Cleveland State takes on the most potent offensive basketball team in the state, on the road at Toledo, hoping to snap the Rockets 10-0 start to the season.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - A pair of big basketball games today for Cleveland State and Kent State, both on the road. For those still yearning for football, bowl season begins today and there will be five Mid-American Conference teams in bowl games throughout the holidays.
Cleveland State (6-5) travels for a 2 p.m. game at undefeated Toledo (10-0). This will be a pure test of offense vs. defense. CSU is holding teams to 42.1 percent shooting and 72.4 points a game. But the Rockets counter that with a team averaging 87.9 points a game, which is seventh in the nation shooting 51.4 percent from the field, which is sixth in the nation.
And that is not all. The five Toledo starters average double figures per game and four of those five shoot better than 50 percent from the field. One would think Toledo has pretty much overwhelmed the opposition, but the Rockets have had several close games. But all have been on the road; 95-92 at Boston College, 103-99 vs. Stony Brook in a holiday tournament, 80-77 at Robert Morris and 80-78 at Detroit.
The most telling score might be the second Detroit game, at Toledo, where the Rockets blitzed the Titans, 91-75.
Cleveland State, which is shooting 45.9 percent from the floor and averaging 76.3 points a game, will have to be efficient on offense with post man Anton Grady (8.2 points a game) having a big afternoon. But the real key will be if the Vikings can slow down the Rockets offense.
For Kent State (8-2) this road game at College of Charleston (5-6) will be its first since a Dec.4 loss at home to Bucknell. The 17-days between games included the semester break, but also gave the Golden Flashes time to heal, as starting guard Kris Brewer, and his backup, Kellen Thomas, both had off-season knee surgery and logged a lot of minutes the first 10 games of the season.
That 66-59 loss to Bucknell, at home, was Kent's lowest scoring game of the season and came on a night when starting center Mark Henniger (9.2 points a game) was held scoreless. CoC is starting to put it together as it has won three of its last four games.
The Cougars do have struggles scoring, as they have topped 70 or more points only twice this season.
As for football, the Buffalo Bulls, who finished 8-4 on the season and have a potential first round draft pick in linebacker Khalil Mack, will play San Diego State (7-5) in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, 5:30 p.m. today. This will be the first of five MAC teams in bowl games with the majority being played next week.
Most have only been around for a few years, but even the Browns players and coaches feel the malaise hanging over the franchise.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I'm glad Ray Horton told the truth.
Not about stats pointing to how his defense is playing better than it seems.
Rather, about winning and losing.
"I think as the games go on, there's more pressure to perform well and to not repeat a pattern that has happened in the past,'' Horton said at his weekly press conference. "So is there a psychological pressure affect? I think there is."
That's been a big part of this season, where the Browns have been outscored by 62-points in the fourth quarter -- the most in the NFL.
They also have allowed the most fourth-quarter points in the league this season.
And yes, that's a part of the reason they are 4-10 heading into Sunday's game at the New York Jets.
It's not just the defense, although they have (in Horton's words) "failed the last three weeks."
Every new front office and coaching staff underestimates the sense of doom that hangs over this franchise.
It's the losing.
Year after year.
Even decade after decade, dating back to 1990.
Since 1990, the franchise has as many playoff wins (one) as it does relocations (to Baltimore).
It has as many owners (Art Modell, the Lerner family, Jimmy Haslam) as it does winning seasons (1994, 2002, 2007).
Not only do fans feel the "here we go again" lament rising in most games, so do some of the players.
At his press conference, quarterback Jason Campbell admitted: "The New England game -- did it take a lot out of us as a team and individually? Honestly, yes. It did because guys left so much on the field and when you feel like the game is kind of taken or the game ended the way that it did…it changes your whole output going into next week's game."
Something certainly impacted Campbell, who was terrific in the 27-26 loss to New England -- and terrible in last week's 38-31 loss to Chicago.
"You try to say it (tough losses) won't (impact a team), but human nature, it does," said Campbell.
The scary part of the story is how few of the players have been with the team for even five years. That would be Joe Thomas, D'Qwell Jackson, Alex Mack and Ahtyba Rubin.
That's right, only four.
Each new front office cleans out much of the roster, but the problems linger.
The losing stigma seems to quickly stick to almost everyone in an orange helmet.
This will be the 10th time in the last 11 years the Browns have lost at least 10 games.
How does it end?
Usually with a quarterback who is at least above the NFL average and has a knack for making big plays.
It ends with a defense that doesn't fold in the fourth quarter, as this one has too often this season.
It ends with a front office that makes wise draft choices and smart moves in free agency.
It ends with a coaching staff that somehow inspires confidence in a team that has none.
Think back to the Browns of the late 1980s.
Bernie Kosar emerged as a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback.
Marty Schottenheimer had his faults, but he was a strong-willed coach who had the respect of the players.
The front office had enough hits in the draft to keep the roster well-stocked.
No Super Bowl, but there were five consecutive seasons that made you love Browns football once again.
Right now, the Browns are still searching for that quarterback.
This front office has to do more than be right about the guys who "can't play." They have to find those who can perform -- and that's a real challenge.
Like the front office, this coaching staff is new (in terms of working together) and still has to prove itself.
The off-season includes 10 draft picks and big bucks available to spend in free agency.
It also means that this front office's leaders are on the spot, because only they can change the bleak mood that hangs over the franchise.
Philly Brown led Ohio State in catches and receiving yards and morphed into one of the Buckeyes' best leaders in his senior season.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- We hit our second -- and final -- member of Ohio State's
receiving corps in the countdown. Following receiver Devin Smith at No. 17, here's Philly Brown.
Recruiting rating: A four-star recruit as ranked by Rivals.com, Barnett
was a cornerback coming out of high school. He was the No. 5-ranked
cornerback in Ohio, the No. 13 cornerback in the nation and the No. 145
overall prospect in the Class of 2008.
2013 stats: Hauled in a team-high 55 catches and 10 touchdown receptions and tied for the team lead with 655 receiving yards. Averaged nearly nine yards per punt return.
What went right: Brown was named a second-team all-Big Ten selection by the coaches and he paced the Buckeyes with 55 catches, including 10 for touchdowns. More essential than his output at receiver, however, proved to be his emergence as a leader. Urban Meyer has routinely expressed how he felt disdain toward Brown last year and how Brown did a 180 this season. Brown's halftime speech during Ohio State's game against Iowa spurred the Buckeyes to turn a 17-10 deficit at intermission into a 34-24 win.
"Something had to be done,” Brown said. “When a coach screams, you kind
of blank them out and not really hear what they’re trying to say. But
when a person that’s actually out there on the field with you grinding
in the war, when they say it, that’s when you know it’s real.”
Meyer never would have believed it a year earlier.
“He’s the absolute leader of this team, unchallenged, unquestionable," Meyer said. "If
you would have said that a year ago, we would have gotten into an
argument because that’s not who he was. But that's who he is now – He’s
all in.” What went wrong: Brown suffered a slight stress fracture in his leg late in the season, which limited him to just two total catches against Indiana and Michigan. He hobbled around at Lucas Oil Stadium and came up with five catches for 53 yards and a touchdown against a Michigan State secondary he challenged earlier in the week on Twitter. In fact, Brown often took to social media to speak his mind about Ohio State's place in the college football landscape.
“It’s just the way I feel,” Brown said. “Whatever I tweeted, I meant.
When people take shots at our team, it’s like taking a shot at family. I
take that personally."
Looking at 2014: Brown could latch on with an NFL team in the spring after he plays his final game as a Buckeye at the Orange Bowl on Jan. 3. The Buckeyes will still have Devin Smith and Evan Spencer at receiver.
An NFL scout's take on Brown's future: "He's definitely going to get an opportunity. From there, it's just what he makes out of that opportunity. He's shown, over the course of his career at Ohio State, that he can fill a void and make his own opportunities. It'll be interesting to see if he can do that again in the NFL. He'll definitely get an opportunity."
Center Alex Mack will be a free agent, and the Browns need to sign him.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Talking about the Browns and Alex Mack, the offensive line and some hope. Then there's the Tribe's revamped bullpen, the Cavs big men and Kyrie Irving.
About Alex Mack
As the Browns are trudging to the end of the season, I wasn't very concerned about Alex Mack heading toward free agency.
I figured if the Browns center isn't signed -- just make him a franchise player.
That means paying him the average of the top five salaries made by centers.
Only there's a problem: I had the salary cap rules wrong.
To be a "franchise player," Mack would have to be paid the average of all offensive linemen.
That includes the pricey left tackles.
In 2013, that was $9.8 million.
Ouch.
Mack is paid $3.8 million. That ranks No. 4 among NFL centers.
Mack has played every snap at center since he was the team's 2009 first round pick. That was the draft where Eric Mangini continually traded down, and the Jets used the Browns' top choice to grab Mark Sanchez.
Most NFL people would probably prefer Mack over Sanchez at this point in their careers.
Anyway, Mack is a Pro Bowl caliber center and at age of 28, he's in the prime of his career.
The Browns should work very hard to keep him in the off-season. They certainly have the cap money to do it.
About the Browns
1. Mack is not only the Browns starting offensive linemen headed to free agency. Guard Shawn Lauvao also is a free agent. The Browns have been in no hurry to keep him. Lauvao was a third-rounder picked by former General Manager Tom Heckert in 2010. He has looked good when compared to Oneil Cousins, who played when Lauvao was hurt. But I sense the Browns don't have a high opinion of him.
2. The Browns have Joe Thomas and John Greco on long-term deals. They should sign Mack, giving them three players to build around. A fourth is Mitchell Schwartz, also on a long-term deal. He was picked in the second round by Heckert in 2012, and I sense this front office doesn't share that lofty opinion of the right tackle.
3. It's possible the Browns could replace Schwartz with Chris Falk in 2014. He was a top offensive line prospect from LSU who had a major knee injury. Signed as an undrafted free agent, the Browns have him under contract for three years of club options.
4. Schwartz has a contract for $835,000 in 2014, $1.1 million in 2015. Most is not guaranteed.
5. The Browns will use the rest of this season to run even more tryouts. Why else was Chris Owens waived? Not that he's even a starting caliber cornerback, but he was a decent player in pass coverage. But he was waived so that rookie Leon McFadden could play more. Owens was claimed by Miami.
6. As you'd expect (since Owens beat out McFadden early in the season), McFadden has been a bit rocky. In the first 11 games, he played 15 snaps. In the last three, it's 135 snaps. There have been 6-of-9 passes completed in his direction for 82 yards. He also has been flagged twice for penalties.
7. I do like rookie cornerback Jordan Poyer, who was claimed off the Eagles practice squad. He also returns punts.
8. It will be interesting to see how the Browns use Marqueis Gray, who should play some tight end as Jordan Cameron (concussion) is out. Gray also has run out of the wildcat formation. At Minnesota, he played quarterback, wide receiver and tight end. The Browns really like this guy because he's athletic and can play multiple positions.
9. Not sure what to make of this mess with Davone Bess, other than he seems to have a lot of problems. And the front office looks to have made a significant mistake in dealing for him and giving him a contract that guarantees him $3 million next season. Of course, that can change, depending upon what Bess is doing off the field.
10. To be fair, I thought the addition of Bess (who averaged 64 catches a season for the last five years) would be a major plus. Instead, he has 42 catches and is second in the NFL with nine drops.
Cleveland Browns tight end Jordan Cameron is a reason for optimism next season.John Kuntz/ The Plain Dealer
A Fan's upbeat view
I received this email from Terry Moore about why he feels good about the Browns He said the team needs to address the quarterback and running back situations, along with more help on both lines, But here are his reasons for optimism:
1. The coaching staff is coming back. The head coach is no longer a rookie and the team of coaches have a year under their belts.
2. The improvement of Buster Skrine and Jabaal Sheard -- and the front seven on defense.
3. Next year will be the second year for the 3-4 defense.
4. Development of Josh Gordon and Cameron Jordan.
5. I believe we are closer to breaking the last six years mold than ever before…Next season, we should not have three different quarterbacks, the loss of the starting running back and multiple coaching changes.
Reason for optimism?
I feel better about the Browns now than I did at this time a year ago because the coaching staff is coming back. So are the key people in the front office.
After 14 games last season, all the fans knew was that Pat Shurmur and his coaching staff were finished, the same for Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert in the front office.
So this will be Year 2 with the same offense and defense, which has to help.
Before Ray Horton took over Airizona's defense, the Cardinals ranked 29th.
In his first season (2011), that rose to 18th.
It was 12th in his second season.
You also can dig deeper into the stats and see lots of improvement in his second year. The Cardinals were the second best defense in the red zone in 2012.
Of course, the Browns red-zone ranking this season is 28th.
If the Browns can actually have the same quarterback to start at least 10 games next year, the offense will probably be better.
This could be Greg Little's final season with the Browns.John Kuntz/ The Plain Dealer
About Greg Little
Consider this list:
1999: Kevin Johnson
2000: Dennis Northcutt
2001: Quincy Morgan
2002: Andre Davis
2009: Brian Robiskie, Mohamed Massaquoi
2011: Greg Little
2012: Josh Gordon
That's a list off all the receivers picked in the second round by the Browns since the team returned in 1999.
A strong case can be made that the first was the best -- Kevin Johnson in 1999 -- until this year.
That will soon change if Josh Gordon (a supplemental pick in 2012) just stays healthy, because he's by far the most talented of the group. None have made Pro Bowl, but Gordon should do so this season.
I mention this list because it shows how the Browns have failed to find receivers in the draft -- despite spending precious second-round picks on them.
It's also because Greg Little is finishing his third season with the Browns. It probably will be his last.
Little has 39 catches this season, two for touchdowns. He really put in extra work in training camp, doing all the coaches asked.
Yet, Little is probably having his worst pro season.
Consider the following for Little:
1. As a rookie, he caught 61 passes (11.6 average) with two touchdowns and a league-leading 12 drops.
2. In 2012, it was 53 receptions (12.2 average) with four touchdowns and six drops.
3. In 2013 with two games left, it's 39 catches (11.6 average) with two touchdowns and five drops.
The only good news is he's dropping fewer passes.
But the bottom line is that he has become a mediocre pro receiver, much like Morgan, Davis, Robiskie and many of the other drafted before him in the second round.
While Gordon has had a sensational year, the other two receivers (Davone Bess and Little) have been major disappointments.
Little was picked by former General Manager Tom Heckert.
So yes, another receiver should be on the 2014 Browns shopping list.
Batting .210 after the All-Star break is part of the reason the Tribe traded Drew Stubbs.Chuck Crow/The Plain Dealer
About Drew Stubbs
1. I really liked Drew Stubbs as a player, despite the stats telling me that was irrational. Stubbs batted .233 for the Tribe, in line with his career .239 average. His .665 OPS was below his career mark of .695.
2. I love how Stubbs ran the bases. Not just from home to first base -- but all the bases. He was 17-of-19 in steals, and one of the best in baseball going from first-to-third and second-to-home on a single. They actually have stats measuring those things.
3. Stubbs is a gifted athlete, a good outfielder, but the man just can't hit. That's why the Reds traded him to the Tribe last winter, and why the Tribe shipped him to Colorado last week.
4. While with the Reds, Stubbs could not hit right-handers (.226), and he batted .216 against them for the Tribe. He struck out 141 times this season, nearly once in every three at bats. That's a typical year for Stubbs.
5. After the All-Star break, Stubbs batted .210 (.629 OPS) with three homers and 10 RBI in 143 at bats. So he faded. He could hit lefties (.266) to an extent, but Ryan Raburn (.308) mashes lefties. Raburn also is a very good right-fielder, the spot played by Stubbs.
6. When the Tribe signed free agent outfielder David Murphy, the plan was to platoon the lefty-hitting Murphy with Raburn. And they wanted to trade Stubbs for bullpen help.
7. So Stubbs (who can't hit righties) was shipped to the Rockies for Josh Outman (who can't get righties out). Or to make it a positive, Stubbs (who only hits lefties) was shipped to the Rockies for Outman (who mostly gets out lefties).
8. A reliever with a 4.31 ERA last season, Outman is outstanding against lefties (.198). Righties are problem (.347). But in the specialized world of relief pitching, the Indians believe Outman is an upgrade over another lefty reliever -- that being Rich Hill, who was 1-2 with a 6.28 ERA.
9. For a while, Outman was a starter. Even though his fastball is a respectable 93 mph, righties have a career .303 average against him. Since he dominates lefties, he was moved to the bullpen so he can match up with them.
10. The Tribe hopes that between Marc Rzepeczynski (0.89 ERA for the Tribe in 20 innings last season) and Outman, they have two effective lefty relievers. They still have hopes for Nick Hagadone (0-1, 5.46), but his lack of control has plagued him whenever promoted to Cleveland in the last three years. That's another reason they traded for Outman.
John Axford allowed only three earned runs in 15 2/3 innings (counting post-season) after being traded to the Cardinals in 2013.AP/Photo
About John Axford
The Indians want John Axford to be their closer, but the Tribe also has other options.
That's important to remember.
Manager Terry Francona pushed for a veteran closer. Francona was happiest when he had so many relievers in September, the bullpen could not hold all of them.
So it makes sense that he'd prefer to open the season with Axford (106 career saves, 3.29 ERA) compared to Cody Allen.
The case for the 30-year-old Axford is that by the end of the season, his fastball was averaging 95 mph. He was traded to Saint Louis on August 30, and the Cardinals discovered a flaw in his mechanics.
He struck out 20 in 15 2/3 innings (three earned runs) for the Cardinals in the regular season and playoffs.
The Cardinals are so loaded with pitching, they passed on Axford because they didn't want to pay him closer money. They don't need a closer.
So the Tribe signed Axford for $4.5 million (plus incentives). It would have cost them at least $9 million to keep Chris Perez.
A few things on Axford:
1. He opened the season as Milwaukee's closer and was horrible, blowing six saves.
2. Like Vinnie Pestano, he pitched in the spring World Baseball Classic. Axford admitted that led to a "dead arm period." Pestano never said that, but it's a common problem for pitchers who take part in the WBC.
3. Unlike Pestano (1-2, 4.08) who never came back to pitch well last season, Axford finished strong.
4. A right-hander, Axford is about as effective against lefties (.225) as righties (.238) for his career. That's key for a closer.
5. The Indians didn't want to give a two-year deal for a closer. Joe Nathan ($20 million) and Joaquin Benoit ($15 million) received two-year deals.
6. Axford can't be a free agent until after the 2015 season, so there was no need for a multi-year deal. And if he fails, they can cut him after the season.
7. From 2010-11, he was one the baseball's top closers (70-of-75 saves, 2.19 ERA) for Milwaukee.
About the Cavs
1. One of the remarkable parts of this season is that Anderson Varejao and Andrew Bynum were both healthy for opening day -- and have remained healthy. The Cavs never expected that to happen. They hoped for it, but both big men have been dealing with serious injuries.
2. The presence of Bynum, Varejao and Tristan Thompson is why Tyler Zeller seldom is on the floor. The 7-footer is still valued by the Cavs. They have turned down some trade offers for him. Last season, Zeller averaged 7.9 points and 5.7 rebounds in 26 minutes a game for the Cavs. Not great, but he has promise.
3. The Cavs know injuries can strike their veteran big men. But it was Zeller who has had several minor injuries this season. He had a hip injury early in training camp. He rolled an ankle during warmups before the Miami game. He also had an appendectomy.
4. Zeller is healthy now. Perhaps the Cavs won't need him, but the odds are at some point the coaches will turn to Zeller. Many people in the NBA have been amazed that Bynum is playing on those grumpy knees. He missed all of last season, and had surgery on both of them in March.
5. You can tell that there are some games where Bynum has more life in those legs, and other games where he seems to be dragging them along. But overall, he has been productive. Entering the weekend, he was averaging 10.2 points and 6.8 rebounds in the last 10 games. That's playing only 23 minutes.
6. There are some games where there Cavs have trouble passing the ball to their veteran 7-footer when he posts up near the basket. Sometimes, it's because the Cavs guards want to fire up shots. Others, it's that the defense has collapsed around Bynum, and he isn't moving quickly enough to become a good target to receive a pass.
7. The point is the Cavs and Bynum are still growing used to each other. And if Bynum can stay reasonably healthy, he should be more effective in the second half of the season. Remember, he played ZERO games and had ONE practice with Philadelphia last year. Nor did he play in any preseason games with the Cavs.
8. The Cavs have indeed improved their defense. Last season, they ranked 30th in defensive shooting percentage. This season, it's 14th. They also rank 14th in rebounding.
9. The Cavs big men and Mike Brown's approach to defense have been behind the positive trend. On pick-and-roll plays, you'll notice the Cavs big men (especially Varejao and Thompson) jumping out, forcing the guard to dribble at a wider angle. Then the Cavs create a quick zone defense under the rim with two other players.
10. The key is having mobile big men willing to scramble and defend. That's were Varejao and Thompson excel. Bynum's knees keep him closer to the rim, but he does a good job of shot blocking (and altering shots) with his long arms when players drive to the hoop.
Kyrie Irving is averaging 28 points a game since he was scoreless in Atlanta on December 6.Thomas Ondrey/The Plain Dealer
He was so bad, so distracted, that Coach Mike Brown played the All-Star guard only 20 minutes in a lopsided loss.
Since six games since then (heading into Saturday night), Irving is averaging 28.5 points, 6.8 assists and shooting 49 precent from the field.
The Cavs were curious how Irving would react to his terrible game. He had been inconsistent early in the season, feeling the burden of Brown's demands for improved defense and mature leadership.
The Atlanta game seemed to make Irving more determined to play well, and play right.
His defense also has been better this season. He at least his no longer an embarrassment, and has had some nice moments on the defensive end of the floor.
The Cavs believe Irving's reaction to what happened in Atlanta could be a significant step forward in his career.
An ailing Kyrie Irving scored 39 points, including two free throws with 10.3 seconds left to lift the Cavaliers to a 114-111 overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night at The Q.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After being sick for two days, after scoring 39 points in 42 minutes and after making the two clinching free throws with 10.3 seconds left in overtime of the Cavaliers 114-111 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night at The Q, all Kyrie Irving wanted to do was lay down.
"I'm not even going to lie, I'm tired,'' Irving said after the Cavs improved to 10-15, 8-4 at home. "I really just way to lay down right now. I'm here for my teammates. They bring the juice, and without my teammates I wouldn't be able to do it.''
Jarrett Jack added 17 points, C.J. Miles had 15 points and Earl Clark added 14 points. Tristan Thompson contributed 10 points and 15 rebounds, while Anderson Varejao had 13 rebounds to go with 5 points.
O.J. Mayo had 20 points and John Henson added 18 as the Bucks slipped to 5-21. In spite of their record, they gave the short-handed Cavaliers all they could handle in a game that was close throughout.
"They played with a great rhythm throughout the whole entire game,'' said Irving, who appeared to be close to throwing up after a fourth-quarter collision with Milwaukee's Brandon Knight. "They have solid players on their team. At times, they go on runs and we just can't stop them. Then we go on our run. It comes down to the wire with the Bucks every single time. It's a divisional game. We expect it to be like that -- hard fought. I'm just glad we could close it out this time.''
The Bucks actually beat the Cavs, 109-104, on Nov. 6 in Milwaukee after Cleveland had taken a 104-103 lead with a minute to go.
This game was every bit as close as the statistics indicate. The Cavs, missing Dion Waiters (right wrist tendinitis) and rookie Anthony Bennett (sick), shot 37.9 percent, the Bucks shot 36.6. The Cavs had 11 turnovers, the Bucks had 10. The Cavs had 40 rebounds, the Bucks had 37. No wonder the score was tied at halftime, 47-47, and after three quarters, 70-70.
Cleveland scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter but could not pull away from Milwaukee. Every time the Cavs thought they had some space, they found the Bucks crowding back in.
A reverse layup by Henson pulled the Bucks into a 92-92 tie with 3:45 left, and then two free throw by Henson gave the Bucks a 94-92 lead with 3:03 left. Irving tied the score with a fadeaway jumper with 2:29 left. Henson made two more free throws to put Milwaukee up, 96-94, with 1:45 left after a foul was called on Varejao. Video replays seemed to indicate Henson tripped over his own feet.
Irving and Thompson tried to run a pick and roll, but that went nowhere and Jack had to force up a 20-footer with the shot clock running out. The rebound went out of bounds to Milwaukee with 1:18 left. Brandon Knight missed a 19-footer with 9.9 seconds left and Varejao grabbed the rebound and the Cavs took a timeout with 8.8 seconds left. Irving missed a driving layup, but Thompson tipped in the rebound to tie the score at 96-96 with 1.8 seconds left. Khris Middleton missed an 18-footer as time expired to send the game to overtime.
Irving started the overtime with two 3-pointers and Jack hit a 19-footer as the Cavs pulled out to a 104-98 lead with 2:40 left. Jack hit a big 3-pointer to push the Cavs lead to 107-101 before Mayo sank a 15-footer to keep the Bucks within 107-103 with 1:34 left. Ekpe Udoh blocked a shot by Irving, and after a driving layup by Brandon Knight, Milwaukee was within 107-105 with 1:09 left.
Clark hit a 3-pointer from the top of the arc with the shot clock running out with 44 seconds left, and Middleton matched that and still the Bucks were within 110-108. Irving made two free throws with 21.5 seconds left to give the Cavs a 112-108 lead, but Mayo's 3-pointer made it 112-111 before Irving finally settled the issue.
"I'm feeling a little better,'' Irving said with a slight smile. "It's the best I could feel. We did a great job of closing out this game. My teammates were picking me up, which made the game much easier. It was a game, went into overtime. I was excited just to be out there.''
HUDSON, Ohio — The Parma wrestling team used a little brotherly love and three individual champions to win another Hudson Holiday Tournament on Saturday. Parma racked up 198 points to win the 15-team tournament, which is now in its 48th year. It was Parma’s third consecutive Hudson Holiday Tournament title.
HUDSON, Ohio — The Parma wrestling team used a little brotherly love and three individual champions to win another Hudson Holiday Tournament on Saturday.
Parma racked up 198 points to win the 15-team tournament, which is now in its 48th year. It was Parma’s third consecutive Hudson Holiday Tournament title.
Aurora, which finished the first day on the top of the standings with what appeared to be a commanding 25-point lead, placed second (178). Maple Heights (152.50), Hudson (136) and Norton (123) rounded out the top five.
Parma junior Tyler Workman (132 pounds) and his brother, senior Kyle Workman (145), both won individual titles for the Redmen.
Tyler Workman knocked off Hudson sophomore Chris Motter, 7-1, to win his title. Kyle Workman, who qualified for the state tournament a year ago, racked up a 10-0 major decision over Jackson Milton’s Tyler Staton to win his individual title.
Parma’s third individual title came courtesy of junior Mike Wilson, who registered a physical 8-1 win over Chagrin Falls’ Austyn Wilson in the finals.
“We had ups and downs,” Parma coach Pat Semary said. “Overall the team effort was great. That’s what we look for.”
Semary was quick to praise the effort of the Workman brothers when asked.
“They are phenomenal. Their work ethics are unbelievable and it shows. All the time they put in (during) the summer, it just comes to fruition. They are good team leaders and it shows on the mat,” Semary said.
Picking up the individual title at 132 pounds was a thrill for Tyler Workman, who was an alternate for last year’s state tournament.
“It’s pretty awesome,” Tyler Workman said. “It was physical, we were bumping heads, getting after it. There were a lot of scrambles that could have went either way.”
Aurora racked up 97 points on the first day of the tournament and placed nine wrestlers in Saturday’s semifinals. But only three advanced to the finals.
“We had a rough semifinal,” Aurora coach Dick Bliss said. “It’s early and we’ll get better. That’s what we do. We’ll work real, real hard and we’ll get better.”
Aurora bookended its individual titles with freshman Jarrod Brezovec pinning Streetsboro senior Sean Kuklisin in 3:08 to win the 113-pound title and sophomore Josh Burger beating Mike Howell of Howland, 2-1, in overtime in the 285-pound championship match.
Brezovec said he was happy overall with the team’s effort, with the exception of the rough semifinal round.
“We just lost the mindset. With that break, I think we got cold,” Brezovec said.
Senior Josh Whitelaw (113) took home a second-place finish for Aurora. Whitelaw ended up getting pinned at the 3:36 mark by Jackson Milton’s Mitch Tikkanen.
Maple Heights produced a pair of individual champions. Sophomore Andre Stowers, wrestling at 120 pounds, was dominant from start to finish in a 14-0 win in the championship over Stow sophomore Kyle Jenkins. Stowers went 4-0 in the tournament, winning his first three matches by scores of 16-1, 6-1 and 17-2.
“I just worked hard and kept moving,” Stowers said of his strategy in the championship match. “I wanted to slow the pace down. I had a little more reach than him and was able to keep him from shooting.”
Maple Heights senior Dejon Moss, who placed seventh at the state tournament a year ago, outlasted Jordan Radich of Howland, 10-8, to win the 152-pound title. Moss got a reverse late in the match to pick up the win.
Maple Heights coach Jamie Milkovich said he was impressed with his team’s effort and expects the Mustangs to improve as the season goes on.
“I’ve got a young but talented team. We graduated six seniors who had started for me for four years. We plan on coming on in January like we always do. We are doing a lot of drilling and aren’t anywhere near where we want to be,” Milkovich said.
Michael Fitzpatrick is a freelance writer from Lorain.
The No. 3 Buckeyes improved to 12-0 with a win at the Garden.
NEW YORK – Call it the Miracle Just Off 34th Street.
The No. 3 Ohio State basketball team authored its own version of the holiday classic rallying for an improbable 64-61 victory over Notre Dame at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.
Trailing by eight points with just 49 seconds left, the Buckeyes closed on a 14-3 run to remain unbeaten. They could not celebrate until Notre Dame’s Demetrius Jackson missed a 3-point bid at the buzzer.
It was a remarkable escape for Ohio State (12-0) in the showcase round of the Gotham Classic. The Buckeyes appeared doomed when the Irish’s Jerian Grant hit a 3-pointer with 1:56 remaining to give the underdogs a 58-50 lead.
“We’re fighters, we’re never going to give up, we’re never going to stop believing in this team,” said Lenzelle Smith, who scored all nine of his points in the final minute. “As you can see we can do some pretty good stuff if we trust our system and keep our composure.”
Ohio State was in the throes of a dreadful second-half shooting slump. The Buckeyes endured a 9-minute, 10-second stretch without a field goal. They missed 17 of their first 23 field-goal attempts before LaQuinton Ross made a layup with 48 seconds left to cut the deficit to 58-52.
The Buckeyes’ full-court pressure defense forced four turnovers in the final minute. Guard Shannon Scott made consecutive steals in a four-second span that resulted in a Smith layup and two Scott free throws, trimming the Irish lead to 58-56.
A large contingent of Buckeyes’ fans, who sat quiet through much of the second half, were suddenly at full throat.
“Our coach kept telling us we’re still in the game,” Ross said. “At points in the game it felt like we were down 15, but we were only down six. We made a couple big shots down the stretch.”
The Buckeyes converted their final three field-goal attempts and eight of their last nine free throws.
Nobody embodied the rally like Smith, the team’s leading scorer. Without a point, he was replaced with 6:09 left and did not return until the 2:02 mark.
View full sizeOhio State senior Lenzelle Smith Jr. made all three foul shots after he was fouled on this 3-point attempt by Notre Dame on Saturday at a critical point in the Buckeyes' comeback.Jason DeCrow, Associated Press
“By that point in the game so much was going through my mind,” he said. “. . . my mind was kind of drifting away from the game to be completely honest with you, but I tried to stick with it as much as possible. I tried to cheer my teammates on . . . I knew down the stretch something was going to happen and we were going to have another opportunity.”
Smith’s biggest moment came with 32 seconds left and the Buckeyes trailing by four points. He was fouled on a 3-point shot and calmly converted all three chances.
“You miss these free throws and you ruin Christmas,” he said.
After an Irish missed shot, Smith gave the Buckeyes a one-point lead it wouldn’t relinquish, scoring on a layup off an Aaron Craft assist. Another Irish turnover led to two more Smith free throws and a 63-60 advantage with 10 seconds remaining.
“This is the first time I will say as a senior on this team that I was really happy with our poise at the end of the game,” Smith said. “I hate to say it, but this reminded me so much of the Wichita State game that we lost to go to the Final Four (last season).
“This time, we made the proper adjustments. People didn’t panic, didn’t freak out. We made our free throws down the stretch and we were able to turn them over. That was something we were supposed to do the whole game but better late than never.”
Ross led the Buckeyes with 16 points and Amir Williams added 13. Grant had 18 for the Irish (8-4).
OSU led by seven points at the break, but the Irish opened the second half on a 12-4 run to grab their first lead at 38-37.
The Buckeyes, who shot 50 percent in the first half, went nine-plus minutes without a field goal – missing six shots -- until Amir Williams’ dunk with 5:18 remaining cut the deficit to 52-46.
“We weren’t talking, we weren’t communicating, giving them layups in the post,” OSU’s Thad Matta said. “It was really odd. We came out (in the second half) and had no juice, not only to keep the lead but to win the basketball game.
“We got drastically confused a couple times with the NBA 3-point line.”
The Buckeyes arrived at Madison Garden unbeaten, unbloodied and largely untested. Matta expected Notre Dame to provide their stiffest challenge and the plucky Irish responded.
The Buckeyes held a 33-26 halftime advantage despite seven turnovers.
Notre Dame’s best weapon was 6-foot-11 Garrick Sherman, the bearded center who looks like he could join the cast of Breaking Amish. Sherman had 12 points and four rebounds and had little difficulty finding space in the low post.
The Buckeyes received nine first-half points from Williams, who led a well-balanced attack. Scott was OSU’s most effective player with a pair of 3-pointers and three assists.
OSU returns to action Friday against Louisiana-Monroe before opening Big Ten play at Purdue on Dec. 31.
"Hopefully, we can learn for (this game)," Craft said. "Obviously, we have a long way to go."
The 12-0 Buckeyes were understandably fired up after a 64-61 win over the Fighting Irish in Madison Square Garden.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - It's not every day that a team comes back from eight points down with 49 seconds left to win by three. It's really not any day.
So after No. 3 Ohio State managed to score 17 points in the first 19:12 of the second half, and 14 points in the final 48 seconds to beat Notre Dame 64-61 in Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, the Buckeyes had reason to celebrate.
The rally was so stunning, ESPN2 even put up the wrong records for the teams in the final score graphic at the conclusion of the game. The Buckeyes were listed at 11-1 and Notre Dame at 9-3. That was very close to being true.
Instead, Ohio State stayed undefeated at 12-0, and the Fighting Irish dropped to 8-4.
Tom Reed had full coverage of the game for us from New York, where Lenzelle Smith Jr. said he had to hit three key three throws after getting fouled on a late 3-point attempt.
“You miss these free throws and you ruin Christmas,” Smith said.
Those foul shots all went down, and the defensive rally put together by a team filled with seniors and juniors had former Buckeyes like Jared Sullinger taking notice.
Craft is special man. I believe he will be in the NBA... The things he do you can't teach
Trim returned an interception 82 yards for a touchdown, Hunter Stover hit a go-ahead 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, and Louisiana-Lafayette held off Tulane 24-21 on Saturday night for its third straight New Orleans Bowl victory.
NEW ORLEANS -- With Terrance Broadway toughing out the New Orleans Bowl with a cast on his broken right forearm, Louisiana-Lafayette figured its fortunes might hinge on whether its defense could make a few big plays.
Ragin' Cajun defensive backs Corey Trim and Sean Thomas answered that call.
Trim returned an interception 82 yards for a touchdown, Thomas' second interception set up Hunter Stover's go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter, and Louisiana-Lafayette held off Tulane 24-21 Saturday night for its third straight New Orleans Bowl victory.
"We preached turnovers," Thomas said. "Going into the game, we knew we had to help our offense out a lot."
Tulane set up for a 48-yard field goal try in the final seconds, but Cairo Santos, the 2012 Lou Groza award winner as the nation's best kicker, missed just left.
Elijah McGuire and Alonzo Harris each had touchdowns runs for the Ragin' Cajuns (9-4), who led 21-0 on Trim's interception -- the longest in the bowl game's history - against Nick Montana. But Tulane rallied to tie it at 21 on three TD runs by Orleans Darkwa.
Curtis Johnson, who coached the Green Wave to its first bowl in 11 years, said his team appeared too emotional to function well early on.
"It was uncharacteristic of us," Johnson said. "Then all of a sudden we settled down and for three quarters of the game, from the second quarter on, we played pretty well. ... A great comeback. We'll get it next year."
Broadway passed for 143 yards and ran for 33, but was intercepted twice and took a lot of hits in the second half before being replaced by Jalen Nixon in the fourth quarter.
Broadway said he was out of shape because of his injury, and cramping up.
"It was a blessing to be able to come out of that game still 50 percent instead of zero percent," Broadway said. "I didn't hurt my arm again and that's a blessing."
Devin Powell replaced Montana in the first half and passed for 223 yards for Tulane (7-6), but his underthrown pass that Thomas picked off was costly. Tulane's Ryan Grant had seven catches for 113 yards.
It wasn't clear until kickoff who was going to play quarterback for either team. ULL coach Mark Hudspeth had all but ruled out Broadway, who broke his throwing arm Nov. 30. Johnson said he was unsure if he could start Montana, who'd struggled much of the season with injuries, including to his throwing shoulder.
Both quarterbacks ended up starting, but only Broadway took the majority of his team's snaps.
"We felt like he was ready enough," Hudspeth said. "Sure enough, he was. He made some outstanding plays tonight. His health kept him from doing what he'd normally like to do at times, but man, what a competitor and what a leader."
Nixon's play was crucial on ULL's final offensive series, in which the Cajuns drove from their own 9 to midfield, eating up 5:45 before Tulane got the ball back on its own 5 with 1:35 left.
"We milked most of the clock," Hudspeth said. "That was the drive of the game."
Powell completed passes of 34 yards to Justin Shackleford and 27 yards to Ryan Grant to move the Green Wave into tying field goal range, but Santos uncharacteristically didn't come through.
"Cairo's made those before, it just didn't fall for him this time," Johnson said.
The Ragin' Cajuns needed six plays to produce the game's opening score. Broadway completed his first two passes for first downs, and McGuire capped the drive with a 27-yard run in which he reached for the pylon as he was knocked out of bounds.
Tulane's first turnover came on a trick play in which Grant took a reverse handoff and threw deep. Thomas intercepted it and returned it to the ULL 27, setting up a six-play, 73-yard scoring drive that ended with Harris' 15-yard scoring run.
The Wave was in position to halve its deficit when Montana drove Tulane inside the ULL 20. Then came Trim's interception.
After that, Tulane was desperate for points, and convert on fourth-and-3 from its own 47 on Powell's 42-yard completion to Devon Breaux, setting up Darkwa's first TD.
Jordan Sullen's interception at the Tulane 35 set up the Green Wave's second scoring drive, which began with Powell's 49-yard pass to Grant. That led to Darwka's second score on a 7-yard run up the middle shortly before halftime.
Darkwa's tying touchdown came on a 22-yard run shortly after Derrick Strozier intercepted Broadway's attempted throw-away along the sideline, returning it 20 yards to the 17.
Sullen was later knocked out by a knee to the head and carted off the field, but Johnson said he was expected to be fine.
Ohio State offensive line coach Ed Warinner reportedly interviewed for the vacant head coaching position at Army on Friday. That, and more, in Sunday's Buckeye Breakfast.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State already lost co-defensive Everett Withers, who was officially introduced as the new head coach at James Madison on Friday.
Now Urban Meyer could be on the verge of losing another assistant.
Though Ed Warinner’s name surfaced as a candidate for the Army job late last week, the Buckeyes now are in real danger of losing their offensive line coach after reports surfaced Saturday that he interviewed for the job.
Another candidate for Army is Georgia Southern co-offensive coordinator Jeff Monken, but Warinner holds the edge when it comes to familiarity with the program.
Warinner was an assistant at West Point from 1987-99, and his responsibilities ranged from linebackers coach all the way to offensive coordinator.
Warinner also has experience at another service academy, as he served three seasons as Air Force’s offensive line coach in the early 2000s. Under Warinner's guidance, the Falcons led the nation in rushing in 2002 with 307.8 yards per game.
Speaking of futures, what's ahead for senior safety Christian Bryant? Doug spoke to Bryant's dad, Ronnie, and discussed where the safety stands in his application process for a medical redshirt. If the attempt to acquire a medical redshirt is denied, does Bryant have a shot at an NFL career? Zack has that story here.
Switching gears, Ohio State had a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Notre Dame in Madison Square Garden on Saturday night. The No. 3 Buckeyes erased an 8-point deficit in the game's final minute to steal the improbable 64-61 win over the Irish.
Because it was a dramatic win that helped Ohio State improve its record to 12-0, the celebration in the locker room was passionate. Check out the video of the celebration here.
TNT's Charles Barkley thinks the Lakers Kobe Bryant should shut it down for the season after his latest injury.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The last word, from TNT's Charles Barkley, after the Lakers announced Kobe Bryant would be out another six weeks with a fracture in his left knee after just returning from a torn left Achilles tendon suffered last April, "Kobe Bryant shouldn’t play any more this year. [The Lakers] should shut him down. He is never going to be the same again. There is no way you can blow out your Achilles and come back and be a great player. He can be a good, solid player, but age has nothing to do with will power.''
The 2013 NBA draft class has been spectacularly unproductive and unimpressive so far. The silver lining is that the only way to go is up.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Remember, first of all, that it's still
very early. Only about a quarter of the season has been played and it's
difficult to judge much from a mere handful of games.
Still, in that amount of time, it's also possible to have
opinions.
And the general view on this 2013 NBA draft class is that
last spring's predictions were spot-on: it truly is one of the worst in years.
That goes for much-maligned No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett, too, as
the Cavaliers forward has struggled to find a way to score points while
shooting 28 percent, and has had trouble even cracking the rotation to get on
the court in averaging 10 minutes of action per game. The Cavaliers say Bennett wouldn't see much action even if dominating, though, because they want to bring him along slowly and are committed to veterans who can help them win now.
"It's very early,"
ESPN.com analyst Chad Ford cautions, "but right now, he's looking like the
worst in the past 20 years. That includes Greg Oden. Oden was injured all
the time, but when he played, he at least looked like a No. 1 pick."
But looking at the draft class, what were better options at
No. 1? As much as Bennett's early struggles have been painful to watch, it's
difficult to point to any rookie who is an unquestioned success.
Maybe Victor Oladipo, the No. 2 pick who has blossomed for
Orlando in averaging 13.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 31.6 minutes.
But would he have found minutes in a Cleveland backcourt that already includes
Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters?
Four other top 10 picks have not taken the court or have
played very sparingly because of injury: Nerlens Noel (No. 6) is out for the
season while still recovering from ACL surgery, Alex Len (No. 5) has managed
just four games for Phoenix because of pain in a surgically repaired ankle.
Otto Porter Jr. (No. 3) has just begun to get on the court
with Washington after a strained right hip flexor kept him out for the early
months of the season, and C.J. McCollum (No. 10) is just returning for Portland
after a fractured bone in his left foot.
Is it really as bad as it seems?
"Yes," Ford said via
email. "Really, only Victor Oladipo and Michael Carter-Williams are proving to
be valuable starters at the moment. A few others like Trey Burke, Mason
Plumlee, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Steven Adams have been solid. Giannis
Antetokounmpo looks like he might be a big star down the road. But all of
those players except Oladipo weren't even in the conversation for the No. 1
pick."
Ben McLemore (No. 7)
has been decent in Sacramento (9.3 points, 3.2 rebounds 1.1 assists). As has
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (No. 8) in Detroit (7.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 0.9 assist).
And Trey Burke (No. 9) has been very solid in Utah (12.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists in 29.2 minutes).
But the only rookie
worth talking about this season is the No. 11 pick, Michael Carter-Williams in
Philadelphia. He's averaging 17.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 36.6 minutes and making all the teams with top-10 picks look silly.
"I think we knew
Michael Carter-Williams had the potential to be a star," Ford said. "But I
don't think anyone, including me, thought he'd take off this fast.
There's a legitimate argument that he's been the second best point guard
in the East behind John Wall."
The bright side in all this, perhaps, is that things can
only get better for this draft class, right? It can't get worse?
And that goes for Bennett, too, who admittedly entered
training camp out of shape after a summer spent not playing basketball while he
recovered from shoulder surgery.
"It's a huge transition
from college to the pros," Ford said. "The game is so much faster. Even
if you are in shape, it's a major learning curve. But when you come in
like he did, there was just no way he could keep up.
"I think he and the
Cavs need to swallow their pride, go to the D-League, get his confidence back,
get him back in playing shape and then give him a fresh start. The talent
is there. I didn't think he was the No. 1 pick, but I do think he was very
talented. He's going to be better than this."
Since 1976-77, only three Western Conference teams have won their first seven road games in the East.
3
Portland is only the third Western Conference team since NBA merger in 1976-77 to win its first seven road games against East teams, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Phoenix won its first 14 road games against East in 2006-07 and Utah won its first 11 against the East in 1994-95.
What if the Cavaliers decided to wear nicknames on their jerseys, or characters names, like Miami's Ray Allen, who will wear a jersey with the name Jesus Shuttlesworth, his character in Spike Lee's "He Got Game''?
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Got a question about the Cavs? Send it in. Submit your question at cleveland.com/heymary and Plain Dealer Cavs beat writer Mary Schmitt Boyer will choose at least one to answer each week.
Hey, Mary: The Heat and the Nets have plans to wear jerseys with player nicknames on the back sometime in January. It seems like blatant merchandising to me. But for fun, if the Cavs did follow suit, what nicknames would they have on their jerseys? Varejao is Wild Thing, for sure. Kyrie? Mr. Fourth Quarter, as Austin Carr likes to say. Not sure about the rest of the roster, however. -- Dan Kubacki, Ashland
Hey, Dan: What a fun question. I'm pretty sure Irving would go with Uncle Drew, but not a lot of the Cavs have nicknames. You got Varejao. Matthew Dellavedova is Delly. Earl Clark is Easy Earl Clark. Alonzo Gee is Zo. Andrew Bynum is Drew. C.J. Miles could use his Twitter handle mafresco. Tyler Zeller could be Ty. Let's just make some others up, like Canadian Club for Tristan Thompson, Double J for Jarrett Jack, UNLV for Anthony Bennett and Skates for Carrick Felix, who used to be a skateboard star.
Hey, Mary: Omri Casspi actually has been decent with Houston. Do you think it was a problem with Byron Scott or the team that he was so terrible with the Cavs? -- Hal Wolfe, Cincinnati
Hey, Hal: Casspi and Scott never saw eye to eye. It was time for a change for Casspi.
Hey, Mary: There are stories that Dion Waiters asked for a trade. Is it possible the Cavs trade him? -- Thomas Ryan, Fostoria
Hey, Mary: I am aware that Dion Waiters didn't ask for a trade. However, I'd like to know if the Cavs are currently working on any trades. -- Lathyn Barbee, Orlando
Hey, Mary: We've seen in past years how eager Grant is to make trades. Who is the most likely player to be traded if Grant makes a move this year, and which specific players, not positions, do you see Grant going after? -- J. Smith, Rocky River
Hey, Thomas, Lathyn and J: To be clear, Waiters has insisted -- twice -- that he has not asked to be traded. Plenty of teams are interested in him because of his ability to score and his friendly, rookie contract. Anderson Varejao is another player who attracts interest because of his reasonable contract. The Cavs do like to make trades, but it appears they are going to stand pat for now. You have all followed the Cavs long enough to know that general manager Chris Grant, while always a willing trade partner, likes to keep his cards close to his vest. It's not as if he's broadcasting his intentions. But I would have to think that he'd have at least inquired about Chicago's Luol Deng, should the Bulls elect to break up their team in the wake of Derrick Rose's latest injury. Deng, however, can be a free agent next summer, so there's a risk in trying to obtain a player who can walk after the season.
Hey, Mary: Have you heard of any plans in place to improve the small forward position? It seems that Earl Clark can do everything that Alonzo Gee does, only better. It also seems, however, that Earl Clark is Mike Brown's new Shannon Brown when he inexplicably doesn't play for long stretches of minutes/games. With the three-guard lineups we're putting in during crunch time, it minimizes the need for a traditional small forward. It would just be nice to get some production from that position in our starting unit. -- Matt Dudash, Cincinnati
Hey, Matt: We were just talking to Mike Brown about the small forward spot earlier this week. The starting five is not necessarily made up of the five best players but the five who play the best together. Right now, that unit plays the best when Alonzo Gee is in there, even though he doesn't provide the scoring that a traditional small forward would. Every year since LeBron James left, we've talked about upgrading the small forward position and it would seem to remain on top of the to-do list.
Hey, Mary: The Cavs have been playing well as of late but seem to get no respect from the national media for their efforts. Why is that? -- Kevin McCarty, Akron
Hey, Kevin: Recent developments -- Kyrie Irving ranking No. 2 in the All-Star backcourt voting and being named Eastern Conference player of the week -- have attracted some attention from the national media, as did the great game against Portland. But the Cavs don't really seek that sort of attention so national reporters look elsewhere for their stories.
Hey, Mary: I know the Cavaliers keep saying they won't send Bennett to the D-League, but he is not playing much. He needs playing time to improve, so why not? -- Angelo Costanzo, Cleveland
Hey, Angelo: Right now they think he can learn more by being with the team every day while learning a new position -- small forward.
Hey, Mary: Does anyone other than me have a problem with Kyrie going 1 on 5 the last 5 minutes of games? -- Chris Smith, Cleveland
Hey, Chris: His first two seasons, he was the best option and coach Byron Scott simply turned the ball over to him and told him to make a play at the end of games. As a result, teams are keying on him more this season. I'd like to see him try to share the ball more in those situations instead of feeling he has to do it all on his own.
Hey, Mary: Please tell me that the Cavs are not seriously considering trading Andy for Asik. This guy is a career 5-point, 7-rebound guy who wants to start. How is that an upgrade? -- Howard Boles, Peyton, Colo.
Hey, Howard: NBA general managers seemed to agree with you, and Houston's Thursday deadline passed without any teams biting on Asik. Funny how that works, huh?
Hey, Mary: How are Andrew Bynum's knees responding to all of those minutes? Is he feeling more optimistic lately? -- John Biesterfeldt, Avon
Hey, John: Bynum seems to be coming to terms with the fact that this could be as good as it's going to get for him. Obviously, the Cavs are still struggling to get him the ball consistently, but he has been patient and is trying to make adjustments to make that easier for his teammates. Only he knows if he's willing to continue if he doesn't regain his All-Star form. But the effort he has put in to get to this point has been impressive.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are the 2013 cleveland.com football All-Stars for defense, including a photo slideshow, interview with Defensive Player of the Year Dante Booker Jr. of St. Vincent-St. Mary, videos with each position group, first-team player capsules, honorable mentions and a poll. Tell us what you think of the choices in the comments section below.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are the 2013 cleveland.com football All-Stars for defense, including a photo slideshow, interview with Defensive Player of the Year Dante Booker Jr. of St. Vincent-St. Mary, videos with each position group, first-team player capsules, honorable mentions and a poll.
Tell us what you think of the choices in the comments section below.
Defensive Player of the Year: Dante Booker Jr., St. Vincent-St. Mary
Tucked between the secondary and the line of St. Vincent-St. Mary’s formidable defense is a beast of a linebacker.
His name is Dante Booker Jr. or Ohio’s Mr. Football 2013. He would never go for the latter, though. His father, a former defensive lineman for Auburn, taught him to always be humble.
Humility and hard work brought Dante Booker Jr. success. He’s an Ohio State commit, a two-time state champion. He holds SVSM’s record for career tackles with 418.5. (The previous record was 296.)
Booker, who also plays basketball, was the first Irish player to win Mr. Football. He broke the career sack record of 25 this fall before being passed by Aaron Adkins (31.5).
He has also won the cleveland.com Football Defensive Player of the Year award for 2013.
His deep thinking and humble roots have propelled him to this position in football. It all began when Booker was age 6 or 7.
Here, he reflects on his life and notable high school career, as told to the Northeast Ohio Media Group.
Soon as I could. I can’t remember the age I started playing football but whatever the age that was old enough.
I played every sport, I played basketball, baseball. I was just kind of a little athlete. Both my parents were athletes.
I came in high school and was playing all the sports. I was actually better at baseball. I pitched and played outfield, mostly every position but third.
People kept saying a few times that I could have went into the MLB draft if I stuck with it. Coaches said it. .... I don’t want to brag or nothing but you can ask people. There are stories about me hitting balls.
I don’t know feet, but I was a freshman and we played at Canal Park. I hit it into the canal. I sat there and watched it for a little bit and then it was gone.
I’ll watch all those motivation videos by former NFL linebacker Ray Lewis. They just get you hyped before you got to play. They just make you think about stuff.
Beast mode.
I wouldn’t want to be just a football player. There’s a lot more to it. Football is more than just a game. I’m just trying to use football and see what I can do with everything else, and not let football use me.
I like helping people. I like to help people and see what I can do for them. I like making people happy and I just use football to do as much as I can.
I’m just trying to make everything around me a better place to be.
My dad always said to play with a motor. Never stop. Always play hard no matter what. Don’t take plays off.
St.V was kind of the perfect place for me to go to. Not just me but all the guys. The type of people we are. What we’re trying to accomplish and get to college. I think it definitely taught me some stuff being in a Catholic school that also helped just always instill in me the faith and all that.
We have probably one of the best defenses. Stat wise we’re probably one of the best teams or defenses to go through an undefeated season.
There are a lot of words I could use for the awards but I played on such a good defense I think somebody had to get recognized and I was glad that somebody did and I could take those awards and accept it as a whole.
Right now the first thing in front of me is basketball, then the Army All-American game and that’s really all I can see right now. I played basketball last year and I kind of had to play this year because we lost the state championship game. I couldn’t do that. Couldn’t bear the thought of that.
Losing. That word is a little different now. I definitely don’t like it. Definitely don’t like the feeling. I couldn’t imagine if we lost in football. We lost two games last year. 13-2. But we went undefeated this year at 15-0. That’s what our goal was.
It was the Massillon game last year. That was the last game we lost. Fireworks were going off. Sitting in the locker room, everyone was just feeling like we don’t ever want to feel this feeling again. And we never did. We started winning 21 games ago.
-- Stephanie Kuzydym
2013 FOOTBALL DEFENSE ALL-STARS
Berger
Kent Berger, Mentor, DL, Sr.
Height, weight: 6-4, 220.
College: Committed to Ohio.
This season: One of the forces up front for Mentor's stingy defense, Berger recorded 36 solo tackles and assisted on 21 more, including 11 tackles for loss. But it was the pressure Berger was able to apply to opposing quarterbacks that made him stand out. Berger was credited with 22 quarterback hurries and registered seven sacks totaling 33 yards lost.
You might not know: Berger is the champion of "Mario Party" on Nintendo 64. "Nobody can beat me," he said. "My high score is 10 stars and 200 coins."
Henderson
Joe Henderson, Shaker Heights, DL, Sr.
Height, weight: 6-4, 230.
College: Committed to Tennessee.
This season: Totaled 52 tackles, including 21 for loss and 14.5 quarterback sacks and 21 QB pressures on a team that went 6-5 and returned to the Division I playoffs for the first time since 2005. A towering presence on the defensive line, Henderson forced three fumbles and was credited with seven passes defended.
You might not know: Henderson can do a backflip with no hands. And he's not shy about doing flips anywhere. "People tend to not believe it because I'm 6-4, 230," he said. "They say I'm too big, but then I do it and they go crazy."
King
Tyler King, St. Edward, DL, Sr.
Height, weight: 6-3, 265.
College: Committed to Bowling Green.
This season: A three-year starter on both sides of the ball, King made it nearly impossible for opposing backs to run against the Eagles. While occupying constant double teams, King registered 32 tackles, including six tackles for loss and three quarterback sacks. An athletic big man, King also collected an interception.
You might not know: King wears jersey No. 66 because his father, Dan, wore No. 99 for St Edward in the 1990s. "I picked 66 because it's 99 flipped upside down," he said.
Morgan-Cunningham
Jon Morgan-Cunningham, Bedford, DL, Sr.
Height, weight: 5-11, 165.
College: Committed to Kent State.
This season: Facing his team's biggest challenge of the season in a playoff matchup against Glenville, Morgan-Cunningham was the one player the Tarblooders could not stop. Morgan-Cunningham stood out with a quarterback sack, two tackles for loss and constant pressure on the Glenville signal caller throughout the game.
You might not know: Morgan-Cunningham writes lots of poetry and short stories for fun, and is an animal lover. "I have a soft heart for animals," he said. Particularly his Labradoodle, Zoe.
Booker Jr.
Dante Booker Jr., St. Vincent-St. Mary, LB, Sr.
Height, weight: 6-3, 212.
College: Committed to Ohio State.
This season: Selected as Ohio's Mr. Football for 2013, Booker had an outstanding season, helping the Irish to a second consecutive Division III state title. Booker totaled 116.5 tackles, 23 for loss, 6.5 sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
You might not know: Booker and his teammates ate Chipotle every Thursday before games this season. Mr. Football's favorite? A burrito bowl with double steak, hot sauce and corn salsa. "You get more (food) when you order the bowl," Booker said. "It's comfort food."
Kamczyc
Conner Kamczyc, Elyria, LB, Sr.
Height, weight: 6-1, 219.
College: Undecided.
This season: He had 177 tackles, including 21 for loss and six quarterback sacks. Kamczyc played all over the field, collecting two interceptions, three fumble recoveries and a blocked punt.
You might not know: Kamczyc models his game after pro linebackers Ray Lewis and Patrick Willis. "It's their aggressive style of play and the way that they're always around the ball," Kamczyc said.
Baker
Jerome Baker, Benedictine, LB, Jr.
Height, weight: 6-1, 202.
College: Undecided.
This season: Baker finished the regular season with 1,032 yards and 18 touchdowns on offense, but it was his defensive dominance as the Bengals made a run deep into the playoffs that made scouts take notice.
You might not know: Baker wears jersey number 4 to honor his late grandmother, Grace, who passed away in 2004. "She was a big influence in my life," Baker said. "She always taught me to love and care for other people. I always remember those big kisses she used to give me."
Crawford
Shaun Crawford, St. Edward, DB, Jr.
Height, weight: 5-9, 168.
College: Committed to Michigan.
This season: Crawford distinguished himself with big games against the Eagles' biggest opponents. In a Week 9 upset of eventual Division I state champion Cincinnati Moeller, he led a defense that shut down the Crusaders in the second half, leading to a thrilling St. Edward rally.
You might not know: Crawford considers himself a better basketball player than football player. "My favorite player is Dwyane Wade," he said. Crawford quit playing hoops in junior high, but says with a chuckle he could still go out and average 15-17 points a game.
Smith
Erick Smith, Glenville, DB, Sr.
Height, weight: 6-2, 185.
College: Undecided.
This season: Playing nearly every snap on offense, defense and special teams, Smith made his presence known each week with a dazzling array of catches, tackles and pass deflections. In leading Glenville to its second state title game appearance, Smith was able to neutralize the opponent's leading receiver throughout the playoffs.
You might not know: Smith's favorite video game is "Madden 25." "I like the graphics and the way the players move," he said. Smith always plays with the Bengals because he likes Giovani Bernard. "I don't lose in Madden."
Lattimore
Marshon Lattimore, Glenville, DB, Sr.
Height, weight: 6-0, 178.
College: Undecided.
This season: Lattimore's play on both sides of the ball is a key reason the Tarblooders reached the state title game. Had 10 receiving touchdowns, three special teams scores and one interception to go along with two pass break-ups during the regular season. Also caught 22 passes for 437 yards and eight TDs. He is rated No. 3 nationally at the athlete position according to Rivals.com. He is also among six finalists for the U.S. Army player of the year award.
You might not know: Lattimore's favorite video game is "NBA 2K13." He plays with the Heat and LeBron James and regularly defeats his younger brother and Glenville teammates.
Zuccaro
John Zuccaro, Hudson, DB, Sr.
Height, weight: 5-11, 165.
College: Undecided.
This season: Led all Division I players in Ohio with nine interceptions, upping his career total to 17. A scrappy player with a nose for the ball, the Explorers captain helped lead a defense that held opponents to 14 points or fewer in eight of 12 games.
You might not know: Zuccaro can do a handstand and walk on his hands. He learned to do it a year ago while goofing off around the house. "There was no real reason," he said. "I was doing pushups and just figured out I could do it."
Knoll
Mike Knoll, Walsh Jesuit, P, Sr.
Height, weight: 6-1, 200.
College: Committed to Boston College.
This season: A two-year standout kicker and punter for the Warriors, Knoll had his best game on the biggest stage. In a Week 10 matchup against rival Archbishop Hoban, Knoll managed to down a crucial kick inside the Knights' 2-yard line to help his team preserve a 20-14 win.
You might not know: Knoll is a huge Backstreet Boys fan. Though he's never seen the group perform live, he has been a fan for a long time. He doubts the Backstreet Boys would ever get air time on the stereo in the Walsh Jesuit locker room, though. "The coaches would never allow that," he said.
-- Joe Noga
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Defensive line
Chris Keane, St. Ignatius; Dre’Mont Jones, St. Ignatius; Nico Lautanen, Mentor; Mike Jayjack, North Royalton; Rashod Berry, Lorain; Troy Lang, Brecksville-Broadview Heights; Kyle Kuhar, Avon Lake; Jacob Ivery, Ellet; Nyck Grayson, Nordonia; Jake Hartman, Padua; Kareem Haddix, Lake Catholic; Aaron Adkins, St. Vincent-St. Mary; Tony Adkins, St. Vincent-St. Mary; Matt Merimee, Benedictine; Canon Schroeder, Kirtland.
Linebacker
Troy Dipre, St. Edward; Dameon Willis, St. Ignatius; Justin McMahon, Mentor; Nick Winkler, Kirtland; Ben Hart, Hudson; Matt Beech, Stow; Elijah Galloway, Brunswick; Alex Woicehovich, Nordonia; Bryan DiCillo, Walsh Jesuit; Jay Rose, Brecksville-Broadview Heights; Derek Eibon, Amherst; Mike Hansinger, Olmsted Falls; Ross Dawson, Riverside; James Friedl, Highland; Matt Geer, Ellet; Matt Sommers, Kent Roosevelt; John Sensibaugh, Solon; Newman Williams, St. Vincent-St. Mary; CJ Yonek, Padua; Sam Gambatese, Kenston; D’Angelo James, Archbishop Hoban; John Beavers, Manchester; Brandon Williams, Woodridge; Parker Berzin, Gilmour; Ben Huff, Cuyahoga Heights; Ricky Simcic, Madison.
Defensive back
Brian Groves, Stow; Ryan Looser, Wadsworth; Pat Riley, St. Edward; Zach Robinson, Elyria; Kollyn Crenshaw, Solon; Eriq Hall, Lorain; Denzel Ward, Nordonia; Wyatt Ohm, Avon Lake; Curt Williams, West Geauga; Anthony Cantanzriti, Chardon; Ishmael Hargrove, Gilmour; Ryan Loncar, Kirtland; Trent Gallo, Cuyahoga Heights.
Punter
Zach Parker, Brunswick; Mike Muzic, Mentor; Adam Horvat, Riverside.
-- Tim Bielik, David Cassilo, Mark Kern, Stephanie Kuzydym, Bill Landis, Joe Noga, Scott Patsko, Robert Rozboril of the Northeast Ohio Media Group
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are the 2013 cleveland.com football All-Stars for offense, highlighted by Offensive Player of the Year Conner Krizancic from Mentor. See below for a feature on Krizancic, first-team player capsules, videos, a poll and honorable mentions. Tell us what you think of the choices in the comments section below.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are the 2013 cleveland.com football All-Stars for offense, highlighted by Offensive Player of the Year Conner Krizancic from Mentor. See below for a feature on Krizancic, first-team player capsules, videos, a poll and honorable mentions.
Tell us what you think of the choices in the comments section below.
Offensive Player of the Year: Conner Krizancic, Mentor
Conner Krizancic always knew in the back of his mind that he would be Mentor’s quarterback during his senior season.
He just didn’t know how good he would be.
In his first season as a varsity quarterback, Krizancic exceeded his own expectations, leading the Cardinals to the Division I state title game while throwing for 3,230 yards and 32 touchdowns. He also ran for 1,455 yards and 23 touchdowns.
Was there a transition period? Sure. Krizancic hadn’t played quarterback since his freshman year of high school. But after a few weeks, he got comfortable, and put up numbers worthy of receiving cleveland.com’s Offensive Player of the Year for the 2013 football season.
Here, he reflects on his life and notable high school career, as told to the Northeast Ohio Media Group.
That just felt funny to me to be at quarterback. The guys weren’t used to me throwing the ball and my arm was not ready, it wasn’t strong enough.
I think in practice I was a little afraid to throw the long ball. If he wasn’t open, I was gonna tuck it under and run the ball. I think I grew into comfort throwing the long passes.
It was hard for me to stay in the pocket early on and trust my O-line, but once I realized how much time I really had it was easy to stay in there and make plays downfield.
As a receiver I probably watched film once a week if I wasn’t in season. Seven months from the season I’m watching film three times per week, I’ve never done that before, but I think it helped me a ton.
I don’t know if many people know how good of friends Mitch Trubisky and I are. We were definitely best friends for the last five years. I talked to him a bunch at the beginning of the year. He’d always ask me how I was doing. Mitch helped me a ton and told me to stay confident and everything would come together. (Trubisky was Mentor's former QB and won Mr. Football last season).
Our own receivers were asking me, ‘Hey how do you think you’ll do this year?’ and I was like, ‘Over a 1,000 yards passing I’ll be happy.’ I never could have expected this.
I know people don’t like him off the field, but I love Johnny Manziel. He’s the background on my phone. I just love watching him play. He’s amazing and that’s what I was trying to be at quarterback.
No plays off.
I don’t know when this started but I just knock on my knee pad before every play. It’s like knocking on wood, but I don’t have any wood. I don’t know why I do that.
I can adapt to new situations. Learn to be comfortable outside my comfort zone. It was tough moving to from receiver to quarterback at the beginning of the year, but I loved it at the end and I grew very comfortable.
2013 FOOTBALL OFFENSE ALL-STARS
Krizancic
Conner Krizancic, Mentor, QB, Sr.
Height, weight: 6-2, 195.
College: Committed to Cincinnati.
This season: Krizancic led the Cardinals to the state title game in his first season as a quarterback. The Mr. Football finalist completed 229 of 379 passes for 3,230 yards, 32 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He also rushed for 1,455 yards and 23 touchdowns.
You might not know: Krizancic claims to be a great "Call of Duty" player. “I just got the Xbox One, so I’ve been playing it a lot since the season ended,” he said.
Campbell Jr.
Parris Campbell Jr., St. Vincent-St. Mary, RB, Sr.
Height, weight: 6-0, 181.
College: Committed to Ohio State.
This season: Campbell was a key offensive piece for the Irish during their repeat state championship season and 15-0 record. A threat to bust a big play every time he touched the ball, he rushed for 1,647 yards and 22 touchdowns on 186 carries.
You might not know: Campbell’s favorite food is his grandmother’s lasagna. “I try to eat it the night before every game,” he said.
Kukura
Sam Kukura, Kirtland, RB, Sr.
Height, weight: 5-10, 200.
College: Undecided.
This season: Another big play threat, Kukura averaged better than 12 yards per carry en route to leading the Hornets to their second state title in three seasons. He finished the year with 145 carries for 1,765 yards and 27 touchdowns.
You might not know: Kukrua loves to fish with his dad. “We caught a big, 70-pound Amber Jack in Key West, Fla., two years ago,” he said.
Daugherty
Eddie Daugherty, Mentor, RB/WR, Jr.
Height, weight: 5-6, 165.
College: Undecided.
This season: Daugherty did a little bit of everything for the Cardinals in their run to the state title game, finishing with 101 receptions for 1,160 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also rushed for 891 yards and seven touchdowns on 111 carries, and completed 4 of 4 pass attempts for four touchdowns.
You might not know: Daugherty loves to play hide and seek with his offensive teammates. "I'm probably the best at hide and seek in the entire world," he said.
Fritts
Brandon Fritts, Mentor, WR, Sr.
Height, weight: 6-4, 210.
College: Committed to North Carolina.
This season: The biggest target in Mentor’s high-flying offense, Fritts caught 69 passes for 1,164 yards and 13 touchdowns during the run to the Division I state final.
You might not know: Fritts claims he is secretly in a relationship with singer Miley Cyrus. "She's beautiful," he said. "My favorite song is 'Wrecking Ball.'"
Stump
Alex Stump, St. Edward, WR, Jr.
Height, weight: 6-3, 195.
College: Undecided.
This season: The Eagles' top receiving threat, Stump had a standout junior season. He caught 57 passes for 987 yards and 14 touchdowns.
You might not know: Stump loves candy. A lot. Skittles. He eats them one-by-one. There are no favorites among the flavors. He's loved them all his life. "I've been eating Skittles since the day I was born," he said.
Bowen
Ja’Merez Bowen, Shaker Heights, OL, Sr.
Height, weight: 6-3, 290.
College: Undecided.
This season: Bowen, who is getting looks from a slew of Division I programs, helped pave the way for a pair of 1,000-yard rushers this season.
You might not know: Bowen can dunk a basketball. He dunked for the first time in ninth grade with both hands.
Byrne
Jimmy Byrne, St. Ignatius, OL, Sr.
Height, weight: 6-4, 295.
College: Committed to Notre Dame.
This season: Byrne anchored an offensive line that helped the Wildcats rush for more than 1,500 yards and allowed only 12 sacks all season.
You might not know: Byrne watches "Keeping up with the Kardashians" religiously. "My favorite Kardashian is Kendall," he said. Byrne doesn't miss an episode on Sundays after he started watching with his sister a few years ago.
Jones
Marcelys Jones, Glenville, OL, Sr.
Height, weight: 6-4, 354.
College: Committed to Ohio State.
This season: Jones was part of a strong offensive line that gave Glenville’s stars room to operate. Helped Glenville reach the Division II state championship game.
Oxley
Ben Oxley, Avon Lake, OL, Sr.
Height, weight: 6-6, 260.
College: Committed to Northwestern.
This season: The two-way lineman helped pave the way for an Avon Lake team that thrived on running the football. Helped the Shoremen qualify for the Division II playoffs.
You might not know: Oxley secretly dreams of performing on "Saturday Night Live." "I'm gifted when it comes to doing impressions," he said.
Pruehs
Jake Pruehs, St. Edward, OL, Sr.
Height, weight: 6-2, 250.
College: Committed to Ohio.
This season: Pruehs was a key piece of an offensive line that blocked for one of the area’s most high-powered offenses. Helped the Eagles to the Division I state semifinals.
You might not know: Pruehs is related to Cleveland Browns legend Otto Graham. "I kinda kept growing until I was too big to be a quarterback, though," he said.
Colella
Matt Colella, St. Ignatius, K, Sr.
Height, weight: 5-9, 155.
College: Undecided.
This season: During a season in which the Wildcats struggled for points at times, Colella provided a boost, connecting on 13 field goals and going 38 for 39 on extra points. He hit a season-long 52-yard field goal in Week 7 against Eastern Christian Academy (Md.), kicked three field goals in a Week 8 win over St. Edward and kicked the game-winning field goal in overtime against Lawrence Central (Ind.) in Week 6.
You might not know: Colella plays a variety of instruments, including guitar, ukulele and keyboards. His favorite song to play is "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd. And his most challenging song to play is Floyd's "Time."
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Quarterback
Jay Banyasz, Columbia; George Bollas, Aurora; Stephen Borgman, Orange; Cody Callaway, Midview; Tommy Glenn, Avon; Mitch Guadagni, Hudson; Brett Keane, St. Edward; Bruce Kinsey, Highland; Connor Krause, West Geauga; Matt Lowry, Rocky River; Jordan Martin, Cuyahoga Heights; David Murray, Nordonia; Bradley Novak, North Olmsted; Quan Robinson, Glenville; JoVaughn Scott, Richmond Heights; Sam Skilljan, Kirtland; Tim Tupa, Brecksville-Broadview Heights; Tre'Von Williams, Villa Angela-St. Joseph.
Running back
Davon Anderson, Glenville; Kahri Anderson, Hawken; Marcus Bagley, Cleveland Heights; Brandon Berry, Mogadore; Kiylan Bugg, Oberlin; Marcus Caddiell, Kent Roosevelt; Gerett Choat, Avon; Jordan Connell, Elyria; Dalvon Davidson, Woodridge; Brandon Davis, Madison; Andrew Dowell, St. Edward; Jake Fling, Norton; Rodell Golphin, Gilmour; Antwain Hamilton, Solon; Alex Harris, Highland; Adam Hess, Kirtland; Martice Jackson, Wadsworth; Jumarr Lewis, Elyria; Vince Lockett, St. Vincent-St. Mary; DeMario McCall, North Ridgeville; Aaron Neal, Lorain; Jordan Nobles, Nordonia; Rameses Owens, Shaker Heights; Justin Rankin, Elyria Catholic; Devine Redding, Glenville; Marvelle Ross, Villa Angela-St. Joseph; Andrew Vaughn, Black River; Brycen Wise, Independence.
Wide receiver
Alex Alders, Nordonia; Ryan Bailey, Mayfield; Dorian Baker, Cleveland Heights; Lance Billings, Clearview; Logan Bolin, Midview; Dylan Caruso, Willoughby South; Pat Connors, Rocky River; Tyler Cruickshank, Villa Angela-St. Joseph; David Dowell, St. Edward; Tyler Edmiston, Columbia; Braeden Friss, Avon; Jake Flinn, Stow; Tyler Gallo, Cuyahoga Heights; Andrew Gray, Chardon; Rhonald Houston, Orange; Jack Hyland, St. Ignatius; Matt Iammarino, Chagrin Falls; Cory Moncol, Highland; Ugochukwu Onunwar, Brush; Corey Plavcan, Mentor; Rhys Ratino, Avon; Michael Siragusa, St. Ignatius; Julio Stevens, Beachwood; Jake Tersigni, Archbishop Hoban; Tyler Tupa, Brecksville-Broadview Heights; Colton Whited, Hudson.
Offensive line
Andrew Balkovec, West Geauga; Darius Bradford, Elyria; Alex Conley, Walsh Jesuit; Mike Cymbal, Kirtland; Dylan Diemer, Kirtland; Tony Gaydos, Mayfield; Hussain Hamdan, Ellet; Jake Hanzel, Manchester; Brandon Heidecker, Columbia; Myles Houska, Highland; Kovas Kijauskas, Villa Angela-St. Joseph; Joe Lowery, Tallmadge; Zeke Martin, Medina; Mitch Morrison, Mentor; Walter Rauterkus, Avon; Kyle Ritz, Willoughby South; Dakota Tallman, Elyria Catholic; DeAngelo Ware, Cleveland Heights; Justin Wazbinski, Aurora; Stan Zalewski, Kent Roosevelt
Kicker
Bobby Bukovec, Chardon; Pierce Royster, Hudson; Ed Shelley, Chagrin Falls; Eric Sumislawksi, Avon.
-- Tim Bielik, David Cassilo, Mark Kern, Stephanie Kuzydym, Bill Landis, Joe Noga, Scott Patsko, Robert Rozboril of the Northeast Ohio Media Group
Contact high school sports reporter Bill Landis by email (blandis@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@blandis25). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.
Join cleveland.com's pregame coverage online, starting at 11 a.m., as they preview the Browns-Jets matchup and talk fantasy football.
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey -- The Cleveland Browns travel to New Jersey to face the New York Jets as the Browns play the first of their last two games of the regular season.
The Browns lead this all-time series 12-8 and have won the last two games played on the Jets' home field. However, New York won the last time they met, 26-20 in Cleveland on November 14, 2010.
Today, at 11 a.m., watch cleveland.com's live coverage of the matchup, as Mary Kay Cabot, Tom Reed and Glenn Moore preview today's game at MetLife Stadium. Then at 11:20 a.m., Chris Fedor will give you his analysis on who should start and sit in your fantasy football leagues.
You can watch both shows before in the video player and voice your opinions in the comments section below.
Mingo has been a disappointment for the Browns. But I have to confess that my picks for the Browns -- Dee Milliner and Jarvis Jones -- have also had rough rookie years.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Scribbles in my Browns notebook as they prepare to face the New York Jets:
1. I checked my memory and some old notes, and discovered my idea for the Browns No. 6 pick in the 2013 draft was Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner. I went with Milliner knowing that he had several health issues. But I also thought he could be a Joe Haden-type cornerback.
2. The Browns thought otherwise, selecting Barkevious Mingo. Before dealing with Mingo, it's worth checking on Milliner as the Browns face the Jets today. After all, if you second-guess another guy's pick -- then you also must consider your own selection. That's especially true at the top of the draft where it's easy to find information and video of players.
3. Milliner has played 78 percent of the snaps, and he's struggled trying to replace Darrelle Revis. Quarterbacks have a 108.6 rating throwing in his area. He's allowed six touchdowns, and the average catch against him has gone for 16 yards. He does not have an interception. Three times, he has been taken out of games because he's struggled in coverage.
4. By comparison, here are the quarterback ratings against the Browns top three cornerbacks: Joe Haden (76.7), Buster Skrine (90.3) and Chris Owens (96.5). Owens has been waived and is now with Miami. The disappointing part is Haden has allowed six touchdowns, Skrine has given up seven. All these numbers come from Profootballfocus.
5. So my pick for the Browns would have been a rookie cornerback who has had a lot problems this season.
6. As for Mingo, he has to be considered somewhat of a disappointment. He is second on the team in sacks. The leaders are Jabaal Sheard (5.5), Mingo (5.0), Paul Kruger (4.5) and Desmond Bryant (3.5). Mingo has only two sacks in his last 10 games.
7. The Browns have stats called "quarterback harassments," which combines sacks, quarterback hits, hurries and plays the coaches consider having a negative impact on the quarterback attempting to pass. Here is where Mingo should be making more of an impact. Desmond Bryant (32) leads and he has missed the last two games. Next are Kruger (20), Sheard (15), Phil Taylor (12) and Mingo (12).
8. Consider that Mingo has played 594 snaps (out of a possible 1021) this season. Rookie Armonty Bryant has played only 157 snaps -- but he has 11 "quarterback harassments," one fewer than Mingo. Fans have been rightly critical of Kruger, but the Browns coaches say he grades very well against the run. You don't hear them say much about Mingo in that department. A few of the longer runs against the Browns this season have been when Mingo out of position. One was a 54-yarder to Bufgfalo's C.J. Spiller. He also blew a blocking assignment on a punt that led to a blocked punt in the Bengals game.
9. Mingo is quick, but he has had problems switching from a 4-3 defensive end to a 3-4 outside linebacker. Originally, the concern was pass coverage. But he has struggled with run defense. I was concerned about the choice of Mingo because it's often hard for a player to switch from defensive end in college to outside linebacker in the pros, although some have made the adjustment very well.
10. The other player I wrote about for the Browns (besides Milliner) was Jarvis Jones. The Steelers picked him. Like Mingo, he was supposed to be a pass-rush specialist. Jones has one sack and 30 tackles. Patience does come into play, as Mingo and others need time to develop. But I must confess that my idea for the Browns was no better than what the Browns did in the first round.
11. Geno Smith was available in the first round, but the Jets quarterback makes Brandon Weeden look good. His 21 interceptions and his tendency to fumble have led to a miserable year.
12. I picked the Browns to win this game. Not really sure why. These two teams are a combined 1-9 in the last 10 games. Someone has to win.
Kent State wins on the road to lift its record to 9-2 on the season; Cleveland State's defense is a bright spot in the Vikings loss at Toledo while Akron plays on the Big Island this evening, perhaps in front of TPOTUS.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After 17 days without playing a game, Kent State looked like a team that took nearly three weeks off even in victory over College of Charleston on the road Saturday. While in defeat, Cleveland State's defense draws praise at Toledo.
And Akron goes into tournament action 7:30 p.m. tonight, ESPNU, in the Diamond Head Classic.
Kent State (9-2) - After scoring just 17 points in the first half, and still leading, KSU pulled out a 58-54 victory over the Cougars as guard Kris Brewer, who struggled with aching knees before the long break, scored 20 points to lead the Golden Flashes.
"Our kids had just enough resolve and fight, and we made just enough plays at the end,'' head coach Rob Senderoff told the media after the game. "And Kris Brewer was fantastic in the second half.''
Yet peeling the onion of victory that lifted Kent to 9-2 on the season shows the Flashes are still very much a team in search of itself. Senderoff had a new starting lineup with 6-9 senior Melvin Tabb at power forward and sophomore Kellen Thomas at guard.
The moves were apparently made in hopes of jump starting the enigmatic Tabb, while Thomas freed Brewer of point guard duties to concentrate more on scoring. The results would be considered mixed as Tabb played 12 minutes with six points and two rebounds.
Brewer clearly scored, but Thomas, who had been a consistent scorer and playmaker off the bench, struggled. With two games left before conference play Senderoff has to make some final decisions, soon.
Cleveland State (6-6) - The Vikings did almost everything they could on the road at undefeated Toledo, but just could not pull out the victory in the end of a 71-67 loss. The final outcome aside, the only real negative was Toledo mugging the Vikings on the boards, 45-34, including a whopping 21 offensive rebounds.
However, Cleveland State's defense held the high-scoring Rockets well under their 88 ppg average going into the contest, and well under UT's 51 percent shooting average. Toledo shot a season-low 36.5 percent against the Vikings, including a miserly 3-for-18 on 3-pointers.
CSU employed a unique 1-1-3 zone defense that Toledo players and coaches said made a huge difference in the game.
"A weird zone,'' said forward J.D. Weatherspoon, who led Toledo with 18 points. "Not a lot of open gaps. We couldn't find any (open) spots in it."
Toledo head coach Todd Kowalczyk said, "we struggled against their unique zone." But also said he was never worried as the undefeated (11-0) Rockets kept their slate clean.
UT had a 14-point lead in the first half against CSU and lost it. Led, 42-37 at halftime, only to see the Vikings take the lead again in the second half. Then watched as CSU had the ball at the end with less than 10-seconds to play and a chance for victory, only to turn it over without getting a shot off.
"We didn't play well offensively for the first time all year,'' Kowalczyk said. "But I felt the whole game we had control of the game.''
Along with the defense, there was another silver lining for Cleveland State, as the Vikings have two non-conference games left before Horizon League play begins. Ismaila Dauda, the 6-10, 250-pound junior college transfer played some quality minutes for CSU which bodes well for the future.
"I though he was paramount for us,'' CSU head coach Gary Waters said.
With 6-8 sophomore Anton Grady once again getting into early foul trouble the emergence of Dauda is a positive sign going forward for the Vikings.
Akron Zips (5-2) - The Zips put their four-game winning streak on the line tonight against Oregon State (6-2), which has won three straight and is coached by president Barack Obama's Brother-in-Law, Craig Robinson. With the president and his family taking their annual Christmas break at his Hawaiian home, there is speculation the Zips will be playing in front of a lot of secret service along with family and friends who made the trip.
Here's a look at what you need to know ahead of Sunday's game. And don't miss Sunday's wall-to-wall coverage, including Chris Fedor's fantasy football preview and our pregame show in the morning; live chat in the comments and our running blog during the game; and full postgame coverage with our entire team
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Cleveland Browns will try to capitalize on the Jets' recent defensive issues and record their first victory since beating the Ravens on Nov. 3.
They blew a fourth-quarter lead for the third straight game Sunday, falling 38-31 to Chicago. Cleveland has lost at least 10 games in six straight seasons.
"It's very disappointing, very disappointing," said cornerback Joe Haden, "especially when you have a team that you know that can win. It's frustrating, but you always try to stay positive, you always try to look ahead and we still got two more games left."
The Browns may be without Haden for at least one of those games, as he's nursing a hip pointer.
Jordan Cameron's status is also unclear after he suffered a concussion against the Bears. The tight end leads the Browns with 75 receptions in a breakout season that includes career highs of 848 yards and seven touchdowns.
"As bad as we want him to be out there with us playing on the field, I care more for his health and his safety," said quarterback Jason Campbell, who completed 23 of 39 passes for 273 yards with one touchdown and two INTs last week.
Here's a look at what you need to know ahead of Sunday's game. And don't miss Sunday's wall-to-wall coverage, including Chris Fedor's fantasy football preview and our pregame show in the morning; live chat in the comments and our running blog during the game; and full postgame coverage with our entire team.
