European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 31, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Shh stars and stripes ports March 31,1991 b Page 24 Gilbert equalizes for . From wire reports Mexico City a experience paid off for the . Davis cup team Friday afternoon. Troubled by the 7,250-foot Altitude temperatures near 90 degrees a festive Holiday crowd and his opponents per factly executed aggressive game plan Jim courier was upset in his Davis cup debut by Luis Herrera 6-4,2-6, 7-5, 6-4. But in the second singles match of the Best of five first round series Veteran Davis cup Brad Gilbert Defeated Leonardo Lavalle 6-3, 6-2, 6-7,6-3. Jim Pugh and Rick Leach of the United states were scheduled to play Jorge Lozano and Lavalle on saturday with two More singles matches sunday. A Altitude is the great equalizer a said courier 20, a floridian who had played his Way onto the american team and to the world no. 9 ranking with a two tournament 12-match Victory Streak earlier this month. A i never Felt comfortable hitting the courier had beaten Herrera 19, last week at the players championships in key Biscayne fla., on his Way to the title but Herrera ranked no. 99 in the world took heart from the crowd and Altitude. In world group matches saturday France 3, Israel 0 Rennes France a Henri Leconte and Guy forget put France in the Davis cup quarterfinals As they breezed by israelis Amos Mansdorf and Gilad Bloom in the first round doubles encounter. Leconte and forget won 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 to give France a 3-0 Lead in the Best of five match. France will meet Australia in the quarterfinals May 3-5 in Nimes. Germany 2, Argentina 0 Berli Boris Becker and Michael Stich scored straight set victories to give Germany a commanding 2-0 Lead Over Argentina in their Davis cup Worl group quarterfinal. Stich put Germany ahead by beating Martin Jaite 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. Becker Defeated Javier Frana 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. Cavaliers Darnell Valentine Muscles his Way past celtics Dee Brown in Bostons division title clinching Victory Friday night. Blazers top lakers in of by the associated press los Angeles a the Long wait is almost Over for the Portland Trail blazers who Haven to won the Pacific division since 1978. A the blazers seemingly a runaway Winner with an 8 /2-game Lead in january lost it for one Day March 19. But on Friday night they opened a 2 a game advantage with a 109-105 overtime Victory Over the los Angeles lakers who be had a nine year lock on the division title. Portland which beat Seattle on wednesday after trailing by 24 Points Aba Ralliff from a 21-Pomt deficit against the lakers. A a a a. A a it a a huge win for us a said Terry Porter who had 26 Points and 14 assists in a game which saw the blazers scoredl7 straight Points and 27 of the last 31 of the third period to get Back into Contention. In other games Friday night celtics 110, Cavaliers 108 Boston a the celtics won for the 11th time in 12 games at Home and clinched the Atlantic division title on Robert parishes 10-footer at the Buzzer. The celtics improved their record to 5120 and have a 12-game Lead Over Philadelphia with 11 games left 76ers 124, hornets 107 Philadelphia the 76ers defeat red Charlotte and clinched a playoff berth in the Eastern conference As Hersey Hawkins scored 37 Points and Charles Barkley had 26 Points and 13 rebounds. Johnny Newman scored 23 Points and Rex Chapman had 22 for the hornets who never caught up after the 76ers made 17 of see Aba on Page 18 Virginia women reach title game new Orleans apr Tonya Cardoza scored 16 Points including four free throws in the final minute As Virginia Defeated Connecticut 61-55 saturday to earn a spot in the Mcaa women a championship game. A sunday Virginia 30-2 will play the Winner of the Stanford Tennessee semifinal game for the title. Connecticut finishing its season at 29? 5, trailed by 14 Points with 16 03 remaining but Cut the deficit to 50-47 in a rally led by Meghan Pattyson a six Points. Virginia scored five Points three on free throws while holding Connecticut scoreless for the next 2 26. Connecticut then hit four free throws and Stacey Wetzel made a Field goal Maradona faces suspension Rome apr to or. Manfred do Nike the scene must have looked painfully familiar. Three years ago he defended Ben Johnson when the Canadian sprinter tested positive at the Seoul olympics. This time the German doctor was representing Diego Maradona. But the result was the same. The italian soccer federation announced on Friday that Maradona the Best known pro soccer player in the world had tested positive for cocaine use. The judgment Means Maradona 30, will be suspended for up to two years. The announcement came less than a year after the Moody Forward led Argentina to its second consecutive world cup final and Napoli to its second italian league championship. The finding comes after a string of disciplinary problems Between Maradona and his club and follows questioning by Naples prosecutors in connection with an investigation into a suspected drug trafficking and prostitution operation. The length of the suspension will be decided by the disciplinary commission of the italian league which is expected to meet this week. Italian soccer regulations Call for a suspension of six months to two years. The ban automatically will be extended worldwide by fifa the sports governing body making Maradona ineligible to play for Argentina in this Summers America cup the South american championship. Maradona could not be reached for comment. Making it 55-53 with 28 seconds to go. Cardoza a free throws and a Basket at the Buzzer by Melanee Wagener closed out the scoring. A Wendy Davis led Connecticut with 17 Points and Kerry Bascom had 14. Tammi Reiss scored/5 for Virginia Heather Burge had 13 and Dawn Staley 11. Quot a inside sports packers sign plan b a a Tomczak a Page 18 colleges Likely to retain Cash cows a Page 21 pirates consider trading Bonilla a Page 22 Clemens hurls 7 shutout innings a Page 22
