Budd’s Coach Picks Slaney to Win

Pieter Labuschagne, Zola Budd’s coach, gave the edge to Mary Decker Slaney in Saturday’s 3,000-meter showdown race in London.

“Zola will give Mary a good race, but I think she will be defeated,” Labuschagne said Tuesday. “There are no easy races for Zola anymore. Please understand me, I believe in Zola’s ability, but people must not expect too much too soon. She is only 19 and not a machine.”

The South African-born Budd, who became a British citizen last year, has been beaten in two of her three major races this summer and looked sluggish in the World Games at Helsinki July 4, where she finished sixth.

Slaney won the 800 meters at Cork, Ireland, last week and a 1,500-meter race at Paris last Saturday in the year’s fastest time, 3:59.84.

Budd and Slaney are reported to be sharing $70,000 for the what is being billed as their Olympic revenge re-run. It will be televised live in the United States. Slaney, who will be 27 next month, blamed last year’s collision during the Olympic 3,000-meter final on Budd’s inexperience.

Edward J. DeBartolo, the owner of Pittsburgh’s professional hockey and indoor soccer teams, postponed until next week his decision on selling, folding or moving the struggling franchises.

DeBartolo, owner of the Penguins of the National Hockey League and the Spirit of the Major Indoor Soccer League, said he was gratified with recent ticket sales and encouraged by current negotiations with Pittsburgh-area political leaders.

DeBartolo, in a prepared statement, promised “a definite statement regarding our intentions . . . on or before July 25.”

The field for the 1986 NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament will be expanded from 32 to 40 teams, and semifinals and finals are scheduled for Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., March 28 and 30, the NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee announced.

Sixteen teams will play first-round games at campus sites March 12. Second-round games will also be played at campus sites before regional competition begins.

Dates and sites for regionals: East, The Palestra, Philadelphia, March 20 and 22; Mideast, Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City, Iowa, March 21 and 23; Midwest, Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Tex., March 21 and 23, and West, Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, Calif., March 20 and 22.

Two of four high school golfers struck by lightning during a tournament at Michigan State University Monday remained in critical condition.

Officials at Ingham Medical Center said that Scott Kleba, 15, had improved slightly and seemed more stable. John Sullivan, 17, remained in the intensive care unit at Lansing General Hospital.

Despite persistent rumors that the Cincinnati Reds are trying to trade for Texas Rangers third baseman Buddy Bell, General Manager Bill Bergesch of the Reds said that the club was not ready to seal such a deal. Bergesch said he had talked to the Rangers about Bell but added, “I honestly don’t feel we’re close, though.”

The Cincinnati Post, citing unnamed sources, said the Reds would possibly give up outfielder Duane Walker, pitcher Jay Tibbs and maybe another pitching prospect for Bell, a native of Cincinnati and the son of former Red outfielder Gus Bell.

The massive withdrawal of American stars from the British Open field continued as Johnny Miller and Fred Couples became the latest to pull out of golf’s oldest tournament.

Neither Miller, a former British and U.S. Open champion, nor Couples, a former winner of the Tournament Players’ Championship, gave a reason for his action in telegrams to the sponsoring Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.

Earlier, Curtis Strange, Raymond Floyd, Hale Irwin, Calvin Peete and U.S. Open winner Andy North had withdrawn, for various reasons. The tournament will begin Thursday at the Royal St. George’s Golf Club on the coast of Kent.

Gato Del Sol, the 1982 Kentucky Derby winner, was retired to stud at Stone Farm, becoming the 11th stallion at the breeding operation owned by Arthur Hancock.

Names in the News

Jimmy Rodgers, a Boston Celtics assistant coach, is reportedly still under consideration for the New Jersey Nets head coaching job despite his reluctance to move his family to New Jersey as requested by the Nets. Other candidates include Lakers assistant coach Dave Wohl, Net General Manager Bob MacKinnon and SMU Coach Coach Dave Bliss.

Jon Korfas, a senior guard at Pepperdine. was selected as the 1985 winner of the William G. Chirgotis Collegiate Athletic Award, presented annually to the outstanding Greek-American college athlete in the United States. Korfas averaged 12.2 points and 5.5 assists a game last season.