The Times Herald from Port Huron, Michigan • Page 9

TIMES HERALD PIDAY, FEB. 16, 1990 SECTION Hoop Advisory: INSIDE: PRO BASKETBALL: Warriors set home record2B BASEBALL: Spring training lockout2B COLLEGE BASKETBALL: National scores3B COLLEGE BASKETBALL: California stuns UCLA3B Thursday's ice storm forced cancellation of Port 'Huron Northern's meeting with East Detroit and Port Huron High's tilt with Grosse Pointe South. Information on other possible cancellations was not available at press time. (UMlfflj KlfoDfl1)Slfii gptefi Eli1 1 pterin MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Few S7 BIG TEN STANDINGS rs. krl 1V.

4 1- BRIAN MARSHALL the ball was just falling," Robinson said. "Sometimes in big games like this, the feeling comes that you have to pick up the pace." Robinson tied his career high of 29 points on Sunday against Illinois. His 33 points also was a Michigan high for this season, topping the 32 scored by Sean Higgins against Duke. "Tonight was his night," said Minnesota coach Clem Haskins. "He's one of the best players in the conference, if not the best.

He did it all." The Wolverines (19-4 overall, 9-3 in the Big Ten) continued their hot shooting. They made 54.1 percent against Indiana two games ago and 53.6 percent against Illinois on Sunday before the 64.6 percent showing against Minnesota. Terry Mills added 24 points on ll-for-15 shooting. Robinson and Mills combined Please see MICHIGAN, Page 3, this section Confer no Overall I Pvt. Pet.

I Mt I .800 I .826 .782 I .727 .714 PurdiM Michigan St Michigan Illinois Minnesota Indiana Ohio Stat Iowa Wisconsin 17 4 .750 20 .750 19 4 18 .583 16 6 .455 15 6 .600 12 10 .250 11 11 .230 12 13 .083 8 14 .545 .500 .480 .383 Monday's Remulte Michigan Stat 80, Iowa 70 Wednesday's Results Illinois 86, Northwestern 76 Thursday's Results Michigan 77, Minnesota 73 Ohio Stat 66, Wisconsin 56 throw. "We were trying to keep the crowd out of it," Robinson said. They did, as the Wolverines never trailed and made 31 of their 48 field goal attempts, including 13 of 18 by Robinson, who hit three of four 3-pointers. "Tonight I just felt good, and The Associated Pros Michigan's Chris Seter (34) surrounded by Minnesota's Walter Bond (40) and two other Gophers during Thursday night's game in Minneapolis. Big Ten teams like playing on the road, especially at Minnesota Williams Arena.

But the aura of the 63-year-old building didn't bother Rumeal Robinson or the rest of the fifth-ranked Michigan Wolverines, who quieted a roaring sellout crowd by beating the 17th-ranked Gophers 77-73. Minnesota had won 14 straight home games and 26 of their last 27. But Robinson said the Gophers' success just gave the Wolverines more incentive. "When they don't lose, that brings out the best in you," said Robinson, who scored a career-high 33 points. "The crowd brings the best out of you.

You want to show your best. You want people to remember you." Robinson even had a little fun with some of the 16,691 fans, who booed him most of the game once putting his finger to his lips to quiet them after making a free i ili A TODAY IN SPORTS Wilson hopes to stay healthy, in Mets' plans Tom Wilson is a professional baseball player, but somehow the current spring training lockout isn't weighing too heavily on his mind. See, Wilson is 19-years-old and will pitch somewhere in the lower rungs of the New York Mets' farm system this summer. It's only his second season of pro ball and the training camp lockout of major league players by club owners won't affect him. Especially in the wallet.

"I don't have any money to worry about," said Wilson, who was sent a standard Class A minor league contract and has no say about the salary he will receive. "Hopefully someday I will." While the average salary of major league ballplayers is right around the $500,000 mark, thousands of minor leaguers such as Wilson will toil not only in obscurity, but near poverty. But you won't hear Wilson, a former Port Huron High standout, singing the blues. Tom "I don't Wilson consider it a job because I'm having fun," said Wilson, who reports to spring training March 19. "We go from about 8 (a.m.)-4 (p.m.), but it's better than having a job." Wilson's career didn't exactly get off to the rousing start he had hoped for.

In fact, it couldn't have begun worse. Barely after getting his feet wet in his new world, Wilson was felled by appendicitis, jvhich required surgery. Wilson returned home to Port Huron for a couple of months of agonizing rest and inactivity. While his rookie mates were trying to learn the intricacies of the slider and surviving in the Florida heat, Wilson was trying to regain the 25 pounds he lost from the illness. While Wilson sat home, he watched his friend and fellow pitcher Mickey Weston, a Marysville resident, earn a call from the Baltimore Orioles.

"It was weird seeing him on TV," Wilson said. "He looked good." Like Wilson, Weston's season was cut short. After picking up a win and a save for the Orioles, Weston's arm gave out in a nationally televised game, finishing his season. Wilson, meanwhile, improved enough to pitch the final two months of the season for the Mets' rookie league team in Sarasota, Fla. Wilson, a right-hander, said he compiled a 2-3 record in five starts, with an 1.45 ERA.

Wilson finished the season Sept. 1 nnH hne hopn unrkina nut since. a A steady regimen of swimming, i liftine weiehts. runnins stairs and I throwing has Wilson convinced his health couldn't be better. I "This year is going to be i different," Wilson promised.

"I've got my strength back and I feel I good. I have no doubts about me being healthy. I just want to give 100 percent, stay consistent and stay healthy." I Wilson's contract has him going Jo Columbia, S.C., the Mets' advanced Class A team. That's hot etched in cement, however, and Wilson has a hunch he could wind up in Pittsfield, a slightly lower-level Class A team. I "I hope I can finish (the season) in Columbia," Wilson said.

"The pitching coach thought I could make Columbia. They're looking to give me a challenge." One challenge Wilson can definitely do without is suffering through any kind of physical difficulty. Brian Marshall la a Times Herald sportswrlter. yrm IfiMirClfi) "SO MDITD By SCOTT ALBERT Times Herald It didn't take long for St. Clair hockey Coach Norm Koehn to feel the magnitude of his team's 2-1 upset win against Marysville Thursday.

"This is St. Clair's first victory over Marysville in hockey ever," Koehn said. "This is our biggest win of the year." Marty Rancilio's second goal of the game with 6:47 left in the third period broke a 1-1 tie and gave St. Clair the victory at McMorran Arena. Rancilio knocked in a rebound past Vikings' goalie Jon Brown after Brad Pickelhaupt was stopped cold on a breakaway.

Koehn, obviously a boxing fan, used some sweet science motivation to help the Saints. "Tonight's game was dedicated to Buster Douglas," Koehn said. "Buster Douglas finished his job this week and we wanted to finish our job. It's easy to start a job but it's tough to finish it. It was work ethic building those cabinets and putting the varnish on it." St.

Clair, 10-8, held off Marysville in final six minutes. Saints' goalie Dave DeMeulenaere made a couple of acrobatic saves. Marysville outshot St. Clair 17-13 in the game. "We ran into a hot goaltender," Marysville Coach Ron Home said.

"We had so many chances. In the second and third period, we carried the play, but just didn't get the goal." Rancilio's unassisted goal 55 seconds into the game gave St. Clair a 1-0 lead. Eric Raymo tied the game for Marysville with 9:25 to go in the second period on assists from Pete Woods and Dennis Bedford. Raymo's shot from the right fac-eoff circle sailed over DeM-uelenaere's left shoulder.

Then it was Rancilio's turn again with his third-perid game-winner. Gordon said he would watch the fight again today with the commission's medical expert, Dr. Barry Jordan, and that no ruling has yet been made. While Tyson hasn't responded to an offer to return to the Catskill gym where he began his career, a ban by the commission would likely prevent his return to former trainer Kevin Rooney's camp until at least May 13. Even if a fighter is knocked out outside the ring, he can't fight for 90 days, Gordon said.

That, Gordon said, is the "Mike Tyson Rule" an expansion of the regulations created after Tyson was knocked out in an automobile accident in Catskill in September 1988. Port Huron Northern's Alpha Wetzel (left) stick-handles past a fallen Randy Shagena of Port Huron during Thursday night's game at McMorran Arena. LMcCaflral mot impressed wKh victory 1 favorite in the Huskie play book. With a Huskie stationed behind the Big Reds' goalie next to the post, another Huskie will feed the puck to the open man for the goal. "We didn't do a good job with their post hanging," Port Huron High Coach Dave Heino said.

"We expected it and I told our kids to look our for it, and then the first goal they got in the third period was from post hanging." What I look at is the four goals against. Defensively, we didn't play well. Rebounds were killing us." Daryel McCarrel PH Northern Coach By SCOTT ALBERT Times Herald Port Huron Northern hockey Coach Daryel McCarrel could only find half a reason to smile. McCarrel had just watched his Huskies beat Port Huron High 8-4 Thursday night at McMorran Arena. He was happy with the win, but livid about the performance.

"As far as a coach, I don't care about the eight goals," McCarrel said. "What I look at is the four goals against. Defensively, we didn't play real well. Rebounds were killing us." Once the Huskies carried the puck into the Big Reds' zone, however, McCarrel lightened up a bit. Northern controlled the play x.

Times Hereld DOROTHY NEATON Sophomore Steve Hill scored two goals to lead 14-3-2 Northern, which is ranked No. 9 in Class A. Ryan Porte, Bill Warren, Jeff Redfield, Jayson Kellerman, Craig Johnson and Chip Plummer each added one goal each. The Big Reds, which lost 8-fl to Northern earlier in the season, led 1-0 on a goal 18 seconds into the game by Ted Timmerman. Tim-merman took the pass from Andy McNeil for the score.

But, Northern quickly shot down any thoughts of an upset. Goals seven seconds apart from Porte and Warren midway through the period gave Northern a 2-1 advantage. Hill and Shagena Please see HUSKIES, Page 2, this section likely that Mike Tyson or any fighter would be suspended automatically for 90 days," Gordon said. "Under the rules, Mike Tyson could still come back to the state to run, climb the mountains up north, jump rope, shadow box whatever. But he couldn't take and receive punches," he said.

Any New York gym allowing Tyson to fight or spar before the 90 days had passed could be fined. A gym violating the rule twice could lose its operating license, Gordon said. This is not an unusual practice. Many other states have similar restrictions on boxers who have been knocked out. Tyson's return to ring put on hold Lions' Sanders honored as league's best rookie in Port Huron's end and parlayed several passes into goals past Big Reds' goalie Gary HUlger.

"Triangle-plane hockey with the high slot and far goal post is a gold mine," McCarrel said. "If you use that, you're obviously going to score eight times. It's what happened at the other end that I didn't like." Six of Northern's eight goals came from the far-post play, a Phoenix and Steve Wisniewski of the Los Angeles Raiders; and tackles Andy Heck of Seattle and Kevin Maverdink of New Orleans. The defensive team includes linemen Burt Grossman of San Diego, Trace Armstrong of Chicago, Tracy Rocker of Washington and Bill Hawkins of the Los Angeles Rams; linebackers Derrick Thomas of Kansas City, Jeff Lageman of the New York Jets, Eric Hill of Phoenix and Jerry Olsavsky of Pittsburgh; corn-erbacks Robert Massey of New Orleans and Deion Sanders of Atlanta; and safeties Steve Atwater of Denver and Carnell Lake of Pittsburgh. Chris Jacke of Green Bay is the kicker and Chris Mohr of Tampa Bay is the punter.

ALBANY N.Y. (AP) The state athletic commissioner says Mike Tyson may have to wait until May if he wants to return to his roots in Catskill, or at least if he wants to do any boxing while he's there. Tyson was knocked out by James "Buster" Douglas in the 10th round of their fight in Tokyo Saturday. Because of that, Tyson could be barred from fighting or sparring anywhere in New York for up to 90 days, athletic commissioner Randy Gordon said in an interview published in today's Albany Times Union. "I don't know what we'll do.

All I'm saying is that if the fight had been in New York, it's NEW YORK (AP) Detroit's Barry Sanders, the NFL's second-leading rusher last season, was named rookie of the year on Thursday by the Pro Football Writers of America. Sanders, the 1988 Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma State, rushed for 1,470 yards in his rookie season, 10 behind league leader Christian Okoye of Kansas City. Joining Sanders on the writers' all-rookie team were quarterback Troy Aikman of Dallas; running back Bobby Humphrey of Denver; tight end Travis McNeal of Seattle, wide receivers Andre Rison of Indianapolis and Shawn Collins of Atlanta; center Courtney Hall of San Diego; guards Joe Wolf of.