Sports
Page 12- Thursday, July 30, 1981 The Michigan Daily
American cagers edge Russians
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BUCHAREST, Romania (AP)-All-
American Kevin Magee of California-
Irvine scored 31 points against the
towering Soviet front line last night as
the United States beat the Soviet Union
93-87 to win the World University
Games basketball tournament.
The 6-foot-8 Magee, working inside
against 7-foot-4 Vladimir Tkachenko
and ,7-foot Alexandr Belositeni, fouled
out with 3:59 left in the game with the
Americans up by seven.
WITHIN A minute, the Soviets had
closed within one, 86-85.
But'then the U.S. backcourt press, led
by John Bagley of Boston College and
Sid Lowe of North Carolina State, took
over. Steals and driving layups put the
game out of reach of the frustrated
Soviets, who had played the Americans
close all night.
93-87 victory gives
U.S. World Games title
Nikolai Deriughin collected 21 points
for the Soviets. Tkachenko had 16, most
of them on flat-footed short shots.
"MAGEE WAS playing against two
of the finer big men in the world," said
U.S. Coach Tom Davis of Boston
College." It's very tough to play against
men of that caliber."
The fast-moving U.S. Team, lacking
a 7-footer to pit against the several big
men in the student tournament, had
beaten the Soviets 113-107 en route to
the finals, and lost only to Canada.
The capacity crowd of about 8,000 in
the Polivalenta Stadium chanted "U-S-
A" as the clock Wound down, with the
United States clinging to a slim lead.
MAGEE, WHO had consistently
scored less than 10 points per game
throughout the tournament, said "I
didn't do anything different." The
coach told us to come out and hustle and
play defense. That's what we did."
After a blocked shot by Magee's sub-
stitute, Roy Hinson of Rutgers, Lowe
hit a driving layup to make the score 88-
85 with 49 seconds left.
Sergei Kapustin answered with a 20-
footer for the Soviets, but after a quick
turnover, Bagley stole the ball and hita
layup to ice the game. Another steal
allowed Hinson to put in the final
basket.
KAPUSTIN, A consistent 20-point
scorer through the tournament, had 11
points. Howard Carter of Louisiana
State socred 17, Bagley finished with 12
and Lowe11.
"When the team was formed, we
recognized we didn't have the
dominating big men like the Russians.
We had to have quick players, press
and hustle and confuse the more
methodical teams," Davis said. "It
worked for us."
Yugoslavia won the bronze medal,
beating Romania 91-82.
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TOURNAMENT HAS ALWAYS ELUDED HIM:
Nicklaus wants Canadian Open
q
OAKVILLE, Ontario (API-For Jack
Nicklaus, the Canadian Open is the big
one that got away.
"I haven't won it," Nicklaus said.
"It's time I did. It's something I'd like
to do very much."
THE ABSENCE of this title serves as
.ne of the few blemishes, possibly the
only one, on his career record. It is the
only major national title that has
eluded him. -
He has won four U.S. Opens, three
British Opens and six Australian
Opens, but in this national champion-
ship, he has been shut out. He's been
second four times, third once, fourth
once and fifth twice.
"It's time to change that," Nicklaus
said while waiting for a chilly rain to
subside so he could get in a practice
round Tuesday on the 7,050-yard, par-71
Glen Abbey Golf Club course, site of the
72nd Canadian Open beginning today in
suburan Toronto.
"I'M PLAYING reasonably well. My
health is good. I'm striking the ball
reasonably well. It's just a matter of
getting something in the hole at the
right time,," Nicklaus said.
"I'd very mitch like to win this tour-
nament."
As an indication of his desire for this
title, he is making a rare competitive
appearance the week prior to one of the
Big Four events. The American PGA
championship, in which Nicklaus is the
defender, is scheduled next week in
Atlanta. Normally, he skips com-
petition the week before one of the Big
Four tournaments.
THE GROWING stature of this tour-
nament, however, has drawn a strong
field to the course Nicklaus designed as
a permanent home for the Canadian
Open.
Topping the 156-man lineup are all
the men who have dominated the
American tour this season: Masters
champion Tom Watson, U.S. Open king
David Graham of Australia and Ray
Floyd and Bruce Lietzke, each a three-
time winner this season.
Probably thb biggest threat,
however, is Lee Trevino, who has won
three Canadian national champion-
ships, including in 1979, the last time it
was played on this course. No player
has won it more than.four times. Bob
Gilder won it last year in Montreal.
Some other major standouts in the 72-
hole event that offers $425,000 in total
prizes are Johnny Miller, Tom Kite,
Ben Crenshaw and former champion
Jerry Pate.
In addition to Graham, the foreign
field is headed by South African Gary
Player and Seve Ballesteros of Spain.
Dan Halldorson and Jim Nelford lead
the 22-man Canadian Contingent.
Portions of the final two rounds
Saturday and Sunday will be televised
nationally in the United States. by CBS
and in Canada by CTV. The tournament
is sponsored by Peter Jackson cigaret-
tes.
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AP Photo
Savage blows
Richard Savage, left, from West Monroe, La., and Steve Cruz, from Ft. Worth, Texas, exchange punches in their 119 lb.
weight class fight during the National Sports Festival in Syracuse, New York. Savage won the match.
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