary.
When it was built in
the 1940s, the state of
Virginia still had segregation
laws requiring separate
toilet facilities.
Monday, March 1, 1999
>r day
^ Scan Rayford I'll->r> KJitor
Recus Nix, William Gallman and Hagan
ay at Frank McGuire Arena.
t, in a word, confident. "I knew I was gold
ing to make those two," he said.
"I was hard on myself when I went
is to the line."
.'0 "I concentrated and blocked everyle
body out."
it. After sinking both shots, the lead
e. was 70-66, and the outcome was hisir
tory.
i- It was a sweet ending to a highly
lg disappointing year for Carolina, which
in had lost seven straight games coming
3e in, including 18 of its last 21, falling
it. short of NCAA Tournament consideration
for the first time in four years.
8- "It feels real good," McKie said,
to " With what all we've been through
ra this year, and the fans have been supif
portive" he said,
it- "Everything really ended the regular
season on a good note," Gallman
>f- said. "You never know what will hapis,
pen."
olonials
;ven The Gamecocks closed the series
?es" with a 15-10 outlasting of GW.
Despite a shakv outing bv win
e ve
[ngS ning starting pitcher Peter Bauer (31),
who allowed five runs on seven hits
Bri- in his five innings of work, the USC
bats more than made up for the difth
a c
ond ference'
The Gamecocks scored four runs
scor- in the first inning, one in the second,
?eth two jn the third and four more in
the sixth.
^d Leading the charge was catcher
Bel- Marcos Rios, who went 5-for-5 with
late six RBIs. Rios doubled twice and homered
in his top performance of the
mce
Tim seasonand
"I really saw the ball well today,"
the junior from California said. "I
was got a couple pitches to hit, and I drove
>cks. ,v ?
, , them.
ked .
^ Helping m the offensive outburst
ned) again was Janowicz, who was 3-for-4
out with four runs scored. Both Janowicz
and Angiohni extended their hitting
nine , ,.
>^ce streaks to 10 games.
i the Roberts stole three bases, moving
his total to 14 on the season..
;art- Picking up the loss for GW was
)PftS
Thomas Baginski, who fell to 0-2.
Tanner said he was pleased with
ared his team's play in the series sweep,
was "We're happy to win three over a
ifree NCAA Tournament team like George
Washington. We swung the bats betII
all ter. I'm more encouraged, and we've
ay," come together to get back on track."
a^" Up next for the Gamecocks is a
four Wednesday meeting with the Wofford
Terriers, scheduled for 7 p.m. at Sarge
Frye Field: