Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 33

Sat, March 12, 1988 Asbury Park Press 6 Scholastic 7 Horse Racing 8 Super Stats Lpjfir Hlall etoii Scholastic View Joe zedaus advance fl "11 f3 Central's Parks: man on mission East I fi ''If i 7 V. t'-t 111111 Associated Press dribbles around Seton Hall's John Morton yesterday at Madison Square victory to advance to today's semifinals against Syracuse. By ELLIOTT DENMAN Press Staff Writer NEW YORK Seton Hall hasn't beaten Syracuse in seven years. But does that little nugget of college basketball history mean a thing? Not a thing, apparently, if you ain't got that swing and, right now, Seton Hall's basketball fortunes are swinging as wildly as any in America. A tense, wire-to-wire 61-58 defeat of Georgetown in Game Two of yesterday's Big East Conference Tournament quarterfinal round at Madison Square Garden again proved that the South Orange Pirates have the talent, poise and potential to play with and beat nearly anyone even the school that had won five of the eight previous Big East tournaments.

Hoya paranoia? The Pirates never noticed. Now, though, can they perpetrate something similar on Syracuse (the school that's been to five previous Big East finals; that made it to last year's NCAA Final Two, and which knocked out Boston College, 67-53, in yesterday's opener)? It boils down to this: they've got a shot and it's a legitimate shot. "I don't like the matchup (for this 1:50 p.m. semifinal today)," says Seton Hall coach P.J. Carlesimo but he's oh-so-delighted to be in the semis, alien territory that no Seton Hall team has ever been to.

The Big East's newly-anointed Coach of the Year has said all along that Pitt and Syracuse are the two toughest teams in the nine-school league. He looks directly back on two Seton Hall losses to the Orangemen this year (84-82 in the Carrier Dome, 87-76 at Meadowlands Arena) and to the 12 consecutive losses to them before that. But that's talking "old" Seton Hall. The new-and-improved Hall has won eight of its last 10 and at 21-11 (most Seton Hall victories in 35 years) has apparently clinched the school's She scored 10 of the game's next 12 points, all of which were scored by Hanover. With the aid of Breslin and seven Lakewood turnovers in the quarter, the Hornets got right back in the thick of things, taking a 26-21 haltime lead.

"Usually, when I hit one, I'll get more confident," said Breslin, who has received a full scholarship to Boston University. "Usually, when I start missing, I just kind of keep missing. 'his time I didn't" The start of the third quarter saw Lakewood returning to first-quarter form as Chrv Navarro (20 points) scored the first four points of the In last night's Big East doubleheader, Pitt handed Connecticut a 75-58 loss and Villanova edged St. John's, 71-68. C4.

Rutgers' women rolled to a 93-75 victory over Penn State in the Atlantic 10 Tournament, while Monmouth's women posted a 67-61 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson in the ECAC Metro Tournament. C5. first invitation to the 50-year-old NCAA Tournament. Just one school Georgetown had beaten Seton Hall's red-hot blue-and-white in the last month and a half, and the last time the Hoyas did it last Saturday in Landover, Md. they needed two overtimes to do it.

That 102-98 loss wasn't a heart-breaker at all. Au contraire, it served as the morale-builder that told the Pirates it really could be different in a rematch. Sure enough, it certainly was different. Georgetown never led. Then again, Seton Hall never led by more than eight points in the final 18 minutes and twice the Hoyas cut the Pirate lead to nothing at all.

Twice tied, the Pirates never folded. As they rose to the occasion, Georgetown the team that once made all the big plays never could. The "old" Seton Hall might have found a way to blow it especially after a 13-0 Hoya run cut a 43-29 Pirate lead to 43-42. The "new" Seton Hall found a way to win it. A John Morton free throw with 38 seconds left to play broke a 58-all tie and two Mark Bryant foul shots with 10 seconds to go after Georgetown's unrelated Dwayne Bryant missed the first of an oh-so-critical one-and-one 11 seconds before wrapped it up.

See SETON, page C4 period to cut the Piners deficit to one point, 26-25. However, the curtain for the second act of the Breslin show began to go up, leaving the Piners watching hopelessly. "We had a lot of problems with their press and we shouldn't have had," Navarro said. "We didn't execute our press breaker correctly, so we had a lot of problems with it" With 4:54 remaining in the third quarter, Lakewood was within two points of the Hornets' lead, 31-29. Breslin then scorg 10 of the garfe's See LAKEWOOD, page C7 PRINCETON Most heavyweights will tell you the wrestling powers simply saved the best for last when they arranged the weight classes.

But, at an event like the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Wrestling Championships, the heavyweights also have the opportunity to watch the proceedings, which isn't always the best thing in the world. Last night at Princeton University's Jadwin Gym, Central Regional High School's Matt Parks watched his comrades from the Shore tumble, one after the other. Parks, however, was unphased. He just strolled about without a care in the world. If there is one thing Matt Parks can do, well one thing better than wrestle, it's talk.

And as usual, Parks grabbed any willing ear. "Hey," he said, "I know when to turn it on. You get psyched too soon and it tires you out." When Parks does finally turn it on, he is a distinct pleasure to watch. He is aggressive not just in spurts but all the time. He is very quick for a 255-pounder and has outstanding skills.

"I'd rather see a kid go out there and be aggressive because 90 percent of the time he is going to win," said Middlesex County College head coach John Sacchi, who foamed at the mouth while watching Parks. In last night's quarterfinals, Parks (30-0) eliminated Kevin Arline of Franklin Township. Parks led early. Arline came back in the second period and cut the lead to 8-5 with two minutes to wrestle. In the third period, Parks escaped and then took Arline down to secure the 10-7 victory.

But in today's 9:30 a.m. semifinals, Parks will find out if his recent practice battles with assistant coach Doug Fairfield, Toms River North assistant John Verderosa and buddy John Koljey pay dividends. Parks is paired against second-seeded and unbeaten Anthony DiPasquale (25-0) of Elmwood Park. DiPasquale has a fireplug build. He also scored a technical fall over Parks in the quarterfinals last year.

"No way, not again," Parks said. "I'm going to rip him a new butt. He isn't going to beat me this year. "He's only got three moves. A dump and a tight waist." Umm, Matt, that's two moves.

"Oh, and a standing dump." DiPasquale used that dump with great success against Parks last year. "He dumped me five times," Parks said. "I've been preparing for a week and a half for DiPasquale. He's strong, very strong. But he will never get me with that move again.

He better learn something else real quick, like tonight (last night)." DiPasquale advanced by decking Wayne Reuth in 3:22. And what did Parks think? "So what?" he said. "I had a 10-second pin in the prequarterfinals. I'm just as strong as he is and I have the speed. You saw me spinning out there." Parks can go six minutes, a surprising feat for a heavyweight and not lose an ounce of relentlessness.

"I've been working on conditioning all year, Parks said. The match with DiPasquale could go the distance. "I've got to be the aggressor. I've got to get the first takedown. If he scores first he uses that tiaht waist and just rides you.

I want to score first and make him do the work. Parks is here for the third time. He appears to have learned his lessons well. As a sophomore, he was pinned by eventual state champ Dave Szott of Clifton. Then last year, DiPasquale bumped him.

Parks went 2-2 in the state tournament but went home without a medal. "Nope, no nothing," Parks said. "But this year is gonna be a first It would be stupid for me to say I want a second or a third place. I was here the last two years and choked both times. That isn't going to happen this time either.

Tm in a must-win situation. The third time is gonna be a charm." And this time, it may not be just talk. i' Joe Zedalis is an Asbury Park Press staff writer. utmmmvvmmmmHm mm i v. I jvv 0 Georgetown's Bobby Winston (4) Garden.

The Pirates posted a 61-58 Nets fume at NBA about fine The Associated Press NEW YORK The NBA fined the New Jersey Nets $25,000 yesterday, although the league said it found no evidence to support claims by former coach Dave Wohl that he told Nets management about drug arapher-nalia being found in player Orlando Woolridge's hotel room. Woolndge, now in drug rehabilita tion, told the NBA that he had denied to Nets management that he was using drugs. He entered a Van Nuys, following his admission of drug addiction Feb. 22. Wohl, who was fired as coach last December, contends he told Nets management in October that a hotel maid found drug paraphernalia and a white powder in Wooldridge's training camp room at a Ramada Inn.

"We totally disagree with the NBA's decision to fine the Nets," the club said in a statement it revised 10 minutes after issuing it. "We cannot accept and find it extremely disap pointing that the NBA would tine us after concluding there was no substan tiation of Wohl's charges. Nets spokesman Brian Ricco said he did not know if the Nets planned to appeal the fine. NBA spokesman Brian Mclntyre said the Nets did have the right to appeal the fine. The Nets statement also said the team stood by its conduct and the comments it made at a news conference Monday, when Nets chief operating officer Bob Casciola and general manager Harry Weltman said Wohl's account of the incident was "completely distorted." In its statement, the NBA said that its investigation "found no substantiation for Wohl's contention The statement said the league's investigation showed that "Wohl was the only individual who either recalled seeing drug paraphernalia in the room or recalled having reported the presence of such drug paraphernalia to Nets management" The fine was levied by Commissioner David Stern because the Nets failed "to advise the league office of the incident concerning Woolridge's hotel room." Nets management confirmed that Wohl reported "an incident at Woolridge's hoteiToom," but there was no mention of drugs or drug CELESTE LA BROSSEAsbury Plrk Press ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS Jenny McLaughlin (right) and her mother Dolores cheer on Jenny's boyfriend, Jarod Machinga of Matawan, during last night's New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association wrestling quarterfinals.

Machinga dropped a 9-5 decision at 119 pounds to John Doran of Pennsville. It was not a good night for the Shore; 11 locals went into the quarterfinals but only four Long Branch's Sam Cole, Toms River South's Wes Kremple, Pinelands" Lester Peschko and Central's Matt Parks are still alive. See Scholastic, page C6. Lakewood girls fall in state final years ago in the final to North Hunterdon. Although Lakewood held Breslin to just two points in the first quarter, it was only a matter of time beiorj her sharp shooting would take effect.

"I was nervous at the beginning of the game," said Breslin, the game's Most Valuable player. "I had been in a slump for the last two games, so that was kind of scary, too. That made it more With a little over two minutes remaining in ty first half and Lake-wood ahead, 21-14, Breslin's nerves appeared to vanish into thin air. By THERESA SHEVUN Press Staff Writer JERSEY CITY Shannon Bres-lin will be a name the Lakewood High School girls' basketball team won't soon forget The 5-foot-8 senior scored 33 points last night to lead Hanover Park to a 62-53 victory over Lakewood in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group III championship game at St Peter's College. The Group III crown was the first ever for Hanover, which lost just two.