The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 87, No. 36, Ed. 1, Friday, February 12, 1999 Page: 4 of 8
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Abilene Christian University Library.
- Highlighting
- Highlighting On/Off
- Color:
- Adjust Image
- Rotate Left
- Rotate Right
- Brightness, Contrast, etc. (Experimental)
- Cropping Tool
- Download Sizes
- Preview all sizes/dimensions or...
- Download Thumbnail
- Download Small
- Download Medium
- Download Large
- High Resolution Files
- IIIF Image JSON
- IIIF Image URL
- Accessibility
- View Extracted Text
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Sports
JLm February 12 1999 Friday Page 4
'
s n
4
.' '..
'
J.
W
4 1; r "I;
ACU comeback falls short in overtime 80-72
Jared Schroeder
Sports Writer
r
Jackie Buchdr made many shots Thurs-
day night but she would probably trade
them all for the one she missed.
Duchcrs turnaround jump shot missed
the mark as the buzzer rang sending the
67-67 game Into on overtime. The Buf-
faloes outscored the Wildcats in overtime
winning 80-74.
"I'm" probably going to replay that in my
Men's team unable
to catch up to Buffs
Wildcats fall behind!
early late rallies not
enough for win 87-82
Robert Bentley
Sports Editor
Thirty-four minutes of intense play by
the Wildcats could not make up for six
minutes of white-hot shooting by West
Texas A&M University Thursday at
Moody Coliseum.
The Buffaloes raced to a 22-10 lead in
the first 5:54 of the first half and rode the
remnants of that hot streak to the end of
- the game.
The Wildcats spent the rest of the game
playing catch-up and they did so in
admirable fashion coming within three
Cyoints of WTAM six times and closing the
I-jap to two points with :06 remaining at
84-82 but in the end it was not enough as
thc Buffaloes won 87-82.
; "Every time they've gone on the road
JOhcy've shot like a house afire" coach
:J5hanon Hays said of WTAM.
'' ACU on the other hand had enormous
jblc.fjMbta1ptJtoUieBufl
!;perimctcr for their early scoring
!; "Our shot selection early was bad"
Ijfrlays said in a statement backed up by his
!; Steams 43.8 first-half shooting percentage.
'' "We just didn't execute like we should
rhave" said center Jared Moslcy. "Starting
" off we got into a hole and it was hard to
battle back from that."
jj The Wildcats found a Way to score in
J the paint midway through the first half
" and in doing so found themselves within
.two points of the Buffaloes with 7:31 left
;' in the first half. Centers Peter Kiganya and
Track teams
Chris Smith
Sports Writer
An avid NCAA basketball fan would
know what It means to be "on the bubble"
when a team Is trying to make the 64-team
field competing for the national champi-
onship. The men's and women's track teams
have many athletes "on the bubble" trying
to have better performances at this week-
ends Oklahoma Invitational in Norman in
order to qualify for the national meet
March 5-6 in Indianapolis.
"This Is a very crucial meet for us" head
coach Wes Kittley said. "This Is the last
meet before nationals. This Is the big one."
Most of the Wildcats have not run since
(he Nebraska Triangular in Lincoln two
weeks ago but have worked hard the last
two weeks. Three of the four runners in last
Weeks Frank Sevelgn Invitational qualified
Automatically or provisionally for the
national meet. This week however it Is do
rj)r die for some of the Wildcats who hope to
.perform well enough to go to Indianapolis.
The mens team already has five automat-
ic and 12 provisional qualifiers while the
Sprewell adds understanding of media to basketball skills
Latrell Sprewell has learned the
media liave the power to crown as well
as drown.
The NBA guard and all-star game
regular may have cursed the media as
It continued to comment on his attack
on Golden State Warriors coach PJ.
Carleslmo montlis after the scars on
his neck healed but he is milking the
publicity now
The newest Knick is using the
media to improve his image as he
returns to the NBA.
Last week on Sports lllustratccts
pages and in an interview that was
aired during the half-time of the
Knicks game Sunday Sprewell used
the media to show he is a changed
man.
' Sports
-Commentary
Z Jared Schroeder
: Li
. The newest Knick
is using the
media to Improve
his Image as he
returns to the
ff
i
a head a million times" Ducher said about
the shot she missed.
The junior liad 34 points and made sev-
eral key shots to bring the Wildcats back
after trailing by 16 points with 10:17
remaining in the game.
A technical foul by WTAMs Brand!
Green yielded three made field goals by
Bucher which brought ACU within nine
points with 9.08 left.
The Wildcats came within one point of
tying the score twice before Bucher made
Mosley who ended the game with 30 and
21 points respectively led the team on a
13-5 run that made the Wildcats look like
they were ready to take the game into their
own hands.
WTAM began distancing itself once
again from the Wildcats and the rally
'appeared over until Kiganya scored five
straight points and forward Tony Roach
added two more to bring the Wildcats within
one point with 3:1 1 left before halftlme.
On the next possession however
Kiganya was called for goaltendlng. The
call proved to be a rally-killer and ACU
went into the second half down by three.
ACU staged a similar comeback late in
die second half but several plays threw a
wrench in the Wildcats momentum most
notably when WTAM guard Chad
Bcrtrand missed a baseline jumper then
grabbed his own rebound and went in for
' an uncontested layup his only two points
of the game;
"That killed us" Hays said adding in a
disbelieving tone "him getting' his own
rebound."
The Wildcats also lost their first game
of the season to WTAM in Canyon. The
n(yftrhancevfor a. rcnaach this season Is In
and
imminent low tournament seeding how-
ever the Wildcats will have to fight the
odds to advance far enough to face
WTAM the LSCs top-ranked team again.
"A win tonight would have helped our
cause" said Mosley. "We've still got to
prove ourselves. We need to go out and get
a few games or we might not make the
tournament." f
Hays a man of few words after the loss
was more succinct in expressing his wishes
for the future of the ACU-WTAM rivalry:
"I want another shot at them."
prepare for
womens team has five automatic and 15
provisional qualifiers. However there arc
many athletes who will have to have solid
performances and should ltave a sense of an-
xiety this weekend head coach Wes Kittley
said. Also the athletes who already have
qualifying 'times should try to improve to
their times to stay up in die rankings.
Pole-vaulter Sam Patton will have to
have a strong performance to join team-
mate Jason Pearce at nationals. Patton had
a season best of 16 feet at the Triangular
meet In Nebraska. In other field events
Terrance Woods qualified for the nationals
in the triple jump and provisionally in the
high jump at Air Force three weeks ago
Stephen Moore has a provisional mark of 6
feet 9 34 Inches In the high jump but will
need a better performance in the shot put
and long jump to qualify for nationals.
The pole vault will be a key area for the
women In the field events since they have
not had any qualifiers this season but have
two capable performers in Jane McNeil
and Jamie Hallmark. Hallmark has a provi-
sional mark In the high jump along with
Tracy Gcrrick. Renna Tonlste has provi-
sionally m?rks in the long jump and triple
What Sprewell has learned Is that
the media is like any powerful tool
dangerous but useful.
This concept of using the media is
no stranger to ACU Mens basketball
coach Shanon Hays has regularly
placed quotes into his Interviews that
he knew would infuriate and motivate
his players when they read them.
He would say something like: "Our
posts need to be rebounding much
better and more aggressively than
they did against West Texa9 A&M
University."
Both he and the posts know who he
is talking about. There are only two or
three centers on the team. He did not
name and embarrass them just gave
them a little spark.
two free throws to even the score at 61
with 2:50 remaining.
Ashley Gray hit a three pointer and
three free throws to help the Wildcats keep
their lead before Green tied the game at 67
with four seconds left.
"We had our opportunities" coach
Wayne Williams said of ACLTs chances to
put the game away during their late game
run. "We have to be able to finish and we
didn't finish It in regulation."
The Buffaloes gathered themselves for
i .
HBBBiiHlQKEE'b i i&fr "'-rtaEr jrfMLaiHWBaufjaMhaaaaBy ''' ir jBBaaaa
WWyf3Wm ttJBBBBBB
Charge card: Guard Dante Rabb collides with a West Texas A&M player on
his way to the basket Thursday at Moody Coliseum.
Oklahoma Invitational
jump. Hillerie Shelton is an automatic
qualifier in the triple Jump and Dawntel
Newhouse qualified provisionally in the
long jump. Geraldinc George and Selina
Bettls have provisional throws in the shot
put and weight throw respectively.
Kittley hopes to take the mens mile
relay team to Indianapolis but they will
have to run better than their season best
mark of three minutes 21.52 seconds at
the Triangular Invitational.
The womens has already qualified for
nationals with a time of 3 minutes 43.37
seconds at Lubbock. Hurdler Shaka Hug-
gins hopes to add the 55-meter hurdles to
his automatic qualification in the 60-metcr
hurdles. Delloreen Ennis-London has an
automatic qualifying time of 7.62 seconds
In the 55-meter hurdles and 6.95 seconds
In the 55-meter dash.
Gilbert Tuhabonyc leads the group of
qualifiers of the middle and long distance
events for the Wildcats. Tuhabonyc has
provisional qualifying times in the 800-
mcters mile and 5000-meters. Alfred
Rugema qualified for nationals last week in
the 5000 and has a provisional mark of
four minutes 9.69 seconds in the mile.
Track coach and v assistant athletic
director Wes Kittley knows the power
of good media relations though It may
just be his naturally sunny outlook. He
uses the media tool In a slightly differ-
ent way than coach Hays does. He is
friendly and patient sometimes a rare
quality.
After all athletes and journalists do
have a few underlying but similar as-
pects to their lives.
Bqth place themselves In front of the
public eye regularly for cheer or jeer.
Athletes and journalists also spend
hours behind the scenes journalists
researching and chasing down sources
and athletes practicing tirelessly in
side gyms and weight rooms.
Why not work together? The public
the flvc-mlnuie overtime opening with a
5-1 run against ACU to become the second
team to defeat the Wildcats at home in 61
games.
ACU 18-6 10-3 in the Lone Star Con-
fctcncc South Division remains ahead of
WTAM 15-9 9-3. The Wildcats have three
regular season games remaining.
The Wildcats will play Eastern New
Mexico which defeated ACU 70-67 Jan. 7
in Moody Coliseum at 6 p m Saturday.
Bucher was 18-20 on the free throw line
The Wildcats will be looking for quali-
fiers In the 3000-melcrs this weekend
especially from Bamabas Mcnjo who has
not qualified for any events this season.
The women also don't have a qualifier In
the 3000 and the mile. Freda Valdcz qual-
ified provisionally for the 5000 last week-
end also.
In the 400-meters the men have three
'provisional qualifiers; Lincoln London
Jason Prann and Jason Roller. Reggie Hill
and Oscar Mcncscs arc automatic and pro-
visional qualifiers respectively In the 55-
mctcrs. Both failed to qualify however for
the 60-metcrs in Nebraska
Shawntel Newhouse has provisional
marks in the 60-metcr hurdles and 55-
metcr hurdles while teammate Juanita
Robertson has qualified provisionally in the
quarter-mile but also has a chance to go to
nationals in the 60-meters and 200-meters
where the women have no qualifiers.
Tracey Barnes qualified automatically In
her first individual event of the season the
400 at Nebraska three weeks ago
After they return from Oklahoma the
Wildcats' next meet will be the MobilUSA
championships in Atlanta
scrutinizes us both.
Sprewell knows scrutiny but he
also knows that he can shake the hand
of every fan he meets for the rest of his
life and not reach as many people with
his message of being a changed man as
he could by doing one five-minute
interview.
Credit
The Abilene High School jazz band
an Improved checrleadlng squad and
quality promotions to get students
involved has paid off this season. -'
The games are more fun than ever.
Thank you to Brent Rhodes athletics
operations manager Stan Lambert
athletic director; and everyone else
Involved.
and pulled down 18 rebounds. Gray added
14 polpts for ACU Including three three-
point shots. Emily Berry had nine steals
and eight rebounds.
Green led WTAM In scoring with 24
points. Valcree Valdcz and Kara Townsen
registered 14 and 12 points respectively.
. The Wildcats will finish the season
against Texas A&M-Commcrce University
and Texas A&M-Kingsvillc University.
Both games arc on the road.
The LSC tournament begins Feb. 23.
Tests on
horizon for
ACU tennis
Chris Smith
Sports Writer
The mens and womens tennis teams
will face strong competition from Division
1 Division II and junior college oppo-
nents this weekend and next Monday and
Tuesday.
The women will travel to East Texas to
play Baylor University at Waco and Divi-
sion II Henderson State dt Nacogdoches
on Friday and will remain in Nacog-
doches to play Stephen F. Austin State
University on Saturday.
The men meanwhile will host two
matches next week at the ACU courts.
Conference foe Midwestern will come to
Abilene on Monday and The Express from
Collin County Community College arrives
on Tuesday.
The women are coming off two confer-
ence wins last weekend on the road to get
off to a 2-0 start in conference play. The
ladies defeated 21st ranked Eastern New
Mexico on Friday and West Texas A&M
on Saturday. Head coach Hutton Jones
expects a close 54 match with SFA that
'COuIdgoelthet1vrayl"Jonc hopes' these
matches will get thfe women mentally pre-
pared to play "real tennis" where each
point is nip and tuck
"We are going to get tested this week-
end because we arc going to play Baylor
who (Is) In the top 40 in Division I" Jones
said. "Stephen E Austin...matches up al-
most eyen with us We have nothing to
lose. We have to just go out there and play
relaxed and take it to them."
The men-have the weekend off before
two consecutive days of matches. The men
played well at Texas Tech but lost 9-0.
However die men rebounded tq beat a
solid 24th ranked West Texas A&M team
7-2. The Wildcats arc third In the Midwest
while the Buffaloes are fifth.
"If our guys arc ready and like to play
tough close matches 1 think we'll come
out on top" Jones said. "If we go In want-
ing tq win easy straight set matches we
may not be going out there with the light
mentality. We got to be ready for the men-
tal challenge of playing an even tight
match."
m
Scores:
Friday win vs. San Angelo 7-4
Saturday win vs. Odessa 8-2
Tuesday loss at New Mexico 2-3
Saturday vs. Lake Charles 7 p.m.
Sunday vs. San Angelo 2 p.m.
Tuesday vs. Amarillo 7 p.m.
Thursday at San Angelo 7 p.m.
Feb 20 at El Paso 7 p.m.
Trivia
With four regular'scason games the
Lone Star Conference tournament and
probably the South Central Regional
tournament remaining what member
of the womens basketball team lias a
chance to score 600 points this season
placing her among the top 12 single
season scoring totals in ACU basket-
. ball history? Who owns the all-time
single season scoring record Cor the
womens team with 842 points?
Mens basketball coach Shanon
Hays is the answer to last weekV trivia
question. Hays comes from a family of
coaches mainly baseball. His father
and Brother have coached baseball at
Lubbock Christian University.
1
J
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 87, No. 36, Ed. 1, Friday, February 12, 1999, newspaper, February 12, 1999; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth99833/m1/4/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.