‘ Sa a2 Castlegar News December 14, 1986 SPORTS Stanley Humphries Senior Rockers competed in the 26th annual Okanagan Basketball Tournament in Oliver last weekend. The Rockers finished third of the eight teams participating. In their tournament opener the Rockers defeated Summerland Rockets 55-41. Stanley Humphries got off to a slow start and the game was close throughout the first quarter. Dale Fitchett came off the bench and ignited the Rockers’ running game. SHSS built up a 12-point lead and took control of the game. Scott Bole led the offensive attack with 23 points thanks to some fine inside passing from Glen Lefurgey. The remainder of the scoring was shared by Eric Dillon with nine points, Dave Kravski. seven points, Fitchett and Lefurgey with six and Norm Higgins with four. ‘The Rockers met tournament favorite Archbishop Jordon Scots from Edmonton in their second outing in what was to be the best game of the tournament, according to coach Barry DePaoli. The Rockers used a strong man-to-man defense and an effective press break to take a 10-point lead into the dressing room at the half. In the third quarter the Scots caught the Rockers off guard with a zone defense causing several turnovers. Archbishop Jordon eventually took advantage of some fourth quarter Rocker foul trouble to with the game 63-59. Bole led the scoring with 27 points with the help of some fine playmaking by guards Dillon and Lefurgey. Dave Kravski, Fitehett and Dillon had eight points a piece while Lefurgey chipped in six and Higgins added a couple. In their final game of the tournament Stanley Humphries scraped by Garibaldi of Maple Ridge with a dramatie 52-51 come-from-behind victory. At one point the Rockers were behind by 17 points. Glen Lefurgey won the game for the Rockers with a lay-up with nine seconds remaining on the clock. The scoring was balanced with Bole and Kravski leading the way with 18 and 12 points respectively. ockers place third in Oliver Lefurgey netted six, Higgins five, Dillon four, Erie Ommundsen and Shane Bohnet had two apiece and Harry Russell added a single. Scott Bole was selected as a tournament all-star collecting 68 points in the tournament. DePaoli said he was pleased with the overall play of his team, especially the efforts of forwards Dave Kravski and Norman Higgins. . The Rockers play their final exhibition game before Christmas break Wednesday against Mt. Sentinel Wildcats. AMERICA'S CU Canada argues Kiwi win FREMANTLE, AUSTRALIA (CP) — USA came back from a bad start to defeat America II in the America's Cup challenger series Saturday and overtake the New York Yacht Club entry in the race for the fourth and final semifinal berth. “But there are no nails in anybody's coffin yet,” Tom Blackaller, USA's skipper, said after the race. His San Francisco boat crossed the finish line two minutes and 17 seconds ahead of America II on a sparkling blue sailing afternoon. 23 yachts. New Zealand has sealed first place Canada II won the start by forcing New Zealand over the line before the official gun. As New Zealand turned back, Canadian skipper Terry Neilson raced for the first mark. Canada will earn an automatic 12 points today. Its opponent, Challenge France, has dropped out of the America’s Cup but Canada is obliged to sail the course alone to collect the points. The yacht will be crewed by maintenance staff and support crew with Hans Fogh, usually the navigator, steering the yacht SPORTS WILLIE DE WIT Willie de Wit may be one of the best things to happen to Canadian boxing in years, but many fans are beginning to wonder when he's going to be put to the test. They also have questions about the way de Wit is being handled. The Canadian heavyweight champion has met few worthy opponents. As Kevin Hogan, a former No. 1-ranked Canadian heavyweight said recently of de Wit, “As he fights better-ranked boxers, he might become a great fighter — but he’s not there yet.” How a fighter is brought along is largely up to his manager and in de Wit's case, that's Rod Proudfoot of Edmonton. Apart from the calibre of opponents de Wit has faced, Proudfoot has managed to turn off a lot of fans in one of Canada’s top fight towns — Halifax. In fact, he has said de Wit won't fight in the Nova Scotia capital again. Proudfoot blasted the city for not supporting de Wit's Nov. 11 title defence against Conroy Nelson of Ottawa, even though 4,900 people paid an average of $30 each to watch de Wit pummel his soft-touch opponent. Haligonians are among the most knowledgeable and discerning fight fans in the country. After all, they've had Fans wondering the most practice. The seaport city with the rough-and- tumble past has staged regular fight cards since the 920s. Proudfoot said to me, ‘I thought Halifax was a good boxing town,” says Halifax promoter Sonny MacPhee. ‘CAN OF WORMS’ “I said, ‘Halifax is a good boxing town, but the problem is they know boxing. If you try to bring in a can of worms, they're going to scream and holler.” Nelson was a late fill-in for Cedric Parsons, a Nova Scotia favorite who had suffered a training injury. Nelson was best remembered in Halifax for a pathetic 1981 title fight against Trevor Berbick. Bug-eyed with fear, Nelson turned himself inside-out trying to avoid Berbick, who knocked him out in the second round. “When he brought Conroy Nelson in, I told Rod, “Keep me away from the media,” said MacPhee. “It was doomed.” Proudfoot was especially upset with the media, accusing one TV reporter of belittling Nelson by airing a clip of his previous Halifax appearance. If] really wanted to belittle him, I would have shown Nelson being taken away in the ambulance,” the reporter replied. Ironically, the turnout was bigger than de Wit's last fight in Edmonton — a city with five times the population of Halifax. In that one, 4,012 paid to see the hard-hitting Albertan decision American Andrew Stokes. Stock Reduction SALE TRAK T-1400 RACING PACKAGE Kneiss! Whitestar Reg. $250 Swix Poles *139 *279° Canada II, meanwhile, lost to series leader New Zealand BUILDS LEAD by 2:54. The race, however, was protested by both New Zealand brought her total to 174 points by syndicates, Canada II lost the lead over the incident in defeating Canada II question. Among the also rans, Heart of America won a protested With only two 12-point races left in the third and last race against Italy's Azzurra. qualifying round for the semifinals, America II is now fifth, Blackaller still has to race his futuristic-looking bow and 11 points behind USA. Only four yachts in the 1l-boat stern steered yacht against runaway leader New Zealand challenge fleet make the best-of-seven semifinals. and French Kiss. Stars and Stripes retained second place by one point America Il, skippered by John Kolius, races today over French Kiss. The San Diego boat's skipper, Dennis against New Zealand, which has beaten the New York boat Conner, who lost the Cup in 1983 to Australia, defeated in both their previous meetings. Italia by 3:37. French Kiss had an equally routine victory, Kolius almost has to beat New Zealand, something only winning by 2:49 over Eagle from Newport Beach, Calif. Conner and Stars and Stripes beable done ave the DEFENDING CHAMPS... \- . Teams i tt BRITISH WIN fibreglass boat's near-perfect, 31-1 performance here. tes fight to retain the Scanian a eakend ct pone knock peed betrayal i Chemplons.. ere Britain's White Crusader, which could tie USA for If America II does not make it, it will be the first time in the Blue and Gold Basketball Tournament at Selkirk CosMews Proto by Wore Posinaott fourth place if Blackaller loses both remaining races, stayed the 135-year history of the cup that the New York Yacht sixth with a sail-over against the departed Challenge Club will not be racing for the trophy it held from 1851 to Ss France 1983. ‘The Canadian controversy came after Canada II alleged On the defenders’ course, Kookaburra III lost by 14 lend Ro a | Ss ed Tt that New Zealand luffed the yacht, or made the sails flap by seconds to Australia ITV, cup-holder Alan Bond's contender Ca ar turning into it at close range on the second windward leg. to keep the trophy. Bond's yacht moved to within three SUNDAY “wr: toga, suse sme Smoke Eaters The Canadian protest said that New Zealand had no right to points of Kookaburra III dionapolis Colts or Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals. 10 — SKIS — DYNASTAR COURSE Regular $400 Battery recalls sports, war By Eaton Howitt Houle became general manager of Hockey Canada from 1969 TORONTO (CP) — Each year there are fewer and fewer to 1972. on hand as veterans of Conn Smythe's famed Sportsmen's Zouch Palmer, who took over as battery commander Battery gather to remember the joys of sports and horrors when Smythe was wounded at Caen, says the battery was of war. the best-disciplined unit he had ever seen. This year marked the 45th anniversary of the forming of They were easy to take over,” he says. “They were all in the 30th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, which Smythe, excellent shape and had lots of esprit de corps. They didn't legendary builder of Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens and want anyone goofing off.” founder of the Maple Leaf hockey club, led into battle. He recalls how one soldier had stolen a jeep, an action Almost all members of the battery had a sports that would have landed the whole battery in trouble. connection of one kind or another. For instance, when the Battery members took action. “When I was him the next outfit was formed in 1941, the Mimico Mountainers had just day, he (looked like he) must have fallen down some stairs,” won the Mann Cup, the Canadian lacrosse championship. Palmer recalls with a laugh. They joined the battery in one group. RECALL BATTLE At the anniversaries — this year’s was held Nov. 7 — conversation shifts from the muck and deaths at the battle of Caen to the fun of lacrosse, football, curling, hockey and fastball A big picture of Smythe, known simply as “the major” stands at the end of the head table and a roomful of misty eyes rest on Salvation Army bugler Art Dean playing the ROSSIGNOL QUANTUM Regular $345. oars Zalapski favors JR. DOWNHILL PACKAGE national team Dynastar Skis Salomon 137 luff because Canada II held the windward position. New Kookaburra II lost an even closer, four-second photo Zealand counter-protested. finish to Steak 'n Kidney, the last-place boat's third win in 28