Ex-Cat, brother producing play for Broadway with October debut
Matt Othick will not be able to make it to McKale Center for next weekend's Lute Olson All-Star Classic. It's not that he isn't a busy man. The four-year Arizona three-point shooting star (1989-92) is in the process of producing a Broadway play — "A Bronx Tale" — that is scheduled to run Oct. 25 through Feb. 10 at the Walter Kerr Theatre in New York City.
Othick and his brother Trent, also a former UA student, represent GoProductions, which is producing the Broadway show. It stars former Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri. The Othicks' independent movie production company, Insomnia Entertainment, recently wrapped up a mainstream film "Yonkers Joe'' starring, among others, Christine Lahti.
Othick's 1991 and 1992 UA teammate Deron Johnson will rejoin the Wildcats for the all-star weekend. The former Sunnyside High School all-state forward transferred from Arizona in 1992-93 and completed his career at a small Georgia school.
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"I'm not going to play in the game but I'm going to take part in the activities, go to the celebration for the 1997 team at Coach Olson's house, and sit behind the bench,'' said Johnson, who has recently been employed by the United Way. He lives in Marana with his four young children.
Part of the success of the UA basketball program is that it has the resources to help its former players, such as Johnson, pursue a degree after his eligibility has expired. With guidance from associate athletic director Gayle Hopkins, Johnson has returned to the UA to complete requirements in sociology.
Only one scholarship player from the UA's 1997 national championship team is not expected next weekend. Michael Dickerson, now living in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, after his NBA career was scuttled by an injury, is unable to make it.
Arizona amateur a local affair
Tucson well-represented for 83rd state amateur that begins Monday
Our state's most prestigious amateur golf tournament, the 83rd Arizona Amateur, begins Monday at Tucson Country Club. The 144-man field includes about 10 Tucsonans who project as serious contenders. They include city, county and Oro Valley amateur champion David McDaniel, TCC regulars Jeremy Defalco, Dennis Saunders, the 1986 champ, and Eric Rustand, UA standout Tyler Neal and ex-UA golfers Nathan Tyler and Rob McIver.
UA golf coach Rick LaRose also is in the field, which will be pared to 64 players for match play Wednesday. It would be interesting if he were to be matched against Neal, Tyler or incoming UA freshman Jonathan Khan.
"This will be the first time since 1994 that we have hosted the state amateur,'' said Michael Haywood, the club pro at TCC. "We've let the rough grow to 3, almost 4 inches. The greens are running about 10 (on the stimpmeter). I think it'll take about 75-75, maybe 150, to make the cut and get to match play on Wednesday.''
Tucson has produced just six Arizona Amateur champions in the modern era: Ed Updegraff, Jeff Kern and his son, Ben Kern, Dan Meyers, the late Willie Kane, and Saunders. Updegraff won the title three times from 1955 to 1969.
prouty goes pro
Nationwide newcomer has tough time in Pennsylvania
When he turned pro in June, former Salpointe Catholic and UA golfer Brian Prouty wasn't afraid to take a chance. He paid $350 to enter Monday qualifying at the Nationwide Tour's late-July event in Omaha, Neb. He shot 69 and didn't make the field. But last week Prouty, as one of 156 hopefuls, qualified for the ongoing Northeast Pennsylvania Classic in Scranton, Pa.
He then shot a 1-under 70 Thursday, overcoming some problems. First his caddie, UA women's golfer Brittany Benvenuto, had to leave to be with a family member who underwent surgery. Second, he was assessed a penalty stroke at the first hole when he inadvertently touched his golf ball while trying to brush grass from his putter.
Yet Prouty led the entire field in average driving distance (313 yards) and put himself in position to make the cut before Friday' long rain delay — he didn't start until 7:40 p.m. Eastern time — limited him to a single hole and a 4:30 a.m. wake-up on Saturday.
Prouty missed the cut by two strokes after completing Saturday's delayed second round with a 1-over 72. If he had made the cut, Prouty would have been able to bypass pre-qualifying for the 2007 PGA Qualifying School.
short stuff
Tucsonans at head of class in national swimming meet
Coach Roric Fink's Tucson Ford Aquatics team won the women's national title at last week's USA Swimming Championships in Indianapolis, scoring 242 points. Club Wolverine (Michigan) and the Trojan Swim Club (USC) were the runners-up. Even more impressive, two Tucson-raised swimmers, Sahuaro's Caitlin Leverenz of the El Dorado Swim Club and Mountain View/UA product Lacey Nymeyer finished in the top-nine individually among all women's swimmers. Leverenz scored 65 points, fourth overall. Nymeyer scored 45 points, ninth overall. Both project to be part of the USA's 2008 Beijing Olympics team. … UA junior Lara Jackson, who was second in the 100 freestyle in Indianapolis, has been rewarded by USA Swimming. Jackson will be part of the USA team Aug. 21-24 at the Japan Grand Prix.
Greensboro event vital for Barcelo's FedEx Cup hopes
Rich Barcelo made a 16-foot birdie putt on the final hole of last week's Reno-Tahoe Open, a swing of about $40,000, as he finished fourth and earned a career-best $132,000. The Sahuaro High School grad must finish near the top 15 this week at the Wyndham Championships in Greensboro, N.C., to scramble into the top 140 of the FedEx Cup points race to qualify for that four-week cash grab. Even if Barcelo doesn't get in the FedEx Cup event, he'll have about eight events in September and October to improve his money standing and maintain his Tour privileges for 2008. Barcelo has $284,441 currently; he'll need about $650,000 by November. … Fox Sports Net Arizona will televise 3 1/2 hours of UA football Saturday from 3 to 6:30 p.m. The first three hours will be a review of Arizona's six victories last season, 30 minutes per victory. The final 30 minutes will be the club's 2007 season preview with Sean Mooney.
More short stuff
Former Wildcat Rhinehart named Single-A all-star
Bill Rhinehart's fabulous finish to his UA baseball days has served as momentum for his professional career. The left-handed hitting first baseman was selected for the New York-Penn League's All-Star Game last week; he is hitting .303 for the Vermont Lake Monsters and is fourth in the league with 33 RBIs. In his last seven Wildcat games this year, Rhinehart twice hit for the cycle. He led Arizona in home runs (13), RBIs (66) and batting average (.372), the third UA player since 1950 to lead the club in all triple crown categories. … UA baseball coach Andy Lopez has made the necessary scheduling changes, adapting to the NCAA's mandate that college baseball season will not begin until March 1 beginning in 2008. For example, he has scheduled a home-and-home series with Texas Tech for a Tuesday-Wednesday. "The way the schedule has been compressed, we have no choice but to play mid-week games with teams as close as you can get,'' said Tech coach Larry Hays. "Unfortunately for us and Arizona, there aren't a lot of teams in the region.'' That means travel on Mondays and more of a cut into class time for geographically isolated teams like the UA and Texas Tech. … Salpointe Catholic initially was scheduled to open its football season Aug. 23 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. Cox Cable was to televise that game against Phoenix Brophy. But the Arizona Cardinals balked at the idea. Salpointe and Brophy then sought to play at Sun Devil Stadium but were told it would cost a $40,000 rental/user fee. So now Dennis Bene's Lancers will play that game at Phoenix College.
More short stuff
Former Wildcat Rhinehart named Single-A all-star
Bill Rhinehart's fabulous finish to his UA baseball days has served as momentum for his professional career. The left-handed hitting first baseman was selected for the New York-Penn League's All-Star Game last week; he is hitting .303 for the Vermont Lake Monsters and is fourth in the league with 33 RBIs. In his last seven Wildcat games this year, Rhinehart twice hit for the cycle. He led Arizona in home runs (13), RBIs (66) and batting average (.372), the third UA player since 1950 to lead the club in all triple crown categories. … UA baseball coach Andy Lopez has made the necessary scheduling changes, adapting to the NCAA's mandate that college baseball season will not begin until March 1 beginning in 2008. For example, he has scheduled a home-and-home series with Texas Tech for a Tuesday-Wednesday. "The way the schedule has been compressed, we have no choice but to play mid-week games with teams as close as you can get,'' said Tech coach Larry Hays. "Unfortunately for us and Arizona, there aren't a lot of teams in the region.'' That means travel on Mondays and more of a cut into class time for geographically isolated teams like the UA and Texas Tech. … Salpointe Catholic initially was scheduled to open its football season Aug. 23 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. Cox Cable was to televise that game against Phoenix Brophy. But the Arizona Cardinals balked at the idea. Salpointe and Brophy then sought to play at Sun Devil Stadium but were told it would cost a $40,000 rental/user fee. So now Dennis Bene's Lancers will play that game at Phoenix College.
Ex-Salpointe soccer star to coach against Wildcats
Arguably the best girls soccer player in Tucson history, former Salpointe Catholic standout Kelly Walbert Cagle, will have an unofficial homecoming Sept. 21 at the UA's Murphey Stadium. Cagle, head coach at Virginia Tech, will lead the Hokies against Dan Tobias' Wildcats at 7 p.m. While at Duke from 1992 to 1995, Cagle was a three-time All-American, and the ACC's 1995 Player of the Year. She also played professionally for the WUSA's Atlanta Beat. This is her fourth year as Virginia Tech's head coach. ... Kim Glass, a UA 2005 consensus volleyball All-American, has emerged as a star for the USA national team at the ongoing FIVB World Grand Prix in Khabarovsk, Russia. She is now positioned to be part of the 2008 USA Olympic team. Glass was not even part of the main USA team six weeks ago but helped lead the club to upset victories of Cuba, Russia and Poland over the last week. She had 12 kills in Friday's shocker over Cuba.
My Two Cents
Heat in Oklahoma cracks up die-hard golfers in Tucson
Gotta laugh at the golfers, commentators and writers who seem preoccupied with the heat at the ongoing PGA Championships in Tulsa, Okla.
They should go to the first tee at El Rio, Silverbell, Dell Urich or Crooked Tree golf courses any day, June through August, and watch the muni-playing die-hards — especially those hearty souls who walk the course — brave the heat. And there is often not a single available (free) swig of cool water at those facilities. No caddies, either.
These people are playing not for money, but for happiness. Or whatever it is that the golf nuts among us want to call it.
Tucson golf pro makes it to the U.S. Senior Open | Greg Hansen
