Philadelphia Daily News from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 68

PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS Monday, Jan. 26, 1987 Cards RMe (DteVam), EBeatt Noiri Page 63 Special to the Gaily News If there is somei'ung to be said for persistence. Elliott DeVan surely will ay it. DeVan. a 6-1 senior guard for Cardinal Dougherty, tried to make the basketball team three times before finally catching on.

"My freshman year, my father wanted me to get to my books," he said. aft.r chipping in 16 points in Dougherty's 64-57 victory over visiting Catholic. "1 wasn't doing poorly: I just wasn't around my average. "I had to git used to a big school; I came from a small school Ithe since-closed Our Lady Of Mercy, with an enrollment of about 200j. VVhtn I came here, I had to get used to a new environment." For a while, it looked like DeVan would opt for Roman Catholic instead of Dougherty.

In the end. however, motherly advice and Dougherty won out. "At first, I wanted to go to Roman, but my mother wanted me to come here to Dougherty, so I came here," DeVan said. "My mom said it was better academically than Roman, so she decided that 1 should come here instead of Roman." Although he fared better with the books his second year at Dougherty, he fared no better on the basketball court. It wasn't until his junior year that he was finaly able' to don a cardinal and gold uniform, albeit a junior varsity one.

"Since I got cut sophomore year, I just decided to go out for JV my junior year," DeVan said. "I just said I was going to work a little harder and try to do better since I didn't make it my sophomore year." Even though he finally made the team, it was still a close call. He had picked up a reputation as an offensive player, although his defense was suspect at best. Naturally, it was a defensive play that finally made the coaches take notice. "Our rule of thumb is that if you have a question about a kid during tryouts, you keep him around for a while," Dougherty coach Mark Ileimerdinger said.

"And I just told JV coachl Al couple of days. Another couple days led to another couple weeks, which led to another couple seasons." It also led to a change in policy at Dougherty. "I had heard there were some good players that were cut from the program the first two years I was here," said Heimerdinger, who is in his fifth year as head coach at Dougherty. "After that, I made sure I was around for all tryouts to determine who was going to be kept and who wasn't going to be kept. He IDeVanl was very close to getting cut his junior year because he wasn't doing anything that deserved recognition." Since that quiet beginning, DeVan has emerged as both an offensive and defensive force for the defending Northern Division champions.

He is averaging 12.3 points per game for the 6-1 Cardinals and has provided the perfect complement to backcourt mate Bobby Coppolino (24 points, nine assists yesterday). "He helps Bobby because people are going to give Bobby more than one-man attention defensively," Heimerdinger said. "That's going to create nice openings and penetrations for Elliott DeVan. He's very effective at hitting open shots." Yesterday marked the second consecutive game that DeVan has hit the 16-point plateau, tying his varsity career high. With center Rodger Tabb being shut down (l-for-3, 2 points), DeVan's contributions become even more important.

"When Bobby's struggling and Rodger's struggling, sometimes I can hit a few shots and ignite the team and get us back in the game," DeVan said. "It helps out a lot." What also helps is that in addition to becoming a better all-around player, DeVan now has added consistency (just two turnovers in the first three quarters yesterday) to his game plan. The lack of turnovers has resulted in an increase in De-Van's minutes on the court. "Earlier in the year, we only played Elliott in three- or four-minute stretches," Heimerdinger said, "because in three- or four-minute stretches, he'd look like the next coming of Isiah Thomas. In the next three or four minutes, he'd look more like Doubting Thomas." But now, through DeVan's persistence, the doubts have been lifted.

Staff Photography by Denis O'Keefe Jim Schultice tries to block Dougherty's Sean Bryan iiiuiv. i nui i i 1 1 i i. uifi 1 1 1 iuif1 UJVU lilt uujr iiiuig lino kid's doing, but I'd like to see him kept around for another HIGH SCHOOLS Aqueduct Cancels Today's Racing Card Due to what track officials termed "deteriorating track conditions," Aqueduct race track in New York canceled its racing card for yesterday and today. As usual, the track will be closed tomorrow, making Wednesday the next potential day for racing. Also, yesterday's race card at Laurel (Md.) Race Course was canceled due to forecasts of snow, track officials said.

Weather permitting, racing will resume tomorrow. Laurel is dark on Mondays. posy WINGS BOX LACROSSE SPECTRUM HOME OPENER tT3 A Brand New Team iSsy A Brand New League Dont Miss This Historic Box Sr70'' Lacrosse Debut Basketball Catholic Standings NORTHERN DIVISION Dougherty 6-1. La Salle 4 2 McDev: 4-2. Kenrick 3-2.

Ryan 3-2. Judge 3 3 North 3-4 Egan 0-5. Wood 0-5. SOUTHERN DIVISION Roman 5-0. West 3-2.

Bonner 3 2 Carroll 3-2. O'Hara 2-3. SJ Prep 2 3. SJ Neumann 1-3. St.

James 0-4. Catholic Boxes Dougherty 64, North 57 North Cath. 14101517 57 Dougherty 20161315 64 NC Mastrupietro 13. Martin 13, Schultice 1 3. Banks 0 Comev 14.

T. Comey 4. CD Coppolino 24 Fleming 8. McErlane 1. Tabb 2.

Bryan 9 DeVan 16. Stelmach 4 Three-Point FGs Mastopietro. Coppolino. McDevitt 54, La Salle 51 La Salle 14 16 13 17 4 51 Bishop McDevitt 12 18 1410 54 LS Durkin 2 Macklin 17. laquinto 19.

McGowan 2 Lee 3. Betchvk 4. Schaal O. Fitzgerald 2 Riiev 2 BM Blanchard 10. O'Connell 22.

Donahue 8. Ervin 4 C. Greenberg 2. D. Greenberg 4.

Richardson 4 Three-Point FGs laquinto. Judge 50, Kenrick 45 Father Judge 81811 13 50 Bishop Kenrick 12 12 6 15 45 FJ Fagan 1 3 McCusker 4. Vizza 2. Brooke 8 Murphy 16 MtShea 2 Covle 3 Kelly 2. BK Ciccarone 6 Davis 12.

Hull 7. Kopec 2. Dougherty 12 Gaio 1. Scott 2. Kelly 3.

Three-Point FGs Dougherty. Bonner 50, O'Hara 44 Cardinal O'Hara 12 14 8 10 44 Msgr. Bonner 13 13 13 11 50 CO Dauden 4 Delanev 3. Kane 5. Malloy 4.

0 Hara 20 Stempin 2. Wenke 6 MB Barrett 5 Daly 12 Clark 6. Summers 9. Lynch 5. Mulrov I Lynch 2 Zuccato 10.

Three-Point FGs Hara. Lynch. Roman 76, West 74 Roman Catholic 21 1 8 14 23 76 West Catholic 15 21 1 5 23 74 RC Adams 1 7 Smith 14 Perry 9. Jenkins 9. Mernman 2.

Watting 4. Veterano 21. Johnson 0. WC Davis S. A.

Davis 1. Jones 16. Duffy 14. Bertohne 1 Blakes 34. Forrest 2.

Three-Point FGs Smith 2. Carroll 83, St. Joe's 64 Arch. CarroM 16 22 13 32 83 St Joe Prep 11161819 64 AC Caruso 5. Dunn 33.

Kempski 22. Heoranq 11. Lambnght 2. Grow 1. Jenkins 2.

Kazanicka 2. Moore 2 Powell 3. SJP Curran 23 Marsden 8. Christian 15, George 2. Coppinger 6.

Erne 1. DeLucca 4. Jenkins 4. Ryan 3 Three-Point FGs Dunn 2. Kempski.

Christian. Coppn9er Ryan. Curran 1. PHILADELPHIA VS. NEW JERSEY The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard Is looking for experienced Individuals to fill Immediate and future temporary needs In the following trades: RIGCER "ELECTRICIAN "BOILER MAKER "INSULATOR PIPEFITTER "MARINE MACHINERY MECHANIC Immediate Openings Starting salary for the above positions Is set at either $10.26 per hour or 9.61 per hour and Is based on experience In the trade.

If you are Interested In the opportunity, you are encouraged to apply In person Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. at Shipyard's Main Gate, Bldg. 501 (south end of Broad Street). Mall applications to: PHILADELPHIA NAVAL SHIPYARD Bldg.

501. Code 170.508 Philadelphia, PA 19112 or CaU (215) 897-4480 Applications will be accepted until 30 January 1987, but apply early and enhance your chances for appointment. An Equal Opportunity Employar U.S. Citizenship Required JAN. 31, 8:00 PM TICKET PRICES t' 4 SPONSORED BY: Lower Level $15.00 $12.00 Middle Upper Level Level $12.50 $10.00 9.50 7.00 Box Office Prices: Groups (20 T-ckefs available at The Spectrum Box Office and alt TtcKetron outlets including Showcase Stores Or can TELETRON: 1-800-233-4050.

For more information, call me Wings Office at (215) 389-9540. For group discount information call (215) 463-4300. none.