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Show SECTION SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 2005 SPORTS EDITOR Darnell Dickson ddicksonheraldextra.com 344-2555 Mngs feeling right at home in Delta Center Neil K. DAILY Warner Webber scored points 14 of his 25 points during a pivotal stretch to help the Kings take the lead, and Stojakovic scored 13 of his 26 points in the final six minutes of the game to help the Kings hold onto their lead. Mike Bibby and Brad Miller both finished with 17 points for the Kings, who shot 52 percent from the field for the game. Carlos Boozer led the Jazz with 25 points and 10 rebounds and Mehmet Okur added 15 points and nine rebounds. "I think our style is just beating their style for whatever reason," third-quart- HERALD SALT LAKE CITY The Sacramento Kings were more than 500 miles away from home on Friday, but they had never felt more at home. The Kings stretched their winning streak at the Delta Center to 2 nine games with a win over the Utah Jazz. Chris Webber and Paja Stojakov-i- c are two of the biggest reasons the Kings have found a home away from home in Utah. 109-10- , Webber said. "Maybe because the first taste of the playoffs we had was here and they sent us away. We'll always remember that." run early Webber keyed a in the third quarter that gave Sacramento a 8 lead. After going from the field the first half, 8 in the third Webber was quarter, including three dunks. Webber's jumper gave Sacra- - ' mento a 768 lead with 2:05 left in the quarter, and Bibby closed out the scoring in the period by conplay with 47 verting a three-poiseconds left to make it 9-- 0 66-5- 7-- -- The Kings continued to stretch their lead in the fourth quarter. Mike Evans opened the quarter with a rebound dunk off a missed shot from Darius Songaila. After Boozer answered for the Jazz by sinking a jumper, Evans took a feed from Bibby on an pass and slammed home another dunk that gave the Kings an 2 lead with 1120 left. Webber then gave the Kings their biggest lead of the game when he banked in a jumper off 7 20-fo- 85-7- A STEVE ot See 81-7- JAZZ, C3 Press C. WILSONAssociated Utah's Carlos Boozer, right, dunks the ball as Sacramento's Brad Miller defends in the first half. BYU BASKETBALL Darnell Dickson Tleagressiye auroaoi The Front Row in A MILESTONE L FOR FORMER J' Will - r. xj j. VI PI if, n air. I 111V 1 m B ? fc t a t - l i. ui v v Bit ill S Miles has pretty much full circle. he was a youngster, teachers used to ask him Chris why he wasn't playing with kids his own age. He was. He was just taller than everybody else. BYU freshNow, the man is playing with kids his own size, just older. On the last day of 2004, Miles grew up on the Marriott Center floor. It's probably a lot to expect of Miles to put up 12 points, three blocks, three rebounds and three assists every night, but that's what he did in BYUs 4 victory over Santa Clara on Friday. His performance was just as key 23 as Jared Jensen's career-hig- h points and Mike Rose tying a career-bes- t with 26 because BYU was down to three post players, and Derek Dawes fouled out with 824 to play. . The one word that everybody uses to describe what Miles brings to the floor is "energy." Like a rechargeable battery at Christmas time, Miles always comes back for more. "The thing that impresses me the most about him is his work ethic," Jensen said. "And he doesn't back down from anyone." That's because Miles has plenty of experience going up against competition. In the summer of 2003, Miles was invited to the NBA Players Camp, one of 100 prep athletes so honored. As a senior, Miles played in a holi-day tournament against Dwight Howard (drafted out of Atlanta's Southwest Christian High School by the Orlando Magic) and at last year's Ragu Classic at UVSC, Miles played against J.R. Smith, who jumped from St. Benedict's (N.J.) to the New Orleans Hornets. But as a high school player, 'ill nyw 0 n-- I U i V 87-7- 1 i w1 ...V MATT top-lev- el See DICKSON, C2 BYU's Austin Ainge (13) scrambles SMITHDaily Herald for a loose ball as he is fouled by Santa Clara's Travis Niesen (41) during the second half of Saturday's game. Forceful Jensen leads Cougars to third straight vieloiy . Jason Franchuk DAILY HERALD Steve Cleveland and his assistants have tried every trick in the book the past two months to cajole BYU center Jared Jensen to let go of his nice-gu- y persona when he's on the basketball court. After a tongue lashing early in the game and a promise the senior responded Friday with the game of his college career. Jensen is still quiet off the floor, but for 40 minutes at the Marriott Center against Santa Clara he proved he could be one bad dude. That's bad as in good. He scored a 23 points to lead BYU to a career-hig- h 4 win against Santa Clara on the last day of 2004. Cleveland admitted 87-7- he might've used a few choice words when trying tcmotivate Jensen. Cleveland smiled when asked to elaborate on his chat with the game's star. Speaking in front of a group of reporters recording his words, he chose to say Jensen needed "nastiness." And the coach's vow? "I told Jared that you've got to get a little nasty on the floor," Cleveland said. "I promise that it won't keep you out of heaven." With the new year might come a mean streak from Jensen, a guy who would much rather offer a smile and handshake than a snarl and an elbow. It appears now he understands his two sides can be flipped like a light switch. See COUGARS, C2 TOP 10 2004 SPORTS STORIES IN UTAH FIESTA BOWL PREVIEW Utes ready for big finale to A year of odd happenings dream season Go figure. The year end4 ed in an even number but it might be as odd a year as ever witnessed in Jason Franchuk DAILY Bob Baum THE Utah sports. It certainly wasn't all good in Utah County, a valley that was anything but happy for most of the year as some of the most memorable moments of 2004 had BYU fans wondering when the pain would stop. Football players were kicked off the team for allegedly committing some heinous acts. A couple of longtime athletic directors and the football coach were ASSOCIATED PRESS Utah used, TEMPE, Ariz. an unstoppable offense to break through the walls surrounding college football's big bow,ls. Now the unbeaten Utes are expected to do more than merely win the Fiesta Bowl. They are supposed to win big over Big East champion Pittsburgh tonight (6:30 p.m. ABC). That's heady stuff for the Mountain West Conference champs, who Drought a large chunk of Salt Lake See UTES, fW ID r '4 -- p DABNERAssociated Press stands to help fans cheer for the Utah marching band during the Fiesta Bowl Pafade on Friday. C4 Utah will face Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl today. The University of Utah mascot jumps into the WWW.HARKTHEHERALO.COM CALL HERALD fired. 375-51- TO SUBSCRIBE Oh, yeah, the rival won a lot of football games, too. Here are the most momentous moments of the past 365 days. 10. Jazz break the bank Larry Miller, a BYU graduate, did a lot more than sell cars, generously give to charities and sit courtside at Jazz games. The man known for wearing khakis and sneakers spent a load of money to make his basketball team one of the biggest stories in the NBA. Carlos ArUtah Gordan and Giricek, royo but made bigger news by off-seas- bringing in Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur with piles of cash. Boozer, formerly of Cleveland, made headlines by allegedly breaking a verbal agreement with the Cavs to sign for a lot more money in Salt Lake City. The locals said, "So what?" Also, AlkStar Andrei Kirilenko could buy Moscow for the contract he , signed to stay around. 9. Utah gets Greece-- y Our fair state played a solid role in the Athens Olympics. Heber City's Cael Sanderson won a wrestling See TOP 10, C3 |