News Scrapbook 1984

San Diego, Thursday, March 29, 1984 Brovelli says Wildcats wil

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CD * Dkga\lnloa H-5 Ex-catcher hurls USD to sweep

in; Gaines isn't saying

Has the J>Of: 1b1lity of bis leaving hurt Torero recruiting? "I thought it would, but it hasn't," Bro- velli said. ''We have two verbal commit- ments from a couple of recruits. My prob- lem is that I just want to enjoy the past season for as long as I can. It was such a great year I want to have it last as long as possible." Either way be goes, Brovelli, who bas been here ,for a decade, figures he can't r' lose. With the progrcun he has built here it would appear bis first WCAC title won't be bis last. He was raised in the San Francisco area and could go home to his alma mater, which is something many folks desire but never realize.

Jobn an Joe B., and Terry and Guy may be the ones tanding in the spotlights at the Final Four, but they won't be the only col- lege basketball coaches talking matcbups, low posts or shots from the paint this week- end in Seattle. Jim and Dave also will be among the interested spectators in the Kingdome hen the last pick of the season is set and we finally get to put a zipper on Dick Vi- tale's mouth for another year. Jim Brovelli and Dave "Smokey" Gaines, that is. And they have differing opinions on the outcome of this year's tour- nament, where 10 Saturday's semifinals John Thompson's Georgetown Hoyas will meet Joe B. Hall's Kentucky Wildcats and Terry Hollaud's Virg1ma Cavaliers will meet Gay Lewis' Houston Cougan;. "I have said all along lbat Kentucky is the team to beat," said Brovelh, USD's bas- ketball coach and the man w o led vu.;-half of the California contingent (Fresno State was the other state team to lose in the first round) into the tournament a fortnight ago. "Kentucky is big. It bas depth and good shooting from the perimeter. And that's not to say Georgetown and Houston aren't good enough to win it. Virginia is defimtely the underdog. They would have to put together two perfect games to win, but why not? North Carolina State did the same thing la t •ear. If they can get by Houston .. then anything could happen m the final game." Games, the head coach at San Diego State, is heading for Seattle today with his new two-year contract extension (i.e., se- curity) in bis back pocket, and no firm commitment as to a prediction. "Ask me next Tuesday morning," Gaines said laughing, quite far from the limb be id not want to go out on. "I think Houston and Georgetown will play for the title, but I don't know who will win. "But I Just want everyone to remember that VITgima and Washington (the Huskies lost in the regionals) played in the Cabrillo Classic. We only had 5,000 for those games because everyone told me how bad the tal- ent was in the tournament. Well, two of the teams made the (NCAA) tournament, and now one is m the Fmal Four." Gaines will be domg a httle recrUJtlDg talk and playing a little golf prior to Satur- day's semifinals. li 0 '1l play golf with the man he considers to be the best coach in the country. ''I'll be in the same foursome with Bobby Knight," Gaines said. "He can hit the ball a long way, and be can also throw a club a long way when be gets upset with a shot He's an entirely different person, if you get to know him off the court, than he is on the court.And he's the best college coach in the country, no question about that." GO OR NO? - Speakmg of Brovelli, he 1s still weighing his options with an offer from the University of San Francisco. "I would imagine within t-wo weeks I will make the decision and we 11 have somt! sort of press conference here at USO," he said.

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