European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 16, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                O Neal tops Star voting by Jim of Connell a basketball writer Shaquille of Neal last seasons National player of the year and the Only returning All american was one vote Short of being a unanimous selection on the associated press preseason All America team. Joining of Neal who was named thursday on 64 of 65 ballots by a nationwide panel of sportswriters and broadcasters were Christian laettner of Duke Jimmy Jackson of Ohio state Calbert Cheaney of Indiana and Lee Mayberry of Arkansas. Laettner was named on 61 ballots College exhibitions on Page 26 Jackson on 52, Cheaney 23 and Mayberry 20. See Complete roster on Page 23. Of Neal a 7-foot-1 Junior Center was the first player to Lead the Southeastern conference in scoring rebounding Field goal percentage and blocked shots in a season. He was All Over the top of the National charts As Well last season ranking seventh in scoring at 27.6, first in rebounding at 14.7, 18th in Field goal percentage at 62.8, and third in blocks at 5.0 per game. While rumours swirled about his return finishing with a dish a Seattle guard Ricky Pierce dishes off As Cleveland s Larry Nance applies defensive pressure thursday night in Richfield Ohio in a game the Cavaliers won 115-109 to stay unbeaten at Home this season. Turn to Page 26 for a look at thursday s games in the Aba. Ing to leu o Neal and his family have maintained he will finish his collegiate career. His Sophomore season ended on a Down note despite the 20-10 record and Mcaa tournament appearance. A leg injury kept of Neal from the final regular season game and the tigers one game appearance in the Sec tournament. He returned for the Mcaa game with Connecticut but his 27 Points and 16 rebounds weren to enough As the tigers ended with a three game losing Streak. Laettner a second team All american was named outstanding player of the final four after scoring 18 Points and grabbing 10 rebounds against Kansas in the championship  stars and stripes. Raj november 16, 1991 a Page 28 Sampras Lendl Becker serve up a few answers by Ron Mckinney staff writer Frankfurt Germany a if nothing else thursdays results in the at finals have answered a few questions this week about the state of National Tennis in three countries. Yes Pete Sampras is mentally stronger than a year ago and can be expected to be a Force in the Davis cup finals for the . Against France later this month. No Michael Stich is not the Best a nor the favorite a German Tennis player Wimbledon Champ or not. And quite certainly Ivan Lendl is still the Best darned Tennis player from Czechoslovakia. All those questions were answered thursday evening when Sampras rallied to nip Andre Agassi in three sets Boris Becker Defeated Stich and Lendl humbled Karel Novacek. A i feel just As confident now As i have Ever Felt a a Sampras said after his 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 win Over Agassi. A i feel  but later this month Sampras wears the american uniform for the first time in a Davis cup match a and this is for the finals against France beginning nov. 25 in Lyon. The americans Are the defending Davis cup champions having Defeated Australia on Clay last year. But this year with the finals being played indoors on carpet coach Tom Gorman chose to go with the hot playing of Sampras who is 33-5 since August 1611 prior to the Streak Over 2nd-ranked Jim courier. A to play a final match in France is a pretty Tough task a Sampras said. Quot i have always played for myself but now i am playing for my country and my teammates i done to want to let anyone  Agassi said he does no to plan to give Sampras any words of advice on How to Deal with the pressure of playing in a Davis cup tie. A there is nothing you can say to a person to explain to Hin what it is like be ingate finals on the court in the Davis cup a Agassi said. A it is something you have to experience and my whole Point is we be got to wait to find out How be  yet while the americans Are preparing for a Davis cup final the two germans met for the first time in their Home country after splitting their first two matches. And the capacity crowd of 8,500 at the fest Halle left no doubt even during the Warmup that they were backing their favorite son Becker. A i did t expect that it would be that Way a said Stich who beat Becker earlier this year in straight sets in the Wimbledon final. A i think it was very very  unfair or not Becker beat Stich 7-6 7-i6-3 in an uninspired match that rarely lived up to the German crowds anticipation. A there was almost everybody in the Hall cheering for me that surprised me a Becker said. A this Stich a mind  take the fact that they were All on my Side i  despite the win Becker said it was no Consolation for his losing his coveted Wimbledon title to his compatriot. If anything head like to get his Racket on Stich again next july at Wimbledon. Lendl Defeated Novacek 6-2, 6-2, but that did no to mean Lendl planned to do any Flag waving. And if he did it would certainly be an american Flag. Next april his five year wait will end and he will be eligible to become an american citizen. Despite the loss Agassi the defending Champion who dropped to 1-1, could still Clinch a place in the tournament semifinals. Sampras 2-0 also will have to wait until Friday to know if he made the final four. That was because of Beckers Victory Over his German compatriot that opened the Way for a three Way tie atop the  sports Irish Lions has classic look a Page 25 Power plays save Montreal a Page 26 Rice playing on torn Tendon a Page 27 Hurricane Patton to be reinstated Miami apr criminal charges against Miami hurricanes running Back Martin Patton will be dropped and his suspension from the team lifted next week his attorney said thursday. Patton won t play this saturday against Florida state in Tallahassee but he would be available should the hurricanes compete for a National championship on new Sunshine showdown rises today see Page 24 years Day attorney Alan Ross said. Miami coach Dennis Erickson suspended Patton and teammate Jonathan Harris after Harris was injured in a motorcycle Accident Early sunday morning and Patton was arrested for scuffling with police. Ross said he met with Coral Gables police and a proposed to dismiss the charges which is in fact going to actually  Ross also said he met with Miami athletic officials who told him Patton would be reinstated to the team on monday