Miller, Back in Fold, Gives Assist to Magic : Women’s basketball: No college players made it past the first cut at Olympic trials.

After Cheryl Miller’s first day at the Magic Johnson Academy--also known as open workouts at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion--she sat down and wondered about the wisdom of her comeback attempt.

“I almost died the first couple of times up the court,” said Miller, 28, who hadn’t played competitive basketball since the 1988 Olympic trials. “Magic’s always pushing the ball, and all you have to do is fill the lanes. He was like, ‘Cheryl, you have to push yourself.’ ”

Later, Johnson spotted Miller after that first workout in March and delivered his assessment.

“He said, ‘Give me two weeks and I’ll have you in shape,’ ” she said.

Those words and the competition from the men at Pauley helped Miller lift her game enough to make it past the first cut here at the U.S. Olympic women’s basketball trials. Coach Theresa Grentz and the selection committee trimmed the roster to 18 on Saturday night, and the official announcement was released Sunday. The final cut, to 12 players, will be made June 12.

“Cheryl is very dedicated,” Grentz said. “She wanted to do anything to play there (in Barcelona). My thought was that we have the window to look at her this week. Let’s do it that way.”

Miller, who led the United States to a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics, was slowed here by a bruised left knee. But the coaches were impressed enough by her showing on Friday to take an extended look.

Miller contemplated a return when she watched the United States falter at the Pan American Games in Cuba last summer, finishing with a bronze medal.

“I felt I could help,” she said. “Not dominate. That’s what motivated me the most. There’s no adjustment to be made. Regardless if I’m No. 4 or 5 or if I’m the No. 12 player, I still get a gold medal.”

Joining Miller are six members of the gold medal 1988 Olympic team: Teresa Edwards, Vicky Bullett, Katrina McClain, Teresa Weatherspoon, Suzie McConnell and Cynthia Cooper. Nine of the 18 have Olympic experience.

No collegians made the first cut. The two thought to have the best chances were Virginia guard Dawn Staley and USC center Lisa Leslie, who were relegated to the Select Team tryouts.

International experience, it seems, was the deciding factor.

“That was the message they sent,” Leslie said. “It’s hard for the girls who are 23 and 24. They’re too old to play with us (the select group) and not old enough to play on the Olympic team. For the older players, it was almost like their last go-around, like the committee felt sorry for them.”

Women’s Basketball Finalists

The 18 players who are being considered for the 12 spots on the U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team. Final cut is June 12.

NAME AGE POS SCHOOL Jennifer Azzi 23 G Stanford Ruthie Bolton 25 G Auburn Vicky Bullett 24 F Maryland Daedra Charles 23 C Tennessee Cynthia Cooper 27 G USC Clarissa Davis 24 F Texas Medina Dixon 29 F Old Dominion Teresa Edwards 27 F Georgia Tammy Jackson 29 C Florida Carolyn Jones 22 G Auburn Katrina McClain 26 F Georgia Suzie McConnell 25 G Penn State Pam McGee 29 C USC Cheryl Miller 28 F USC Vickie Orr 25 F Auburn Katy Steding 24 F Stanford Teresa Weatherspoon 26 G La.Tech Lynette Woodard 32 G Kansas