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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Sports
Friday, January 22, 1999
Eagles hunt victories over San Elizario
PECOS, Jan. 22 -- The Pecos Eagle girls finish out the first
half of their District 2-4A schedule in San Elizario
tonight, against a team struggling as much as Pecos to score
points this season.
Pecos' boys will also be in San Elizario tonight, and will
try to bounce back from their worst loss of the season
against a team they've already been beaten by this season,
when the two Eagle squads meet at 8:30 p.m.
Pecos' girls face San Elizario in a 7 p.m. game, with the
0-4 Eagles hoping they can outscore the 1-3 Eagles, who did
open district with an overtime victory against Fabens.
But overall, this hasn't been a good year for either squad.
Pecos' 47-30 loss to district-leading Clint on Tuesday
dropped their record to 3-18 on the season, while San
Elizario is 3-17 after their 38-19 homecourt loss to
Canutillo.
"Shaye (Lara) only shot 2-for-9 from the floor tonight,"
Eagles' coach Brian Williams said following Tuesday's loss.
"I'm still having trouble getting our girls to shoot the
ball when they're open. They're afraid they're going to miss
the shot, but I tell them you never will know unless you
try."
Lara and Kartina Quiroz led Pecos with eight apiece, the
same a San Elizario's Rubi Jimenez had in their loss Tuesday
to Canutillo.
After being burned by one quarterback-turned guard on
Tuesday -- Clint's D.J. Check -- Pecos' boys will try to
keep San Elizario's Mike Perez from doing the same thing
tonight. Perez scored 19 on Tuesday, in the Eagles' 51-45
victory over Canutillo, and had 18 last month against Pecos,
in a 49-34 victory at the Sandhills Tournament in Monahans.
The Eagles saw a 20-16 halftime lead disappear in that game,
but did play without two of their starters, Mark Marquez and
Hector Garcia. However, on Tuesday, Pecos was at full
strength when they were blasted by Clint, 70-40, leaving
them with a 1-1 record in district, 9-12 overall. San
Elizario is also 1-1 and 11-12 on the season.
"I don't know why we came out like this tonight with just a
lack of effort," coach Mike Sadler said. Fortunately, the
Eagles have played far better on the road in recent weeks
then they have at home. Pecos has scored 119 points in their
last two road games, including 61 their victory a week ago
at Fabens, while managing just 65 points total in home
losses to Fort Stockton and Clint.
Spurs add Kerr, Elie to roster
By KELLEY SHANNON
AP Sports Writer
SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 22 -- Spurs center David Robinson keeps
searching for his first NBA championship.
The 10-year veteran said the Spurs' chances appear to have
improved with the addition of two players who have five
titles between them -- Steve Kerr of the Chicago Bulls and
Mario Elie of the Houston Rockets.
``I hope so,'' Robinson said. ``I haven't won the
championship yet, so I can't tell you what the ingredients
are.''
Just before training camp opened Thursday, San Antonio also
signed Jerome Kersey of the Seattle Supersonics, who has
been to the NBA finals twice with Portland and has the most
playoff experience on the current Spurs roster.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Kerr, Kersey and Elie are
unselfish players who will bring experience to the team.
``They're players who understand the game. They understand
roles. To them, there is no `I,' '' Popovich said.
Kerr, one of the best 3-point shooters in league history,
was a key player on three consecutive Chicago Bulls
championship teams. Elie was on Houston's championship teams
in 1994 and 1995.
Elie likes the idea of playing alongside big men Robinson,
Tim Duncan and Will Perdue.
``I'm playing with three seven-footers. I'm in heaven,''
Elie said.
Kerr said because the Chicago team is being dismantled and
the Spurs have such potential, coming to San Antonio was an
easy decision.
``They're one of the best teams in the league for sure,'' he
said. ``I really don't know were my role will be with the
team. Because of that, it's kind of nerve-wracking and kind
of fun.''
Popovich has repeatedly said San Antonio needs more
consistency in its outside shooting, particularly in light
of injuries the last two seasons to forward Sean Elliott.
Elliott will be back this season after missing the second
half of last season with a left quadriceps tendon injury.
The San Antonio Express-News reported Thursday that Kerr is
receiving a five-year, $11 million deal; Elie has agreed to
a two-year, $3.7 million contract; and Kersey is signing
either a one- or two-year deal with a starting salary of $1
million.
``They can do nothing but help us,'' said Duncan, now
entering his second year in the league. Duncan was the NBA
Rookie of the Year last season, averaging 21.1 points, 11.9
rebounds and 2.51 blocks.
The Spurs are opting to do without Vinny Del Negro, who left
to play for an Italian team during the lockout but could
return to the NBA if he chooses.
Chuck Person also is gone. The Spurs traded him to Chicago
for Kerr.
Rockets set to add Pippen
By MICHAEL A. LUTZ
AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON, Jan. 22 -- The Houston Rockets welcomed their
latest superstar at their first practice in eight months.
Then they went home without working out and with Scottie
Pippen still not officially a member of the team.
After a delay of nearly four hours in a scheduled
announcement, Rockets owner Les Alexander called off the
celebration late Thursday night by announcing there was a
problem with the wording in the collective bargaining
agreement.
``It's going to take some time.'' Alexander said.
Alexander stressed that the deal would be done, and Pippen
already was getting used to his new surroundings.
``I wanted to thank all the fans for being very warm to me
around the city the little time I've been here,'' Pippen
said. ``I'm looking forward to bringing a champion here. I
can see I'm going to have a wonderful career here.''
Jimmy Sexton, Pippen's agent, said the problem was not with
Pippen's five-year, $67.2 million contract. The Rockets and
Pippen declined to define the contract problem.
``There is nothing wrong with the contract,'' Sexton said.
``It's just that with us getting a chance to look at the
collective bargaining agreement so late today, we have to
work through the night to get it corrected.
``We will have it corrected later tonight. It has nothing to
do with the trade.''
The Rockets must sign Pippen to put themselves over the
salary cap before they can sign their other players.
Under terms of the collective bargaining agreement, teams
can still sign their own free agents even if they are over
the salary cap. But if the othts also re-signed free agent
Charles Barkley for $1 million. With typical flare, Barkley
signed his contract on the 10th tee at La Quinta, Calif.,
where he was playing in the Bob Hope Desert Classic.
The Rockets started the day with only three players under
contract, center Hakeem Olajuwon, guard Brent Price and
second year guard-forward Rodrick Rhodes, who is out 6-8
weeks following surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right
pectoral muscle.
The Rockets called a 6 p.m. EST news conference to announce
Pippen's signing, but delayed the announcement for one hour
to complete the deal. That turned into a lengthy wait for
the Rockets players, who lounged in their locker room at
Westside Tennis Club.
Pippen, 33, had been with the Bulls since the 1987-88 season
when he was drafted out of Central Arkansas. He averaged
19.1 points and 5.2 rebounds last season when the Bulls won
their sixth NBA championship of the decade.
Pippen will form a formidable front line with Barkley and
Olajuwon following the retirement of Clyde Drexler after
last season.
The deal gives the Rockets three of the players ranked among
the top 50 in NBA history.
The Rockets are hoping for the same result as in 1995 when
they got Drexler from the Portland Trail Blazers and won a
second straight NBA championship.
The Rockets sent Chucky Brown, Mark Bryant, Sam Cassell and
Robert Horry to Phoenix in 1996 to bring Barkley on board,
but another title didn't follow.
The 50-game schedule might be conducive to the aging
Rockets, but the condensed time game could cause problems.
Barkley is 35, Pippen 33, Olajuwon 36 and Eddie Johnson 39.
The Rockets have four days to get ready for the first
exhibition game, on Tuesday against the San Antonio Spurs in
Houston. Houston opens the regular season Feb. 5 at Los
Angeles against Lakers. The home opener is Feb. 8 against
the Denver Nuggets.
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
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Copyright 1999 by Pecos Enterprise
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