Notes on a Scorecard - March 2, 1992

Maybe it is time for Chinese again. . . .

After being eliminated from the NCAA basketball tournament in the first round last year, UCLA held a players-only, soul-searching session at a Chinese restaurant before the start of this season. . . .

The veterans called for team unity and toughness and the response was 14 consecutive victories. . . .

The Bruins, losers of three in a row, appear headed for another postseason disappointment and are being labeled “soft” again following their collapse in crunch time against Duke Sunday at Pauley Pavilion. . . .

How dare ABC play-by-play announcer Roger Twibell occasionally interrupt the conversation between analysts Dick Vitale and Jim Valvano. . . .

Don MacLean had enough trouble without having what should have been two field goals wiped out by Pacific 10 Conference officials, who failed to detect what appeared to be goaltending. . . .

The Bruins were 17 for 18 shooting one-point shots and 0 for 14 shooting three-point shots. . . .

Who ever thought UCLA and North Carolina would have seven consecutive defeats between them? . . .

USC (20-4) deserves to be ranked ahead of UCLA (21-4) because of the Trojans’ two victories over the Bruins. . . .

Coach George Raveling says the three players he always wants on the court when the game is on the line are Harold Miner, Duane Cooper and Rodney Chatman. . . .

Joe Kapp is expected to be named coach of the new Los Angeles entry of the Arena Football League this week. Appropriately, the Arena League team will play at the Sports Arena. . . .

King goaltender Kelly Hrudey thrives on work. Although he has appeared in 23 of the last 24 games, he rarely has been sharper than Saturday night at the Forum during a 5-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. . . .

Hrudey’s 41 stops included a remarkable sliding save on Brent Gilchrist’s rebound attempt late in the third period when the Kings were clinging to a one-goal lead. . . .

Marcel Dionne’s brother, Canadien rookie Gilbert Dionne, was impressive. He scored a goal, recorded an assist, had another goal disallowed by instant replay review and would have been even more productive if not for Hrudey’s heroics. He sounds like Marcel, but is bigger. . . .

Those who believed Jeff Fenech was robbed of a victory when he had to settle for a draw with World Boxing Council super-featherweight champion Azumah Nelson in their first fight at Las Vegas were shocked by the ease with which Nelson knocked him out in the rematch Saturday at Melbourne, Australia. . . .

At 33, Nelson put on a remarkable performance in a hostile environment before 38,000 fans. . . .

Tiger Woods, 16, has become the youngest male ever to play in a PGA tournament, but Beverly Klass was only 9 when she competed in an LPGA tournament in 1966 at Dallas. . . .

The NCAA office in Overland Park, Kan., is accepting applications for Final Four tickets--the 1993 Final Four at New Orleans. . . .

This is the 30th anniversary of Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game. He went 36 for 63 from the field and 28 for 32 from the free-throw line during the Philadelphia Warriors’ 169-147 victory over the New York Knicks March 2, 1962, before 4,124 at Hershey, Pa.. . . .

Wilt will be able to enjoy the memories at his home, having been released from the hospital where he was sent after suffering chest pains Wednesday at the Forum before ceremonies honoring the Lakers’ 1971-72 NBA championship team. . . .

The last few minutes of the first half of the Chicago-Portland game illustrated why the Trail Blazers may underachieve in the playoffs again. They don’t take care of the ball well enough. . . .

The best announcing job I’ve heard on a women’s college basketball game was done by Chris Marlowe and Ann Meyers during Virginia’s victory over North Carolina State on CBS Saturday. . . .

If figures no longer are skated, why is the sport still known as figure skating?. . . . I caught a glimpse of the front-runners of the Los Angeles Marathon Sunday morning as they came up Spring Street. They were running at a rapid pace although they had about 23 miles to go. Made me tired just thinking about it. . . .

Jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, a one-run specialist, fits Kentucky Derby candidate A.P. Indy perfectly. . . .

Earl Scheib died Saturday, the day after he posed for pictures in the winners’ circle at Santa Anita following the fourth race with a horse named Cause I’m Leaving. . . .

Possible Dodger starting rotation in 1995: The Martinez brothers--Ramon, Pedro and Jesus-- and the Mimbs twins--Michael and Mark.