Wausau Daily Herald from Wausau, Wisconsin • 11

Friday March 17, 1989 Wausau Daily Herald mm Section 2C Scoreboard 3C Classified 4C Crossword 31 Id .1 3 State -6 '7 Daily Herald Sports Editor Jay Lillge is spending two weeks in Chandler, covering the Milwaukee Brewers' spring training for the Daily Herald and Gannett News Service. Here is one of Lillge's reports. Li Brewers infielder Bates looks for a roster opening By Jay Lillge Wausau Daily Herald CHANDLER, Ariz. Billy Bates doesn't like the job of Dogcatcher but isn't ready to go on the unemployment line. The Milwaukee Brewers second base man is in his third spring training of trying to surpass Jim "Dog" Gantner for the starter role.

Not an easy task when you consider the Brewers are paying Gantner over $900,000 per year. "When you've got a guy like Gantner in front of you who's been there for awhile, you've just got to wait your turn, pay your dues," Bates said. Even though he's 10 years older than Bates at 35, Gantner has hit over .270 the last three seasons. "As long as Gantner goes out and continues to have his steady years, he's going to be here," Bates said. "All I can do is go out and bust my butt every day." After two seasons of Class AAA ball at Denver, Bates saw the handwriting on the wall.

"I asked to be traded this last off-season but (farm director) Bruce Manno turned me down," Bates revealed. "I felt like they didn't have plans for me. They rejected my request. He didn't feel like they could get anybody for me." Bates hit .298 in Class .295 in AA and .316 in Denver in 1987 but tailed off to .258 a year ago. He's averaged 30 stolen bases in those four years.

"I'm an aggressive player part of my game is running," Bates said. "I feel like I could give Milwaukee a little bit more speed than what they have now. I can steal 40 to 50 bags a year. It's just a matter of getting that shot." If the shot comes, it may not be in Milwaukee. "There's 25 other teams," he said.

"Hopefully, if I don't make it with Milwaukee some other team will pick me up and I can make it with them." if I Rob OrcutlWausau Daily Herald Looking for a deal: Milwaukee Brewers infielder Billy Bates (above) has been toiling in the Minor Leagues at AAA Denver the past two seasons, but the 25-year-old is trying to find a spot in the Major Leagues even if it means being traded away from Milwaukee. I "3 WJU-y UIIMIUJI II .1. .11.1... .,11,1 ,1 Badgers will host 2nd round NIT game MADISON (AP) The University of Wisconsin will face St. Louis in the second round Monday of the National Invitation Tournament, it was announced late Thursday.

The game will be played at the UW Field House at Madison, where the Badgers (18-11) beat New Orleans, 63-61, in their first round game Thursday. St. Louis is 24-9 after defeating Southern Illinois 87-54 in a first-round game Wednesday. NCHA senior team in hockey tournament WAUPUN A team of all-stars from the North Central Hockey Conference will take part in the Wisconsin Senior Class Tournament today through Sunday at the Waupun Community Center. Six teams from around Wisconsin will compete in the tournament.

Team members for the NCHA team include: Matt Buss and Bryan Gruber of Stevens Point, Dan Cole and Jason Kaarto of D.C. Everest, Crist Cook, Ron Fisher and Steve Weiland of Wausau East, Jim Hannes, Chad Zowin, Jeff Poole and Scott Halverson of Wausau West, John Mule, Mike Sanborn, Jim Bradford, Kevin Ludwig and Scott Gelling of Northland Pines and Bart Unertl of Mosinee. Local Everest girls roll in first track meet SCHOFIELD The D.C. Everest girls track team rolled to an easy win in its first indoor meet of the season Thursday night. The Evergreens grabbed 10 firsts en route to 106 points, easily topping runnerup Marathon's 44.

Stevens Point Pacelli was third with 41, followed by Antigo (22). Earning firsts for Everest were Michele Jagler (shot put), Gena Ready (triple jump), Denise Owen (40-yard dash), Beth Glinski (mile), Lisa Majerle (440-dash), Stacy Hau-boldt (880-run) and Cindy Majerle (220-dash). Everest also had three winning relay teams. The 8-lap team of Kim Theel, Renea Arnoldy, Owen and Cindy Majerle won their even in 2:26.84. The same four won the 4-lap relay in 1:07.42.

Lisa Majerle, Shelly Brown, Hauboldt and Rhonda Falkowski teamed to win the 12-lap relay in 4:01.45. Marathon had firsts from Jennifer Oelke (high jump) and Jodi Handrick (50-high hurdles). Wausau East girls win track opener The Wausau East High School girls track team captured its first meet of the season, winning a triangular with Wausau West and Marshfield with 54 points. The Warriors edged Marshfield for second, 46-45. Winning firsts for the Lumberjacks were Sara Viergutz in the shot put (29-feet-3), Jackie Brookhyser in the intermediate hurdles (:9.25), Brenda Patefield in the high jump (5-feet) and Renee Roemke in the 440-dash The 8-lap relay team of Dee Dee Imhoff, Jenny Starkey, Liz Bodemer and Jenny Thomas also came away winners, as did the mile relay of Anne Marie Brady, Roemke, Sarah Johnson and Thomas.

Three women top 600 in bowling action Three women topped the 600 mark in Wausau area bowling action Thursday night. Betty Lang nailed a 610 at Tanglewood Lanes while Marie Exon rolled a 602 at Day's Bowl-A-Dome and Kathy Nowacki a 603 at Brunswick Mountain Lanes. Lang, bowling in the 800 League, had single games of 190, 229 and 191. Exon had games of 222, 205 and 175 in the Thursday Night Ladies Handicap and Nowacki hit her first-ever 600 on games of 205, 198 and 199 in the Thursday Night Handicap League. Schedule Sports on TV Today 11 a.m.

College Basketball, NCAA Tournament, First Round Coverage, ESPN. 1:30 p.m. College Basketball, NCAA Tournament, First Round Coverage, ESPN. 2 p.m. High School Boys Basketball, WIAA State Tournament, Class Semifinals, WAOW-TV 9.

3:30 p.m. College Basketball NCAA Tournament, First Round Coverage, ESPN. 6 p.m. College Basketball, NCAA Tournament, First Round Coverage, ESPN. 7 p.m.

High School Boys Basketball, WIAA State Tournament, Class A Semifinals, WAOW-TV 9. 8:30 p.m. College Basketball, NCAA Tournament, First Round Coverage, ESPN. 10:30 p.m. College Basketball, NCAA Tournament, First Round Coverage, CBS.

11 p.m. College Basketball, NCAA Tournament, First Round Coverage, ESPN. Trivia College Basketball Question: How many times in his career has Danny Jones of the Wisconsin Badgers grabbed 10 or more rebounds in a single game? (For answer, see Odds Ends in Scoreboard). Buck's sink Flori If not, it's back to Denver. "It's kind of frustrating to keep going back to the same place year after year," Bates admitted.

"But, baseball is a funny game. You never know what's going to happen. Somebody may get hurt and I may be there or else some other team may make a trade and I may be a player in it. "All I can do right now is worry about myself and go out and play the game the way I do every day, giving 100 percent." Easier said than done when you're stuck in a no-win situation? "I don't think so," Bates said. "It's the only way I've ever played this game.

I feel like that's the way the game's supposed to be played. You're out there for 2 or 3 hours and during that time you should be giving it everything you've got. When I feel like I'm not, I won't be in the game anymore." A two-time Ail-American at the University of Texas, Bates' hustle helped him to an organization-high 12 triples at Denver last year. He's been somewhat hurt by the fact the Brewers haven't been looking at him as a versatile utility player. "Last year, I came in and took ground balls everywhere and third," Bates recalled.

"I felt like if I was going to make the team it was as a utility guy. "But (Brewers manager Tom Trebel-horn) Treb told me they didn't want to put me in that role. He didn't think I could help the team as much as I would playing every day at Denver." Bates admits it would be tough to sit the bench. "I get real antsy when I'm not playing," he said. "I feel like I play better when I'm in there every day.

I get in the groove. There's nothing better than seeing ground balls coming at you off the bat every day." Now if he could only do it somewhere besides Denver, Billy Bates would be a happy young man. Sacramento to a 10-for-17 showing and 23 points Thursday said the Rockets have to continue to shoot well. "A lot of teams try to force us to shoot outside because of the double threat inside," Woodson said. "We know we have to shoot well from the oustide to loosen things up." Woodson certainly did create openings for both Olajuwon and Otis Thorpe who contributed 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for the first triple-double of his career.

Terry Cummings and Paul Pressey had 21 points each for the Bucks and Larry Krystkowiak had 17 and Ricky Pierce scored 16. Cummings credited Houston for their versatile game. "They always play well inside," Cummings said. "Tonight the key was their outside game. They'd be an awesome team if they had both more consistently." Harris put it more succinctly saying, "We were dominated tonight." 8F01CS NCAA roundup in me nrsi nan ana ti-zi wiui remain ing in the game.

Minnesota 86, Kansas St. 75 Willie Burton scored 18 of his 29 points in the first half and Minnesota took a 28-14 lead in the first 11 minutes. The Golden Gophers, 18-11, held on in the second half as Kansas State, 19-11, used a full-court press for a 14-4 run, closing within 67-62 with 4:39 left. Minnesota then appeared to turn the ball over on the inbounds pass, but the officials awarded it to the Golden Gophers. Mevin Newburn made a 3-pointer with 3:50 left, Minnesota's first basket in 4:38, and two free throws 20 seconds later, giving the Golden Gophers a 72-62 lead.

SOUTHEAST REGIONAL (4) Oklahoma 72, E. Tennessee St. 71 Mookie Blaylock made a baseline drive with 1:21 remaining for the Sooners, who trailed by 17 points in the first half. Blay-lock's shot gave Oklahoma, 29-5, only its second lead of the game. East Tennessee, 20-11, which shot only 30 percent in the second half, scored only three points in the final 5 04.

Stacey King scored 28 points for the Sooners, Blaylock 15. Louisiana Tech 83, La Salle 74 Randy White scored eight of his 22 points in the final six minutes as Louisiana Tech held off a late rally. The Bulldogs led by as many as 13 points and were ahead 63-53 with 8:29 remaining. La Salle then scored seven straight points on inside baskets by Don Shelton and Jack Hurd and Bob Johnson's 3-pointer with 5:50 left. Virginia 100, Providence 97 Richard Morgan scored 33 points, including four free throws in the final 1:36.

Providence, which won its first 13 games, ended the season 18-11, losing seven of its final eight. The Friars led 95-94 after Matt Palazzi's 3-pointer with 1:52 remaining. Morgan made two free throws 16 seconds later to give Virginia the lead for good and Brent Dabbs made two free throws with 1 05 left for a 98-95 advantage. Please turn to NCAA2B fr da State A photo Trapped: Walter Berry (6) of the Houston Rockets gets caught between Milwaukee Bucks defenders Jay Humphries (left) and Paul Pressey (right) during their NBA game in Houston Thursday night. The pressure was shortlived, though, as the Rockets ran away with a 120-104 victory.

Balanced Rockets hammer Milwaukee The Associated Press Mike Buck knew it doesn't get much better than this. He wasn't just good, he was perfect. Jumper swish. Free throw swish. Every time he took a shot swish, swish, swish.

And when it was all over, Middle Tennessee State scored the final 21 points of the game yes, 21 consecutive points to end the game and beat 13th-ranked Florida State 97-83 in the NCAA tournament's Southeast Regional. "After the first couple of threes, I just kept shooting," Buck said. "We needed somebody to do something. They didn't know who I was. Now, I'm not sure I'm used to all this attention." Buck was 7-for-7 from the field, including 6-for-6 on was 6-for-6 from the free-throw line.

He scored 15 consecutive points during the 21-0 run. Florida State, which led 67-50 five minutes into the second half and 83-76 with 5:05 to go, was blown away. For the Blue Raiders, 23-7, it was their biggest victory since they upset Kentucky in the 1982 tournament. EAST REGIONAL (9) Duke 90, S. Carolina St.

69 Phil Henderson scored a career-high 22 points and Danny Ferry added 18 as the Blue Devils dominated inside and won their sixth consecutive first-round game. Duke opened a 35-22 lead in the first 15 minutes and led 49-34 by halftime, scoring 12 of 20 first-half baskets on layups or dunks. The Blue Devils scored 10 consecutive points for a 35-22 lead with 5:16 left in the first half, extended their advantage to 41-25 and led by 15 points at the half. Arthur Caldwell scored 20 points for South Carolina State. Siena 80, (13) Stanford 78 Marc Brown made two free throws with three seconds left as Siena, which blew a 16-point lead, became the fifth 14th seed to win a first-round game since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

Brown twice missed the front end of one-and-ones in the final minute that might have have clinched the game and then sank the game winners. (17) West Virginia 84, Tennessee 68 Herbie Brooks scored 22 points and Ray Forster added 19 for the Mountaineers, 264, who took a 17-5 lead behind an 8-0 run. West Virginia, 26-4, led 34-19 with 2:28 left HOUSTON (AP) It was just another night at the office for Akeem Olajuwon, but the strong outside shooting of the Houston Rockets provided an unexpected surprise. Olajuwon had a 32-point, 17-rebound performance to lead the Rockets to a 120-104 NBA victory over the Milwaukee Bucks Thursday night. It was the third straight game in which Olajuwon scored 30 points or more.

But he got a great deal of help from Mike Woodson, Buck Johnson and Purvis Short who combined to hit 21-of-31, mostly from the perimeter. Milwaukee Coach Del Harris' praised both Olajuwon and the Rockets' outside shooting. "He's the best center in the game," Harris said. "After that it's hard to embellish. We were banking on the Rockets not hitting outside shots.

If they have the outside game going they are among the best in the league." Woodson, who recovered from an 0-for-7 shooting performance Tuesday against.