European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 3, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 b the stars and stripes Friday april 3, 1992 celtics clip bullets to continue Streak Aba by the associated press Boston a Larry Bird Kevin Mchale and Reggie Lewis keyed a 20-2 charge late in the fourth period wednesday night As Boston withstood Washington a 44-Point third period and beat the bullets 120-106, extending the celtics longest winning Streak in More than a year to seven games. The celtics rallied after Michael Adams scored 23 of his 37 Points in the third period moving the bullets from a 57-42 halftime deficit to an 86-84 Lead. Washington which has lost eight of its last nine games managed to open a 92-88 Lead Early in the fourth period but the celtics came Back and the Lead was exchanged seven times before Boston took command. Mchale put Boston ahead 100-99 with a one Hanger off a pass from Bird with less than seven minutes remaining and Lewis followed with a turnaround jumper. In other games wednesday night 76ers 108, heat 91 Philadelphia a Charles Barkley had 24 Points and 10 rebounds As Philadelphia won for Only the second time in 11 games. Hersey Hawkins added 19 Points for Philadelphia As the 76ers closed within two games of Miami in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern conference. Miami is now 0-9 lifetime at the spectrum. Armon Gilliam added 17 Points for Philadelphia. Rony Seikaly had 19 Points and 14 rebounds for Miami while Willie Burton added 13 Points. Pacers 137 Hawks 117 Indianapolis a Reggie Miller led Indiana with 26 Points including three 3-pointers in the decisive third period and George Mccloud tied his career High with 18 Points As the pacers set a franchise record by making nine 3-pointers. Chuck person had 25 Points for Indiana and Detluf Schrempf had 19 Points and 10 rebounds As the pacers moved one half game ahead of Atlanta in their Battle for the sixth Eastern conference playoff position. Kevin Willis led Atlanta with 28 Points and 19 rebounds. Paul Graham added 19 Points. A bulls 100, hornets 94 Chicago a Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen combined for 20 of Chicago a 22 fourth Quarter Points As the bulls beat Charlotte for their 60th Victory. Jordan paced the bulls with 31 Points while Pippen had a triple double with 18 Points 10 rebounds and 12 assists. The win was Chicago a fourth straight and 12th in its last 13 games. Kendall Gill with a 20-Point average scored a career High 32 to Lead Charlotte. Spurs 104, lakers 86 san Antonio a Terry Cummings scored a season High 35 Points including 15 in the third Quarter As san Antonio snapped a five game losing Streak. Antoine Carr added 19 Points for the spurs who won for the first time since losing Center David Robinson to a thumb injury. The lakers who had a five game winning Streak snapped were Lea by Terry Teagle with 20 Points and Elden Campbell with 18. Nets 121, Bucks 117 Milwaukee a Derrick Coleman scored 24 of his 33 Points in the second half As new Jersey nets rallied from an Early 23-Point deficit to beat Milwaukee. Alvin Robertson led the Bucks who lost their sixth straight with a season High 30. Points. Mavericks 102, magic 89 Dallas a Mike Yuzzolino scored nine of his 20 Points in the fourth Quarter to Lead five Mavericks in double figures against Orlando. The magic 17-56 Are two games below Dallas 19-54 in Overall standings. The mavs have won two straight after losing 15 in a Row. Dale Davis of the pacers looks for an opening beneath Jon Koncak of the  Neal appears headed for Aba Baton Rouge la. Apall America Center Shaquille of Neal called a news conference for Friday amid speculation he would skip his last season at Louisiana state in order to join the Aba. The news conference is to be held at fort Sam Houston the army base in Texas where of Neal a father is stationed according to a joint announcement wednesday by leu and base officials in san Antonio. Army officials said they helped in the arrangements at the request of of Neal a family. Leu coach Dale Brown said he met sunday with of Neal and his family in san Antonio. Quot they informed me that of Neal they would make a decision within a weeks time Quot Brown said Quot i gave them a list of pluses for staying in school and pluses for leaving a Brown said. A i told them whatever their decision is id Back them 100 percent. I Wasny to going to say stay 1 Wasny to going to say go and i wont second guess their  a two time All America and 1990-91 College player of the year. Of Neal who turned 20 on March 6, averaged 24.1 Points 14 rebounds and 5.2 blocked shots As a Junior this season. Virginia captures nit with Victory Over Irish new York apr Bryant Stith held scoreless for most of the second half made five free throws in overtime As Virginia beat notre Dame 81-76 wednesday night to win its second National invitation tournament title. The Cavaliers 20-13who won the nit with Ralph Sampson in 1980, overcame a career High 39 Points by notre Dames Elmer Bennett who sent the game into overtime on a leaning 3-Pointer with 3.8 seconds left in regulation. After Virginia took a 69-66 Lead in overtime on two free throws by Cory Alexander and one by Anthony Oliver notre Dame tied it at 69 on a foul shot by Bennett and two free throws by Laphonso Ellis. Virginia took the Lead for Good 70-69 on a free throw by Stith with 2 17 left and increased the margin to 7973 on two foul shots by Oliver with 17.8 seconds remaining. Notre Dame 18-15which lost to Virginia by 27 Points at Charlottesville on Jan. 18, Cut it to 79-76 on a Long 3-Pointer by Bennett with 10.3 seconds left. But Stith clinched it by making two More free throws with 9,5 seconds to go. Stith Virginia a career scoring Leader finished his last game for the Cavaliers with 24 Points after going going scoreless for the first i8v2 minutes of the second half. Alexander finished with 21 Points and Oliver 18. Ellis scored 20 Points for notre Dame which entered the nit with a 14-14 record. Daimon Sweet the teams second leading scorer with a 17.1 average was held to six Points in the final tying his season Low. The Victory made Virginia coach Jeff Jones the first to win the nit As both player and coach. He was a guard on the 1980 Virginia team that beat Minnesota for the title. It was the first nit final to go into overtime since Tulsa beat Syracuse 86-84 for the 1981 championship. Notre Dame which has never won the nit or Mcaa titles lost the 1973 nit final in overtime to Virginia  81, Florida 78 Paul Aflaki Byron Wilson and Jimmy Soto scored All of Utah a Points in the final 16 minutes and rallied the utes past the gators in the Consolation game of the nit. Aflaki a 6-foot-10 senior from the Tonga islands finished with 15 Points. He preserved the Victory by batting away the Ball from Florida a Dan Cross at mid court with two seconds left. Utah 24-11 made 31 of 42 free throws and used its Edge at the foul line to overcome a 61-55 deficit in the last 12 minutes against Florida 19-14. Wilson led Utah with 18, Larry Cain added 15 and Soto had 12 for the utes. Craig Brown scored 20 for the gators. Stacey Poole moriday a leading scorer at 18 per game had Only 10 and fouled out with 5 15 remaining. Andrew Declercq added 14. Utah which took a 10-0 Lead and was ahead 36-25 later in the first half took an 81-75 Edge on Wilson a Loul shot with 38 seconds left. Brown s fourth 3-Pointer pulled Florida within 81-78, hut after a turnover by Utah Martti Kuisma missed a 3-Pomter for the gators