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The Battalion
SPORTS
7
u Friday, February 23,1990
Sports Editor
Richard Tijerina
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The dream team:
Jordan-Olajuwon
could have been
Ok, the Houston Rockets
are stuck in fifth place in the Western
Conference Midwest Division with a 23-
29 record. If things keep up. they’ll be
hoping for a top lottery draft choice
So now it’s time to dream.
There are too many ‘what its’ to
contemplate about the Rockets. Just four
years ago, they were on the verge of
becoming the next great basketball
dynasty. They had just beaten the
Lakers, and took the Celtics to six games
for the NBA title.
But several injuries, drug problems,
trades and coaching changes later, the
Rockets are back to square one. Since
we’re dreaming here, let’s talk about
him. The Dream. Akeem Olajuwon is
basketball’s greatest center. Houston
managed to land the No. 1 pick in the
NBA Draft two years in a row, and
picked up Ralph Sampson, who was All-
Universe in college and Olajuwon.
But what if Akeem, the greatest center
in the NBA, had been paired with
Michael Jordan, the greatest guard in the
NBA?
In our stranger than fiction
department, it could have been.
The Rockets already had Sampson,
who had a promising rookie year and
seemed poised to bring the club back to
respectability. Now they found
themselves with the No. 1 draft choice
again the next year.
The top two prospects were Olajuwon
out of the University of Houston, and
Jordan from North Carolina.
Former Houston coach Bill Fitch
See Tijerina/Page 9
Ags readying for hostile Autry crowd
By CLAY RASMUSSEN
Of The Battalion Staff
Texas A&M men’s basketball coach John
Thornton just came back from a 114-100
loss to Arkansas in a place he calls “Fayette-
Nam.” But if he thought Barnhill Arena
was bad, just wait until he steps into Autry
Court.
The Aggies travel to Houston Saturday
to battle the Rice Owls. A&M is 5-8 in
Southwest Conference play, 12-15 overall.
Rice is also 5-8 after losing to Southern
Methodist Wednesday.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7:35 p.m.
Among Thornton’s concerns for Satur
days game is neutralizing a rampant Rice
Photos by Mike C. Muivey
A&M basketball coach John
Thornton (above) has guided the
Aggies to 3-5 SWC record. Senior
forward Ray Little (left) leads the
Aggies against Rice this weekend.
crowd.
“The main thing will be to keep the Rice
students out of our huddle,” Thornton
said. “I think they’re there just to unnerve
you. Last year our guys didn’t know what to
expect, but this year they'll be ready.”
The Aggies are veterans of noisy crowds
after battling the Razor backs at Barnhill
Arena, but Thornton said the Rice fans are
of a different breed.
“Arkansas’ crowd is a basketball crowd
and while that’s intimidating, they’re not vi
cious or crude,” Thornton said. “They’re in
control, and while Rice is orchestrated,
they’re a little less sophisticated.”
It’s a situation A&M will have to endure
as the Aggies enter the second half of the
“Thornton Fra
Thornton’s First game as head coach
came just over a month ago after Shelby
Metcalf Was relieved of his coaching duties.
Thornton’s debut was against a red-hot 4 1
Rice team at G. Rollie White Coliseum.
In a game dedicated to Metcalf , the Ag
gies pulled out an emotional 89-82 victory.
Although the Owls are on a three game
losing streak and A&M is playing some of
its best basketball of the year, Thornton
said the Aggies need to come together as a
team.
“There is no (Kareem Abdul) Jabbar on
our team,” Thornton said. “We don’t have
one guy that can go out there and dominate
the team. 1 f we’re not emotionally and men
tally ready to go out and play as a team,
then we’re just average ”
The Aggies must cut down on costly
turnovers. In theii loss to Arkansas, the Ka-
zdrbacks scored 18 points on 10 A&M turn
overs in (lie first half.
“Another thing I’ve emphasized the last
few games is quality possessions,” Thornton
said. “If we can push the ball downcourt
and score, great. But if we can’t, then let’s
turn that possession into something that we
can capitalize on."
Although Rice doesn’t possess the big
men or ability to pressure an offense for 40
minutes, the Owl’s defense will alternate be
tween falling back and pressuring A&M’s
offense
“Rice has the ability to put the pressure
on us like Arkansas, but it's more of a spot
thing, not 40 minutes of relentless pres
sure,” Thornton said.
’“They will try to pressure us then fall
back. If they pick up on the fact that an up
tempo game is out strong suit, then they'll
back ol f
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