Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 21 February 1997 — Page 2

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21; W

Arfington beats Normwest in battle of young guns indy-tv

By JIM NELSON Sports Writer The players for both the Northwest Space Pioneers and the Arlington Golden Knights had better get used to each other, because players on both teams will get a chance to see a lot of each other. Both rosters are loaded with some talented young guns who will make a big impact on the area basketball scene over the next couple of years. Arlington held on to win Friday’s game 67-63, but the foundation for this rivalry was established a year ago when Northwest overcame a 19-point halftime deficit to win the game in the last few seconds. That victory allowed both Northwest and Arlington to finish in a tie for the Indianapolis Public Schools Athletic Conference championship. Unfortunately for Northwest, the majority of the participants in last year’s game graduated, leaving behind a posse of young guns ready to take up the ri-

valry.

Arlington countered with many of the young guns from a year ago, but the Knights were playing with the added confidence of winning this year’s City Tournament title. . > > i ; Among the talented young players featured were Arlington’s 6-8 center Martin Brothers, who is just a sophomore while Northwest counters with a trio of sophomore sensations of their own in 6-2 Brennon CleiVimons, 6-4 Henri Anderson and 5-14 guard David

Wright.

Add to that the Knights junior AllCity performers Donald Crumpton and Gerald Alexander along with Northwest’s Brent* Bacon : and Jeremicheal Wilbom and yOu haVe the making of some exciting baSKdNMU for a. couple of years tp ^qme. i j ; In the battle against Northwest,. Ar-> lington had to overcome a first-half double-digit deficit, to gra^ the lead late

in the game. , •

It is the ability to overcome adversity that has come to symbolize the Arlington team this year. After starting with an 0-9 record, Arlington has improved to 910 overall and the young Knights have many of their Sectional opponents worried.' • iiitf i *f:, t;; <i* ? *; * j^liat’s ; whaf i(’jt going to ts|ke to be able to wina Sectional,” Arlington head coach said Lany Micks of fas team's ability to overcome adversity..’He said duit jshould help his tcarp^ome tournament time. , i .. '‘That’s what our focits i$ right now,” Nkf ls said, getting ready fdr the touma-

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( was refl j>rpyd of the kids fpr step-, pidj up in the second half. ( W£’re not the

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contributed,” Nicks added. “Confidence is eveiydiing. These kids are playing with confidence and they know they can compete. Every game is different and you have to come to every game to play,” he said. Their opponents, the Space Pioneers, however, knew where things went bad for them. “I think the main thing is we couldn’t get to the foul line and we put them on the foul line too much,” Northwest coach Otis Curry said. “We couldn’t put anything down and we couldn’t convert.” Northwest’s Athletic Director . Ron Lawson said local fans missed a chance to see some exciting basketball. “This is some of the best basketball and for three dollars, this community is missing out," Lawson said.. “There is some good talented basketball being played right here in the city.” . Arlington’s team has had a strong second half of the season which led to the school > third city tournament title in

the school’s history, but Curry said his young Pioneers have improved also. “I think we’ve made a lot of improvement since the beginning of the season. We’ve won five in a row and we’ve played a good schedule. Our kids are playing well for our age. We woe 3-7 and we won five in a row and we beat some good teams,” Curry said. Arlington’s Jason Hunter scored big points at the end of the third quarter and die beginning of the fourth quarter to key his team’s comeback. “Our coach always told us to stick with the offense and execute,” Hunter said. “That’s what we did and we kept our heads up. I think what turned it around for us is we stuck together as a team.” Northwest senior Chris Curry said despite his team’s improvement there are some challenges to working with so many talented young players. “I deal with diem,” Curry said. “They listen pretty good. Winning helps.”

oftearnthat’sgoinfefaliyfadrim ^ fl ^ ? lock out. We're going to have 16 Aiilngtbn’n Jasoh Hunter helped his team overcome a double-tfigit daftbltto stttkife' di#pliy«i boat Northwant 67-63. (Recorder photo by WritThomw)

CondiHwd from Pag# 1 Ml by a score of 76-72. Three players scored in double figures for Muncie Central, fed by 6-3 juniorCraigZeigler’s 14points. 6-0guardTravis Wilson added 12, and 6-2 John Heinrichs chipped in 10 points. INDY-TV’s Vince Welch will provide the play-by-play for the game, 1989 Indiana University basketball MVP Joel Hillman the color commentary and sports reporter Ron Sexton will have a halftime report live from the INDY-TV stu-

dios.

“The Road to the Dome” and Indiana’s final one-class state basketball tournaments kicks off on INDY-TV next Friday, Feb. 28 with a live Sectional Championship game. Also, Regional games will be telecast on March 8 at 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Semi-State games will be broadcast on March 15at 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7:30

p.m.

The State Finals will Jdr March 22 at 10 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. In addition, the girls basketball State Finals will be telecast on March 1 at 10 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. INDY-TV continues its weekend of sports Saturday at 11:30 a.m. with Bob Knight's Gameday. Vince Welch talks with coach Knight and Ron Sexton and Joel Hillman discuss the X’s and O’s of the Hoosiers upcoming game against the Northwestern Wildcats. Sunday at 11 a m. it’s more IU basketball talk as Chuck Marlowe joins the coach on The Bob Knight Show. Wrapping things up will be the February edition of IHSAA Monthly, which airs Sunday at 6 p.m. Once again die ^iow offers a nice mix of stories. Featured will be DeKalb’s Mr. Basketball candidate Luke Recker, who will play at IU next year. Also featured is Hamilton Southeastern’s strong swimming program and a story on Franklin Central “superfan” Charlie Lynn, a physically challenged man who won’t miss a Flashes game no matter

what!

INDY-TV received good news last weekend when they were named “Television News Photography Station of the Year” by the Indiana News PhQtpgraphers, Association (INPA). Thjs marked the first time that an independent ^{ation has earned this award in its 19-year histoi y- j»vt The work of INDYtTV, photographers Charles Figgs, Dennis Goins, Otis Jones and Kaline Schounce was voted the best in Indiana, and is made even more spec# ty.tbe fact th^t^jation does not produce a nightly newscast. program. )mD For the best in local sports, turn to INDY-TV, Channel 23- VAtJlSLii