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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 13, 1985)
Page 6, Portland Observer, March 13, 1966 Q by Roy L tt Jermyan Sports Editor • OPEN THE DOORS Now that the prep basketball sea- snn has wound down to the stale play offs and championships, it’s time to do a little retapping I am a basket ball purist by nature so watching the kids go to the hoop is to watch the game in its purest form. Watching the Boys Class A A A finals t the C oli seum made me aware o f a few things that Oregon must do in order to up grade the skills o f these kids. As I watched the game between Parkrosc and Corvallis in the quarter finals I was amazed that these two teams were ranked Number I and 2 in the state. Corvallis has a well disci plined team and a few good players but that was it. Parkrosc had nothing. Both teams had front line size that would prove a worthy match against Oregon State U „ but neither team went to their strengths. Parkrosc and Corvallis obviously played against much smaller teams that could not stay in the game with them but both teams had no real ability. I don't know much about the Coach at Parkrosc and I choose not to pick him to pieces but there's something wrong when your senior big man has not learned the basic fundamentals of moving towards the ball when it’s thrown inside. M ike Doherty realized his mistake after the first half and went exclusively to his big men in the last two quarters as Corvallis tried to bottle bock but it was too late to change the outcome by then. Coaching plays a big par, in a state tournament and I was not impressed by what I saw at the tournament. Dtck Heachell guided his Trojans to the title with flawless ability and easily outclassed the other coaches in the field. I must also men tion John Stilwell and the job he did with G ran,. By emphasizing defense in his preparation for the playoffs, Stilwell gave his team a foundation that allowed them to reach the finals with a poise that they had not dis played all year. There were many excellent individ ual ball players in the tournament but most seem destined to be handicapped by the lack o f competition to improve. Oregon needs to open the dixirs o f its schools to let these kids play some hall after school. The biggest differ- enee between east and west coast players is that the kids hack east eat. sleep and drink basketball with play- ers o f varying abilities and ages. It is not a coincidence that Ray Blume. M ark Radioed. Richard Wash • SPORT TALK • SPORT TALK ington and Mel Counts couldn't estab lish themselves in the big leagues. Most prep coaches here don’t have (he lime to devote to guiding an ath lete through the maze o f necessary fundamentals that are critical to de velopment When you open the doors o f the schools you ge, people in the community that will staff the schools for recreational activity and want to aid in the development o f skills. In New York City, our schools were opened in the afternoon and early evening to allow people in the neighborhood to learn crafts, work in the shop areas and use the gyms to allow kids o f all ages to play to gether and improve their abilities. When I was thirteen, I played on a basketball team with guys that were in their late twenties. T h a i’s how you improve your game, you try to play with and against anyone. How often does a 6-foot-7 high schooler get to play against someone his size or taller in Portland? Open up the gyms in the evenings and Bobby Rowers, Stretch Braxton and C ow boy will give some solid lessons on the hardwood. Unless you parents want your kids to go to O SU for four years and come back home wondering what happened, make some noise to open up the buildings that you pay for but can't use. K U Z -IN S presents the N B A. Pro- A M Basketball Summer League spon sored by M iller High Life, Spalding, Pro-Keds and Medalist Opening day o f the season will be June 8, 1985 at Irving Park, 7th and Fremont. Uniforms (shirts and shorts). sneakers, a 13-game schedule, a play- o ff and championship series, NBA Rules, N B A Affiliated Referees, plus trophies and awards will be provided. The scries is open to men 18 and older There will be ten 10-man teams. Teams must be entered by April 15. 1985 T o enter, contact ByTon Brown, 284-3580, or Tracy Cage, 287-0062. It was an all P IL final for the Class A A A boys basketball tournament, and the two teams that me, were in deed the best o f the field. Wilson won the P IL and runner-up, Grant, met for the rubber match in the con fines o f the Memorial Coliseum to do battle in the championship final. During the regular season they me, twice with each winning at home. Grant had to fight their way into the finals by moving through the sub- tournament, but once there, they dis played their versatility as a team, and were up to the challenge that Wilson presented. The road for Wilson wasn't as rocky, but that meant nothing Saturday night. As I saw the teams coming out onto the floor, I visualized a game of defense and transition by the Generals, and ball control through offensive execution by Wilson. That's what it turned ou, to be. Grant began the game in their suffocating 2-3 zone de fense and the Trojans did likewise. Both teams are guard-oriented, so it wasn't long before Keith Smith and (iary Rubin made their combined presence fell. Tony Ross caught on and fired a few salvos right back at them. Hindsight tells me that the first quarter proved to be the undoing of the Generals because they came out looking for the long range jumpers to fall, and they died that death in their last meeting with the Trojans. Laf- faira Taylor wen, into his impersona tion of Windex again and cleaned the glass whenever Grant's long jumpers wouldn't fall. Rubin was hitting noth ing but ne, from the corners and Keith kept the tempo at Wilson's beat close to the quarter a, 13-11, Trojan's. Pressure often forces the return of bad habits and Grant came out taking poor percentage shots to star, the second period. Ross hit a few but not enough to bring Wilson out o f the 2-3 zone. Wilson worked the ball patiently and set some good picks and screens inside, working exclusively for the good percentage shots, hitting them often enough for a 30-21 lead to dose the half. Grant came out for the second half with what appeared to be an adjust ment in their offensive strategy. Joe McFcrrin got the ball inside to Big Ron Smith for 2-points, and on the next trip down the floor, McFerrin hit M ark West low for another score. At 6:20 it was 30-25 Wilson. Coach Stilwell had still another thought for the second half: he suhstituted LaVon Van for Stan Roberts and went to a box and I on Keith Smith. Smith, a very heady youngster, responded by finding Gary Rubin and Rubin ignited a 6-poinl run that btxnled the score to .36-25 at 5:15. W ith Smith at the con trols, Wilson had a 44-37 advantage at the end o f the third. With Taylor doing such a fine job on the boards at both ends o f the (liMir. the Generals were getting just one opportunity to score when panic seemed io set in again. The (.encrals completely got a w a y from whai Stil well wanted, to go inside, and they G ran t H igh School » T on y Rosa w o rk » hi« w a y around W ils o n ’» Keith S m ith in S atu rd ay'» S ta te A A A C h am pio nship g am e. S m ith earned 18 points to Ross' 16 and W ilson w o n th e cham pio nship 62 to 54. (Photo: D an Long) began taking those poor percentage jumpers again. At 6:42, Ross made a steal and converted the layup to close to 4 6 4 0 and things were looking up for Grant M ike Goodlow turned demon on the boards for Grant and at 4:49 it was only a 4-point difference, 4 8 4 4 Wilson. The Generals worked hard the res, o f the way but it was just too much Keith Smith orchestrating and Taylor Gl Top Rank, Inc G ra n fa J o a M cF arrin II lata looaa fo r 2 o f hla 4 point« in the third ostar « m a S tato C h am plo nahlp sem ifinals ag ain », B aavarto n . M cF arrin aarnad 16 pointa in alt to spark th a G enerals' vic to ry in thia 57 60 (Photo: D an Long) muscle At l:09 Taylor picked up his fifth personal foul but Grant just didn’t have enough time left to take advantage. Both schools exhibited good sportsmanship throughout the game so when the horn sounded and the scoreboard read 62-54 Wilson, we knew who the Champions were but more importantly, we had seen some good baii played by some good sports. <A45AR1PALA<< AND I’Rl SENT THOMAS "HITMAN' MARVELOUS MARVIN C H A M P IO N S H IP BOX SCORE G RANT 54 MP KUZ-INS LEAGUE taking teams Wilson wins city and state bragging rights West Van A <>mith T o t Is FG FT .32 11-2 ..................13 0 3 ............. 22 3-5 31 6 20 32 0 7 ................11 14 9 24 .9 1-1 ..................1 0 0 162466 00 00 00 46 00 R 13 4 1-2 1-2 00 oo 6 0 6 3 2 2 6 0 0 35 A 0 0 1 2 7 1 0 0 0 11 P 3 1 1 5 5 3 2 1 0 21 St 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 4 TO 0 1 3 0 1 0 1 2 0 8 FP 22 0 6 16 0 3 5 2 0 54 St 0 1 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 TO 1 2 2 1 3 0 0 0 0 TP 8 8 8 18 20 0 0 0 0 62 W ILSO N 62 Allen Shaw Totals MP F FT .........31 1 3 6-9 30 4 6 OO . . . . 31 4 9 0 2 31 5 0 S 1 0 ..................31 9-17 2-5 ................1 0 0 00 ............. 1 0 0 00 3 00 00 1 00 00 16023411626 R 5 6 13 3 2 0 0 0 0 29 A 5 1 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 12 P 2 2 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 11 s 9 Ebony tells truth about Muhammed Ali Form ar th ra a -tim a w o rld h aav yw aig h t ch am p M u h a m m a d A ll m ir rors hia m u ral aa ha tails hia fana. " D o n ’t co u nt m a o u t." Today Muhammad Ali is a shadow o f the man who could "final like a butterfly, sting like a bee," but he says, “ I'm not suffering, I'm not crazy and I ’m no, dying." For the truth about Muhammad A li, read the March Ebony. Ali's doctors say he is suffering from Parkinson’s syndrome, a con dition responsible for his slurred speech, loss o f coordination, shaking hands and fatigue. Unlike Parkinson's dis ease, (he syndrome is not fatal and can be controlled with medication. Ali has had to deal with a lot o f ru mors that say he’s brain damaged or on his deathbed. Says A li, "This whole thing has been blown ou, of proportion, and people have made it appear that I ’m in critical shape. 1,'s no, true!" Ahn in the March Ebony don't miss these features: "N ew Faces On T V and In Films,” "T h e Fight Against Hunger in A frica,” “ Pro Basketball's Incredible Michael Jordan," and “ Thirty Leaders O f The Future." ‘JR World Middleweight Championship Monday, April 15,1985 DIRECT FROM <A«AKt PALA« LAS VEGAS, NEVADA MEMORIAL COLISEUM • S A L IM ARMORY • 6 pm U V I IN COLOR • ON OIANT SCREEN RESERVE SEATS AVAILABLE AT: Gl JOE'S. JEAN MACHINE. GALLERIA. EVERYBODY'S LOMBARD. COLISEUM SUBJECT TO SERVICE CHARGE • PRODUCED IN OREGON BY DOUBLE TEE •-*'•’ ** • • • •. I ’ T • Ä FL . '/I**? THE FKHT! ’ ' tk.'A?.. » C. ♦ '*•'’ * ö l* ' ' • ‘T * ’r - . a m J - • -A *. . . -k .• >_• f <vr • • * . ’ • . < •» • • e \ . t • V •• •• ’ » * . t »
