Lansing State Journal from Lansing, Michigan • Page 15

n.miun in MIM Lansing State Journal www.lansingstatejournai.com COLLEGE BASKETBALL Deleware's Brey new coach at Notre Dame Page 4C Sports Editor Vince Ellis 377-1071 Classified 4C PORT Jack Ebling Saturday July 15, 2000 1ft DIM taDDQ USA World Championship for Young Men roster Richardson and Randolph survive; Waverly's Taylor cut By Jack Ebling Lansing State Journal It's agreed Michigan State had three of the top 13 players in USA Basketball's World Championship for Young Men trials this week. Sophomore Jason Richardson and freshman Zach Randolph were named to the USA Steve Blake, guard, 6-3, 175, Maryland Nick Collison, forward, 6-9, 240, Kansas Brian Cook, forward, 6-10, 231, Illinois Mike Dunleavy, guardforward, 6-7, 200, Duke Drew Gooden, forward, 6-9, 221, Kansas Joe Johnson, guardforward, 6-8, 225, Arkansas DTayshaun Prince, guardforward, 6-9, 215, Kentucky Zach Randolph, centerforward, 6-9, 270, MSU Jason Richardson, guardforward, 6-6, 210, MSU Kenny Satterfield, guard, 6-2, 175, Cincinnati Bobby Simmons, guardforward, 6-7, 210, DePaul Jason Williams, guard, 6-2, 190, Duke Randolph Richardson So why was Taylor cut? Boeheim couldn't say. But a glut of point guards, Taylor's inexperience, and a reluctance to have Lions appear improved EAST LANSING For once, the Detroit Lions don't have to lie when they say they should be better this season. Barring another rash of injuries, Bobby Ross's team can improve on the 8-9 mark of last year's overachievers. It's still bizarre for anyone to pick the Lions to win the Super Bowl.

There should be stiff penalties for that type of drinking-and-predicting. But it's fair to expect a winning season and another playoff appearance. When the Lions' Caravan reached mid-Michigan Friday morning, it had three objectives: Visit appreciative children in Sparrow Hospital. Raise money at a luncheon for Catholic Social Services of LansingSt. Vincent Home.

CAnd generate publicity for 2000 with its highlight video, "A New Pride." That NFL Films title would have been a cruel joke in other years for a team that hasn't won a championship in 43 years. But if you believe Ross is good for anything more than comic relief, you have to think this team should be able to compete. Bigger is better Detroit's greatest improvement could come from 700 pounds of new beef on the offensive line. First-round pick Stockar McDougle, a 330-pounder from Oklahoma, will start at left guard and be an immediate upgrade. And last year's second No.

1 choice, Aaron Gibson from Wisconsin, should have as many pancakes on the field as off it. The 370-pound right tackle will make running backs James Stewart, Reuben Droughns and Sedrick Irvin harder to see, let alone tackle. Stewart is the power back Ross always wanted, even be- Stars serve notice at U.S. trials 4 "Lt jy -S I 7 Jones, Greene show rivals they're in top form as meet begins Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. Marion Jones said she would not hold much back in the women's 100-meter heats in the U.S.

Olympic track and field trials. She didn't. Neither did Maurice Greene. He didn't say it, but he showed what a force he would be in the men's 100. The powerful Jones, beginning her quest for an unprecedented five gold medals in the Sydney Games, blasted through her quarterfinal race Friday night in 10.92 seconds, only 0.08 seconds off her world-leading time this year.

Former Sexton standout Mi-chele Davis took fifth in her heat of the 400 meters in 52.87 seconds. She failed to qualify for Sunday's finals. Former MSU runners Steve Schell and Kyle Baker competed late Friday in the men's 10,000 meters. Greene, who failed to make the 1996 team and then sobbed inconsolably while watching the Olympic final in the stands at Atlanta, burst out of the blocks with the force of a rocket and won his heat in 9.93, only 0.02 seconds off his world-best this season. As usual, Jones was slow out of the blocks, but by 30 meters she had forged to the front, and at the 50-meter mark she was comfortably ahead.

Only near the finish did she slow slightly. "I think everybody just wanted to go out there and get started," the two-time world champion said. "We're tired of all the talking. "I'm glad that the first round 20-and-under team Friday morning in Miami after just five of the 11 scheduled workouts. But when the roster was trimmed from 16 to 12, Waverly High star and MSU recruit Marcus Taylor was scratched from next week's trip to Brazil.

"It was very difficult to make these cuts," USA coach Jim Boeheim of Syracuse said by phone Friday night. "Marcus was the toughest cut of all. He was very good on defense. He did a good job at the point and really shot well. Michigan State should be very happy." Olympic Trials on TV Today: 8 p.m., Ch.

4,8,10 Sunday: 4 p.m., Ch 4,8,10 Coming Sunday A look at other area Olympic hopefuls, including William-ston race-walker Jill Zenner. is over and I can move on to the long jump." Qualifying in the long jump, Jones' weakest event, was held later Friday night before a crowd of 23,211 at Sacramento State's Hornet Stadium. The semifinals and final of the 100 will be today and the long jump final Sunday. Next weekend, Jones will compete in the 200 as she bids to surpass the record of four Olympic golds by Jesse Owens, Carl Lewis and Fanny Blankers-Koen. While Jones was the fastest qualifier in the 100, her major rivals showed they weren't conceding anything to her.

Gail Devers, the two-time Olympic gold medalist, broke 1 1 seconds for the first time this year, winning her heat at 10.99, and Inger Miller, the silver medalist and 200 champion in last year's World Championships, took her heat at 1 1.04 despite a very slow start. "I have to remember I've been here before and not panic," said Devers, who also is the world leader in the 100 hurdles this year. Greene, the world record-holder, two-time world champion and 1999 world 200 champion, showed no weaknesses in his heat. Charging right out from the start, he had the field beaten easily about halfway balls and fastballs. I used very few sliders or changeups." Holt has a 1.84 ERA in five appearances against AL teams the last two years.

He gave up two runs in the first inning, but settled down to work six scoreless innings before the Tigers chased him with two in the eighth. "He actually has the best combination of pitches of any starter on our club," Astros manager Larry Dierker said. Lance Berkman, Mitch Melus-key and Richard Hidalgo homered for the Astros, who have won three of five, but just seven of their last 25. Biggio was 3-for-5, scored once and drove in a run. Needing a homer for the cycle in the eighth, he grounded out sharply to third.

"I enjoy hitting in this park," Biggio said. "It's built for my type of game, a contact game. There's a lot of space between the outfielders." Hidalgo had three hits, scored three times and had two RBIs. Bobby Higginson had three hits and two RBIs for the Tigers. Hideo Nomo (3-8) gave up nine hits, including two homers, and six earned runs in 25 percent of the USA roster from one school aii may have "Marc outplayed all of them," Taylor's father, James, said Friday night while his son's return home was delayed in Chicago.

"That's what all the other guys said, every single one of them. I don't know what's going on. I know he's disappointed." Taylor's future MSU teammates agreed with that assessment and weren't afraid to say Please see SPARTANS, 2C rose to 5.00. "I was feeling good, but my location was not good," Nomo said through an "My pitches were a little "They picked up some (pitches), but location is still the most important thing. My location was not very great." A 7i U-Mto boost cost of tickets Associated Press ANN ARBOR University of Michigan sports fans may soon have to dish out a little more green stuff to get the school out of the red.

The school's Board of Regents approved an athletics budget Friday that will boost basketball ticket prices and eventually do the same for football, potentially even forcing season ticket-holders to buy $100 seat licenses. The moves aim to erase recent budget deficits that the athletics department has rung up. Interim Athletic Director Bill Martin is forecasting a $2.05 million deficit for the 2000-01 fiscal year, which began July 1. Under the budget, basketball ticket prices will climb from $13 to $16 for seats in the lower level and from $10 to $12 for gold section spots. Martin and regent Larry Deitch said football tickets, which will cost $31 a game this fall, are still lower than many other schools.

What may draw more fan reaction is Martin's hope to charge seat fees for season tickets starting next year. "If you charged each (football ticket) holder a $100 seat fee, you'd wipe out the deficit," Martin said. Okemos Dave Kilgren, president of the of Club of Greater Lansing and a longtime football season tick-etholder, said the increases were to be expected. "If not that surprising because there certainly is a trend toward increasing the way tickets are priced in sports across the country," he said. State Journal correspondent Anthony Drew contributed to this report.

native gets Yankees quick visit home during the Clippers' All-Star break. "It was kind of surprising," Wilcox said. "Unless I'm on the road and it's my wife, (the phone) doesn't usually ring. I was really shocked. I didn't know anything had transpired." The 26-year-old outfielder is the first area player to get to the majors since Okemos' Paul Quantrill was called up by the Boston Red Sox in 1992.

Quantrill, now with Toronto, is 39-62 in nine seasons in the league. Wilcox was in uniform Friday night when the Yankees defeated the Florida Marlins 6-2. Wilcox did not see action. Wilcox, who graduated from St. Johns in 1992, got his first dose of the big time when he arrived at Yankee Stadium Thursday.

"The first thing I saw when we were coming around the corner on the highway and seeing Yankee Stadium was the backside behind home plate with all the pictures on it," Wilcox said. "We went into the clubhouse, and when I set my bags down to talk to some guys, all of a sudden there were three batboys unloading my bags. Please see WILCOX, 2C DOUG MILLSAssociated Press Ahead of the pack: Maurice Greene celebrates as he easily finishes first in his heat of the 100 meters in 9.93 seconds Friday in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field trials. through the race, before easing to the rest of the field.

to show that I am. some 20 meters from the finish. The next-fastest time was "Just because I lost a couple No one else broke 10 sec-; 10.03 by Brian Lewis. of races that's practice. Now onds in the heats, allowing "I think a lot of people it's showtime!" Greene to establish his early thought I came here not ready The men's 100 semifinals superiority and send a message to run," Greene said.

"I'm here and final are today. Houston bats smack Tigers rore Barry banders' disappearing act. Detroit still has excellent wide receivers in Germane Crowell, Johnnie Morton and Herman Moore. And the best news could be a surprising recovery by starting quarterback Charlie Batch, whose broken leg might be healed in time for the opener on Sept. 3.

"Our team is going to go as far as Charlie takes us, to be honest," defensive lineman Luther Elliss said Friday. "I think Tampa Bay proved last year that a great defense can only take you so far." Solid parts The Lions' defense is good enough to win a lot of games, as it proved when it held opponents to less than 75 yards on the ground for five straight weeks last season. And it's getting better as players like linebacker Chris Claiborne and cornerback Terry Fair mature. "Every position has a lot more depth than it had last year," said Irvin, the former Michigan State star. "We're a lot bigger and a lot more athletic.

And there's a confidence you didn't see last year." As usual, injuries will play a big role. When training camp begins Thursday at Saginaw Valley State, a healthy team will solve a lot of problems. Thus far, the injury to Batch has been the only brush with disaster, especially when you consider that three former Lions quarterbacks Tobin Rote, Bill Munson and Karl Sweetan died during the off-season. Detroit has had more than its share of tragedies, including deaths (Chuck Hughes, Eric Andolsek) and the paralysis of players (Mike Utley and Reggie Brown). The franchise is due for a "The key isn't to get off to another fast start," said Lions ambassador and Hall of Fame cornerback Lem Barney.

"You have to be able to put a healthy team on the field for 12-14 weeks." After 12 games last season, the Lions were 8-4. They were also relying on smoke-and-mirrors. This time, 10-6 is possible if the team doctor isn't their MVP. What do you think? Write to Jack Ebling at 120 Lenawee Lansing, MI 48919. Past columns are online at lansingstatejournal.com v.

I St. Johns call up to Promotion to majors fulfills a dream for outfielder Wilcox By Geoff Kimmerfy Lansing State Journal Luke Wilcox stepped into his in-laws' East Lansing home Wednesday to make some last-second for a family barbecue. It was then that tVio fnrmor St. Johns baseball star received the call that all minor-leaguers hope for. And that little boys dream about.

When Wilcox answered his ringing cellular phone, on the other end of the line was Trey Hillman, Wilcox's manager on the Columbus Clippers, the New York Yankees' Triple-A farm team one step below the major leagues. "He said, They're calling you Wilcox said. They were the last words Wilcox expected to hear on his 1 Three homers send Nomo to early shower in Astros' 9-4 victory Associated Press DETROIT Compared to cozy Enron Field, spacious Co-merica Park seemed like the Grand Canyon to Houston right-hander Chris Holt. Holt won for the first time since June 3, and Craig Biggio singled, doubled and tripled as the Astros Inside Box score, roundup. Page 3C defeated the Detroit Tigers 9-4 Friday night.

Holt (4-10) allowed four runs on nine hits in 7 2-3 innings with five strikeouts and two walks. "I like this ballpark! It's very different from Enron," Holt said. "This is more like the Astrodome. You can groove some balls when you're behind in the count and not expect them to go out of the park. "Today I used mostly curve- OUANE BURLESONAssociated Press Way to go: Houston's Lance Berkman is congratulated in the dugout after his solo homer off Detroit's Hideo Nomo Friday night at Comerica Park.

4 2-3 innings. "To me, Houston knows his pitches; he must be tipping his pitches," Tigers manager Phil Garner said. "They've had some pretty good numbers off him in the past." Nomo has won just one of his last six decisions, and his ERA.