News Scrapbook 1981-1982

Aztecs' Slowdown Stops USD By BILL FINLEY Stoff Wnler, The Son Diego Union Allen Key As SDSU Wins City Title Steve Rocha was mtercepted by Aztec swmgman Eddie Morris, a player far better known for his shoot- ing than for his defense. Next, with 20 seconds to go, USO guard John Prunty missed a 20-footer that be- came the possession of Aztec center Leonard Allen. rattled off a string of their own. In the next seven minutes, San Diego State outscored USO 16-2. This left the Aztecs ahead 18-12 and they held narrow margins the rest of the eve- ning.

Secretly, deep down, San Diego State 1s convinced it is in a different league than the University of San Die,~o and maybe, just maybe, the Aztt cs should consider themselves fort1.Jnate today. Year after year the Aztecs are ex- pected to run the Toreros off the floor, up the tunnel, and into th.e fro- zen food section of the FedMart across the street. Year after year the game between these schools instead goes down to the closing seconds. And so it went again last night. This time, Aztec guard Keith Smith calmly netted two free throws with 14 seconds to play, and with them San Diego State held on to de- feat USO 41-36 in a basketball game played before 3,612 fans in the Sports Arena. It would be convenient to say the Torero kept it close by holding the ball. In truth, however, their matchup zone was so effective the 4- 2 Aztecs spent minutes on end trying to find an opening. Late in the game, while nursing a lead of 39-36, the Az- tecs held the hall for five minutes without launching a shot. An errant pass by Smith and a mi s d free throw by Aztec forward Eddy Gordon gave the Toreros two opportunities to win in the final min- ute. The first ended w nass by

The difference on this occas10n was probably the play of Allen, the 6- foot-10 freshman from Port Arthur, Texas. He scored 13 points, collected 6 rebounds and blocked 6 shots, all quite impressive figures when given the paucity of points, and shots, in the game. "I didn't go out there looking to score, I never do," Allen insisted. "My role is to play some defense and block some shots. If I'm doing any scoring, I figure that's just icing on the cake." Torero Coach Jim Brovelli, whose 2-2 team lost its second straight game, suggested Allen had much to do with the outcome. "It wasn't his (Continued on D-8, Col. 1)

This positioned Smith for his game=ciinching free throws and, for the first time all evening, Aztec Coach Smokey Gaines was able to untwist his fingers. "We'll take 'em any way we can,'' Gaines said. "It's always tough when you're playing your crosstown rival, anything can happen, and we're happy any time we can get a 'W' against USO. They're tough any time, and they're always tough against us." For a time, it appeared the Toreros might well be plotting an upset. USO bolted to a 10-2 lead in the first seven minutes of the game. At this point, however, the Aztecs

Inside Today ...

Tom Nissalke is fired as coach of the Utah /azz. Page D-2. Kenneth Sims of Texas is the winner of Lombardi Award. Page D-2. John McEnroe faces Guillermo Vilas in Davis Cup finals. Page D-4.

The Son OiefO JOIOO/George Sml1h In an unusual stance, Eddie Morris of San Diego State forces USD's Robby Roberts to go to basket off-balance.

AZ ECS: San Diego State Wins It Continued from Flnt Page en't going to be able to run with them, we knew we had to slow it down." "We took a timeout to get ourselves together," Gaines said. "We were trying to run, but we couldn't ."

LOS ANGELES TIMES DEC l 1 1981 empers Flare as Aztecs Ease byUS ,41-36 By HOWARD STUTZ, Time, Staff Writer SAN DIEGO- College b cball contests between San Diego State and the University of San Diego are becom- ing pretty emotional events. In Tuesday night's game between the crosstown ri- vals, a USO player was ejected after a scufne between him and a member of the Aztecs. Fans engaged in shouting matches and USO supporters carried banners around the Sports Arena saying unkind things about "Aztec Fever." But In the end, one thing remained the same, San Die- go State finished on top, 41 -36, the Aztecs' lowest point total this season. San Diego State leads the series between the two schools, 11-5, and won the match for the third year in a row. Leonard Allen, the Aztecs' freshman center, played the entire 40 minutes, leading the team In scoring with 13 points and blocking six shots to raise his season total to 24. But the story was the way San Diego State won, by playing an unfamiliar slow-down offense. F'rom the 5,51 mark in the final half, there was no scoring by either side until San Diego State's jµnior point guard Keith Smith hit two free throws in the final 14 seconds to ice the game. Aztec Head Coach Smokey Gaines didn't like not be- Ing able to play his run-and-shoot offense, but he'll take a win any way possible. "We took shots that we should have made," Gaines said. "The way the game progressed, we knew we wer- '', I, Please see AZTI\CS, Pace 1%

Zack Jones tied it for the Aztecs at 8,40 with a 20-foot jumper. Michael Cage put them in front for good with a tip-in at 7,53. Zack Jones was the leading scorer at the half for both clubs with eight points. Gerald Jones led the Toreos with seven at the half and 13 in the game.

The Toreros tried the same offense the Aztecs did. USO had a chance to make the score closer with 2:30 left when the Toreros forced Smith to turn the ball over. The Toreros called timeout at 2,21, but Eddie Morris of the Aztecs stole the ball on the inbounds pass. "If there was a key play in the game, that was it," USO coach Jim Brovelli said. 'Tm disappointed, but we played them close. This game is going to help us later on in the year from what we learned." • A major incident nearly took place at 8:58 in the first half when USO point guard Rich Davis had to be re- strained from going after the Aztecs' Zack Jones, after Jones allegedly hit Davis. C Davis was ejected, but the whole thing bothered both Gaines and Brovelll. "It's unfortunate this thing happened," Gaines said. "That is not a characteristic of a Jim Brovelli team. But things got emotional." "Rich got hit, but his emotions just took over." Brovelll said. "I'm sorry it happened." In the first half, the Aztecs led 24-20 at its conclusion, but not until USO broke out to a 10-2 lead with 12:49 left.

PATRlCK DOWNS / Loo Angel.. "nmeo San Diego State's Leonard Allen goes up with USD's Zack Jones;,, an effort to block his shot .