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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 11, 1978)
California Cal’s experienced team could be Pac-8 sleeper By NEIL GRUENFELDER Of the Emerald Youth and experience should compose the California Golden Bears into a solid team of the fu ture as well as a 1977-78 Pac-8 contender, despite two opening losses. Eight of the top 10 ball players are veteran varsity performers and only Doug Vilotti is a senior. In addition, the Bears will nurse along highly-touted Eric Vial, a 6-10 freshmen center. Head Coach Dick Edwards hopes the Bears will start playing where they left off last year. California started slow, with a league record of 1-5. After the freshmen and sophomore starters began to gel, however, the Bears knocked off all four of the North west schools and finished with a commendable 7-7 mark. “I’m satisfied so far,” Edwards said regarding his team’s early exhibition play. “We’re going to be an aggressive, tenacious, bas ketball team. We could develop I into a fine young team.” Edwards said he was extremely jleased with his guard play — notably junior starters Gene tensom and John Caselli. Ran >m is a 5-8 speedster who was ^second team Pac-8 last year and the Bears’ leading scorer with 14 .8 points per game. He is one of jphe league’s most complete players, owning several California “records including assists. The 6-3 r Caselli is very much like Oregon's John Murray. He is aiso a dandy defensive demon and his hot shooting from the perimeter has broken many zones. Subbing the guards will be 6-6 swingman Kevin Singleton. The sophomore leaper will serve dou ble duty at forward and is re garded by his coach as “one of the better pure shooters.” Walt Gil lespie, a 6-3 sophomore, and Tyrone Davis, a 6-1 transfer, should see considerable playing time. As is true with most basketball teams, the big men will either make or break California’s sea son. The Bears are fortunate in that they have a true big man — 6-7 Doug True. The 19-year-old started every game as a freshman and finished with a scoring aver age of over 10 points. He was third leading rebounder and second on assists. The Bear’s success will depend on center Tom Schneiderjohn’s improvement. He is an excellent shooter, connecting on 48 per cent of his shots for a 12.6 aver age as a sophomore. He is 6-11 and even at 210 pounds, he isn’t too frail for the rigors of Pac-8 basketball. Subbing him is Vial, whom Edwards describes as hav ing “tremendous potential.” Oregon split its two games with California last season. The Ducks won in Eugene but lost a 5-overtime, 107-102 heartbreak er in Berkeley. WSm Photo by Stove Schneider Cal’s John Caselli, here guarding Oregon's Rob Closs, reminds some of John Murray. But his tough defense makes him a smooth partner of Gene Ransom in the Bear backcourt. use (Continued from page 8B) game last year for Western Texas College. Four freshman recruits round out what Boyd considers to be as strong a recruiting class as he has produced at Southern Cal. Purvis Miller and Cliff Robinson are two big men who should help the Trojans this season. Miller, a 6-7 forward, averaged 23.5 points and 11.6 rebounds last year for Compton High. Boyd said of Miller, “He has tremend ous physical gifts. He’s very quick, very strong and very fast going down the court.” "Cliff’s rebounding on both ends will be an important factor for our team, said Boyd of the 6-9 Robinson. ‘‘He’s got tremendous potential, and I don’t say that lightly,” added Boyd. "He really can be almost as good as he wants to be.” PIONEER ELECTRONICS SUPER SALE!! National Advertised Value $325 Thompson’s Sale Price *239 SX6S0 AM/FM Stereo Receiver Thompson’s Electronics is having a special sale “for one week only,” including most Pioneer Audio Products. And sale items include Thompson's famous in-store warranty service. Items Limited To Stock On Hand National Advertised Value $250 Thompson’s Sale Price *185 PL 530 Direct Drive Turntable National Advertised Value $225 Thompsons Sale Price *165 ■ONLY A F1W EXAMPLES National Ad Price PL-115 Beltdrive Turntable SX-550 AM/FM Receiver SX-450 AM/FM Receiver SX-750 AM/FM Receiver Thompson's Price $125.00 $ 84.50 $225.00. $189.00 $225.00 $169.00 $425.00 $299.00 CT-F 4242 Stereo Cassette Deck Thompson’s Electronics 11th & Oak — 343-9273 Eugene’s most respected audio store since 1936
