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Show WWW.NETXNEWS.NET MONDAY • July 10 • 2006 Real Salt Lake draws again Webster's Wisdom Ben Webster Free agency in the NBA hasn't always been the best time of the year for the Utah Jazz. Year after year the Jazz get snubbed from some of the top free agents on the market but at least they got one of their own this year. Matt Harpring. Last year the Jazz had Raja Bell on the top of their list to resign. He got away and helped th£ Phoenix Suns make a strong run into' the Western Conference finals. He led the league during the playoffs with 46 percent from behind the threepoint arc. That is exactly what the Jazz needed last year and what the Jazz wanted in the draft. But he got away. They signed restricted free agent Jason Terry a few years ago only to see him resign with Atlanta. The same thing happened with Elton Brand and Corey Maggette of the L.A. Clippers. , l • • -•• — Harpring didn't get away. The Jazz made him a priority. They wanted' to give him a three-year deal but Harping was looking for some stability and a four or five-year contract. Harpring, as most free agents do, got his way. The Jazz will, reportedly sign him for four years for $25 million on July 12, clearing up any questions that" the Jazz had the two-guard spot. Harpring won't be the missing piece next year but he will help. Harpring averaged just 12.5 points a game last year and 5.2 rebounds. But he does bring something that Bell gave the Jazz, Toughness. Despite having two reconstructive knee surgeries, Harpring plays hard every minute of every game that he plays in. In a league where players, especially stars, are known for taking a few plays off if not a few nights off, Harpring will give a • full effort every night. According to Harpring's agent Richard Howell, other teams interested in Harpring included the team that took Bell away. Phoenix, and also the Lakers, Nuggets and oth- Jamie Teerlink/College Times Jason Kries plays ball during Real Salt Lake's draw against Chivas USA. Real continues their five game winless streak. RSL Continues their five game Winless Streak If we don't win at home it means we will have to get points on the road," Ellinger Sports Writer said. That could be a challenge. Getting points on the road has been extremely difhere were fireworks after the ficult for Real as they have only had one game but Real Salt Lake and win on the road in their two-year history. Chivas USA didn't make any The best chance for a goal came early in fireworks on the field as they the game. In just the first minute of play, played to a scoreless tie at Rice-Eccles forward Atiba Harris took the ball on the Stadium in front of 20,752 fans last Tues- right side and found Real's other forward day, extending their winless streak to five Jeff Cunningham on a textbook cross right games. in front of goal with just the goalkeeper to "It's a pretty simple game," coach John beat. The streaking Cunningham couldn't Ellinger said, "you have got to finish your find the angle as he put the ball just inches chances. There isn't any overtime, there outside of the post and blew an opportuaren't any penalty kicks. You have got to nity to put pressure on Chivas from the finish." beginning. The draw puts Real at 3-8-4 on the Other chances game and went. MLS season but drops them to the bottom of leading scorer and Real Captain, Jason the Western conference in Major League Kreis, missed a free kick just over the Soccer. post in the 77 minute. "I really hit that "I told the guys we need to treat this as one well and it had a great feeling when it a playoff game. We can't miss points at came off my foot that it was going to find home if we want to get into the playoffs. the back of the net," Kreis said. "So be it. Keep taking them. One of them will end up in there." Striker Jamie Watson also just missed a curling shot from 35 yards in the final minutes that could have given Real a dramatic victory. "We're following the same script right noW, playing good soccer, creating really good chances but being really unlucky," Kreis said. "The good news is we are creating chances but it's just the final touch or final pass that isn't getting there. A lot of times it's the final pass" Real took 11 shots and five were on goal. They also had two goals called back due to offsides calls. One of these was in the 75 minute. It appeared that Kreis had scored when Cunningham found him in front of the Chivas keeper and Kreis put it in. Just as soon as the crowd erupted for Jazz grab Brewer with 14th pick Owls drop one Ben Webster T See REAL-A8 • ers. Harpring's scoring average has dropped two points over the, last three seasons. If that trend continues, Harpring and his toughness may end up hurting Utah. The Jazz are happy to have their trooper back but will he be worth it in two or three years? Harpring, 30, is getting old according to NBA standards but the Jazz took the chance on the mended veteran. With new, young players ' joining the team will Harpring be able to relate to his teammates? With eight seasons in the league, four with the Jazz, Harpring should be able to give the young guys some important advice on the court as well as off of it. He knows how the Jazz operate. He knows what Coach Jerry Sloan expects from his guys. If he can get the young guys to understand the Jazz mentality then he will be a valuable asset. ; Signing Harpring doesn't guaran; tee that the Jazz will make the play" offs or compete for other top free agents, but it does mean that the Jazz will retain some toughness and a crafty vet that could help bring some of the young guys along. . president of team op- Mountain Review, Utah's erations for the Jazz, summer league. "I'm Sports Writer said, "We had Brewer in just really excited to be "With the fourteenth pick our top fourteen, so we part of this organization. in the 2006 NBA Draft, were happy he was still I used to watch the Jazz the Utah Jazz select... around." when I was younger, so Ronnie Brewer, from the The Jazz went into the I'm really excited to play University of Arkansas," draft looking for a shooter for Coach Sloan," Brewer said NBA commissioner but got an athlete. Brew- said. David Stern at Madison er, often criticized for his With the 46 pick of Square Garden. shot, said, "It might look the draft in the second Brewer is an athletic funny, but it goes in. I con- round the Jazz selected 6-foot-7, multi-position tinue to work on that and Dee Brown, high-enerplayer from Fayetteville, try to make it consistent. gy guard out of Illinois. Arkansas. His father also Look at Shawn Marion or He will be reunited with played for Arkansas and Michael Redd, they have former teammate and led them to the final four the ugliest shots in the second-year point guard in 1978. league but no one says Deron Williams. The night of the draft, they can't shoot." BrewThe Jazz had the next Jazz fans gathered at the er's shooting may be in pick in the draft as well Delta Center and booed question, but his scoring and selected Paul Millwhen the Orlando Magic ability isn't. He averaged sap, a big man from Louiselected coveted Duke 18.4 points last year to siana Tech, alma mater of shooting guard J.J. Redick lead his team. Karl Malone. Millsap is three spots ahead of the The Jazz and fans will the only NCAA Division Jazz, but cheered when have an opportunity to I player to lead the nation they heard Utah's selec- see what Brewer can do in rebounding for three tion. Kevin O'Connor, in the upcoming Rocky consecutive years. Kasey Robbins Kasey Robbins Sports Writer In front of a record crowd of 4,579 the Orem Owlz dropped the third game in a three-game series to Idaho Falls 4-10. It was a surprising loss, given that the Owlz had managed to beat the Chukars, despite low scoring, in the two previous games. In game one of the series the Owlz were knotted at 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth when Orem center fielder Peter Bourjos blasted a hit into right field sending Ryan Mount racing to home plate for the winning run. Mount beat the throw and gave the Owlz the dramatic 2-1 win. The Owlz defeated the Chukars 2-1 in game two as well. Trailing by one in the sixth Abel Nieves struck one into right field driving in Bourjos for the tying run. An inning later Johnson hit his first homer of the season to give the Owlz their second win in the series. The two teams traded runs in the sixth and two runs a piece in the seventh but it See OWLZ-A8 |