Page Twelve THE MICHIGAN DAILY Saturday, May 7, 1977 Recruits bolster cage attack By DON MacLACHLAN The 1977-78 Michigan basketball schedule is a tough one-including encounters with such perennial powers as UCLA, Alabama and Louisville. Coach Johnny Orr and Assistant ('oach Bill Frieder used the rugged schedule as a recruiting pitch this year. Wouldn't most high school cagers love to play in Madison Square Garden and Pauley Pavillion as fresh- men? ONLY TWO starters return from the 1977 Big Ten champs and a fine recruiting year was a 'must-due to the grueling non-conference games and the always tough Big Ten battles next winter. "This recruiting year ranks with some of the better ones Michigan has had," Frieder said. "Only time will tell how these kids produce." The Wolverines signed 6-10 center Mike Robinson, forwards Mike McGee and Paul Heuerman along with guards Johnny Johnson and twins Mark and Marty Bodnar. WITH ROBINSON in the fold, Orr finally has a "big man" who could allow him to switch junior co-captain Phil Hubbard to forward-his natural position. B and C Scouting Service selected Robinson to the Junior Col- lege All-America first team. "People don't realize it but Mike is a great player and hopefully he can give us some immediate help," Frieder said. This past week the coaches signed the "Earvin John- son of Nebraska"-the 6-5 All-American McGee, a sharpshooter who can play guard or forward. McGee is a fine all around player who broke nearly every high school scoring record in Nebraska. "McGEE CAN stick the ball in the hole," Frieder said. "I compare him to Earvin-he's just not as big." McGee narrowed his choice down to Minnesota or Michigan, yet he wanted to play close to home-which could have persuaded him towards Gopherland. How- ever, McGee,'-who scored over 50 points five times dur- ing his prep career, helped the Wolverines in two ways -coming to Ann Arbor and snubbing Minnesota. "Signing McGee was exciting," Frieder said. "There nust have been one hundred people outside his house including firends, media and coaches." "ORR CAME OUT on the porch and was mobbed by writers and TV people," Frieder added. "There were more people there than at a Detroit Tiger game. It was one of the most fantastic things I've seen. It was comparable to Earvin signing in this area." Johnny Johnson, another All-American who can also swing as either a guard or forward, hit on 60 per cent of his field goal attempts last season, netting 31 points per contest. "In addition to being a great scorer, Johnny can really pass and penetrate," Frieder said. "He can do a lot of things with the basketball." THE BODNAR TWINS signed a month ago and Frie- der is expecting a lot from the aggressive duo. "Hey, don't count out the Bodnars," Frieder remark- ed. "They hustle and knock you over. They pass as well as any high school players that I've seen." "They'll be two of the most exciting players Michigan will have in the next few years,"-Frieder added. Heuerman, a 6-7 forward from Akron, is probably not as well known as the other five recruits. The coaches expect him to continue developing during his collegiate career. "WE RECRUITED many players and we don't men- tion every recruit to the press," Frieder said. "We recruited Paul all year. He's grown from 6-4 to 6-7, and he's aggressive like (Steve) Grote. Based on his poten- tial he will be a great player for Michigan." While Frieder and Orr were traveling around the country, the rest of the Big Ten picked up some other prep stars. Indiana landed two All-Americans in 6-8 Ray Tolbert and Tommy Baker. Purdue signed 6-51 Drake Morris while Iowa nabbed 6-9 Jeff Ruland. Wisconsin picked up Larry Petty, and James Smith along with Todd Pin settled on Ohio State. EARVIN JOHNSON made Michigan State's recruit- ing year but both Minnesota and Northwestern have suffered through a poor recruiting year thus far-al- though many high school stars are still considering the Gophers. "The Big Ten is the toughest conference in the coun- try and will be even tougher next year," Frieder pre- dicted. Including the six tenders given out this year, Mich- igan now has 15 players on scholarship. "I'm sure when the season starts our team will con- sist of 13 players," Frieder said. "You could have a senior hang it up or put a freshman on junior varsity. There are all kinds of possibilities." HUBBARD AND JUNIOR Tom Staton are the only returning starters, but co-captain Dave Baxter and Mark Lozier played steady ball all season at guard, while forwards Joel Thompson and Alan Hardy showed signs of brilliance also. The six new recruits and re- turning lettermen will battle for the three vacated starting spots next fall. Those p. actices which start October 15 should be quite intense. "Good competition makes good programs," Frieder said. "Next year's practices will be very competitive We have a lot of fine veterans coming back who will not concede to these younger kids. The young kids will really battle though." "It will be an interesting situation to see what de- velops," Frieder added. "It's a wide open affair." 'M' nine faces Big Ten survival test on the road By PAUL CAMPBELL Big Ten baseball races are a bit humorous. Sometimes it seems the only winner will be the rain and irregular schedule. Consider this spring. Ohio State, with a 4-0 conference rec- ord, is the percentage leader, Blue golfers fifth Special Ta The Daily EAST LANSING-Doug Davis shot a one-over-par 73 to lead Michigan to fifth place after the opening round of the Spartan Invitational Golf Tournament at Michigan State. The Wolverines team total of 375 puts them five strokes be- hind leader Ohio State. Indiana holds second with a 371 total, followed by Cincinnati at 372 and Illinois at 373. John Morgan was right behind Davis for Michigan with a round of 74. Frank Sims shot a 75, one stroke better than captain Ken Walchuck. Jim Marshall with a 77 and Tim Von Tongren with a 80 rounded out the Wolverine effort. FCORES 1 AMERICAN LEAGUE Detroit 5, Milwaukee I Chicago 7, Cleveland 5 , Minnesota 7, Toronto aaltimore 4, Seattle I New York 4, Oakland 1 California 8, Bonston 4 NATIONAL LEAGUE Chiagn 7. Atlanta I But technically they remain two full games behind Minnesota, which has played three times as many games and has a 10-2 slate. Michigan has been able to dodge the raindrops often enough to compile a 5-3 Big Ten record, putting them three games behind Minneso- ta and one behind Ohio State. If the skies stay clear in the Midwest today and tomorrow, some of the clouds should also be lifted from the conference situation. Michigan travels to Ohio State for a doubleheader today and continues on to In- diana for two games tomorrow. The Buckeyes will entertain Michigan State on Sunday. "We definitely have some ground to make up on Minne- sota," admitted M i c h i g a n coach Moby Benedict. "But this is a typical Big Ten race and we're still very much in it." Moby points out that this weekend will be the first time Ohio State has played double- headers on two consecutive days. The depth of the Buckeye pitching staff will be a crucial factor. The Ohio State moundsmen have certainly been impressive to this point. Their team ERA in Big Ten games is 0.96. Last weekend they shutout Indiana in both ends of a double dip. The Michigan mentor will send Steve Howe and Bill Sten- nett to the mound in Columbus. Sunday's p r o b a b l e pitchers against ninth place Indiana will be Craig McGinnis and Steve Perry. Tigers out of cellar; down Milwaukee 5-2 By GARY KICINSKI by Tito Fuentes and Rusty Special to the Daily Staub's sacrifice fly. DETROIT - A pair of RBI MANKOWSKI'S two RBI sin- singles by Phil Mankowski and gles extended his hitting streak a solo homer by Ben Oglivie to five games, during which he powered the Detroit Tigers to a has hit .412. 5-2 victory over the Milwaukee The Brewers got both their Brewers last night. runs in the fifth on Steve Brye's SCORING TWO RUNS in each first home run of the season and the fifth and sixth innings, the an RBI single by Sal Bando. Tigers staked starter Dave Rob- Brewer starter Jerry Augus- erts to a three-run lead. When tine took the loss to even his Roberts faltered in the eighth, record at 3-3. Steve Foucault came on to quiet the brewing storm. He then re- ROBERTS UPPED his season tired the side in the ninth to slate to 2-4 while striking out sit pick up his second save. . in seven-and-one-third innings of Oglivie's fifth inning home work. The game marked the run, a 385 foot blast to right- first time this season the Brew- center, was preceded by a triple ers lost to a southoaw DETROIT TIGER centerfielder Steve Kemp looks puzzled during last night's 5-2 victory over the first place Milwaukee Brewers. Kemp is in a second inning rundown between third -and the plate. Kemp was out and so were the Tigers as they moved out of last place and into fifth, ahead of the Cleveland Indians.