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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 25, 1979)
Page 14 I Ht BA I I ALIUN WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 1979 Suns try for third win Ford fading for Kings United Press International KANSAS CITY — “There are very few guards who can dominate a game the way Phil Ford can,” said Houston Rockets Coach Tom Nis- salke last December. “It’s great for a coach to have a kid like Phil who you can just hand the ball to and know the game will be under control,” said then Denver Nuggets’ Coach Larry Brown last January. “Without a doubt. Ford gets my vote for rookie of the year,” said Milwaukee Bucks Coach Don Nel son last February. “He gets my vote for All-Pro.” That was a sample of the glowing praise heaped upon Ford during the regular season. That’s when the North Carolina rookie was devastat ing the opposition with his slicing penetration and meticulous passing. That was when Ford was guiding the Kansas City Kings to their first divisional title in 27 years. But it’s playoff time now and Ford has not played up to the high standard he set for himself during the regular season. He has bordered on dismal, in fact, as the Kings have fallen behind the Phoenix Suns 2-1 in the best-of-seven Western Con ference semi-final series. The two teams square off in Game 4 tonight in Kansas City. Ford has hit only 8-of-35 shots in the series thus far because of a touch of defensive genius by Phoenix coach John MacLeod. The Suns are leaving Ford wide open in the 15-20 CM«3 'ASfSBfflCS foot range, all but begging him to shoot. MacLeod has obviously taken note of Ford’s 46 percent regular season conversion rate from the field. Also, Ford chalked up 21 as sists against the Suns in a February game and MacLeod wanted that type of penetration of his lane stop ped. When Ford looks into the Phoenix lane now, it looks like the San Bernadino Freeway at rush hour. “It kind of shocks you when you go down court and you’re that wide open,” said Ford. “I’ve never been played that way in my life. And when the shots don’t go down, you start to think about it more.” “When you start out 3-of-17 like Phil did in the first game, it’s like a golfer who begins bogey, bogey,” added Kansas City Coach Cotton Fitzsimmons. “It gets very difficult to dig yourself out of a hole. Phil hasn’t had a good game yet. And we’re not the same team when Phil is off his game. ” The only game the Kings won, in fact, was the second one in Kansas City when Ford played only 28 minutes. He collected eight points and nine assists during that span. His back-up, Billy McKinney, con tributed 10 points and seven assists in 20 minutes of action as the Kings coasted to a 111-91 victory. Aggies select captains United Press International Running back Curtis Dickey, guard Ed Pustejovsky, defensive end Jacob Green and safety Carl Grulich have been elected captains of the Texas A&M football team for the 1979 season, Coach Tom Wilson announced Tuesday. Wilson also said quarterback Mike Mosley, who had been hos pitalized almost one week with a virus, was in shorts for the Aggies’ drill Tuesday. Mosley will play in the team’s Maroon-White game Saturday. Keep your eye on the ball Texas A&M’s Reid Freeman watches the Championships which will be held in Coff' bouncing ball during a recent practice. The Christi this weekend. Aggies are also eyeing the SWC Tennis Battalion photo by Lee RoylMeJ liller it, b ding Borg top seedi United Press International DALLAS — Jimmy Connors will play Gene Mayer of New York May 1 in his challenge for the 1979 World Championship of Tennis, said a WCT spokesman. The spokesman said Connors was ranked second on a computer list re leased Monday and would take the second seed behind Bjorn Borg for the WCT finals. The seeding list is: 1, Borg; 2, Connors; 3, John McEnroe; 4, Vitas Gerulaitis; 5, Brian Gottfried; 6, John Alexander; 7, Gene Mayer; 8, Geoff Masters. In the computer rankings,! H jumped from 55 to 31 alii reached the final of the WC1 ^ nament at River Oaks ini ar |> n last week. That took Man! di pi two-fisted player from Ne» into the seventh seed — all Bpr Masters of Australia. It assured Masters of pi Connors in the opening malt! B Pil' stead of Borg. Upon hearing the switch! ing partners from Borg toC Masters remarked: “It’s lit ing from the frying pan is! fire.” Hamburgers 1800 S. Texas Ave. College Station 693-9515 BOOKS . for Mom’s! . for Grads! HARDBACK BOOK SALE Top Quality Gift Books 50% to 70% off list price TEXAS A&M BOOKSTORE Picture of a about to mat; a mistake He’s shopping around to 1 ! diamond “bargain,”but ping for “price” alone the wise way to find one takes a skilled profession! and scientific instruments Sj judge the more import» 1 | price determining factol Cutting, Color and As an AGS jeweler, you rely on our gemological ti ing and ethics to property vise you on your next portant diamond purchase Stop in soon and see our selection of ,’ems she will proud to wear. Cla# | MEMBER AMERICAN GEM SOCIETY V / \ Carl Bussell! j RiH