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Lions Snap Losing Streak
by Todd J. Irwin
Collegian Staff Writer
The Lion cagers dropped their
fourth consecutive game this past
week in the midst of a flu
epidemic.
Monday, Jan. 30, saw the
Lions travel to Houghton where
their record fell to 11-8 with a
84-71 defeat in what was
probably the low point of the
season. "We were pretty sick,"
said Coach Zimmerman, "More
players were unable to play than
were able to."
In addition, the Lions haven't
played well on the road. "We
don't get as pumped up as we do
at home," said guard Randy
Baughman.
The Lions took to the road
again, on Saturday, and lost their
fourth straight against a veteran
Elmira team, 86-79. The Lions
had problems against Elmira's
big inside men. "We played well,
but we always have problems
against the bigger teams," said
Zimmerman. In the end, the
Lions lost and their record fell to
11-9.
As if the Lions didn't have
enough problems with illness,
they have also been hampered by
injuries to key players as of late.
Forward Mo Pringle turned his
ankle in practice Thursday, and
saw only limited playing time on
Saturday. Pringle has averaged
11.3 points per game in addition
to 7.8- rebounds per game.
Forward Rick Demski has a
bruised cheek bone which
hampered his average 18.6 points
per game.
The team realizes that their
play is not at the level that it was
before the losing streak "We're
SADD
CPS The group that raised a
nationwide student voice against
drunk driving announced a new
effort January 23 and a new
target: steroid and other illegal
drug use by student athletes and
their young fans.
Robert Anastas, founder of the
four million-member Students
Against Driving Drunk (SADD),
figures he can duplicate his
success.
"We can reverse peer pressure
and make it positive rather than
negative," he maintained in
announcing his program.
"Student athletes are natural
leaders and trendsetters in our
high schools and universities.
Whc they stumble, everyone
falls, said Anastas, who recalled
decicing to mount an anti-drug
crusn:fe among athletes after New
York Giants' linebacker Lawrence
Tayk was disciplined for failing
a drug test and Canadian
Olyr Ben Johnson lost his
gold medal last summer after
testing positive for steroid use.
"He was the greatest
commercial for steroids, but it's
shattered the work ethic that
coaches try to instill in boys and
out of our rhythm, " said junior
Dave Gurska. "The chemistry is
not where it was," added
Baughman.
Despite the slide the team
remains upbeat and optimistic.
Demski summed up the teams
sentiments, "We just got out of
sync, but we're picking back up
again. We're going to go out and
win our last five games."
The Lions broke out of
their midseason slump
Monday night with a 112-
98 blasting of SUNY-
Brockport.
Guards Chris Viscuso,
Dave Gurska and Bob
Minford paced the Lion
attack by hitting a record
14 three-point field goals.
Viscuso was 8-9 from
three-point land while
Gurska nailed 5-8. Minford
hit his only long range
attempt.
Trailing 50-48 at the
half, the Lions' roared
back to take the lead for
good with over 11:31 left
in the game.
Viscuso led the Lions
with 32 points while
Minford had 22, Rick
Demski 19, Gurska 15 and
Mo Pringle 14.
In the paint it was
Demski and Pringle that
led the way combining for
22 of_ the Lions' 55
rebounds.
- As a team the Lions
shot 53 percent- from the
field to Brockport's 49
percent. The victory brings
the Lions' record to 12-9
while dropping Brockport's
to 4-15.
Takes On Drugs
girls, that if you run when others
walk, sleep when others party,
you can go anywhere in sports.
Now the message is 'I can do it
my way and cheat.' But that is a
false package and students need to
know that."
Anastas said the new program,
called Student Athletes Detest
Drugs, will use the same
technique as his drunk driving
effort; students will sign cards
pledging not to abuse drugs.
"We'll give the cards to the
athletic director, who will pass
them out to his coaches, who
will discuss drug abuse with their
teams. If they agree to sign the
cards, then they'll also make a
public statement. But they won't
only be making a statement,
they'll be sending a message to
their parents, their brothers and
sisters, their fellow students and
their fans too."
"Once you've committed
publicly," Anastas continued,
"It's not easy to go to a party and
down a six-pack or smoke a joint
without feeling like a hypocrite."
Participating colleges will get
large "Student Athletes Detest
Drugs" banners to hang near their
Rick Demski goes for two of his 19 points Monday night during the
Lions' 112-98 victory over SUNY-Brockport. The victory ended the
Lions' longest losing streak of the season at four games.
photo by Rick Brooks
teams' benches during games.
SADD stickers, which will be
affixed to helmets and uniforms,
and literature outlining the
dangers of drugs also will be sent
to team captains to give to other
players.
St. Louis University already
has adopted the plan, Anastas
said, and he's working with
officials at St. John's University
and . universities of Southern
California and California-Los
Angeles to implement it.
SADD also has contacted
officials at hundreds of other
colleges and 25,000 high schools
and junior high schools about the
program, Anastas said.
Anastas, a former high school
counselor, admits he won't be
able to reach every student by
appealing to them with athletes.
"There are those kids who are
smoking the grass, doing the
LSDs, who are not able to
express themselves through
sports," he said. "we miss a
group, and that has always
bothered me. I wish to heck I
knew how to reach that group."
The Collegian Wednesday, February 8
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