In the paint

BY STEVEN MARCUS

Second year coach C.W. Post coach Tim Cluess is 20-2 and 15-0 in the East Coast Conference.Great hire! Post did not wonder who would replace legendary Tom Galeazzi upon his retirement. The only question was how much Cluess would cost. Not that much, knowing the tight fisted budgets in Division II. Dowling also wanted Cluess, who made St. Mary’s an elite high school program and won the Region XV title in his first and only season at Suffolk CC-Brentwood, but Post had more to offer with its facilities. Cluess was 19-11 last year and now could be looking at an NCAA bid. The eighth head coach in the Pioneers’ history may yield the most post-season success.

Bob Knight is going country, all the way to the Little Nashville Opry (son of the Grand Ole Opry) for what the producers are terming "motivational and anecdotal stories.'' He will appear next April and it will cost $45 minimum to hear his tales.

"Once I picked up a chair,'' is not likely to be retold. The coach is not expected to sing, but may field questions from the audience.

BY STEVEN MARCUS

Despite his nice contract at Villanova, Jay Wright does not want to be a college coach for all eternity. I know that because he has told me so. The 76ers did not work out, so why not the Knicks?

A) How long can they keep Isiah

B) Wright wears GQ clothing at least as well as Thomas.

And, the big plus: Wright will not make advances to the MSG women, though they might not mind.