Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 15

NBANHL 2C PREPS 3C DIGEST 4C Reno Gazette Journal PORTS AT A GLANCE 5C SATURDAY JANUARY 4, 1992 JAMIE TURNER, SPORTS EDITOR PHONE, 788-6345; FAX, 788-6458 WW (Home team in CAPS) NBA Suns 8V2 HORNETS Knicks 2 BULLETS HAWKS 7'2 Clippers Celtics 5'2 WOLVES BULLS 16 Nets SPURS 9 Rockets NUGGETS 8 Magic JAZZ l2'2 Mavericks SONICS 7 76ers WARRIORS Vh Pacers KINGS 6 Heat Hockey Buffalo 5, N.Y. Islanders 2 Detroit 6, Toronto 4 Vancouver 3, Washington 3 San Jose 3, Phila. 1 NBA Cleveland 111, Boston 100 Wash. 1 12, New Jersey 108 Detroit 106, Dallas 96 Milwaukee 113, Chicago 108 Indiana 1 1 4, LA Lakers 87 College basketball James Madison 80, OSU 68 St. Mary's 74, CS Nrthrdg 72 UTEP 55, Washington 50 LSU 84, Texas 83 UNLV athletic official resigns: Former UNLV interim athletic director Dennis Finfrock said Friday he will leave his position running the university's campus arena and football stadium to join the new MGM Grand theme park project.

Finfrock was a controversial figure as interim athletic director, a position he held for 14 months before resigning in November and declaring he would not be a candidate for the permanent athletic director's job. Bobsledders seek arbitration: Bobsledders Edwin Moses, Willie Gault, Brian Shimer and Greg Harrell on Friday asked the U.S. Olympic Committee for an arbitration hearing in order to win places on the U.S. Olympic team. They claim the trials were not conducted fairly and asked that an arbitrator either place them on the team or order the trials re-staged by Jan.

1 9. Associated Press LONG LEAP: An Austrian ski jumper catapults himself toward a spectacular view of Innsbruck, Austria during practice for the Four Hills ski-jumping tour Friday. WOLF PACK BASKETBALL Broncos look to get even tomsM Upset about upset: A rare loss to NAU leaves the 0-1 Broncos eager to square their conference record against Nevada. ly focused on what's happening on the floor against Boise," he said. "They simply do not let you relax." Last season, the two teams split.

Nevada won at Boise, 75-72. Boise returned the favor in Reno, 53-48. The scores indicate the comfort zone each team prefers. "Their game is defense," Stevens said. "They're going to try and break us down mentally on defense with their offensive patience." Several Nevada players remember the loss in Reno.

Coupled with road losses to Eastern Washington and NAU, it helped cost the Pack a share of last year's league championship. NFL PLAYOFFS By John Trent GAZETTE-JOURNAL Boise State coach Bobby Dye runs one of the tightest ships in college basketball. The disciplined Broncos pressure teams into mistakes on defense and work patiently for the best shot. After this season is over, Dye, in his ninth year, will be the Big Sky Conference's second-win- Quarterbacks set to duel today JOE SANTORO Karli's radio career static at present Everybody keeps telling Todd Karli that his talent will win out. He keeps repeating the words almost every day.

Hang in there, Todd. You'll be sitting up there with Vin Scully someday. You're too good to go unnoticed forever The voice of the Reno Silver Sox is out of work once again. Just like last year. Just like the year before that.

He thought this fall and winter would be different. In October he signed with KNZR-AM to broadcast all 58 Bakersfield Jammers games in the Continental Basketball Association. On Dec. 30 he was unemployed as the Jammers went the way of the USFL, mood rings and bellbottom jeans. "We saw it coming for a couple weeks," said the 27-year-old USC graduate.

"We had a clue when Oklahoma City lined up a different team to play them on New Year's Eve." Karli is now back home in Los Angeles pondering his next career move. Silver Sox general manager Jack Patton would like him back for a fourth year. "He was doing a fantastic job in Bakersfield," said Patton. "He's really top of the line. We're lucky to have him." Well, they don't have him for 1992 just yet.

"I've been talking to Jack," said Karli. "But I made it clear to him that I wasn't pleased with the situation last year." The Sox were often on a tape-delayed basis on KPLY-AM last season, with Karli on the air frequently after midnight. "We're looking for a new station this year," said Patton. "Hopefully that will be decided in a few weeks. We would like Todd with us.

He's been here as long as I've been here. It wouldn't be the same without him." Patton wants Karli back so much in fact he's willing to create a front office position. "I'd consider it, just to stay in the game," said Karli. "But I might also pursue TV once again. Everything's up in the air." Hang in there, your talent will win out.

You 're too good to be stuck in the minor leagues forever. Karli thought his life's path was all set back in 1 985 when Los Angeles Kings announcer Bob Miller told him he had talent at an announcer's camp. Then came a job at KSIL-AM in Silver City, N.M., doing Western New Mexico University sports and then the Silver Sox in 1989. Moana Stadium isn't exactly the Fabulous Forum, but he was bringing home a paycheck doing what he loved. Then came the Jammers and that life path seemed to be taking shape.

"The way I figured it, I was just a step away from the NBA," he said. Last night he was supposed to be in Fort Wayne, with the Jammers. Silver Sox assistant general manager Tom Bannon, an Indiana native back home for the holidays, was going to be at the game with 10 of his closest friends. "But I'm back here in L.A.," said Karli, disappointment ringing through his golden tones. "I hope Tom knows we folded and doesn't show up at the game looking for me." He has three months until the start of baseball season to find work.

Three more months of hanging in there and hoping somebody in a position to do something about it, notices his talent. "I'm going back to the station in Bakersfield to see if I can do anything for them," said Karli. "And I'm going to keep talking to Jack, sec what we can work out. Things might happen for me in a week or so." Hang in there, Todd. Your talent will win out.

Someday. mm uei mm rwr mm nay wi tat REDSKINS HVi Falcons BRONCOS BILLS LIONS 4 Oilers IOV2 Chiefs 1 Cowboys Nevada finished 1 2-4, one game-behind Montana. "I remember Boise coming in and taking away the championship," senior guard Bryan Tho-masson added. "They're a good team. They lost to NAU, so they should come in here on fire." Tonight's game will the fifth matchup between Nevada junior center Ric Herrin and Boise junior Tanoka Beard.

Herrin's 16 points per game ranks fifth in the Big Sky. Beard's 18.9 ppg. is third in the league. Herrin, admitting he started the season slugglishly, is coming off a 24-point performance against See BRONCOS on page 2C NFL PLAYOFFS ON TV TODAY 1 9:30 a.m. Redskins vs.

Falcons (Channel 2). 1 1 p.m. Oilers vs. Broncos (Channel 4). the NFL.

In his last nine games. Miller has completed 56 percent of his passes and thrown for 20 touchdowns with only six interceptions. Here's another good quarterback matchup, Warren Moon of Houston against John Elway of Denver. Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips sees this game as the ultimate test of his secondary. "We led the league in third-down defense, and that's what you're playing every down when you face the run-and-shoot," Phillips said.

"Every down is third-and-7, the way they approach it, and that's the way we'll look at it, too. We'll just be playing our third-down stuff all the time." The Broncos actually led the AFC, not the NFL, by holding opponents to a third-down conversion percentage of .31 1. They also led the AFC in both total defense (284 yards per game) and pass defense (172). and limited opponents 1 4.7 points per game. The Oilers' offense averaged 374 yards per game, including 289 yards passing, and 24.

1 points. aim at names cots, nicknames and symbols by professional sports teams and fans. Organizers refused to release details of the protest, but said they expected thousands of Indians and non-Indians from across the country to attend. "The Metrodome looks like a big covered wagon to me and you can believe me it will be surrounded (by protesters) on Super Bowl Sunday," Bellecourt said Friday. The Jan.

26 protest will be similar to AIM rallies during last fall's World Series between the Minnesota Twins and the Atlanta Braves. It's part of an AIM-organized national movement to encourage teams like the Chiefs and Redskins to change their names. victories have come at home. "I think we're going to come back and play hard," Dye said. "I know we have to.

Reno is capable of winning the whole thing." Dye said he would be surprised if the Broncos who had a 9-game winning streak broken at Flagstaff fail to put forth their best effort. "We have to play well if we're going to be in (the league race)," Dye said. "Before we left, we said if we were to get a split, that was realistic. Obviously, that's still a possibility." Nevada coach Len Stevens also expects Boise State to rebound. "More than any other team in the Big Sky, you've got to be total Matt WallisGazette-Journal Colts trample Hawks: Hug wanted a legitimate test to measure its progress but failed to make the grade against Wooster.

Prep roundup, 3C. Harrison's eight-foot basket tied the score with 36 seconds left. "I wasn't worried," Foster said. "I knew someone would come through for us." A year ago, the Vikings could have looked to all-league forward Michelle Cloutier for a key basket. That was last year.

With Cloutier having graduated, the six returning players from last year's state semifinalist have been quick to compensate for Cloutier's absence. Friday night, it was Guss. The senior scored 1 2 of her team-high 16 points in the second half. She finished with the game-winning foul shots then blocked Sparks' shot to tie. "I'm looking for my shot more this year," Guss said.

"I've tried to improve my shot a lot. I think everyone on this team has. We don't have Michelle this year, but maybe we have more balance than a year ago." nk9 gmgmi ningest coach ever. The good ship Bronco sprang a little leak Thursday, however, losing at Northern Arizona, 64-59. NAU won one conference game last year over Nevada.

Boise State, 9-4 overall, comes into tonight's 7:30 game at Lawlor Events Center against Nevada in need of a victory. Nevada, 1-0 in league after beating Idaho, is 5-5 overall. All five a chance to win," South Tahoe coach Brenda Wyneken said. "That was the first key. Robyn kept her in check.

Tessie didn't hurt us nearly as much as she's capable of doing." As a result, the Vikings improved to 6-3 overall. Sparks fell to 8-2. The game may have come early in the league season, but there was no questioning its importance. Both teams are expected to contend along with McQueen and Carson for the Division II title and an automatic berth in the state tournament. "The difference in the game was that they took care of the ball and we didn't," Sparks' Pat Chaney said.

"They handled the pressure." There was plenty of pressure on both sides with the score tied, 33-33, midway through the third quarter. That's when Guss hit a driving jumper from the key and followed with a basket off transition. The baskets keyed a 10-2 Vikings' run. South Tahoe led by seven with 1:40 left in the fourth quarter. Foster, though, couldn't completely silence Harrison.

She hit a 3-pointer from the right wing to pull the Railroaders within four at 49-45. Kristina Zarrella's layup cut Sparks' deficit to two. 1 HARD TO THE HOOP: Tessie Harrison of Sparks took Lake Tahoe's Robyn Foster to the hoop Friday. GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL Guss guides Vikes past Sparks By The Associated Press It's come down to this for the Washington Redskins: Win it all, or none of it counts. The Redskins, whose 1 4-2 regular-season record was the best in the NFL, play host to the Atlanta Falcons today for the right to go to the NFC championship game.

"This won't be judged a success unless we do something special here," Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said. "We have to play two good games and get to the Super Bowl." The last time Washington plaved Atlanta, the Redskins won 56-17. Today's other game has Houston at Denver. On Sunday, it's Kansas City at Buffalo and Dallas at Detroit. Both conference championships are scheduled for Sunday, Jan.

12, with the Super Bowl at Minneapolis on Sunday, Jan. 26. The Redskins are making their 1991-92 playoff debut after drawing a first-round bye. The Falcons are coming off a 27-20 wild-card victory over New Orleans last Saturday. The game features two of the NFL's best offenses.

The Redskins scored 485 points, and quarterback Mark Rypien threw 28 touchdown passes. Chris Miller threw 26 TD passes for Atlanta despite missing several games due to injuries. Miller missed the first meeting of the two teams with cracked ribs, but since his recovery, he's been one of the hottest quarterbacks in SUPER BOWL PROTEST Indians take MINNEAPOLIS (AP) American Indian leaders are hoping for a Super Bowl matchup between the Washington Redskins and Kansas City Chiefs, though they say they'll protest the use of Indian mascots regardless of which teams play. "It's like the Great Spirit is looking out for us. He gave us the World Series and the Atlanta Braves.

If our prayers are answered, the Kansas City Chiefs will be playing the Washington Redskins," American Indian Movement national director Clyde Bellecourt said Friday. Members of the newly formed National Coalition on Racism in Sports and the Media said they'll demonstrate during the Super Bowl to protest what they say is racist use of Indian mas By Larry Baden GAZETTE-JOURNAL It wasn't enough that Hope Guss hit the game-winning free throws with 21 seconds left to lift the South Tahoe girls' basketball team to a 51-49 victory Friday night at Sparks. Ten seconds later, the 5-foot-6 point guard blocked a shot to ensure the Vikings would open Northern AAA League play with a win. "I was ecstatic about making the free throws," Guss said. "But I couldn't get too excited.

I knew I had to get back and play defense. That's our theme this year. If we win, it's going to be because of defense." Defense was a key reason why South Tahoe ended the Railroaders eight-game winning streak. The Vikings' man-to-man defense in the half-court game forced 26 Sparks turnovers. The Railroaders even struggled when there was no defense with which to contend.

They converted only 14 of 30 free throws. All the while, Robyn Foster's defense limited Sparks' all-league guard Tessie Harrison to 16 points. "We felt coming in that we had to control Tessie Harrison to have.