Show B2 — The Herald Journal Logan Utah Thursday March 7 2002 Rookies lead Jazz past Lakers to LA’s Bryant returns SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Karl Malone and John Stockton were as steady as ever yet it was two rookies for the Utah Jazz who spoiled Shaquille O'Neal's birthday and Kobe : Bryant's return from a two- - court after serving suspension two-gam-e & second-lowe- st commitblocked four shots I 24 season-higcatch ted h a “Today my game in defense and I stopped “When you read the Kobe but I think the stats you can see we had Jazz 92 24 turnovers and gave up next game in LA will be Lakers B4 sixty-som- e much harder" points on Malone who has made turnovers and free this season seven throws” said Lakers coach Phil ended the Lakers’ three-gam- e Jackson “I’m surprised it got as close as it did at the end” winning streak by hitting a rare Utah trailed 47-4- 4 at halftime with 2 12 minutes but aided by six Lakers left The Jazz improved to 2-turnovers in the third 'quarter against the top five teams in the Western Conference methodically took control “We haven’t had any success “They got after loose balls Stock-to- n the hit more shots' hit a lot more elite teams” against said “It was just nice to get free throws” said O’Neal who turned 30 “They just got out one there We had a lot of turnovers O'Neal had 28 points and 12 rebounds while Bryant scored especially in the first half that 26 But Kirilenko’s long arms kept them in the game" Collins didn't seem rattled kept Bryant in check after halftime and the Lakers whose 124 against O'Neal hitting his first four shots turnover average is the league's -- game suspension Malone scored 23 points and Stockton ridded 19 on shooting as the Jazz beat the Los Angeles Lakers 92-8- 4 bn Wednesday night Andrei Kirilenko and Jarron Collins newcomers on a Jazz team known for veteran stars contributed with defense Collins played well in his first start against O'Neal and Kirilenko held Bryant to three second-half points “It's hard to guard them’’ said Kirilenko the rookie from Russia who scored 1 1 and 12 “I wasn’t intimidated” said Collins who scored 10 “I was looking forward to the matchup You play this game to play the best and he’s the best” Three minutes into the fourth quarter Malone made a steal at LA’s free throw line broke away from Rick Fox’s intentional hold and thundered downcourt for a dunk that gave the Jazz a 4 lead The Lakers answered with Derek Fisher hitting two and a jumper during a 12-- 3 burst that forced a Utah timeout with 3:36 on the clock LA cut it to 84t80 on Fisher’s two free throws with 2:47 to go before Malone’s ended the run “We had our opportunities" Bryant said “It didn’t help that Malone hit that 77-6- AP photo Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant gets around Utah a a a i Jazz TOfwara uonyoi Marsnsi ounng umT ganio woonMoay Utah State gymnastics TOcrftdD Rutherford a bright spot for Aggies on bars By Shawn Harrison sports editor She is the only freshman to have competed in every gymnastics meet at Utah State this season yet she feels like she must continue to prove herself' "I just hope that I'm living up to why they gave me a scholarship'' said Katie Rutherford before a practice earlier this week ' s’ So far so gbod' ' Rutherford shouldn't worry herself about the scholarship thing She has proven herself on the floor of competition as being very ' ' worthy The Chappaqua NY native just the best season average on have to happens the uneven bius (9678) the top individual score on the balance beam (990) this year and individual score on the bars the second-be- st and Oh her head coach Ray Com has (983) but nothing positive remarks when it comes to discussing her "She is just a delightful young athlete to work with" Com said "She is truly a breath of fresh air What you see in terms of intensity and exuberance and perhaps attitude is really what you get" Rutherford has only seen action on bars and beam so far this season but that will change Friday night when the Aggies host No 17 Arizona State and Southern Utah in the Spectrum at 7- - She is penciled in for the floor : ’ - "I'm hoping to do floor I've been doing a good job on floor lately in practice" Ritther-for- d said "I try to work really hard and push myself but also try to have fun with it I like to think ' I'm pretty determined and try to see how high I can get and see how much I can give to the team" Christy Denson He feels Rutherford could have similar impact before her career is over But that is looking too far down the road Rutherford is a freshman and trying her best to help die Aggies put a complete meet together this year and qualify for the regional meet "I cant be that frustrated because I'm a freshman and don't have the experience or know how different it is supposed to be" Rutherford said "I do feel bad the seniors and we want to do well for them "We have the talent to score high All we have left to do is to surprise some people Maybe we can him some heads and everyone will realize we are a great team" Rutherford certainly turned some heads when assistant coach Mark Lee made a recruiting trip to New York Lee had traveled east to watch this future Aggie and another gymnast He called Com and told him Rutherford was the one they wanted "We want this one' he told me" Com said "We both liked what we saw" And they have not been disappointed She also was recruited by Stanford and most of the Ivy League schools! "She is a brilliant student" Com said of the biology major who plans on becoming a zoologist and working with endangered species ' She has also been dose to brilliant on die bus Rutherford has been the most consistent Aggie on that event falling just once "Bars have always bear my best event even in club" Rutherford explained "I don’t know why 1 get nervous the same amounts for every v TV event Bars are consistent in practice and I try to bring that over to competition" She did add she likes sdl four events and can’t wait to get into the Rutherford even likes the beam despite having fallen from the ' apparatus a handful of times "It’s mostly a mind game (on beam) you just need to convince yourself you can do it" Rutherford said "All of us can hit routines in practice Beam is the one event thatif you are El LumraMemU Journal off a tiny bit you will most likely fall where Utah State freshman gymnast Katie Rutherford has the best season average on the uneven bars at on die other events you can save things easier" The New Yorker has enjoyed her time at 9678 for the Aggies Rutherford also has the top indMduaJ score on the beam (990) this season USU so far and called the state of Utah "beautevents" which are vault and floor Her back is mier in the course of the next 12 iful" She has really enjoyed the Aggie coaching staff and said that was the idling point when fine now and she is feeling better The months One year from now she is going to she committed She has no regrets Rutherford Yurchenko vault isn't quite ready but soon be one of the top hoe at Utah added 7 "Once that Yurchenko vault is solidified ' State" "We're happy to have her" Com said then we'll see her in the Com The head coach even wait as far as to make No need to worry Katie You have already said "In my opinion die is going to Be a pre d some comparisons to holder proven djp scholarship was well worth it nd ! exercise ©M SOb ' ' before the Slated as a possible season began Rutherford had some aches in her back As a precautionary measure she slowed down on training the "pounding school-recor- Parnevik playing in Aggies 10th straight tourney 7 Continued from TPCatJHeroriBay1 “It’s very! very tiringtoplay 10 ‘I ' weeks in a row playing badly because anyone who plays golf knows it’s such' a frustrating game” Parnevik said 7 Wednesday “And my game feels like - 7 garnet "We have a gbod chance of doing player averaging double figures in some good things in the Big West scoring Junior forward Moe Jenkins leads the team at 98 points per con--' it and hopefully onto test the NCAATburnament" said y 'The thing thatldaiho'i going to do junior forward Desmond Penigar js they're going to make it a posses- - ' Utah State's leading scorer at 171 sion game” Aggie head coach Stew points per game 1 Morrill said Mondayduring his The Aggies and Vhndals are tencall-i-n show KVNU on weekly tatively scheduled to tip off at 3:30 radio "They're not going to run the ' pm (MST The game will start 30 fast break They're going to be vexy minutes after the end (tf the tourvery patienLThey're going to play ney’s opening game between Pacifzone which causes you to have to ic and Cal State Northridgewhich attack a little longer They want to begins at 1pm1 : Idaho played Utah State tough m it’s on the right path and is turning bodi meetings this season Back on around Jan 26 in Moscow Idaho the Yn- “The way I’m playing right now I dak actually led the Aggies by nine have a good chance of winning this points early in the second half 7 7 before falling 6 Amonth later week" "V And then getting some time off Even in Logan the Aggies won 6 : ’Theyte certainty hot the best team but not before finding themselves if he doesn’t win the Honda again he in die league but there's so midi parhas decided to end the streak by skiplead with during to a ity On a given mmybody can in Invitational Hill dm minutes Ortan in labout five to go the Ray ping "beat anybody": A' do next week But a victory would game ’ "We’ve pbyed tfaem twice this year 7 The winner of theRig West tour- make the down time much sweeter ney will get an automatic bid into 7 and ihVe both been very tough “Hopefully it works out that way” said Pamevik who always stands out gamess Brown said "You can never' die NCAATbumaiheht Anydiing v ' Short of dut for the Aggies will 0n tour widi his colorful designer say dud any game is easy because : ' and likely send them tq the NTL hat bills that's when you're gorau get beaLT flipped-u-p pants shirts Pamevik Shot aneveh-par7- 2 Idaho head coach and former Utah indie Aweekagodierehadbeensome ’speculation about whether or not 7 final round to win the Honda Classic y State assistant Leonard knows Itay bid what his teadi is up against m die1 7 Utah State could get an last year finishing 18 under aid holdinto the NCAAl considering their ing off the competition for his only V "Aggies But he alro believes arty recent track record conseCu--7 tour victory ofjhei thing can happen ma tournament Nevet afraid to trynewoiuipment i "I diink we’d have to play dye NCAA appearances including ( Pamevik won using an qddlydiaped r T extremely wdO"Psaiddutiiigi last year's upset Ohiou ' a Big West teleconference Mondays 7‘StSte But two stnight lpsses on ftie stranger handed him the night tournament Not surprising- - "On a given night we're capable of road last weekat Pacific and at Cal! ly Pamevik Will have n poupie of fresh beating anybo Sde Northridge seem to havequi-item- s ' TheVbndals do not hme n rine I In his bag this year too7 eted those 7V whispers' - '7: r 57-4- Ini today’s odier UC Irvine games second-seedwifi face seventh-seede- d Long Beach State at 7 pjn(MST)uid ' 30 fninutes after that game is over" UC Santa Barbara meet Cal Ptdy : Notes: Utah State has never freed Idaho in the Big WestTbur-namen- L all- TheAggies are first-rou- : plwa45-'(to)50jpciintga- 63-5- one-pa- ' 'r - their opponent is lowly Idaho ' Brown said this is no timb for the Aggies to think they have an easy Set to defend Honda Classic championship CORAL SPRINGS Fla: (AP) — It started as a “stupkTta With his caddie : Jesper Pamevik had missed two cuts on the PGA Tour’s West Coast swing and hadn’t finished in the top 10 in any event 7 So Pamevik’s caddie asked if he was gojng to take a Break “I said ’No we're going to keep on playing until I win” Pamevik said “Arid here I am” Pamevik wdl be playing in his 10th consecutive tournament when the Honda Classic begins Thursday on his 37th birthday Hie defending champion hasn't had a break this season but that fine with him especially nqw that his : game has started to come around -1 season 7 He finished a best 0th at the Genuity Championship last week and1 expects to continue playing well on die Bl : - r r nd ed ’ nt r ul third-seede- d pixth-aeede-d ' ’ 9-- 13 - Kt West tourney but are ’ at-lar-ge -- - at-la- ge 1 19-1- L-two first-roun- d 1 over last six yean 7 Overall USU is in Big West tourney play 9 The Aggies also wm dye tournament bade in 1998 Among apbve members of the Big YfeSt Utah State's four k die mosL Lons B three while Aicifie and Cal State VI Fullerton each have one 3-- - ” ’ |