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Show Page 6 - THE HERALD, Provo, Utah, Sunday, December 11. 1383 complete list of big bowl game and NFL A Sports tnlrSnn r I E S ft TteJ iknna ! IM jp3? Ca ffSfSBS results of Steelers, team comparisons can be found on Pages playoff picture Miami and other teams on Page 17-1- 8. 2 S. Cougars Win Saturday Consolation U tah State Claims Cougar Classk Title " By MARION DUNN Herald Sports Editor j For the first time when BYU's basketball team failed to win its Cougar Classic, the championship still stayed in Utah. Utah State, the team that bounced BYU out of the running Friday night, got a garbage basket by Greg Grant to pull out a 8 victory over Lamar in an exciting finale in the Marriott Center Saturday night. The Aggies built up a big first half lead then saw the Cardinals from Beaumont, Texas storm back to turn this into a donney-broo59-5- k. Lamar, with its leading scorer Tom Sewell going on a rampage, came from a 6 halftime defi1 and cit to pull ahead at seem to have the game in the bag only to lose it. Sewell hit two freethrows to 5 lead with give Lamar a 1:16 to play. Jerry Everett made one of two foul pitches to make it 5 with 26 seconds left to 37-2- 42-4- &&t-- 5i'd4v f " 57-5- i " TV m 58-5- Play. Ron Ence took a pass from Chris McMullin for a layup at the 13 second mark and the Aggies trailed by one, The Aggies took time out and coach Rod Tueller told them, "There is time to make two steals in the backcourt. We are going to win this game right 58-5- 7. x here." Phil Shurtleff Photo Lamar's LaMont Robinson dunks the ball in game against Utah State. BYU Takes Cnsltion By DOROTHY KNOELL Herald Sports Writer There was a gale blowing through the Marriott Center Saturday night, but it wasn't from St. Mary's, as the BYU Cougars outscored the Galloping Gaels in the opening minutes of 20-- 9 the second half and went on to in the blow out visitors 106-7- 4 consolation game of the Cougar Classic. "In the first few minutes of the second half we played as good a defense, for a short length of time, as any college team I've coached has played," said BYU coach Ladell Andersen. "I thought it was a very good effort after a very disappointing loss last night. "We had three meetings today, looked at tapes of the game, and decided what we could do. And I think we came back well," Andersen added. The second half explosion was keyed by senior forwards Devin Durrant and Brett Applegate, who had 18 of the Cougars 20 points in a six minute span that saw BYU go from a 3 half-tim- e lead to a 2 advantage. The rout continued from there with the Cougars opening up a lead at and coasting to victory from there. The 106 points was the second-highetotal ever in the Classic, behind the 108 scored by BYU in its triple overtime win over LaSalle in 1979 and its win over North Texas State in 1980. "Be ready to work, really 46-4- 66-5- nt 92-6- 2 st ugeoir By DON CRONIN UPI Sports Writer ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Former welterMd. (UPI) weight champion Sugar Ray Leonard, who retired last November after eye surgery, said Saturday night he will fight again, perhaps as early as February. Leonard, 27, boxed two three-roun- d exhibitions Saturday night before making the surprise announcement. He showed some flashes of the quickness that characterized his 32-- 1 record that included 23 knockouts. work, next week. We're not going to let this happen again," said Gael coach Bill Oates to his charges late in the game as BYU scored almost at will. The Cougars broke a Classic and team field goal percentage mark, hitting 73.6 percent for the game while missing only six shots in the opening 20 minutes and four in the final period. Durrant led the charge, hitting on 11 of 12 attempts, missing turnonly on a closely-guarde- d around shot in the key at the 9:51 "mark in the second half. The candidate had 35 on the night, 21 in the second half. But despite the hot shooting, it was defense that Andersen talked about after the game. "I felt (Scott) Sinek and Applegate would have to have great defensive games for us to win," he said. "Sinek did an exceptional job on (Paul) Pickett." Pickett, the Gaels' leading scorer with a 13 point average, was held to just two points. David Boone, the Gaels' forward, had 13 points on shooting. only The first half was a ragged affair, with fans, coaches and players grumbling and groaning throughout. BYU had 15 turnovers in the initial 20 minutes, while the Gaels found themselves saddled with 19 fouls. St. Mary's had three fouls in the first 1.5 minutes and had been tagged with 18 fouls before BYU had seven. The Cougars' seventh foul came with 3:49 left in the half. top-scori- six-of-- Miraculously, they did just that. With the majority of the BYU students who stayed all the way through the final rooting for the clad Cardinals clad Agover the gies, the Aggies pulled this one out. Lamar passed the ball and Michael McCullough stole the ball, knocking it apparently out of bounds. But he managed to knock the ball back in and off the legs of a Cardinal. With 11 seconds to play the Aggies had the ball out of bounds. After the inbounds pass, there was a scramble for a loose ball in the lane in front of the basket and Grant came up with it and put it in the hoop, putting 8 Utah State in front with four seconds to play. Lamar got off a shot with LaMont Robinson casting off from about 20 feet but the ball hit the glass, bounced off the rim and the Aggies had the victory. This was a big win for the team from Cache Valley. Playing in the classic for the first time it had to beat third-plac- e finisher BYU and then hold off Lamar's late bid in the championship. McMullin, former Orem High star, played a big role, along with Jeff Anderson, Gary Beck, Joel Rotta, Jerome Wiley, Reed Newey and Vince Washington. . Grant was named Most Valuable Player, and with him on the All-Stteam were Washington of Utah State, Sewell of Lamar and BYU's senior forwards Devin Durrant and Brett Apple-gat- e. of contemplation, Leonard an- nounced his retirement at an elaborate news conference in Novem Aggie Gary Beck (44) goes up for a layup despite efforts of Cougars' Devin Durrant in Friday night action. Miscues Cost Cougars By MARION DUNN Herald Sports Editor ar Utah State rallied midway through the first period to take a commanding lead at the half, 37-2- 6. The Aggies and Cardinals were tied three times in the opening half at two, four and 12. Then Lamar jumped to an 5 lead before the Cache Valley players made their move. Grant hit a short bucket to put 0 Utah State ahead and from then on it was all Utah State. Anderson, who came off the bench, was a key figure in the 18-1- 21-2- drive. dipped into the hoop and came out. His second was clean and 3 BYU lead, with 46 seconds to go. Is an error in the final seconds of a basketball game more disas-terou- s than one committed say in the first part of tne last quarter? This question came up in the Marriott Center following BYU's 1 loss to Utah State in Friday night's opening round of the 1983 Cougar Classic. BYU coach Ladell Andersen was fielding questions after the game when it was pointed out by someone that two mistakes by Cougar guard Chris Nikchevich in the final 25 seconds cost the Cougars the victory. Nikchevich's .outside shooting and penetrating drives had been a key factor in BYU's drive to beat the Aggies. He went 8 from the field, mostly from 15 feet or farther. But then came those two miscues and there was criticism in some quarters. "Well," Andersen answered, "I'm sure that the Aggies made a couple of mistakes earlier in the game that cost them and that they would like to have over. I don't know which mistakes hurt the most in basketball, early ones or late ones." Then Andersen said, "I guess if you wanted to look at it that way, you could say that stepping out of bounds and throwing the ball away cost us the game. If you want to look at it that way." This was the situation: With 2:22 to play in the game 83-8- The Aggies had only five personals against them at the time so could afford one foul for profit before being in the auto-- , situation. matic two-shAfter the pass, the Aggies quickly fouled, and BYU had the ball back Aggie coach Rod Tueller stood and yelled to his troops: "No morc.no more.. .no more." He was referring to fouls because now both teams were in the two-shsituation. With 1:11 showing, Smith rifled a pass ihto Applegate under the hoop and Brett put the ball in the basket giving BYU an 8 lead. The Aggies got off a shot that bounds and the Aggies had possession with only four seconds remaining. On the the Cougars fouled former Orem ace Chris McMullin who hit the first and missed the second making the and the clocked score, ticked off the final three seconds with BYU trying to get a time 81-7- The Aggies got the ball into Grant who cut BYU's lead to 0 at the mark. That set up the final 25 sec81-8- onds. Nikchevich was called for as the stepping Aggies applied the pressure. Again, USU got the ball to Grant and, again, Grant put it in the hoop and with 12 seconds left USU led, 82-8- 1. After getting the ball past Nikchevich misfired a pass, the ball sailing out of mid-cour- ot 6-- t, 83-8- 1. out. The loss was BYU's fifth in a row against the Aggies and second in the last two weeks. BYU ot dropped into the consolation bracket of the Cougar Classic, with USU moving into the championship game against Lamar who beat St. Mary's. Applegate led BYU scorers with 21 points. Devin Durrant had 20. Smith and Applegate 14 80-7- missed and Applegate came down with the ball. Greg Grant fouled Scott Sinek and the little Cougar guard went to the, foul :iach. ' line with two chances. On Sinek's first shot the ball Grant scored 21 for the Aggies but guard Vince Washington led all point-gettewith 22. rs Seoys He Will lefrurini ber 1982. "Yes, I will fight again but it's not a comeback," Leonard said. "I'm back. I've got to get in serious shape and get with (attorney) Mike Trainer and work out the logistics. Hopefully, I could have a tuneup by February or March, maybe." Leonard has steadfastly denied that he would ever return to the ring but there were indications in recent weeks that he might change his mind. The key to his decision to return may have come last month when he served as a ! Utah State led, The Aggies had the ball and were playing ball control hoping to shake a player loose under the basket or draw a foul. But Ron Ence was called for an offensive foul and BYU had the ball. Ten seconds later freshman Mike Smith brought down the house by hitting his patented "leaning jumper" close in and BYU had pulled even at 78 all. USU's juco transfer star Jeff Anderson had a shot roll off the rim and BYU's Brett Applegate grabbed the rebound. The Cougars called time out. 78-7- 59-5- Ry lemmd Leonard's last fight was a third-roun- d TKO of Bruce Finch on Feb. 15, 1982 in Reno, Nev. Leonard was to defend his world welterweight title against Roger Stafford in Buffalo last May but he had problems with his vision the week before the fight and returned to Baltimore to be examined at Johns Hopkins. His condition was diagnosed as a partially detached retina and corrective surgery was performed. After several months Brian Tregaskii Photo television commentator at the eye in 1976 when h,j was one of world middleweight title fight be-- ; five American fighters to win gold tween defending champion Marvin medals at the Olympic Games at Montreal. He reeled off a series of Hagler and Roberto Duran, the impressive victories as a pro and only man ever, to defeat Leonard won the World Boxing Council as a pro. After the fight, in which Hagler welterweight title in December 1979 with a d knockout of won an unimpressive unanimous decision, Leonard simdefending champion Wilfred Beni-teply smiled and nodded when fans . Leonard lost his only pro fight asked if he thought now that he decicould beat Hagler. A multimillion-dolla- r when he dropped a bout against Hagler was in sion to Duran at Montreal in June the negotiation stage when Leon1980; but he regained the title in their rematch in New Orleans five ard sustained his eye injury. months later when Duran quit in Leonard burst into the public ' 15th-roun- z. the eighth round in the celebrated "no mas" fight. Leonard moved up in weight and took the World Boxing Association junior middleweight title with a ninth-roun- d knockout of defending champion Ayub Kal-ul- e in June 1981. He then achieved his greatest moment as a pro three months later when he 154-pou- stopped previously unbeaten Thomas Hearns, the.WBA welterweight champion, in the 14th round of their title unification bout at Las Vegas, Nev. , . - |