The Kerrville Times from Kerrville, Texas • Page 6

6 Tuesday, July 28, 1992 Sports KcrnnUc iDuthr 'Dream Team' wins, loses Magic to injury BARCELONA, Spain (AP) Point guards Magic Johnson and John Stockton are hurt and Charles Barkley is still making mischief. So what happens? The U.S. Olympic basketball team beats medal favorite Croatia 103-70 Monday night, the closest victory the Americans have had in nine games, but still a blowout. They did it without Johnson for more than three-quarters of the game because of a strained muscle in his right knee. Stockton has been out with a cracked bone in his right leg since June 29.

For the Dream Team, whose previous closest game was 38 points over Puerto Rico in the Olympic qualifying tournament, the game against Croatia was an opportunity to measure the size of its dominance. "It was good for our team to be focused on a challenge," Michael Jordan said. Croatia, with six players from Yugoslavia's 1988 Olympic silver me- dalist team, figured to be one of the Americans' toughest tests. Drazen Petrovic of the New Jersey Nets scored 19 points and Stojko Vrankovic of the Boston Celtics had 11 points and four blocked shots. Dino Radja, a Celtics draftee, scored 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting.

But the man Team USA concentrated on was Toni Kukoc, considered by many to be the most talented player in Europe. The absence of Johnson and Stockton left the U.S. team without a true point guard on the roster. But Chicago Bulls Jordan and Scottie Pippen did the job anyway. Pippen blanketed Kukoc for most of the game and then said the Croat superstar, who scored just four points, is overrated.

"He's OK, not as great as people said and I Pippen said. "I don't know he's even the best European player here. That's probably Drazen Petrovic." Petrovic hit three 3-pointers in a Olympic highlights BARCELONA, Spain (AP) Monday, Day 3, at the Summer Olympics: VOLLEYBALL Japan awarded victory in Sunday's disputed volleyball match against United States. Officials agreed with Japan that American player should have been ejected at decisive moment. SWIMMING Twenty-seven-year-old Pablo Morales, oldest member of U.S.

swim team, capped comeback from layoff by winning 100-meter butterfly. Nicole Haislett won 200 freestyle for first U.S. women's gold at Barcelona. Other Americans: Eric Namesnik took silver; Anita Nail and men's 800 freestyle relay won bronzes. Jenny Thompson failed to qualify for finals of 200 freestyle.

Unified Team set world record in freestyle relay, snapped 36-year U.S. success in race. MEDALS The United States and China each had 10 overall and three gold. Unified Team had most golds, six. Twenty-one of 171 nations entered have won TUESDAY Men's springboard diving prelims.

U.S. men's volleyball team plays Canada. U.S. baseball team plays Italy. Medals awarded in swimming, weightlifting, Greco-Roman wrestling, artistic gymnastics, judo, shooting.

one-minute span late in the first half to lead a Croatia rally, but he had foul trouble and scored just two of his 19 points in the second half. Kukoc, courted intensely by the Bulls last year, was defensed superbly by Pippen, who made just his third start for Team USA. Pippen and Jordan both resented the attention given Kukoc by Bulls general manager Jerry Krause. "I did this because I can't put Jerry Krause out on the court," Pippen said. Pippen scored all his 13 points in the first half and passed for six of his nine assists as Team USA opened a 54-37 halftime advantage.

He also had five steals. Barkley, whose intentional elbow foul against Angola in the U.S. opener on Sunday turned the fans against him, heard more derisive whistles in the first half against Croatia. Less than two minutes into the game, an official's call went against him and he slammed the ball to the floor in disgust. Five minutes later, he was called for a technical for cursing at someone in the crowd.

MichaelJordanledtheU.S. Olympians with 21 points in the 103-70 win against Croatia on Monday, however the squad suffered a blow when Magic Johnson went down with a sprained knee. The 'Dream Team', now2-0in Pool will take on Germany, also unbeaten, on Wednesday. (Times File Photo) Moon expected to go to Tokyo Warren Moon should join his teammates today as they head to Tokyo for the pre-season opener against Dallas on Saturday. Moon's agent says contract negotiations are improving.

(Photo by Patricia Gohmert) Progress being made on pact, agent says HOUSTON (AP) A contract dispute is not expected to keep Houston Oilers quarterback Warren Moon off a plane on which teammates are booked for an exhibition game in Japan. Moon's agent said late Monday night that progress was made toward a resolution. The Oilers were scheduled to leave this morning for Tokyo. Leigh Steinberg, the agent, told ESPN that Moon would travel to Saturday's exhibition game against the Dallas Cowboys in the American Bowl. Moon told KHOU-TV Monday night that he remained frustrated and undecided about his plans.

The broadcast report quoted sources as saying that negotiations were continuing through the night Moon has a weekly show on the Houston station. The player was not on the field for a Monday afternoon practice because of a dispute that has lingered for more than a year, said Steinberg. But the Oilers' official statement was that Moon had the day off to leave early for Houston because of stiffness in his shoulder. Moon had breakfast with his teammates Monday morning in San Antonio but stayed away from "I expect to see Warren making the trip." owner Bud Adams training camp. Oilers General Manager Mike Holovak declined comment late Monday night.

Team owner Bud Adams told KRIV-TV he was unaware of any walkout. "That's news to me," Adams said. "I really don't want to comment on it. When you're negotiating, you expect anything. I expect to see Warren making the trip.

"All indications in San Antonio were that he would go. However, I don't think he really wanted to go, to tell you the truth, since he's been there before." Last week, Moon was late arriving at the Oilers' training facility in San Antonio amid speculation that he would be a holdout from the beginning of camp. A bonus clause in Moon's contract says he is paid a premium if he is among the top three quarterbacks in the NFL. Moon contends the Oilers owe him more than $800,000 on the bonus from his 1990 performance. The Oilers paid Moon $1.5 million on the bonus but Moon claims the figure should have been $2.3 million.

Eric Anthony's grand slam in the 11th inning gave Houston a 5-1 victory over Atlanta on Monday night (Photo by Brent Dollar) Cubs drop Pittsburgh, Houston bombs Braves Montana says elbow ok, Chiefs' Cherry retires By The Associated Press Joe Montana is still scheduled to start for the San Francisco 49ers in their exhibition opener against the Denver Broncos next week. Montana, who had two days of rest, limited his Monday morning passing drills to just 30 throws, and afterwards said his arm felt just about the same. "It (right arm) still feels tired," said Montana, who missed the entire 1991 season following right elbow surgery. "It felt pretty good the early part, then it just got a little tired." Chiefs Deron Cherry, who showed up at the Kansas City Chiefs training camp 11 seasons ago as a free agent punier, said good-bye Monday as a six-time All-Pro free safety and one NFL TRAINING CAMPS of the best defensive backs of his time. Flanked by family and friends, Cherry wiped away tears as he announced his retirement during an emotional news conference.

He said a severe knee injury that required surgery two years ago and the fear of a possible debilitating injury helped him decide it was time to move on. Oilers Houston, which leaves on Tuesday for Japan and its appearance in the American Bowl at Tokyo Dome, ran through a short, no-contact practice in preparation for the showdown with the Texas rival Dallas Cowboys. Eagles Veteran cornerback Izel Jenkins was close to agreeing to contract terms, Philadelphia president Harry Gamble said. Jenkins, a free agent, is one of 12 players still missing from the Eagles training camp. Browns Tommy Vardell sweated through his first practice, getting pounded and scratched, and Cleveland's first- round draft choice couldn't have been happier.

The 230-pound fullback signed a reported $4.3 million, four-year contract late Sunday, almost 10 days after he was first expected to report. Sports on TV Baseball Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs, 1 p.m., WGN (Channel 18) Houston Astros at Atlanta Braves, 6:35 p.m., TBS (Channel 20) Cincinnati Reds at San Diego Padres, 9 p.m., ESPN (Channel 17) Olympics Women's gymnastics, swimming (both), men's springboard diving, boxing, 6:30 p.m., KMOL (Channel 4) Boxing Heavyweights Michael Dokes vs. Jesse Ferguson, from Atlantic City, 7 p.m., USA (Channel 10) By The Associated Press The fans felt it at Wrigley Field, and the feeling was everywhere else in the National League, too. The races are on! In Chicago, Sammy Sosa home- red on Doug Drabek's first pitch and Greg Maddux and the Cubs went on to beat Pittsburgh 3-2 Monday night. The Pirates' lead in the East is down to just one game over Montreal, only five over New York and over Chicago and St.

Louis. "You could feel the enthusiasm from the fans," Cubs manager Jim Lefebvre said. Montreal moved up with a 6-4 victory in St. Louis. The Expos have not been so close to first place after the All-Star break since Aug.

7, 1989. "Part of the fun is to look at the standings," Montreal manager Felipe Alou said. "This is a club that was 26 games out of first place last year. You've got to enjoy it while it lasts." In the West, Atlanta lost 5-1 in 11 innings to Houston, while San Diego held on to beat Cincinnati 2-1. That left the Braves one game ahead of the Reds, while the Padres pulled within five games.

Elsewhere, Philadelphia defeated New York 5-0 and San Francisco beat Los Angeles 5-1. Sosa, out since June 14 because of a broken finger, sparked the Cubs by homering in his first at-bat since being activated from the disabled list. He later singled home the tying run in the fifth inning, then singled and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth on Kal Daniels' sacrifice fly. Maddux (13-8) gave up a home run in the first inning to Andy Van Slyke, but gave up only one more run before leaving after eight innings. Astros 5, Braves 1 Houston began the longest road trip in team history with a long game, winning in the 11th inning on Eric Anthony's grand slam.

Anthony homered twice Sunday in the Astros' final home game until Aug. 25. The Astros are taking a 26-game, 28-day trip so the Astrodome can hold the Republican convention..