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A roundup of the week Feb. 4-10

PRO BASKETBALL—Just before the NBA took its celestial semester break, the King demonstrated that he isn't ready to relinquish his crown. The pretenders to the throne, 7'4" Ralph Sampson and 7-foot Akeem Olajuwon of Houston met Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Lakers and had 33 and 30 points, respectively, but Abdul-Jabbar scored 40 for his largest output in almost three years. He also changed his defensive assignment for Los Angeles in the crucial stages of the game and shut down Sampson in a 113-104 win. "Putting Kareem on Ralph was the key to the game," said coach Pat Riley, whose Lakers lead the Pacific Division. "He likes to step up to the challenge." Abdul-Jabbar finished the week by playing in his 14th All-Star Game, an NBA record, but MVP honors there went to Sampson, who had 24 points and 10 rebounds in a 140-129 West victory. As part of the All-Star festivities in Indianapolis's Hoosier Dome, Atlanta's Dominique Wilkins won this year's slam-dunk contest, deposing Larry Nance of Phoenix as the Tops in Drops. Midwest Division-leader Denver snapped a three-game losing streak by beating Seattle 120-101 behind Alex English's 35 points. In the Central Division, Milwaukee remained three games ahead of Detroit despite losing three straight. Those losses coincided with the announcement by owner Jim Fitzpatrick that the Bucks are for sale. The Pistons failed to capitalize on Milwaukee's slump, but don't blame Isiah Thomas, who had a stunning triple double in a 128-126 double OT loss to Washington: 25 points, 10 rebounds and 24 assists. The Atlantic Division continued to be a rat race between Boston and Philadelphia, which have the NBA's two best records: 41-9 and 39-10 at the All-Star break, respectively. The Sixers, however, are in a "midseason funk," according to Julius Erving, and remained 1½ games behind the Celtics even after winning twice, 106-92 over Atlanta and 116-111 over Washington.

BOWLING—MARSHALL HOLMAN beat Wayne Webb 233-203 to win the $200,000 BPA of America U.S. Open in Venice, Fla.

GOLF—MARK O'MEARA finished with a 21-under-par 267 to beat Craig Stadler by a stroke in the $500,000 Hawaiian Open in Honolulu. It was O'Meara's second tour victory in two weeks.

Patty Sheehan shot a 10-under-par 278 to come in one stroke ahead of Nancy Lopez in the $200,000 Sarasota (Fla.) Classic.

COLLEGE HOCKEY—Minnesota-Duluth maintained a three-point WCHA lead over Minnesota by sweeping Wisconsin 5-4 and 8-1 as Brett Hull, son of NHL great Bobby Hull, had a hat trick in each game. Bowling Green scored twice against No. 1-ranked Michigan State, but the Spartans scored 18 goals as they beat the Falcons 15-1 and 3-1 to run their winning streak to 21 games. ECAC-leading RPI moved its victory string to 20 with 7-2 and 8-2 thrashings of Brown and Yale, respectively.

PRO HOCKEY—It was a dog-eat-dog week in the Patrick Division as the top contenders nipped at each other before breaking for the All-Star Game. The third-place Islanders got a goal and four assists from red-hot Mike Bossy while beating second-place Philadelphia 7-5, and the Flyers in turn got four goals from Tim Kerr and a game-winner with :02 left from Brian Propp to beat division-leading Washington 5-4. Still, the Capitals remained seven points ahead of Philly with a 4-1 win in Toronto and a 6-1 victory over Los Angeles that saw Bobby Carpenter score twice to tie Neal Broten's NHL record for most goals by an American-born player in a season (41). In the Adams Division, Buffalo won twice to run its winning streak to six games and take over sole possession of first place. The Sabres got a goal and an assist from defenseman Mike Ramsey in a 3-1 win at Minnesota, and Gil Perreault had a hat trick in a 6-1 dousing of the Calgary Flames. The Canadiens beat Quebec 5-4 in a game that was delayed when pranksters let three pigs loose on the ice, and then Montreal played like swine in back-to-back 6-2 and 3-2 losses to the lowly Maple Leafs. The Canadiens have now lost all three of their games with Toronto this year. Norris Division-leading St. Louis extended its unbeaten string to seven games by defeating Vancouver 4-0 and Minnesota 4-2. The Black Hawks replaced coach Orval Tessier after four straight losses and immediately got hot, edging Toronto 3-2 and Boston twice, 6-5 and 4-3, under general manager-turned-interim-coach Bob Pulford. In the Smythe Division, where the only battle is for second, Winnipeg stayed close to Calgary with a 1-1-1 week that saw the Jets beat division-leading Edmonton for the first time in 21 meetings, 6-2, before losing 6-4 to last-place Vancouver. Calgary remained one point ahead of the Jets but still trailed the Oilers by 23 points.

INDOOR SOCCER—In the Eastern Division, second-place Chicago opened its week by falling 6-4 to last-place Dallas, but then, playing without All-Stars Gerry Gray and Pato Margetic, the Sting bounced back to beat Baltimore 5-2 in front of Chicago's biggest crowd of the season, 16,258. The Sting then lost to Dallas again, 7-6, as Tatu scored four goals for the Sidekicks, and Chicago was still three games behind the Blast. The last-place Cosmos' paychecks were withheld for three days, until 10 minutes before the Feb. 4 game with St. Louis. New York won that one 5-3 but dropped three others, 9-2 to San Diego, 12-3 to Las Vegas and 7-3 to Los Angeles. The Sockers, 3-0 on the week, remained atop the West, but with three wins the Americans closed to within half a game of second-place L.A. The victories ran Vegas's win streak to nine since goalie Alan Mayer relinquished his coaching duties to Don Popovic 11 games ago.

SKIING—At the Alpine World Skiing Championships in Bormio and Santa Caterina, Italy, DIANN ROFFE of the U.S. was the upset winner in the giant slalom, PERRINE PELEN of France got the gold medal in the slalom, and the combined was won by ERIKA HESS of Switzerland. In the men's competition, MARKUS WASMAIER of West Germany won the giant slalom, JONAS NILSSON of Sweden finished first in the slalom, and PIRMIN ZURBRIGGEN of Switzerland was the combined gold medalist (page 12).

SPEED SKATING—ANDREA SCHOENE of East Germany swept all four events, the 500, 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 meters, to win the overall title at the women's world championships in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. She broke her own world record, set last year in the Soviet Union, in the 5,000 meters by 1.7 seconds with a time of 7:32.82.

TRACK & FIELD—VALERIE BRISCO-HOOKS broke her own week-old American indoor record for the 400 meters with a time of 52.63 seconds at the U.S. Olympic Invitational in East Rutherford, N.J. (page 20).

MILEPOSTS—HIRED: As coach of the Detroit Lions, DARRYL ROGERS, 49, who coached Arizona State to a 37-18-1 record over the past five years.

NAMED: As winner of the Eclipse Award as 1984 Horse of the Year, gelding JOHN HENRY, 10, winner of six of nine starts and of $2.3 million last year.

PLACED ON PROBATION: By the NCAA for one year because of unspecified recruiting violations, the football program at SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI. The school is required to fire an unnamed assistant coach, cut visits by recruits to 60 from 95 and freeze head coach Jim Carmody's salary for one year.

SENTENCED: By a superior court to 46 hours in jail, North Carolina State center CHRIS WASHBURN, 19, after he pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor charges involving the theft of a stereo. As part of his sentence, which included a six-year term in jail—of which all but those 46 hours were suspended—and five years of probation, Washburn agreed to undergo professional therapy, to perform 320 hours of community service and to pay $1,000 to a crime victims' fund.

SIGNED: By the New Jersey Generals of the USFL, quarterback DOUG FLUTIE, 22, to a multiyear contract estimated to be worth between $5 million and $7 million.

TRADED: By the New Jersey Generals, quarterback BRIAN SIPE, 35, to the Jacksonville Bulls for a high 1986 draft choice and other undisclosed considerations.

By the Philadelphia Phillies, first baseman AL OLIVER, 38, to the Los Angeles Dodgers for pitcher PATZACHRY, 32.

DIED: FRANCIS AFFLECK, 34, an Automobile Racing Club of America stock-car driver, whose late-model Ford flipped while traveling between 180 and 190 mph during a practice session for the Daytona Speed Weeks; of massive head injuries, in Daytona Beach, Fla.