Notebook
Tuesday, December 10, 1996
Loss hurts, but
By Mike Fitzgerald
’Bows look aheadStar-Bulletin
Riley Wallace didn't pull any punches when he told the Honolulu Quarterback Club why the Rainbows lost their first game of the season to St. Mary's over the weekend."I drove across the path of a black cat," he joked yesterday afternoon.
Actually, he was disappointed that his team isn't clocked in at 5-0 at this point of the young season.
"Both teams played good defense, they challenged every shot, and rebounding was pretty even," he said. "But St. Mary's is a good team in a strong conference."
And he had praise for the Gaels' man-mountain center - 7-foot-2, 335-pound Brad Millard.
"He's probably the most improved player in the country from when he was in high school until now," he said. "Pete Newell said he will have a long life in the NBA, probably as a backup center."
Wallace said his big guy - 7-1, 265-pound Seth Sundberg - "looked skinny compared to Millard."
"They (the refs) let them play and Seth was really fired up," he added. "He has a great attitude this year for us."
Overall, he said the Rainbows will have to prove that they can beat a zone defense, especially the "amoeba" version, a matchup zone first drawn up by former Fresno State coach Boyd Grant and utilized over the years by current Bulldogs coach Jerry Tarkanian.
Once the scouting reports get around, the Rainbows can expect to see it on a regular basis.
Overall, though, Wallace put the defeat behind him.
"We'll accept it as a team that's working hard and getting better," he said.
Wallace said his most recent radio call-in show on the Rainbow Sports Network was X-rated. NO WOOFING, PLEASE
"Some guy called in and first started talking about basketball, then he went into beastiology before we cut him off," Wallace said, as no one in the amused, but somewhat stunned, QB Club audience told the coach that the correct term is bestiality.
"When he started talking about his German shepherd dogs, I almost told him that I have two English bulldogs," a red-faced Wallace said. "I'm sure glad I didn't say 'I'm into bulldogs.' "
Wallace had a short and not-so-sweet answer when a fan asked if new crowd favorite Luke "Rudy" Meyers would get more playing time. SORRY, RUDY
"No," he said.
One of the BIG names coming to town for the Rainbow Classic Dec. 27-30 will be Michigan's 6-foot-8, 300-pound Robert "Tractor" Traylor. TRACTOR PULL
The huge sophomore's dunk with six seconds left in the game on Sunday handed Duke a rare nonconference defeat at home.
Earlier, Traylor - with the Cameron Crazies chanting the Fat Albert theme of "Hey, Hey, Hey" - missed a dunk, with the ball almost bouncing to the ceiling.
The fifth-ranked Wolverines will be joined by Pittsburgh, Maryland, Northwestern, Washington State, Georgia and Memphis in the Classic. UH plays Northwestern in the first round.
San Diego State's Jason Richey was named player of the week for the Pacific Division, and Texas-El Paso's Jo Jo Garcia was best in the Mountain Division. WAC PLAYERS
Richey last week led the Aztecs to wins at Northwestern and at home against crosstown rival San Diego. He scored 52 points, hitting 17 of 35 from the field, including eight 3-pointers.
The 6-foot-1 junior guard from Omaha, Neb., scored a career-high 25 points at Northwestern and 27 against USD.
He has led the Aztecs in scoring and assists in four of the team's first five games. San Diego State's 4-1 start is its best since 1984-85.
UTEP's Garcia, a 6-10 senior center from Las Vegas, led the Miners to wins over New Mexico State and Seattle, scoring 41 points.
He shot 15 of 22 from the field and pulled down 23 rebounds. Garcia recorded 17 steals, one block and one assist.
He set career highs against Seattle with 27 points, 12 rebounds, 11 field goals and five steals.
The Big Ten, seeking increased TV exposure and money for its athletic programs, adopted a men's postseason basketball tournament yesterday - the first in the league's 102 years. BIG TEN TOURNEY
The vote by the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors was 9-2, with Michigan and Indiana against the proposal.
The tournament will be March 5-8, 1998, at a neutral site the Big Ten hopes to announce this spring.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Text Site Directory:
[News] [Business] [Features] [Sports] [Editorial] [Community]
[Info] [Letter to Editor] [Stylebook] [Feedback]
© 1996 Honolulu Star-Bulletin
http://starbulletin.com