The Age from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia • Page 58

SPORT B28. THE AGE SATURDAY 23 AUGUST 1997 pPoeras patience earns eMfoeal crown Picture: PAT SCALA o' If By ANDREA CARSON An impenetrable Melbourne Phoenix quickly warmed up after a sluggish start to beat Adelaide Thunderbirds 58-48 at the Glasshouse last night and win the inaugural national nctball league trophy. Phoenix captain Simone McKinnis had said the grand final would be a game of patience. She was right. Phoenix slowly brought down the Thunderbirds quarter by quarter.

The Thunderbirds started witli a pacy game. Goal shooter Sharon Purser looked to be on fire and converted 100 per cent of her shots at goal. There were few surprises in Adelaide's starting lineup. As expected, captain Kathryn Hardy in goal defence was pitted against Phoenix youngster Shari'lle McMahon. Mediation started nervously and ntfsscd a valuable pass into the rjrcle that was quickly picket! up by Harby and Purser.

Thupderbirds' coach Margaret Angovc had the difficult task of deriding between Audine Cobb and Alex Hodge in mid-field. She chose Hodge. Hodge and Thunderbirds' outre Rebecca Saunders formed a strong unit in centre court, with Saunders showing the form that has made her one of thc'outstanding players this season. She pushed the ball down the court and fed it into Purser. But the Thunderbirds' pacy game could not endure for four quarters.

The" crowd of 3000 rallied behind" Phoenix, which stuck to its game plan and slowly but surely closed the seven-goal gap the Thunderbirds had opened in the first quarter. At quarter-time, Thunderbirds Jed 13-11. Thunderbirds converted at 7( per cent; Phoenix 7.1 per cent. Jubilant members of Melbourne I'lwenix celebrate Ibeir grand final triumih at the Glasshouse last night. Phoenix coach Norma Plummer described the victory as "bloody Auckland 'home' game for Ribot in a league of his own inside enemy lines fhe Kings.

Melbourne Tigers and Canberra Cannons are one win behind sixth-placed Adelaide. Adelaide, led by Australian guard Brett Maher and former King Leon Trimmingham, inflicted a rare home loss on the Kings earlier in the season, but the Sydney side responded with a thumping 111-99 success in the return game in Adelaide. Kings coach Alan Black said: "Scoring has been our big problem recently. We only got 92 last week against Perth and that's not really where we want to be. "But I think Adelaide will oblige us because they get up and down the court quickly and Southeast Melbourne Magic will test the potential of expanding the National Basketball League to New Zealand after confirming yesterday that it had switched its home game against Newcastle next month to Auckland.

I be Magic is leading the NBL, Newcastle is among four fighting to make the playoff Magit. general manager Rob Nuge'iU said that while his team hail no intention of playing regular games in NZ, the NBL would be looking closely at the the game attracted. "lrom what we've seen, thertfsj been some very strong The Magic was also forced to take another home game on the road in May, when it played Illawarra in West Sydney. Magic coach Brian Goorjian played down the loss of home-court advantage. "I'm always for anything that helps the league improve its standing in the sports world," Goorjian said.

THE Sydney Kings will begin the fight for playoff survival in the NBL when they meet Adelaide 36ers at the Sydney Lnlcrtain-ment Centre tonight. Sydney could force its way back into the top six with victory over Adelaide and a win over Townsville the following week. Netball Two minutes into the second term Purser called time and received ice to her thigh, but stayed on the court. Thunderbirds again pushed ahead and increased their lead to six goals. At the eight-minute mark, goal attack lacqui Delaney fell and time was again called.

Phoenix took advantage of the interruptions to score eight goals in a row. A turning-point of the game came at the end of the second term when Liz Taverner in goal defence turned the ball over and sent it on its way to McMahon. McMahon scored to take Phoenix to the lead for the first time. Its confidence up, Phoenix climbed another two goals in front before Thunderbirds pulled one back to trail 26-25 at half-time. Phoenix coach Norma Plum-mer moved Mahon out of goals and brought in locelyn Bryant.

Bryant and Australian shooter Bloise Southby quickly fell into their familiar rhythm and Phoenix soared ahead, scoring 17 goals to four. After the game, Thunderbirds coach Margaret Angove said the third quarter was the team's downfall. "We lost our way. I don't know what really happened, but Phoenix did not miss an opportunity," she said Plummer said her team's win was "bloody She said Southby had played a vital role by taking Harby out of the game. "We always knew it would be a tough physical contest.

Both teams were desperately hungry for the ball," she said. Basketball support from business in Auckland and there appears to be a fair amount of interest over there," Nugent said. Due to booking problems, the Magic could not play the game against Newcastle at Melbourne Park and decided to play the game in 66-63 overtime loss to Russia. The nature of the tournament meant the Gems had to win every other first-round game to qualify for the finals. She did some soul searching after the loss to Russia and decided she wanted to be the difference.

The result was she stung the Americans for 33 points and 13 rebounds. She backed that up with 21 points and IS rebounds in the Gems' win against host nation Brazil in the semi-finals. More than 15,000 crammed into the stadium, making so much noise that even Gems (and Melbourne Tigers) coach Ray Tomlinson said afterwards he had experienced little like it. Emeagi, aged 18 and only moved out of home several weeks before, loved it. She initially blamed herself for the Gems' 78-74 overtime loss to the.

US in the final, despite at times being dwarfed by her opponents, but now recognises the achievement. Born in Melbourne to a Nigerian father and an Australian mother, Chika Emeagi (pronounced Cheeka Emargl her first name means God is when you 'lose your ability to score, you are going to have a poor year. I understand that. It is just a matter of getting myself geared up to change and get ready for next year. "Don't think I'm the only guy it's ever happened to.

I think we all get a little-tired of it." It has not exactly been a a fj -J Golf Rugby league and remains confident a solution is at hand. "It will be resolved at worst by the end of the year," he predicts. "1 think things will come to a head more quickly than people think." As for how that will happen, Ribot is less certain, although he repeats the view that the pressure to compromise will come from the pay-TV owners. "With the amount of money spent, they will say this has to be rationalised. What's being spent here is silly." If he carries a stigma, Ribot admits to no guilt for his part in the war, and the devastation he has left behind: the empty stadiums, the disillusioned fans and the free hand given to AFL and rugby union.

Emeagi proves a valuable gem when it counts Magic it should be a high scoring game." Import Isaac Burton and rookie Matt Nielsen were the only players in double figures against Perth. "We can't wait any longer down the track if we want to qualify for the playoffs," Black said. In other matches tonight, North Melbourne is at home to South East Melbourne, Newcas-tle hosts Townsville and Illawarra travels to Canberra. South Last Melbourne is three wins clear at the top of the table from Perth, followed by Townsville, North Melbourne and Brisbane. Picture: JOE ARMAO few girls left over from Bulleen and we've all combined together and we're doing well at the moment, so I'd like to see myself staying with Melbourne and building a team to take a championship." ADELAIDE will be able to host next weekend's grand final after a deal was struck to allow it use of the Powerhouse Stadium, earlier booked for a convention.

stroke lead after the first round of the European Open. Montgo-merie's flawless round featured eight birdies, the last coming on the par-five 18th, which put him ahead of Sweden's Niclas Fasth and England's Steve Richardson, who both finished on seven-under-par 65. AMERICAN Tom By rum set an eight-under course record 63 to take a one-stroke lead in the Greater Vancouver Open in Surrey, British "Columbia. Byrum set the course record of 64 in last year's tournament. Australian Craig Parry, with a 67, was among a crowded bunch of golfers who had little trouble in breaking the course par of 71.

'We are experiencing something that is not doing the any good at the moment, but can't give up on it, either. We be half with Melbourne guaranteed a place in a Super League-only competition next year. He disagrees. "Melbourne has to happen and Super League are totally committed to it, compromise or not," he says. "If we are to take rugby league to the next level you can't leave Melbourne behind and everyone acknowledges that.

Melbourne will happen; I have an absolute assurance." Assuming there is a Melbourne team next year, Ribot says it will mean he returns io the part of the game he enjoys, away from the "bureaucracy" of his most recent post. "To put it crudely, I enjoy the kill each week. Getting out there and winning or losing; all those things happen in a week. I enjoy the emotion and the human side of it. Thai's exciting." Exciting maybe, but in Melbourne, also very tough.

After just six weeks in Melbourne, Ribot has made at least one wise judgment -don't antagonise the natives. He is very careful to ensure that comments about the AFL are not construed as fighting talk, and happily concedes his little brother status. Despite the sparse appearance of his-office, he says the pieces of the team are slowly coming together. A practice ground has been leased, potential coaches are being considered and Ribot monitors the peace talks like a spare parts man at the scene of a four-car pile-up, assessing which pieces can be salvaged to form part of a team that his market research tells him must be "something uniquely for When, and if, it comes', together, that new team will' have a difficult question to. answer: while the SCG is full for Sydney, and the SI'S is empty for Sydney City, why should Melbourne bother, with rugby league? Ribot invokes the answer that has been the Super.

League mantra. "When they put on good teams good teams, they turn up. That is still very evident. That is what we are all about. Quail- ty." bridge with a devastating dis- nlnv vpBtprHnv Phnno wuM Ik I was important-to win against Rafter.

But Rafter said: "If the wip comes, well that's well and good, I'll take it, but I'm really just hoping to be fresh tor the US Open." Rafter has a taxing first-rntirrti match against Ukrainian Andrei Medvedev In the US Open, which starts on Monday. By RICHARD HINDS The radio announcers would probably get a laugh out of this. The ones who refer to John Ribot as the forgotten man, who say he has ridden off into the sunset, never to be seen in Rugby Leaguetown again. Here Ribot sits in his Melbourne office, where the decor bare walls, empty desks could be described as "between These rooms, in a building adjacent to News l.td's headquarters on the south bank of the Yarra River, is the nerve centre of the Melbourne umnim, well, just Melbourne for now. The full name of the proposed Super League team won't be known until the results of a forthcoming news-paper competition are announced.

So there is just a temporary Super League sign on the office door, and no club colors to decorate the walls, because they have not been decided either. Nor are there posters of star players. There won't be until the coach chooses them. That will happen when there is a coach. Yes, if they were to catch a glimpse of Ribot now, sitting before an empty table in a half-filled office in hostile territory, those radio announcers would allow themselves a satisfied smile.

Ribot knows what they think. "A lot of people say 'You've been given the bullet and you've gone to Melbourne where you're out of the game'," he says. "But it's not true." As he did when he stepped aside as Super League chief executive, Ribot insists he could still have the job, but the cause of peace is better served without him. "I'm seen in the marketplace as the last of the antagonists, the people who started the battle. To have someone who could negotiate with a clean slate is important." And negotiate they will, says Ribot, regardless of the current impasse.

While he says his own role in the peace talks has been he has been in on News Ltd strategy sessions Rafter plays New York, Friday A relaxed Patrick Rafter played down the significance of his quarter-final showdown with likely Davis Cup opponent Michael Chang at ATP tournament in Commack, 1-ong Island, tonight. After Chang polished off another Australian cup team member Todd Woodbridge 6-0, 6-2 yesterday, the world No. 2 said the battle against Rafter game we can't By PHILIP JOHNSON very sport has a small group of pjttyers who, though not necessarily the most naturally giitodin their field, have the abilgyjto turn it on, particularly in a'big game, to be the dominant factor in the result. FOrjner Carlton premiership footballer Wayne lohnston had it. Cjimplon racehorse Gun-synrfglid too.

Itls perhaps the quality coaches cherish most, bccfitse it can't be taught like any-other skill. Melbourne Tigers forward Chiiit Emeagi is fast developing i reputation as a big game platg despite her admission thagshe would probably swear and' 'tremble if she-was at the line to decide tonight's WNBL preliminary' final against the Sydney Mantes. She has excelled in some tough situations. As co-captaln of the Australian under-20 side at last months world championships In Brazil, Emeagi almost single handedly tore apart the powerful Americans in the preliminary rounds. It was a must-win situation for Australia after its shock Melbourne Tigers forward Chika Emeagi: fast developing a reputation as a big-game player.

Oddly, he says the bitterness of the struggle only supports his belief that the game is worth fighting for. "What that proves to you is the game of rugby league is so valuable. We are experiencing something that is not doing the game any good at the moment, but we can't give up on it, either. We can't be half pregnant. "We've told the ARL what we are prepared to do which is basically to give them control of the game, all we wanted to do was control the dollars but we can't be silly about this and say we can have a 20-team competition.

We all know we need a 14-team competition; they concede that." Some might think Ribot's interests woud be best served by a continuation of the war, Norman admits game has suffered training squad. According to Tomlinson, whom Emeagi regards as a father figure, she could be anything if she keeps working. "I'm not one to move from team to team trying to win a championship," she said on her future with the Tigers. "I like to start from scratch. We haven't got any superstars except for Kristi (narrower, Tigers captain).

We're just a 46-man field restricted to winners on the US tour and selected overseas events over the past year. Robert Allenby bogeyed three successive holes, but still carded a respectable one-over 71 that left him equal 18th; Stuart Appleby had an early double-bogey on his way to a 72, While Peter Senior got nothing out of his round, one-putting just once in a 73. Steve P.lkington slumped to five over after 10 holes before recovering slightly to shoot 74, while Peter Umard did not have a birdie in a 75. SCOT Colin Montgomerle shot a course-record eight-under-par 64 in Dublin to take a one- Great in her father's native language) chose basketball ahead of netball and volleyball as a child because netball was not physical enough and volleyball did not have the profile. It was a wise choice.

By 1995, aged 16 and in her first year at the AIS, she was the WNBUs rookie of the year. This year she knocked back four other clubs to Join the Tigers, and has made the Opals disastrous year for Norman, 42, and he admits it is not comparable to 1991, the only year in his career that he has failed to win a tournament. He has won the US tour's St lude Classic this year, and is a respectable 19th on the money list. In 1991, he finished 51st on the money list, But Norman never challenged in the four majors, missing the cut in the first two, playing without a spark in his game at the British Open, before finishing equal 13th at last week's US PGA Championship. He was not at his very best yesterday, either, but he birdied three of the final seven holes.

It was not a good day for the other five Australians In the elite down Chang showdown Akrjh, Friday Norman admitted yesterday fie had not applied himself to Julf as much as he should have'lliis year. 'It-has'been a very poor year forme," Norman said after shooting a two-under-par 68, winili left him one-stroke behjud first-round leaders Tiger Wiitrts and Phil Mickelson in thu. World Series of golf. 'fiii I know why? Probably extenuating circumstances. I kiiiw i naven't applied myself to 4 be game 1 definitely haNi't applied myself to my shijrt game, my putting in particular.

"When that happens, you lose your ability to score. And would have an Chang and world No. 1 Pete Sampras will play for the United States in the cup semi-final in Washington from 19-21 September against an Australian squad likely to feature Rafter, now ranked 14th in the world, and big-serving Mark Philip-poussis in singles play. Having avenged his upset. Wimbledon defeat by Wood-.