Page 8 - The Behrend College Collegian Thursday, February 13, 1997 Lady Lions drop two; look to rebound against Allegheny Saturday by Brian Gregory Sports Editor You just can't win `cm all The Penn State Bchrcnd Lady Lions found that out this week as they dropped a pair of away games to drop their overall record to 7-13. The Lady Lions lost a close baffle with Notre Dame College 58- 53 on Saturday before falling to Buffalo State Tuesday 67-53. Bchrcnd is 3-10 away from the friendly confines of Eric Hall this season. Photo by Holly Bany/CcrtnbLNng Photographer Court vision! Freshman Carrie Nestor searches for an open teammate as she sets up the Behrend offense. All-Star Sunday turned sour by Matt Plizga Sports Editor East 132 West 120 What a weekend! The 47th annual NBA All-Star Game took place in Cleveland for the filv4t time since 1981. Saturday night at Gund Arean saw the skills competitions like the Schick Rookie Game, AT&T Long Distance Shootout, and the Nestles' Crunch Slam Dunk Contest. The real action for the players and for myself took place on Sunday. I had the opportunity to attend the game (for a short time) thanks to a friendly neighborhood scalper. Two friends and I were able to obtain three tickets for a nominal fee that I will not disclose. We entered the arena with ease and were soon swept up in the excitement. As we walked to our seats I ran into former college great turned bad commentator Clark Kellogg. I also made eye contact with current Cays star Bob Sura. Eventually we made it to our seats, that's where the story gets interesting. After relishing in the All-Star atmosphere for several minutes to atractive ladies came up to our section. Unfortunately they had the same tickets that we had, Section 213, Row 15, Seats 1 and 2. Somebody had counterfiet tickets. Since we had purchased our tickets on Prospect Avenue we assumed ours were bad. We moved over to some vacant seats and were soon caught up in the atmosphere again. We sang the Canadian national athem and heard our national athem . . 4,; „ "We had a poor first half (vs Notre Dame)," said Head Coach Rot Fornari. "We shot a good percentage, we just weren't playing a good defensive game." The Lady Lions shot 35% in the first half and only trailed 30-23 at the break despite the weak defensive. In the second half, Bchrend played solid and outscored Notre Dame 30- 28. They pulled to within three and thought we may get to see the game. We even got to watch (live) the introduction to the All-Star Game. We cheered our favorite players and booed Patrick Ewing and Karl Malone. During the introduction my friend turned to me and said, "I can't believe we are at the All-Star game.", I said "I can't believe Chris Gatling is", and prepared to watch my first live NBA All-Star Game. That's when things took a turn for the worse. Just as the game was tipping off four men came up to sit in their seats. Unfortunately for us they brought an usher up to check the seating arrangement. Appearantly there was a problem with counterfiet tickets. The usher asked everyone in the section to come downstairs to solve the dilemma. As we walked down closer to the game I saw Penny Hardaway throw up an air ball and Gary Payton drain a three. While we waited for them to solve the problem I found a seat and watched the first four minutes of the game. Then they told us our tickets were forgeries and escorted us to the front doors. On our way out we also ran into Dallas rookie Samaki Walker, who laughed at us as the cop escorted us out. Our escort treated us like common criminals before we reached the ticket expert and real policemen. They showed us how they could tell they were counterfiet and asked us for information about were we got the tickets. The forgery was so minor that the ticket expert had trouble finding the error and told us how good the duplicates were. To make a long story short I got kicked out of my first live NBA All-Star Game before the first Period was even over. I was so - "E• • , , .1,14) 4 4 41"t'-'" Ist half woes cost Behrend 2 games N NI , ~...:: , late in the game, but Notre Dame closed up the door for the five point win. "Notre Dame got lots of offensive rebounds and put backs," said Fornari. "We just didn't win the hustle points." Emily Marini led Behrend with eleven points, but had just one board. Tiffany Buck also scored in double figures with ten and Carrie Nestor had nine. Katie O'Donnell had eight points and six boards, and Nikki Schultz had just six points before fouling out late in the second. The Lady Lions had a tough time against Buff State this week. In fact the closest they was 4-2 with 17:40 left in the first half. The Lady Bengals used an 11-0 run midway through the first to give them a 36-22 advantage at the break. "I don't like to lose to teams that are not better than us, and that's happened the last two games." "In the first half we just were not ready," said Fomari. "We can't win playing 20 of 40 minutes (a game)." "Last night was a big loss. We just didn't come to play in the first half," responded Fornari. "I don't like to lose to teams that are not better than us and that's happened the last two games." Nikki Schultz had eighteen close to seeing the greatest 50 players in NBA history and to watching Micheal Jordan play live that it still makes me sick to my stomach. Still if I had to oppurtunity to do it again I am sure I would. Just being there for the anthem and introductions is one of my greatest thrills in sports. I also have a story that I will always remember. As for the game the 20,562 fans with legal tickets saw one of the most exciting games in recent history. The game was full of several spectacular dunks and deadly long range shooting. Unfortunately I had to watch this from Mel's Grille next to Gund Arena instead of from Section 213, Row 15, seat 2. The West opened the game with the Payton three and cruised to a 34-21 lead after the first quarter. They stretched their lead to a 23 point bulge before the East rallied to trail by only three at the half. The halftime show featured the presentation of the greatest 50 players in NBA history. The ceremony was perhaps the most impressive display of fan appreciation in any sport, rivaled only by Cal Ripken's record breaking performance for consecuative games played. After the tremendous display of NBA greats, two-time All-Star Glen Rice went out and stole the show. Rice hit three consecuative three's at the start of the third period as the East started the half with a 13-0 run. Before the period was three minutes hold Rice drained a fourth trey to put the East up by 15. By the end of the third Rice had broken Hal Greer's record of 19 points in a quarter with 20 while putting the East ahead 97-87. Any interested student is invited to participate in one or more of WPSE's ongoing interviews with northwestern Pennsylvania corporate executives and business owners. Topics include historical profiles of companies, their accomplishments, initiatives, strategies, and goals. Meet the area's top executives and hear their perspectives on changes in their industries. Observe the editing and production of their comments for broadcast. For scheduling information call WPSE general manager Ron Slomski at extension 6495 --Coach Roz Fornari STUDENTS MEET CEO'S Through WPSE Radio Interviews The Lady Lions hung close in the second half. They used a 14-5 run to start the second half to cut the lead to 41-36. But Buffalo State came back with a 14-4 run of their own to kill the Lady Lions 67-53. News and Notes * Nikki Schultz, Carrie Nestor, and Tiffany Buck have started all twenty games this year. * Nikki Schultz leads the team with 13 points per game. Marini is averaging 9.2, Nestor 8.2, Buck 7.8, and Kelle Lerch 5.1. * Marini leads the team in rebounds per game with 6.7. Schultz has 5.9, and Carrie Nestor has 5.1. * Carrie Nestor has 106 assists this year for the Lady Lions. That's an average of just over five assists a game. * Tiffany Buck is the top outside threat for the Lady Lions. She has made 26 threes this year. Nestor is shooting a solid 73% from the charity stripe for the season. points and Buck and Marini each landed ten in the loss. Marini also cleaned nine missed shots off the glass. * Marini also leads the team in blocks (4) and steals (69). Meanwhile Bulls great Micheal Jordan was just one rebound and four assists shy of recording the first triple double in All-Star game history. The West made a late run in the fourth, but every time they pulled close Jordan, Rice and company were able to stretch their lead back to ten, before finishing the game with a 12 point spread, 132-120. Rice won the games MVP by scoring 26 points, 24 in the second half to break Wilt Chamberlain's record for points in a half. Jordan had to finish a close second in the voting behind his triple-double performance, 14 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Orlando's Penny Hardaway also added 19 points for the East on seven of 10 shooting. Golden State star Latrell Sprewell led the West scoring punch with 19. Seattle point guard Gary Payton added 17 points and 10 assists in the losing cause. Despite the absence of Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler and Shaquille O'Neal the 47th annual All-Star game was a spectacular display. I had the opportunity to feel the atmosphere and experience the excitement in the air before I was escorted out of the arena. When I look back at the day and the money I lost for the little time I spent in that atmosphere I can't do anything but smile. Sunday was both a great day for me and one of the most upsetting days in recent history. The sports god was teasing me, I was so close to seeing the greatest 50 players in the game. Suddenly my opportunity was snatched away, because of a greedy, conieving scalper and a burning desire to witness the 47th annual All-Star game live. Get outta my way! Junior forward Emily Marini drives past the defense in recent woman's action. * As a team the Lady Lions have more steals, more rebounds and more threes than their opponents. * The team's biggest win this season was 35 points in the Penn State Behrend Tournament to open the season. They beat FSU 78-43. NCAA by Brian Gregory Sports Editor It's official and this week everybody is talking. Penn State Behrend is joining a new athletic conference. The new conference will be named the NCAA Allegheny Mountains Athletic Conference. "This is a wonderful opportunity for our student athletes," commented Provost and Dean John Lilley. "It will give us a greater number of possibilities for competition." The conference, which will initially begin play in the 1997-98 school year, will be for men's and women's basketball, soccer and cross-country, baseball, and men's golf, softball, tennis, and volleyball. "There are lots of really good things coming (with the new league)," said Acting Athletic Director Roz Fornari. "Players will have more feedback and will be able to drive and strive for a group to win." One advantage of the new conference is the amount of different awards that players can achieve. In addition to weekly awards like player of the week, players can work for rookie of the year, MVP, and all-conference and all-rookie teams. Teams will also have a goal to strive for at the end of the year. The top four of six teams in the division go to a conference playoff and in two years, the winner may get an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Coaches also have a chance to strive for coach of the year. It will also help them in their recruiting options. ,~~ ~~~ . Ni 4,4444 Photo by Holly Berry/Contributing Photographer * The Lady Lions are shooting 37% from the floor this year. They have amassed 250 steals and 263 assists. They also have 17 blocks. * The Lady Lions are averaging 56.3 ppg. AMCC "It will help us in so many ways," said Men's basketball coach Dave Niland. We can tell kids we have a league, identify rivalries and organize our schedule." "This is part of a national trend to make sure collegiate athletics fits within the overall philosophy of the college," agreed Dean Lilley. Coach Fornari said that the conference will be genuinely strong across the board. The toughest NCAA AMCC 1. Frostburg State University 2. Lake Erie College 3. Laßoche College 4. Penn State-Behrend 5. Pitt-Bradford 6. Pitt-Greensburg Sports to be competed in are men's and women's basketball, soccer and cross-country, men's golf, baseball, softball, tennis and volleyball. struggle will be in men's basketball as all the teams are very competitive. Coach Niland agreed saying, "It's a great league, every team is good." As far, as the administrative aspect of the league goes, Dick McDowell of Pitt-Bradford is the founding President, Frostburg's Catherine Gira will be chair and Dean Lilley will be chair-elect. Fornari is very excited about the upcoming year, and she sees expansion in the near future for the conference. Several other teams have expressed interest in joining the conference.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers