Press and Sun-Bulletin from Binghamton, New York • 5

t-. Section Hardaway leads Magic past Nets4C Siena coach now at Marquette5C Logjam atop Seniors' Tradition5C Press Sun-Bulletin Saturday, April 2, 1994 MEN'S FINAL FOUR PORTS cn on sit II OS car mm lima mi Albany 6, Rangers 2 Fredericton 6, Capte Breton 5 Cornwall 6, Hamilton 5 OT Adirondack 6, Providence 3 Hershey 5, Rochester 3 Moncton 6, Saint John 2 Springfield 4, Portland 2 P.E. Island 4, St. John's 4 Page 1C Semifinals start foursome's run into Charlotte's web 3 HE Tonight on TV Both games on CBS Arkansas vs. Arizona, 5:42 p.m.

Duke vs. Florida, about 8 p.m. N.Y. Rangers 3, Dallas 0 Washington 2, New Jersey 1 N.Y. Islanders 5, Montreal 2 Buffalo 5, Boston 0 Tampa Bay 4, St.

Louis 3 Winnipeg at Vancouver Page 4C to be as anunkrtMn team of destiny. So a twisting, basketball season has beget a Final Four By MIKE L0PRESTI Gannett News Service CHARLOTTE, N.C. They are here driven by different qualities, and different fires. Arkansas (29-3) has the depth. And the desire to take a program to a place it's never been.

Duke (27-5) has the tradition. And a chance to add to its historical booty. Arizona (29-5) has the hot hand. And the hunger to forever quiet its skeptics. Florida (29-7) has the every-thing-to-gain looseness of the underdog.

And the opportunity Duke mystique: "It's not a matter of which program is the best or who has the best tradition," coach Lon Krugcr said. "It's which is the best team on Saturday." In a hotbed of basketball, where scalpers' ticket prices are in the four figures, four teams must now sort it out. Arizona vs. Arkansas (5:42 today, CBS). There is no reason to expect a low score.

Arizona relentlessly attacks with the guard combination of Khalid Reeves and Damon Stoudamire. Arkansas attacks See FOURPage 5C there is a team for every taste. And a battle cry for every team. From the Arizona Wildcats, amid the annual cries of being too soft for prime time: "They're here for a purpose," coach Lute Olson said. From the Arkansas Razor-backs, All the President's Men, who have never before been in a championship game: "We came here to win the whole thing.

We will be disappointed if we don't win the whole thing," guard Scot-ty Thurman said. From Duke, aiming for its third championship in four years: BEE 6. Wi- 19 9 4 "We're not thinking about records," Grant Hill said Friday. "We're not thinking about what happened in the past or what could happen in the future. We're thinking about tomorrow night." And from Florida, now staring down the business end of the of charming variety.

As the season's last round begins today in Charlotte Coliseum with President Clinton in attendance Washington 99, Boston 95 Orlando 98, New Jersey 96 Portland 111, Philadelphia 100 Miami 101, Indiana 91 Chicago 102, Detroit 95 Charlotte 106, Dallas 104 Phoenix 93, Atlanta 87 Houston at LA Lakers Minnesota at Golden State Page 4C AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE Armed and dangerous Major leagues N.Y. Eats! Mainigeirs mi chanice Loss keeps Amerks' lead at 2 Minor league Binghamton Mets 2, San Antonio 2 Page6C For late scores, phone 798-9397 '1 X- inghamton Rangers watch )) I- Hanging In: The Albany River Rats (35-33-8) defeated the Binghamton Rangers 6-2 Friday, closing the season with five victories in six contests versus Binghamton. The Rangers (30-37-8) trail the Rochester Americans by two points for the fourth and final AHL Southern Division playoff spot. Both teams have five games 0 4 a career-high two assists, an unusual accomplishment for a ALBANY David Emma scored two third-period goals en route to his first hat trick of the season as the Albany River Rats dealt the Binghamton Rangers a crushing 6-2 defeat in an American Hockey League game. The Rangers (30-37-8) remain in the hunt for the fourth and final AHL Southern Division playoff spot thanks to the Hershey Bears' 5-3 win over the visiting Rochester Amerks.

The Bears clinched a playoff spot with the victory. The Rangers trail the Amerks by two points with both teams having five games remaining. The Amerks have the advantage, however, hold the advantage in the first two tiebreaker criteria, total wins and head-to-head record. Emma scored two goals in the final period, the first on a short-handed two-on-one break just 1:18 into the period, giving Albany (35-33-8) an insurmountable lead. Emma broke free with Scott Pel-lerin, who assisted on Emma's blast just inside the crossbar to goalie Corey Hirsch's left side.

Jim Hiller made the score 5-1 just over eight minutes later on the power-play, netting a rebound shot for his 25th goal of the season. But Emma squelched any chance for a Rangers' comeback with his third goal of the game, and 22nd of the season, 3:28 later. Albany goaltender Corey Schwab (25-30-3) stopped 29 of Binghamton's 3 1 shots and added i ivY Cards' lineman takes Giants' step EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Offensive lineman Lance Smith never a postseason performer in nine years with the Cardinals hopes things will change now that he's joining the New York Giants. History is on his side.

During Smith's time with the St. Louis and then Phoenix Cardinals, the Giants have been to the playoffs five times and won two Super Bowls. "That means he does not know how to spell the word Smith's agent, Peter Schaffer, said after his client and the Giants agreed to a three-year contract worth more than $4 million. He made $725,000 last year with the Cardinals. "He is a competitor and he has been dying to play for a winner," Schaffer said.

"That was a huge factor in his choosing the Giants. Then there was (offensive line coach) Pete Mangurian. Lance played for him in college (at LSU)." The Giants acquired Smith, 6-foot-3, 286 pounds, to fill the gap created when another free agent, right guard Bob Kratch, left to sign with the New England Patriots. The Giant also are close to re-signing right tackle Doug Riesenberg, his agent, Lee Steinberg, said. Riesenberg reportedly is seeking a four-year, $8 million contract.

if XV WW i goalie. Hirsch dropped to 2-3 in his five games since joining Binghamton after leading Canada to an Olympic silver medal at Lille-hammer, Norway. Hirsch went 35-4-5 and was the AHL Rookie of the Year for the Southern-Division champion 1993 Binghamton Rangers. Pellerin gave the River Rats a 1-0 lead 9:48 into the opening peri- od on a blast from atop the left circle. Emma increased the lead to 2-0 with 2:30 remaining when he scored his 20th goal of the season.

The Rangers will play two crucial games tonight and Sunday at Hershey Park Arena versus the Bears. i I VxZ- 1 Utl' yr i 17 7 1 NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Rangers' shuts out RICK SILVASPECIALTO PRESS SUN-BULLETIN New-acquired Binghamton Mets pitcher Robert Person shows his form Friday in an exhibition baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers' farm team at Port St. Lucie Fla. BINGHAMTON METS Pitcher traded to Mets, makes name for himself NEW YORK (AP) Goal-tender Mike Richter won his 38th game, breaking Ed Giacomin's 25-year-old club record for victories in a season, and the New York Rangers beat Dallas 3-0 Friday night. Richter's victory improved his Simla the man Don Shula is preferred over Jimmy Johnson as football coach for Press Sun-Bulletin readers responding to an unscientific poll.

The results of 1,003 respondents are: Shula: 807 or 80 percent Johnson: 196 or 20 percent personal record to 38-12-5 and also nudged the XX mangers into ursi piacc overall in the NHL 1 standings. Giacomin set Richter Dallas Devils lose, Page 4C. lost for the first time in four games. They were 1 -0-2 coming into Friday night's game. The Rangers went ahead on Leetch 's shot from the left point at 2:47 of the first.

Anderson scored on a rebound at 11:55 of the third period and Kovalev scored an empty-netter with 34 seconds left. Adam Graves, who assisted on Anderson's goal, was honored before the game for breaking Vic Hadfield's club record for goals in a season. Graves has 51. Coach Mike Keenan's imprint was unmistakably stamped on all five trades the New York Rangers made last week. General Manager Neil Smith said forwards Tony Amonte and Mike Gartner "had no nastiness to them," and the players he got, Craig MacTavish, Stephane Mat-teau and Brian Noonan "have nastiness." Didn't he already have enough nastiness, with Keenan there? "(Keenan) is running everything," traded forward Phil Bourque said.

"It's his show." The deals seem to back that up. Matteau and Noonan played for Keenan in Chicago and Keenan praised MacTavish two years ago for his performance in a playoff series against the Keenan-coached Blackhawks. He also the record of 37 in the 1968-69 '-A FACT season. High Desert. He thought his future was with the Marlins.

"I was a little surprised, because I thought I had a good chance with the Marlins to make it up there," said Person, who allowed two hits with no walks or strikeouts against the Braves. "I was about to leave early the other day, and they said, 'Stick because my name was on the trading list." Person describes himself as a power-pitching right-hander, who uses five pitches and isn't afraid to come inside. He is serious when he's on the mound, but enjoys having fun once he's in the dugout. He has tried to find the positive in moving from organization to organization. "The only difficulty is getting to fit in with their programs, and getting to know the guys," Person said.

"I just take bits and pieces of all the information I've been around. I just use it to my advantage. Everybody has a different way, and I just go with that." Mets sidebar, Page 5C. By CHERYL ROSENBERG Staff Writer PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.

Robert Person's new teammates were trying to come up with a nickname for him during warmup drills on Friday morning. Purse? Sounds too much like Pulse, which belongs to Binghamton Mets pitcher Bill Pulsipher. Pocketbook? Nope. People? "I think they're going to call me Rap," Person said. "For Robert Alan Person." After Person pitched five innings in Binghamton's 2-2 tie with the San Antonio Dodgers later in the day, Randy Niemann had another name for him.

"Outstanding. He has a live, loose arm," Niemann said. "He kept the ball down in the strike zone. It's important to be able to pitch inside aggressively, and he did that right away. He looks like he knows what he's doing." Masters' charm Winners of the Masters with fewest regular PGA career wins since 1969.

Tommy Aaron two Tour wins, one Masters Ian Woosnam two Tour wins, one Masters Bernhard Langer three Tour wins, two Masters Nick Faldo three Tour wins, two Msstors SOURCE: WORLD FEATURES SYNDICATE Person, who joined the Mets on Friday after being traded from the Marlins for '93 Binghamton pitcher Steve Long, is only 24. But he has been around long enough not to let pitching in a new situation affect him. He was drafted by Cleveland in '89 as a pitcheroutfielder after attending Seminole Junior College in Oklahoma. Then midway through the '91 season, he was traded to the White Sox. He was then taken by Florida in the '92 expansion draft.

Person figured he'd start this season at Double-A Portland, after going 12-10 with a 4.69 ERA last season for Single-A Mike Richter me Hangers improved to 103 points heading into tonight's showdown with the New Jersey Devils, who are No. 2 in the NHL with 101. Richter made 28 saves for his fifth shutout this season and ni nth of his career as he outdueled Dallas' Andy Moog. Brian Leetch scored a first-period power-play goal, and it was all the scoring the Rangers would need against the Stars, who were playing their second game in two days. Glenn Anderson and Alexei Kovalevscored third-period goals for the Rangers, who have won four of five.

The Stars, denied a chance to tie a franchise record with 40 wins, Questions or comments? You can call the sports department at 798-1191 (1-80O-365-0O77) from 3-1 1 p.m. Fax: 798-1113. Late scores: 798-9397. Charlie Jaworski is the executive sports editor. 4.