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Show MONDAY • APRIL 2 • 2007 WWW.NETXN^WS.NET The Jazz finally back in the playoffs James Warnick Sports Writer wins BEN WEBSTER Sports Editor Hope for the hateful He's going to break one of the most coveted records in sports and he's one of the most hated people in sports. But there's hope. The day Barry Bonds hits number 756 into the bay for all the folks in canoes to chase down will be a joyful day for some while others will mourn the loss of the record. Maybe it won't happen in San Francisco, but most likely Bonds will break Hank Aaron's all-time homerun record this year. The Major League Baseball season is underway, but expect more attention to go towards Bonds pursuing the record rather than the games, especially come July, August and late September. For you mournful, hateful baseball fans, don't give up hope. There are a few hopes to hold onto before Bonds hits number 22 this year. And even if he does round the bases and retire ahead of Aaron in the homerun rankings there are some hopes there as well. Bonds haters all over the country are hoping to see Bonds get jail time. The likelihood of charges being brought against the Giants' slugger by See WISDOM* B5 Baseball against Binghamton double-header 4 p.m Softball against Nevada 2 p.m. Baseball against Utah 7 p.m. Softball against Northern Colorado double-header 12 p.m. or the first time since the Stockton to Malone era, the Utah Jazz will be back in the playoffs. The Jazz recently won the Northwest Division, their first title in seven years, and also qualified for the postseason for the first time in three seasons. After being crowned the Northwest Division Champs on Wednesday, the Jazz locker room was abuzz, full of celebrating teammates, freshly printed division champion hats and T-shirts and fulfillment. A sense of accomplishment was in the air, the sense that the Jazz are back where they belong, ranking them among the elite of the NBA. The Jazz won the division on the same day Coach Jerry Sloan turned 65. Sloan said, "From the start of the season making the playoffs was the first thing and being able to win the division is even more special. This is quite an accomplishment and hopefully it doesn't stop here." The new Jazz, are led this season by Carlos Boozer, Deron Williams and Mehmet Okur. Andrei Kirilenko, Matt Harpring and veteran guard Derek Fisher have also contributed to the team's success. One big key to the Jazz's success this season has to be the play from the second year guard out of Illinois, Williams. DWill is becoming a star in the NBA and one of the top point guards in the entire league. F He's put up huge numbers all season, averaging 16.8 points per game and 9.5 assists per night, only trailing the two-time league MVP Steve Nash in assists. In the off-season Williams worked hard learning how to play Sloan's style of basketball. He also spent some time working with all-time NBA leader in assists and steals, the 19-year Jazz veteran, John Stockton. Williams said, "We're in the playoffs, we won the division championship, we'll get a banner up-this is definitely good for us, the organization and the fans. But we still have a bigger picture. The ultimate goal here is to win the championship once we get into the playoffs." Another crucial player this season to the Jazz's success has been Boozer. Boozer has dominated the NBA at the power forward position and is averaging a double-double for the season, with 21.3 points and 11.8 rebounds per night. Boozer has finally become the player that the Utah wanted him to be when he became a Jazz-man the year after Malone left to the Lakers. At last healthy Boozer has become the team leader out on the floor. Boozer has one of the best off hands in the NBA, as he continues to surprise defenders by taking the ball to the hoop with his left hand. When Boozer plays up Carlos Boozer, finally enjoying a healthy season with the Jazz, throws down a See JAZZ• B5 dunk against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Men's rugby punches ticket to playoffs Win over Utah State clinches playoff berth Fromm touched down Both teams were the try and Oveson added plagued by turnovers Sports Writer the conversion. The Ag- and poor scrummaging, A season with a few gies came right back and which shut down any big losses was vindicated mauled a try over, but a sustained drives in the as men's rugby clinched missed conversion still match. a Pacific Coast playoff gave UVSC a 7-5 lead. Utah State started off birth with a win over Oveson scored a try of strongly in the second Utah State on Mar. 23. his one, set up by great half, kicking the ball passing out to the far left away from the back of the The Wolverines were down by five points in of the pitch and his con- scrum just as the Wolverthe closing minutes and version stretched the lead ine scrumhalf was about to pick up the ball. The pushed the ball to the try to 14-5. line. Repeated Aggie penalties slowed the drive down, but the referee's patience was worn thin and he awarded the penalty try under the posts. The ball was placed in the middle of thefieldfor the conversion attempt and Amos Ovcson slotted the ball through the posts for the go-ahead score. "It was a crazy game," UVSC Coach Gary Brown said. "You know, it was one of those playoff-type rugby games were everyone was throwing everything they had into it." UVSC got off to a 7-0 lead in the first few min- Albert.Mitchell/The College Times utes when left wing Casey Jason Adkins Aggies pounced on the ball in the goal area and another try was scored to cut UVSCs lead to two once again. With 15 minutes left in the match, Utah State took the lead for the first time, taking the ball cleanly from the lineout and the forwards giving everything they had in pushing the ball over the goal line and put- The UVSC Rugby team practicing for the playoffs after beating Utah State. ting them out infront19-14.' The last push by UVSC sealed the deal, leaving little time for the Aggies to mount a comeback and the win was sealed. I "I think a lot of our guys learned some valuable lessons," Brown added. 'They haven't been in this situation before and I think they learned a lot." UVSC had little time to rest as they took on nationally-ranked Colorado State the next day and came away with a 100 loss. Despite the loss, the performance against a top Division I team a day after a tough match will prepare the squad for back-to-back matches come playoff time. One regular season game remains against Utah up in Salt Lake City, but the playoffs are only a few days away. UVSC will take a trip to Santa Rosa, Calif, for the Pacific Coast playoffs on Apr. 7 and 8 in a bid to* make the national quarr terfinals. ; |