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Sports
TL ie CI ac I camas P rint
7
WediNEsdAy, FebRUARy 14, 2001
Clackamas wins despite injuries and illness
DARREL HOBSON
Staff Writer
Coming from a tough loss to
Lane Community College, the Cou
gars knew they had to get back on
track against the Saints from Mt.
Hood Community College at home,
and on the road verses Umpqua
Community College last week.
The Saints tried to take full ad
vantage of Clackamas’ injuries last
Wednesday.
The Cougars' wing,
Lawson Struve, and post, Jered
Gritters, could not play due to in
jury. Mt. Hood controlled the tip
off and were playing competitively
throughout most of the first half.
The Saints' largest lead of the
game was four points, but it was
quickly dismantled by Clackamas
late in the first period. The Cou
gars' combined attack by Matt
Tabisz, Nate Block, Mark Campbell,
Michael Kuebler, Mike Fisher and
Finis Bussey took the Jead, 45-34
at half time.
After the break, the Cougars
picked up where they left off and
dominated the undersized Saints
inside. Clackamas’ post players
had the advantage down low and
made the difference in the game.
Chris Lohrey finished with 22
points and nice rebounds. Nate
Block added 20 points and 12 re
bounds.
“Nate Block played with a lot of
energy in the second half on both
ends of the floor,” said Head Coach
CliffWegner.
Clackamas finished off Mt. Hood
108-82 with six players in double
figures.
“We wanted to make a statement
after losing to Lane,” said Mark
Campbell, who had 10 points and
14 assists in the game. “We peaked
early in the season; we have been
hitting a low the last couple of
weeks. Now we are trying to get
back up to where we used to be.”
Saturday, the Cougars went on
the road to Umpqua Community
College to face the Timbermen, who
have played well as of late. UCC
defeated Chemeketa, who recently
beat the Cougars, and the
Timbermen almost got a win
against Lane CC. To make matters
worse, many of the Cougars were
fighting the flu. Mike Fisher could
not play because he had a tem
perature of 103. Tom Lennox and
Michael Kuebler were both sick but
played anyway.
The Cougars opened up with a
ten-point lead in the first half, but
red-hot shooting kept the
Timbermen in the game. Umpqua
had a lot of momentum after the
first half, only down by four with
the score 44-40 in favor of
Clackamas.
Clackamas never lost the lead and
kept a ten point cushion throughout
DARREL HOBSON / Clackamas Print
Chris Lohrey prepares to go up fora dunk at last Wednesday's game against the Mt. Hood
Community College Saints.
most of the game. Lennox, who started
in place of Fisher, had a good game
finishing with 14 points. Block added
14 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 3
blocks and managed to hold Umpqua’s
high scoring post to just 10 points.
Lohrey scored 17 and pulled down 11
rebounds. Campbell, with a near triple
double, scored 11 points, 14 assists
and eight rebounds.
“We stepped up and won against a
team that has been playing well. It was
a good win for us on the road,” said
Coach CliffWegner after the Cougars'
solid performance last Saturday.
Tonight at 8 p.m., the men from
C lackamas wil I battle Chemeketa Com-
munity College in the Randall Gym.
Cougars dominate courts, rolling through competition
ELENA BORYSKA
Amanda Lee ended up with 13.
After that easy blowout victory,
The Clackamas Cougars contin
territory to take on the Umpqua
was next with 20, and Jennie Kooch
had 11. Both Kettles and Kooch fin
ished the night with double-doubles,
grabbing 10 and 13 rebounds, respec
ued their roll through opposition
Timberwomen. Umpqua is the de
fending Northwest Athletic Asso
tively. Kayla Steen also dished out a
season high with 12 assists. That win
ciation of Community Colleges
(NWAACC) Champions, and also a
very hard team to beat. But as this
game played out, the Cougars
showed that, they too, are not eas
ily beat. This was a very close game,
one that went down to the wire, but
Clackamas’ good defense helped
puts Clackamas in a tie with Umpqua
for second place. As the season winds
down, it’s becoming more and more
Staff Writer
the Cougars traveled into enemy
last week,improving to 8-2 in league
games.
Wednesday’s game at home
against Mt. Hood could hardly even
be called a game. The Cougars so
completely dominated the Saints
that, by halftime, they were leading
by 21 points. But that was only the
first half. As the game wore on, Mt.
DARREL HOBSON / Clackamas Print
Guard Kayla Steen dribbles around her opponent. Steen led
the Cougars with 22 points against the Mt. Hood Community
College Saints.
Hood continued to struggle against
the hot shooting Cougars. Led by
Kayla Steen, who had 22 points and
7 assists, the Cougars easily de
feated the Mt. Hood Saints, 78-48.
Kathryn Kettles scored 16 points,
Mercedes Juarez finished with 15
points and
them to edge past the Timberwomen,
69-67.
“This was a big win for us,” said
Head Coach Jim Martineau. “It was
probably, the biggest win of the sea
son.”
important for the Cougars to win.
“Every game is big,” said Martineau.
“We can’t afford to lose another one.”
The Cougars will put a five game
winning streak on the line, as they
take on first place Chemeketa Storm
tonight at home. This will be a huge
game for both teams, and the Cou
gars’ team is asking for your encour
agement.
“We need a lot of support,” com
Mercedes Juarez was the leading
mented Mercedes Juarez. “So come
scorer, with 21 points. Kathryn Kettles
out and watch us get another win.”
- -—---- —s- — Mr. Stern’s Problem
The NBA is so entertaining.
Not for the recent public relations
exercise that it called “All Star Week
end,” but for the fact that league offi
cials continue to tell us that
their league is not in a state
“You do a piece, you will lead with a
player and mention his past m iscon-
duct. You never start with Dikembe
Mutombo who is building a hospital
wife. And finally, it was former Blazer
CliffRobinson, who was arrested for
Then it was Jason Kidd for hitting his
don’t exactly exude player loyalty
to their team or fans. But I guess
how young players communicate
with officials, number 30 is.
DUI and drug possession.
that’s just the media’s “spin” on
things.
Commissioner Stem, while he
doesn’t deny that there have been
in Kinshasa... it doesn’t sell
and the editors don’t want
Forgive me, Mr. Stem, if I find the
fact that a quarter of one team ’ s roster
And then there’s Allen Iverson
of the Sixers, who was recently
conduct, does little to acknowledge
of moral decay. There are
seemingly ’endless reports
it,” Stem said.
While there may
of player misconduct, team
feuds, franchises moving,
falling attendance and poor
be a thread of truth to
Stem’s argument, the fact
running afoul of the law not only de
plorable, but also newsworthy.
Then there’s the model of team
sportsmanship, the Lakers.
caught on camera making
homophobic remarks to a fan.
Again, very helpful to the league,
is that the players create the
negative news - not the
The feud between superstars
Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant
media.
wasn’t made public as a result of
media speculation, but from direct
television ratings.
In an interview with Fox
Sports' Keith Olberman,
RYAN BRINKLEY
Look at the Phoe
nix Suns. So far, three Suns
players have been arrested
NBA Commissioner David
Sports Columnist
Stem asserted that the me
dia contributes to the overall negative this season (I say “so far” because we
quotes from the two stars. As re
cently as last weekend, the injured
characterization of NBA players and
are only halfway through the season).
O’Neal expressed his desire to play
for another team. Commissioner, are
that the media should concentrate on
the good things about NBA players.
First it was Anfemee Hardaway, ar
rested for wavingagun at his girlfriend.
you listening? The fans are, and
many feel these types of comments
Mr. Stem.
Iverson says that his use of the
term was a result of a fan’s use of
the “N-word.” The league fined
Iverson but didn’t suspend him.
players who have engaged in mis
that there’s areal problem.
But there is a problem-1 wish it
was just a media fabrication, but it’s
not.
In the eyes of many, the NBA is
becoming less associated with bas
poster-boy for anger management,
ketball and more closely related to
players getting arrested, getting into
fights, hitting their wives and girl
friends, quitting on their teammates
and coaches, saying stupid things
and losing respect for the game.
Rasheed Wallace. Sorry Mr. Stem,
the media is not the role model for
and start policing it.
Again, it was Iverson who made the
remark, not some media creation.
And how can we leave out the
Stop selling tiie NBA, Mr. Stem,