Zoning Officer Kept Quiet On Tower 
Although Zoning Officer 
Says He's Not Required To 
Inform Residents In This 
Case, He Extends Apologies

Admitted Drug Ring Member Gets 4 Years In Prison

By PAUL SOKOLOSKI; Times Leader Sports Writer
 Thursday, February 22, 1996 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 





The men's basketball teams at Wilkes University and College Misericordia,
along with the University of Scranton women, face opponents tonight they know
very well. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But their success, or lack of it, against those teams during the regular
season can't be used as a barometer to read second-round league playoff games. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "It doesn't matter how many times you've beaten a team," Wilkes coach Jerry
Rickrode said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "No it doesn't," agreed Scranton coach Mike Strong. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Rickrode's Colonels (23-1) will face a Drew team they beat twice within a
week earlier this month in a 7:30 p.m. Middle Atlantic Conference men's
semifinal at the Marts Center. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Scranton's Lady Royals (22-3) will host a Susquehanna team they whipped
earlier this year in a 7 p.m. MAC semifinal at Long Center. That could mean
another headache for Susquehanna coach Mark Hribar, who is 0-11 against
Scranton in nine seasons. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I think Susquehanna is playing with its back to the wall," Strong said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 College Misericordia knows that feeling. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Cougars (15-10) get to face a Cabrini team that trounced them twice
this season in a 7:30 p.m. Pennsylvania Athletic Conference semifinal at
Sacred Heart Hall in Radnor. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I don't think the two previous meeting matter at all in this case,"
Cougars coach Dave Martin said. "Even though they handled us the first two
times we played, I think we can learn from the two games." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Wilkes certainly knows about controlling an opponent. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Colonels rallied from a 12-point deficit to escape Drew 75-71 Feb. 5,
then used a 34-point assault from Chris Parker to cruise 95-73 at the Marts
Center Feb. 10. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We played pretty well against them at home," Rickrode said. "I just don't
want the guys to be complacent because we've beaten them twice." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Lady Royals shouldn't have that problem, because a meal is at stake. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "My motivation is dinner at Nanna's," Strong chuckled, referring to the
team's popular pasta restaurant in Moosic. "If they win, they get a dinner." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Seriously though, Scranton received enough of a scare in its first-round
MAC game with Moravian to cause alarm. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "They just do not have the sense that someone is trying to take something
away from them," said Strong, whose Lady Royals struggled to a 36-32 halftime
lead before pulling away for a 75-63 victory Tuesday. "They don't realize that
desire other teams have to knock Scranton off its perch." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Wilkes had the same troubles Tuesday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Colonels sputtered into intermission trailing Lebanon Valley 38-34
before pulling out a 78-68 victory in the MAC's opening round. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I don't know if we could have shot worse in the first half," Rickrode
said. "For 35 minutes, it was real tight. I'm happy with a 10-point win in the
playoffs." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Both Wilkes on the men's side and Scranton on the women's are favored to
win MAC championships, which only adds to the pressure. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's more difficult to play the front-runner's role," Strong said. "It's
more dangerous. Look at the men's scores across the nation, there are some
surprising things out there. It's just that time of year. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "You really have to be ready." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Misericordia won't have that dilemma. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Cougars (15-10) inspired a crowd of 398, their largest since 1993-94's
opening night at their new Anderson Center, during a 64-59 win over Beaver
College in Tuesday's PAC opener. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Everyone here on campus is excited," Martin said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Still, the Cougars are a huge underdog to Cabrini, ranked No. 3 in the NCAA
Division III Mid-Atlantic Region behind Wilkes and Franklin &amp; Marshall.
Cabrini smoked Misericordia 98-64 and 96-70 earlier this year. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Nobody expects us to go down and beat Cabrini," Martin said. "So we have
nothing to lose. Let's go down to win." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That's exactly what the area's three teams must do to keep dreams of
conference titles alive. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Magic number's two now," Rickrode said. "We control our own destiny. But
I'm only thinking about that Drew game on Thursday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Then we'll think about what comes after that." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Wilkes, Scranton, Miseri On Title Quests