THE GAZETTE-TIMES. Hrppaer, OR, Thuriday, Dec. 30. !. Pe 1
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THE GAZETTE-TIMES.
Borgen
Heppner Elks Lodge No. 358 Invites You To A
They'll start dropping
' ' You're a first year coach, Fresh out of
'college with enthusiasm that bounces higher
than Bill Walton.
You build a team from virtually scratch
only to see it face bigger and stronger
opponents and fall. Your squad compiles a
dismal 1-6 record. A rest over the holidays
and conference play begins.
Does a coach give up? Does he wonder what
he's doing wrong? or right? What exactly is
going through Chris Borgen's head?
Borgen is that coach. His Heppner High
School Mustangs have had their fair share of
troubles, Including one AA basketball team, a
State contender in the A ranks and a top notch
B school all wrapped around a pre-season
slate.
' The outcome wasn't pretty. Borgen will
attest to that. The Mustangs, 1-6 on the
season, lost twice to Grant Union, a pre
season favorite to repeat as a state titlist;
, they lost twice to Helix, a top notch B school
- that gives most A squads hassles; they lost
'once to Gilchrist, rated high in the A polls;
and they lost once more to Condon, a team
' their own standard who Heppner also
bounced for their lone win of the season.
But Borgen isn't giving up. His attitude
stands out with his squad who, despite their
losses, have built somewhat of a notorious
image of being the constant, 110 per cent
hustlers. Ball hawks, jabbing, running,
racing, diving and scrambling for the loose
basketball, in the same frame as Dick Harter
builds his Kamikaze Kids at Oregon.
After a dismal pre-season, what does
Borgen look for now?
Definite improvement. ..in the right areas.
He's looked at video tapes and stat sheets till
his eyes water and he finds good things. It's
the bad things he sees that are losing the ball
games.
Borgen likes his team's attitude and effort
and defensive work. He has a right to. The
Mustangs have forced turnovers on opponents
at least 22 times a game.
"I'm really pleased with a lot of areas,"
Borgen said this week. "In some areas, we do
execute well. But there are obviously areas
where we need improvement."
Borgen praised the attitudes of his
Mustangs, calling them a "great group of
young men." Attitude is well and fine, but it
alone w on't win ball games. Borgen is acutely
aware of that, too.
It hasn'i been easy for us," he said. "Both
me and the team want to win so bad."
Borgen has some adjustments in the bag for
the Christmas holiday hoop practices. Among
them is a difference in the Mustang offense.
He cited poor shooting as one of the biggest
downfalls. Heppner has failed to drop more
than 45 per cent of their shots through the
hoop so far.
"We're starting to read the defense more.
The shots will start coming now," Borgen
gays with confidence and optimism. "They
really will," he said. "They'll start
dropping."
More than anything else, Borgen is happy
with the Mustang effort. "They're really
willing to work... cooperation."
"We're not reacting well," Borgen said of
the Mustangs' offense, which In the last seven
games has totalled 318 points for a 45 point
average.
Their opponents have compiled 449 points
for a 64 point average.
Borgen will enlist a little more patterned
offense when he faces Pilot Rock in the
Columbia Basin Conference opener, Jan. 7.
"It'll be a little more pattern-oriented," the
head mentor explained, "just a little bit."
Mustang fans will still see a lot of people on
the hardwood. Borgen said depth is Heppner's
biggest strength.
"We'll continue to play a lot of people.
There's only been a couple of people who have
emerged as people who have to play a lot."
No superstars. The Mustangs have 12 equal
bodied people and that's why Borgen will
continue to use his Riot Squad. The Riot
Squad won at Condon, Borgen will tell you,
and their turnaround aggressive style almost
slowed Helix In the Mustangs' last game.
"We've been playing In streaks," Borgen
said. "If we ever put a game together, we can
play with anybody. We have consistent people
in practice and I think we're ready for it
now."
As far as the league looks, Borgen still has
to eye Weston-McEwen and Pilot Rock as the
teams to beat. Umatilla and Heppner are the
only teams in the five squad league with
losing marks. Oregon Trail is the other squad,
sporting a respective 3-3 record.
Borgen has to realize another thing. None of
the other teams in the CBC east have played a
pre-season schedule that stands up to
Heppner's stiff competition.
"I'm very optimistic," Borgen said. "I
really think we're going to do real well now."
What about Pilot Rock? Well, Borgen is
anxious to visit the CBC powerhouse.
"It'll be a tough opener. But we've gone
through the tough ones. We're ready for
league to get going. We'll have two weeks to
work hard on our weak areas. If we keep
pace, we'll be a good ball club."
Heppner faces Pilot Rock in their season
opener on Jan. 7 in Pilot Rock.
Cards scare Ukiah
before failing 30-29
it was the closest they've
come, but Ione's young Cardi
nals faltered in the end and
''dropped a 30-29 tilt to Ukiah
last week.
; lone led by five in the final
period, but turnovers gave
Ukiah a 6 4 final stanza edge
for the win.
Even after blowing the five
point spread, lone had
chances to win, according to
Del LaRue. Card mentor. lone
missed two free throws and
the first half of a one for one
situation gift toss that could
have spelled the difference.
The Cards outrebounded
Ukiah. 41-30, as Robin LaRue
yanked down 10 caroms and
Kevin McCabe added nine. On
the scoring end, McCabe had
ten, followed by LaRue with
six and John Lindstrom and
Dennis Stefani with five each.
Gilliland paced Ukiah with
14 points.
Ukiah jumped out to a 10-7
first period lead, but by half-
time held the edge by just one
at 18-17. lone outscored their
rivals in the third period to
take a one point lead, 25-24,
before the fatal fourth.
Turnovers were a big key in
the game. lone committed 20
mistakes to Ukiah s 12. From
the field, the Cards were 11 for
50 while Ukiah hit 14 of 62
tries. At the line, lone made
seven of 17 and Ukiah canned
two of seven tries.
lone faces Mitchell on the
Card court tonight at 8 p.m.
Lexington happenings
(Continued from Page 4)
Tuesday there with her sister,
ajrs. Martin, and visiting
fandall.
,fCatie Padberg has been
Visiting with her daughter and
family, Mr. and Mrs. L.D.
yinson In Monument over the
holidays.
Anita Davidson spent a few
(piys at home over the
holidays before motoring to N.
Rattle for a Camp reunion of
the counselors of the Camp
fVc Camp, where she was
employed during the summer.
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Davidson
hud visitors at their home
Christmas Day; Mr. and Mrs.
Vern Viall and family of
pcndleton, Mr. and Mrs. Bob
Davidson and sons, from
Milwaukie, Mr. and Mrs.
Harlan Flint and daughter of
Beaverton, Greg of Portland,
Anita, who is attending the
University at Eugene, and
tferb of Lexington. Later In
I ie day. Mr, and Mrs. Otto
Frank, Mr. and Mrs. W.J.
Sutton and Mr. find Mrs.
Alleman of Hermiston drop
ped in for a X-mas visit.
Mr. and Mrs. Lee Padberg
and children, and Mr. and
Mrs. Eldon Padberg are
enjoying a vacation to Ne
vada, Disneyland, and other
points of interest.
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Cool and
Mrs. John Karran were visit
ors with Florence McMillan on
Tuesday of last week from
Pendleton.
Charlene Whitney and
daughter Kim of Portland,
and Dale Whitney from Alas
ka were visitors at the C.C.
Jones' home during the X-mas
holidays.
Doc and Mrs. Pfiefter of
Pendleton were Christmas
visitors at the home of their
daughter and family, Mr. and
Mrs. Kenneth Howard.
Linda VanWInkle, from
Sunta Monica, Calif., has been
visiting her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Wm. J. VanWinkle. They
all visited with Mr. and Mrs.
Bob VanWinkle and family at
Paulina on Christmas and on
Monday they visited Cleo
VanWinkle at Heirsche's nurs
ing home in Pendleton and
Linda took a plane to her
home.
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth
DuVall of Chicago, and daugh
ter Renee of San Francisco
have been visiting relatives
and friends in Morrow County
recently. Mrs. DuVall is the
former June VanWinkle.
Jean Chrislman of Boise
spent the holidays with her
mother, Betty Christman.
Donna Grey and son Jeremy
of Aloha spent the X-mas
holidays withher parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Don Pointer.
Vickey Walden and Linda
Smith were overnight visitors
at the C.C. Jones' home last
week from Hermiston.
The first 1977 meeting of the
Heppner Branch of the Amer
ican Association of University
Women wilf be Tuesday, Jan.
4, at the WW. Weatherford
home on South Court St.
El
o)
Jll
New Years Eve
Party & Dinner
Dinner at 6:30
Dance at 9:00
Free favors at midnight
o Admission
Dinner Menu:-
Crab Shrimp
Ling cod Ham
Cole slaw Relish dish
Baked beans
o
. O
Elks Lodge
No. 358
Heppner, Oregon
Elk Members and Out-of-Town Guests Only
,
at front door
Dinner $5.00 per
person
EjIK raemver uu ' , , , ' i
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