Fang

The list of prospects for the soon-to-be-vacant basketball coaching job at Florida International has been narrowed to three, and Coppin State's Fang Mitchell is a finalist.A source at Florida International, which is preparing for Friday's first-round NCAA game against No. 1 West Regional seed UCLA in Boise, Idaho, said that Mitchell returned to the school's Miami campus for several hours Sunday afternoon.The source said Florida International will choose among Mitchell, Boston College assistant Rick Boyages and Shakey Rodriguez, who has led Miami High to five Florida state titles.

Coppin State coach Fang Mitchell has reinstated forward Reggie Welch, who was suspended a week ago and missed the Eagles' season opener at Oklahoma for violating team academic rules.A 6-foot-6 senior and first-team All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference selection last season, Welch will make this weekend's trip to the Ameritas Classic at Nebraska."Our first concern is that he has his academic situation straight, and he has taken it upon himself to do so and improve his performance in that area," Mitchell said.

WESTERN High School's Breezy Bishop is probably the best coach of any sport at any level in Baltimore. (Others will argue for Coppin State's Fang Mitchell and North Baltimore Aquatic Club's Murray Stephens; let them.) Her girls basketball teams have won 424 games and lost 40.Her value to the city magnet school, one of two public high schools for girls in the country, goes further. A phys ed teacher as well, she has guided generations of girls to see how sports NTC dedication can gain them as well as boys admission and financial aid at many fine colleges.

Last Thursday, ceremonies at the State House in Annapolis honored Coppin State coach Fang Mitchell and his players.Saturday, there will be more honors at Camden Yards for the Eagles. Mitchell will throw out the first pitch before the Orioles meet the Texas Rangers at 1: 35 p.m., and the team will be honored before the game.Coppin State upset South Carolina in the NCAA basketball tournament before falling to Texas in the second round, 82-81. The Eagles are the first team from Baltimore to win a men's Division I NCAA tournament game.

ORIOLES FANS are frequently described as passionless, Chablis-sippin', brie-sniffin', shop-talkin', cell-phonin' interlopers who go to Camden Yards to hobnob with clients, not root for the Birds. This has been rendered a cliche by now, largely because it's true, at least in certain sections of the park, where Washingtonians and corporate suits rule the roost, and where you're more likely to hear talk about an IPO than about an ERA. Did you catch the recent display ad in this newspaper for US Airways MetroJet commuter service?

A week ago at Delaware State, Coppin State needed an overtime period before putting away the Hornets, 90-83.But last night at the Coppin Center, it took the Eagles less than 10 minutes to take command in coasting to their 10th straight victory, 88-66, before 1,003.It boosted Coppin's record to 14-7 and an 11-2 mark in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, setting the stage for TC first-place showdown here next Thursday with South Carolina State.Art Perry, making his head coaching debut at Delaware State after 24 years as an assistant, including the last six at Maryland, said he would stress strong man-to-man defense in trying to revive a struggling basketball program.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The question wasn't really if Coppin State would beat Bethune-Cookman last night; it was by how much.The answer came in a 110-83 victory in which Coppin State scored a season high and clinched a tie for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship.Coppin improved to 16-8 overall and 12-1 in the MEAC with its 12th consecutive victory, holding a three-game lead over second-place North Carolina A&T and South Carolina State. Bethune-Cookman (4-20, 3-10) dropped its eighth straight.

Coppin State's home court has a shot clock, but the Eagles don't need it. The post-Larry Stewart Eagles run and run and run.So they couldn't have picked a better opponent for their final exhibition game than the Maryland All-Stars, who beat the Eagles, 96-89, last night at Coppin Center."

The lesson coach Fang Mitchell had to deliver yesterday was about staying the course.For 30 minutes, his Coppin State team had played like the cream of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference against Delaware State at the Coppin Center.Then the Eagles landed with a thud and Delaware State sliced a 25-point deficit to eight with less than two minutes remaining.Coppin recovered to win comfortably, 70-56, but Mitchell was an unhappy man after the first televised game [ESPN2] played at his school.

Winthrop (2-9) at Loyola (3-7)Site: Reitz ArenaTime: 1 p.m.Outlook: The game, originally scheduled for yesterday, has been rescheduled for today due to the snow. The Greyhounds have won two straight, including Thursday night's 80-78 double-overtime win against St. Joseph's. Senior G Teron Owens (Catonsville) has averaged nearly 20 points since moving into the starting lineup three games ago. Junior F Anthony Smith, a transfer from Duquesne, has scored 45 points in three games since becoming eligible.