The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 2

BaseballD2 NFLD3 NBAD4-5 CollegesD6 ScoreboardD9 Sports The indianapolis Star CJ www.lndyStar.com Thursday, February 27, 2003 Section InfoLine: 624-INFO (4636) NCAA makes Internet deal. D3 Purdue whips Penn State. D6 5 PO9, HflgDlilP Artest left behind after outburst Indiana scores season-low 69 points at Boston as skid hits 6 games longest of Thomas era. Ron Artest, suspended twice by NBA this year, will miss only Wednesday's game for his Pacers suspension. 'A That gave the Celtics the ball after a timeout with 37.9 seconds left.

With the Pacers focusing on Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce, Walter McCarty hit a 3-pointer from the left corner over Brad Miller's outstretched hand with 24.9 seconds left. O'Neal drove for a quick dunk to make it a one-point game, and then fouled McCarty on the in-bounds pass, fouling out. McCarty hit l-of-2 shots with 4.2 seconds left. The Pacers started crisply, hitting three of their first four shots and jumping to a 10-2 lead. But they immediately slipped back into their malaise, hitting 1-of-12 shots the rest of the quarter.

Call Star reporter Mark Montieth at 1-317-444-6406. By Mark Montieth mark.montiethgiindystar.com BOSTON The Indiana Pacers' confounding skid continued Wednesday with a 71-69 loss to Boston at the FleetCenter. Their sixth consecutive BOSTON 71 loss the iongeSt PACERS 69 in coach Isiah Next game: vs. Thomas' three-Milwaukee, 7 year tenure, p.m. Friday, Fox dropped their Sports Net, record to 37-21.

WIBC-1070 AM. Other than Jermaine O'Neal, who finished with 31 points and 13 rebounds, they had no effective offensive weapon among the starters. Reggie Miller, who missed a 3-pointer from the right corner that could have won the game at the buzzer, hit 2-of-14 shots. The Pacers had their lowest-scoring first quarter of the season (14), lowest-scoring first half (33) and lowest-scoring game. The previous low came in an 88-78 loss on Jan.

20 at Detroit. The Pacers took a 67-66 lead on O'Neal's two foul shots with 1:49 left, and had two chances to extend it. Miller, however, missed a 3-pointer, and O'Neal missed a turnaround jumper. home from Indiana's trip to Boston for Wednesday's game. Artest will rejoin the Pacers for practice today and play in Friday's game against Milwaukee at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Thomas and team president Donnie Walsh are maintaining their support of Artest, although their annoyance is growing. "It's definitely been a distraction to the team," Walsh said. "It's got to end." Artest already has been suspended by the NBA for seven games this season three for See.Artest, Page D5 Pacers suspend fiery player after he breaks framed portrait in frustration after loss. By Mark Montieth mark.montiethindystar.com BOSTON Sitting in Ron Ar-test's locker at Conseco Field-house is a framed copy of the Serenity Prayer the one that begins "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change." He's obviously still working on the concept. His latest temperamental outburst, tearing a framed portrait of himself off the wall from the hallway leading to the Pacers' locker room and breaking it after Tuesday's loss to Washington, caused coach Isiah Thomas to leave him Colts release Ismail for cap savings .11 By Mike Chappell mike.chappellindystar.com Qadry Ismail's stay with the Indianapolis Colts was brief.

The veteran wide receiver was released by the team Wednesday, less than one year after signing a three-year, $4.5 million contract to complement perennial Pro Bowl receiver Marvin Harrison. There was no announcement from the team. Tony Agnone, Ismail's agent, said he was told by Colts president Bill Polian that the move was "a money issue." By terminating Ismail's contract, the team will save $400,000 against the NFL's $75 million salary cap. Ismail was scheduled to count $1.2 million against the cap, and the team still must carry $800,000 in so-called "dead money," or the remainder of his original $1.2 million signing bonus. Ismail's future with the team had been in doubt since he suffered a concussion and bulging disc in his neck Dec.

12 against the New York Giants. He has sought additional medical advice regarding the injury and, ac- Rob Goobel staff photo Recovering: Qadry Ismail suffered a concussion and bulging disc Dec. 12 against the Giants. Time limit: Colts race deadline to sign Scioli, Saturday. 03 cording to Agnone, is confident he will be able to play in 2003.

"We have not closed the door on Qadry returning (to the Colts)," he said. Ismail, 32, ranked fourth on the team with 44 catches for 462 yards and three touchdowns. Wednesday was not a good day for the Ismail family. Raghib, Qadry's older brother, was released by the Dallas Cowboys. Call Star reporter Mike Chappell at 1-317-444-6830.

Robert Sdwer staff photos Loyal few: A crowd of about 50 people watch a competitor in the floor exercise during a gymnastics meet at Center Grove High School. Only 92 of the IHSAA's 392 member schools are participating in gymnastics this year, and 10 are fielding partial teams. Gymnastics holds on barely High school sport suffers as participation dwindles Star's special section among Top 10 in nation By the numbers A look at some of the costs associated with girls high school gymnastics: Officials Four needed per meet (each paid $42 in dual meets and $52 in multi-team meets). Equipment Provided by Decatur Central athletic director Jim Zeller, whose school hosts Conference Indiana and sectional meets: Spring floor: $10,000 Vault $1,700 Balance beam: $2,500 each (two needed) Uneven bars: $2,600 Springboard: $250 each (two needed) Additional matting, each 6 feet by 12 feet: $440 each (15 needed) By Pat McKee pat.mckeeindystar.com The athleticism, artistry and personalities of women's gymnastics draw large television audiences that cross a wide range of demographics during the Summer Olympics. While many sports see a trickle-down effect from such exposure, the same cannot be said of high school girls gymnastics in Indiana.

Only 92 of the Indiana High School Athletic Association's 392 member schools are participating in gymnastics this year, and 10 are fielding partial teams. Those numbers prompted the IHSAA to review whether it would continue to hold a state tournament series. "We're content with where we are," IHSAA commissioner Blake Ress said, noting that the review is mandated by the organization's bylaws if participation is fewer than 25 percent (or 98) of member schools. "I don't know if that will continue if the number of schools continues to drop." Star columnist Bob Kravitz wins honorable mention from Associated Press Sports Editors. I Good job: Center Grove coaches Katie Howe (left) and brother Eric Howe congratulate Natalie Hesler's recent performance.

Says Hesler: "If it (gymnastics) were dropped, I would be upset." Staff report TORRANCE, Calif. The Indianapolis Star's special section on the World Basketball Championship and sports columnist Bob Kravitz were winners in the 2002 Associated Press Sports Editors contest announced on Wednesday. The Star's preview section for the WBC in Indianapolis was picked as one of the Top 10 sections in the nation in the over 250,000 circulation category. Kravitz was an honorable mention choice for his columns on Mike Davis, the Winter Olympics and Luke Recker. Joe Posnanski from the Kansas City i 11 Participation across the state actually is a bit higher than in 2002, but school administrators, coaches and gymnasts all realize their sport could be in better condition.

Numbers are down in the In dianapolis area with Lawrence North and Franklin dropping their programs and Pike fielding a partial team after girls had to choose between gymnastics and See Holds Page D8 Star was named No. 1 columnist in the country. Judges ranked the top five columnists and picked five for honorable mention. Kravitz was ranked No. 3 in last year's contest.

APSE members judged the contest. Purdue needs strong showing in NCAAs to validate season WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. The losing skid going into Wednesday night's game with Penn State was not all that important. By coaching his Purdue team to a pair of abbreviat season. Not for a team that then went on to spend much of this season tied for first place in the Big Ten standings.

In order to really prove it has returned as a top-tier program, Purdue has to make something happen in C. Jemal Horton said of playing well in the NCAA tournament. "You play the regular season to do well in the tournament. For our team, we have to concentrate on playing well in the Big Ten tournament, then getting in the NCAAs. After that, we think anything can happen." This year, Keady's team is built for sustaining a few weeks of fierce challenges.

This year's team is young, sure. But it has mental toughness. There are three or four guys who almost salivate to take the shot with the game on the line. This year's team is the best free-throw shooting team in the Big Ten (75 percent). This year's team rarely beats itself.

Purdue forces its opponents into nearly three more turnovers than it commits, which ranks second in the Big Tea Boilermakers roll: Purdue defeats Penn State 79-55 for 17th win of season. D6 Most important, though, this Purdue team has bona-fide depth. Keady's teams rarely have been blessed with that. In years past, there would be one really good Boilermaker dominating on the court, then four kids whose main job was to feed the really good Boilermaker. Not this season.

Senior Willie Deane was a player-of-the-year candidate before the Boilermakers lost four of five games. But Deane has enjoyed significant help all season and not just from the starters. Rookie David Teague, a Pike High School product, is on pace to set school freshman records for 3-pointers made and 3-point percentage. Fellow rookie Matt Kiefer, a post player, also has played a major role in critical Purdue victories. Kiefer's play has been so impressive, Keady recently move him into the starting lineup.

To be honest, we can't expect the Boilermakers to reach the Final Four or the Elite Eight. Even with the talent and depth and fine regular-season play, that would be an unrealistic and unfair demand. But this version of the Boilermakers needs to win at least one game and make it to a Saturday or Sunday game in the NCAA tournament. That truly would substantiate all this regular-season bliss. C.

Jemal Horton is a sports columnist for The Indianapolis Star. Contact him at 1-317-444-6514 or via e-mail at jemal.horton!indystar.com OMaiHWHUB III1IIIIMWIUUMMWBBW ed stints in the national rankings this season, Gene Keady already has proven he deserves to roam this campus for at least another year. The critics who were hoping Keady's 23rd season here would be his last will just have to cope with that. But that can't be all that this year was about. Not for a team that had effectively been euthanized before the start of this the NCAA tournament.

The NCAA tournament has to be the litmus test, even though Keady-coached teams traditionally have not distinguished themselves in late March. The regular-season production will keep cynics quiet for a few months. A really strong showing in the NCAA tournament has the ability to shut people up for a few years. "That's our hope," Keady recently.