Dayton Daily News from Dayton, Ohio • 17

Sports IN THIS SECTION Greyhounds rolling, 18 Sports Scoreboard, 18 Miami prepares, 19 DAYTON DAILY NEWS Friday. March 16, 1984 Page 17 UO women not on Cloud, 19 If 'Freaky Dealty OlSi Burick Sports Editor Flyers prove they belong Sox lefty Squires plays 3rd in attempt to bolster offense I SARASOTA, FLA. It wu an unlikely sight; so strange it appeared to be an optical illusion. Was that fellow taking Infield practice at third base for the Chicago White Sox before Thursday's game with the Cincinnati Reds really left- handed? What kind of gag was this? The 1 glove on his his guy was wearing a right hand and atm ig with his left, fftrri throwin Impossible! 1 Third case, as everyone knows, is reserved for right- handed throwers. ft Now the lineups were announced and there he was No.

25 at third base, Mike Squires. I recalled seeing him play against Baltimore last fall In the American League Cham Squires ymw i f.y XST jap and Louisiana media, "when you're as fortunate as we are to have a kid like that for four years, you kind of grow used to him. We've seen these shows before. This was the time to produce and he did." "He wu a man against boys," said UD guard Sedric Toney. "He was Freaky Deaky." Freaky Deaky? What the devil Is that? "You know, Freaky Deaky," Toney said.

"It's like Shake 'n Bake, except it's Freaky Deaky." Oh, yeah, sure, that Freaky Deaky. Got it. IF CHAPMAN'S SHOW might have been anticipated, what Jeff Zern did could not The 6-9 sophomore who played his way out of a job early in the season with Inconsistency came in at the 8:29 mark of the first half when Ed Young picked up his third foul. Zern had played just 19 minutes in UD's last 16 games, but this night, just 23 seconds after he entered, Zern went to the basket and put the ball in. "When he did that, I just jumped for joy," Chapman said.

"I thought, 'Well, he came to play. And this is just the Chap wu right. Zern had himself an evening. Maybe not a Freaky Deaky evening, but there aren't many of those to be had. Zern had six points and eight rebounds in 20 minutes.

Measured against the four points and five rebounds he had totalled in UD's last 17 games, Thursday's numbers become downright mountainous. "It feels great," Zern said. "I went a lot of months and didn't contribute at all." WHILE WE ARE in the neighborhood of "How'd he do mark down these numbers in that category: Damon Goodwin, for whom jumping is not a strong suit, leading the Flyers with nine rebounds; Larry Schellen-berg, who is 6-3, nabbing eight rebounds; and those doggone pesky little Flyers, giving away the usual two inches per position, outrebounding the Tigers, 39-34. How'd they do that? Maybe Chapman explained it best on Wednesday when a Louisiana reporter asked him how the Flyers coped with their lack of height. "We've just had to grow a couple more inches to make up for it," Chap said.

What he meant wu the Flyers had to "play tall." Or maybe he did mean they had to grow a couple more See FLYERS, Page 19. By GARYNUHN Staff Sports Writer SALT LAKE CITY The consensus in the country was that Dayton wasn't supposed to be here in the NCAA basketball tournament, no more than, say, the School of Ballet from Passaic, J. Dayton's selection "raised some one national sportscaster said early in the week. That's another way of saying, "Dayton? Is this a misprint?" Thursday night, the Flyers proved they belong in this exclusive party. They clobbered the critics and deluged the doubters.

They also beat Louisiana State, 74-66, in the first round of the West Regional, earning the right to test seventh-ranked (and 29-4) Okla-home on Saturday at 4:10 (Ch. 7, WHIO radio). In fact, no sooner had the Flyers (19-10) left the court at the Special Events Center on the University of Utah campus than the local media began asking about Saturday when UD will find a 6-foot-9, 245-pound building named Wayman Tisdale (26.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, All American) waiting. "WE'LL TRY TO contain Wayman," UD's Roosevelt Chapman said, and then an impish grin crossed Chap's face as he added, "and you're gonna see who's the real Ail-American." UD Coach Don Donoher was more diplomatic when asked how the Flyers would prepare for the big man with his own five-digit zip code. "We believe in the power of prayer," Donoher said.

"We'll pray real hard between now and Saturday afternoon." Maybe Oklahoma's coaches were thinking the same thing after watching Chapman dismantle LSU. The kid from Brooklyn went for 29 points and eight rebounds in another of those games where his expression never changed. He was 10-for-15 from the field, 9-for-9 from the line, made three three-point plays and left an entire team, if not an entire state (Louisiana) in awe. "He's been the same ever since high school," said LSU forward Jerry Reynolds, who watched helplessly as Chap scored 49 against him one time in a Brooklyn Public School tournament game. "HE WAS VIRTUALLY unstoppable," said LSU's other forward, Don Redden.

"He's a super player," said LSU Coach Dale Brown. "Plus he has that great court attitude." Of course, in Dayton, that's old news. "You know," Donoher told the Utah pionship Series but at first base, his normal position. Squires, no kid at age 32, has been with the Sox for the past five years, while also seeing partial service in three other seasons. And we learn from the club's Media Fact Book that he has been in the organization for 11 years, longer than any other Chicago player.

A classy fielding first baseman, Squires' primary role last year was to go in for late-inning defense. The man appeared in 143 games, but, get this, batted only 153 times. Two years ago he won the Gold Glove Award as the American League's best fielding first baseman. What's a lefty doing at 3rd? What was going on here, anyway? What was that lefty doing on third base? And how did it happen? This, it developed, was a notion that Manager Tony La Russa had about strengthening the White Sox offense against certain righthanded pitchers while not damaging the defense. Vance Law, the young regular third baseman, who is righthanded all the way, has problems against good righthanders.

One day this winter, Squires received this call at his home In Crete, 111., from La Russa. Would he like trying out at third? His first reaction: "An you kidding?" The manager assured Squires he was serious. Squires agreed to try. Unfortunately, he had to miss 12 days this spring with a bad ankle. But going into Wednesday's contest against the Reds, he had appeared in four games and handled seven plays without a slip.

The drag bunt and the "swinging bunt" (pitches swung at hard but topped toward third) will be the toughest chances to field, he said. In a previous game, he handled one swinging bunt nicely, which required him to make "a 90 degree turn" to get in position for the throw. Righthanders don't have the same kind of turn problem. Against the Reds, unfortunately, Squires booted his first chance, which wasn't that tough. But he handled two throws nicely in the fifth inning, then finished the game at first base as the Reds defeated the White Sox in 10 innings.

'I feel it's going to work' This is Squires talking: "I know it's rare, but 1 want to give it a try. If I can't do it, nobody will have to tell me. I'll be the first to admit It." "Right this minute, I feel it's going to work. I watched a game the other day when there were two swinging bunts and the righthanded third basemen couldn't handle them." "Do the batters look closet from third?" "No, just bigger," Squires responded. La Russa wu asked for his rationale.

"We feel the club win be stronger If we have Mike's lefthanded bat against the good righthanders for maybe 25 to SO games this season. That would give Vance Law a break. "This fellow (Squires) has unique defensive skills. He has amazingly quick feet; good range. He'll make the routine outs.

We're not sure yet how well he'll throw, but I see him as adequate. "If it works, we'll make two defensive switches late in games when we're ahead. Squires moves to first base. Law goes in at third." Not the 1st, but still rare Digging into the Squires story, you discover that he actually played third base lefthandedly for two innings last year at Kansas City, but not a ball was hit his way. See BURICK, Page 19.

Staff photo by Skip Peterson Velvety smooth: Chapman goes up over LSU's Mitchel, Willson ZervbS ploy vital to UD win By DAVE LONG Staff Sports Writer SALT LAKE CITY For a large part of this basketball season, Jeff Zern was just another large body on the University of Day- ton bench. He showed no signs of playing himself back Into a contributing role after a good season as a freshman. But Thursday night, in the first round of the NCAA West Re for him, after all he has gone through this season." What the 6-9 sophomore from Cheektawaga, N.Y., has gone through is a lot of bench time. He wu a starter early in the year, but tailed off. In the last 16 games, he has played a total of 19 minutes.

His lut start wu Jan. 14 against Missouri, when he picked up three fouls in nine minutes. "IT REALLY FELT good to come in there and help the team in a big game like this," Zern said. "I really wanted to play well if I got the chance, because I knew my parents, all my friends from home and my high school coach would be watching the game. I guess you call it more of a fear of failure." Zero's defense on Reynolds wu one of the keys to the Flyer victory.

"We had picked up on film that Reynolds (who was averaging 14.1 ppg) was basically a driver," Zern said. "So I just let him have the outside shot and he never took it. Once he got the ball inside, I just played him tough I could and tried not to let him shoot." Saturday. The Sooners bring a 29-4 record into the game, while UD is 19-10. When starting center Ed Young picked up his third foul with 8:29 left in the first half, Zern came in at the center spot.

He had four points and three rebounds the first half, all virtually unnoticed. IN THE SECOND HALF, however, after Young got his fourth foul with 17:39 to go, Zern made his presence felt. He had five rebounds, all of them key, in the second half and put the defensive stops to LSU's high-scoring Jerry Reynolds. After getting nine points the first half, Reynolds could manage but six the second half, four of those coming when the game wu out of reach. "What a game he played," a happy UD Coach Don Donoher said.

"And boy, did we need it. We weren't even sure If we were going to run him in there after Ed, but we talked it over a staff during the day and decided to use him to back up Ed because he's been there before. I couldn't be happier gional tournament at the University of Utah Special Events Center, Zern decided it Zern was time to show he can still play. His contribution on defense and rebounding wu vital in UD's 74-66 upset of Louisiana State. The Flyers now take on seventh-ranked Oklahoma at 4 p.m.

Prestige just one of victims in NCAA play The AswciaM Pnu It wu a bad night for prestige conferences in the NCAA basketball playoffs. Such teams Auburn from the Southeastern Conference, Oregon State from the Pac-10 and St. John's of the Big Eut went down to defeat first-round action continued Thursday night. Auburn was upset by Richmond 72-71 and St. John's lost to Temple 65-63 in the East Regional at Charlotte, N.C., and Oregon State wu shocked by West Virginia 67-64 in the Mideast at Birmingham, Ala.

In the other half of the Mideast, Brigham Young defeated Alabama-Birmingham 84-68. In the Midwest, Memphis State stopped Oral Roberts 92-83 and Louisiana Tech upset Fresno State 66-56, and in a West first-rounder, Nevada-Lu Vegas whipped Princeton 68-56. John Newman scored 26 in Richmond's victory over Auburn. The Spiders built a 48-28 lead early in the second half and then held off a frantic rally by the Tigers led by Charles Barkley. Temple defeated St.

John's on Terence Stansbury's jumper from beyond the key. The Owls squandered a 53-44 lead and Willie Glass' tap-in for St. John's with 7:39 left tied the score at 57. THE TEAMS traded the next three baskets before the Redmen went into a delay to work for the lut shot. Chris Mullin wu fouled by Jim McLoughlin to force a 1-and-l shooting situation, but Mullin, the nation's leading free throw shooter at 91.1 percent, missed the first shot.

After a timeout, Stansbury dribbled to the center of the court and fired his one-hand shot just the buzzer sounded. Reserve J.J. Crawl stole a pass near midcourt and hit a driving layup with three seconds remaining West Virginia upset 17th-ranked Oregon State. Devin Durrant scored 23 points Brigham Young overpowered Alabama-Birmingham. KEITH LEE scored 26 points and Memphis State hit clutch free throws in the closing minutes to beat Oral Roberts.

Karl Malone and Wayne Smith led Louisiana Tech, playing in Its first NCAA tournament, over Fresno State. Reserves Ed Catchings and Eric Booker scored 18 points each lOth-ranked Nevada-Lu Vegu overpowered Princeton. Xavier's Jenkins jilts the Buckeyes with 30 points No title tor N.C. State. SIT roundup, Page 18.

Taylor shot with six seconds to go and missed. McGee rebounded, and wu fouled. McGee started the game and played 20 minutes. He shot twice and missed both times. He had one rebound and fouled twice.

And he had the missed free throw. "I WAS KIND of nervous," McGee said. "I wu trying to relax much as possible. I knew it wun't a clean swish. I knew it wu going to be close.

I tried to do too much with it. I wu hoping for the bounce." "He's going to continue to play and get better," said OSU Coach Eldon Miller of McGee. He said he told McGee, "People who don't understand will remember that (missed free throw) tomorrow. Hopefully, you won't." Xavier Coach Bob Staak will remember it all. "This wu the greatest win since I've been here," Staak said.

"I don't want to take anything away from what Xavier did In the past, but in recent history, this hu got to be the biggest victory." out and called time with nine seconds. When it wu time to play again, Fleming couldn't find an open teammate, and called time again, although it appeared he did so after the allowed five seconds had elapsed. Now Fleming did get the ball in, and Jenkins took a shot that bounced high off the rim time wu nearly gone. Going for the rebound, Jenkins got there first, but wu also hammered by McGee. Both players went down at the buzzer.

There wu no call by officials Lou Moser, Ron Foxcroft and Gene Steratore. IN OVERTIME, each team missed its first three shots, which helped contribute to the horrible shooting for the game. Xavier hit only 37.3 percent from the field all game. OSU wu little better at 40.4 percent. With 23 seconds to go, Fleming made the first of a one-and-one, then missed, with OSU's Dave Jones rebounding.

The Buckeyes took the ball down and called time with 16 seconds left. After that, Troy By MARC KATZ Staff Sports Writer CINCINNATI Jeff Jenkins had the night of his life, and Xavier University had a Light for its history. Thursday, before a near sellout of 9,715 fans at Cincinnati Gardens, Xavier knocked Ohio State out of the first round of the National Invitation Tournament, 60-57, in overtime. It wu OSlTs first visit to Cincinnati for buketball game in 49 years, and it wu not a pleasant one. Jenkins wu the only consistent person on the floor all evening, and that included the referees, who allowed body blocks and tackles at whim, calling some fouls, some not THE 6-FOOT-8 Jenkins stood above it all.

He scored 30 points on eight of 16 shots from the field and 14 of 14 foul shots. He pulled down 11 rebounds. He played 43 of the 45 minutes. It did not make a difference to Jenkins, he said, that Ohio State wu the opponent. "I just like playing," the senior said.

"It meant more to me because it wu a do-or-die situation. It would have been the end of my career. I'm just not ready to quit yet." The 30 points is a career high and moved Xavier to 21-10. OSU finished Its season at 15-14. DESPITE WHAT he did, Jenkins had a good chance to be a loser as OSU freshman Clarence McGee went to the line with four seconds left In overtime with a chance to win the game.

Xavier led 58-57, and McGee had a one-and-one. He missed. Two free throws by Xavier's Victor Fleming ended the scoring. The end to regulation play wu bizarre. OSLTs Ron Stokes scored In the lane with 32 seconds left for a 53-tie.

Xavier took the ball.