Thursday, November 11, 1999 - The Micrigan Daily - 23A :M' part of endless road trip for All-Stars By Chris Duprey Daily Sports Editor Thirteen games in 18 days, some- times as many as six nights in a row. Logging more miles than a traveling salesman. But there are no briefcases in this business - and no home games, either. Grab your gym bag, take three weeks worth of clothes and wham! - you're off to tour the nation and serve as cannon fodder for America's top college basketball programs. Those are just facts of life for exhibition touring teams like the California All-Stars, who came up just short last night against a well- rested, well-coiffed Michigan team. The truth is, that's one of the best efforts the All-Stars have put togeth- er so far. And they lost. NBA teams talk about playing with tired legs when the schedule has them on the court two nights in a row. Try six. It's absolute hell, but if this is what it takes for these ex-col- lege players to get noticed by some league - any league - then it's all worth it. "Getting up early in the morning is tough," said Chivo Anderson, who had a tidy 15 points and five rebounds last night. "And, of course, guys want to have fun. ' "So when you go from city to city, it's not like after you play, you go back to your room and go to sleep. You're out all night, and then you get up early the next morning, and travel to the next city and do the same thing. So it wears and tears on you." Even advancing to the point where you trust your teammates is a formi- dable task. The ultimate goal for everyone on the roster is to make it to the NBA, but most would settle for the CBA, or Europe, or whoever will offer them a contract. Touring teams like the All-Stars are vulnerable. With each player try- ing to further his own career, selfish motives can be a factor - but not on this team. "These guys are a good bunch of guys and they want to work as a team," coach Price Johnson said. "The chemistry is really good. They're really focused." With every man on the roster in the same position, they seem to pull together, rather than isolate them- selves. Stuff happens. There are struggles on the court, but it's no one's fault. "With us being thrown together at the last minute, you're not really used to each other," said Mike Gill, the All-Stars' high scorer with 20. "You don't know where a guy's going to throw the ball all the time because you haven't played with him. "And it's not because he's a bad ballplayer - you just don't have that vibe for communicating with each other." The All-Stars are slowly develop- ing the elusive team chemistry on the court. Too bad the tour ends in a week, when the nine All-Stars will again pack their gym bags in search of the next opportunity. CALIFORNIA Continued from Page 18A a huge role. While the All-Star; missed plenty from the consolation line with the game on the line (three of nine after the 10 minute mark), the Wolverines sank all seven of their charity opportunities in the second half and 76 percent for the game. "We missed seven foul shots down the stretch and they made seven in a row, so they win,"said a dismayed All-Stars coach Price Johnson. "Our legs might have gone on us a little, but we should have won the game. We gave the game to them" Michigan feasted and famined on its guards all night long. Either they played well in transition - turning numerous Michigan rebounds into fast breaks -- or they sputtered and made poor choices on a moment's notice. The Wolverines built up an 11-point lead in the first 11 minutes of the game, primarily because they dominated the boards, out-rebounding the smaller All- Stars, 58-32 in all. But Michigan squandered the early adviantage cdue to Costly turniovers, !ce- cold shooting and mised putbacks. The All-Stars chumed out a 19-5 n, capped by a four conered free throw1s to close the first half with a 032 lead. "It was our first time play ing against another team, said Jones, explaiinIg all the Michigan turnovers. So I think every- body was a little nervou' T he All-Stars seeked to contain Michigan's running game all evening. knowing that their players didn't match up to the Wolverines physically or athletically. "We obviously weren't expecting to see 32 minutes of zone (defense)," said Ellerbe. "But that's good because adversi- ty teaches you about your group. Despite all the smiles present in Crisler Arena following !ast night's game, the exciting victory was merely a scrimmage - a prelude to a long road ahead for a young Michigan team. Tol Ellerbe, it is only a 40 minute tape from which he will discern Michigan's strengths and weak- nesses. SAM HOLLENSHEAD/Daily 'Michigan center Josh Asselin knocks away a California All-Star pass during last night's game. The AllStars came close to knocking off the Wolverines, losing 84-79. Caifornia All-stars (79 MIN MA M-A OTA F PTS chell 3 2-8 3-6 1-4 7 4 7 ndon 15 3-6 2-4 0-2 1 1 8 And~erson 32 511 1-2 2-5 3 2 15 Pryor 13 1-5 0-0 2-4 0 2 13 Gray 27 2-5 6-6 4-5 1 4 10 Gil28 8-16 36 1-2 1 2 20 arrmsen 16 1-5 0.0 0-2 0 0 2 ,Neson 2 01 0-0 0-0 0 10 Tals 200 2767 172611.3217 19 79 -FG%: .403. FT%: 654. 3-point FG: 8-26_ 308 (Anderson 4-9, McLinn 3-8, Gill 12, Brandon 0-3, Mitchell 0-2, Pryor 0-1, Gray 0-1). Blocks:1 (Nelson). Steals: 16 (Mitchell 4, McLinn 3, Anderson 3, Gray 2, Harmsen 2, Brandon, Pryor). Turnovers: 16 (Mitchell 5, McLinn 3, Gill 3, Gray 2, Brandon, Pryor). Technical Fouts: none. - - FG FT RED MIN M-A M-A 0-T A F PTS Blanchard 24 8-15 2-2 4-9 0 5 19 Anderson 19 1-9 0-0 1-3 0 0 2 Vignier 17 2-6 0-0 3-7 1 0 4 Jones 27 5-10 68 5-7 6 4 18 Gaes 20 3-7 2-2 0-3 8 4 10 Crawford 30 511 2-2 1-5 1 2 14 Groninger 20 1.5 0-0 01 0 1 3 Asselin 24 5-10 45 613 1 2 14 Young 19 01 02 2-5 0 3 0 Totals 200 30-74 16-212558 17 21 84 FG%:.405. FTb: .762. 3-point FG: 8-21,-381. (Crawford 2-6, Ganes 2-4, Jnes 2-2 Blanchard 1- 4, Groninger 1-4). Blocks: 3 (Blanchard, Vignier. Crawford). Steals: 7 (Ganes 3, Crawford 3, Jones 1). Turnovers: 28 (Asselin 6. Anderson 5, Crawford 5, Gaines 4, Blanchard 2, Vignier 2, Jones 2, Groninger, Young). Technical Fouls: none. California All-Stars------36 43 -- 79 Michigan-------------32 52-84 At: Crisler Arena Attendance: 8,788 Swimmers hope to rebound in State College Football not only big event this weekend, as swimmers face Penn State in first Big 10 meet Interested in Biotechnology? - The Cellular Biotechnology Training Program will offer Cellular Biotechnology 504 in the Winter 2000 term. Topics covered include biomolecula recognition, ligand-receptor dynamics bioinformatics, tissue engineering, biosensor and bioseparations, fluorescence technologies and applications of microbial genetics t biotechnology. The course provides an overview of the disciplinary foci that define the field o cellular biotechnology, with emphasis place on basic principles, the relationships between the various subjects within the context of the integrated biotechnology process, as well legal and business issues relevant t biotechnology. Students participate in a team based approach to proposal development fo biotechnology-related problem solving. Lectures will be held Tuesdays and Thursday from 5:00-6:30 p.m. in 5623 Med. Sci. II. Fo more information, call Dr. Joel Swanson a 647-6339 or e-mail him at jswan@umich.edu. Benjamin Singer +Daily Sports Writer State College is going to host a tough competition between two talent- ed rivals this weekend. Oh yeah, there is a football game too. The No. 9 Michigan swimming and diving team goes on the road to chal- lenge defending Big Ten champions Penn State tomorrow. The Wolverines pped from eighth in the national kings after their 175-125 loss to -No. 7 Georgia. Michigan's loss makes them 1-1, but its record does not reflect their first place finish out of four teams in the Michigan Quadrangular. The Wolverines placed first in 11 of the 13 events for a total of 73.6 points. Eastern Michigan was a distant sec- ond with 539. The Nittany Lions are unranked and not stacked with superstars,. but Michigan coach Jon Urbanchek still views this meet as a challenge. "They are a very good Big Ten-cal- iber team," Urbanchek said. "They have a lot of talent. They don't have the same elite swimmers that Michigan does, but they have a lot of depth." Though the meet itself is not a lock, Urbanchek is sure that Michigan will win certain events. Junior All- Americans Chris Thompson and Scott Werner should run away with their events. Thompson races in the 1,650- yard and 500-yard freestyle and Werner competes in the breaststroke and Individual Medley. Thompson currently is ranked third in the world in the 800-meter free. Urbanchek also has confidence in the freshmen to perform well in their Big Ten opener. He called Paul Ely, Tony Kurth, Garrett Mangieri and Ryan Earheart the "backbone of the freshmen class." "I expect the freshmen to step it up," Urbanchek said. "They have had experience in national competitions, and some even in international. They are freshmen but definitely not rook- ies-" While Michigan expects to clean up on the long races, Urbanchek said Penn State is a sprint-oriented team. The Lions could rack up points in the short races and relays. Whatever the outcome, Urbanchek does not feel that the result will make or break the Wolverine's season. "You focus in on one or two meets, Urbanchek said. "The Big Ten Championship is the biggest event. These dual meets are sort of a stepping stone." M' Clai ~econd tourney win eve ms r WRIGHT 'Continued from Page 18A "They play a great style, similar to us," Belkin said. "They like to play to feet." It will be an interesting test for Michigan, whose recent opponents like to create opportunities off long runs and balls played over the top. Michigan has won four straight mes, and Belkin believes the team can pull off the upset. "We're peaking at the right time," Belkin said. "Mentally we're strong even though we have a lot of pres- sure on us, and we're confident." Michigan's victory against Wright State was only the team's second tournament victory ever. They have never been past the second round of the NCAA tournament before. But Belkin believes that the Wolverines have the leadership to move into unchartered territory. "The more you go through it, the more you know what to expect," Belkin said. "Every year we've got- ten better and better, and we're on the rise." Still, every game for the rest of the season has the potential to be the last for the seniors. It's an espe- ally tough prospect since every Team but one will lose their final game. But the seniors do their best to maintain a productive focus. "I try not to think about losing," Schmitt said. "We're just trying to win each game, but I definitely have my moments when I think, this MARJORIE MARSHALL/Daily Marie Spaccarotella fires from the top of the box for one of her two goals in yes- terday's NCAA Tournament first-round home game against Wright State. Y w m m