BULLETS, SUNS FAVORED Page 8-Wednesday, April 4, 1979-The Michigan Daily Women open season with twinbill sweep By SUZANNE JAQUES If there wasn't a hole in the Lansing Community College infield, Michigan's women softball team might not have come away with a 1-0 vic- tory in the first game of yesterday's twin-bill season opener. With two down in the bottom of the seventh, catcher Sheryl Tominac found the hole. The Michigan runner on second base came in from the resulting error, and the Wolverines started off their season with a victory. Getting hits was the key problem in the first game. The team had problems getting a solid piece of the ball, instead hitting fly balls and infield grounders. "Our bats died," said pitcher Theresa Gardocki between games. "We- need to get those sticks going," Coach Gloria Soluk agreed. "We're going to have to improve our hitting." The women showed where the team's strength lies with their defensive play. Gardocki, who pitched the first game, was in top form and kept Lan- sing off the scoreboard with fast and controlled pitches. "I had excellent con- trol of the ball," she said. "I've been ready (to play) for two weeks." Freshman Julie Zyjewski hurled the second game. She too showed the sparse crowd her skill. However, she lacked the control Gardocki had. But for the most part, Soluk was pleased with her first performance, shutting out Lansing 9-6 for :Michigan's second win. rmsammmmm --m-m - m -- m mmmm Cottage INN (good only with this coupon)' Carry-Out and FREE Delivery1 FREE-2 LARGE PEPSIS m With any medium or large pizza GOOD MON: THRU THURS. (DON'T FORGET to ask for your free Pepsis WHEN you place your order), 1 * 12", 14", 16" PIZZAS-10items including t Zucchini & Eggplant. a COTTAGE INN'S Very Own SICILIAN DEEP DISH PIZZA * SANDWICHES. SUBS, PIZZA SUB, COTTAGE INN DELUXE " Expertly prepared ITALIAN DINNERS: Spaghetti, Lasagna, ' Cannelloni. Manicotti. Combination 546 PACKARD at HILL-665-6005 MONDAY-SATURDAY 4- 2am, SUNDAY4-1lam L mm - m m mm - mm mm mmm mm m m NBA teams gear-up for playoffs BY SCOTT M. LEWIS Midwestern teams may have dominated college basketball this past year, but in the pro game, it's been an entirely different story. As the 82-game regular season plods to an end, fans in this sector of the coun- try respond to their teams with an ap- propriate "So what?" Detroit, Cleveland, and Chicago - which have combined for a .379 winning percentage - are locked in a furious struggle for second place. The goal: finish behind New Orleans as the losingest team in the league? FIVE OTHER clubs will join the Titanic Trio on the sidelines when post- season action begins next Tuesday. For all ye faithful from New York, Milwaukee, Boston and the Bay Area, well, at least your baseball teams will provide something to cheer about. What about the other 13 NBA teams which still entertain championship hopes? All but one are playoff-bound, ready to start what most players and coaches call the "second season." Washington and Seattle, surprise finalists last year, are logical choices to meet again for the title. By compiling the best records in their respective con- ferences, each will hold the all- important home court advantage in the playoffs. HOME TEAMS have won 69 per cent of the time this year, so it's only natural that coaches will pull out all the stops this week to finish with the best possible mark. Only the Bullets and Sonics can afford to rest their aching players, sin- ce they probably will have an additional week's rest._ and square off in three-game mini- series. The third-place team plays, number six in one qualifier, while four and five are paired in the other. The division champs with the best record await the winner of the third place-sixth place series, while the other division winner plays the second survivor. - A LOOK AT the standings as of yesterday morning will clarify the con- EASTERN CONFERENCE W L Pct. GB WESTERN CONFERENCE X-Washington................ 52 25 .675 -- 'seattle...0 28L Pt. G *San Antonio .................. 45 33 .577 72' Phoenix............. ......48 30 .615 2 Philadelphia.................45 34 .570 8 Los Angeles................44 33 .571 5 Houston .................... 43 34 .558 9 LosAnes.t........ .......44 33 .570 512 Atlanta.................... 42 36 .544 10'2 Dener. y.................. 45 34 .570 5 New Jersey................36 41 .468 16 Portland...................44 34 .564 6 X-clinched division title San Diego ....,................ 42 37 .532 812 *-leads division The playoff formula is the same as last season's, which doesn't explain matters too much. The system works like this: Division winners in each conference are exempt from first-round qualifying competition. The next four teams in each conference also make the playoffs , 2 - , , . CJIINUNK fusion. It is conceivable that a second or third-place team in one division will finish higher than a division champ in the same conference. If, for example, Philadelphia winds up with more wins than San Antonio, the Spurs will automatically advance to the quarter- finals. But in the event that the Spurs and 76ers meet in the playoffs, Philadelphia will have the home court edge. Predicting the outcome of the NBA playoffs is as difficult as determining who will play whom. Injuries, emotional factors, and home court ad- vantage often override sheer talent, as was the case two years ago when Phoenix nearly upset the Celtics in the championship series. UNDAUNTED BY the uncertainties laid before him, this intrepid forecaster plows ahead, recalling that in the playoffs, one must always expect the unexpected. In the Eastern Conference, expect the talent-rich Bullets to breeze into the WANT TO BE A CAMP COUNSELOR? SPEND YOUR SUMMER IN CAMP EQUINUNK OR CAMP BLUE RIDGE, A BROTHER-SISTER CAMP IN THE POCONO'S Openings in all field sports, general, waterfront (with WSI), water-ski, tennis, gymnastics, pioneering, nature, science, music, archery, and hockey. Stop in or call Ann Cooper at CAREER PLACEMENT AND PLANNING (Summer Placement), 763-4117, STUDENT ACTIVITIES BUILDING, ROOM 3200, and sign up for an ON CAMPUS INTERVIEW on FRIDAY, APRIL b, from,9:00 to 5:00. "8 ballin the side pocket" title series. Sporting the league's deepest set of guards and a bullish fron- tcourt, Washington should defeat Philadelphia in the Eastern finals. Backcourt ace Kevin Grevey, slowed in recent weeks by a hamstring injury, should be at full tilt for the playoffs. Phil Chenier, also coming off the sick list, has been adding clutch points as a reserve guard. Add to that combination a frontcourt of Wes Unseld, Bob Dan- dridge, Elvin Hayes, and one has the ingredients of a conference king. PHILADELPHIA, which has been receiving solid center play of late, will "owe their fans another one." Coach Billy Cunningham has all summer to second-guess himself for unloading guard Lloyd Free, now with San Diego. The two Texas teams fighting for first place in the Central Division along with Atlanta are too erratic to compete with the Washingtons and Philadelphias in a long series. The Spurs still have no in- terest in defense, while the Rockets' bench is woeful. Atlanta, on the other hand, is simply too inexperienced to challenge for the title (but remember, that's what they were saying about Seattle last year). New Jersey is revelling after making the NBA playoffs for the first time; look for the celebration to end very quickly. IN THE OTHER conference, the Phoenix Suns will spread rays of joy throughout the Southwest after upen ding Seattle in seven games. The Suns' starting five - Paul Westphal, Don Buse, Alvan Adams, Leonard 'Truck' Robinson and Walter Davis - is superior to the Sonics' quintet. In ad- dition, Phoenix reserves have averaged over 25 points per game. Critics who dismiss the Suns' chances point to their lack of bulk in the middle. Adams, at 6-9 and 215, gives away plen- ty of pounds to most pivotmen around the league. But Robinson and workhor- se Gar Heard give Adams more than adequate support underneath. Seattle remains a fun team to watch, with free-wheeling Gus Williams and 'Downtown' Freddie Brown supplying much of the long-range arsenal. The Sonics will be victimized by the Law of No Return this spring - only three times in NBA history (most recently in 1972-73) have two teams met in the finals two years in a row. PORTLAND and Denver are peaking for the playoffs, fending off a late surge from San Diego for the final post-season spot. The Blazers finally realize that Bill Walton will not return to the team, and have centered their game around Maurice Lucas, perhaps the best power forward in the game who has been on a torrid streak since February. When Los Angeles' Kareem Abdul- Jabbar is in the mood, he remains the finest center in basketball. Unfor- tunately for Coach Jerry West, he hasn't been in the mood lately. The former Lakers' great hascomplained this season that Abdul-Jabbar, 31, doesn't play both ends of the court anymore - he'll play either offense or defense, but not both. An inspired Ab- dul-Jabbar could lead Los Angeles to playoff prosperity. Vastly improved Kansas City can thank rookie sensation Phil Ford for its rebirth. However, any team which star- ts Sam Lacey in the pivot won't go too far in the playoffs. NBA CHAMPION 1979: Phoenix Suns. WAKE UP'. to 3lidiitn 1 ai1 Pabst presents the National Intercollegiate Billiard Championship I When: April 5, 6 and 7 Time: Thursday April 5 Where: Michigan Union Ballroom. 9:00 AM 11:00 AM 1:00 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 7:30 9:30 5:30 7:30 PM PM PM PM PM Friday April 6 9:00 AM 11:00 AM 1:00 PM 3:00 PM Saturday, April 7 Semi-Finals Finals 1:00 PM 7:00 PM a. Admission: Free. The Pabst Brewing Company, together with the Association of College Unions- International, has invited the top collegiate billiard players to Ann Arbor, They'll be shooting for the National Championship Titles for both men and women. And you're invited too. Come see the action and suspense of billiards, the game of concentration and ultimate finesse.