Banner Graphic, Volume 18, Number 161, Greencastle, Putnam County, 16 March 1988 — Page 8

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THE BANNERGRAPHIC March 16,1986

sports

Boston reserves help sink Pacers

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The oft-maligned Boston Celtic bench is looking more solid as the club moves toward clinching its fifth consecutive Atlantic Division championship. Boston reserves played a vital role as the Celtics defeated Indiana 119-113 Tuesday, giving them their first sweep of the season-series since the Pacers joined the NBA in 1976 and reducing the magic number for clinching the division crown to three. “At the start of the fourth quarter they (the reserves) came out and got us the lead,” said Larry Bird, who had 12 points in the first half and then kept Boston in the game with 17 of his 34 points in the third quarter. Reserve guard Jim Pax son had all eight of his points in the last quarter, when the Celtics outscored Indiana 26-21. Four of Paxson’s points came in an 8-0 spurt that put Boston ahead 101-94 with 10:01 to play. The spurt began with a short hook by Kevin McHale, producing the 10th and final lead change of the game, and Boston went on to build a 111-100 advantage with 4:40 to go. “From that point on we were just trying to move the basketball and play good defense,” said Bird, who was cheered all night by fans in the capacity crowd of 16,912 from his hometown of French Lick and Terre Haute, where he played at Indiana State. “If the Pacers had got ahead at the end, it would have changed, but we appreciate the support we get around here. There’s a lot of people that like the Celtics. It’s tough for the Pacers, but we enjoy it very much,” he said. Pax son also made two free throws with 2:35 to play when Indiana pulled to within four and two more when the lead was down to three with 1:35 remaining. “If we’re going to have any type of success this year, our bench has got to help us out and if tonight was any indication of how they’re going to help us in the future, then we’re going to have a very good basketball team,” Bird said. Paxson was acquired in a trade with Portland Jan. 24.

Signups Saturday at Reelsville, Bainbridge

Because of a lack of response the first time, a second signup has been scheduled for youngsters interested in participating in the Reelsville Little League this summer. On Saturday, March 19 at the Reelsville Fire Station, the signup will be held from 10 a.m. to noon. Dave Meuser can be reached to ob-

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North Putnam High School winter athletic award winners Tuesday night were from left, front row: Robert Hensley; most valuable wrestler; Jody Marsteller, girls’ basketball top free-throw shooter; Brian Cole; most improved swimmer; Mark Hoke; wres-

“He brings movement, he brings another outside shooter,” Bird said of the 8-year veteran. “He fits in real well, and the more he plays with us the better he’s going to get We called his play a few times at the end of the game, and he produced for us, so the Celtics have another offensive threat down the stretch.” Boston had to overcome a 76-68 deficit in the third quarter to record its sixth consecutive victory, including four games when Bird has worn protective goggles and averaged 34 points. “The eye is getting better. I’ll probably wear them one more game,” he said. “Larry is a great shooter and driver, and he is a challenge to defend,” said Indiana’s Wayman Tisdale, who was guarding Bird much of the night. “I thought I played him close, but he is a tough guy to stop, especially when he gets started.” All five Boston starters finished in double figures. McHale had 24 and Parish scored 21 and snared 14 rebounds. Chuck Person and Steve Stipanovich led a balanced Indiana scoring attack that had six players in double figures with 21 each as the Pacers suffered their seventh loss in eight starts and their 10th in 12 games. But Indiana coach Jack Ramsay saw a bright side to the loss. “I thought there were more positive spots in this game than some. If we can play at this level, we’re out of the woods,” he said. “We have to sustain it when the other team turns it up. We have to be able to respond to the defensive pressure.” Tuesday's Pacers boxscore Boston 119, Indiana 113 BOSTON (119) Bird 12-22 9-10 34. McHale 8-14 8-11 24. Parish 8-11 5-6 21. Ainge 4-11 1-2 12, Johnson 5-13 6-6 16, Paxson 3-5 2-2 8, Acre* 0-1 0-0 0, Minniefield 0-2 0-0 0, Roberts 0-2 2-2 2, Lohaus 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 41-82 33-39 119. INDIANA (113) Person 9-18 2-2 21. Tidale 8-16 1-1 7, Stipanovich 8-16 5-6 21, Fleming 6-15 6-9 18, Long 3-8 0-0 6, Williams 4-10 0-0 8, Gray 1-2 0-0 2, Miller 3-4 2-2 10, Skiles 5-8 0-0 10. Totals 47-97 16-20 113. Boston 31 33 29 26 —U9 Indiana 34 34 24 21 Three-point goals Ainge 3, Bird, Miller 2, Person. Fouled out Tisdale. Rebounds Boston 49 (Parish 14), Indiana 52 (Person, Fleming 9). Assists Boston 25 (D.Johnson 8), Indiana 24 (Fleming 8). Total fouls Boston 18, Indiana 23. Attendance

tain more information. At Bainbridge on Saturday, signup is being held for its youth baseball league from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Lions Club. Boys ages 6-15 and girls 6-18 are eligible to participate. The cost is sls for one child or $25 per family.

tling mental attitude; Paul Clodfelter, assist leader in boys’ basketball; Susan Games, mental attidude in girls’ basketball. Back row: Scott Spencer, most valuable swimmer; Denny Leeke, swimming mental attidude; Alison Phipps, girls’ basketball most

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Greencastle High School held its annual winter athletic awards banquet Tuesday evening and honored five individuals with special recognition. Standing from left are

Long road trip at season’s start boosted Purdue

WEST LAFAYETTE (AP) The Purdue Boilermakers traveled thousands of miles to plant seeds that could bloom into an NCAA basketball championship on April 4. Coach Gene Keady’s thirdranked Boilermakers are four victories away from a Final Four appearance in Kansas City. ECAC Metro champion Fairleigh Dickinson provides the first roadblock Thursday in the opening game of the Midwest Regional at South Bend. The Boilermakers, making their sixth consecutive and ninth overall NCAA appearance, are top-seeded in the region with a 27-3 mark. Fairleigh Dickinson, 26-3, is making its second appearance. Three senior starters have given stability to Purdue’s underclassmen who began developing while the Boilermakers posted a 9-1 mark bamstroming through Australia, New Zealand and Tahiti in May. “The bench has developed,” Keady said Tuesday in a pre-game teleconference. “I think our experience in Australia and New Zealand helped them get some games under their belt.” One on those who developed was 6-3 guard Tony Jones, who Keady has called the “best sixth man in the country.” Jones has averaged 5.1 points and helped Purdue put together a school-record 16-game winning streak and a 17-1 start. “He’s versatile. He has quickness. He can be a good outside shooter. He’s a good defensive player. He’s an adequate rebounder

for a guard. He’s got 100 assists this year,” Keady said of Jones. “He’s an all-around player, and he’s done a good job in all areas.” The Knights are led by 6-6 forward Jaime Latney and 6-8 center Damari Riddick, ending their careers as the school’s No. 2 and No. 3 scorers. Latney has an 18.5 average this season and Riddick has a 16.9 mark. “They’re up-tempo. They’re a very well balanced team like ourselves and I know that they’re going to be a handful because of their quickness and that really concerns me,” Keady said. The winner faces either Baylor or Memphis State, and Keady said he had no concern the Boilermakers would be looking past Thursday’s game. “They want to be able to go into the second round, and I don’t think our seniors will let them look ahead, Keady said. Guard Troy Lewis and Everett Stephens, along with forward Todd Mitchell are the senior starters for Purdue. Lewis, averaging 17.7, needs only two points to become the school’s No. 4 all-time scorer. He has 1,978 points and has made at least one 3-pointer in 46 consecutive games. Mitchell brings a 15.8 scoring mark into NCAA play and leads the Boilers in rebounding with a 5.6 mark. He’s also moved into the Top 10 list on the school’s all-time scoring and rebounding list Stephens is averaging 13.0 and is finishing his career third on Purdue’s career list in assists. “I think that’s been the key to

valuable player; Bill Hubble, boys’ basketball mental attitude; Greg Asher, boys’ basketball most valuable player; Hugh Martin, most improved wrestler. (Banner-Graphic photo by Gary Goodman)

Bill Daugherty, Kiwanis most valuable wrestler; Brett Hecko, Kiwanis most valuable player in boys’ basketball; Chris Miller; Ron Hockema mental attitude recipient in

our team this year, if somebody’s having an off-night they’ve been carried by somebody else,” Keady said. The Boilermakers have gone 2-5 in their past five NCAA outings, failing to get past the second round. “Certainly if you played some of these teams (in the 64-team NCAA field), nine out of 10 times you’d probably beat them, but unfortunately when the emotion is high enough the one time can get you,” Keady said. “It is so important to have yourself emotionally, mentally tough to accept the fact that just because you haven’t heard of a team or they’re in a league that’s considered a little bit weaker that they can’t come in and beat you,” Keady added. “Our seniors are aware of that They’ve been through all this. “They’ve been toughened by the fact we’ve had some tough draws and they’ve been toughened by the fact that we haven’t been successful.” Meanwhile, coach Tom Green of Fairleigh Dickinson admits Purdue

Surge by Edwards one reason I.U. stilllplaying

BLOOMINGTON (AP) Jay Edwards’ success with Indiana’s basketball team points out coach Bob Knight’s willingness to use freshmen as starters.

First-round schedule in scoreboard

Edwards’ return from a monthlong suspension because of grades coincided with a surge that landed the defending champion Hoosiers another spot in the NCAA tournament. He averaged 22.3 points a game over the final 13 games of the regular season and finished at 19.3 in the Big Ten Conference, the highest average by a freshman in the league in a decade and the fourth-highest of all time. But his smooth, deceiving defense is often overlooked because of his outstanding shooting ability, Knight said Tuesday. “Edwards is a better defensive player than any of you people could tell,” Knight told a news conference at Assembly Hall. “Edwards played at a very deceiving pace, almost with a grace. People don’t really get around him. He has been a very surprising defensive player.” Indiana won 10 of the 13 games since Edwards’ return and earned a first-round East Regional NCAA berth against Richmond Friday at Hartford, Conn. Richmond, which lost to Indiana in the NCAA tourney in 1984 and in the NIT in 1985, is “always very well coached,” Knight said. “They’re a team with good patience, execute well. You have to be good to win 24 games.” Indiana takes a 19-9 record into

boys’ basketball; Chris Haymaker, most valuable swimmer. Sitting is Tracy Gorham, most valuable player in girls’ basketball. (Banner-Graphic photo by Keith E. Domke)

is not a club he wanted to play in the opening round. “I felt like an expecting mother stuck in the middle of the Lincoln Tunnel in rush hour,” Green said his feeling when the pairing was announced. “We’re going up against one of the best coaches in Gene and talking about Troy Lewis and Todd Mitchell ... just great players who have had super careers. They’re outstanding players, but they have two or three other guys around who can play as well,” Green said. “They do have good team balance,” Keady said of the Knights, recalling that they pushed Michigan before losing 59-55 in their only previous NCAA appearance three years ago. The school is located in suburban Teaneck, NJ., across the Hudson River from New York and isn’t well known in the Midwest. “The very fact that they’ve got four seniors starting simply means they’ve got good maturity and they know all the ropes,” Keady said.

the tournament. Knight said the Hoosiers have been “better offensively, and on occasion better defensively ... but not enough. We have in the last couple months improved as an offensive team, but we have some things we can do offensively I wish we could have defensive counterparts to. We’re better offensively than defensively.” Much of the offensive credit goes to Edwards, whose long-range shooting accounteed for 55 threepoint goals. He also led the team in free throw percentage at .908. “I’m not really sure how many people around the country would have put Edwards on the bench for 30 days,” Knight said of the 6-4 forward who was named Big Ten freshman of the year earlier this week. Including Edwards, four Indiana players are among the top 14 freshmen scorers in Big Ten history. The other three all are currently in the National Basketball Association: Mike Woodson, the conference all-time leading freshman scorer at 22.1 points a game in 1977; Steve Alford, eighth at 16.9 in 1984; and Isiah Thomas, 14th at 14.2 in 1980. Other players who started as freshmen for Knight included Quinn Buckner, Kent Benson and Ray Tolbert, all of whom went on to the NBA; Jim Crews, currently coach at the NIT-bound University of Evansville; and Rick Calloway, now a junior at Indiana. Freshman Lyndon Jones, who teamed with Edwards on three straight Indiana high school championship teams at Marion, also has been a starter with the Hoosiers this season.