The Record, Bergen County, NJ

Knicks Wake Up After Shakeup

NEW YORK - Ask Kurt Thomas what position he plays and he answers clearly and firmly: "I'm a power forward." Not the rest of this season after the Knicks' trade deadline shakeup Thursday. He's their starting center by default, just as he was for 81 games two seasons ago, and in that capacity Thursday he made 10 of 11 shots, including six straight in the final quarter, producing 21 points and 12 boards in a 113-101 victory over the equally shaken 76ers.

Oquendo Sharp in Pentathlon ; Scores Meet Record in Points

NEW YORK - When Danny Oquendo of Hackensack came up 13 points short of Gabe Knutson of Ridgewood in the 2004 Bergen County Pentathlon last winter, he wasn't sure that he wanted to try the grueling five-event competition at this year's Bergen County Indoor Track Championships. But Wednesday, the Maryland-bound senior gave it another shot and scored a meet record 3,576 points to beat Harold Blyden of Bergenfield by more than 240 points. Oquendo's performance was more than 300 points better than...

No Room to Score Sjr Puts Up Brick Wall

HACKENSACK - Gerald Inman went up for a rebound with two seconds remaining in the first quarter Thursday night at the Rothman Center and came down with a bloody cut above his left upper lip. The St. Joseph trainer spent the first 1:45 of the second quarter patching up the Green Knights' star, who sat at the far end of the bench staring straight ahead. This was a chance for Paramus Catholic to jump-start its offense, especially since the Paladins connected on just one of 10 field goal attempts...

Kennedy-Eastside: Paterson Showdown ; Knights Hope to End Ghosts' Dream of Fourth Title in a Row

PATERSON - Legacy does not matter to the Eastside girls basketball team as much as what occurs in the here and now. The Lady Ghosts will take the floor Saturday at Wayne Valley with an opportunity to do something only two teams - girls or boys - have done in the history of the Passaic County tournament.

Strickland's Hard Work Starting to Pay Off

Scott Strickland wondered if there would ever be days like this again. Not a day when he would be in a Major League Baseball game again. That is still a goal to be worked toward. But a more telling moment like the one that happened on Thursday morning. Strickland, throwing batting practice, faced Cliff Floyd. The session was just meant to be a live pitcher for Floyd to tune his swing up against. But to Strickland, it was so much more. The first time facing major league hitters since his odyss...

Easier Going for Gordon

While the World Series played on last fall, Tom Gordon shut the world out. No one could touch him at his central Florida home, more than an hour's drive from the Yankees' spring training camp. On most days, you'd find Gordon on the lake, with his fishing line in the water.

Yankees Notes

Karsay's time After an endless rehab over two seasons, reliever Steve Karsay has become an expert on recovering right arms and Tampa restaurants.

Yankees Blog

Selig's sketchy sked Feb. 25, 2005

Mets Blog

A look at what could have been Feb. 25, 2005

Mets Notes

Humber pie For Philip Humber, it was a chance to show something, throwing live batting practice to Andres Galarraga. And the excitement got the better of him.

Coughlin Is Bullish On Giants

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Tom Coughlin doesn't like that his Giants do not have a first-round pick in this April's NFL draft. He fights off the negativity by thinking about the player who cost him this year's No. 1. "I've talked to Eli two or three times," Coughlin said Thursday of quarterback Eli Manning, whose acquisition from San Diego last draft day cost the Giants this year's No. 1. "I've sent him some tapes of some games and of the top four or five quarterbacks in things like play-action, an...

Nfl Notes

Eagles cut Wayne The Philadelphia Eagles released linebacker Nate Wayne, who had two years remaining on a four- year, $13 million contract.

Anderson Perfect for Michigan St.

Alan Anderson got choked up - and it had nothing to do with earning a spot in Michigan State's record books. Anderson didn't miss and scored a career-high 28 points Thursday, leading the 10th-ranked Spartans to a 77-64 win over No. 20 Wisconsin at East Lansing, Mich.

Sports Briefs

BASKETBALL Duke guard Sean Dockery is out indefinitely following a knee injury sustained Wednesday in a victory over Georgia Tech. * Tennessee forward Sidney Spencer is out for the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during Wednesday's practice. * Colorado women's coach Ceal Barry will step down after the season and become the school's assistant athletic director.

Hall Suspends Nutter for Bc Game

Seton Hall sophomore guard Jamar Nutter will be suspended for Saturday's men's basketball game at No. 3 Boston College for violating a team rule, according to sources close to the situation. Nutter is the third Pirate to be suspended within the last nine days. Junior guard J.R. Morris was suspended before the Villanova game on Feb. 17 to focus on his academics, and junior forward Kelly Whitney was suspended Wednesday, also for violating a team rule. However, Whitney is expected to return Satu...

Time Running Out for Reeling Nets

EAST RUTHERFORD - Chris Webber coming to the Eastern Conference and landing in the Atlantic Division puts a 6-foot-10 dent in the Nets' hopes of winning the division or making the playoffs. But the Nets can't worry about what other teams did to improve by Thursday's trading deadline when they're close to crumbling from within.

Knicks Add Two Forwards ; Get Rose, Taylor; Deal Mohammed

NEW YORK - So much for the Knicks standing pat and not adding any more payroll. And so much for Nazr Mohammed as the center of the future team president Isiah Thomas cited as justification for last year's Tim Thomas-Keith Van Horn deal. In a pair of moves at Thursday's NBA trade deadline, the Knicks picked up two first-round draft choices almost certain to be low ones (Phoenix's this year and San Antonio's next), plus undersized power forwards Malik Rose and Maurice Taylor - plus an additiona...

St. Joseph Is King of Bergen

HACKENSACK - Gerald Inman was bleeding in the first half, Devin McCourty was bleeding in the second half. St. Joseph lost a little blood, but gained its first Bergen County Jamboree title in more than 20 years by shutting down Paramus Catholic, 56-36, in Thursday night's final at the Rothman Center.

League Hockey Championships

NBIL Division 1 (4) Ramapo vs. (3) Wayne Hills

Youth Movement ; Recreation Experience Helping Area Freshmen

Razors and shaving cream likely will not be on the "what to pack" list when some of the top wrestlers in Bergen and Passaic counties head to Atlantic City in two weeks. That's because North Jersey is blessed with one of its top freshman classes in years. Athletes who have tasted State and national success on the recreation level and hope to parlay that into State success on the high school level.