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12A SPORTS/The Charlotte Post Thursday, March 26, 1998 1 Williams ready for semifinal By David Droschak THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Arizona loss not far from mind CHAPEL HILL - Shananond WilHams likes to spend time alone. He did plenty of that after his Final Four performance last year. North CaroHnds career 3-point leaderivasl-fbr-13 fivmthefield in a loss to eventual national chanqson Arizona in the 1997 semifinals - the worst game of his fimryear career. The senior vowed net to let it happen again as the Nod Ter Heels (34-3) return to the nation al spotlight in San Antonio on Saturday against Utah with four straight double-digit wins in the NCAA tournament. “Last year was a tough road firr me,” said Williams, who was 1- fbr-8 fixrni 3-point range against the Wildcats. “I felt like I didrit capitalize on the situation ami the opportunity Ihad.I felt likeif I would have done those things, maybe we wouhtve had an extra game.” Williams was reminded of his poor shooting game Monday when he turned the television on, then several hours later when reporters grilled him on the sub ject. “Actually, ESPN ivas playing the 1997 Final Four (highlights) and in the middle of the thing they were like, ‘Well, it washt a good semifinal game for Shammond WiHiamd and they showed me missing some shots.” What was WUHamd reaction to the TV commentary^ “It was the truth, so there is nothing I can say,” he said. “But now having an opporturuty to go back, hopefully I can turn it around and play my style ofbas- ketbaU. ‘That (game) has been on rrty mind, but it hasrit been a feeling to the point that it will keep me from playing the wayTm capedde of playing,” he said. “I just try to put it in perspective and under stand where Fve come from.” He has resporuled with a stellar senior season. Williams is the teanis second-leading scorer at 1 7j0 points per game, shoots 413 percent on 3-pointers, and hisl31-fbr-144 (91 percent) free- throw effort this season is the best in school history. However, like last yeaPs Final Four perfirrmance, it hasrit aU been positive. Three days after scoring a career-high 42 points in a 107- 100 double overtime victory at Georgia Tech last month, Williams left the bench in tears after a disagreement with coach BUI Guthridge. He returned, but dubitplayinthesecondhalfand scored just one point. Both parties said Ute incident, which was captured live by ESPN, was quickly buried and forgotten. Still, Williams is uncomfortable discussing his actions. ‘7 dorlt regret it at all,” Williams saidMonday.‘T ftelbad that things went that way, but I felt like being the person I am, I handled U the best way I could. I was never disrespectful or any thing like that to my coaches.” Most would agree that without Williams, the Tar Heels would not be playing Utah (29-3) on Saturday in the progranis 14th Final Four appearance. He scored 32 points in an over time victory against UNC Charlotte in the second round of the NCAA tournament, then added 18 and 19 points in the East Regional semifinals and finals in Greensboro this past weekend. “Hds a tireless worker and if someone says he carit dribble with his left hand very well then hdll work on it and ivork on it untUhecandoitf’Guthridgesaid of Williams. ‘He has made him self into an excellent player” And one of the irudn go-to guys in crunch time on a team full of offensive stars. Williams has scored 35 points in North CaroGmis last 20 min utes ofcsxrtime, includirtg 10 in the Atlantic Coast Conference tourney settufinals against Maryland and rune against UNCCintheNCAAs. WiUiamd teammates have little doubt hdU rebound from last year's FtnalFour shooting sbinq). “I think he is gang to be more relaxed titan anMhing because hds been in this situation before,” AIlrAmerica Antawn Jamison said. “Inthelastsituationhehadthe uxrrst performance he could ever hare, so Tm expecting him to go out there and have the best per formance hds ever had.” Top high school talent will be on display in Pro-Am elassie By Herbert L. White THE CHARLOTTE POST The Charlotte Pro-Am High Sdujol All-Star Classic will show case someofthearedstip seniors in their final high school game. The game, scheduled for April 4 at Ovens Athletic Center at Queens, will feature players such as South Carolina two-sport signee Keith Malkins of West Charlotte; Western Carolinds Cory Largent (Freedom) Americads Bobby Thompson (Victory Christian) and UNC Greensbords Luke Boythe (Charlotte Christian). Several uncommitted players will also show off their talents for recruiters, including independeneds Tony Barrett and Clifton Washburn of Shelby. Hp-offis 2 pm. In addition to basketball, the players will serve as eommuniiy ambassculors to area elementary students. The athletes will appear at Dilwortii Elementary and Calvary Christian Academy April 3 to sign autographs and speak. Bershuan Thompson of Victory Christian and Bobby Jones of Charlotte Christian will coach the West team, while Garinger’s BuJt Lewis and Bichard Spasoff oflbovideiwe will lead the East. Tickets are $5 in advance emd $7 at the door. They can be pur chased April 2 at Ovens Athletic Center at Queens from 6-8 pm. More infitrmation can be found on the Pro-Anis website: www.goearolinas.com/community or by calling 577-3823. Participants in the Charlotte Pro-Am High School All-Star Classic April 4 at Queens College: East - Greg Copeny, Ramon Marshall, Tony Futreli and Jesse Crawford (Garingcr); Joe Everette and Jarrell Nobles (Providence); Kenny Carver andTon.y Barrett (Independence); Prandon Rowell (Providence Day); Ryan Shands and Leon Bingham (East Mecklenburg); John Carter (Greensboro Day); Jonte Harrell (Charlotte Latin); Matt Schafermyer (South Mecklenburg). Coaches: Rick Lewis (Garinger) and Richard Spasoff (Providence). West - Cortney Nesmith, Eric Jones and Luke Boythe (Charlotte Christian); Bobby Thompson and Aureicc McCain (Victory Christian); Clifton Washburn (Shelby); Cory Largent (Freedom); Deshon Howie (West Mecklenburg); Keith Matkins (West Charlotte); Marlon Byers (Kings Mountain); Ryan O’Malley and Lorenrx) Johnson (Charlotte Country Day); Adrian Strong (Harding): Jake Blau (Providence Day). PHOTO/KELLY OWEN Victory Christian’s Bobby Thompson wili suit up for the West in the Chariotte Pro-Am High School All-Star Classic April 4 at Queens. Coaches: Bershaun Thompson (Victory Christian) and Bobby Jones (Charlotte Christian). Cuban players want asylum By Jessica Robertson THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NASSAU, Bahamas - Begging for therighttolive freely andeon- demning “uiyust detention” in the Bahamas, four Cuban base ball stars and five friends appealed Monday for asylum in Costaltica. Bahamian defense forces, meanwhile, rescued another 10 Cubanboatpreople and took them to the detention center, where dozens of refugees protested the sprecial treatment given to the Cuban players. More than 100 Cuban men and women b^an a hunger strike Monday to demand equal treat ment with the ballplayers, deten tion camp Erector Arthur BoUe confirmed. “One hundred and seven didrit eat breakfast or lunch, they refused it,” he said. Lunch, he said, had been a traditional Bahamian meal of peas andgrits with land) cheps. Bolle said he had brought in more officers to increase security at the camp, where there have been occasional riots. Lazaro Santana, a spokesrrtan for ordinary Cuban refugees at the camp, said, “We me happy because they (the ball players) have saved their lives. The prob lem is that we Cubaris here ivant tohavethesameopportuTutiesas our brothers whoplay baseball. ... “We dorit want to go back to Cuba.” He called for the govemmerds of the United Sates, Canada, Venezuela ami Costa Bica to intervene on their behedf. The ballplayers told The Assexlated Press they were not joining the strike. “Conditions at the camp me bad: bad provisions, beul fixxL I dcrit have a bed to sleep in,” said Angel Lepez, 25, who like the oth ers spoent the night on the floor. “We beseech your cotperation and help in poermitting us the right to live in a country of total fieedom where human rights are respjected,” the players said in a letter sent Monday to Costa Bican President Jose Maria Figueres. They asked him to immediately grant them ‘Tiummuiarian visas.” The letter said they were being “urqustly detained” in the Bahamas, which r^ulmiy sends Cuban refugees back home. The letter was given to a repxrter by Cubarv-American spx>r1s agent Joe Cubas, who has instigated an international effort to release the players. “Our fern- is that we will be depxjrted back to Cuba where we know that, simply for being base ball players who have decided to abandon the country, we can expxct grave consequences,” the lettersaid. The players left their home towns in central Cuba on March 10, then remained locked in a safehouse for 10 days before set ting out to sea Friday. They drift ed into a Bahamian fishing boat 17 112 hours later, according to the players, ami were turned over to Bahamian authorities at Ba^ed Island, a tiny fishing out- px)st about 80 miles north of the Cuban coast. The pdayers includ ed Jorge Luis Toca, 23; Jorge Diaz, 23; and Michael Java, a 17- year-old player from Cubris junior Olynqjic team along with Enrique Chinea, 41, a patching coach. All five were banned from Cubcmbctsrixdl last year because authorities susprected they were planning to defect. Bahamian officials were unlike ly to deprort the celebrities, desprite an agreement with the Cuban government to return all The Black Guide 1998 Advertising Sales Have Begun... Call The Advertising Department For Rates and To Reserve Space As Soon As Possible. (704)376-0496 FAX: (704)342-2160 Now on line: Putting More Than 1200 Qiailotte Area Black Businesses In Touch With The World www.thepost.mindspring.com For FREE listing in The Black Guide directory, businesses, professionals and organizations should complete this form & return to Charlotte ^OOt -1531 Camden Rd. • Charlotte, NC 28203 Name- Category . Address — City- - State - -Zip - Phone - Owner-
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