13A
SPORTS/The Charlotte Post
Thursday, May 25, 20001’
Continued from page 16A
Another black teen-age tennis
player, Alexandra Stevenson,
chose to play at the Family
Circle. Stevenson met with
Hodges before the tournament to
explain her position and, she
said, to bring attention to the
flag debate.
The NCAA would prefer to stay
out of state politics, Jankowski
said, “but there are also times
when you can’t avoid being
involved, and this was one of
those situations.”
Flag supporters say it’s a sym
bol of Southern heritage.
Opponents say it symbolizes
slavery and racism.
Leaders for the National
Association for the Advancement
of Colored People are not satis
fied with the Legislature’s com
promise and win continue the
boycott. National NAACP
President Kweisi Mfume he
would ask the NCAA to remove
the basketball tournament from
Greenville in two years.
Jankowski did not know if
Mfume or the NAACP had made
such a request. She said the
NABC, not the NAACP, prompt
ed the NCAA to act.
Jankowski said the reaction
about the flag is similar to
responses they get when penal
ties are imposed on a member
school. “A lot of times well hear
from both sides,” she said. “But
on this issue we have mostly
heard from people who are
opposed to taking the flag down.”
Pacers hunger for chance at Finals
By Hank Lowenkron
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
INDIANAPOLIS — Dale
Davis and the Indiana Pacers
are getting another chance to get
something they’ve never had; a
trip to the NBA Finals.
And standing in their way for
the third time in a row are the
New York Knicks, who upset the
Pacers 4-2 in last year’s confer
ence finals.
“I’m starving,” Davis said.
“We’ve been here before, but we
haven’t gotten over the hump. I
can’t see much getting in our way
this time. I think everybody is on
the same page. Even though
we’ve fallen short, we know what
it takes.”
The Pacers won’t be looking for
point production from Davis, but
theyll need the muscular 252-
pounder to establish himself
underneath the basket. Indiana
leads the series 1-0 going into
tonight’s game at Conseco
Fieldhouse.
Rebounding has long been the
Pacers’ weakness. “Whoever
wins the boards, usually wins
the series,” said Davis, who is in
the playoffs for the eighth time
and is averaging 11.1 reboimds
this year. “Controlling the boards
is definitely going to be impor
tant. So what I bring to this team
is important.”
With Patrick Ewing missing
most of last year’s series, 6-foot-
11 Marcus Camby took his place
and dominated Indiana inside in
the last four games with 75
points and 47 rebounds while
making 26 of 43 shots from the
field.
“We’ve got to be more aware of
him. We know exactly what he’s
going to do and how his game is.
We’ve got to contain him, and not
let him get anything easy,” Davis
said of Camby. “He’s a guy that
brings energy to that team. They
feed off that. He’s definitely going
to attack the boards and score
when he gets the opportunity,
and will play good defense. “He
also runs the floor well, that’s a
guy we can’t let get off and bring
Kfe to their team.”
Reggie Miller, who struggled
against New York last year in the
playoffs, gets another opportuni
ty to torment the Knicks in what
has become one of the Eastern
Conference’s greatest rivalries.
The Pacers guard didn’t try
and hide his feelings about the
Knicks following Monday’s prac
tice.
“I hate them!” he said. “They
always think they’re bigger and
badder than everyone. ...We
know they don’t give us any
respect. So why should I give
respect or like someone that
doesn’t give us respect?”
Miller has had some of the best
performances of his career
against the Knicks, most of them
coming at Madison Square
Garden. He scored 25 points in
the fourth quarter of Game 5 in
1994, eight points in 11.2 seconds
to win Game 1 in 1995 and made
a 3-pointer from in front of Spike
Lee’s courtside seat to force over
time in Game 4 in 1998 and
spark Indiana to a series-turning
victory.
The Pacers watched Game 7 of
the Miami-New York series
together on Sunday.
“Personally, I wanted to play
New York, somewhat exorcise
some demons,” said Miller, who
has been playing some of the best
playoff basketball of his career
during this postseason.
“We have beaten New York, but
it’s never been in a conference
final. Detroit had to get by
Boston, Chicago had to get past
Detroit. So there’s always that
team you’ve got to get by to get to
the next level, and New York is
that team for us.”
The teams split the season
series 2-2, each winning twice at
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home. The Pacers will have
homecourt advantage in this
series, with Games 1 and 2 at
Conseco Fieldhouse before the
series shifts to New York for
games Saturday and Monday.
“The main thing is don’t allow
them to get anything easy. They
have players who are definitely
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nitely don’t want to give them
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Last year, Indiana was coming
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“Last year, I don’t think we
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homecourt advantage, and even
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In fact, Indiana hasn’t won a
playoff series when it lost the
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opening game.
“That’s history, and it doesn’t
matter now. The thing we’ve got
to do is go about and take care of
business,” Davis said. “If we do
that, we will move on.”
Indiana got a small break this
year alter ousting Philadelphia
in six games, while New York
needed seven games to get by
Miami.
Both teams feature balanced
scoring. Jalen Rose led the
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The Charlotte STARS AAU Boys Baskethall
Presents it’s 2nd Annual
2 on 2 Tournament
Date: June 2 - June 4, 2000 6:00 pm
Location: Camp Greene (Off Freedom Drive) • 1203 Alleghany Street
All Star Sunday
June 4, 2000
Camp Greene
1203 Alleghany Street
Dunking Contest, 3 Point Contest & 2 Ball Competition
ENTRY FEES: $1 - $3
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
WPEG • myt Cliarlotte & Coca-Cola
BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR THE:
Buck Long & Friends Celebrity Softball game
Waiver, Trademark & Management: Even player and their parent/guardian must read and execute the Waiver Form. Signatures on the registration form signi
fy each person has read, understands and abides by this information. There are risks connected with my participation in this tournament and its related activi
ties. I release and discharge the Charlotte Stars, and any co-sponsors, employees and directors, from all actions, suits and demands whatsoever in law or in equi
ty, including, but not limited to, the risk of injury from playing in the tournament and the risk of loss or personal property by theft or otherwise. Further, I here
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For More Information Call 549-5787 • Entry Deadline: May 26, 2000
Co-Sponsored By: The Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation
Entry Forms Available At All Recreation Centers