Courier-Post from Camden, New Jersey • Page 20

2c COURIER-POST, Saturday, Septembers, 1990 nnmmmw ih.ii esthead plans fast-paced attach Flyers' top pack has high hopes entering camp as Nugget coach Pro Basketball Hockey the NBA championship in inan tU 1VOV. In 1980-81, the Lakers werejw 28 and won the Pacific Division championship but lost in the play offs. He was fired eleven gfttafts into the 1981-1982 season they were 7-4, after a disputewHivi Magic Johnson. He served as head coach forJthfi Chicago Bulls in 1982-1983nd they were 28-54. He left aftenihafcif: year.

r.nrsrI Westhead, 51, went to Loyola Marymount in 1985-86 and.tWki' year got the Lions into the Eight of the NCAA tournament. He carries a 140-104 record in tHe'- nrn ranks fa'j Moe's future is ill 4' Ar Ill 1IIEM said. He might consider He might even consider beingat agent, he joked. 1. Jr In San Antonio, Spurs Larry Brown said he would--talk); By CHRISTOPHER JONES Courier-Post Staff VOORHEES It had been eight long years since the Philadelphia Flyers had a top-five draft pick.

In 1982, Ron Sutter was selected with the fourth pick. In the June 1990 NHL Entry Draft, they picked Mike Ricci, hoping that he, like Sutter, could breathe new life into a team with a stale atmosphere. Yesterday, their first-round draft pick took part in the team's opening practice of training camp at the Flyers' complex at the Coliseum. Ricci, last year's junior hockey Player of the Year, was selected by the Flyers with the No. 4 pick overall in hopes of bringing the 18-year old left-handed forward along slowly, the same way they did with Sutter.

"I just want to make the team and do anything I can," said Ricci, who scored 130 goals in three seasons with Peterborough of the Ontario Hockey League "I don't want to put anything past that. I'm just worried about coming to training camp and having a good camp. I haven't thought about anything else other than making the team, so I'm just keying on that right now." "Mike Ricci plays in a way that the Flyers have always prided themselves," said Flyers general manager Russ Farwell. "Right now, we're just looking for him to be able to play and contribute. And bring his outlook from the way he has proven himself." With the scoring problems the Flyers had last year, which was the only season in the club's history that the Flyers did not make the playoffs, a contribution from Ricci would be welcomed.

"I'll do whatever they ask of me, and I'll give my best," Ricci said. "So far, all they've said to me is for me to work as hard as I can so that is what I'm going to do. When you work as hard as you can, things will work out." Last year, with the Petes, Ricci scored 52 goals and in 1988-89 he scored 54. Both seasons he accumulated over 100 points. The Flyers have had only three players ever reach the 100-point plateau in a single season Bob Clarke, Bill Barber and Rick MacLeish.

Rick Tocchet was four points shy last year when he ended the season with 96. With the acquisition of Ricci, the Flyers may have a 100-point player in their future. "He is a perfect addition," said Farwell. "He's a guy who has always been a 100-pointer. If, in two years, he could start putting up some of the numbers offensively that he has produced in the past, he would be a complete success." But for now, Ricci is just in awe.

At 18, he has an opportunity to be a contributing member of one of the winningest sports franchises today. And his future appears to be even brighter. "It's great being here it's everything you dream," Ricci said. On contract talks, Farwell said he expects Tocchet and goalie Ron Hextall to report to camp with the rest of the veterans today, and that he is hopeful that they will have contracts soon. There were reports to the contrary from Tocchet earlier in the week.

Hextall came to camp early to get a look at some of the rookies and confirmed the fact that he would be dressed and ready to hit DENVER (AP) The Denver Nuggets introduced Paul Westh-ead as their new head coach yester-. day, and Westhead wasted no time in promising to install a fast-paced offense and defense that will "knock your socks off." Westhead, who had been the coach at Loyola Marymount University for the past five seasons, succeeded Doug Moe, who was fired on Thursday after 10 years with the Nuggets. Nuggets general manager Bernie Bickerstaff said Westhead's "style will fit the players we will put on the floor well." Westhead's Loyola teams set NCAA scoring records, and he was convinced his uptempo style would be just as effective in the NBA. "We'll be the fastest-paced team on offense and defense that you'll see," Westhead said. "You haven't seen anything yet.

If you wear a neck brace, you won't be able to stay for all of our games. I'll work diligently to have the best conditioned team in all of professional sports. Starting out, win or lose, I can promise you our opponents will be very tired." Westhead said he was excited to be returning to the NBA. "This organization is in a rebuilding mode and I like to build programs," he said. "That's one of the reasons I took this job." Moe's firing Thursday was announced amid tears and champagne at McNichols Arena, and the coach himself was the most emotional, choking in mid-sentence and unable to continue as his wife, Jane, poured champagne in celebration.

"Do we pick up the check, or do you mail it," she joked as Moe stood behind her, struggling to regain control. Reports about Westhead started as soon as the Moe news confer-. ence ended. Westhead was head coach at La Salle for nine years, beginning in 1970-1971, and he stayed there for nine seasons. He became an assistant coach with the Lakers in Courier-Post photo by Evangelos Dousmanis Cutting it: Flyers No.

1 draft pick Mike Ricci gets down to business during yesterday's camp, reporting day for veterans at the Coliseum in Voorhees. with the team's owners about; hift ing Moe as an assistant. WAi'v "The bottom line is I don't thi.nkC I too much time will pass before, someone else picks him tufpiv Brown said. "IAN The Nuggets and "Mbg announced they had "mutua1 agreed to end their relationship' But, following a Thursday pWsV- conference, Moe admitted, fired, basically." Moe will be paid for the remaK-, der of his contract, which through the 1992-93 season and is worth about $700,000 a year. Moe coached the Spurs forEpu seasons, compiling a ord, before coming to the Nugget as an assistant coach in was elevated to head coach JCOiitV way through the 1980-81 season.

His 10-year record in 432-357, and he led the Nuggrfts.6' two Midwest Division titles, ning Coach of the Year honors1 in 1987-88. Last March, he became the 11th coach in NBA history win 600 games. Moe, emotional during -Mr remarks, said he has had discu-sions in the past few weeks Bickerstaff and managing gentffj; partner Peter Bynoe. At a meeting Wednesday night, it was dedef to terminate the relationship. the ice this morning.

things will get worked out. I'm just Al -A if 1 i. "I'm here." said Hextall. who taking it one day at a time right missed camp last year due to a now but I'm optimistic that things contract dispute. "Hopefully, will get worked out." Douglas predicts knockout Boxing 1979-1980 under Jack McKinney and ended up taking over when McKinney was injured in a bicycle accident early in that season.

He was officially named head coach after leading the Lakers to Who can endure?" McCauley said Douglas has trained well for Tyson "because he knew what he was fighting for. Now he's a man. He likes what he is, he likes being the heavyweight champ. And you can tell it in the way he works. If you love your wife, you fight for her.

He's that way with the title." Douglas said he will have to be both a moving target and the aggressor against Holyfield. "I'm sure he'll be trying to come in and, since he's building himself up and thinks he's real strong, firing at me," he said. "He'll find out different. Then he'll stop and I'll have to be in hot pursuit. Then I'll corner him and trap him." Douglas said he already has visions of what the newspapers will say after he successfully defends his title.

"You see pictures in your dreams," he said. "But this is not a dream. This is reality. "It's just the stuff I really like I can't eat," he said with a laugh. "Like cookies, pizza, doughnuts all that good stuff." Douglas said he realizes that he must be faster than ever to keep up with Holyfield, a cruiserweight moving up to the heavyweight division.

"He might be a little quicker," Douglas said. "It's going to take me a little more time to pin him down. Early in the fight in particular, I figure he'll be a little quicker." Douglas had an advantage in height and reach in his fight with Tyson, as he will against Holy-field. But he bristles when it is suggested that those were factors. "That ain't the reason I whipped Tyson," he said.

"There are no advantages, to be honest with you. It's the ability. Tyson fought guys bigger than me prior to the fight. It's the ability, and it's going to be the ability in this fight as well: COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) James "Buster" Douglas, wrapping up the first phase of his training, predicts a late knockout of Evander Holyfield in their Oct. 25 heavyweight championship fight in Las Vegas.

"I foresee a knockout," Douglas said. "Maybe the fifth round is early. But I'll catch him in the later rounds, probably, once he slows down and starts wanting to trade punches." Douglas, who knocked out Mike Tyson on Feb. 11 in Tokyo to win the title, leaves tomorrow morning for Las Vegas to begin the second half of his preparations for Holy-field. The early weeks of training, usually the most difficult for a fighter, have gone well for Douglas, said trainer J.D.

McCauley. "He used to be one of those guys who would eat things he shouldn't," McCauley said yesterday. "But now we're dealing with a different person. That's why his weight has come off so good." Douglas weighs around 245 pounds and is looking to reach 230 or 229 by the time he steps on the scales at The Mirage in Las Vegas the day before the fight. He weighed 231 against Tyson.

He has followed a regimen that finds him up at 7:30 a.m. for a five-mile run. After a rest, he comes to a training room at a nearby fitness center to ride an exercise bike. Then comes weight training at the home of his fitness trainer. He returns to the gym around 7:30 p.m.

for work on the heavy bag, speed bag and sparring. Douglas said he is happy that his diet allows him to eat fried foods, baked chicken, pasta and lots of steamed vegetables all things that he likes. un I aJI i 4 0 I ft, VV: 'r'i IS A' I vfe r9' HUB Leyva impressed with Booker Picture This! Baseball Complete High School Sports Coverage rfl Paul Runge issued warnings to both the Phillies and Mets about knockdown pitches before last night's game. The warning stemmed from the Phils-Mets brawl at Shea Stadium. The Phillies honored former Negro League players living in the Delaware Valley before last night's game.

Tonight the Hollywood All-Stars will play the Philadelphia Sports Legends in a pre-game softball game. Pitching matchups for the final two games with the Mets: Bruce Ruffin (6-12) vs. Dwight Gooden (15-6) tonight at 7:05 and Pat Combs (6-9) vs. Sid Fernandez (9-11) tomorrow at 1:35. with nine home runs and 32 RBIs last month for Batavia.

For the year, he hit .273 with 16 homers and 53 RBIs. His home run total led the New York-Penn League. Ryan is from Bound Brook. Munoz, a 22-year-old lefthander, was 3-3 with a 2.63 ERA in seven August starts. He struck out 59 batters and allowed just 28 hits in 41 innings.

Munoz finished the year with a 6-7 record and a 2.75 ERA. Manicchia, 23, registered five saves and did not allow an earned run in 17 innings last month for Princeton. He finished the year 2-1 with eight saves and a 2.16 ERA. Finally: Home plate umpire 1 intheLouner-rost Scholastic Fall Sports Guide. Wednesday, September 19th 'frrra 4 assignments lately.

"He does a good job," said Leyva, who managed Booker at Class AA Arkansas in 1983. "He's more valuable than a lot of people think. He goes out there before games and takes 200 ground balls, and on the road he's always taking extra hitting. He never complains about anything." In other words, Booker is the perfect bench player. Before this year, he had played in a grand total of 72 major-league games in 10 professional seasons.

He also had just 11 RBIs. But this year, he has played in 62 games. He had a .250 batting average and 10 RBIs going into last night's game against the New York Mets. "He's a pretty good ballplayer," Leyva said. "It's good to have a guy like him around." Minor accomplishments: Three first-year professionals were honored by the Phillies for their accomplishments in the month of August.

Switch-hitting first baseman Sean Ryan of Class A Batavia was named the player of the month, while pitchers J.J. Munoz of Martinsville and Bryan Manicchia of Princeton shared the honor of pitcher of the month. Ryan, 21 and a graduate of Rutgers University, batted .301 Me Clinic. i.i a 7f til ii la By BOB BROOKOVER Courier-Post Staff PHILADELPHIA It was one of those off-season acquisitions that went unnoticed. Last year, in the middle of December, the Phillies signed a minor-league free agent named Rod Booker from the St.

Louis Cardinals' organization and it stirred about as much excitement as a fender-bender. Even now, when Booker enters a game in Veterans Stadium, he provokes nothing more than polite applause. Despite his low profile, Booker has been a solid player for the Phillies this season. His efforts have been rewarded by Phillies manager Nick Leyva, who has given Booker quite a few starting Ryan informs Rangers he'll be back next year ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) The Texas Rangers are "excited, thrilled and happy" that Nolan Ryan wants to pitch another year, and picking up the option year on his contract is "merely a formality." Rangers spokesman John Blake said yesterday the club doesn't envision a problem picking up Ryan's option for 1991 under the $3.3 million contract he signed during spring training. The pact was contingent on Ryan wanting to pitch next year.

Rangers general aanager Tom Grieve has since talked with Ryan and his agent, Dick Moss. Root for your team! Find out what the action is, when and where, with the Scholastic Fall Sports Guide, Wednesday, September 19th. lubu, kukAyuunu iiuOrutaiioil and season schedules for your favorite high school teams in Camden, Burlington and Gloucester Counties. Catch all the local action with the Scholastic Fall Sports Guide. Learn Howlt) Replace Your Old windows And Save VOi i It's easy! Get rid of those leaky, drafty windows replace them with energy-efficient Andersen windows.

Come watch a step-by-step demonstration by an Andersen expert. Free coffee and donuts Mum BUM CouRiER-Ibsrif Dates: September 19 October 17; 7 PM 71 KRESSON RD. Location: fS CHERRY HILL, NJ (2nd Floor of Kitchen Showroom Bldg) WE'RE GETTING READY FOR HOW ABOUT YOU? Reservations Are Reauired Poll EVom tnn oion (MILKED Weekdays Between i f. JXJS 1-800-331-3762 8 am add 5pm icme nome to quauiy. Anaersen.

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