The Clarion
SPORTS
12
Michigan sweeps NCAA Tournament
BY CHARLES ROBINSON
THE STATE NEWS
(U-WIRE) — This graduation
thing almost seems unfair. After all,
nobody forced the Beatles to break
up after their first hit record.
As the camera flashes and inter
views slowed to a trickle, the realiza
tion began to hit home. For seniors
such as Mateen Cleaves, Morris
Peterson and A.J. Granger, the shades
had been drawn on their Spartan ca
reers. Their final game marks the
splintering of one of college
basketball’s most dynamic trios. It’s
a bittersweet day for MSU head coach
Tom Izzo, who gained a national
championship, but lost part of his
own heart.
These championship Spartans
were a distinct handful, plucked from
comers of the Midwest — from rural
country fields to sprawling concrete
boroughs. Some were tough, with
street-honed attitudes.
Others would rather shake
hands than exchange fisticuffs. Yet,
the mix worked.
When it was over, the mad
scramble of personalities shared their
last triumphant embrace — this time,
squeezing the national championship.
They circled together one more
time, the final hugs a little tighter, last
ing longer than ever. Amid the cel
ebration, a twinge of sadness re
mained. This Spartan team — an un
likely assembly — had played its last
game.
“I’m going to miss these guys,”
junior guard Charlie Bell said, look
ing at the senior Flintstones, point
guard Mateen Cleaves and forward
Morris Peterson. “They’re like my
best friends, like my brothers.
“These are not just my team
mates for three or four years. These
are going to be my friends for life.
I’ll call these guys for 20-25 years.”
Peterson and Cleaves have cer
tainly written themselves tickets to the
NBA, and forward A.J. Granger likely
will end up there, too. Forward Steve
Cherry will move on to graduate
school, and the rest of the team will
return to defend the national title. Still,
many admitted things would never be
quite the same.
It was a chemistry admired by
many, including Michigan Gov. John
Engler, who said this group would be
sorely missed. Even Earvin “Magic”
Johnson, who had many of his own
special teams, had to envy the group.
“These guys hang out together,”
Magic said. “You can see them in
threes and fours all the time.
“I listen to them, and it’s,
‘Where are we all going to eat?’ And
guys are saying, ‘Granger, c’mon
man, we’re waiting on you.’”
Then again, there were times the
assortment of personalities seemed
strange. Such as the pregame war cry,
a hip-hop anthem by slain rapper
Tupac Shakur. The collection of fig
ures — black and tattooed, white and
freckled — harmonized like they
were bom to sing it together. Their
heads and shoulders would bob be
fore games, and lyrics boomed forth
as they would slither into an orb of
tangled limbs.
Golf team plays for
par, finishing fifth
BY GINGER
PALiMER
The Golf team re
cently competed in the
Johnson and Wales In
vitational Golf Tourna
ment. They finished
fifth place out of 1 1
teams at the Stono Ferry
Golf Club’s course in
Charleston, SC.
Sophomore Chris
Wilson turned in the
strongest performance.
Wilson just missed out
on making all tourna
ment with a sixth place
overall finish. He had a
two round total of 155
(76 and 79).
Jarod Morton,
Scott Hoffman, Todd
'
Sunderland and Jason
Bednarek also con
tributed to the fifth
place finish. Steve
Kalokerakis and
Bryan Petrone com
peted as individuals.
Kalokerakis turned in
a solid performance.
The next tourna
ment will be at the
Cliffs Invitational
hosted by North
Greenville College.
Schaefer believes the
team will see even bet
ter in the next tourna
ment.
“When the guys
find their more con
sistent forms we will
be very successful.”
“When the
pressure’s on it’s a hit.
Ski mask, extra gat,
bring the clip. Don’t
nobody move when
we walk the streets.
They stay silent cuz’
talk is cheap.”
Extra gat? Bring
the clip? It hardly
seemed right coming
from freshman guard
Mat Ishbia, who grew
up in the hard scrabble
streets of Birming
ham. Even Granger,
from tiny Findlay,
Ohio, looked a little
out of place.
“You know, ev
erybody keeps asking
me when I’m going to
get my Findlay tattoo,”
he said. “I keep telling
them never.”
This is why it
seemed to work, be
cause the group
blended more closely
than even the closest
friends. The coach
stood nearby and
watched his kids —
his team.
1' ^
'V %
f
Photo by Jed Jocobsohn (Newsmakers)
Teddy Dupay, #5 of Florida is trapped by Aloysius Anagonhye
#25 of Michigan State during the final of the NCAA men's
basketball championship Michigan State won the national
championship over Florida 89-76.
' )
D.D, BULLWINKEL'S
UNCOMMON FINDS
UNEXPECTED TREASURES
Casual Clothing • Columbia Sportswear
leva Sandals • Outdoor Gear
Unique Arts, Crafts & Jewelry
SitHpCy ilka
k in 7oivm/
GRILL & SODA SHOP
NeW!
Qfoovy
S$HOotf^hs
862-4700 Downtown Brevard 877-JERK