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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Sports
Wednesday, January 20, 1999
Eagles torn up by Lions, 70-40
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Jan. 20 -- "It's like it always is. Any high is too
high and any low is too low," said Pecos Eagles' coach Mike
Sadler after Tuesday night's game against Clint, which
definitely fell under the "low" category.
After winning their first district game in nearly two years
on Friday in Fabens, the Eagles played their worst district
game in about that long on Tuesday, as they were dominated
by the visiting Lions and lost, 70-40.
"We never got into the game. We never came out of the little
slump we were in," Sadler said, as Clint raced out to a
double-digit lead in the first period and would lead by as
many at 33 points in the second half.
Pecos' only points in the first five minutes of the game
came because Clint's Macias Vasquez was penciled in with the
wrong uniform number in the official scorebook. Fernando
Navarette hit one of two free throws on the technical foul
with less than two minutes gone by in the game, but it would
be another three minutes before Mark Marquez would hit a
lay-up for Pecos' first basket of the night.
While the Eagles were slow on defense and careless with
their passes all night, Clint was diving on the floor for
balls, and in the case of Dario Arroyo, even running head
first in the back gym wall to save a loose ball and start a
fast break, which ended with a D.J. Check lay-up at the
other end.
"Needless to say, we got out-hustled tonight -- that's an
understatement," Sadler added.
Check, meanwhile, found far more holes in Pecos' defense
Tuesday than he did playing quarterback for Clint back in
October. The junior drove through the Eagles for a series of
lay-ups on the way to a 17-point night, while Arroyo led the
Lions' outside shooting assault and finished with a
game-high 18.
A series of Check lay-ups put Fabens ahead after one period,
23-5 and after Oscar Luna opened the second period with a
3-pointer the Eagles were shut out until Navarette hit a 3
late in the half, by which time Pecos trailed by a 35-11
score.
While driving lay-ups and 3-point shots carried Clint early,
the Lions widened their margin in the second half off a
series of rebound baskets. Clint dominated the inside, even
though unlike most teams Pecos faces, the Lions didn't have
a height advantage on Tuesday.
"It looks real awful when you're the guy in charge and see a
lack of effort," Sadler said. "If we get out-manned or
out-chalked (coached), I can accept that, but to get
out-hustled is unacceptable for any coach."
Marquez' 5-for-5 from the foul line was the only bright spot
on the night, and he finished with 11, while Luna hit a two
more 3-pointers in the second half and led the Eagles with
12.
The loss evens Pecos' District 2-4A record at 1-1 and
dropped them to 9-12 on the season, while Clint, after a
3-17 start, is now 2-0 in District. The Lions also won
Tuesday's junior varsity game, 58-55, and took the freshman
contest by a 66-24 final score.
"We can't dwell on the good when it happens and we can't
dwell on the bad. We just have to go to San Elizario and
have a good game," Sadler said of Friday's contest road
game. San Elizario beat a shorthanded Pecos squad earlier
this season at the Monahans Sandhills Tournament.
CLINT (70)
Trejo 0 0-0 0; Diaz 1 0-0 2; Morales 1 0-0 2; Garcia 0 0-0
0; Check 7 3-6 17; Nunez 0 0-0 0; Arroyo 7 2-2 18; Ortiz 3
0-0 8; Webb 3 1-2 7; Elias 1 0-0 2; Ryan 0 0-0 0; Vasquez 2
0-0 4; Ortega 5 0-0 10; Moreno 0 0-0 0. Totals 30 6-10 70.
PECOS (40)
Weidner 1 0-0 2; Perea 1 0-0 3; S. Garcia 0 0-0 0; Luna 4
1-3 12; A. Garcia 0 0-0 0; Navarette 4 1-2 10; Matta 0 0-0
0; H. Garcia 1 0-3 2; Marquez 3 5-5 11. Totals 14 7-13 40.
Clint 23 12 19 16 --70
Pecos 5 6 10 19 --40
Three-point goals: Clint 4 (Arroyo 2, Ortiz 2), Pecos 5
(Luna 3, Perea, Navarette). Technical foul: Clint, bench
(illgeal player). Fouled out: None. Total fouls: Clint 11,
Pecos 11.
Clint's fast start too much for Pecos
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Jan. 20 -- If the Pecos Eagles could just figure out
a way not to play the first quarter of their District 2-4A
basketball games, they'd be in pretty good shape.
Unfortunately, the first quarter is a mandatory part of
every game, and again on Tuesday night, Pecos' girls dug
themselves a hole they were unable to get out of, this time
against the Clint Lions.
Clint scored the game's first 10 points and while the Eagles
would cut that in half in the second period, they were never
able to get any closer, while the Lions would pull further
away in the closing minutes of their 47-30 win at the Pecos
High School gym.
"We come out flat at home. On the road we don't do that,"
said Eagles' coach Brian Williams. "I don't know if it's
that we just don't focus enough at home."
Clint got their early lead by running a back-door play to
post Polly Wagner, who had 10 points by herself in the
opening period. "All we had to do was slide down with that
girl, but she got 10 in the first quarter before we
adjusted," Williams said.
Pecos' first basket didn't come until there was 3:10 left in
the period, when Lindsey Hathorn scored on a lay-up. She
would hit a free throw the next time downcourt, and Pecos
would come up with turnovers on Clint's next two
possessions. But the Eagles couldn't take advantage of the
mistakes and the Lions would tack on six more points to lead
by 13 at the quarter's end.
Clint coach Gil Morales rested Wagner in the second period
and it showed on the scoreboard. The Lions didn't score
until there were 16 seconds left in the half , allowing
Pecos to cut the lead to 16-11. But Ashley Salcido missed a
chance from the foul line to cut the lead with 57 seconds
left,. and after Michelle Tullins' basket with 16.1 to play
the Eagles turned the ball over, allowing Claudia Bueno to
score just before halftime, giving the Lions a 20-11 lead.
Wagner was back in the third period and added two more
lay-ups, as Clint upped their lead to 29-15. The Eagles then
made one last run, as baskets by Monique Levario and
Philonicus Fobbs narrowed the gap to 30-23 with five minutes
to play. But Christina Varela and Denise Duran countered
with lay-ups of their own, as the Lions outscored the
Eagles, 17-7 the rest of the way.
"It took us so much energy to come back we ran out of gas in
the fourth quarter," said Williams, whose team fell to 0-4
in district play and 3-18 for the season.
Kartina Quiroz and Shaye Lara each had eight points to lead
Pecos, while Wagner had 19 to top the Wildcats, who are 4-0
in district and 19-4 overall. Clint also won Tuesday's
junior varsity game, while the Eagles pulled out a win in
the freshman contest.
CLINT (47)
Montoya 0 0-0 0; M. Tullins 3 1-2 7; McCoy 0 0-0 0; L.
Tullins 0 0-0 0; Bravo 1 0-0 0; Nieto 0 0-0 0; Rueda 0 0-0
0; Wagner 9 1-3 19; Duran 2 2-4 6; Luna 0 0-0 0; Rios 1 4-4
6; Button 0 0-0 0; Varela 2 3-6 7; Foster 0 0-0 0. Totals 18
11-19 47.
PECOS (30)
Lara 4 0-1 8; Marquez 0 1-2 1; Garcia 0 0-0 0; Molinar 0 0-0
0; Quiroz 2 4-6 8; Salcido 0 0-1 0; Levario 1 1-2 3; Hathorn
2 1-2 5; Fobbs 2 1-4 5. Totals 11 8-14 30.
Clint 16 4 9 18 --47
Pecos 3 8 4 15 --30
Three-point goals: None. Technical foul: Pecos, Levario.
Fouled out: Pecos, Hathorn. Total fouls: Clint 19, Pecos 17.
Bears drop final pre-district road games
PECOS, Jan. 20 -- The Balmorhea Bears fared better on Buena
Vista's court Tuesday night than they did on their home
court four days earlier, though it still wasn't enough to
earn the Bears a victory.
Balmorhea's boys, meanwhile, had a tougher time going up
two class levels on Tuesday, as they dropped their final
pre-district game in Alpine to the Bucks.
Balmorhea's girls, 63-48 losers to Buena Vista on Friday,
fell to the Longhorns this time by a 55-48 score, while the
boys were beaten by the Bucks, 67-46.
Deanna Graham scored 20 points and Meg Choate added 16 for
the Longhorns, who had pulled away from the Bears in the
fourth quarter of Friday's game. This time, Balmorhea hung
around until the finish, but wound up getting all but 10 of
their points from two players, Brenda Dutchover and Terry
Hernandez.
Dutchover hit four of the Bears' six 3-point shots Tuesday
and finished with 17, while Hernandez led all scorers with
18 points, including two jumpers from 3-point range.
Balmorhea's boys routed Buena Vista in their game last
Friday, 55-27. But against the Class 3A Bucks, the Bears
were bombed from the outside by eight 3-point shots. Cody
Carpenter had half of those for his 12 points on the night,
while guard Cougar McBride went in closer for his points,
and led the Bucks with 16.
The Bears failed to his a 3-pointer on the night, but did
get more points out of post Arutro Miranda, who was in foul
trouble on Friday. Miranda finished with 16, and guard
Travis Woodruff led all scorers with 18.
Both Balmorhea teams will be back on the road Friday for
their District 1-A openers against Dell City. The Cougars,
Sierra Blanca and Valentine make up Balmorhea's basketball
district this year.
Rodman opts out of Bulls' rebuilding
CHICAGO, Jan. 20 (AP) -- Normal has never described Dennis
Rodman.
So why should the end of his career be any different? His
agent says he is retiring. Rodman says he's just taking a
year off and isn't sure what's ahead.
For sure, the renegade rebounder whose wild hair colors and
bountiful body piercings and tattoos made him the NBA's most
flamboyant and often troubled character, is not coming back
to the Chicago Bulls.
The six-time NBA champions are in the midst of a major
overhaul following Michael Jordan's retirement. Scottie
Pippen is headed to Houston, Steve Kerr to San Antonio and
Luc Longley to Phoenix.
You will, indeed, need a program this year to identify the
team that won six NBA titles this decade.
And Rodman?
``I'm not going to play this year,'' he told Fox Sports News
on Tuesday night. ``I am in limbo, but I'm not going to say
I'm retired.''
Hours earlier, his West Coast-based agent Dwight Manley said
Rodman is finished with the game because he wants to go to
Hollywood.
There was even a rumor swirling that Rodman would be signed
and then traded to the New York Knicks for Buck Williams.
That was quickly brushed off.
``Dennis is retiring,'' Manley said, although Rodman has
considered retiring in each of the last five years. ``He
doesn't want to play.''
``He wants to go into the sports and entertainment field.
Some people have convinced him that he wants to become a
movie star.''
Manley said there are several teams still interested in
signing the wacky, 37-year-old Rodman, known for his
ferocious workouts, frequent forays to Las Vegas and an
ability to hit the boards that led to seven straight
rebounding titles.
Manley, who said he is severing his relationship with
Rodman, declined to identify those teams who might want
Rodman's services. The Bulls traded for him in 1995.
Rodman won championships with Chicago in 1996, 1997 and
1998, and two titles with the Detroit Pistons in 1989 and
1990.
But the Bulls are rebuilding, shipping out the nucleus of a
team that won the last three titles. They certainly don't
need an aging rebounder who doesn't score and causes
trouble.
Pippen, meanwhile, is the biggest winner in the Bulls
sweepstakes. He will sign a five-year, $67.2 million deal
with the Bulls -- with an additional $15 million in
incentives -- who will then ship him to Houston once the
lockout officially ends. In return, the Bulls get Roy Rogers
-- Trigger not included -- and a second-round draft pick.
Three-point specialist Kerr gets a five-year, $11 million
deal before heading to San Antonio for draft picks. And
center Longley will get a five-year, $30 million package
before being traded to Phoenix for Mark Bryant, Martin
Muursepp and Bubba Wells.
Rodman's off-court activities earned him much more notoriety
than his rebounding.
He once announced his marriage, only to show up at a New
York book signing in a wedding gown and blond wig -- sans
groom; he offended Mormons and was fined $50,000 for making
derogatory comments during the 1997 finals in Salt Lake
City; he skipped practice during the NBA Finals last summer
to attend a wrestling match in Detroit, and later as
``Rodzilla'' teamed with Hulk Hogan to beat Karl Malone and
Diamond Dallas Page.
He drew a six-game suspension for head-butting referee Ted
Bernhardt in 1996 and drew another for 11 games in 1997 for
kicking a courtside cameraman in Minneapolis.
He was always in trouble, first with the Pistons; then
during his brief stay in San Antonio, where his behavior
damaged Spurs' chances at the NBA title; and finally during
his three championships years with the Bulls, where he
became a Chicago fan favorite for tossing his jersey into
the stands after games.
His tardiness and selfish antics away from the court often
tested his teammates' patience and that of coach Phil
Jackson, who handled him as well as anyone could.
Jackson once suggested an ultimate therapy for his bad-boy
board man.
``Electric shock is the next treatment,'' Jackson said.
Rodman has appeared in movies and TV shows, had a stint on
MTV, and wrote his life story, ``Bad As I Wanna Be,'' that
became a bestseller.
He has been sued -- most recently by a cocktail waitress who
said he jammed a $100 bill down her blouse and grabbed her
breast.
The man who once courted Madonna recently married Carmen
Electra, his longtime girlfriend, although days later there
were reports of an annulment filing. In another bizarre
chapter, however, the former ``Baywatch'' actress later
denied the marriage was off.
Rodman didn't need the ball to be effective. His career
scoring average was just 7.5 points, but at 6-foot-8 he was
one of the great rebounders in league history with a 13.2
average and seven straight titles.
He had an uncanny sense of where the ball would come off the
rim, in addition to the ability to tip rebounds to himself
with his long arms.
And he was also one of the game's most bothersome defenders
-- grabbing, shoving and holding under the basket -- to the
frustration of his opponents.
Rodman was selected by the Pistons in the second round of
1986 and spent seven years there -- often roughing up Jordan
and Pippen -- before being traded to the Spurs in 1993.
He came to the Bulls in 1995 and blended with Jordan and
Pippen to help Chicago capture three straight titles.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
Copyright 1999 by Pecos Enterprise
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