The Jersey Journal from Jersey City, New Jersey • 25

Saturday, December 8, 1990 THE JERSEY JOURNAL 25 SPORTS Giants Racing Bowling Page Page Page Harvey Zucker, Sports editor, 217-2490 I Colleges Page Phoenix plays payback time with Nets By Nat Gottlieb He's their franchise and when Newhouse News Service Suns shine en route to 129-110 victory over New Jersey he's not in there, it makes a whole lot of difference." It was payback time at the Meadowlands last night. The last time the Nets and Suns squared off was on Nov. 23 in Phoenix, and New Jersey was riding an NBA-record 34- game losing streak on the road. The Nets pulled off an upset that night, beating Phoenix, 116-114, and the Suns were unhappy' with themselves over the loss. Phoenix returned the favor last night, and did so in punishing fashion.

Bearing no resemblence to the team that had won two straight and five of six games, the Nets looked woefully inept against the Suns, who breezed to an embarrassing 129-110 victory before 11,019 fans. Playing without forward Eddie Johnson, who was traded earlier yesterday to the Seattle SuperSonics for high-scoring Xavier McDaniel, the Suns got a season-high 28 points from guard Jeff Hornacek to break a three-game losing streak and improve to 9-7. New Jersey got a seasonbest 27 points from Sam Bowie, but head coach Bill Fitch saw little about his team's performance to take solace in. "That was ugly, with a capital Fitch said. "Don't anybody stop talking about Nets teammwork--we all contributed to this as a team.

We had a monopoly on turnovers, bad shots, bad What particularly upset Fitch was that the Nets stopped doing what they had done during their recent surge. "Worst of all, the team defense that had carried us was missing tonight," Fitch said. So were the little intangibles, like hustle and desire, guard Reggie Theus said. "They were the more in- PAUL; OUTBAL spired team," said Theus, who had 13 points. "We played with no zest.

While the outcome of last night's blowout was disturbing, it was not altogether unexpected, Bowie said. "When I looked at our schedule for December, I said Phoenix would be the toughest team we would face," said Bowie, who also rebounds. "The fact that we beat them in their place and they had lost three straight on this road trip, they were bound to be a hungry team. We got beat in every phase of the game." Journal photo by Don McCoy Greenville Saints go marching on St. Paul's (Greenville) quarterback Carlos Castillo outruns Albie Chiccino and Luis Gomez of St.

John the Baptist during the championship game of the Hudson County CYO Flag Football League last night at Pershing Field. St. Paul's won, 33-13. (Story on Page 28.) Tagliabue stands by recommendation to move 1993 Super Bowl from Arizona WASHINGTON (AP) NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue is standing by his recommendation to move the 1993 Super Bowl out of Arizona because of the furor over a paid holiday honoring slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King. "They explained their point of view in terms of the electoral decision in Arizona," Tagliabue said last night after meeting with a group of political leaders from the state.

"It was a useful exchange of views." Gov. Rose Mofford and Sen. Dennis DeConcini presented the case for a state where voters last month rejected ballot initiatives to honer King. But Tagliabue said he would still recommend to club owners at their March meeting that the 1993 Super Bowl be moved from Tempe, Ariz. Mofford, DeConcini, Phoenix Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill and several other political leaders said they would continue to press within the state for a holiday honoring King.

Mofford said she would not' rule out an executive order establishing a paid holiday before she leaves office in March. "I will continue to press for passage of the Martin Luther King holiday in Arizona. It's the right thing to do," Mofford said. "The people of Arizona want this resolved." Vada Manager, a spokesman for Mofford, said earlier that such an order wes "the least likely option." "The governor firmly believes there has to be a legislative solution," Manager said. DeConcini conceded the state may not act in time to save the 1993 NFL title game, but said sentiment in the state was The Nets blew a 10-point first quarter lead, trailed at halftime by 12, and after pulling to within nine in the opening minutes of the second half, were never close after that, making for extended "garbage" time both benches.

The lead got as big as 31 before the Nets finally whittled it down. Why the reversal of form from the last meeting of these two teams? "They outplayed us last time, we outplayed them toSuns coach Cotton Fitzsimmons. "Oh I'll also spell it out for you-C-0-L-E-M-A-N. Derrick Coleman, the Nets star rookie who sprained an ankle on Tuesday against Seattle did not suit up last night, but Fitch wasn't buying that as an excuse, however. "If we had five Derrick Colemans out there we wouldn't have won because of the way the other guys played," Fitch said.

The Nets simply had no solution for the Suns highpowered offense, especially Hornacek, who went into the game averaging 14.6 points but had 16 before the first quarter See NETS Page 26 Ridley helps Caps end Devils' streak By David Ginsburg AP Sports healthy Mike Ridley provided strength to Washington's specialty teams and helped the Capitals put an end to the New Jersey Devils' six-game unbeaten streak. Ridley scored three goals, two of them shorthanded and the other on the power play, as the Capitals won their third straight game by beating the Devils 5-2 last night. After battling the flu and a sinus infection for nearly a month, Ridley had compiled only 15 points in his last 27 games. But he left the Devils feeling ill after his fourth career hat trick. "Physically, I had no jump.

A lot of guys go through that," he said. "But I'm starting to feel a little better now, and when you're skating well and handling the puck, your confidence is up there." 1 Soviet rookie defenseman Mikhail Tatarinov had three assists for the Capitals and goalie Don Beaupre stopped 27 shots to cool off the high-scoring Devils, who had been averaging five goals per game over their last eight contests. Tatarinov said he couldn't remember seeing a penaltykilling unit perform the way Ridley, Rod Langway, Kevin Hatcher and Kelly Miller did against the Devils. "I've never seen four guys play as well as they did tonight," Tatarinov said. "Even in the Soviet Union, I've never seen four guys play like that." LANDOVER, Md.

(AP) A The loss dropped New Jersey into a third-place tie with the Capitals in the Patrick Division. The Devils' unbeaten streak (3-0-3) was the longest current string in the NHL. "Five-on-five, we win 2-1," Devils coach. John Cunniff said. "But we didn't bear down on the power play and it cost us." After New Jersey's Pat Conacher scored the only goal of the first period, Washington got its lone even-strength goal from Dino Ciccarelli early in the second period to pull even.

Peter Bondra scored on the power play to make it 2-1 with 4:19 left in the period, and 97 seconds later Ridley scored on a shorthanded breakaway after stealing the puck from John MacLean. The Devils pulled within 3- 2 on Al Stewart's fourth goal of the season at 6:28 of the final period, but Ridley then gave the Capitals some breathing room. With Washington's Bob Rouse in the penalty box, Miller stole the puck at the blue line and started a 2-on-1 break with Ridley. Miller fed Ridley, who skated in and took a shot that was stopped by goalie Sean Burke. Ridley got his own rebound, circled around the back of the net and stuffed the puck past the prone Burke.

Ridley got his final goal and ninth of the season with three minutes left and Washington on the power play. "It was a night of specialties," Capitals coach Terry Murray said. "With two shorthanded goals, it was tremendous." By Paul Page Associated Press Writer moving toward a holiday to satisfy concerns raised over the issue. "They have their interest to pursue," he said of the NFL. "We have the state of Ariziona's interest to pursue." Also meeting with Tagliabue were Phoenix Mayor Paul Johnson, Tempe Mayor Harry Mitchell and William Shover, head of the local Super Bowl organizing committee.

A so-called "test drive" proposal to declare a holiday temporarily and have voters decide in 1992 whether it be made permanent was suggested by several King supporters in the state. Gov. Bruce Babbitt declared a King holiday before he left office in 1986, but Evan Mecham rescinded the order when he took over the governor's office in 1987. Attorney General Bob Corbin had said Babbitt lacked the authority to declare the holiday. That led to a stream of organizations moving planned conventions and meetings out of the state.

Local officials have said the Phoenix area stands to lose about $200 million if the game is moved. The 'controversy also has upset the collegiate Fiesta Bowl. Alabama and Louisville accepted bids to the New Year's Day bowl game despite campus protests over their participation. Fiesta Bowl officials have offered $100,000 in minority scholarships to both schools and are planning a pregame ceremony honoring the 200th anniversary of the Bill of Rights and a halftime celebration of King. Phoenix and Tempe are among 23 Arizona cities that have their own municipal holidays honoring King.

Jordan, Bulls foil MacLeod, Knicks By Mike Guetti Newhouse News Service CHICAGO It was a case of too many second chances last night at Chicago Stadium. The Bulls rode 33 points by Michael Jordan and some aggressive board play to foil coach John MacLeod and the Knicks, 108-98. After trailing by doubledigits in the third period, the Knicks put on a gallant rally but Jordan had three steals early in the final period, and the Bulls pushed a 10-point lead to 91-77. The Knicks came back and sliced the to 97-90 but Jordan exploded to the basket for a layup and then B.J. Armstrong made a jump shot, and the Knicks trailed, 101-90, with 3:13 left.

Scottie Pippen added 16 for the Bulls, who improved to 12- 6. Patrick Ewing led the 7-10 Knicks with 23 points, while Kiki Vandeweghe added 20. The Knicks are now 4-4 on the road. "They had a big surge in the second, quarter and got away from us but we were tough in the second half and in the first quarter," said MacLeod. "We battled hard tonight.

I. like what I saw. They have a good team, but so do we. We are going to be a good team, I guarantee it." a Associated Press NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue meets with reporters on Capitol Hill last night after meeting with a delegation from Arizona to discuss keeping the 1993 Super Bowl in Tempe. Tagliabue recommended that the game be moved from Arizona after voters there rejected two ballot measures for a paid holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

Vandeweghe, who missed nine straight shots after sinking his first attempt, hit six straight shots in the third period as the Knicks tried to struggle out of an 18-point hole. Four straight free throws by Charles Oakley worked the deficit down to seven with 28 seconds left but Pippen threw in a three-pointer at the buzzer, stunning the Knicks and sending the Bulls into the final period with an 83-73 lead. See JORDAN Page 26 Mullane will coach St. Joseph's cagers By Wayne Witkowski Journal staff writer Terry Mullane appears the steadfast optimist. He took over as athletic director at St.

Joseph's of the Palisades with the conviction that the school can maintain a successful, well-rounded athletic program. St. Joseph's made some believers when the football team made some big strides after struggling through terrible seasons in recent years and had a non-losing season at stake in its final game of the season. The Blue Jays fin-. ished 3-5-1 in football.

Mullane received a new challenge a few weeks ago when he took over as the school's fourth basketball coach in four years. Joe Potente resigned the position just before Thanksgiving for health reasons. Certainly, a winless season that Potente and his players endured last season could jeopardize anyone's good health. But Mullane says he's not an interim coach. He says he's along for the entire season.

"When they asked me to do it, I accepted it with open arms," said the upbeat Mullane. "I figured it would be a great experience for me. If I thought there would be a problem, I would've told them that off the bat. "I took the job because it would be tough for them to get somebody at this point and I don't know what their (the administration's) thoughts are about this except maybe a wait and see attitude," said Mullane. Mullane's experience in coaching is limited to his work as an assistant at Paul VI in Clifton from 1988 until the school closed last spring.

He also coached girls softball and cross-country there. But Mullane says that he has gained See MULLANE Page 28.