The Bounce: Hoops summer league playoff here
by Jenny Mayer on Jul. 25, 2008, under Sports
<h4>Grand lady of WNBA</h4>
The Detroit Shocks' Nancy Lieberman, 50, (right) looks to pass as the Houston Comets' Shannon Johnson defends during the first half of a WNBA basketball game on Thursday in Houston.
The fifth season of the Tucson Summer Pro League winds down this weekend with five playoff basketball games set to determine the champion.
Former University of Arizona player and Tucson Summer Pro League founder Corey Williams said the talent level is as good as ever in the league that allows for the blending of pro, collegiate and high school basketball talent.
The playoffs will be at the Northwest Center, 2160 N. Sixth Ave.
Friday features a pair of quarterfinal games that tip off at 6 p.m.
In the opener, Cienega High graduate Jamier Morris gets a chance to show off his point guard skills for his Window Depot team when it takes on Desert Toyota. The team also boasts Mark Fresby (Amphi) and Dionte Gill (Catalina).
For Desert Toyota, 6-foot-6 Justin Lloyd and recent Salpointe graduate Chase Adams lead the way. Adams is scoring 16 points per game in the league.
The 7 p.m. quarterfinal game pits Coffee Point vs. Magpies Pizza.
Coffee Point is led by brothers P.J. and Will Wilkens (Sierra Vista Buena), Anthony Michaels (Amphi) and point guard Courtney Templeton.
Magpies Pizza is led by Michael Henderson (16.7 points per game), Palo Verde graduate Michael Biancuzzo and veteran shooting guard Andre McDowell.
Friday’s winners take on Powerade and the Moore Law Firm teams at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Powerade is led by Donte Williams, who Corey Williams said is one of the best in the league each year, and Marcus Campbell.
Moore Law Firm is led by former college player Corey Starks and Palo Verde High graduate J.J. Sicilian.
The championship game is at 4 p.m. Sunday; at 2 p.m., there will be a 3-point contest and a slam dunk contest at 3 p.m.
Lieberman still has skills
HOUSTON – Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman showed she still had one nifty pass left in her.
The 50-year-old Lieberman had two assists, including a no-look pass in the closing minutes of the Detroit Shock’s 79-61 loss to the Houston Comets on Thursday night.
Lieberman made a one-time only appearance in the Shock’s first game since Tuesday night’s bench-clearing melee with the Los Angeles Sparks.
Five Shock players were suspended and Cheryl Ford sustained a season-ending injury, prompting coach Bill Laimbeer to offer Lieberman a seven-day contract
“I had a great time,” said Lieberman, who missed her only shot, a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. “It was very historic to be able to do that.”
Lieberman played nine minutes, seven in the fourth quarter, when the game’s outcome was decided. The Shock players tried to get her in a position to score every time down the floor at the end, but Lieberman could only get off one shot.
With 1:16 left, she zipped a no-look pass to Olayinka Sanni in the lane and Sanni put it in, prompting some of the loudest applause of the night from the crowd of 7,261.
“I think I’ll be able to pass when I’m in a wheelchair,” she said. “Hopefully, that won’t be too soon. But I’ve always been able to pass and it’s fun to make people better.”
CHRIS DUNCAN
The Associated Press
Team backs James
LAS VEGAS – LeBron James’ teammates have their own guarantee: They’ll help the U.S. star try to back up his boast.
And none seemed to have much trouble with James’ promise of an Olympic gold medal, which appeared in a Time magazine story that hits newsstands Friday.
“You know what, I’ve never really understood the big deal about guaranteeing a win,” Dwyane Wade said after practice. “I mean, we all feel we’re going to win, so what’s the difference with him saying we’re going to win?
“They had on ESPN ‘King-sized guarantee.’ Well, we all guarantee that we’re going to go over there and we’re going to win.”
James stopped short Thursday of saying “I guarantee” – technically, he never did in the story, either – but made it clear it’s the way he feels.
The Associated Press
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ON THIS DATE
1902: Jim Jeffries knocks out Bob Fitzsimmons in the eighth round to retain the world heavyweight title.
1941: Lefty Grove of the Boston Red Sox wins his 300th and last game, beating the Cleveland Indians 10-6.
1976: In Montreal, Edwin Moses of the United States sets an Olympic record in the 400 hurdles with a time of 47.63.
1999: Lance Armstrong wins the Tour de France, three years after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer that spread to his brain and lungs.
2004: Armstrong wins a record sixth Tour de France.
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SPORTS SOUND-OFF
UA football needs a winner to sell tickets
Re: Football season-ticket sales down at UA
• Hmmm. I guess less people want to see a team predicted to finish seventh in the Pac-10. And then they blame it on the economy. I wonder if USC, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Texas, etc., have less season ticket holders than usual? I have a nagging feeling they don’t, no matter what the economy is doing. Put a winning product on the field and they will come! R.A.
• Soft nonconference schedule? It’s better than getting beaten up by LSU or Wisconsin! These games are going to make or break our season. We need the most support for these first three games, not disparaging remarks. UA could start out 3-0, so people should buy tickets, cheer, then do it again. BRUCE P.
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NUMBER OF THE DAY
8
Baseball Hall of Fame inductees:
Rich “Goose” Gossage, pitcher
Dick Williams, manager
Larry Whiteside, writer
Dave Niehaus, broadcaster
Barney Dreyfuss, owner
Bowie Kuhn, commissioner
Walter O’Malley, executive
Billy Southworth, pitcher
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TRIVIA CORNER
When was the last time the San Francisco 49ers were in the Super Bowl?
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Answer: In 1995, when the 49ers won their fifth Super Bowl with a 49-26 victory over the San Diego Chargers. Steve Young was the MVP.
