Show si B2 -- rThe 14b raid Journal Logan Utah' VV&nesday December 24 2003 '7 I ARLINGTON Haas (AP)— Alex Rodriguez was ready to go in'Boston and the Texas Rangers were doing their part to make it happen But after nearly two months discussions the American League MVP is staying In Texas" ' Attempts to cdmplete a trade of : “I’m 100 percent certain that when die Rangers show up for training in Surprise Ariz the guy that will be working the hardest and the guy that will be i our team leader will be Ale him about a possible trade His contract includes a clause The end of the deal really came Rodriguez and Ramirez signed last week after the players’ associ- their big contracts on the same ' of 7 ation rejected a proposal by foe: day three years ago during the Red Sox to cut $28 million to $30 winter meetings in Dallas ' million off record $252 Rodriguez” Hickssaid Rodriguez has seven years and Lucchino proclaimed the trade $179 fnillioa remaining on hik 10v 'million contract “dead” Thursday blaming the Henry Rpx Sox chairman Ibin basetall’sonly $20millioQ-a-yeyear contract Ramirez signed a Wmier president LanyLucchino contract players — Rodriguez to Boston players' association for hot approv- - v $160 million eight-yeand general manager llieo Epstein for outfielder Manny Ramirez — a steeper proposed reduction in that has five year and $975 mil- ing ' issued a joint statementThesday say- -' Rodriguez’s contract Hicks also lion left V ended Tuesday after Rangers 7 7' : owner Tom Hicks’ deadline last week blamed the union but didn’t give negotiations passed ing “no further discussions regard-’- : During without a deal the players’ association said ing this transaction are planned” up on the deal until Tuesday fin- :“We both recognized there was Rodriguez’s agent also agreed Rodriguez’s agreement could be Following three idles in Texas Rodriguez was restructured but not reduced 7 too big a gulf to bridge” Hicks ' : that the talks were finally over T interested in saidwinner ‘Tom Hicks has indicated he for Instead the union said it would a playing Hicks spoke with Red Sox would not consider a trade for If he still somehow ends up in approve a change that would Alex Rodriguez in the immediate S' Boston the Red Sox presumably owner John Henrytwice Tuesday lower the contract by $12 million before the 5 pm EST deadline It future” said the shortstop’s agent would then trade longtime shortto $15 million in exchange for ' was their first conversation in four Scott Boras Nomar stop Garciaparra possibly Rodriguez getting the right to use Tues-AlHicks instead several But times the White Boston’s logo and trademarks in to of Sox days spoke Chicago 'AP photo foie 17 the day he won his Nov the On ended and said the to owners negotiations marketing deals In addition he’d Texas after with day Rodriguez remains attempts Rodriguez talks that began right after the AL MVP award Rodriguezcon-- 1 be able to become a free agent ' to complete a trade ended Tuesday when Rangers shortstop was “happy” to remain World Series ended firmed the Rangers had talked to with the Rangers after the 2005 season owner Tom Hicks' deadline passed without a deal MLB I no-tra-de : ar ar ‘ last-pla- ce : - - last-minu- te By The Associated Press : ' - LatrelJ Sprewell made a lot of noise in his return to Madison ' Square Garden curbing at the V Knicks’ owner screaming at their bench and yelling in triumph after the best comeback game by any : player to have spent at least five seasons in New YorkSprewell scored 3 1 points in' ’ between his yells and taunt's to ' lead this Minnesota Timber- wolves over the team that traded him last summer 98-9- 2 Tuesday :" ! es " V’ 'cS as ' night: Sprewell saved hisbiggest out- burst for the end too turning to ' James Dolan' the chairman bf the teamjeorporat£ owner Cablevi-- 7 sion and unleashing a stream of curses after his gave Minnesota a 9 lead with 1:14 left' He was warned by ref-eree Dan Crawford to knock if off hut kept it tip and directed V his next rant at the Knicks’: 7 bench 94-8- 7' Utah coach -- Utes’ m ! : mxc L The tirade earned him a lechni- -: cal foifl that allowed New York to v pull to 95-9- 2 with 304 seconds left but Sam Cassell wrapped Qp with the victoryona 1 13 seconds remaining Cassell finished with 31 points 7 Hawks 93 Celtics 88 Al Atlanta Shareef Abdur Rahim scored 25 points and the Hawks took advantage of a poor shooting night by Paul Piercfto beat Boston and end a seven- ' game losing streak Dion Glover scored 18 points and Stephen Jackson added 1 6 for Atlantd which wpn for the first time since beating Denver on V-- ' Dcc 9 The josing streak was their longest since lhey lost 10 : straight in 2(KH They haven’t 7 won haek games this sea- - -- mm 'mm ed vS" ( 'r 1 A' l 3! with 16 points: Pierce made only- four of 16 shots from the field ' and washeldto ij jioinLs nine v AP photo Minnasota's Latrell Sprewell looks down the court at New Yoirk owner James' L Dolan after scoring against the Y Knicks late iri the fourth quarter Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden Jamesscoa‘d72p)intsand Eric ' ! 1 points and Williams carried Cleyeland in the : fourth when the Cavs stepped it: up on the defensive end to turn things around and give cdacbPaiil $ilas a win over his former team Heat 79 Wizards 72 : ITieayaliers have won three 1 1 3 'i games-' Janies took over ia the third UK By : Gerald Fitch scored 26 points 7: on shooting and Erik ' ' 15 points seven had Daniels ' ' rebounds and a career-hig- h eight 7 second-ranke- d Ken- assists as ' beat Eastern Kentucky 101-- :' tucky 72 Tuesday night in Lexington Cliff Hawkins had 16 points and KelennaAaibuike added 13 for: which has won 27 ' : Kentucky 17-smes ' consecutive regiilar-Basn- n since an 81 63 loss to Louisville last Dec 28 The Wildcats and Cardi- nals play Saturday at Rupp Arena Kentucky riwt 64 percent (43 of 28 67) and had a season-hig- h assists — many of them coming on fast breaks Their active swarming defense was just as impressive : -- : : - -- 2) 52-4- Top25Imen' laytip with 58 seconds to play Dee Brown led Illinois (7-with 18 points and six assists Augustine had 14 points and 10 rebounds Travon Bryant had si 19 points as did Rick- career-hig- h ey Paulding for Missouri (4-2-)7 No 14 Cincinnati 82 2) generating 1 8 steals and 25 Eastern Kentucky turnovers--No 4 Georgia Tech 90 : : : ' 7 m 1 " - 27-1- cru ises to an easy victory over the Associated Press 10-of-- 16 AtMiamiDwyaneWadc scored 1 of his20 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Heat t oyer Washington 'quarter wifha 3 run The- 7 Eddie Jonesadded 11 points scoring surge lasted info the first ' and Lamar Odom and Rafer eight minutes of the fourth peri-Alston each had 10 for the Heat ' who have won five straight at 'v Nets95Buib78::-7''-- ' At East Rutherford N JM Jason home Kidd had 1 8 points and led a trio 'Reserve Rasual Butler scored fast breaks in all iririe of his points in the fourth ' of highlight-filthe rallied a as Heat from quarter 4 deficit late in the third jSeeNBAonB4 ? quarter scoring iri a row for the first lime' since 0 2002 — a span df ed : '7 1 : ' Williams scored 13 of his 16 in the fourth quarter when the Cava- -' licrs rallied for their third straight ' vv belowhisavefage Cavaliers 97 Hornets 86 At Cleveland nxtkieLeBron 6-- - ho sim" Walter McCarty led Boston April BOULDER Colo (AP) — After one-sidroad fosses to Texas Tech Connecticut and LSU foe last thing Utah wanted to see was ' another road debacle So when the Utes fell behind by 10 points to Colorado in the first half Tuesday night they 7rallied -: “We thought We can’t embarrass ourselves ' agai n on the road” said guard Nick Jacrfoson 7 ' who scored 21 points In Utah’s 77-5- 7 romp 7 '' 7 Freshman Andrew Bogut added 13 points and 13 rebounds as Utah snapped Colorado’s home winning streak Tim Frost and Richard Chaney' also had 13 pointsapieceforthe Utes outscored Colorado 47-2- 5 in the second half Utah shot 60 percent in foe secoiid half ram--' and pared to Colorado's 18 percent ' the Utes also outrebounded die Buffaloes 43-2' “We played harder instead of getting intimidated and slowing down” Jacobson said “We ' became foe aggresson : “I didn't think we could blow than out the team that way we did Tbis is a we beat and this is a very big win for us — the best Christmas we all could have imagined” ' V Utah coach Rick Majerus said his team sim- plified its offense "and played better defense in " die second half-7 ' “I didn’t think it was artistic but it was a : "great effort” Majetus said “I was glad to see ' the effort rewarded!”'- '!' Colorado (6-was led by David Harrison with 18 points and Michel Morandais with 15 “Whwoii 15 straight because we played solid defense” Colorado coach Ricardo Patton said “We did not do that tonight Utah came out in ! the second half with greater intensity than we ! did and bur defense was Trailing 32-3- 0 at halftime Utah used a 10-- 0 run early in foe second half to fnge a 44-3- 4 lead Chaiey and Bryant Markaon each had foreefoint plays Bogut male a tip-i-n and Jacobsori a jumper to give Utah a lead it never rriinqiiwhrd Colorado cut the deficit to seven points on four occasions the last time at 59-5- 2 on Glean with 7:50 left But Utah Eddy’s which has won five of its last six games ! outscored Colorado 18-- 3 the rest of foe way1 Jacobson had 12ofhispoints inthe second mid1 half including back-to-ba' ’ ' AP photo' ' Rick Majems looks on during foe victory over Colorado on Tuesday Utes rally from 10 down : win- 77-5- 7 "- Marist40 At Atlanta-unbeateGeorgia Tech matched the best start in school hisfory with its 11th ' straight victory getting16 points ' No 23 Dayton 53 7- At Cincinnati Jason MaxieU scored 19 points and the undefeat: ed Bearcats forced 28 turnovers 11-while handing foe Flyers first loss : win-ninforced 17 V Cincinnati (7-' turnovers in foe first half The Flyers (9-- came in with their best reason-openin- g steeak since 1955-5- 6 No21Illinois71 ' with left their 15th straitt 70 but Missouri Noll loss on Cincinnati’s home court 7 At St Louis the Illini blew a lead before rallying to regain No 20 Louisville 107 VMI 56 At Louisville KyThquan Dean the ed on James Augustine's from Isma’ilMuhammad The YelloW Jackets matched the 0 start of the 1962-6- 3 g team This is their longest '1' streak under fourth-yfccoach Paul Hewitt 0) ar 1) 21-po- int ? EKU scored a career-tug- h 31 flurry record-breaking : on a of VML against turnover-plague-d He hit nine for " Louisville (6-1- ) which sowed 31 off 19 firstudf turnovers by VMI 16-fo- ot Luke Whitehead had 15 points matched his career high ' V with 15 rebounds and Nate 17 7 Daniels added a career-hig- h " ' ' points No24 Maryland 85 58 At College Park Md Nik scored 19points and freshman Ekene Ibekwe had ' 13 for foe Terrapins a career-hig- h The Terrapins (7-- improved to 100-- 2 at home agrinst non-- : conference opponents under coach Gary Williams (2-- 7) ‘ - UNC-Greensbo- Caner-Medl- -- ck s ro 10-poi- nt ‘ ey 2) way through the half Colorado built a lead in foe first half before Utah trimmed it to two Frost and Colorado’s Lamar Harris each had 11 points in the half The Buffafoes used a 17-- 4 run to open up a 3 lead with 7:21 left in foe half ' Morandais had nine prints during foe flurry which he shuted with a and ended with a pair of jumpers ' 23-1- imM-- i'-- - —-- —l |