Arizona Daily Star from Tucson, Arizona • Page 8

Off EDITS Baseball 2D High schools 40 Classified ads 5D Tucson, Tuesday, March 8, 1988 Temple remains No. Arizona still at No. 3 APTOP10 Echoes give way to noise A orig- Record Pts LW 1. Temple (42) 27-1 1232 1 2. Purdue (17) 26-2 1205 2 3.

Arizona (4) 28-2 1148 3 4. Oklahoma 27-3 1019 4 5. Pittsburgh 22-5 924 7 6. Kentucky 22-5 886 8 7. UNLV 26-4 820 5 8.

Duke 21-6 802 9 9. N. Carolina 22-5 772 6 10. Michigan 23-6 633 10 are virtually assured of a bid even if they don't win the conference tournament. Oklahoma, 27-3, winner of the Big Eight regular-season title, also should get a bid.

Temple received 42 first-place votes and 1,232 points from the nationwide panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Purdue was first on 17 ballots and had 1,205 points. Arizona, the only other team to receive first-place votes, had four. Arizona had 1,148 points. The Sooners had 1,019 points.

Pittsburgh, 22-5, received 924 points after beating then-No. 12 Syracuse in the Carrier Dome for its first Big East conference title and improved from seventh to fifth. Kentucky beat Georgia and Mississippi The Associated Press For the fifth consecutive week, Temple remained atop The Associated Press college basketball poll yesterday, and Purdue, Arizona and Oklahoma held on to the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 places for the same period. Temple, 27-1, has advanced to the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament and a victory there could assure the Owls of a No.

1 seeding In the NCAA Tournament when pairings are announced Sunday. Purdue, 26-2, has already clinched a berth in the NCAA Tournament as champion of the Big Ten. The Boilermakers won the title Saturday with an 80-67 victory over No. 10 Michigan. Arizona, 28-2, has won the Pacific-10 Conference regular-season title.

The Wildcats Hard Slide California's Johnny Ray forces Oakland second baseman Mike Gallego to the air and mm 1 7 last week to improve its record to 22-5, good for sixth place. Nevada-Las Vegas, 26-4, ell to seventh after losing its third home game. Duke, 21-6, improved one place to eighth after stopping a three-game losing streak with 96-81 victory over North Carolina, which fell from sixth to ninth. North Carolina had already clinched the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title. 23-6, rounded out the Top Ten.

North Carolina State led the Second Ten with 526 points, two more than Bradley and 11 more than Syracuse. Wyoming, Iowa, Loyola Marymount Brigham Young, Georgia Tech, Illinois and Xavier, Ohio, round out the Second Ten. Coaches hance By Jay Gonzales The Arizona Dally Star Southern California basketball coach George Raveling had his best material. California Coach Lou Campanelli had another injury to talk about. And the Pacific-10 Conference coaches didn't give themselves much of a chance yesterday of taking the tournament championship away from McKale Center, where third-ranked Arizona is stalking a national championship.

There were no surprises when all the league's coaches participated in a telephone conference call with the media yesterday to preview the second Pac-10 basketball tournament. Regular-season champion University-of Arizona will be the host of the tournament, which begins Thursday night with first-round games at 7:30 and 10. The tournament champion gets the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Raveling, whose Trojans are seeded eighth and face California in Thursday's tournament opener, said in his own special way that he isn't counting on winning four straight games in the tournament. "I think it would be an awesome task to come through and win four in a row to win the championship," he said.

"It would scare the hell out of me because I would have to answer a lot of questions about what happened the rest of the season." Southern Cal was the coaches' preseason pick to finish third in the league, but that prediction failed to materialize and USC tied California and Washington for eighth. The Trojans got the eighth seed by having' a 3-1 combined record against Cal and Washington. "Somebody asked if there was any team that could beat Arizona," Raveling said. "I came up with one with Bird and Jordanand Magic and Kareem and a host of heavenly Yesterday's opportunity was just what he is looking for. "I thrive with runners in scoring position," he said.

But Harper, 25, has not always thrived during his pro career in the Indians farm system. Last year he played at Class A Kin-ston. His numbers were good a .312 batting average, 20 home runs and 100 runs scored. He drove in 97 runs. The year before he played Class AA ball at Waterbury and hit only .223 with 14 RBIs in 54 games.

He went on the disabled list twice, once for a pulled hamstring and once for torn ligaments in his right elbow. He hyperextended his elbow diving back to first and had to have surgery. "I thought my career was over," he said. "They (doctors) told me it would have been had it been my throwing arm." He said it doesn't bother him when he swings. It certainly didn't bother him yesterday when he faced Mariner loser Rich Monteleone.

Harper said he is having too much fun this spring to be bothered by anything. ijk inally JL JL planned, the 1988 Pacific-10 Conference basketball tournament was to be a coming-out party for the Tacoma Dome, which is in South Drizzleworld, where the sun don't Greg Hansen shine. But that would've been much too neutral. Also, much too empty. The P.A.

announcer at the Tacoma Dome would've been an echo, echo, echo. "Hellooooooooo" he'd say on opening night, his voice reverberating off the walls. "Anybody (anybody, anybody) out (out, out) there? (there? there?) The image of Pac-10 basketball, already tattered and threadbare, would've gone completely to hell before you could say Brent Musburger. Even the die-hard garrison of Arizona fans would've stayed behind, saving their pennies for a week or three on the NCAA Tournament road with their beloved Wildcats. I mean, Stanford vs.

Arizona, The Rematch, is a sellout when it's in Tucson. But in Western Washington it's the band, some cheerleaders and a couple hundred curious indoor soccer fans. So the PacJO got smart Before it got stuck sending its basketball teams to a venue in which the host school, Washington, was coming off a 9-18 season, it scouted the West for a more suitable i.e., prosperous and sunny I location. It took all of a phone call to secure I McKale Center. Lute Olson did not -object.

I Two parts to this equation were not 1 factored in. One, Arizona would have perhaps the best team in the nation. i Two, the rest of the league would come apart so decidely that one of the most harmless Oregon State teams Ralph Miller has ever coached would somehow finish second. So, this has become the 3-M Open: Money, more m6ney, and a mismatch. I ought to rent a priest," USC Coach George Raveling said yesterday.

Cal's Lou Campanelli is bringing four walk-ons and five freshmen to Tucson. Another priest, please. "I would not say (McKale) is a home away from home for us," UCLA Coach Walt Hazzard said, deadpan. Washington State will come to town, as Coach Kelvin Sampon said, having "played about as well as we can play." How good is that? Well, the Cougars finished sixth. Arizona State is so confused that its coach, Steve Patterson, said yesterday the Sun Devils had lost seven consecutive games.

Sorry, coach. It's eight. "Well," he said, more factually, "we have worked our way down (the standings)." And someone asked Oregon Coach Don Monson how high a mountain a team would have to climb to upset the Wildcats. "A large mountain," he said. Even Stanford, the only team to beat Arizona, expressed doubt about its staying power.

"I don't think we have the type of athletes that can play (well) three nights in a row," said Cardinal Coach Mike Montgomery. But this year the Pac-10 needs Tucson more than Tucson needs the Pac-10. No man has been overwhelmed by Arizona more than Raveling. The UA pole-axed USC 92-48 and 103-68. Yet Raveling said he is all for a Tucson tournament.

"I think we've all got to put aside our partisan ways and say what's best for the conference that at this particular time (Tucson) is the best place for the league to hold the tournament" Raveling cited Tucson's college atmosphere, capacity crowds and attendant enthusiasm. It'll look good on TV, He did not forget last year's UCLA-Washington final at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion in which more than 5,000 seats were unsold. Embarrassing. Next year the tournament moves to The Forum where 17,505 seats are available. It'll be a non-campus court, but most likely, a non-sellout too.

Plus, the Forum's location, in Inglewood, is In a word, yech. "The Forum isn't a college atmosphere," said Sampson. "Just because the Lakers play there doesn't mean 19,000 people will walk in to see our tournament "I'd rather play in a smaller, more cozy place that we could filL" Monson. never one to bite his tongue. See HANSEN, Page 3D I First-place votes in parentheses LW last week's ranking Complete rankings on Page 2D see little Elliott on 2nd all-star team Staff and wire reports University of Arizona junior Sean Elliott was selected to a second all-America basketball team yesterday.

He was selected to the U.S. Basketball Writers' Association first team. Elliott a 6-foot-8 junior from Cholla High School, was selected to Basketball Weekly's first team last week. He has helped Arizona to the Pacific-10 Conference regular-season championship and the best record in school history, 28-2. He has averaged 18.5 points and six rebounds per game.

"It's pretty sweet," he said yesterday. "It's something you work hard for." Elliott was joined on the USBWA team by the same five players who made the Basketball Weekly team. Bradley's Hersey Hawkins, the nation's leading scorer, and Michigan's Gary Grant were the guards. North Carolina center J.R. Reid and Kansas forward See ELLIOTT, Page 3D angels.

One of us (Cal or USC), has to go in there against Arizona. With Lou and I being Catholic, I think we ought to rent a priest to" lead us in for the game." The winner of the Cal-USC game will advance to meet Arizona in the-quarterfinals at 4 p.m. on Friday. "Realistically, the best thing that could happen to the conference is that Arizona would not win the tournament and then we would get two teams in the NCAA playoffs," Raveling said. "I suspect if (UA athletic director) Cedric See COACHES, Page 3D 5 1 A pi1 A Bill Russell Kings' Russell out as coach SACRAMENTO, Calif.

(AP) Bill Russell was dismissed yesterday as coach of the Sacramento Kings and replaced by assistant coach Jerry Reynolds. The action was part of a shakeup of the team's top management which also resulted in a reduced title for former team president Joe Axelson, the man who brought Russell to Sacramento. Russell, 54, who has a 10-year contract the team, was transferred to the front office, where he will serve as vice president in charge of basketball operations, said Gregg Lukenbill, general managing partner and part owner of the club. "Every time we lost a game. was a real hard kick in the stomach," Russell said, flanked by Reynolds and Lukenbill at an Arco Arena news conference.

The 17-41, have the fourth worst record in the NBA. Lukenbill appointed Axelson vice president for business operations. upset The Associated Press breaks up a possible double play in the fourth inning in Phoenix. The Angels won, 3-2. Story on Page 2D.

TODAY'S GAME Cleveland Indians (Reggie Ritter, O-O) vs. Chicago Cubs (Jamie Moyer, 0-0) 1 p.m., Hi Corbett Field. better get into this," he said. The score was tied at 2, and Edwards started making moves. The Mariners scored in the top of the 10th, but the Indians rallied in the bottom of the inning.

Edwards then made the move that worked. He called on Harper to pinch hit with Noboa at second and two outs. "He's got a good eye," Edwards said. "He's a good-looking young ballplayer." For now, though, Harper is behind Pat Tabler and Don Lovell on the Indians' first base depth chart. This is Harper's first camp with the big-league team.

Like so many young players he wants to make it but knows he's a long shot for the time being. "I just want to give them something to look at" Harper said. "And maybe get a shot at a job." TODAY'S GAME Wyoming (Scott Freeman, O-l) vs. Arizona (Jason Hisey, O-O), 2:30 p.m., Sancet Field. on-base percentage, but was hitless in five plate appearances.

He got a walk, his 28th, in the fourth. "I don't mind batting first I like to play and contribute," Shermet said. "But this is not permanent Kevin will be in there tomorrow." Kindall said: "Kevin needs to get his on-base percentage (.455) up. He's still my leadoff man. He needs to get on base more.

I hope a day off will help him realize his responsibility." The UA. 19-7, had lost three of its last five games, including two of three against Pacific-10 Conference Southern Division leader California here last weekend. Wyoming. 1-7, is coached by former UA pitcher Bill Kinneberg. Tim rv ndians win on Harper's hit By Ron Somers The Arizona Dally Star When Milt Harper was a senior in high school some buddies talked him into playing baseball.

Harper preferred football but thought he'd give baseball a try anyway. It turned out to be a smart move. Eight years later Harper is in spring training with the Cleveland Indians. Yesterday, he made sure his presence was not overlooked. He singled to right field in the 10th inning to score Junior Noboa from second with the winning run in a 4-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

A crowd of 2,236 at Hi Corbett Field watched the Indians improve their Cactus League record to 2-1. Seattle is also 2-1. Even though it was an exhibition game. Harper's teammates mobbed him after his hit. "You try to win all games no matter what," he said.

Indians Manager Doc Edwards agreed. "I'm so busy watching players that along about the seventh inning I said to myself I New-look Wildcats beat Wyoming "We didn't change around because Wyoming is a pushover," Kindall said. "We needed to get our backups some work. We don't have any varsity-reserve games for a while." Catcher Brian Callahan, making his first start of the season, had an RBI-single id the second and walked with the bases loaded in the fourth. UA freshman left-hander Jim Richardson, 2-0, gave up seven hits and struck out six in seven innings.

Wyoming scored on Todd Hall's two-run homer in the fifth and Todd Inglehart's homer in the seventh. Richardson made his fourth start of the season, his third appearance in 25 days. "Things didn't work out the way they could have early, and Lance (Dickson) came in and threw well." Richardson said. "My time will come. I just want to keep See UA BASEBALL, Page 2D 1 By Jack Magruder The Arizona Daily Star The University of Arizona baseball team beat Wyoming, 10-3, yesterday with a different look.

UA leadoff hitter Kevin Long and cleanup hitter Alan Zinter were given a day off, and only three UA starters batted in their customary spots. Still, the UA got 12 hits and batted around for the 20th time this season in a seven-run fourth inning. The three incumbents in the order No. 2 hitter Greg Fowble, No. 3 hitter Todd Devereaux and No.

5 hitter J.T. Snow had five hits and four RBIs. "There was no other reason (for the changes) except to give Alan and Kevin some rest" UA Coach Jerry Kindall said. "And I wanted to see Dave (Shermet) in the leadoff position." Shermet entered the game with a .738.