European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 30, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Soph o Neal wins Rupp Indianapolis apr Shaquille of Neal of Louisiana state the nations leading rebounded at 14.7 per game Friday was named Winner of the Adolph Rupp trophy As the associated press College basketball player of the year. Randy Ayers who led Ohio state to a share of the big ten championship in just his second season As a head coach was named a College basketball coach of the year. Of Neal became the fourth Sophomore to win the award joining a clan a Bill Walton in 1972, Depaul s Mark Aguirre in 1980 and Virginia a Ralph Sampson in 1981, a clan slew Alcindor now kit rcom Abdul Jabbar was named player of the year in 1967 As a Sophomore before the Rupp trophy was instituted. The 7-foot-l, 290-Pound of Neal was a first team All american after averaging 27.6 Points and 5.4 blocked shots per game along with his rebounds the highest average per game since Xavier Mcdaniel of Wichita state had 14.8 in 1985. Of Neal who started his High school career at Fulda Germany received 206,of-582 votes in a nationwide poll of sports writers and broadcasters conducted before the Mcaa tournament. Of Neal who shot 63 percent front the Field spent the entire season As the butt of rumours regarding his Early entry into the Aba. The san Antonio native has in a dictated he will return to the tigers next season. Leu lost to Connecticut in the opening round of the Mcaa tournament after being eliminated in the first round of the Southeastern conference tournament with of Neal sidelined with a fracture in his right leg. Univ teammates and first team All americans Larry Johnson and Stacey Augmon finished second and third in the voting respectively with a combined total of five votes More than of Neal Man aged. Johnson who was sixth in last years voting As a Junior received 139 votes while Augmon had 72. Syracuse a Billy Owens was fourth with 51, followed by Jimmy Jackson of Ohio state 37 Kenny Anderson of Georgia tech 32, and Christian laettner of Duke 13. A a. A the 34-year-old Ayers received 191 of 582 votes cast before the Mcaa tournament by a nationwide panel of sports writers and broadcasters. Ohio state finished 27-4 this season after being eliminated by St Johns in the Midwest semifinals. The buckeyes finished tied for the big ten title with Indiana with 15-3 conference records. Ayers who spent six seasons As an assistant at Ohio state before becoming head coach As successor to Gary Wil Iiams was 17-13 in his Rookie season and took the buckeyes to the Mcaa tournament where they lost to eventual Champion univ in the second round. Rick Pitino of Kentucky was second to Ayers in the voting with 94 votes and was followed by Rick Majerus of Utah 89 a Danny Nee of Nebraska 65, and Jerry Tarkanian unless a. The stars and stripes ports March 30,1991 b Page 28 coaches to the fore Lsuis Shaquille of Neal.4th Sophomore Winner again inside sports Mcaa chief holds no a a a a a univ grudge a Page 22 final 4 s Northern Virginia connections a Page 25 rockets continue March to perfect month a Page 26 soviets tops . In boxing meet a Page 27 by Scott Horner United press International Indianapolis the coaches at this years final four Are no stranger to this territory. Jerry Tarkanian of Nevada Las vegas won an Mcaa title last year. North Carolinas Dean Smith took one in 1982. Roy Williams of Kansas has seen the final four from another Vantage Point As an assistant to Smith. Dukes Mike Krzyzewski All but gets his mail delivered to the final four although Liis stage of the tournament Hasni to treated him kindly. Still Krzyzewski Isnit offended by questions regarding his teams failure to win a title in four appearances Over the past five years. A a Quot. A a. A a it a no problem at All a he said. A a in a glad i m in a position for you to ask me that question a no. 6 Duke which has been in eight previous final fours without a title faces no. 1 univ in saturday nights semifinal at the Hoosier dome. In the opener no. 4 North Carolina takes on no. 12 Kansas. Dukes run of frustration in the final four hit a Low last season when the Blue devils suffered the worst defeat in championship game history 103-73 to univ. Krzyzewski said his team should be better prepared now for the running rebels although he a not guaranteeing anything. A a. A if i had to make a prediction certainly i would say vegas would beat Duke a he said. However Tarkanian Isnit taking Krzyzewski s educated guess too seriously a a a a just about anyone can beat us a Tarkanian said. A we have a real Fine basketball team but we re not unbeatable. We re going to have nights when we re not shooting the Ball Well. If the other teams guards Are going to be shooting Well they can beat us. I think any team in the tournament can beat us.�?�. Nobody has found a Way to beat the rebels since feb. 26, 1990, when new Mexico state topped them 78-70. Univ has won 45 straight games since winning one National title and going 34-0 so far this season. Final four on an saturday semifinals Kansas is. North Carolina 11 . On to 11 30 on radio followed by univ is. Duke tuesday final 3 30 . On to 4 . On radio % is Festal _ 1v a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a amps univ in its fourth final four is trying to become the first undefeated team since Indiana in 1976 and the first team to repeat As Champion since Urcla in 1972 and 1973. A a they re in a position to do something see coaches on Page 22n Fernando Valenzuela gets Farewell hug from dodger manager Tommy Lasorda thursday by Jim Donaghy. A baseball writer baseball a version of being on the Bubble takes place in tuesday when teams must make Tough decisions about their rosters. April 2 is the deadline for putting players on waivers without having to pay them their full 1991 salaries. The dodgers made their decision thursday when they released Fernando Valenzuela. A few Days earlier . Let Mickey Hatcher go. On Friday the Texas rangers waived Pete Incaviglia and Atlanta Cut Oddie Mcdowell. Come tuesday veterans such As Dennis lamp Bosto Terry Leach Minnesota Steve Balboni Yankees Ranee Mulliniks Toronto Rick Mahler Montrea Atlee Hammaker san Diego and Don Robinson san Francisco will be wondering if they will be next. A a it a the hardest thing a manager has to do Quot Tommy Lasorda said. A when you have to Tell a player the Caliper of Fernando Valenzuela that he can no longer be on the team it Breaks your heart. But it happens to everyone Sandy Koufax Don Drysdale even babe  join on the outs Incaviglia said after the Texas announcement a i think my teammates Are going to be very upset. I think this will take them by Surprise i May not have the respect of manager Bobby Valentine or my coaching staff but 1 have the. Respect of my teammates. The left fielder batted .233 with 24 Home runs and 85 Bis in 1990. In five years with the rangers his average was. .248. In Spring training this year Incaviglia was batting .231, with one Home run and one rib in 14 games. Valentine said he made the decision after Incaviglia complained sunday about having to Bat seventh in the lineup. A the showed me How unhappy and unproductive he can be a Valentine said. A the threw a Complete Tantrum. At that time i said a Peters not going to be on this  a Texas general manager Tom Grieve said that with the emergence of other players the rangers believed it was in the Best interest of the team to a go another