The Michigan Daily-Saturday, March 24, 1979-Page 9
Final FourQ
Quakers tremble at
Spartans''Magi-K'
showdown in
NCAAs today
Unbeaten Sycamores
face devilish DePaul
League al
By BILLY NEFF the varsit
Daily Sports Analysis As it er
Will Cinderella be able to wave a Penn willl
magic wand this weekend in the NCAA the form(
basketball semifinals in Salt Lake City? two have1
No one expects her to as Michigan NCAAs. I
State, possessing the multi-talented points aga
Earvin "Magic" Johnson and the has beer
amazing Greg Kelser, is favored to cop averaging
the national title over contenders Penn, time out.
Indiana State and DePaul. Penn's
The Spartans come to town with all quickness
the media hype behind them, due to shooting.
their overwhelming victories in three Tony Pric
previous NCAA encounters. They will the Ivy L
be facing Penn, a foe who is not sup- Willis and
posed to be here. In fact, Maryland and if the
coach Lefty Driesell went so far as to Terry Don
say that he did not think the Ivy League some turn
champion deserved a bid in the NCAA the upset c
tournament. The me
Like the teams in his conference who are a stor
competed in postseason play, Driesell Bob Wein
sure did look foolish. The team he was the Phila
denigrating, the University of Pen- way throu
nsylvania Quakers, upset ACC cham- coach Ch
pion North Carolina and Syracuse, en assistant
route to the NCAA Final Four. Sur- His count
prisingly, Penn was seeded ninth out of man off tt
ten teams in the East regional. dwood an
Penn had other hurdles to overcome the way of
in its quest for a nationally ranked Heathco
team-the teams in the Ivy League do too much
not award scholarships, but instead their supe
only give aid based on financial need. In only prey
addition, this was the first year the Ivy overconfi
THE LINEUPS
lowed freshmen to compete at
y level.
inters the NCAA tournament,
have obstacles to overcome in
of Johnson and Kelser. These
been splendid all through the
Kelser posted 34 spectacular
ainst Notre Dame and Johnson
n scoring at will,, while
g more than 10 assists each
only chance lies in the
s of their guards and the
of forwards Tim Smith and
e, the most valuable player in
eague. Their guards, Robert
d James Salters are cat quick
y can harass Spartan guards
nnelly and Mike Brkovich into
overs, the Quakers might pull
of the century.
n who coach these two teams
y in themselves. Penn coach
hauer took over the helm at
delphia school last year mid-
ugh the preseason when head
uck Daly took a job as an
with the Philadelphia 76ers.
erpart, Jud Heathcote, a nice
he court, is nasty on the har-
d his temper seems to stand in
his mighty Spartans.
ote's squad should not have
trouble with Penn,, due to
rior talent, but will probably
ail in a close contest, due to
dence.
PENN
By BILLY NEFF
Daily Sports Analysis
In the second NCAA semifinal
contest, one could ask will it take a
Demon to stop the Bird? The DePaul
Blue Demons may need more than one
spirit on Larry Bird of Indiana State in
order to stop the best shooter in basket-
ball today.
This semifinal game should be a
nailbiter between the two real Cin-,
derella stories. DePaul, the boys from
the north side of Chicgo, are coached by
that ageless wonder Ray Meyer, who
has never previously been to the NCAA
tournament. Throughout most encoun-
ters, they play with just their five star-
ters. Those were enough though to
upend UCLA, 95-91 in the Western
Regional final.
On the other side of the coin, there is
the five from the buzzing metropolis of
Terre Haute, Indiana, whose star
player Bird will not talk to the press.
Coach Bill Hodges took - over the
Sycamores' head job when regular
coach Bob King suffered a heart attack.
He has led his vastly underrated team
to a perfect 32-0 mark.
The game could boil down to the
status of one key player for
DePaul-Curtis Watkins.Watkins is the
team's second leading scorer, leading
rebounder and best defensive player.
However, his status is questionable due
to some severely strained knee
ligaments. Watkins would have covered
Bird and really been the only Blue
Demon with a chance of holding him in
check. The gutty senior co-captain will
play, you can bet on that, but his effec-
tiveness may be severely limited.
If Watkins plays, look for the superior
speed of the Demons to present the
Sycamores with quite a problem.
DePaul's guards, Clyde Bradshaw ano
their catalyst Gary Garland, made the
best backcourt in the nation, Roy
Hamilton and Brad Holland of UCLA,
look sick last weekend.
When the Demons need offense, they
tdrn to freshman sensation Mark.
Aguirre, who reminds many of Adrian
Dantley. Aguirre usually responds and
the svelte Brad Miley,who will be guar-
ding him, will have his hands full.
DePaul, meanwhile, must stop the
fabulous Bird, who rises to the occasion
in big games. In addition, Carl Nicks is
a top flight guard who might have
trouble scoring against the harassment
of Garland.
Look for DePaul to upset the top
rated Sycamores if Watkins plays. If he
is immobilized, look for Bird to have a
field day.
THE LINE UPS
MICHIGAN STATE
Greg Kelser (6-7)............... F
Mike Brkovich (6-4)............... F
Ron Charles (6-7)............... C
Terry Donnelly (6-2).................. G
Earvin Johnson (6-8)............... G
I--- -
Daily Photo by ANDY FREEBERG
..................(6-7)
..................(6-4)
..................(6-10)
..................(6-2)
..................(5-9)
Tony Price
Tim Smith
Matt White
Bobby Willis
James Salters
INDIANA STATE
Curtis Watkins (6-6).................F...................(6-8)
Mark Aguirre (6-7).................. F ... .......(6-8)
Larry Bird (6-9).................. C ..................(6-9)
Gary Garland (6-5).........G.........(6-2)
Clyde Bradshaw (6-0).................. G ..................(6-3)
DePAUL
Alex Gilbert
Brad Miley
Jim Mitchem
Carl Nicks'
Steve Reed
Earvin Johnson and the Spartans charge into NCAA semifinal action today in
Salt Lake City. MSU meets the Quakers of Pennsylvania at 2:45 followed by the
Blue Demons of DePaul facing the Larry Bird-led Indiana State Sycamores at
5:15. Both games can be seen on Channel 4.
Twenty teams battle in
IM basketball tourney
By SCOTT M. LEWISY
NBC won't be there. Neither will Earvin Johnson nor Larry Bird. But
this afternoon, right here in Ann Arbor, a real-live college invitational'
basketball tournament will take place with the finals tentatively set for 9:00
tonight.
The Intramural Sports Building will open its doors at noon today for the
first UMOASII Tournament--that is, the University of Michigan Officials'
Association State Invitational Intramural Tournament. Admission to the
nine-hour event is free.
THOSE WHO SNICKER at IM basketball will be surprised by the high
caliber of play of the 20-team, single-elimination tournament. Some of the
finest college intramural teams in Lower Michigan will take the court in
what should be an interesting affair.
The assemblage of talent consists of nine IM teams from Michigan, plus
squads from Detroit, Wayne State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and
the U-M Flint and Dearborn campuses.
Teams from Michigan invited to the tournament include: Fraternity 'A'
Division finalists Alpha Phi Alpha and Kappa Alpha Psi; Independent
champ Canyons; Graduate titlist Law Black and Blue; Residence Hall
representatives Allen Rumsey and Michigan House (West Quad), and
Kelsey (South Quad) and the High Rollers.
THE HIGH ROLLERS, an independent team, feature Rick Leach, Mike
Jolly and B.J. Dickey, a trio which should be familiar to most Michigan
rooters. (No, Bob Ufer will not be at courtside to handle the play-by-play.)
Each team paid a $15 entrance fee. Monies from the tournament go to
the.Officials' Association, a two-year-old organization of some 250 members.
The association eventually hopes to lure clinicians and professional of-
ficials to the University in addition to purchasing instructional video equip-
ment. The IM Department intends to expand its already-large officiating
program, whose co-ordinator, Sandy Sanders, is excited about today's tour-
nament.
"I hope this can be an annual event," said Sanders, who serves as
Assistant Director of Intramural Sports. "It's a nice gesture to have this
tournament. Besides helping the Officials' Association, the tournament
brings together some outstanding basketball teams from different in-
stitutions throughout the state."
Sanders is part of an officiating crew from Michigan which will work the
games for free.
CLASS A: PONTIAC CENTRAL FACES MACKENZIE
March Madness!
Finals today
EAST LANSING (UPI)-Forward
Dave Traylor and guard Steve Caldwell
combined for 42 points yesterday, ex-
ploding in a fourth quarter barrage that
lifted Detroit Mackenzie to a 64-54 vic-
tory over Saginaw and gave the Stags a
berth in the Class A high school basket-
ball finals.
Mackenzie, now 20-7 for the year, will
play Pontiac Central to determine the
state championship today at Crisler
Arena at 2:30 p.m.
SAGINAW DOMINATED the game
until Trayor and Caldwell found their
scoring range late in the third quarter.
They teamed up for nine unanswered
points that put Kackenzie ahead 51-44.
Saginaw was never able to recover
from that setback, although the Trojans
led 33-22 at hafltime.
Mackenzie shot only 29 per cent from
the floor in the first half on eight of 27
field goal attempts and took the lead
with 3:02 left to play in the third quar-
ter, 38-37.
Saginaw received 15 points from for-
ward Charlie Brown, and ends its
season with a 22-3 record..Traylor and
Caldwell each had 21 points.
Pontiac Central 74,
Lansing Eastern 67
Clyde Corley scored 17 points and
Fred Davis added 16 yesterday as
sharp-shooting Pontiac Central moved
into the Class A high school tournament
finals with a 74-67 victory over Lansing
Eastern.
Pontiac shot a sizzling 62 per cent in
the first half, connecting on 13 of 21 field
goal attempts and building a lead it
never lost.
Lansing fought to a tie twice in the
first half and kept the score close, 31-27,
Class B: Saginaw meets Muskegon
By GEOFF LARCOM
Saginaw Buena Vista staged a furious
second-half comeback to edge Willow
Run 64-56, while for Muskegon Heights
it was strictly no sweat as the Tigers
bombed Okemos 78-45 in the state Class
B semi-finals at Crisler Arena yester-
day.
The championship game, to be played
at 11:00 a.m. today at Crisler, will pit
Buena Vista's speedy run-and-gun
game against Muskegon's awesome
balance as the two battle for a year of
Michigan Class B bragging rights.
The road to the final was distinctly
different for the two teams, as Buena
Vista had to endure a first-half lapse
before snapping to life against Willow
Run, while Okemos was never in the.
ball game against mighty Muskegon.
"We had a rough time getting to the
semi-finals, but nothing as rough as
today," said Okemos Coach Stan Stolz.
"I think Muskegon Heights is easily the
best team in the state."
Coach Lee Gilbert admitted after the
game that this was perhaps the best the
Tigers had played all year.
"We played a relaxed and poised
game and we took good shots
throughout," said Gilbert. "We know
what it's like to play in the finals and we
kept our heads."
For the second game in a row,
Muskegon's all-state trio of forward
Cedrick Scott, center Darnell Plum-
mer, and guard Robert Kitchen out-
scored the opposition as Scott poured in
a game-high 23 points, while Kitchen
scoreil 16 and Plummer hit for 15. It
was on the boards where the Tigers
really outclassed Okemos however, as
Muskegon grabbed a whopping 55
caroms to only 27 for Okemos.
Stolz agreed that Heights' front line
was the key. "You need a 'big front line
to go against Muskegon," he said. "We
shot the ball, knowing they'd be right on
our backs the whole game."
At times the Tigers' play bordered on
the spectacular, as Plummer, who
blocked four shots, Scott, and forward
Doug Burse played much of their
games above the rim.
What Muskegon Heights' walkaway
lacked in drama, Buena Vista paid.
back in spades in the second game, as
the Knights shook off a nine-point first
half deficit in the thrilling second half.
Led by center David Swilley's 29
points, 18 of which came in the second
half, Saginaw made' its return to high
school tournament competition a
memorable one. Due to a millage
.failure, the Knights had no basketball
program last year,
Saginaw grabbed its first lead of the
game with a little over five minutes
left, when forward Kernes Jackson
sank a short jumper to make it 52-51.
See more sports on page 10
at halftime.
THE CHIEFS survived a late LanL
sing Eastern rally when Travis Stanley
stole the ball twice and drove foi
layups, trimming Pontiac's lead to 63b
61 with 2:15 left in the game.
Pontiac recovered by scoring the last
seven points of the game.
Stanley led all scorers with 27 points
and James Vincent added 14, for the
Quakers, who closed their season at 23
3,. Pontiac is now 17-10.
Class C: Lakers face Mustangs
By GEOFF LARCOM
Amidst the infectious March Mad-
ness that pervaded Crisler Arena last
night, the Elkton-Pigeon-Bayport
Lakers and the Three Oaks-River
Valley Mustangs each grabbed closely
fought semifinal victories to advance to
today's 8:30 p.m. Class C state final.
The Lakers downed Lansing Catholic
Central 67-60, in the first semifinal,
while the Mustangs hung on for a 57-49
win over the Tawas Area Braves in the
second semi game.
NO TEAM dominated in either of the
semis, as each game's outcome
remained in doubt until the last minute,
and the raucous high school patrons
traded deafening cheers throughout.
Class D: Finalists set.
Behind 60-54 with less than two
minutes to go in the opener, Lansing
was forced to resort to fouling the
Lakers. But Laker center Todd Wisen-
baugh canned both ends of two one-and-
one chances and guard Aaron Deering
and forward Jeff Smith each added a
pair to seal Catholic Central's post-
season fate.
"We just didn't stop them on defen-
se,' said Lansing Coach Jerry Tripp.
"We hit at about our offensive average,
but we were ten points worse than nor
mal on defense."
YET THE Cougars would have had
difficulty devising any kind of defense
that could have dealt with the Lakers'
torrid shooting, as the men from the
Thumb fired away at a better than fifty
per cent clip. Leading the Lakers were
Smith and Deering, who racked up 22
and 18 points respectively.
First-year Laker Coach Bill M-
Clellan couldn't have been more su-
prised or happy with the win.
EAST LANSING (UPI) - Muskegon
West Michigan Christian rallied from a
first quarter deficit behind the outside
shooting of Dave Doorn and Scott
Flicema last night and raced to a 64-43
triumph over Gaylord St. Mary in Class
D semifinal action.
Muskegon now advances to the tour-
nament finals against Detroit East
Catholic this afternoon at Crisler Arena
beginning at 7 p.m.
Doorn led all scorers with 26 points,
while Flicema added 16 and Todd
Krannitz scored-10 for Muskegon, now
17-9 on the year.
Gaylord St. Mary, which ended its
season at 23-3, got 11 points from Kurt
David and 10 from Ed Macowia.
Detroit East Catholic had double
figure scoring performances from four
players last night and controlled both
boarden ronutto a 71-60 victorv over
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