MICHELOB INVITATIONAL : Cleveland Plans Rerun of Showtime

Cleveland High basketball team members are trying admirably to keep up with their idols, the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Cavaliers have a run-and-gun, there’s-no-time-like-Showtime, offense that not only blows opponents off the court but makes Cleveland look good in the process.

The Cavaliers also have a fan who resembles Laker fanatic Jack Nicholson--sans shades but with stubble--who yells out useful advice such as “no fouls, no fouls” when Cleveland is ahead by 20 points with two minutes left.

And the Cavaliers will try to duplicate the Lakers’ feats again today when they play Manual Arts in the semifinals of the L. A. Games. Although Cleveland Coach Bob Braswell is making no guarantees, two wins will give the Cavaliers back-to-back L. A. Games championships.

OK, it’s not exactly consecutive NBA titles, but a trip to the L. A. Games’ awards banquet is as close as the Cavaliers are going to get to a downtown parade.

“That would be nice,” Cleveland guard Adonis Jordan said, referring to consecutive titles. “We’re working hard for it. As long as we play hard, I don’t see how any team can beat us.”

No one could Saturday. Cleveland beat Dorsey, 50-32, in a fourth-round game at Mira Costa High, then came back three hours later to rout University, 74-37, in a quarterfinal game. Cleveland will play Manual Arts, a 59-46 winner over Carson, at El Camino College at 11 a.m. today. A win there moves the Cavaliers into the final.

If Cleveland wins the championship, Jordan could buy a couple of new basketballs with the $100 gift certificate he could receive for being tournament MVP. Although Adonis is rarely confused with Michael, he has been magic for the Cavaliers.

“He’s the key for us,” Braswell said. “I told him he has to take charge. He’s like a second coach out there.”

Jordan, a transfer from New York, was one of three point guards Braswell used last year. Jordan saw enough playing time to average 16.8 points and 9.2 assists a game but waited until this year to take control of the team.

“Last year, I was playing behind players,” he said. “Now, I’ve got to lead the team, tell them what to do. The coach told me the ball is in my hands.”

Jordan scored 15 points in both Cleveland victories and was the spearhead of a Cavalier defense that forced 12 first-half turnovers against University.

“He’s a real key to their team,” Dorsey Coach David Gordon said. “Anybody that’s going to beat them has to slow him down and that’s going to be hard to do.”

Should Jordan falter, the Cavaliers have a bench-load of players ready to help. Michael Butler scored 15 points against Dorsey. And against the Warriors, Lucious Harris scored 17 points, Tim Bowen scored 10 and Eddie Hill, a transfer from Burroughs High, added nine.

But deep benches are nothing new at Cleveland. The Cavaliers traditionally have attacked in waves, bringing in fresh players to wipe out their opponents like so many sand castles on a beach at high tide.

What is new at Cleveland, however, is the extent of that depth. Or rather, the height.

Harris, a 6-foot, 5-inch forward, teams with 6-6 forwards Trenton Cornelius and Warren Harrell to give Cleveland its biggest front line in years. And if Braswell wants to drown his opponents in a sea of long arms, he can throw in 6-7 center Gilbert Ruff, a transfer from Masada, 6-6 forward Renald Joiner, 6-4 forward Bobby McRae and 6-6 Brandon Battle, a transfer from Canoga Park.

“It’s even better than last year. Now I can get the outlet a lot quicker,” Jordan said. “If they can rebound and give me the outlet pass, we’ll run all day.”