A roundup of the week March 14-20
COLLEGE BASKETBALL—In the NAIA men's championship in Kansas City, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (S.C.) beat West Virginia Wesley-an 57-53.
PRO BASKETBALL—A seemingly meaningless confrontation between Atlantic Division leader Philadelphia and second-place Boston turned into an old-fashioned game of trench basketball. The 76ers were 10 games up on the Celtics, but with the playoffs only a month away, both teams wanted to leave a lasting impression. With Julius Erving (sprained right wrist) and Maurice Cheeks (flu) on the casualty list, the Sixers had to rely on Moses Malone and Andrew Toney to supply the heavy artillery. They did. Toney fired in 33 points, while Malone added 28 and took care of the hand-to-hand combat. When Danny Ainge launched a little sneak attack by inserting his hip into a Malone fast break, the Sixers center pointed out the transgression with a finger to the Celt guard's chest. At another juncture, Larry Bird bounced off Malone's belly with such force he was almost classified as missing in action. When the final body count had been tallied, Philadelphia won 105-100. "This team wants to win so bad," Malone said afterward. And last week he was bad. He had 35 points and 22 rebounds in a 132-128 win over Indiana, 31 and 16 when the Sixers edged Central leader Milwaukee 105-97. While dribbling toward the basket in practice, Denver Forward Glen Gondrezick was stopped by Center Dan Issel, who asked Gondo to produce his driver's license. "Remember," said Issel, "driving is a privilege extended to you by the state of Colorado. Don't abuse it." Instead, the Nuggets abused Golden State (139-115) and held their lead over Dallas for the final playoff berth in the West. Los Angeles, first in the Pacific, had its win streak halted at six when San Diego beat them for the first time this season, 107-99.
BOWLING—LORRIE NICHOLS defeated Robin Romeo 232-207 to win a $25,500 LPBT tournament in Fort Pierce, Fla.
Don Genalo beat top-seeded Steve Fehr 223-188 to win his first PBA title, the $120,000 King Louie Open, in Overland Park, Kans.
BOXING—MICHAEL SPINKS, WBA light heavyweight champ, scored a unanimous 15-round decision over WBC champ Dwight Braxton in their title-unification bout in Atlantic City (page 14).
Colin Jones and Milton McCrory fought to a 12-round draw in Reno in a bout for the WBC welterweight title vacated by Sugar Ray Leonard.
Leo Cruz won a unanimous decision over Soon-Hyung Chung to retain his WBA junior featherweight title in San Juan.
Charlie Magri stopped Eleoncio Mercedes with a seventh-round TKO to win the WBC flyweight crown in London.
CROSS-COUNTRY—At the world championships in Gateshead, England, GRETE WAITZ won her fifth women's crown, covering the 4,072 meters in 13:29 and BEKELE DEBELE of Ethiopia was the men's titlist, running the 12K course in 36:52 (page 30).
PRO FOOTBALL—USFL: Herschel Walker's stats—164 yards on 48 carries—look pretty awesome until you realize he amassed them over three games. His 39 yards on 19 carries against Central Division leader Tampa Bay seemed to indicate his production was following the law of diminishing returns. It was about the only law the Bandits acknowledged as they gunned down New Jersey 32-9. Michigan let a game with Oakland, one of three Pacific Division co-leaders, slip through its hands, or more specifically, the hands of Anthony Carter. He fumbled two punts in the 33-27 loss, including one that set up an Invader touchdown. Washington met Los Angeles on Monday night, and as might be expected in a Federals-Express game, the outcome was decided by a couple of early deliveries. Mike Rae's two second-quarter TD passes to Ricky Ellis got the job done 20-3 for L.A. Two other games came down to the final minute. Denver Quarterback Ken Johnson's one-yard keeper across a snow-covered goal line with 22 seconds left gave the Gold a 16-13 victory over Chicago. Boston beat Washington 19-16 on Tim Mazzetti's 29-yard field goal at 0.27 (page 54). Jim Asmus of Arizona booted a 57-yarder in the Wranglers' 21-14 win over the Express.
GOLF—BILL ROGERS shot a 14-under-par 274 to win the $400,000 New Orleans Open. Three players tied for second, three strokes back.
Kathy Whitworth won the $200,000 Kemper Open in Maui, Hawaii with a four-under-par 288, edging Dale Eggeling by one stroke.
HOCKEY—The once pugnacious Philadelphia Flyers, who have markedly improved their deportment this season, remained on top in the Patrick Division despite being mauled by the Rangers, 8-2, and the Islanders, 9-2. "The only time I got hit all night," said Ranger Forward Nick Fotiu wistfully, "was when I ran into one of my teammates." On Sunday, Fotiu's team ran into Adams Division pacesetter Boston and got run over 4-0. Chicago, No. 1 in the Norris, played hit-and-run with St. Louis (4-1) and Toronto (7-3). The latter two teams were battling it out for the 16th and last playoff spot. Smythe leader Edmonton smote Vancouver (4-3) and Detroit (9-7).
SKIING—TAMARA McKINNEY became the first American woman to win the World Cup overall title by finishing 12th in a giant slalom in Furano, Japan.
INDOOR SOCCER—MISL: The five goals Pat Ercoli of Eastern Division-leading Baltimore scored against Golden Bay may not have shown up on the Richter scale, but they did shake up the 1,626 Earthquake fans who showed up to see the Blast's 7-4 victory. Baltimore then played Phoenix with more catastrophic results: the Inferno prevailed 5-3. On Sunday, the Blast failed to ignite in a 7-6 loss to Western Division leader San Diego.
SWIMMING—STANFORD outscored second-place Florida 418½-389½ to win the NCAA women's championship in Lincoln, Neb.
TRACK & FIELD—SEBASTIAN COE ran the 1,000 meters in 2:18.58 to eclipse Paul-Heinz Wellmann's seven-year-old world indoor record by .52 in Oslo.
Leslie Deniz added almost four feet to Lorna Griffin's 1980 American women's standard in the discus with a throw of 211'1" in Tempe, Ariz.
MILEPOSTS—FIRED: As basketball coach at the University of Cincinnati, ED BADGER, 52, after a five-season record of 68-71, including 11-17 in 1982-83, the Bearcats' worst in 37 years; as basketball coach of Arizona, BEN LINDSEY, 42, whose Wildcats finished with their most dismal record ever, 4-24 overall and 1-17 in the Pac-10 Conference.
HIRED: To coach the NASL Seattle Sounders, LAURIE CALLOWAY, 37, formerly of the now-defunct California Surf.
RESIGNED: As basketball coach at: Brigham Young, FRANK ARNOLD, 48, whose Cougars were 137-94 in his eight seasons and 15-14 in 1982-83; Penn State, DICK HARTER, 52, who had coached the Nittany Lions to a 79-61 mark in five seasons; Massachusetts, TOM McLAUGHLIN, 31, following a second-year, 9-20 record.
SENTENCED: To three years' probation, St. Louis Cardinals Linebacker E.J. JUNIOR, 23, after pleading guilty to a charge of possession of cocaine.
DIED: ALDEGE (BAZ) BASTIEN, 62, general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins; after the car he was driving struck a motorcycle; in Pittsburgh.
