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Orlando Sentinel: PRODUCT: OS DESK: SPT DATE: 11-28-2003 EDITION: FLA ZONE: FLA PAGE: C3.0 DEADLINE: 22.39 OP: kkenney COMPOSETIME: 23.34 CMYK Orlando Sentinel FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2003 C3 THE SECOND SPORTS FRONT Gooden handling adversity Sorenstam adds spice to Skins Game event TonighfS Game I Scouting Report By BRIAN SCHMIH SENTINEL STAFF WRITER When he was 7 years old, he lived in a car for a few nights after his family was evicted from its apartment. Orlando Magic forward Drew Gooden remembers the red Chevrolet Nova. He wound up driving it to high school after his mother got back on her feet. "At times, we were homeless," Gooden said. 'We were like vagabonds." For Gooden, Thanksgiving was a day for practice and perspective.

He must have a gene that allows him to handle adversity. He has been subjected to more losing lately than any player or coach on the Magic, and that's saying something. In the past year, ning jumper with 1 .2 seconds left after forcing overtime with a three-point play. The Raptors have not scored more than 89 points in regulation this season. Chris Bosh, the Raptors' first-round pick, is averaging 10.4 points and shooting 51 percent.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Is this the night the Magic's streak ends? It might depend on who wins the battle of NBA cousins, T-Mac or Carter. BRIAN SCHMITZ RAPTORS ROSTER The LPGA star easily could outperform her male opponents in the annual golf event. By STEVE ELLING SENTINEL STAFF WRITER By this time of the week, when the effects of the sleep-inducing stuff called tryptophan from your Thanksgiving turkey should finally be wearing off, the last thing anybody wants to endure is another boring golf event. The Skins Game, Raptors at Magic, 8 WHERE: TD Waterhouse Centre. RECORDS: Magic 1-14; Raptors 7-7.

BROADCAST: TV Sunshine Network; Radio 580 AM (WDBO); Spanish language 1440 AM (WPRD). MAGIC UPDATE: The Magic are trying to end their consecutive loss streak at 14. They are three defeats from tying the club record set in the 1991-92 season. Donnell Harvey had his biggest game of the season against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, scoring 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting and grabbing six rebounds. Veteran Rod Strickland signed Tuesday and scored four points with three assists in 21 minutes Wednesday.

RAPTORS UPDATE: The Raptors are coming off an overtime victory Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks. Vince Carter, coming back strong after an injury-racked season, scored a season-high 43 points. He hit the game-win Player Pos Ht Wt From Yrs 42 MenqkeBateer 6-11 290 China 2 4 Chris Bosh 6-10 210 Georgia Tech 5 Michael Bradley 6-10 225 Villanova 2 9 Rick Brunson 6-4 190 Temple 6 15 Vince Carter G-F 6-6 225 UNC 5 12 Michael Curry F-G 6-5 210 Georgia So. 9 33 Antonio Davis C-F 6-9 230 Texas-El Paso 10 32 Chris Jefferies 6-8 215 Fresno State 1 6 Jerome Moiso 6-10 235 UCLA 3 00 Eric Montross 7-0 270 UNC 8 21 Lamond Murray 6-7 235 California 8 10 MiltPalacio 6-3 195 Colorado St. 4 24 Morris Peterson F-G 6-7 215 Michigan St.

3 20 Alvin Williams 6-5 185 Villanova 6 13 Jerome Williams F-C 6-9 206 Georgetown 7 Gooden has played on two NBA teams who have recorded losing streaks of 13 and 14 games. Tonight at 8, he hopes to help the Magic halt their 14-game skid against the Toronto Raptors at the TD Waterhouse Cen which for 20 years has ranked as a traditional Thanksgiving weekend staple for millions of sports viewers, has sometimes been as palatable as cranberry sauce which is definitely an acquired taste. So HEAD COACH: Kevin O'Neill (McGill). ASSISTANT COACHES: Tony Brown (Arkansas '82), Bob Beyer (Alfred '84), Jim Sann (Colorado '91), JayTriano (Simon Fraser '81), Ron Oliver (Michigan '99). GOODEN SORENSTAM MAGIC STATISTICS was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, led Europe to a victory in the Solheim Cup and won two majors to complete the career Grand Slam.

It even surpassed her 13-victory season of 2002 in terms of self-satisfaction. "I do think, if I look at memories, this is definitely the most memorable year I've had so far," Sorenstam said. "I mean, exciting as well a learning experience, just because of Colonial. It was satisfying in the sense that I won two majors that I hadn't won before to get the career Grand Slam. "It has been a great year.

It could not really have been any better. I didn't really know what to expect because after winning 13 times in 2002, 1 was a little worried it would be a letdown. But it's been definitely far from it." The Skins Game, which splits 18 holes of competition over two days beginning Saturday in La Quinta, also features defending champion Mark O'Meara of Windermere, Phil Mickelson and Skins career money leader Fred Couples. "It's great to have the best woman player in the world, and she's an unbelievable competitor," O'Meara said. "She has certainly proved herself in golf, and with what she accomplished at Colonial.

I think it's going to create more excitement and I hope she doesn't drive it by me in the meantime." Think he's kidding? O'Meara averaged 277.5 yards off the tee this year, only eight yards more than the fitness-fixated Sorenstam, who was the LPGA distance leader at 269.7. Of the four players, Sorenstam had by far the most successful season, although Couples broke through for his first victory in five years. Mickelson failed to record a victory and posted his worst season as a pro, then went a dismal 0-5 in his Presidents Cup matches last weekend. O'Meara finished 143rd on the money list and said a Sorenstam victory wouldn't be a huge upset. "The way I played this year, she's got a very good shot at that," O'Meara said.

"I mean, she's a helluva player. Not just me, she can beat Phil or Fred, so I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. I'd shake her hand like I would anybody else and congratulate her later." It would be an apt salute. Given the year she's had in terms of breaking down barriers and winning fans, being treated like any other winning golfer would be the sweetest victory of all. Steve Elling can be reached at sellingorlandosentinel.com.

player min Ig-lga pel. 3lg-lga 11-fla pel. asl sll to blk rpg ppg McGrady 14 38.4 124-285 .435 27-76 66-79 .835 79 13 42 11 5.5 24.4 Howard 15 33.5 80-199 .402 0-1 48-63 .762 28 6 28 2 7.1 13.9 Lue 15 34.8 70-163 .429 19-48 39-50 .780 60 10 26 2 2.9 13.2 Giricek 7 29.3 30-71 .423 6-18 11-16 .687 12 4 13 1 2.9 11.0 Gooden 15 33.1 63-163 .387 0-3 39-58 .672 20 13 25 20 7.3 11.0 Hunter 14 20.0 35-65 .538 0-0 9-20 .450 3 1 14 25 3.9 5.6 Williams 9 20.2 15-48 .312 9-29 8-9 .889 14 11 8 0 1.7 5.2 Bogans 10 20.4 21-63 .333 1-17 6-18 .333 6 7 13 4 4.9 4.9 Harvey 14 15.6 26-57 .456 0-2 12-21 .571 4 6 13 5 3.5 4.6 Strickland 1 21.0 2-4 .500 CM 0-2 .000 3 1 1 0 3.0 4.0 DeClercg 13 12.5 18-40 .450 Ml 6-8 .750 6 7 10 3 2.9 3.2 Johnsen 4 14.5 3-11 .273 4-4 1.000 4 3 3 1 1.0 2.8 Pachulia 7 9.6 7-26 .269 0-0 3-4 .750 3 4 1 2 2.6 2.4 Diaj 4 7.3 3-8 .375 14 2-2 1.000 0 3 0 0 0.8 2.3 Garrity 2 11.0 1-3 .333 Ml 0-0 na 1 0 0 0 0.0 1.0 Gaines 13 9.2 3-22 .136 0-3 3-4 .750 14 3 7 2 0.9 0.7 Team 15 241.7 501-1228 .408 64-205 256-358 .715 257 92 214 78 40.1 88.1 Opponents 15 241.7 535-1210 .442 76-208 309-393 .786 325 1 21 212 90 44.8 97.0 tre. If they don't get a victory, it would be the first time the Magic have gone an entire month without a win since the 1991-92 team whiffed in December, going 0-15. And Gooden thought he already had navigated through rough NBA waters.

He started the season last year with the Memphis Grizzlies, who kicked off the season by losing their first 13 games. The Grizzlies stopped their losing ways with a victory over the Washington Wizards on Nov. 23, 2002. "Our first win was like we won a championship. Guys hugging and crying.

popping champagne," Gooden said, tongue firmly planted in cheek. 'Well, there was no champagne, but we wanted to have some." He can see some parallels to droughts in Memphis and in Orlando. Both teams lost their head coaches the Grizzlies fired Sidney Lowe and the Magic fired Doc Rivers during a West Coast trip. There were a few close losses on a tough early schedule for both the Grizzlies and Magic. Gooden was playing out of position under Hubie Brown and considered expendable by the Grizzlies, who traded him to Orlando in February.

He recently lost his starting job at power forward and is coming off the Magic's bench. "Nothing's ever handed to you," said Gooden, who could be speaking about the league as well as his life. Gooden knows hard times, and these aren't it. He wears No. 0 to remind him that "I came from nothing." when the event organizers learned that Tiger Woods wouldn't be available until next year, a worthy heir was soon found.

Make that heiress. "What makes for the best television?" said Chuck Gerber, the event director. "Off this year's Colonial, the answer was Annika." No question, Annika Sorenstam proved that she had the game and poise to compete with the boys when she played at the PGA Tour's Colonial tour stop in May, winning over a legion of new fans. Moreover, two weeks ago, she was invited to play in an international skins event in Singapore, called the Tiger Skins, and finished second to fellow Lake Nona resident Retief Goosen. "Can she win skins? Yes," Gerber said.

"Can she win the entire day? Yes. It may be the only format nothing against her talent or her ability where she plays men where she can actually, in fact, win." Sorenstam is the first woman invited to play in the Skins Game, which usually ranks among the year's top golf events in viewer ratings. She figures to give the folks in TV land something to watch: in Singapore, she recorded seven birdies and an eagle more than her male competitors. This weekend marks the latest whistle stop in a season that at times has defied belief. After Colonial, where she became the first woman to play on the men's tour since sports legend Babe Didriksen, Sorenstam set an LPGA tournament scoring record, landed a good job.

He drove that car he used to sleep in to high school. Basketball eventually provided him with all the things he never had. He bought his parents each a house. A few days ago Gooden started an annual Thanksgiving benefit to inspire people who might be as down on their luck as he once was. "Everything that's happened to me has made me stronger," Gooden said.

"The odds have always been against me, but I'll rise to the top. "I talked to my mom about what's going on now and she said, 'If you're digging yourself in a hole, quit digging. Put down the Brian Schm'rtz can be reached at bschmitzorlandosentinel.com. His parents Andrew Gooden and Ulla Lear divorced when he was about to start school. Drew went to live with his father, a former pro basketball player in Finland, but they had to scrape to get by.

His Dad worked as a painter and a janitor in the Oakland area, and they bounced around the projects. "It was tough. We were living day by day. We were broke," Drew said. Evicted from an apartment, Gooden remembers spending nights sleeping in a car, among other things.

"I was sitting in the backseat all crunched up," he said. "My first pair of Air Jordans came from some other kid. I never had toys or in-style clothes. By the time I'd get clothes, they'd be out of style." Gooden's life finally improved when he moved back with his mother, who THE MORNING BUZZ Singh, Perry share lead in South Africa Marshall stadium gets new name Marshall University's football stadium will become Joan C. Edwards Stadium at a halftime ceremony today during the Thundering Herd's game against Ohio.

The field is already named in honor of Edwards' late husband, James. Joan Edwards has donated millions of dollars to Marshall, including a gift to finance Marshall's entrance into Conference USA. Marshall President Dan Angel said the stadium would be the only one in Division l-A to be named for a woman. SvA At Sun City, South Africa, Vijay Singh and Kenny Perry each shot 7-under-par 65 Thursday to share the first-round lead at the Nedbank Golf Challenge, which Ernie Els has won three of the past four years. Els had a 72 and shared 17th place in the 18-player field.

The South African failed to break par for the first time in 29 rounds at the event. Four players trailed the leaders by a stroke: Orlando resident Chris DiMarco, Adam Scott, Robert Allenby and Darren Clarke. Stuart Appleby of Orlando and Jerry Kelly were at 67. DiMarco was hurt by a double bogey on the par-4 eighth but birdied eight of the remaining 10 holes at the Gary Player Country Club course. "I was very unhappy walking to that ninth tee, I can promise you," DiMarco said.

MORE GOLF: At Kaimon, Japan, Sophie Gustafson became the first woman to play on the Japan Golf Tour, shooting a 2-over-par 74 in the first round of the Casio World Open. SOCCER: Beckham meets the queen Royalty met royalty Thursday when David Beckham, the king of English sports icons, went to Buckingham Palace to collect an award from Queen Elizabeth II. Beckham said the queen told him the occasion was also an "honor" for her. The England soccer captain and his pop star wife, "Posh Spice" Victoria, are the most famous couple in Britain. Their mansion outside London is known as "Beckingham Palace." Beckham received his OBE Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to the game.

MORE SOCCER: U.S. striker Clint Mathis will try out with the Scottish power Rangers, one of several clubs interested in him since the free agent left the New York-New Jersey MetroStars. He has been training with Leicester of the English Premier League. Mathis left the GARY BASSINGORLANDO MAGIC Magic moment. Orlando guard Tyronn Lue hangs with young fans at a Coalition for the Homeless event.

ON THIS DATE 1 929: Chicago's Ernie Nevers rushes for 6 touchdowns and kicks 4 PATs to score all the points, an NFL record, as the Cardinals rout the Chicago Bears 40-6. 1 992: Bobby Bowden becomes the 1 st major-college coach to win 10 games in 6 straight seasons as Florida State beats Florida 45-24 to finish the regular season 1 0-1 QUOTE OF THE DAY "I told them, "You're not going to be undefeated that's I didn't expect them to be undefeated." UConn Coach Jim Calhoun after his top-ranked Huskies were upset 77-61 by Georgia Tech Olympics. But Rogge said the IOC would be willing to impose even stricter security if necessary. SKATING: Russians lead at NHK Trophy At Asahikawa, Japan, former world champions Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov of Russia led the pairs at the NHK Trophy. Dorota Za-gorska and Mariusz Siudek of Poland were second and Rena Inoue and John Baldwin Jr.

of the United States were third. The event concludes with today's free program. The NHK Trophy will determine the final places for the International Skating Union's Grand Prix Series final Dec. 12-14 in Colorado Springs, Colo. The women's and men's programs begin today.

From Wire Reports Metrostars this month, wanting to explore opportunities in Europe. OLYMPICS: Security the 'No. 1 priority' IOC President Jacques Rogge says the bombings in neighboring Turkey could prompt even tougher security measures for the Athens Olympics. "There is a danger of terrorism and that danger is not limited to a certain number of countries," Rogge said. "It can happen in Greece as it could happen in any other country that I could name." Security concerns in Athens have heightened since the recent attacks in Turkey left 55 people dead.

"Security is the No. 1 priority," Rogge said during a news conference at the headquarters of the Athens organizers. Organizers have said they do not want Athens to resemble an armed camp during the Aug. 13-29 THE LAST WORD: The Detroit Lions always play like champs on Thanksgiving and turkeys the rest of the season..