Adamantly Speaking
BY ADAM OCHLIS
The Michigan Daily - Monday, February 16, 1987 -i Page 11
Home-grown talents ight for
right to be king offthe courts
EAST LANSING - Forget the
incessant talk of violations in
amateur sports- playing for pride
is still a primary motivation. While
yesterday's Michigan-Michigan
State game was no classic, it gave
new life to people who had given
up on college athletics.
For the eight Michigan natives
who played in yesterday's game,
team and individual bragging rights
were on the line. The Wolverines
and the Spartans play only twice
between October and March, but
these players are not foreigners to
one another.
All spring and summer, they
compete on the playgrounds. They
don't play for any championship,
but the games are almost as
important to them as the one played
yesterday.
"It's my last time playing U of
M and (beating Michigan) is just a
great feeling, especially when
summertime gets here and we all
play at the same gym,",said MSU
senior Vernon Carr. "We don't
necessarily talk about it, but when
you come in (to the gym), as soon
as they see you, you give them that
look and you smile and they know
you don't have to say anything
else."
Carr, a Detroit native, didn't
embarrass himself yesterday,
notching 20 points. All eight
Michiganders did themselves proud.
MSU's other Michigan native,
Darryl Johnson (Flint), poured in a
game-high 26 and played one of his
best games of the season.
Six Wolverines hail from the
state, and they all played well.
Antoine Joubert (Detroit) had his
best game in a long time, with 19
points on eight-of-14 shooting.
Glen Rice (Flint) had 16, Garde
Thompson (East Grand Rapids) 18,
and Loy Vaught (Grand Rapids) and
Mark Hughes (Muskegon) had four
each. Even seldom-used J.P.
Oosterbaan scored three.
The players from the state
combined to shoot 68 percent from
the floor.
For the most part, these players
are all friends. When Johnson and
Joubert hugged after the game, it
may have looked corny, but it was
genuine. "It was a joyous time for
the both of us," Johnson said. "We
faced each through high school, in
the summer, and here it came to an
end today. We're good friends on as
well as off the court.
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"(Joubert) was just
congratulating me on the game
today and I was congratulating him
on the season and hopefully, who
knows, we may meet each other in
the NBA."
Rivalries are what make sports
the exciting event that they are.
When good players are motivated
enough to raise their game to a
higher level, it can only enhance
the excitement. Such is what
occurred yesterday.
True, Michigan, as a team,
didn't play well, and MSU will sit
at home when post-season
tournament bids are announced. But
the game was a fun one to watch.
All the Michiganders had
something to prove to bo
themselves and one another. A
they did just that.
But when Carr and Johnson get
together with Joubert, Thompson,
Rice, and the others during the
summer for an informal game of
roundball, Carr and Johnson will be
wearing the smiles on their faces.
"They'll let us know about
(yesterday's outcome)," said,
Thompson. "They always do. The
summer won't be as bad as last year
when they won two games (against
Michigan during the Big Ten
season) and we didn't win any at
all, but they'll let us know."
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Daily Photo by JOHN MUNSON
Michigan's Glen Rice (41) and Mike Griffin (20) battle with Spartan Ver-
non Carr for a loose ball during MSU's 90-81 victory Sunday.
Spartans
oon gvard;
Johnson
scores 26
(Continued from Page 1)
MSU increased its one-point
halftime advantage to eight,
?Iichigan forged a run. Back-to-
bhack Glen Rice baskets pulled the
Wolverines within three points, 71-
68, with 8:23 remaining.
1"I thought we played hard in the
second half and hung in there," said
Miohiga# datcoac B>ibt'd r
"Wmo iada co'upk of 3Iane'es
ckbse ihe gdd;'and we just didrit-
take advantage."
After an MSU timeout, a Darryl
Johnson three-pointer spurred a 9-2
Spartan run that secured the game.
Tie Wolverines could get no closer
than six points. A Gary Grant
layup with 2:31 -left made the score
84-78, but MSU then hit six
straight free throws.
JOHNSON led his team with
2ยข points, six assists, and three
steals. His. backcourt partner
' Vernon Carr added 20 points.
. "We-were fired up, but when DJ
and Vernon get on a roll like that
it's hard to stop them," said
Michigan's Garde Thompson.
"7hey're going to beat everyone
they play if they play like that."
Since the Spartans' loss at
Cisler Arena on Jan. 15, Johnson
las had a mission. Wolverine
defensive stalwart Grant held
} Johnson, who averages 22.1 points
per game, to 11 points on that
night.
i "I said to myself I had to get
him back (Grant)," said the senior.
"It was on my conscience. I could
dly Steep last night. I was antsy
come out and play this game."
SO WERE Johnson's
ammates. MSU received
ntributions from unlikely
urces. Redshirt freshman Todd
olfe (5 ppg) scored 11 of his 13
ints in the first half. Junior
tansfer George Papadakos (3.4 ppg)
tllied nine points and added
resence in the pivot.
"We got inspired play from
Peapadakos, which we've been
#aiting all our lives for," said
l!eathcote of his backup center.
r Inspiration led to Spartan
domination in the paint. MSU shot
30 of 37 from the free throw line
while Michigan hit eight of 12.
'he Spartans also shot 58 percent
Lom the field to the Wolverines 56
percent.
"The ABC: camera probably
iyched us up," said Johnson.
"Some of the guys were doing
things I hadn't seen them do all
e FRTEDER witned the ame
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