SIXTH MAN
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
JOHN STARKS of the New York Knicks won the NBA's Sixth Man award yesterday.
The New York guard received 84 of a possible 115 first place votes among media members in the United States and Canada. Toni Kukoc of the Chicago Bulls, last year's winner, was second and Chris Gatting of the New Jersey Nets finished third.
SPORTS
The 6-foot-5 Starks lost his starting job
when the Knicks signed free agent Allan Houston last summer. He averaged 1.3.8 points and 2.8 assists while coming off the bench in 76 of the 77 games he played this season.
Starks is 20th in the NBA this season with 150 three-pointers.
FORMER TULSA BASKETBALL COACH DIES
Former University of Tulsa basketball coach Clarence Iba, 88, died. He took the Golden Hurricane to the NCAA Tournament in 1955 and won more games than any other Tulsa
coach in his 11 seasons.
RAMS MOVES
Iba died Monday night following surgery for an aneurysm.He was the younger brother of longtime Oklahoma State coach Henry Iba.
THURSDAY APRIL 24,1997
The St. Louis Rams found some salary-cap relief by releasing starting defensive tackle JIMMIE JONES.
Jones, who was entering the final season of a four-year, $7.5 million deal, was waived. The Rams also released two nominal players, reserve linebacker Rico Mack and free agent running back Travis Cozart.
The Rams signed Mack after he played with
1996. He didn't play last season because of a knee injury. Cozart signed after the 1996 season.
The Rams also have signed college punters Will Brice of Virginia and Nate Cochran of the University of Pittsburgh.
'Hawks McPhail named Big 12 Pitcher of Week
SECTION B
Kansas softball player Christy McPhail was named Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week yesterday. McPhail, a native of Overbrook, was 3-0 with a 0.64 ERA last week.
McPhail threw a one-hit shutout against Iowa State Saturday in the Jayhawks' 4-0 victory against the Cyclones. In the game, she was just four outs from a no-hitter until she gave up a double with two outs in the sixth inning. She struck out three players in the game.
McPhail pitched 22 innings and gave up just two earned runs during the week. Both of her earned runs came in a 5-1 loss to Nebraska Sunday.
McPhail is the second Kansas pitcher to be named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week this season. Sarah Workman earned the award on April 8.
—Kansan staff report
Nebraska star's accuser sentenced to probation
OMAHA, NEB. A woman who is suing St. Louis Rams running back Lawrence Phillips has been sentenced to five years probation for embezzling money from her former employer.
Lisa Bateman also was ordered on Tuesday to pay $34,000 in restitution to the Omaha Firefighters Union, where she had worked as a temporary secretary. She was charged in February 1996 with embezzling the money between July and December 1995.
County District Judge Michael McGill ordered that Bateman be evaluated to see whether she had a gambling addiction or alcohol and drug problems, and to receive treatment if necessary.
Last February, Bateman and her boyfriend, Arthur Stallworth, filed sep arate lawsuits against Phillips, who once played for Nebraska, and against former Nebraska running back Clinton Childs.
Stallworth alleges that he was physically beaten by Phillips and Childs.
Bateman claims in a lawsuit in Douglas County District Court that at a party, Phillips touched her inappropriately with his hands and with a champagne bottle. Her lawsuit against Childs alleges that he touched her inappropriately despite her requests that he stop.
Critics only able to dream of all-college hoops team
The United States will continue to field a team of NBA stars for the 1998 World Championships and 2000 Sydney Olympics.
ROME — Get ready for Dream Team III in Syndev, Australia.
The first NBA Dream Team played at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in Spain, followed by others at the 1994 World Championships and the 1996 Atlanta Games.
"For the 1998 championships in Greece, I can assure you the USA team will consist of at least 10 NBA players, who will be named sometime next fall," Granik said.
Although some critics have called for a return to a U.S. team of college players, NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik said the national team would continue to be dominated by professionals.
Two other positions will be open after the NBA championships. The positions will be filled next spring by either NBA players or college stars, he said. The process will be the same for the 2000 Summer Games.
The United States is one of nine countries planning to bid for the 2002 World Championships, said Borislav Stankovic, general secretary of the international basketball federation.
Bids are due July 31, 1997, and a host will be chosen in November.
The Associated Press
Geoff Krieger / KANSAN
Kansas' Mike Dean slides safely back to first base during a pickoff attempt. The Jayhawks beat Texas 10-4 yesterday at Hoglund - Maupin Stadium despite two rain delays.
'Hawks avoid sweep
Baseball team defeats Texas Longhorns,10-4
By Harley V. Ratliff
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas baseball team seems to have a knack for escaping from the clutches of disaster.
With yesterday's 10-4 victory against the Texas Longhorns, the Jayhawks rebounded from Tuesday's two defeats and avoided a sweep. It is the third consecutive series in which Kansas has won the final Big 12 conference game after dropping the first two.
"Coach just told us that this is our team," Kansas second baseman Joe Demarco said after the game. "We're playing for the Big 12 tournament and a regional. We just have to go play hard and compete better. I think we did that today."
With just two conference series left and the race for the Big 12 postseason tournament tightening, yesterday's victory was significant. Not only did it push the Jayhawks' conference record to .500, but also the victory gave the team a solid three-game lead against the Longhorns for the sixth, and final, plavoff position.
Kansas coach Bobby Randall
said, "I never worry about who's behind us or who's ahead of us. But on a scale of 1 to 50, this game was about a 100. Our backs were against the wall."
After spending much of Tuesday playing from behind, the Jayhawks jumped to an early lead yesterday.
Dimmick said, "We had to
Kansas, taking advantage of Texas' mistakes, built a 5-2 lead through three innings. The Longhorns closed the gap to two in the fourth inning but that was the closest Texas came.
With Justin Headley on first and one out in the bottom of the fifth, Josh Dimmick a shot over the left-field wall. After Dimmick's fifth home run of the season, the Jayhawks scored another run, giving the team an 8-3 cushion.
show them that we could still swing it after last night. It was a little embarrassing. We came out early and hit the ball. That was the difference."
The five-run cushion proved to be more than enough for Kansas reliever Rusty Philbrick. Philbrick, who replaced starter Jake Good in the fourth inning, picked up his second win this season. He allowed just one run on four hits during four innings of work. The right-handed freshman was commanding on the mound, cuffing a Texas offense that had dominated the series.
"I had been working on getting my second pitch over for strikes," Philbrick said. "After last night, we were a bit down." Philbrick said. "But we knew if we played well, we could beat any team. Knowing that they were right there on our heels made it even more important."
Kansas tennis receives byes
Kansan staff report
The tournaments will be played at the Penick-Allison Tennis Center in Austin, Texas, and will continue through Sunday.
Both Kansas tennis teams head to the inaugural Big 12 tournaments this week, and both will receive first-round byes.
The men's team enters the tournament seeded No. 2 behind No.1 Texas. The Jayhawks are the only队 in the conference with an 8-1 record, losing only to the Longhorns 5-4 at the Robinson tennis courts.
The women are seeded No. 4 in the tournament, behind Texas, Baylor and Texas A&M. Kansas was defeated this year by Baylor and Texas, and has a 9-2 conference record.
The Jayhawks will play the winner of between Oklahoma and Kansas State.
The team will play either Colorado or Missouri.
Scholastics a challenge for traveling KU athletes
Tommy Gallagher
Kansan sportswriter
Dixon flew to Florida on Thursday
dixon and returned to Lawrence late
Tuesday night. She left again yester-
day afternoon for Portland,
Kansas guard Tamecka Dixon temporarily made her way back into the classroom yesterday after attending the Women's NBA pre-draft camp this week.
Ore., to meet with Nike representatives about an endorsement deal.
"My professors are very understanding." Dixon said. "I've been trying to get my work done on time, or
Tamecka Dixon
ahead of time, so I wouldn't miss much. I'm still up on my homework, but it's kind of hard to miss these classes."
Glenn Rice, Inman graduate teaching assistant, said that athletes who missed classes while pursuing professional athletic careers had no tutors when on the road.
"For math, and for some other classes, sometimes you can't get an answer to a question or solve a problem if no one's there to help you," Rice said. "Missing those classes really sets the student back, and that can make it really difficult heading toward finals."
Dixon will spend today in Oregon with her parents and Nike officials before flying back to Lawrence
tomorrow.
She will remain in Lawrence until Sunday afternoon, when she will fly to New York for Monday's WNBA Draft.
Jacque Vaugn
"It's kind of like a recruiting trip, or a road trip," Dixon said. "I'm have to bring all my books along because I can't afford to fall too behind in my classes."
Kansas guard Angie Halbleib also attended the WNBA camp, but she left Lawrence on Saturday morning. Although the camp ended Tuesday, she stayed for another two days and is expected to return to Lawrence tonight.
Kansas forward Jennifer Trapp left Lawrence for San Francisco yesterday to attend the American Basketball League's pre-draft camp, which starts today and ends Sunday.
two members of the men's basketball team, guard Jacque Vaughn
Pollard attended the Nike Desert Classic last week. Just like Dixon, both players brought their books and kept up with their homework, said Dean Buchan
Scot Pollard
Kansas sports information director.
Kansas sports information director.
"While these players hated to miss class, the opportunity is just too great for them to turn it down," Buchan said. "Jacque and Scot have been taking good measures to not fall behind too much in their studies, especially since they're looking toward graduation. It's inevitable that they'll fall behind a little bit, but they, like Tamecka, have been able to stay on course."