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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 14, 2000)
Basketball ready for second exhibition game ■The men’s basketball team faces a greater challenge in playing Athletes in Action By Peter Hockaday Oregon Daily Emerald The game seems to have little im portance, but don’t tell that to head coach Ernie Kent. The Oregon men’s basketball team takes on Athletes in Action tonight at 7 p.m. at McArthur Court in its second — and final — exhi bition game be fore its regular season opener against Mississip pi Valley State Friday. Under Kent’s baby steps ’ pro gram, the exhibition has just as much weight as a third-round NCAA Tournament game. “Each game will get a little tougher for us,” Kent said. “Hope fully that will make us a little bet ter as we prepare for each game.” Nobody on the team is overlook ing Athletes in Action. .“It’s going to be a real test,” fresh man guard James Davis said. “It was good to get those jitters out [against the Basketball Travelers last Monday] and get ready to play some real teams.” The Athletes in Action team, which is comprised of former col lege players, should provide more of a challenge than the Ducks’ last opponent, a traveling team from the Ukraine. Athletes in Action in cludes former Notre Dame guard Ryan Hoover, former Washington player Phil Zevenbergen and play ers that have experience in the Con tinental Basketball Association and the National Basketball Associa tion. AIA defeated Oregon State, 55-53, Monday night in Corvallis. “They have a team that can really shoot the ball and an inside game that’s really effective,” Kent said about Athletes in Action. “They’re a team that’s very much like ours. They love to get up and down the floor, they Iovq to shoot the three point ball and they’re a smart bas ketball team.” The game should differ from Oregon's 102-59 win last Monday. The Ducks dominated the Basket ball Travelers in a performance Kent was proud of. “This team is farther along than I thought they would be,” Kent said. The coach pointed to the team’s chemistry, along with the play of freshmen Davis, Luke Ridnour and Luke Jackson, as being bright spots for his team. But Kent thinks his team could improve in many areas, especially on defense. a If we can get out and run, and spread the floor, we're a pretty effective basketball team. Ernie Kent Oregon head coach “We want to improve on those areas that we were weak on in the first game,” Kent said. “That was defensive intensity, blocking out and rebounding the ball. If we can I do that, it triggers our transition game. If we can get out and run, and spread the floor, we’re a pretty effective basketball team.” Tonight’s game is the Ducks’ last before they host Mississippi Valley State in the season opener Friday, which is the first game to count to ward Oregon’s overall record. The Ducks will not start Pacific-10 Con ference play until next January. But even if it doesn’t count in their record, the Ducks will use tonigh to gear up for Friday. Kent summed up the difference between his team’s two exhibition games perfectly. “That first game was a good con fidence game for these young guys to see how the system works,” Kent said. “Well, here’s a game that will be a good test for us to understand how hard you need to play each possession, not only physically but mentally as well.” The Ducks will be in “Action” tonight at Mac Court. Catharine Kendall Emerald Oregon junior guard Freddie Jones drives against the team from the Ukraine in the first exhibition game Nov. 6. Tonight’s game will be the team’s final tune-up for the season. All Ways Travel • Winter Sale • Honlulu - $370.00* Maui/Kauai -$420.00* Frankfurt -$425.00* Rose Bowl Pkg-from $699.* •tax not included, restrictions may apply. Subject to change without notice. Eurail Passes issued On-Site!!! E-mail: awt@luv2travel.com~ 010683 Want to learn to make your own CD and get credit at the same time? Then check out Special Studies: Beginning RecordingTechniques MUS 199 Mon & Wed 17:30 -18:50 at Crescent Studio Grading Option=Graded Only Credits=3 Fee=$300 CRN 26671 How to Register? = DUCK CALL ONLY call Don Latarski 343-8184 or email latarski@oregon for more information. 27 No.1 singles on 1 CD Apple \ www.thebeatles.com ^TFo . iTy "Beatles”, "Apples" and the Apple logos are trademarks of Apple Corps Ltd © 2000 Apple Corps Ltd. Under exclusive licence to EMI Records Now open until 10:00 p.m. Monday - Saturday 010665 Jtoce ikJJluMC www.FaceThe.com ON CAMPUS: 860 East 13th Ave. 345-1010 $15.99 COALITION INDEPENDENT MUSIC STORES CIMSmusic.com
