The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 11

The Salina Journal Sports Monday, December 12,1988 11 of Big Eight's death greatly exaggerated KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) All the experts predicting a fall from prominence for Big Eight basketball would prefer not to talk about this past weekend. On Saturday, Big Eight squads were 5-1. On Sunday, Nebraska beat Texas Tech and Colorado downed St. Louis as the Big Eight closed out a 7-1 weekend.

Oklahoma, which broke scoring records last season en route to its NCAA runner-up finish, was back to its old tricks against Oral Roberts. In a 152-122 victory, the sixth-ranked Sooners set an NCAA record with 87 points in the second half. Kansas, the probation-ridden defending champions who are barred from going back to the NCAA Tournament, elicited the ul- Jjmate compliment from Temple coach John jDhaney after a 95-78 victory over the Owls. "We played against a great ballclub," jGhaney said of the Danny Manning-less Jay- jhawks. "A national champion.

They are bet- itier than they were last year." In other Saturday action, Kansas State Remained unbeaten in Bramlage Coliseum with a 71-62 conquest of Vanderbilt; Ok- Jlahoma State beat Chicago State, 64-61; No. 'll Missouri downed Memphis State, 86-74; Giants run past IChiefs EJAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Bill Parcells has a two-step, sure- jfire way of getting into the playoffs: jplay well in December and move the pall on the ground. That's just what the New York are doing now, and only a jyictory over the New York Jets sep- iarates them from a second NFC East jiitle in three years. Phil Simms rediscovered tight end Mark Bavaro for two touchdowns Ottis Anderson and Maurice Through Sunday's games, the Big Eight Conference has 35 wins and 14 losses against outside competition.

and Iowa trimmed Iowa State, 91-71. On Sunday, Nebraska slipped past Texas Tech, 71-69, while Colorado needed an overtime period to beat St. Louis, 85-76. After having two teams (Kansas and Oklahoma) in last year's NCAA title game and a third (Kansas State) in the Final Eight, the Big Eight has not let up this season. Through Sunday's games, the conference is 35-14 against outside competition.

Stacey King and Mookie Blaylock scored 28 each for Oklahoma, 5-1. The 87 points in the second half broke the NCAA record of 86 shared by Lamar and Jacksonville. And who was coaching Lamar when it equalled the record against Portland State in 1980? Billy Tubbs, who is currently in charge at Oklahoma. "I think it was a fun game," Tubbs said. "The people get their money's worth.

All in all, I liked it but I don't like to see us give up that many points." Oklahoma tied its personal scoring record, and the 122 points by Oral Roberts were the most against any Tubbs team since he arrived in Oklahoma eight years ago. In addition, the 274 total points is a record for an Oklahoma game, topping the 250 scored in a 151-99 victory over Dayton in 1987. "I think I'm going to get a CBA job, where we can get the ball up and down the floor," said Oral Roberts coach Ken Trickey. "Our kids are not used to playing at this level yet." Temple, off to its first 0-3 start since 1913, made only 26 of 71 field goals and 12 of 31 from three-point range. "I think our defense had a lot to do with it," Kansas' Milt Newton said.

Kevin Pritchard had 26 points for the Jayhawks, Newton had 24 and Mark Randall 22. "Hopefully, I'll get to be around for a lot more victories like this," said Kansas' first- year coach Roy Williams. Steve Henson scored a career-high 27 points for Kansas State, which played before a sellout of 13,500. Vanderbilt outscored the Wildcats 18-4 in the final six minutes to keep K-Staters from celebrating too early. "For the most part, 33 minutes or so, we played pretty well," said Kansas State coach Lon Kruger.

"It seemed we tried to do things we hadn't done earlier. I guess it's something we can learn, as long as it doesn't go as a loss." Kansas State hit 18 of 29 field goal attempts en route to a 43-32 halftone lead. Henson was ll-for-18 and had five assists. "Tonight, I think we attacked, except for the last few minutes," Henson said. "We were able to get it inside.

That always opens things up for the rest of us." At Missouri, senior guard Byron Irvin scored 17 of his 21 points in the final seven minutes. It was the fifth time in Missouri's seven victories the 6-foot-6 Irvin has led all scorers. "I couldn't figure out what was wrong," he said of his long cold streak. "I just went out and tried to pick it up with some defense. I knew sooner or later my time would come." At Stillwater, Richard Dumas scored 21 points to lead Oklahoma State past Chicago State.

Dumas hit a short jumper with 1:30 left to give the Cowboys a 60-59 lead. Then Chris Gafney and Byron Houston each made two free throws in the final 19 seconds to ensure victory. Gerald Collins added 16 points for the Cougars. Fifth-ranked Iowa hit Iowa State with an 14-0 opening salvo en route to victory. B.

J. Armstrong had 24 points for the Hawkeyes, Roy Marble had 23 and Ed Horton 16, including 12 in the second half. "We didn't shoot worth a darn," Iowa State coach Johnny Orr said. "We missed free throws and missed a lot of easy lay-ins. But I thought Iowa did a good job.

They're an excellent team." At Lubbock, Texas, Beau Reid scored with 10 seconds remaining to lift Nebraska past Texas Tech. The Red Raiders had a chance to tie the score with one second left, but Todd Duncan missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw situation. Reid scored six of his 19 points during a 20-6 Cornhusker run that turned a 48-41 Tech advantage into a 61-54 Nebraska lead with 9:28 remaining. Giants 28, Chiefs 12 KC NYG first downs 16 17 Rushes-yards 33-107 39-159 Passing 151 85 Return Yards 7 9 Comp-Att-Int 15-35-0 6-15-1 Sacked-Yards Lost 3-23 1-8 funts 5-32 6-36 Fumbles-Lost 1-1 1-0 Penalties-Yards 7-45 3-15 Time of Possession 30:57 29:03 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS City, Heard 13-46, Saxon 13-40, Goodburn 1-15, Palmer 2-3, AAorairty 32, DeBerg 1-1. New York, Morris 31-140, Anderson 5-14, Carthon 2-6, Simms 1-(minus 1).

City, DeBerg 15-35-0-174. New York, Simms, 6-15-1 -93. I City, Hayes 5-64, Saxon 4-32, Paige 2-45, Heard 2-25, Palmer 2-8. New York, Bavaro 2-36, Manuel 2-36, Baker 1-5, mgram 106. i 'MISSED FIELD City, Lowery J9.

Scoring Summary anjoi City 0 Giants 7 First Quarter 12 pass from Simms JMcFadden kick), 6:00. Second Quarter Lowery 31, 14:43. Third Quarter Lowery 51, 2:38. 24 pass from Simms (McFadeen kick), 8:07. Lowery 46,10:15.

Fourth Quarter 2 run (McFadden kick), 3:22. 5 run (McFadden kick), 12:30. 9 7 Carthon added fourth-quarter scores in short runs Sunday as the Giants tfioved closer to the playoffs with a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Giants, 10-5 after winning their third in a row and second in December, play the Jets here next week. York still isn't assured a playoff berth, however, and enters (lie final week of the season with a qrie-game lead over Philadelphia, 9(J.

If the teams finish in a tie, the Ragles, who play Dallas next week- ejrtd, would win the division by virtue of sweeping two games against the Gjants in the regular season. month of December is im- New York Giants' defensive back Sheldon White (right) breaks up a first-quarter pass intended for Kansas City's Carlos Carson Sunday afternoon in Giants Stadium. portant," linebacker. Lawrence Taylor said. "If you play well in December, you make the playoffs.

That's been the rule in the league since I've been here and we're playing now. We have one more big one next week." The Giants defense is playing especially well. They have given up just one touchdown in three games and on Sunday limited the Chiefs to 258 yards. The Giants managed only 244 yards, but 159 came on the ground as the Giants offensive line paved the way for Joe Morris to rush for a season-high 140 yards on 31 carries. "The offensive line is playing real well," Morris said.

"We're getting good movement. In December, you have to run the ball, you have to have a running game. It's not over. We have one real tough opponent next week." Chiefs cornerback Deron Cherry said injuries up front have allowed teams to run against Kansas City. "We knew they were going to run against us," he said.

"They'd be stupid not to. You are not going to throw and beat us." The Giants picked their spots for the pass on Sunday, and the Simms- to-Bavaro combination was the key. "Today we called his number a little more," said Simms, who completed six of 15 passes for 93 yards. (See Chiefs, Page 13) Jabbar makes farewell stop in Milwaukee MILWAUKEE (AP) Sporting an Unfamiliar tie and jacket rather than IJis No. 33 Laker uniform, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said goodbye Sunday tjD( the city were he began his NBA Career 20 years ago.

Abdul-Jabbar, without the beard and eye goggles he wbrfe when he powered the Bucks to six winning seasons and one NBA championship, spent a more reflective moment Jaooar wjth the 18,633 fans at the Bradley Center as his farewell tour made its fjnal stop in Milwaukee. 1'Tve gone through so many personal but there's one thing that's never changed here and that's all the warmth and appreciation ybu'ye provided me with," he told fans. The 7-foot-2 center, sidelined by a knee injury that has kept him out of action for two weeks, did not play Sunday when the Bucks hosted Los Angeles. Instead, he turned over his role as the NBA's most dominant center to a younger generation of players. "There are other players who have obviously taken over the more prominent type of recognition at the center position and they deserve it," Abdul- Jabbar told reporters at a news conference.

"People like Akeem Olajawon and Patrick Ewing, their teams are doing well and they deserve some of the credit," said the NBA's all-time leading scorer. "Right now I'm just concentrating on what I can do for the team. (Lakers Owner) Jerry Buss told me he didn't expect me to play up to the level I had played at earlier in my career, "he said. Flanked by his parents and several former teammates, including Jon McGlocklin, Bob Dandridge, Greg Smith and former Bucks Coach Larry Costello, Abdul-Jabbar accepted several standing ovations from fans and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle from the Bucks. Abdul-Jabbar played his first six seasons in Milwaukee before he requested to be traded in 1975, a request that led to his trade to the Los Angeles Lakers.

He said his role on the 1971 championship Bucks team, his friendships with NBA greats Oscar Robertson, McGlocklin and others and the fans provided the fondest memories he holds of Milwaukee. But more importantly, Abdul- Jabbar said Milwaukee helped him mature from his "shielded exist- ence" as he emerged from UCLA as a 22-year-old superstar. "I didn't know what to expect when I came here," he recalled. "I just remember adjusting to the NBA and working to become a successful player and learning to win. That's all I was concerned about.

"But there were a lot of personal adjustments for me here. Being raised in New York and going to school in Los Angeles didn't really prepare me for living in the northern part of the Midwest." Abdul-Jabbar said he recalled telling McGlocklin when he arrived with the Bucks that he did not intend on playing professionally more than 10 years. "But here I am 20 years later I guess it's just one of those ironies in life. "I hope people can appreciate what I did so well for so long." Williams whips KU into tight unit ByTOMSHATEL Kansas City Star and Times ATLANTIC CITY, N. J.

Roy Williams may not be Phog or Dean or even (bite your tongue) Larry. But the Jayhawks' 95-78 victory over Temple on Saturday in Atlantic City was no miracle, either. It was a testimony to the sheer determination, pride, defense and coaching of a Kansas program that is turning this season into something of a surprise for nearly everyone who doesn't ordinarily view life through rose-colored glasses. KU has just nine players, an NCAA probation and no postseason NCAA play for this year. But don't spill any crocodile tears on Allen Field House or Roy Williams.

Behind that innocent country-boy look is a slick coach who has whipped the 6-1 Jayhawks into a tight unit that, so far, is treating every Pacific Lutheran and Temple like an NCAA title game. "They (players) seem inspired to prove to people that they can be a good team in spite of everything that's happened to them," Kansas athletic director Bob Frederick said. "I serfse among the adults, particularly in the Lawrence area, that they have really taken to this team, really embraced this team, because they know there are some really difficult circumstances." Just as beleaguered but perhaps not quite as Williams, a first-year coach who spent the past 10 years on Dean Smith's staff at North Carolina. When Williams was hired July 8 to replace Larry Brown, many a KU eyebrow was raised at the prospect of a defending national champion having to hire someone with no college head coaching experience. Williams' popularity should have rocketed Saturday.

Down on the casino boardwalk, KU's victory may not have bought Williams any more chips to play with this season. But what the nationally televised test did was buy Williams some more time on his honeymoon season. With relatively small expectations projected onto the Jayhawks, there hasn't been much pressure placed on Williams. "I know what other people's perceptions are, but I don't feel like it's been a honeymoon," Williams said. "If what we've had so far is a honeymoon, there wouldn't be many marriages in the world." Although Williams' recruiting diary would note otherwise, the NCAA probation might have been the best thing that could have happened to his first season.

The Brown-Danny Manning era left standards few coaches in Division I could match, much less a guy trying this out for the first time. Even Frederick agreed: Not being able to go to the NCAA tournament takes off an immense amount of adds a sympathy factor from a demanding group of KU fans who acknowledge it's only OK to finish below Nebraska, Oklahoma State and Missouri in football. "If all these various things hadn't happened, I think there would be a lot more pressure on Roy," Frederick said. "I sense that people feel (sympathy for him) right now. I hope that they continue to feel that way." Displayed on his desk is a card from his 9-year-old daughter, Kimberly, that Williams glances at between meetings, film sessions (See KU, Page 13) Coaches understand pressures on Layden ByBOBGREENE AP Sports Writer His fellow NBA coaches understand the pressures that caused Frank Layden to walk away from his coaching job with the Utah Jazz.

"The head coaching position is a tough job. There's a lot of pressure," Boston Celtics coach Jimmy Rodgers said. "Emotionally, it's a roller- coaster ride." Layden Layden resigned Friday, leaving the NBA team to assistant coach Jerry Sloan, but he stayed on as club president. "Sometimes in the NBA, you feel like a dog," Layden said when he made his surprise announcement. "You age seven years in one.

The pressure in the NBA is intense. It's time to have my time." Layden, 56, also gave age as a factor. "This is a young man's game," he said. "As (former Boston coach) K.C. Jones said last spring when I asked him why he had resigned and he replied, 'This is my Well, this is my time.

"I just wasn't enjoying it as much as I used to." Coaches Chuck Daly of Detroit and Mike Fratello of Atlanta noted the pressures that members of their fraternity work under. "It's a stressful job," Daly said. "Long term contracts, drugs, parity. It goes on and on." Fratello said a coach "is judged basically on wins and losses, and is' trying to form a team from 12 individuals. The stress, the pressure on coaches is just as Both praised Layden.

"It takes a big person to do what Frank did," Fratello said. "Only a person with the inner strength of Frank could walk away from the job, as prestigious a position as his was." Los Angeles Lakers coach Pat Riley said Layden's decision to quit after seven years and a 277-294 record as coach ends an era for the Jazz franchise. "Frank's been around a long time," Riley said. "He's bigger than life. He fought all of the wars.

He's got that team where he wanted it to; be, and now he's going to sit back and enjoy watching." Jack Ramsay, who was the dean of (Sec Coaches, Page 13).