July 8, 1992...The Portland Observer...Page 7
What Is USA Basketball?
Team USA captured the Tournament of the America's gold medal, with a
127-80 win over Venezuela. Team captain Magic Johnson, who scored 10
points on Sunday, said he was happy to be playing competitive basketball
again, and just being one of the guys. Team USA will take 2 weeks off to
rest, then resume practice July 18th in Monaco.
Trail Blazers’ Television Ratings
Highest In The NBA
The Portland Trail Blazers were
the highest-rated prim e-tim e television
show in the Portland (Oregon) area
during the 1991-92 rating period, beat
ing out the likes of the W inter O lym
pics, which nationally was the top-
rated prim e-tim e program.
For the 15th straight season, the
Trail Blazers had the highest local tele
vision ratings among the 27 teams in the
National Basketball Association.
During the 1991-92 season, the
Blazers averaged a 29 rating and a 49
share - the highest season-long aver
ages in NBA history. Portland has aver
aged an NBA high 24 rating and a 39
share for the six years preceding the
‘91-92 campaign.
The Blazers’ num bers are nearly
double that of any other NBA franchise.
The San Antonio Spurs finished the
*91-92 campaign with the second best
marks - a 15.7 rating and a 23 share.
“Having led the league in ratings
for the last 15 years is incredible, and
then this year to have such a large
margin over other NBA teams is un
precedented,” says Mick Dowers, Blaz
ers’ vice president o f sales.
Portland’s highest rated regular
season game came on April 5 at Golden
State as the Blazers’ pulled a 34 raung
and a 55 share. The Blazers’ highest-
rated playoff game aired on May 11
against Phoenix as Portland had a 48
rating and 69 share.
N BC’s telecast of the six game
series between the Chicago Bulls and
Trail Blazers got an average national
Nielsen rating of 14.2 with a 27 share,
the fifth-highest rated NBA Final ever.
And, for the first time ever, each game
received a 13.5 rating or belter.
Local viewing enthusiasm carried
over to the Basketball Tournam ent of
the Americas, an O lym pic qualifying
tournament, which was played June 27
through July in Portland. Team USA s
showdown with Canada on Monday,
June 29 drew a 35 rating and a 54 share,
while on Tuesday, June 30 against
Panama, Team USA had a Nielsen rat
ing o f 31 and a 50 share.
♦A rating is the percentage o f all
TV households in the Portland area, and
a share is the percentage o f televisions
actually in use at the time.
♦NBC ratings arc based on a na
tionwide viewing audience.
♦Ratings and rankings provided by
Arbitron, Nielsen, and Paul Kagan &
Associates.
BY JOHN PHILLIPS
USA Basketball is the national gov
erning body for m en’s and women s
basketball in the United Stales. As such,
USA Basketball is responsible for the
selection and training o f USA national
teams thatrepresentourcountry in vari
ous international and national basket
ball competitions, including: Olympics,
W orld Cham pionships, Pan American
Games, W orld University Gam es, the
U.S. Olympic Festival, and other select
national team tours.
During the summer of 1991, USA
Basketball fielded six teams that com
peted in various international com peti
tions, as well as four m en’s and four
women’s teams that participated in the
U.S. Olympic Festival. All told, 168
athletes proudly wore the red, white
and blue USA uniforms in basketball
competitions held around the world last
summer, and the USA teams captured
three gold medals and two bronze m ed
als in five of the major com petitions.
USA Basketball is actually an a s
sociation of associations. Current US A
Basketball active members include the
amateur Athletic Union (AAU), C onti
nental Basketball Association (CBA),
N ational A ssociation of Basketball
Coaches (NABC), National A ssocia
tion of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAI A),
N a tio n a l B a sk e tb a ll A s s o c ia tio n
(NBA), National Collegiate Athletic
Association (NCAA), National Federa
tion o f State High School Associations
(NFSHSA), National Junior College
Athletic Association (N JC AA), National
W heelchair Basketball A ssociation,
United Slates Armed Forces (USAF),
Women’s Basketball Coaches A ssocia
tion (WBCA), and the W orld Basketball
League (WBL).
USA Basketball was organized in
1974 and was originally known as the
Amateur Basketball Association o f the
United Stales of America (ABAUSA).
The name change from ABAUSA to
USA Basketball occurred on October
12,1989, after the International Basket
ball Federation (F1BA) modified the
rules to allow professional basketball
players to participate in international
competitions. USA Basketball then ad
mitted the NBA as an active member,
necessitating the name change. USA
Basketball is governed by its Board o f
Directors, which is appointed andelected
by active members. David Gavitt, Se
nior Executive Vice President o f the
NBA Boston Celtics and former Com
missioner of the 1988-92 term. Serving
as USA Basketball for the 1988-92 term.
Serving as USA Basketball’s Executive
Director since its inception is W illiam
L. W all, former college coach, official
and administrator.
In addition to the selection and train
ing of m en’s and w om en’s basketball
teams that represent the USA in interna
tional and national competitions, USA
Basketball is also involved in coaching
clinics, the sanctioning of U.S. team
tours of foreign countries, and foreign
team s’ tours o f the U.S.
City and Trailblazers
Shake Hands On New
Arena Project
Tryouts
Scheduled For
1992-93
Blazers Dance
Team
Tryouts for the 1992-93 Blazers
Dance Team will take place on
Saturday, July 18 at West Linn
High School. Auditions will
begin at 8:00 a.m. Dance team
applications are available at
the Trail Blazers Office, 700 NE
Multnomah, Suite 600, Port
land, OR., 97232. All dancers
must be 19 years of age or
older by November, 1992.
There will be two rounds of
judging, featuring a basic
routine and two dance combi
nations. Dancers will judged on
dance ability, enthusiasm and
appearance. Those selected
will return for the next day of
final auditions.
For more information contact
the Trail Blazers at
(503)234-9291.
After months o f negotiations, it
appears the City o f Portland and the
Portland Trailblazers are well on their
way to building the new sports arena
complex. Following an executive ses
sion of the City Council this week,
Mayor Bud Clark and Blazer Vice Presi
dent Marshall Glickman shook hands
on the business deal.
“There arc lots more negotiations
to take place,” said the Mayor, “but it
looks like w e’re still on track. Our basic
objectives to have a quality project
while protecting the C ity’s general fund
appear achievable. This will be a good
investment for the City and a real plus
for the community.”
The project will be build on the
east side of Portland, close to the exist
ing Coliseum. T heC ity’s investm entof
a maximum o f S34.5 million will be
coupled with over $140 million o f in
vestment by the Trailblazers. The $34.5
million o f City bonds invested in the
project will be repaid by parking fees
and ticket taxes generated from the
events at the arena and the coliseum. In
addition, the City will reap a return on
its investment through increased con
vention business, restaurant business
and property taxes.
Final documents will be ready for
City Council approval later this sum
mer. G round breaking is expected
shortly thereafter.
Dr. Flowers Knocks Off Primo Limo
BY JOHN PHILLIPS
The Portland Com m unity College
Gymnasium (Cascade Cam pus), sum
mer host o f both the M cD onald’s
W om en’s Summer Basketball League
and the Portland Pro-am (m en’s), saw
another week of exciting basketball. In
the first game of the week, Dr. Flowers
behind Jocelyn M cIntire’s 17 points
slipped by Primo Lim o 60-55 to start
the third w eek o f the M cD onald s
W om en’s Summer Basketball League
on M onday, June 29. University of
Portland ’ s Amy Clayoe led Primo Limo
with 12 points. In the second game of
thenight, Oregon Nail Distributors beat
Tire Headquarters 49-47, on Becky
C o n ra d ’s th ree-p o in t shot. A llegra
G reen’s 16 points and 12 rebounds led
the way for Oregon Nail. Krista Smith
again led THI with 16 points.
In a game played Tuesday. June
30, Primo Limo led from start to finish
with an easy 76-52 victory over Oregon
Nail Distributors. Katy Steding tossed
in 22 points to make her lead scorer. In
the last game o f the evening, Chevy
C om er got a big gam e from Angela
Hewlett and Kelli Howell as they slipped
by Ram Light Truck Salvage 61-54.
In Wednesday evening’s action be
tween Dr. Flowers and Stadium Sports
Cards, Portland State’s All American
Laurie Northrop tossed in 22 points to
lead Dr. Flowers in a 63-50 victory over
Stadium Sports Cards. As one of only
two high schoolers in the league, Laurie
M illigan from Tigard scored 15 points
for Dr. Flowers. In the nightcap, Port
land Saints standout Sandra Howell
scored 21 points to lead Tire Headquar
ters over Foot Action, USA 61-55.
In T hursday’s gam es. Stadium
Sports Cards won its first game of the
summer with a convincing 68-52 whip
ping o f Ram Light Truck Salvage. Sta
dium Sports C ards’ high scorer was
Sheri Stcmple o f Portland State with a
game high of 26. And in the last game
o f the night, Player of the Week Allegra
Green a Portland Stater, had 24 big
points as Oregon Nail Distributors
zoomed by Chevy Com er 62-47. Green
also had many rebounds to complement
her 5 blocked shots.
The standing arc as follows: 1)
Pnm o Limo 5-1; 2) Dr. Flowers 4-1; 3)
Ram Light Truck Salvage 3-3; 3) Tire
Champion Introduces
The U.S.A. Basketball
Collection
Headquarters 3-3; 5) Chevy C om er 3-4;
6) Foot Action, US A 2-3; 6) Oregon Nail
Distributors 2-3; and 8) Stadium Sports
Cards 1-6.
Basketball Schedule From 7/8/92 -
7/14/92
M cD onald’s W om en’s Sum m er
League
Wed., 7/8/92 Ram Light Salvage vs
Dr. Flowers at 6:15 p.m. Oregon Nail vs
Fool Action, USA at 7:30 p.m.
T h„ 7/9/92 Ram Light Truck vs
Oregon Nail at 6:15 p.m. Foot Action,
USA vs Dr. Flowers at 7:30 p.m.
Portland Pro-Am (Men)
Sat., 7/11/92 Hawks vs Knicks at
4:30 p.m. Lakers vs Cavs at 6:00 p.m.
Celts vs W arriors at 7;30 p.m.
Sun., 7/12/92 Hawks vs Spurs at
4:30 p.m. Lakers vs Knicks at 6:00 p.m.
W arriors vs Cavs at 7:30 p.m.
M cD onald’s W om en’s Sum m er
League
Mon., 7/13/92 Primo Limo vs Sta
dium Sports Cards at 6:15 p.m. Chevy
Com er vs Tire Headquarters at 7:30 p.m.
Tue., 7/14/92 Dr. Flowers vs O r
egon Nail at 6:15 p.m. Foot Action, US A
vs Ram Light Truck at 7:30 p.m.
Portland Observer encourages our readers to write
letters, to the editor in response tp any articles
we publish.
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Summer Swim Teams
Portland youth can sharpen their
swimming skills this summer through
Portland Parks and Recreation Summer
Swim Teams. Pools throughout Port
land are fielding teams of youth through
age 17 who can swim the length of the
pool, craw lstroke and backstroke, for
this com petitive swimming program.
Daily coached workouts are offered
with Saturday morning dual meets June
27, July 11, July 25, and August 8. The
City-W ide Cham pionship M eet is A u
gust 22 and 23 at W ilson Pool. The
registration fee is $30.
Call Portland Parks and Recreation
Aquatics D epartm ent, 796-5130 for
more inform ation,or contact individual
pools offering Sum m er Swim Teams
are:
B uckm an Pool 320 SE 16th, 823-3668
C olum bia Pool 7701 N Chautauqua,
823-3669
C re sto n Pool SE 44th & P ow ell,
823-3672
G ra n t Pool 2300 NE 33rd, 823-3674
M ontavilla Pool 8219 NE G lisan,
823-3675
M t. S c o tt P o o l 5 5 3 0 SE 7 2 n d ,
823-3676
PC C /Sylvania Pool 12000 SW 49th,
796-5130
P e n irfsu la P o o l 6 4 0 0 N A lb in a ,
823-3677
P ier Pool N Seneca & St. Johns,
823-3678
S ellw ood Pool SE 7th & M iller,
823-3679
W ilso n Pool 1151 SW V erm ont,
823-3680
Team spirit...A m ericans are fa
m ous for it. W e have some of the best
athletes in the world and we back them
up with a tremendous sense o f support
and pride.
It’s no wonder that replica uni
forms and team shirts have become
one of the most important sportswear
looks this season. The excitem ent
building toward the Summer 1992
Olympics is uniting our country.
Champion, the American m anu
facturer of the actual U.S.A. Basket
ball uniforms, has created a new col
lection of U.S.A. Basketball sports
w ear. T ee s h irts , ta n k s, sh o rts,
sweatshirts and replica team shirts are
constructed with the same craftsm an
ship and attention to detail as the or ig i -
nais.
Champion C.E.O. Susan "Engel
explains, “W e have to create uni
forms and sportsw ear that meet the
highest perform ance standards. They
have to allow for as much grabbing,
pulling and shoving as goes on in
basketball. And o f course, we all want
to represent the U .S . A. in the best sty le
possible.”
Special features of the collection
include: double ply nylon mesh w ork
out shorts for extra com fort and dura
bility, micromesh replica shirts to keep
cool in the heat o f summer, and extra
heavy reverse weave sweatshirts with
em broidered full front appliques.
“W e’ve got the best basketball
players in the w orld,” says custom er
Sharland Blanchard. “ I love showing
how 1 feel about the team, and these
shirts look great for going out with
friends,” Custom er Robert Dcmbitz
adds, “ It makes me play better; I feel
like a m ember o f the team .”
The Cham pion U.S.A. Basketball
collection is available at leading de
partment and sporting goods stores
throughout the United Stales.
For additional information, please
contact J ill Golden at Cham pion Prod
ucts, Inc., 516 W est 34th Street, New
Y ork,N Y 10001,Tel: (212)629-2620.
For Best Results
Advertise in the Observer
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