Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 46

TIMES MONDAY, JUNE 13, 1994 3C NBA Rockets from 1C Olajuwon looks to teammates down stretch Associated Press TV i Vs a ton's second three-pointer in 10 attempts. "Dream (Olajuwon) created it all," Cassell said. "I was wide open. He made the pass, and I made the shot." And then he made some more. After Ewing was called for an offensive foul, Derek Harper fouled Cassell.

He made both shots with 22 seconds to play. Then he finished the scoring with two more free throws with 2.4 seconds left. His performance guaranteed that if the Knicks come back to win the championship they'll have to do it away from the raucous Madison Square Garden crowd. Houston, a loser in its only two finals appearances in 1981 and 1986, can win the best-of-7 series with victories Wednesday and Friday in New York. Olajuwon had 21 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and seven blocked shots for the Rockets, while Robert Horry had 16 points and Cassell 15, nine in the fourth quarter.

Harper led New York with 21 points and John Starks had 20 and nine assists. Ewing finished with 18 points on 9-for-29 shooting, 12 rebounds and seven blocks. The controversial offensive foul call against Ewing for bumping Vernon Maxwell as the Rocket tried to fight through a pick was costly. It occurred with Houston leading 89-88 with 23 seconds to play. "I was a little bit surprised, but you have to live with those types of calls," Harper said.

"It was a tough, tough call to take. I don't know if it even had an impact on whether Vernon Maxwell got through the screen," Knicks coach Pat Riley said. "We were down one and it was a big possession for us." "It was a judgment call," referee Jake O'Donnell said. "The play was a nick and roll. He moved his 4 AP Vernon Maxwell, Hakeem Olajuwon celebrate victory.

KBA Finals NEW YORK The Knicks once again shut down Hakeem Olajuwon in the fourth quarter. Only this time, his teammates came to the rescue. Rookie Sam Cassell scored Houston's last seven points, Otis Thorpe made a key three-point play and Robert Horry had two dramatic dunks in the final period to lead the Rockets over the Knicks 93-89 Sunday night in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Olajuwon, the league's MVP this season, was held to four points in the fourth quarter and finished with 21, eight below his playoff average. He was l-for-3 from the field in the final period, continuing a trend that has seen him miss 10 of 12 fourth-quarter shots over the first three games.

But unlike Game 2, when the Knicks wore down Houston for a 91-83 victory at the Summit, other Rockets came up with big shots when Olajuwon faltered. "Every game, someone different is going to step up for us," said Cassell, who scored 15 points on 4-for-6 shooting, including 3-for-3 from long range. "I made some big baskets and Otis had a big three-point play down the stretch. Hakeem will do everything, but we need different guys to give him help." The Knicks took their first lead of the game, 82-81, on Patrick Ewing's baseline jumper with 2:50 left. But the Rockets quickly regained the lead 84-82 on the three-point play by Thorpe, who was fouled while making a one-handed, fadeaway near the basket.

New York moved ahead 86-84 on baskets by Charles Oakley and Ewing before Horry, who finished with 16 points, countered with a dunk off a pass by Thorpe. After Derek Harper's jumper put the Knicks up by two, Cassell hit the biggest basket of the game. Olajuwon was surrounded in the post, so he passed the ball out to KNICKS vs. ROCKETS (Rockets lead 2-1) Wednesday: Houston 85-78 Friday: New York 91-83 Sunday: Houston 93-89 Wednesday: at New York, 9 p.m. Friday: at New York, 9 p.m.

June 19: at Houston, 7 p.m. June 22: at Houston, 9 p.m. if necessary IT I "He. JJ 1 AP Sam Cassell, who scored Houston's final seven points, drives against New York's Derek Harper. the top of the key, where Cassell buried a three-pointer with 32 seconds remaining.

"I made a move, but I saw him open and went for the three instead of the two," Olajuwon said. "I wasn't comfortable taking an off-balance jump hook." "This was a big character win for us," Houston coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "I felt Game 2 was a little bit demoralizing. We did a better job of executing today, but it really comes down to putting the ball in the basket." NOTEBOOK Knicks have own Dream Team NEW YORK The Knicks are using defense by committee to contain MVP Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon in the NBA hip out and then he did it again. I'm not going to let it be twice." Starks, who had made three of four three-pointers in Game 2, missed one with 10 seconds left and was fouled attempting another with 3.9 seconds left.

He made the first free throw, but Otis Thorpe rebounded the intentional miss of the second. Cassell followed with his last two free throws. Houston's win extends the trend of home teams having trouble in the middle three games of the finals. They have lost 13 of those 15 games. The last three times a team split the first two games at I home, as Houston did, it went on to win the title.

The Knicks, who lost their eighth consecutive Game 3, lost for the second time in 11 home playoff games. Houston is 3-6 in its past nine games in New York, but is 2-0 this season. In the playoffs, the Rockets are 5-3 on the road. The Knicks are trying to extend the East's championship streak to six seasons. The last Western Conference team to win it was the Los Angeles Lakers, under Riley, in 1988.

Century CARGO COVER Tht Captain's Qjiarters Finals. Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, Charles Smith and 6-foot-7 Anthony Mason take turns against the 7-foot Olajuwon, who averaged 26.5 points in the first two games of the series. Olajuwon also appeared to tire in the second half of both games he has scored just 20 of his 53 points after halftime. NO HOLES 0RIUED ID TRUCK CUSTOM PAINT GEL COLORS AVAILABLE ALUM TOPPERS MANUFACTURED HERE TRUCK ACCESSORIES FULL LINE OF FIBERGLASS TOPPERS USED TOPS ARROW TOPPERS 10161-a9ttl St. Pinellas Park, 573-1BO0 36953 U.S.

1 9 N. Open 7 Days Palm Harbor 938-4632 "PoQiififn Moiai "Vvirco" OLAJUWON GOLF DIGST 1994 I Tires Too Expensive? $18.00 Tax $5 Low Tread S10 Med. Tread $15.00 Tax (After 12:00 p.m.) $12.00 Tax (After 3:00 p.m.) Includes Cart VALID 51-101 WE HONOR ALL CHARITY DISCOUNT COUPONS 575 High Tread nmmuiumm 4625-1 18th Ave.N.,ciw. 1 I i l-Tt. Jl.m 573-4074 8-5 FO FT Reb He moved on to teams in France, Venezuela and Mexico from 1991 through 1993.

This season, his tour with Magic Johnson's All-Star Team featuring former NBA players such as John Long and Reggie Theus visited Argentina, Israel, New Zealand, Switzerland, Germany and other countries. A cure for losing Seven players on the rosters of the Knicks and Rockets have made it out of the CBA to play for the NBA championship. But none of those guys have anything on Knicks guard Derek Harper, because Harper came from a place lower than nowhere. He came from the Dallas Mavericks. "I thank God every day.

To go from the record we had when I left Dallas to this just shows there is a God that is looking down on me," said Harper, whose four three-pointers and 18 points helped the Knicks to a 91-83 win Friday night in Houston that evened the series at 1-1. "By going from one extreme to the other, I definitely appreciate it. More than anything, you look back on all the suffering and realize how good things are here." All bets are off Governors of the states represented in championships routinely make bets on the outcome, but it didn't happen in the NBA Finals. Texas Gov. Ann Richards said she felt pity on New York's Mario Cuomo, who lost to her when Dallas beat Buffalo in the past two Super Bowls.

"I've beaten Cuomo so badly on the Cowboys that I think he was a little shy," Richards said. "So I didn't press him on the Rockets." Out of Africa Olajuwon's parents were in Houston for Game 2, but didn't attend Friday night's game. After a 19-hour flight from Nigeria, Salaam and Abike Olajuwon arrived just two hours before ga-metime, so they decided to stay at Hakeem's home and watch the game on television. Olajuwon said his parents don't understand the magnitude of his success in the NBA. He recalled that after his mother came to the 1984 draft, "they thought I was coming back home to the cement factory." TIMES WIRES Mln M-A M-A O-T A PF Prs 43 5-11 5-6 Si (904) 544-0990 Call For Tee Times 2- 8 3- 9 3-5 HOUSTON Horry Thorpe Oialuwon K.Smith Cassell Herrera Elle 5-11 0-4 1- 4 1-5 Located on s.h.

50, 1 block East of 1-75. Just 50 minutes from 1-20 5-15 3- 7 4- 14 most of Tampa. 2-4 0-0 1-3 Totals 140 30-7527-31 14-47 Percentages: FG .400, FT .871. 3-Polnt Coals: ME ERECTION PROBLEMS? 95 SUCCESS RATE MEDICATION ONLY 6 MDs ON STAFF AIL AMERICAN VASCULAR CLINICS Clearwater (813 796-3008 St. Pete 813 381-4300 Winter Haven (813) 299-6600 Medicare and Insurance Accepted -rocrrnut -m 1 COUHTT ACHU "Mat I I "We wanted to have a lot of different people on him, to try to keep our guys fresh," Knicks coach Pat Riley said.

"It probably wore him down." Lanier and Lanier Bob Lanier interviewed Bob Lanier on the radio, and the conversation centered on shoe size. The NBA Hall of Fame center, who does color commentary on the NBA Radio network, had Houston mayor Bob Lanier as his halftime guest for Game 1 Lanier the mayor, who is 6-4, said he wears size 12 shoes and that his father wore size 15. The 6-10 Lanier wore size 22 and has a bronzed pair of his shoes at the Hall of Fame. "I told him his feet ain't big enough," NBA Bob said. The former center said that whenever he visits Houston, acquaintances call him "Your honor." A cure for boredom One day, Earl Cureton was in Sioux Falls, S.D., toiling for the Skyforce in the CBA the backwoods of pro basketball.

Two months later, he could be a champion in the NBA. It's just one more amazing journey in the career of the seldom-used power forward of the Houston Rockets. Cureton went to colleges in Pittsburgh and Detroit. In the pros, his itinerary took him to teams in Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles and Charlotte. Then his NBA career ended.

His travels didn't. Sherman t-17, .353 (Cassell 3-3, EHe 1-1, K.Smith 1-2, Horry 1-5, Maxwell 0-6). Team Rebounds: 11. Blocked snots: 7 (Olauwon 7). Turnovers: 17 (Horry 4, CHaiuwon 4, Maxwell 3, K.SmHh 3, Cassell, Herrera, Elle).

Steals: 4 (Horry, Olaluwon, K. Smith, EHe). Technical fouls: Maxwell, 2:20 third; Illegal defense, 5:29 third; Illegal defense, 9:53 fourth. Illegal defense: 1. FG FT Reb erm mile I lJ 1 1 Mln M-A M-A APF Pts 40 34 1-2 1 5 7 9 It BILOXI BELLE O-T 6-10 2-4 6-13 2-7 0-2 2-5 04 04 NEW YORK Oakley CSmlth Ewing Harper Starks Mason Anthony Davis Bonner 21 20 24 46 39 43 20 9 6 3- 4 00 04 5-7 4- 5 04 04 3-5 -29 9-15 6-16 3-7 1-5 0- 1 1- 1 10 I PER IWi -i BlHIHfxWMI 109 2 0 2 DOCkSIDK GAMING 0 0 5 0-1 0-1 240 354713-19 11-42 17 25 Totals 09 Percentages: FG .402, FT .684.

3-Polnt Goals: Saturday, July 2nd, 1991 DEPART ST. PETE. CLEARWATER AIRPORT AT 9:00 AM GRAM) OPEKKG SPECIAL 18 Hole Par 54 Executive WALKING HII.OM. MISSISSIPPI 6-19, .316 (Harper 3-7, Starks 3-9, Anthony 0-1, Ewing 0-2). Team Rebounds: 7.

Blocked shots: 9 (Ewing 7, Oakley, Davis). Turnovers: 11 (Ewing 3, Harper 3, C.Smith 2, Mason 2, Oakley). Steals: I (Harper 4, Oakley, Ewing, Starks, Mason). Technical fouls: illegal defense, 11:13 fourth; Megal defense, 1144 fourth. Illegal defense: I.

Uualinnl 4- NON-STOP JKT I Pliivers Hy? II I kk to the rree I1KAI 1 IH I MISSISSIPPI 26 19 24 2493 II 20 25 2609 Houston New York A 19,763. 2:42. Officials Jake O'Donnell, Jess Kersey, Bll Oakes. ati id a i rri'" RIDING Barno rolls unlikely 246 in state tournament ANYTIME EVERYDAY 581-3333 BOWLING Results, 7C By PHIL GULICK Timei Correspondent CO -o Newest German mlcrograft technology. Up to 1000 grafts per session.

Permanent hair with a natural soft hairline. 8 526-0600 Free Brochure John P. Lenhart, M.O. Director 100 Financing Available EAST BAY EXECUTIVE IT In 1993, Barno's Alley Cats' team of Debbie Reed, Peggy Adams, Jacobson, Barno and a fifth bowler finished third at Jacksonville in the Division 3 team competition with a 2,417 total. Reed was ninth in the Division 2 All-Events.

This year's squad, with newcomer Sandy Bethune, was nearly 400 pins short of that, with 2,031. The leaderboard has seen shake-ups in all five divisions since the tournament started April 9. However, St. Petersburg's Kara Tippett took over the Division 1 singles lead with a 708 series the fourth weekend and has not been threatened. "I'm holding my breath until the final week is over," said Tippett, who just joined the WIBC ranks and was competing in her first state tournament.

Tippett was the top bowler on the Northeast High team which won two state titles and three PCAC titles. She graduated last week and will attend the University of Central Florida. She will compete in the team event this weekend. Other local division leaders include Clearwater's Carleen Letourneau and Lynn Wharran in doubles and Letourneau in singles and All-Events. St.

Petersburg's Caryn Schneider is leading Division 1 All-Events. Seminole's Jean Po-retti and Dory Jackson are second in Division 2 doubles and the Na-biettes from St. Petersburg are second in Division 2 teams. Seminole Lanes is hosting the singles and doubles. Team competition is at Liberty Lanes.

The tournament ends Sunday. straight strikes and a 246 game, 119 pins above her average. "I got so excited that my next game was a 133," she said. Barno recovered for a 175 game and a respectable 554 scratch series, 173 pins better than her average. It was only her second career 200 game.

The tournament high game and series was posted by Port St. Lucie's Lynn Gulash at 288-742. Barno tried to regain some of that form in the singles competition. She started with a 143 game, soared to a 169, but fell to a 126 for a 438 scratch series, still 57 pins better than her average. Her team members all finished with 400-plus series in the singles.

SEMINOLE Jeanne Barno's eight-year bowling career took a rare and sudden upswing during a few pleasant moments Sunday at Seminole Lanes. The Port St. Lucie resident carried a 127 average into the 45th annual Florida State Women's Championships, hoping like all 7,500 bowlers to put her name on the leader board. "I've bowled in this tournament for seven years now, in singles, doubles and team events, always hoping for the best," Barno said. "Except for one time last year, I haven't done very well.

Today was an exception." Bowling with partner Sandy Ja-cobson, Barno reeled off seven 8 Oz. Prime Rib $7.95 Reg. $9.95 $1 Michelob Drafts Offer expires at close of business Monday, June 13 I 1 i 8800 Bav Pines Blvd. Zh'M' III) 'ft 345-5335 Ls'HHiai ifii COUPON.