The Elevator

Sat, Apr 5, 2008 (2 a.m.)

Who’s going to the penthouse in local sports and beyond — and who’s getting the shaft:

GOING UP

Defense never rests

Aaron Power of the Las Vegas Wranglers has produced a personal-best 35 points (9 goals and 26 assists) in his fifth season as a professional. He’s among the top 20 scoring defensemen in the ECHL. Watch him in the playoffs, too. He had three assists and two goals, including the series-clincher in OT, against Phoenix last year.

Ending with a bang

In his final swim as a Rebel, Devin Phillips soared by recording a personal-best 1:47.78 in the 200 individual medley at the NCAA championships in Federal Way, Wash. A native of Edmonton, Alberta, who is majoring in kinesiology, Phillips moved to second on UNLV’s career chart in the event.

GOING DOWN

Uh, hmmm, this isn’t Domino’s?

Since being traded to Miami in the Shaquille O’Neal deal, ex-UNLV basketballers Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks haven’t fared well. Both are injured, and they watched the Heat lose Wednesday for the 25th time in their 29 games with the team. At halftime, with other hobbled teammates, they fielded season-ticket calls for next season. Did even one phone ring?

In a Blaze of glory

Utah coach Danny White fired defensive coach Hunkie Cooper on Tuesday. Cooper was a UNLV running back and return ace in 1990 and 1991. The Blaze of the Arena Football League was 0-5 and had allowed a league-worst 320 points. Cooper had returned to Las Vegas by the time White announced the move. Then White canceled practice and took his team bowling. No gutter-ball jokes, please.

Zito, ziti, zilcho

San Francisco Giants lefty Barry Zito, who was born in Las Vegas, got roughed up Monday in Joe Torre’s managerial debut for the Dodgers. Los Angeles collected eight hits and four runs in five innings against Zito and won, 5-0. Zito is in the second year of a $126 million, seven-year contract with the Giants. He went 11-13 in 2007.

Let’s not play two

No, that wasn’t a misprint. UNLV was thumped, 23-1, by UNR in Reno on Tuesday for the third-worst defeat in the baseball program’s history. The NCAA should adopt a mercy rule. Meanwhile, Rebels baseball coach Buddy Gouldsmith and football coach Mike Sanford should consider switching jobs.