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Show Saturday, January 1, 2(100, THE DAILY HfcRALD. MOTTOLA Continued fnm Bl - Back with a vengeance Upon returning to the lineforward scored up, the 16 points in 20 minutes against Chicago State without having seen even a minute of practice time. As nice as that sounds, his second game back was even more impressive. Going up against Texas's Chris Mihm, widely regarded as one of the best centers in the country, Mottola pumped in a 32 points while career-higgrabbing 11 rebounds in 32 minutes, prompting Mihm to call him the most player he's ever gone up against. "He is a very intelligent said Mihm after player," Wednesday night's game. "He did a good job of working me inside in the first half then going outside in the second half. It really tires you out on the defensive end to play against a guy like that." Keep in mind that this was said about a guy who has been rehabbing his knee for the past six weeks, yet still managing to keep in shape despite having h well-rounde- d . no contact whatsoever. on-cou- rt Whether it was riding the stationary bike, running when he was cleared to do so, or doing other drills, the senior did the allowed by doctors maximum without fail. know, the best part about Hanno is his attitude," says head coach Rick Majerus. "His work ethic has never been a problem. "He came into his senior season better prepared than two of the three guys who went to the NBA, who were also very to enter their senior seasons." Even from the sidelines, the influence of such workaholism has spread to the rest of the "You well-prepare- d . team, as evidenced by the emergence of such players as point guard Gary Colbert and forwardcenter Phil Cullen, both of whom weren't expected to take on much of a role this They were always doing things together," says Marjatta Mottola, the pair's mother. Hanno has always been very gentle and funny. They always played very well together and Mattias was always very kind to him." It wasn't long after those at the YMCA club that days Hanno caught up to Mattias, who now stands at about He kept growing, all the while playing with kids older than him, and thus, finding it necessary to develop the guardlike dribbling and shooting skills that may make him the fourth consecutive NBA lottery pick from the U. "That has always been my dream, ever since I went with my brother to the club," says Hanno. "I want to be the first from Finland to make it on an NBA team." If he does, look for the NBA to increase its popularity in yet another European country. Brains and brawn The league would not only have the basketball ability of the power forward's skills to market, but like his father Kari, who is a special advisor to Finland's Foreign Ministry, Hanno possesses the intelligence and gift of articulation to be a successful ambassador of the game in his native country. If he continues to uphold the 3.5 grade point average he ha3 maintained this semester, he will most likely be an academic for the second heraklexlra.com , Provo, Utah Jones becomes trivia with Last basket By The Associated Press Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jumaine Jones may never get to the Hall of Fame on his own, but his uniform will. Jones became the answer to a trivia question Thursday night when he scored the last NBA basket of the 1990s in loss "to the the Sixers' 108-9Portland Trail Blazers. The game was the last on the schedule for the night, and with all NBA teams taking New Year's Eve off, Jones' bank shot with 3.6 seconds left became the last bucket of the 20th century. "I wasn't aware it was the last shot of the millennium until I came back into the locker room and one of my teammates told me," Jones said. "I didn't mean for it to go off the glass. I'd rather it had been all net. But I'm 0 and they're very energetic. It's fun to watch them develop. Al Harrington and Austin Crosiere have been developing very well and watching Jonathan Bender, it's been NBA NOTEBOOK going to enjoy having my stuff go to the Hall of Fame." exciting." So, could the young guys convince Bird to rethink his 76ers' public relations official gathered up the sneakers, his No. 33 jersey and shorts, which will be packed up and sent to the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. A retirement? No way, Bird said. Time to move on," he said. "Three years is enough." THE NEXT CROP: Word around scouting circles is that there could be as many as six high schoolers who could crack the first round of the draft if they choose to VIEW: Larry BIRD'S-EY- E Bird's bad back made it hard for him to truly enjoy his last season as a player. The end of his coaching career will be different. "It's been a fun season," said Bird, who has already said he'll retire from coaching at the end of the season. "I've got some younger players mixed in with the older guys, come out. All, however, have indicted they'll be playing college ball instead. Eddie Griffin of Philadelphia Roman Catholic has already committed to Seton Hall, Gerald Wallace of Childersburg, Ala. is committed to Alabama, and Darius Miles of East St. Louis, 111. is committed to St. John's. Regarded a notch below are DeShawn Stevenson of Fresno, Calif., who has committed to Kansas; Buddy Harper, who has committed to Cincinnati; and Alton Ford, who has committed to Clyde Drexler's Houston Cougars. Visit us online www.heraldextra.com f o consecutive year. "I think basketball would become more popular if Hanno played in the NBA," says Mattias, who attends a university in Finland and will earn a Masters degree in political relations in January. "Right now, there isn't a lot of TV coverage, so we don't get to see Hanno play very often. "But if he goes to the NBA, I think they will show Hanno's games on TV here." If the two dozen or so scouts who were in attendance at night's game Wednesday against Texas have anything to S3 say about it, the dreams of a Finnish boy will probyear. ' ably come true. Now, some 17 years later, A prime example Mattias stands in the middle of Because of injuries to old bedroom in Hanno's starters such as guard Trent Helsinki counts 19 medals and center Nate Althoff '. Whiting, he speaks to a wall on as the and Mottola, the bench players have had to step up, all the reporter from the United while hearing shouts of encourStates, contemplating how this from has all happened and where it their injured agement could go from here. team captain. "lie has been such a great T example," says fellow senior Plenty of what ifs and captain Alex Jensen. "From "You know," Mattias starts, it the beginning he has been pos- "Hanno is very fortunate to itive through this whole experihave lived in such a large city. rr. ence. Instead of sitting at pracIf he had lived in the smaller tice quietly, he's been vocal and towns, things might have been has really helped the younger different. National Team scouts guys. don't get out into the country "I think it's gone a long way much to see the juniors play toward helping this team for and they probably would not the rest of the season." Hanno if we lived out In fact, it is Mottola's own have seen of the city." opinion that the current outThere are a lot of what-if- s look toward the rest of the season might not have held quite woven throughout the story of as much optimism had he Hanno's journey to Utah. What if even one other U.S. stayed healthy. college coach besides Majerus "I really think it was a blessing in disguise," he says. "Not would have taken a flight to that I ever want to get injured, Helsinki to personally visit a gesture that but with me and Nate and with Mottola in Utah's the tide Trent out, some of the other swayed favor? guys gained some confidence What if he hadn't had an and experience that they brother as supportive as older wouldn't have gotten if we or older friends who Mattias would have been in there this were time." whole equally as supportive? And what of those a Taking positive approach s beside the radio? is nothing new for Mottola, a let's native of Finland where sports Well, just say that like hockey, soccer, skiing and Hanno would probably be getlike track and field find their way ting his kicks elsewhere into the 6ports sections long on a soccer field somewhere in before basketball makes it into Europe. print. ij je ! ' I 7 - V f - 77 V Santa's handing ouf u Guaranteed and Bump Certificate Account O prions. Open a new America First Certificate Account today. You'll earn late-nig- competitive rates and your choice of either a guaranteed rate or laugh-a-thon- bump option on a minimum deposit of $500. It's only available this " Brotherly influence This is Mattias Mottola played such an important role in Hanno's development. Being three years older than Hanno, it would have been easy for the Mattias to leave his little brother behind when he ran over to the local YMCA to play this uncommon sport with his friends. 1 But Mattias wasn't like a lot of older brothers who don't . want to be bothered by their younger siblings. He welcomed Hanno into the fold while making no apologies to his friends, ' who also took to the with an agreeable personality. '8 where ' - If you smoke, a door is a very simple way to keep your kids healthier. ' holiday season through Jan. 11, 2000. Visit ODD DDD 546-041- 1 the branch nearest you pr in Davis County, Utah County, County, or 734-360- 0 966-555- 3 call now: 627-090- 0 in Weber County, in Salt Lake County, in Box Elder County, 688-380- 0 in 223-390- 0 in Washington outside the Wasatch Front. Go out for your kids. 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