SPORTS Barons Bouncing Back Andover High School's basketball program is showing new life MIKE ROSENBAUM Sports Writer T he Bloomfield Hills Andover basketball program, a sham- bles three years ago, has regained respectability this season. While not yet ready to contend for any titles, the Barons are having their best season in five years. Three seasons ago the Barons' varsity had four wins and four head coaches in a single campaign. Last year, new head coach Rick Krisniski made it through the entire season, winning three games. This year's squad was not expected to even match that total, but they entered this week with five victories. Krisniski, who was an assistant coach on two Orchard Lake St. Mary's state titlists, will not pat himself on the back for exceeding others' expec- tations. "I'm supposed to rejoice over five wins? I don't mean to demean it, but I don't want that mentality." Virtually the whole program has worked together to achieve this year's modest success. Two of last year's junior varsity starters — junior Andy Fredenberg and sophomore Chris Pero — are now varsity starters. The leading scorer is Loren Charboneau, who averages over 20 points per game. Another starter is Andy Moers, one of four Jewish players on the varsity. Moers, a 6-foot-2 senior, averages eight points and a team-leading six rebounds per contest. He was a varsi- ty reserve last season. "I also consider him to be our best defensive player," says Krisniski. He adds that Moers "has really worked to improve himself. I wasn't sure he was going to start for us at the end of last season. We sat down and had a little talk and I guess Andy took the things I told him to heart." The other Jewish players are Darin Frank, Brad Rosenberg and Don Raden. Frank, a 6-4 sophomore, was a JV starter last season, and could have re- mained in that role this season, but he prefered to make a bid for the var- sity. He does not play much, but Krisniski notes that Frank "cares so much and he really wants to make himself a ballplayer. We're definitely counting on him for the future to help carry our program." Rosenberg, a 6-1 junior, also Andy Moers dribbles out of defensive pressure. started on the JV last season. He made the varsity with strong prac- tices late in the pre-season. He has ac- cepted his reserve role. "You're only as good as the last man on your team;' explains Krisniski. "The last three guys we have on our team have been working real hard and pushing the guys in front of them. And Brad's in that position right now. For a kid like that, nothing but good things can happen to him in the future . . . I cer- tainly count on him as being a con- tributor next year for our team." The JV and freshman teams had two wins between them — both by the ROUND UP Andover Hits Puck Regional The Andover hockey team, 12-7-2 through Feb. 23, began state tournament play at the Oak Park-Compuware Ice Arena this week. The nine Jewish players on the team include sophomore right wing Brad Zamler, who had 11 goals and 18 assists for 29 points. Senior defenseman Jeremy Olen had a plus/minus ratio of + 27. An- dover coach John Farrell calls Olen the team's "defensive leader," and says he should receive all-league honors. Andover's other Jewish players are: senior defensemen Todd Marcus and Adam Cheyet; junior defenseman Matt Cohen; junior center Darrin Levin; right wings Chad Zamler, a junior, and Todd Lansky, a sophomore; and junior left wing Brian Schneider. If Andover won their first two regional games they will play in the final tomorrow, at Oak Park. JCC Pistons Win Tvvice In a score that would make Detroit Pistons fans drool, the Jewish Community Center's version of the Pistons beat the Lakers (4-3) 71-53 in Honey Berris League play on Feb. 24. Aaron Fowler led the Pistons with 21 points while Jerry Glanz scored 12 for the Lakers. The Celtics (5-2) mov- ed into second place behind the 7-0 Bulls earlier that evening with a 78-49 win over the -Rockets. Jerry Flowers scored 25 points for the winners, Eddie Finch had 14 for the Rockets. The Pistons (5-2) then tied the Celts for second with a 67-45 win over the Knicks (3-4) on Sunday. All Ucar had 27 points for the Pistons. Ed Sanders paced the Knicks with 24 points. Also on Sun- day, the Rockets (2-5) won a forfeit over the Mavericks (0-7). NFL To Play In Israel? New York (JTA) — A team of Israeli sports promoters hope to stage Israel's first- ever National Football League game. According to Natan Amir, chairman of the Committee for the Holy Land Football Bowl, the promoters com- pleted "encouraging discus- sions" with NFL officials in New York on Feb. 17 about an exhibition game to be played in Ramat Gan's 50,000-seat stadium prior to the 1989 season. Norman Braman, owner of the Philadelphia Eagles and one of the NFL's four Jewish owners, brought the Holy Land Bowl idea to the atten- tion of NFL officials, Amir said. League officials who met with the Israeli promoters said that other countries have expressed similar interest in staging an NFL game. The various proposals will be presented to club owners at a league meeting in mid- March, according to Joe Rhein, director of administra- tion for the NFL. "To say that we're close to an agreement (with the Israelis) would be an overstatement;' said Rhein. The only country outside of North America to hold an NFL exhibition so far is Great Britain. Israel has played host to a number of National Basket- ball Association teams and Amir is convinced that American armed forces per- sonnel in the Mediterranean combined with immigrants from the United States would make the Holy Land Bowl a sell-out.