Newspapers / The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.) / April 12, 1996, edition 1 / Page 9
Part of The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
NBA Play-off Prediction ROB MIRCHIN sports editor With the NBA play-offs just around the corner, it might be a good time to look at the playoff picture. The East offers several talented teams. The Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, and Chicago Bulls all might do well in the play-offs. Last year's Eastern Conference champi ons, the Orlando Magic, have a superb start ing five and a pretty good bench. Shaquille O'Neill, Penny Hardaway, and Horace Grant have the talent to lead the Magic deep into the play-offs. However, Horace Grant has said that anything short of making the finals will be a disappointment. If that's the case, Grant and the rest of the Magic may have to get used to disappointment. Orlando may have major problems handling the strength of either the New York Knicks or the Chicago Bulls. Indiana may have similar problems. I have tremendous respect for Reggie Miller and Rik Smits. On certain days, they can be as good as Michael Jordan or Patrick Ewing. Women's tennis at LEIGH KING staff writer Tennis is pictured as a warm-weather sport that should be played when it is 80 or 90 degrees outside and the sun is shining. As a member of the women's tennis team, 1 can tell you that this could not be farther from the truth this season. As a team they have played in sweats and hats and have had to shovel snow and ice off the courts. Twice! However, with all of these obstacles they have maintained a record of 12 wins and 1 loss and are head ing to the Southern Regional Tournament in Atlanta this weekend. MEN'S LACROSSE WOMEN'S LACROSSE Shenandoah g .. . Tuesday * April 16 * 3:00 p.m. We riar Saturday * April 13 * 1:00 p.m. ™ Saturday * April 13 *2:00 p.m. v/ [otHC cHome April 12, 1996 However, the Pacers lack the depth to win the Eastern Conference. In the end, I think the Chicago Bulls will be the eastern team that will make it to the NBA Finals. Chicago has a chance of accu mulating a record-setting 70 wins this Sun day against the Cleveland Cavaliers. This record-setting season is in large part due to the resurgence of Michael Jordan. Jordan is playing like he never left the NBA, and he is backed up by an incredible bench. Scottie Pippen, Tony Kukoc, and Dennis Rodman could be the shining stars who lead many other NBA teams, but on this Chicago team they are thrown into supporting roles. The West also has several talented teams. The L.A. Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Seattle Supersonics, and Houston Rockets all stand a chance of winning the NBA title. Even though they have the best record in the West, Shawn Kemp and the Seattle Su personics will probably peter out. Seattle just doesn't seem to have much luck in the play offs Magic Johnson has made the L.A. Lak ers a legitimate contender for the title. How ever, the Lakers still lack the experience and This season has been a good one for the Quakers, with the addition of Erica Carrier, Libby Hinsley, and Kirsten Zwicker to the team. Erica has jumped right into the #3 doubles slot with Kirsten. Kirsten is also playing #6 singles. With the loss of graduates Trudi Buckingham and Jamie Campbell, a change in the line-up was expected. Junior Betsy Parker has stepped up to the #1 singles spot and has perfected the art of winning a three set match. Libby Hinsley moved into the #2 singles slot and has successfully made the transition from high school tennis to college tennis. Mignon Ezzell moved herself up a notch sports depth necessary to make it past some of the better Western Conference teams. The Lak ers are in the unfortunate circumstance of playing the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs. Houston always seems to come on around playoff time. They will not stand for being kicked out of the playoffs in the first round. Olajuwan, Drexler, and the rest of the Rockets will make sure to dash Magic's dreams of an other championship. However, I do not think the Rockets will make it all the way to the finals. I think this is San Antonio's year. David Robinson and the Spurs have worked hard to become an NBA powerhouse. Robinson has a good supporting cast with such players as Sean Elliott and Will Perdue. I think the "Admi ral" will lead his crew all the way to the NBA finals. So, I'm predicting that it will be Chi cago versus San Antonio in the finals. As much as I respect the talent of the Spurs, I do not see how any team can get past the Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan will prob ably earn his fourth championship ring from a seven-game series with the Spurs. • * X.:' . sfiC- - ■*• * r * Guilford and is crushing her opponents at the #3 singles level and is also playing #1 doubles with Libby. Senior Sarah "Grade" Woodard took up the #4 singles position as well as the #2 doubles position with Betsy Parker. Woodard also serves as the team's captain. Senior Jenn Wolos moved up from her #6 position of last year to the #5 position and continues to defeat her opponents. Last year the team was ranked nine teenth in the nation, and they are looking to improve on that ranking this year. The team appreciates the support of the school and looks forward to seeing you all at the last home match on April 23 against Hrllins The Guilfordian Women's tennis hopes for national tournament TIM FORBES staff writer With three weeks left in the season, the women's tennis team hopes to add a few more matches to their schedule by qualifying for the national tournament. If the Quakers want to advance, a couple of things must happen. First, they must place in the top two in the Southern Regional Tournament. The tournament offers match-ups with the best eight teams in the South. Guil ford has not placed where they want to in this tournament in the last five years. Despite this, the team has a lot of opti mism. "I think we have a good chance of doing well at this tournament. We have proven this year we can beat these teams. We have no past with any of the other schools at the tournament," said Assis tant Coach Jamie Campbell. The teams in the Southern tourna ment may prove to have little history with the Quakers, but Guilford's second obstacle, Washington and Lee, does. Guilford has not beaten Washington and Lee in five years, and they are the only team that has beaten them all year. The Quakers must play well against the W&L Generals in the conference tournament in three weeks to have a shot at nationals. "We can't get too nervous playing them... We need to play the ball in the important points and not worry about our opponent. That's what we'll have to overcome in practice and in the next couple of matches," said Campbell. One thing that will help ease Guilford's road to the nationals is the play of the team's upperclassmen. "The team is playing well because there is no drastic drop-off from one player to the next. On any given day, we can beat one another. This is good, because we are able to push each other in practice," said Junior Mignon Ezzell. If Guilford is able to place in the top two at Southerns and play well at the conference tournament, they will be the first women's tennis team to go to na tionals in five years. "Chuck [McCracken] and I are very proud... this year's team has found a good chemis try. They have all improved. We are go ing to need all of them to continue to play well if we are going to beat W&L and eventually go on to nationals," said Campbell. 9
The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 12, 1996, edition 1
9
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75