Javier

Javier MichauxHowardBasketballMichaux scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a 59-56 win over county rival Wilde Lake. The senior forward also had two steals and handed out three assists.

Featuring a showdown between two of the county's top three scorers, last night's Oakland Mills-at-Howard game generated much anticipation,But Howard senior forward Javier Michaux, who entered averaging a team-high 22.3 points and 9.9 rebounds, led a team effort with 26 points and 10 rebounds in a 73-60 win over the Scorpions (5-4, 1-1)."It really was a team effort," said Howard coach Kevin Broadus, whose Lions improved to 4-6, 1-1. "Javier stepped it up, as did the whole team on defense. We finally played for four quarters and that's what we need to do and haven't been doing."

HAVANA -- Javier, an assistant manager at a state food distribution center, explains how Cubans make ends meet."When they're unloading the ships, the dock workers 'disappear' a few sacks or boxes of whatever comes in," he says."

Howard used a new starting lineup and a new defensive strategy to win its boys basketball league opener against Glenelg on Friday.During a holiday tournament, Glenelg beat the Lions by 13 points, and Howard had pressed defensively during that game. On Friday, the Lions beat the Gladiators, 69-65.Howard switched to a matchup zone and started a three-guard lineup of Aaron Graf, Jamaal Tyler and Jevon Michaux to go with forwards Javier Michaux and Devon Montoute. Only Tyler and Javier Michaux were starters when the season began.

Barcelona, Spain -- Olympic mascots. You know the M.O. A little ugly, definitely cute, quite furry. Squeezable, huggable and oh-so-profitable, a cross between a pillow and a piggy bank.You expect Walt Disney to design the precious darlings. Or maybe some sort of Raffi type holding a paintbrush instead of a guitar, oozing all sorts of Nutrasweet sincerity about children, the environment and the fate of the Earth, while making sure to lock up worldwide marketing rights.And then you come to the 1992 Summer Olympics, and this scruffy Pyrenees dog named Cobi and this artist who loves to dress up with a red cape and devil's horns, toss firecrackers, create nightclubs and smoke dope.

Spanish League teams cut Sampson, ColemanRalph Sampson, who had been hoping to work himself into shape for another shot at the NBA, was cut yesterday by Unicaja Ronda of Malaga, Spain.Sampson, who played earlier this season with the Washington ** Bullets, is one of several Americans who will be missing from the Spanish League playoffs this weekend.Ben Coleman (Maryland) was released by FC Barcelona after leading the team to the quarterfinals of the European Cup, and forward Harold Pressley (Villanova)

Although he doesn't agree with the evaluation, Bill Ripken's representative said he wasn't surprised that the Orioles proposed to cut the second baseman's salary by $70,000."

Although he doesn't agree with the evaluation, Bill Ripken's representative said he wasn't surprised that the Orioles proposed to cut the second baseman's salary by $70,000."