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sports
New
Lakers gain court spotlight
By Joe Licavoli
Summer Daily Forty-Niner
During the Lakers
NBA season, star players Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neill
sometimes hog the limelight from new players, however the
lesser known ball players had a chance to shine Sunday at
Long Beach State in the Summer Pro League.
The Summer Pro League is a chance for first and second year
players, as well as rookies to hone their skills in a competitive
atmosphere.
The first day of the Summer Pro League for 2002 drew a large
crowd to the Pyramid. Many of the attendees came out in their
Lakers jerseys and hats to support the NBA Champs. The Lakers
played an energetic game again the Memphis Grizzlies, beating
the Grizzlies 90 to 74.
Mark Madsen, a player who doesn’t always get much game time
during the regular season, was in the game every quarter and
played an impressive game. Madsen scored a surprising three-pointer
in the fourth quarter, which wowed the audience.
Madsen seemed excited about the three-pointer.
“I was wide-open and I was feeling good so I pulled up and
shot it,” said Madsen.
With the three-pointer, Madsen stayed modest and said that
this may not be something that fans will be seeing in the
regular season.
“Obviously playing in the summer pro league, you are a little
more free and it was a little easier,” said Madsen. “In the
season, I think we will leave most of the three-point duties
to Koby, Fisher and Horry.”
Madsen is a returning player to the Summer Pro League, so
he has some experience with the atmosphere and games.
“I played here two years ago in the summer league and it’s
good to be back,” said Masen.
While Madsen is a veteran to the Summer Pro League, rookie
Kareem Rush made his NBA debut at the Lakers versus Grizzlies
game.
Rush started the game a bit sluggish in the first half of
the game only scoring two points but he bounced back in the
second half of the game stepped up and finished with a total
of nine points.
Since the rookies first game was to a packed crowd, the first
half deficit he explained came from being a bit nervous.
“It was nerves, because it was the first game, coming out
here you get a little nervous,” said Rush. “Third-quarter
I came out kind of relaxed and had a feel for the offense
and shot the ball.”
The Summer Pro League will give Rush and other new players
the chance to get comfortable on the court, as it will last
until Sunday, July 21.
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Joe Licavoli/Summer
On-line Forty-Niner
The Grizzlies
get ready for battle with the Lakers Sunday.
The Lakers
strut their stuff during the Summer Pro League.
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