Area Roundup : Murphy Is Honored as UC Irvine’s MVP

Tod Murphy, who averaged 17 points and 9 rebounds per game for the UC Irvine basketball team this past season, was named the Anteaters’ most valuable player at the UCI men’s basketball awards banquet Thursday night at the University Club on the Anteaters’ campus.

Johnny Rogers, who led the team in scoring (21.7 points a game) and free-throw shooting (85.4%) was named the team’s best offensive player, Troy Carmon was named the best defensive player, and freshman Wayne Engelstad was named most improved player.

Guard Jerome Lee, the only departing senior on the team, won the Bill Mulligan coach’s award. He averaged 9.5 points and led the team in assists with 127.

The Los Angeles Rams and Raiders will meet in a basketball game at Cal State Fullerton next Friday at 8 p.m. to help raise funds for the American Cancer Society.

Ram players include Johnnie Johnson, Mike Lansford, LeRoy Irvin, Ivory Sully, Ron Brown, George Farmer, Otis Grant, James McDonald, Doug Smith, Jim Collins, Eric Dickerson and Gary Jeter. The Raiders will counter with Marcus Allen, Chris Bahr, Cliff Branch, Todd Christensen, Mike Davis, Lester Hayes, Mike Haynes, Derrick Jensen, Howie Long, Rod Martin, Van McElroy, Otis McKinney, Cle Montgomery and Dokie Williams.

Tickets are available at the Cal State Fullerton Information Desk, the Gilbraltar Savings & Loan office in the Carson Mall, the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce and the American Cancer Society in Costa Mesa.

Former Newport Harbor High School and UCLA middle distance runner Brian Theriot is in the mile field for the Pepsi Invitational track meet, May 18, in UCLA’s Drake Stadium at Westwood. Theriot was among the 10 fastest U.S. performers in both the 800 meters (1:46.01) and 1,500 (3:38.74) in 1983.

Theriot was an outstanding quarter-miler at Newport Harbor, where he placed second in the 1975 California state meet with a 47.6-second timing. At the Pepsi meet, he’ll be running against 800-meter Olympic champion Joaquim Cruz and two of America’s top milers, Steve Scott and Sydney Maree.

The Seal Beach Bicycle Club will hold the Seal Beach Gran Prix on May 18, beginning at the Zoeter Softball Field in Seal Beach. Entries for registration must be postmarked by May 10 to avoid a late fee of $3 for all categories of racers. For more information, call the Sandpiper Bike Shop at (213) 594-6130.

Fans holding a Class IV motorcycle license will receive $1 off the regular admission price tonight at the weekly speedway motorcycle races at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa.

A motorcycle swap meet will preceed the racing at the nearby Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall and will feature accessories, parts and complete motorcycles. The swap meet opens at 6 p.m. with the races scheduled to start at 8.

Andy Rawls, a five-time California Golden Gloves heavyweight champion, will be featured in a six-round fight against Keith Moore on the May 23 boxing program at the Irvine Marriott Hotel. Rawls has three consecutive knock-out victories since joining the professional ranks this year.

Also appearing on the card is Whittier’s Gabe Lira (12-1), who will meet Joey Perez of Rowland Heights.