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ASU starters prepared for yeoman’s
duty on the hardwood
Oliver Ottley Jr., Jamaal
McClain, Leon Brunson and the
rest of their Augusta State Uni
versity teammates appear ready.
Ready to show ASU basketball
fans that despite reports to the
contrary, the 1997-98 Jaguars
plan to give opponents all they
can handle this season. “We are
gonna surprise a lot of people this
year,” said Ottley, last year’s
Freshman of the Yearin the Peach
Belt Conference. “Even though
we don’t have a lot of players, we
still plan to push the ball and play
very aggressively this yrar.”
The ARC product, who aver
aged 18.4 points a game for the 8
-19Jagslast season, should thrive
under first-year head coach Gary
Tuell’s system. During his short
ASU career, Ottley has shown
flashes of brilliance offensivel
that have left opposing coach
and players wonderingifthis6'f’
swingman is for real. He is, afd
the Jags will need him firingon
all cylinders this year. .
They’ll also need him to stg up
inthe leadership departmerny. The
quiet and unassuming fttley
must step up in a majorpvay if
ASU is to avoid the PBAL base
ment. The challenge doegnot end
at that point for Ottlef He al
ready knows that this gason he
must improve his gang in three
crucial areas: Ball hajdling, re
bounding and free-tlfow shoot
ing. With Ottley proj¢ted to tally
between 30 - 38 minjtes a game
(if not more), the super-sopho
more will have to b¢in top condi
tion as well—es lly when you
consider Tuell’s pyssing style of
play. If Ottley anghis Jag team
mates aren’t prepgred physically,
this will be anothf long season of
unfulfilled dreays for ASU bas
ketball. ’
To say that thf Jags will be at a
disadvantage sis season in the
depth departngnt would be the
understatemejt of the year. Tuell
will have less lan a dozen healthy
players to wok with this season,
but he may fnd a way to make
that an adyntage. In his Jag
coaching delpt last Monday night
(withonly 1Q fansin attendance),
the Louisvije alum had the Jags
pressing tl visiting Bulgarian
squad intgßubmission. The end
result wagll turnovers for the
visitors. Tjat’s quite a significant
number fganinternational team
with far rpre playing experience
than song of the top U.S. colle
giate squds (the average age for
outheast Alistar Wrestling
. November 8, 1997. Doors open 6 p.m. Bell time: 7 p.m.
Glenn Hills High Gymnasium
2840 Glenn Hills Drive
Augusta, GA 30906
Call for tickets: 796-4924. $5 advance, $6 at the door.
MAIN EVENT
Sergeant Craig Pittman (WCW Superstar)
vs. The Powerful, Mighty Horseshoe
WWF Superstar Doink vs. Johnny Attitude
The Omega Man and Steve Corino vs. Justice Incorporated (JWO)
; Plus two other matches.
| MATCHES SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
| 100 Black Men of Augusta, Inc.
!
/ presents
The Augusta Thanksgiving Basketball Classic IV
Slam Dunk & 3 Point Shot Contest
Saturday, November 8, 1997
10a.m.-2 p.m.
/’ '
| TARGET Augusta
off Wheeler Road
ax your news to Augusta Focus
at (706) 724-8432.
‘.
i
Timeout
with Tony (!
/éhe Bulgarian Starting unit was
27.5). Despite losing 74-69, the
Jags took away a great amount of
confidence in their performance.
“That’s the way we are gonna
play this year—upbeat, uptempo!”
Ottley alsoreported that the play
ers in house really believe in the
system and coach Tuell. For the
few fans that had the courage to
venture to the ASU Athletic Com
plex to watch the weekday exhi
bition, most left the arena feeling
that this Jaguars squad has a ton
of heart.
With a couple of breaks, a few
turnoversrolling their way, and a
key shot falling through the twine
once or twice, this team could
certainly finish better than pro-
Jected. With Ottley, 6' 4" Frank
Burau and JUCO transfer center
Torris Woolfolk manning the
front-line, the Jags will be able to
compete with the best in the Peach
Belt.
The 6' 8" Woolfolk has a slim
build but doesn’t appear timid
going inside and ing with
the big boys. Thém‘junior
college product has quick feet and
tremendously soft hands for a
man his size. Woolfolk has a
shooter’s touch, but questions re
garding his conditioning remain.
Will he be able to play 35 minutes
anight at the level needed to help
the Jags win consistently? Against
Bulgaria, Woolfolk appeared
winded down the stretch when
the game was still on the line. The
rangy junior racked up 13 points
in 37 minutes of action and never
backed down in the paint from
the Bulgarian center.
The 6' 10" Robert Guregov was
limited to six points a..d no re
bounds in 27 minutes of action. A
telling statistic that offers keen
insight in Woolfolk’s ability to
Sports Focus
block out opponents and keep
them off the offensive and defen
‘'sive boards. If he has the ability
to keep up the level of play he
exhibited against the Bulgarians,
Tuell has a diamond in the rough
that could reap huge benefits for
the Jaguars as the season
progresses.
Hopefully, the lengthy minutes
Woolfolk and Ottley will have to
play won’t leave them susceptible
to fatigue late in the season, or
worse, injury. That’s a word Tuell
can’t afford to hear too often, at
all, in '97.
Demetric Taylor, a personable
6'4" forward from Louisiana, will
undoubtedly play a big role for
ASU as a key reserve. The 230-
pound sophomore will represent
the Jaguars’ biggest inside pres
ence outside of Woolfolk. How well
he plays on nights Woolfolk faces
foul trouble will weigh heavily in
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ASU’s early win-loss record. The
fact that Ottley and Taylor just
happen to be roommates this year
may be a good omen for the Jags.
Hopefully, the two can build an
off-court chemistry that will
translate to success on the hard
wood. It certainly won’t hurt ASU,
nor will the presence of a few
thousand fans in the stands of the
complex.
This team will need the added
emotional boost that a big crowd
can provide, as this team under
takes what may prove to be the
biggest challenge for the Jaguars
beginning November 14! ASU will
face Morris College at the Paine
College Hall of Fame Tip-Off Clas
sic.
Tony Cornish Jr. is a freelance
sports columnist and host of
Sports Talk Live with Tony C!
aired weeknightsat 10 p.m. exclu
sively on WBEK-TV.
Tear Drop Pro Championship hits Augusta
UNION, L),
The Tear Drop Professional Golf
Tour continues its way through the
Southeast with a major stop in
Augusta this week. The Tear Drop
Pro-Pro Championship is playing
Jones Creek Golf Club through
Thursday. The Jones Creek event
is one of the biggest golf events of
the year, guaranteeing SIO,OOO first
lace, $6,000 second place and
24,000 third place prizes. The
championship’s formats will con
sist of Best Ball, Captain’s Choice
and Alternate Shot.
In conjunction with these special
events, local television stations will
beairing the Tear Drop Putter Chal
lenge, featuring PGA Tour veteran
Brett Ogleand Major League Base
ball Hall of Fame legend Jim
Palmer. The Tear Drop Putter Chal
lenge offers viewers an inside look
at Tear Drop Gold, with insights
from leadinggolf professionals. The
program will airon WAGT at 11:30
a.m. Friday, November 7.
Since its inception, the Tear Drop
Tour has proven to be the premier
proving ground for professional golf
©1997 Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Satisfaction Guaranieed or Your Money Back.
Come see the many sides of Sears
AUGUSTA FOCUS NOVEMBER 6, 1997
ers on their way to the PGA Tour.
Thenumber of players whograduate
tothe Nike and PGA Tours each year
is exceptional. For the last two years,
at least 12 players per year, of the 40
receiving their PGA Tour cards has
played on the Tear Drop Tour. A few
ofthese tourgraduatesinclude Omar
Uresti, Tommy Tolles, Stewart Cink,
Clarence Rose, John Maginnes,
Charlie Rymer, Hugh Royer and
rookie sensation Robert Damron.
The yearly schedule is broken into
eight to 10 series of events. Each
series culminates with a 72-hole
championship which featuresaChar
ity Pro-Am on Sunday, followed by a
Monday through Thursday,
strokeplay event. The tour is sanc
tioned by the Georgia, Carolinas and
Mid-Atlantic PGA Sections.
The Tear Drop Tour next travels to
the Pine Forest Golf Course in
Summerville,S.C., November 10-12
for the kickoff of the Charleston Se
ries.
The Tear Drop Tour looks forward
toagreattimein Augustaandinvites
everyone to come out and support
this great event.
7A