The News Journal from Wilmington, Delaware • Page 23

I 1 1 ib ixtWv) ouui i idi, vviiiiiniyiuii, uei. 1 1 luisudy, reu. o.giao, oeciion i SCOREBOARD: Classified NBA NHL Milwaukee 93, Toronto 88 San Antonio 99, Boston 89 Buffalo 2, Boston 1.QT Pittsburgh 1, New Jersey 1 TOMORROW: Complete spring training preview. New York 89, Washington 82 Montreal 4, Dallas 2 Miami 101, Atlanta 89 College basketball Kentucky 120, Vanderbilt 81 Kansas 89, Iowa State 70 Syracuse 73, Pitt 67 Detroit 97, Orlando 83 Portland 103, Minnesota 93 Utah 102, Vancouver 79 Got a news tip for Sports? Call 324-2801. are top prizes for Herns, Hornets Srr Collick expands recruiting base to lure talented class Harriett's throwing key to Nagy's signing 7 1 1 Va Collick believes this year's class could be one of his best.

The lone recruit from Delaware could be one of the most significant signings. Rahsaan Matthews, an All-Stater from William Penn High, could challenge for the starting quarterback job this fall. "We think he has all the tools," Collick said. "He's a guy who can run the option and we think he can throw the football pretty well." Mitch Ellis, who played last year at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia, could also be a contender for the quarterback job this season. A native of East Spencer, N.C., Ellis passed for 52 touchdowns and more than 5,600 yards in his final two high school seasons.

Finding a quarterback to replace departing seniors Dennis Jones and MacAdoo Harrison-Dixon, who shared the starting duties the last three years, was a recruiting priority. "That was a position where we thought we had to get a player," said Collick. "I would not be surprised if either one of them is our starter next year." a Hen, Hornet capsules C5-6 Penn State lands top class C6 aware, but I was there to see them throw." Delaware won the game 48-19 and enough respect from Nagy'" that Wednesday he became a prospective Blue Hen quarterback, one of 13 members in Delaware's 1996 recruiting class by submitting their letter of intent. The circumstances surround- ing Nagy's decision to attend Delaware demonstrate the fickle nature of recruiting. Landing a prospect is one thing.

Having them live up to their high school reputations is another. i But when the letters were in hand Wednesday, a smiling Coach Tubby Raymond expressed optu- mism about the potential of Nagy 1 and the rest of a recruiting group that he compared favorably to the productive classes in recent years. See HENS C5 I i The News Journal GARY EMEIGH Caesar Rodney's James Baynard (right) will play for the Naval Academy next year. He Is one of four Delaware high school players to sign with a Division l-A or l-AA school. Article, C5 Mm By TOM TOMASHEK Staff reporter NEWARK Matt Nagy's first interest in the University of Delaware football was sparked at an unusual time.

Nagy, a 6-foot-l, 185-pound quarterback from Manheim, was not in Newark when he discovered Blue Hen football. Rather, he was in in Har risonburg, as a recruiting guest of James Madison University. "I was interested in Mike Cawley, who is an outstanding quarterback," Nagy said, referring to one of I-AA's outstanding passers who was scheduled to challenge Delaware the Saturday he visited. "But I really became impressed with Delaware quarterback Leo Ham-lett and some of the passes he threw. "I know that a lot of people say they don't throw the ball at Del- By KEVIN TRESOLINI Staff reporter NEWARK It was another runaway at home for the Blue Hens Wednesday night.

This time it was Hofstra's turn to learn that receptions are cold at the Carpenter Center, where the University of Delaware secured a convincing 93-65 North Atlantic Conference basketball victory in front of 2,965 spectators. Delaware (11-9 overall, 7-5 in the NAC) has won six straight at home and is 8-1 over all in the Carpenter Center this season. Two more home games follow 93 65 Hampshire Sun- Hofstra day afternoon in a stretch Delaware Coach Mike Brey has deemed crucial. Delaware had three players score 20 points or more in the same game for the first time since at least the early 1970s, before which records are hazy. Peca Arsic poured in 26, Patrick Evans scored 22 and Greg Smith had 21.

Smith is the first Blue Hen to score 20 or more in five straight games since Oscar Jones in 1984-85. Rob Garner chipped in 10 points and equalled his season high with 12 assists. "We played great," Arsic said. "I wish we'd play this well on the road where Delaware is 3-8, Everybody did his part. We were rebounding, running the court And making shots.

Delaware shot 34-for-56 (60.7 percent). flip hi I A it-- rA. I --t1 1 yAf ifi i Ny ft Mi By GENE BRYSON Staff reporter DOVER Straying far from its usual hunting ground, Delaware State signed 15 football recruits Wednesday. Usually confining their recruits ing to Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the Hornets signed players from as far away as Georgia andUhio. imi "When you look at the consistency we've had through the years, you know our base has been pretty good to us," said Bill Collick, who is starting his 12th season as the Hornets' coach.

"But there were some new areas where we thought we could make some contacts, so we've decided to expand our base a little bit." Two assistant coaches who've joined the staff in the last year, Dar-ryl Holmes and T.J. McKreight, were instrumental in the Hornets looking into new areas. They are from Georgia and Ohio, respectively. By TOM COBOURN Staff reporter PHILADELPHIA LaSalle Thompson wasn't good enough to hang with the Indiana Pacers this season. He was just good enough to beat them.

On a night when Jerry Stack-house broke loose for 30 points and Derrick Alston put in a career-high 24 points, the 14-year veteran center saved a 102-101 victory for the 76ers at the Spectrum. Thompson had only two points Wednesday, but every one of his 10 rebounds seemed remarkably important and his two blocked shots in a span of two seconds pre 76ers Pacers vented the Pacers from taking the lead in the final VA minutes. The Pacers entered with the fifth best record in the NBA and riding a seven-game winning streak against Philadelphia. But Thompson, an unrestricted free agent after the past seven seasons in Indiana, finished off one the 76ers' finest efforts of a 9-36 campaign. "I thought LaSalle came up big for us at the end," Coach John Lucas said, adding "know-how" is the biggest asset for an aging center who is the brunt of jokes about his leaping ability.

Knicks down Bullets C4 But with the Pacers swarming the boards (getting half of their 46 rebounds in the fourth quarter), Thompson swatted away Indiana's best chance to regain the lead. The 76ers led 97-96 when Thompson blocked Dale Davis' layup, then turned to snuff Derrick McKey on the other side of the rim. Thompson said it was timing plus help rather than the ability to fly that produced the double swat. He credited Clarence Weatherspoon and Stackhouse for disrupting Davis on his drive, then McKey was simply caught be surprise. "When Derrick came, I don't think he thought I could do it," the 35-year-old veteran said.

"He had the ball out here reach out wide rather than up there reaching over his head." On Indiana's next possession, Thompson forced 7-foot-4 center Rik Smits out farther than he wanted for a jump hook, which failed and the 76ers eventually held on with 4-for-6 free-throw shooting the final 40 seconds. Meanwhile, Stackhouse had one of his best offensive games of the year. "This is the first time since the opener against Washington that I thought the game looked easy for Jerry," Lucas said. No joke! 76ers top Indiana 102 101 A V. I 7 fi Delaware's Patrick Evans puts up a I I If 1 Syracuse beats Pitt C4 Arsic, the 6-foot-9 junior from Belgrade, Yugoslavia, ignited the Hens with 16 points in the second half, including four three-pointers.

Not bad for a guy who said he was still stressed out from a 9 a.m. Wednesday international business management exam. "He's such a big, big weapon in our offense," Brey said. "To his teammates' credit, they understand he has got to get the ball every time his feet are set and he has an open look, and that we will live with some bad ones from him." Delaware also outrebounded its opponent for the fifth straight game. It was 41-30, with Smith getting a game-high 13 rebounds.

Hofstra lost its sixth straight! and fell to 7-13, 4-9. The Flying Dutchmen get another shot Delaware a week from Friday in Hempstead, N.Y. The visitors got as close as seven points early in the second half at 48-41. But a pair of Arsic three-pointers and a Smith bucket comprised a 9-0 run that sent the Hens on their way. Delaware had to overcome foul trouble.

Guards Bruce McCul- i lough and Tyrone Perry fouled out, and Smith, Evans, Arsic and Garner each had three fouls. "It was never safe," Brey said. "We were able to score easily, bo you get in a comfort zone and it becomes a little bit of a pick-lip game. We need to understand every possession is important." Hofstra's two UNLV transfers led it in scoring, as Lawrence Thomas scored 18 points and Seth Meyers added 13. "It's unimaginable what's happening," says Ralph Wilson, owner of the Buffalo Bills and one of the few solid votes against Modell's move.

Behring added to that when he decided last week to pack up and move. "I have a dream for Los Angeles," Behring said Tuesday as he negotiated with various Southern California locales. "That dream is to play our games in the finest state-of-the-art football stadium in the world. "I've made enough money. I'm looking for something more than making money.

It's a great oppor-. tunity to own something down here, build the kind of complex that's never been built." rowns will move, their name behind Am The News Journal GINGER WALL (left) and Jamil Greene defend. but leave mayor Michael White. Modell is likely to get approval from the owners for the move. There appear to be only four negative votes, half the number needed to block it.

Even Jack Kent Cooke, owner of the Washington Redskins, appears ready to to support a move that would put a team just 30 miles from his proposed new stadium in the Maryland suburbs. However, it's more likely that Modell's team will go as the Baltimore Mustangs or something other than the Baltimore Browns. That name, with the traditional team colors are expected to stay in Cleveland while Cleveland Stadium is renovated for another team. But sources say Modell still has short shot as Hofstra's Ahmad Jackson Also on the agenda are approval of the extension of the league's labor agreement through 2002 and discussion of the fifth announced or actual franchise shift in the last year Kenneth Behring's proposal to move the Seahawks from Seattle to Southern California. But the main order of business for the first Art Modell two days is ironing out the Cleveland agreement in meetings involving Modell, commissioner Paul Tagliabue and Cleveland Cardinals hireTobin.

C2 to be convinced. There's also been talk that the Indianapolis Colts, who moved from Baltimore in 1984, might be willing to relinquish that name to Modell and choose a new one for their franchise. Chances of that happening seem extremely slim, however. There also are indications that the league might be willing to help Cleveland build a new stadium by augmenting the $175 million the city is raising in "sin taxes" to help finance the structure. But there seems little chance that the owners will do much at this meeting to solve the long-term problem franchise free agency.

By DAVE GOLDBERG Associated Press CHICAGO The framework is in place. Art Modell will move a football team to Baltimore, and the Cleveland Browns' name and colors probably will stay where they are. The details, however, are far from settled. Negotiations among the NFL, the city of Cleveland and Modell continued into the evening, but NFL spokesman Joe Browne said an agreement was unlikely to be reached Wednesday night. The talks come on the eve of the meeting at which the owners are finally expected to formally discuss the move.

A vote is expected Friday..