A second return -- of Kyrie Irving to the Cavs' lineup -- boosts the Cavs in the year of the The Retuun of the King.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The NBA East belongs to the Cavaliers now, but LeBron James was unsatisfied as he spoke about "unfinished business" Tuesday night.
This will be the fifth straight NBA Finals for James, the latest coming, of course, in the first year of the Return of the King.
The "unfinished business" is the championship fans here have waited for since 1964, a half-century. But it also refers to James' legacy. It is much bigger, much sweeter and more redemptive, when a local guy leads his hometown team to a championship, especially if he has first renounced the area.
A vague parallel is Wilt Chamberlain, leading the 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers to a championship over the city to which the original franchise had relocated, San Francisco. The old Philadelphia Warriors, however, had won the NBA championship in 1955-56. The Eagles had also won the NFL championship in 1960.
Kyrie Irving's unfinished, but finally resumed, business is extremely important in its own way. It involves questions about being "all in," about playing hurt and the strength of the covenant between teammates.
Irving had missed the second and third games of the Atlanta series, playing barely more than a quarter in the clinching game against Chicago, barely more than a half in the opener of the Eastern Conference Finals.
In the latter, his ability to hit the 3-pointer and his floor command were significant aids to his team, as he scored 10 points and amassed six assists.
Questions about Irving "resilience" and "drive" have been raised elsewhere, but not here. The feeling here is that it is difficult to underestimate the pride of professional athletes.
As I wrote at the end of the column posted immediately after the only riveting game of the Atlanta series, the third: "Why wouldn't Irving want to play, if he is able, in the kind of games in which he's always dreamed of playing, especially with James playing like this?"
I changed that ending for the final online version, however, to focus solely on James after he finally spoke to media members shortly after 1 a.m., due to his extensive post-game recuperation.
The Chicago Bulls, who so far have given the Cavs by far their toughest test, might have won that six-game series with Pau Gasol coming back sooner than he did. After hurting his hamstring in the third game, Gasol missed the next two games entirely and played sparingly in the sixth.
Gasol had a history of caution with his body when he played with the Lakers. Old stereotypes about "soft" European players followed him like a bad habit.
In Irving's case, 40 minutes in the previous four games looked odd with James talking about "playing till exhaustion" after the overtime third game against the Hawks.
Iman Shumpert said after that game, "(James) wasn't the only one cramping. We had a couple of other guys cramping up. I was definitely included. The cooling tub is our best friend right now."
It seemed odd for the Cavs not to have brought Irving to the formal interviews Tuesday night after the sweep. His spectacular return with 16 points and five assists in 22 minutes was as important as James' getting one series victory away from making the absolute most of his homecoming.
It was also odd that coach David Blatt, while lauding Irving for playing "fabulously" and "beautifully," cast his return in terms of relieving the team's cult hero, Matthew Dellavedova.
"Delly barely could get up off the bench today. He was very sick. And Kyrie playing -- not only the fact that he performed so well. We know that Kyrie is one of the top basketball players in the world. We needed his minutes. We needed him out there because Delly, as well as he played, he didn't have a whole lot more in him," Blatt said.
Blatt hates when interviewers try to put words in his mouth, but it is not hard to read between the lines and see that Blatt is glad to put behind the team the growing questions about Irving's absence.
"He was impactful. But it's a lot bigger than that," Blatt said. "The fact that he came back to play, the fact that he wanted so badly to be a part of us winning this series and being able to move forward. He wanted so much to be with his guys and to contribute."
Then the coach came right out with it.
"It was good for the guys, too," said Blatt. "It was good for the guys to see Ky out there."
In a rebuke to critics who don't how how hard it is to compete at an elite level, James said: "The only people who can talk about it -- one of my best quotes or favorite quotes of all time is Theodore Roosevelt. It's called the 'Man in the Arena'. It's basically about, if you've never sweat or bled or been in an arena and having the dust go up in your face and never battled, you have no idea what it takes to be in the arena."
James' sidekick is back, limited still, but dusty and testing battle again.
Cleveland State basketball coach Gary Waters points to the future following unexpected transfers of two key players, and an assistant coach.
CLEVELAND -- Cleveland State basketball coach Gary Waters is not despondent, but is hard at work looking to find new pieces to his puzzle. It was not that long ago when he believed CSU had the ingredients for a special team this coming season.
"A potential Sweet 16 team with Bryn (Forbes), Anton (Grady) and Trey (Lewis),'' he said.
With the transfer loss of Forbes after the 2014 season and unexpected losses of Lewis and Grady following the season as fifth-year transfers, the Vikings are still on the hunt to fill their roster.
"We're still recruiting,'' Waters said. "We still need a big kid, that's a key factor. We're looking at a fifth-year guy, a high school kid and a JC (junior college) kid. If we find another guard that we like, a transfer maybe, we could go in that direction, too.''
Waters will spend the rest of this week at a Nike coaches retreat, then look to close the books on recruiting and his next assistant.
"The first two weekends in June we'll have some kids in. I don't want to make a hasty decision, because this won't be fixed overnight."
Forbes departure for Michigan State was in part to be closer to his ailing sister. But Lewis and Grady leaving after this past season was unexpected. They took advantage of the NCAA rule that allows players who have graduated to transfer and play immediately, somewhere else.
For accomplished players such as Grady (13.7 points) and Lewis (16.7 points), major college programs looking for a quick fix are always waiting. Grady left for Wichita State and Lewis for Louisville. Their loss was compounded by the loss of the Vikings lead recruiter in Ohio, assistant coach Jermaine Kimbrough. He left for a new experience as an assistant at Nevada.
Suddenly, it is rebuilding mode, yet Waters is surprisingly upbeat. The administrative search committee is reviewing the assistants list and interviews will be done there the first of June as well.
"We're young, but we have some size and some length, and this freshman class coming in may be one of our most talented yet,'' he said. "This group reminds me of those young Kent State teams. I think we can surprise some people. Give these kids an opportunity and see where we go."
If true, that bodes well for a winning season. But even the ever optimistic coach is not proclaiming his original vision -- a Sweet 16 team -- is still in sight.
"We can cut it any way you want,'' Waters said. "We still lost a lot of talent. Including Charlie (Lee) and Marlin (Mason), that's four starters from last season. They all graduated, but it has cost us."
See the 2015 boys tennis district brackets for Northeast Ohio.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Ohio State High School Athletic Association released the boys tennis state pairings on Tuesday. Here is a list of the first round pairings that begin at 9 a.m. on Friday and continues on Saturday.
DIVISION I
Columbus
Where: Ohio State University Varsity Tennis Courts 2491 Olentangy River Road in Columbus; Rain Facility-Elysium Tennis Center 7637 Commerce Place in Plain City.
When: Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. with Division II singles players followed by Division I singles players and then doubles teams.
Schools represented: Avon, Canfield, Cloverleaf, Copley, Dublin Coffman, Dublin Scioto, Findlay, Hilliard Bradley, Holland Springfield, Kenston, Lewis Center Olentangy, Mason, Massillon Jackson, New Albany, St. Edward, St. Ignatius, St. Xavier, Sycamore, Toledo St. John’s Jesuit, Upper Arlington, Vandalia Butler, Westlake, Willoughby South.
Round 1 singles pairings: Bryan Yoshino (COF) vs. Austin Hanna (CLO), Nathan Griffin (STI) vs. Andrew Niehaus (XAV); Justin Kopronica (BUT) vs. Joey Thomas (JAC), Reid Teatsorth (FIN) vs. Rohith Koneru (SCI); Vincent Anzalone (WIL) vs. Aditya Venkitarama (SYC), Cody Wurzelbacher (SPR) vs. Jack Zelezny (ARL); Mitchell Thai (BRA) vs. Nico Mostardi (AVO), Deepak Indrakanti (SYC) vs. Austin Barr (KEN).
Round 1 doubles pairings: Charles Cash/Alex Kobelt (ALB) vs. Nadim Boulos/Sean Reid (MAS), Trevor Majdalani/Ryan Issa (JOH) vs. Anthony Kanam/Jake Zalenski (JAC); Noah Stern/Alex Wittenbaum (SYC) vs. Mark Dickerhoof/Wesley Piekarski (JAC), Carlos Martinez/Gavin Aten (COP) vs. Jack Hughes/Tyler Holsopple (ARL); Alex Taylor/Nakul Narendran (SYC) vs. Aditya Jha/Jack Ryan (EDW), Nick Blair/Graeme Green (ALB) vs. Timothy Cianciola/Robert Long (CAN); Cal Craven/Connor Michelich (WES) vs. Young-Jin Kang/Shashank Reddy (MAS); Kevin Brown/Rejeev Laungani (JOH) vs. Stuart Brdicka/Kevin Miller (OLE).
Where: Ohio State University Varsity Tennis Courts 2491 Olentangy River Road in Columbus; Rain Facility-Elysium Tennis Center 7637 Commerce Place in Plain City.
When: Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. with Division II singles players followed by Division I singles players and then doubles teams.
Schools represented: Bay, Beachwood, Canton Central Catholic, Cincinnati Clark Montesorri, Cincinnati Country Day, Cincinnati Indian Hill, Cincinnati Wyoming, Columbus Wellington School, Cortland, Coshocton, Defiance, Gahanna Columbus Academy, Hawken, Kenton, Lakeview, Lexington, Millersburg West Holmes, Orange, Proctorville Fairland, Sandusky, Toledo Ottawa Hills, University School, Milton Union.
Round 1 singles pairings: Jacob Wareti (GAH) vs. Chris Bak (MON), Daniel Lasarte (DEF) vs. Alex Bird (CCC); Cameron Wiandt (COS) vs. Alexander Warstler (IND), Alexander Krueger (BAY) vs. Dale Oates (KET); Mason Dragos (LEX) vs. Andrew Pregel (IND), Connor Biernat (WEL) vs. David Buchinsky (UNI); Asher Hirsch (DAY) vs. Zach Teffner (LAK), Jason Prince (FAI) vs. Brayden Streng (SAN).
Round 1 doubles pairings: Alex Machtay/Griffin Celleghin (BEA) vs. Chase Tholke/Leonard Behrens (DAY); Matt Gragas/Tyler Gargas (OTT) vs. Gauthier Knox-Kelly/Josh Meyer (BEX), Myles Bourbon/Will Carter (WYO) vs. Barak Spector/Kaustav Malik (BEA); Jim Magness/Sam Magness (COS) vs. Matt Youse/Tommy Barkett (LEX); Andrew Rodhe/Ethan Meyer (HOL) vs. Josef Horwath/Kush Khosla (HAW), Jansen Webster/Luke Webster (LEX) vs. Shaheel Mitra/Vishaal (DAY); Matt Brumbaugh/Phillip Brumbaugh (MIL) vs. Tejas Kashyap/Austin Smedira (ORA), Shrikar Kundur/Austin Lawrence (GAH) vs. Austin Stevens/Ryan Simon (OTT).
See 11 of the top tweets from players and others after the Cleveland Cavaliers completed a sweep of the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Players and fans could not contain their excitement after the Cleveland Cavaliers clinched the Eastern Conference title on Tuesday at Quicken Loans Arena, completing a four-game sweep of the Atlanta Hawks.
Armed with their smartphones, players gave their followers on Twitter and Instagram a behind-the-scenes look at their post-game antics as they celebrated their coming trip to the NBA finals.
See 11 of the top tweets from players and others in the storify below.
Pro Bowl safety believes the Seahawks and Browns are the most proven secondaries returning for 2015.
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BEREA, Ohio - Donte Whitner believes the Browns have one of the NFL's top-two secondaries and Tashaun Gipson, weighing in from self-imposed exile, agrees with his teammate.
"easily! For sure top 2!" Gipson wrote in a Twitter reply.
The Pro Bowl free safety has kept a low profile while training on his own in Dallas and awaiting a chance to negotiate a new deal. Gipson is yet to sign his second-round tender that would pay him $2.356 million this season absent a new long-term contract.
He intercepted six passes a year ago in the first 10 games before suffering a season-ending knee injury. The Browns (7-9) did not win a game without Gipson in the lineup.
"He's a ball-hawking safety but we want to get him better in some other phases of his game," Whitner said of Gipson. "But as far as getting the football and making plays for our team and putting us in positions to score he's second to none."
Obviously, Whitner's lofty rating of the Browns' secondary is one that includes Gipson in the equation. He said the fourth-year veteran's decision to remain home is not "uncomfortable" for the team and it's up to Whitner to help get Gipson up to speed once he returns.
Gipson and cornerback Joe Haden earned Pro Bowl nominations and Whitner played in the game as an alternate. The Browns led the NFL in opponent passer rating (74.1), and passes defensed (99) and finished second in interceptions (21).
"You're going to look at the stats and I'd say we were No. 1 or No. 2 in every category in the (NFL) that really distinguishes whether you are a top secondary," Whitner said when asked where he'd rate the Browns defensive backs. "So I'm not going to say top-5 or top-6, I'm going to say top-3 and that's based on men lie, women lie, stats don't.
"I would have to say us (and) I would have to say Seattle and then based on the players the New York Jets picked up I'd say you have to put them up there but they haven't collectively done anything together so I would say the Cleveland Browns and the Seattle Seahawks."
Many league observers consider the Seahawks the gold standard even with the free-agent defection of Byron Maxwell to the Eagles. Darrelle Revis' decision to return to the Jets and leave the Patriots had a significant impact on both secondaries. There are several defensive backfields, the Cardinals among them, that probably think they are better than the Browns. Interestingly, the Browns play the Seahawks, Jets and Cardinals this season.
The Browns lost corner Buster Skrine to the Jets in free agency but added veteran Tramon Williams from the Packers.
The club is playing in the same defensive scheme in consecutive years for the first time since the 2011-12 seasons.
"They say the group that's supposed to take the biggest jump is the secondary from year one to year two and we really see that," said Whitner, a three-time Pro Bowler. "So, we're looking forward to getting out and working and putting it on the field."
Get scoring updates and join beat writer Zack Meisel for a live chat as the Indians and Rangers continue their three-game series on Monday afternoon at Progressive Field. Cleveland's Carlos Carrasco will oppose Texas' Colby Lewis.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get scoring updates and join beat writer Zack Meisel for a live chat as the Indians and Rangers continue their three-game series on Monday afternoon at Progressive Field. Cleveland's Carlos Carrasco will oppose Texas' Colby Lewis.
We take a behind-the-scenes look of the barber that cuts the creative hair designs on J.R. Smith of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Youssa Ben of Frank's Chop Shop, 668 Euclid Ave., shares with us the story and technique behind the cut.
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Youssa Ben of Frank's Chop Shop poses next to Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard J.R. Smith after performing one of his signature hair designs. Courtesy @flighlifeclv
Cleveland Cavaliers' J.R. Smith rocking the 'Fligh Part' with a similar version seen in the video above. Courtesy @flighlifeclv
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland barber Youssa Ben is known for his attention to fine detail and sharp line work when it comes to his creative hair cutting techniques.
He's the mastermind behind several designs seen on J.R. Smith of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Smith's changing hairstyles has brought on a wave of fans requesting the unique cuts. Ben shares that at least 30 of his customers have recently asked for one of Smith's signature looks. Watch the video above to get a behind-the-scenes look as he performs a J.R. Smith inspired design.
See everything you need to know about this weekend's OHSAA baseball tournament regional championships.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Here is a scouting report on baseball regional tournaments involving local teams. All regional semifinals are Thursday, with the finals set for Friday. Regional winners advance to the state final four next week at Huntington Park in Columbus.
DIVISION I
At Bowling Green
Where: Motti Field atCuyahoga Community College West, 11000 W. Pleasant Valley Road, Parma. Call (440) 439-4588.
Semifinals: St. Edward (20-9) vs. St. Ignatius (24-5), 3:30 p.m.; Mansfield Madison (18-12) vs. Toledo St. Francis (21-7), 5 p.m.
Final: May 29, 5 p.m.
What to watch: One of the best rivalries in Northeast Ohio will resume on the baseball diamondwith a chance to take home a regional title. St. Edward has already proven it can handle the level of competition in a Division I playoff, defeating St. Ignatius 9-1 earlier this season as well as defending Division I champion Massillon Jackson earlier this month.
The Eagles have leadership in players like Darien Knowles and Kyle Hegedus, who have won state titles in basketball and football, respectively at St. Edward. They also have a stout defensive catcher in Cincinnati commit Mason DeAnna. St. Ignatius is no slouch, however. Senior pitcher Connor Adams headlines a tough pitching staff that can go deep in games.
A problem for the Wildcats this season has been consistency. By the halfway point in the season, Ignatius had already had five games scoring six or more runs and five games scoring three or less runs.
Whichever team wins will take on either Mansfield Madison or Toledo St. Francis.
After starting the season 2-9, Madison has won 16 of its last 19 games. Madison has been road warriors in this postseason, going on the road and defeating Toledo Whitmer, Toledo St. John’s and Findlay, which all combined for 56 wins. The team has five batters currently hitting better than .324.
Toledo St. Francis is similar to St. Edward in its experience level. There are eight seniors on the team and other upperclassmen who played in the regionals two years ago. St. Francis pitcher Casey Johnson leads the team with a 4-1 record and is fresh off a complete game three-hitter in the district final, a 6-1 win.
Semifinals: Massillon Jackson (21-6) vs. Walsh Jesuit (25-3), 2 p.m.; Willoughby South (24-5) vs. Aurora (20-5), 5 p.m. Final: May 29, 5 p.m.
What to watch: The Jackson Polar Bears are no stranger to this environment, having won a state title last season. That experience, in addition to a team that is strong in almost every way is going to make Massillon Jackson a tough out.
The Warriors are the ranked the No. 3 Division I team by the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association and have a talented roster with both stellar pitching and good hitting. Blake Jenkins can start an inning getting on base and also has base-clearing power. On the mound, Ryan Feltner and Ty Shoaf are going to keep Walsh in games. Shoaf, a Missouri commit threw the 10th no-hitter in school history earlier this season.
On the other side of the bracket are also two evenly matched teams in Willoughby South and Aurora.
The Rebels’ Mike Fenner is one of many on this team that can make the difference between a regional championship and a middle of the pack team with a few swings of the bat. Fenner was hitting as high as .466 as recently as last week, giving Walsh Jesuit a player in the middle of the order that can get a rally going in any inning and can also drive in a ton of runs. Leading the way on the mound for South is Russ Lamovec, who was recently named the Lake County Baseball Club Division I player of the year. Should he lead the Rebels deeper into the playoffs, the awards will keep rolling in.
For Aurora, Virginia commit Andrew Weber is a solid and versatile player. His hitting ability is well-known, but he set a school record in 2013 in double plays turned, showing what he can do as a defensive player.At the other end of those double plays oftentimes is Matt Carpenter, an Ohio State commit, who is batting .438 as of last week.
DIVISION II
At Hudson
Where: Ball Park at Hudson, 7250 Stow Road, Hudson. Call (330) 455-5267.
Semifinals: Ashtabula Edgewood (13-12) vs. Canton South (22-6), 2 p.m.; Tallmadge (14-14) vs. Poland Seminary (25-2), 5 p.m.
Final: May 29, 5 p.m.
What to watch: An up and down season for Tallmadge has surprisingly resulted in postseason success. The Blue Devils scored at least six runs in both of their district game and John Rensel’s all around play may keep propelling this scrappy team. Resell has a lot of pop in his bat that can spray the ball all over the park.
Unfortunately for Tallmadge, it is Division II sixth-ranked Poland Seminary who stands in its way. Poland has only lost two games this season and hasn’t lost a game since April 29, according to MaxPreps. During that time, Seminary's defeated teams 11-1, 12-2 and 7-2, so this team’s offense can lift it to a regional championship and maybe more.
On the other side of the bracket is Canton South, who might be the most experienced team remaining in the postseason. This is South’s fourth consecutive trip to the regional semifinals, but timely errors have cost them before. Seniors John Haslam and D.J. Wilson have played major roles in the program’s recent success as well as the this most recent run. Wilson had two triples, four RBI and three runs in last week’s district games. Haslam had two hits and two RBI in the district final and was also the winning pitcher in the district semifinal.
Ashtabula Edgewood shortstop Matt DiDonato is both the physical and emotional leader of his team. After battles with injuries in his first two seasons, DiDonato leads the team in batting average at .492, stolen bases (10), runs scored (21) and on-base percentage (.591), according to the Ashtabula Star Beacon and is doing so while playing through several tears in his labrum that will require surgery after the season. DiDonato willingly put off surgery to help his team by playing through the pain and leading them this far. Edgewood’s offense is averaging 7.75 runs per game in this playoff run and have given up just four runs throughout.
At Bowling Green
Where: Bowling Green Carter Park, 401 Campbell Road, Bowling Green. Call (419) 409-1942.
Semifinals: Defiance (24-5) vs. Lima Bath (14-14), 2 p.m.; Bellevue (23-4) vs. Holy Name (18-9), 5 p.m.
Final: May 29, 5 p.m.
What to watch: Defiance is entering the regional tournament hot, having defeated Bryan, who had knocked it out of the postseason in the past. Defiance has scored more than five runs in each of its last seven games, all wins, so the offense is coming together at the right time. Defiance also has six players who were named to the All-Western Buckeye League team at first-team, second-team and honorable mention levels.
Lima Bath entered the season as a newbie in Division II after spending last season and several before it in Division III. It’s had an up and down season that appears to be coming together at the right time with wins against St. Mary’s Memorial and Wapakoneta, who were both ranked in the state by the OHSBCA.
Head coach Andy Dennings and this year’s Bellevue team have already hit significant milestone this season, even without a possible regional title. It set a school record for wins this season with 23, and hopes to add more to that with a matchup with Holy Name. Bellevue has a strong pitching staff and defense that should help it as it gets more experience.
Holy Name on the other hand, returns five total players and three pitchers from last season’s team and are looking for a different ending. Holy Name head coach Dennis Markiewicz got his 270th win this season, so the program might be as consistent as you can find in Northeast Ohio.
Markiewicz said the following to NEOMG reporter Mark Kern about his team earlier this season: "We are a very young team, and we will play small ball if we have to, and try to play good defense with good pitching. We had our ups and downs, but you have to patient with a young team. Encourage them, and talk positive to them. Some coaches can be very negative, but take a negative and make a positive with the team."
DIVISION III
At Massillon
Where: Massillon Washington High School, 1 Paul Brown Drive S.E., Massillon. Call (330) 830-3901.
Semifinals: Gilmour (20-4) vs. Canton Central Catholic (22-6), 2 p.m.;Youngstown Ursuline (16-5) vs. Akron Manchester (14-15), 5 p.m.
Final: May 29, 5 pm.
What to watch: Gilmour is the 15th-ranked team in the state by the OHSBCA and is a legitimate contender in Division III. The Lancers are led by Ethan Pawlak and Connor Lesko. Pawlak was been as big a factor as any in Gilmour’s success this season, batting .507 with 25 RBI as late as last week. Lesko showed his worth last season, winning a playoff game for his team with a hit. This season, it’s been his pitching that have propelled Gilmour to this point and maybe a little bit further with some luck.
Canton Central Catholic is making its first appearance in the regional round since 2011. Pitcher Jake Vance is an Ohio State commit, but the lineup is strong from top to bottom for this team. Vance has developed four pitches and is 5-1 this season with a 1.63 ERA and 61 strikeouts, according to The Canton Repository. The offense aside from him has been tough to get out as well, with Michael DeMario (.473 average, 19 RBIs), Patrick Murphy (.301 average, 17 RBIs), Drew Savage (.378 average, 31 RBIs), J.C. Colangelo, Nic Millin (.354 average) and Dan Platek (.354 average, 15 RBIs), according to The Canton Repository.
Youngstown Ursuline has dominated opponents offensively and with its pitching in the last month, scoring 13 runs three separate times in addition to a 11-0 win, 9-2 win and 5-0 win since April 29.
Akron Manchester was in a similar position last year and was unable to capitalize. This year, players who were on last year’s squad will be looking to make an impact on this year’s younger players and Manchester will be bringing a more experienced, hungry team to this year’s regional tournament looking to make a splash against tough competition.
Semifinals: Cuyahoga Heights (14-8) vs. Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas (24-6), 4 p.m.; Berlin Center Western Reserve (20-5) vs. New Riegel (19-7), 6:30 p.m.
Final: May 29, 5 p.m.
What to watch: St. Thomas Aquinas has endured its share of heart-stopping wins and losses this season but has been able to string together key wins when needed, most recent in district play. In both the semifinals and finals, Aquinas had to come from behind and take the game to extra innings to secure a place in the regional tournament. Michael Greene is an important cog in the machine, hitting .461 on the season with 28 RBI and 24 stolen bases heading into Thursday’s game against Cuyahoga Heights.
The Redskins are led by junior Aaron Kucia, who was an important part of a solid Cuyahoga Heights team in 2014 and has only improved, leading the Redskins to this point. A 4-0 win against Chalker last week and an early season contest against Gilmour has prepared Cuyahoga Heights for the challenge ahead.
New Riegel’s talented pitching staff is going to keep them in any game they play. In the sectional finals, Michael Kirian struck out 16 and allowed two hits in 6-0 win.
For Berlin Center Western Reserve, advancing to the regional final is going to come down to keeping consistent with what got it to this point. With 20 wins, its strengths are the fundamentals, good pitching and timely hitting.
The league's MVP is tough to stop because of his unlimited range and quickness.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Now that the Golden State Warriors have officially clinched their place in the NBA Finals, Cleveland fans can turn their attention to NBA MVP Stephen Curry.
A quick look at his highlights from the season are enough to understand why he was voted the league's top player. Curry has unlimited range and is quick enough to blow by nearly any defender.
That's a deadly combination, and here we take a closer look at how he gets it done offensively:
1) The unlimited range
Curry's biggest weapon is his range. He can score from anywhere on the court, and that means a defender cannot leave his side when he has the ball. Above, we see Houston's Jason Terry playing defense on Curry, but as you'll soon see, he is not close enough.
Curry dribbles to his left, and Terry is slow to react. That's it. That's all Curry needs. He can make shots from there, and he has enough space here to take an uncontested one. The Warriors don't need to draw up many plays for Curry because his range is what gets him open.
2) Quick release on isolation plays
Above, we see Curry with the ball in his hands towards the end of Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. With seven seconds on the shot clock, this will be Curry's shot. Everyone knows it, and without a screen coming, he'll need to do it himself.
Within two seconds, Curry has driven forward, taken a step back and released a jumper. That's how quick he is. Watching him play is like watching someone in fast forward. His release is quicker than the defender can react, and although this looks like a contested jumper, the ball is already out Curry's hand by the time he has a hand in his face.
3) Driving into the lane
With his record-breaking shooting from deep, it's easy to overlook the other parts of Curry's game. One of his strengths is his quickness. Above, we see Curry getting a double screen. He has five Rockets defenders in front of him.
Two seconds later, Curry is on his way to the basket. Despite being the furthest player from the basket to start, Curry now has the clearest path, and the Rockets are the ones chasing him. The play will end with a reverse layup for the MVP.
4) Set play on the inbounds
While Curry creates most of his shots in the flow of the game, one area where the Warriors run a lot of set plays for him is on the inbounds. Above, we see things start with Curry setting a screen for the inbounder, Klay Thompson, in a game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Next, Thompson will cut through the lane. If he had a step on his man, Draymond Green likely would have hit him with the pass. However, he does not, and while Thompson is cutting, Curry is moving over to fill his spot.
Curry has the ball in an area to shoot. The Pelicans actually recover all on defense, but a pump fake will eventually give Curry an open shot, which he buries.
Contact sports reporter David Cassilo by email (dcassilo@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@dcassilo). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.
Forget the Cleveland Curse. Are the Cavs are messing with a more menacing hex? LeBron is tempting the wrath of rapper Lil B, who has threatened to curse The King.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Forget the Cleveland Curse. Are the Cavs messing with a more menacing hex?
Via Twitter
The team has been warned that it might be in hot water after LeBron James jumped into a hot tub with teammates JR Smith, Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert on Tuesday night. The foursome celebrated the team's sweep of the Atlanta Hawks at The Q in the Eastern Conference Finals by whooping it up and performing the "cooking dance".
Egads, you mean THE "cooking dance"? The one originated by Lil B? Yes and yes - and that's where things started getting scary.
Via Twitter
The rapper -- a.k.a TheBasedGod -- is renowned for his social media prowess and generosity when it comes to putting curses on people. He responded to a video of the Cavs' cavalier behavior by threatening to put a curse on the team if they didn't give him props for copping his culinary-themed moves.
Shumpert responded via Twitter to say no harm, no foul.
Lil B seemed to be cool with Shumpert's diplomatic gesture - that is, until he surfaced on TMZ Hollywood Sports to say he still might curse The King:
"LeBron has a big problem," warned Lil B. "Stop stealing Lil B swag. I send major respect to Iman Shumpert for being truthful and brave enough to tell where he gets this swag in this sports celebration...the Lil B cooking dance. And I'm really trying to prevent the curse from happening to LeBron James. They need to talk to Lil B before the playoffs are over. And if they don't, LeBron James, you have problems."
At this point of the story, we would normally laugh at it all - and I mean ALL of it, EVERYTHING -- and dismiss the curse and the controversy as a stroke of buffoonish marketing prowess.
Via Twitter
That is, until you consider the shockingly bad performance Wednesday night of Houston Rocket James Harden in the team's loss against the Golden State Warriors - the team the Cavs will play in the NBA Finals starting June 4.
Harden, you see, is the most recent baller to be cursed by Lil B for swiping his chef routine. The runner-up in the Most Valuable Player voting to Stephen Curry
Via Twitter
averaged 27.4 points per game during the regular season.
On Wednesday, Harden tallied a paltry 14 points on a horrific 2-11 shooting from the field.
Even worse, he looked like one of the non-talking actors in "The Walking Dead," dribbling the ball off his foot and just basically appearing dazed and lost while coughing up 13 turnovers. Harden set a playoff record for turnover futility.
To make matters worse, Lil B was at the game to add some oomph to the curse. Someone tell Dan Gilbert to check on this guy's Flash Seats account, in the name of Ernest Byner, Jose Mesa and Red Right 88.
Cleveland and Oakland have the longest pro title droughts for three-sport cities, but one will end with the 2015 NBA Finals between the Cavaliers and Oakland's Golden State Warriors.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - One group of long-suffering pro sports fans - in Oakland or Cleveland - will soon get to celebrate a championship.
Oakland has gone 26 years without a title. Cleveland has waited 51 years.
No three-sport city competing in baseball, basketball and football has gone longer without a championship. Next closest are Washington and Minneapolis, both of which last won 24 years ago.
Cleveland won its last title in 1964 when the Browns won the NFL championship.
Oakland last won a title in 1989, when the A's won the World Series. It was the Series in which the start of Game 3 was delayed 10 days because of an earthquake.
But the two cities will face off, beginning next Thursday, when Oakland's Golden State Warriors meet the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2015 NBA Finals.
To take the suffering a step further - both Oakland and Cleveland were without their NFL teams during portions of their championship droughts.
The Raiders left Oakland for Los Angeles in 1982, not returning to Oakland until 1995. While they were away, the Raiders won the 1984 Super Bowl.
The Browns moved out of Cleveland after the 1995 season to Baltimore, where the team was renamed the Ravens. The Browns returned as an expansion franchise in 1999. The Ravens won Super Bowls in 2001 and 2013.
Since the fall of 1989 when the Oakland A's won their last World Series - the last championship for either Cleveland or Oakland - 26 other cities have won the 75 pro football, baseball or basketball titles.
Here's the list:
8 - Boston - Patriots (4), Red Sox (3) and Celtics
8 - New York - Yankees (5) and Giants (3)
7 - Chicago - Bulls (6) and White Sox
6 - Los Angeles - Lakers (5) and Angels
5 - Miami - Heat (3) and Marlins (2)
5 - San Francisco - Giants (3) and 49ers (2)
5 - San Antonio - Spurs (5)
4 - Dallas - Cowboys (3) and Mavericks
3 - St. Louis - Cardinals (2) and Rams
2 - Baltimore - Ravens (2)
2 - Denver - Broncos (2)
2 - Detroit - Pistons (2)
2 - Green Bay - Packers (2)
2 - Houston - Rockets (2)
2 - Pittsburgh - Steelers (2)
2 - Toronto - Blue Jays (2)
1 - Atlanta - Braves
1 - Cincinnati - Reds
1 - Indianapolis - Colts
1 - Minneapolis - Twins
1 - New Orleans - Saints
1 - Philadelphia - Phillies
1 - Phoenix - Diamondbacks
1 - Seattle - Seahawks
1 - Tampa - Buccaneers
1 - Washington - Redskins
Additionally in the NHL, where Cleveland and Oakland don't compete, Raleigh, Edmonton and Montreal have won titles.
Also winning NHL titles have been New York (4 between the Devils and Rangers), Detroit (4), Los Angeles (3 between the Ducks and Kings), Pittsburgh (3), Chicago (2), Denver (2), Boston (1), Dallas (1) and Tampa (1).
There was no NHL champion in 2005 and baseball champion in 1994 because of labor disputes.
These coaches met in the Division I state semifinal in 2014.
LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- The third quarterfinal of the HORSE tournament had some extra intrigue, as it featured two coaches who faced off in a Division I state semifinal in 2014. Would St. Edward coach Eric Flannery prevail again or would East Tech coach Brett Moore get some revenge?
Check out a video of some of the key shots in their meeting, and scroll down below the video to find out who won the matchup between these rival coaches.
And now the results...
Flannery: H-O-R-S-E
Moore: H-O-R
Winner: Brett Moore.
Moore outlasted Flannery and was able to get a small piece of revenge for the state semifinal loss. See what he had to say about advancing to the next round:
Next up we head over to the Bedford region where Bedford coach Pete Priola will take on Lake Catholic coach Matt Moran. Vote for the winner of the matchup below:
Contact high school sports reporter David Cassilo by email (dcassilo@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@dcassilo). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.
Looking back on the Cleveland Browns and Indians 10 combined championships, as the Cavaliers attempt to end the town's 51-year championship drought in the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - We're going to hear plenty about Cleveland's 51-year championship drought while the Cavs play the Golden State Warriors in the 2015 NBA Finals beginning June 4. After listening to Marv Albert get it wrong during Tuesday's night's TNT broadcast, we are duty bound to provide a quick primer on the Indians, Browns and Cavaliers championship histories.
Cavaliers: No championships
The Cavs' first season was 1970-71. This is their 19th playoff appearance.
The Cavaliers appeared in one previous NBA Finals in 2007, and were swept by the San Antonio Spurs, 4-0. The Spurs won the first two games in San Antonio, 85-76 and 103-92. Cleveland lost the next two games at home by a total of four points as San Antonio completed the sweep, 75-72 and 83-82. The Cavs-Spurs series remains the lowest-rated NBA Finals in television history.
Indians: Two World Series championships
The Indians are in their 115th season in the American League and have made 11 playoff appearances.
1920 World Series champions: In one of the most important World Series in baseball history, the Indians beat the Brooklyn Robins in a best-of-nine series, 5-2. The Robins later became known as the Dodgers. Baseball still was embroiled in the 1919 Chicago Black Sox game-fixing scandal, and the 1920 Series returned some luster to the game. Game 5 alone featured the only unassisted triple play in Series history by the Indians' Bill Wambsganss, as well as the first grand slam (Indians slugger Elmer Smith) and first home run by a pitcher (Indians' Jim Bagby). The Indians were playing for the memory of popular shortstop Ray Chapman, who was killed when hit by a pitch during the 1920 season. They clinched at home at Dunn Field, now League Park, which has been restored and is open to the public at East 66th and Lexington Ave. The Indians haven't won a championship at home in the 95 years since.
1948 World Series champions: The pitching-rich Indians beat the Boston Braves, 4-2, in a best-of-seven series despite batting .199 as a team. Bob Lemon won two games, including the clincher at Braves Field, 4-3. Larry Doby, who became the American League's first black player in 1947, led the Indians with a .318 average. Jim Hegan had five RBI. Player/manager Lou Boudreau hit .273. Indians right-hander Bob Feller suffered two losses, despite throwing a two-hitter in Game 1, which the Braves won, 1-0. A Major League-record crowd of 85,288 at Municipal Stadium watched the Braves win Game 5, 11-5. Versatile former third baseman/outfielder Gene Bearden started on the mound and won Game 3 and saved Game 6.
Indians World Series losses
The 1954 Indians had one of the best records in baseball history (111-43, a .721 winning percentage), but were swept by the New York Giants, 4-0, a Series perhaps best known for "The Catch" by Willie Mays. The Indians would not appear in the Series for another 45 years. In 1995, after the regular season was delayed by a labor dispute, the Indians went 100-44 and reached the World Series against the Atlanta Braves, who won 4-2. (Marv Albert incorrectly told TNT viewers Tuesday the Indians last appeared in the Series in 1955 and lost to the Braves.) Cleveland was back two years later, but the heavily-favored Indians lost a heart-breaking 1997 World Series in seven games to the Florida Marlins, a four-year-old expansion team loaded with free agents. The Indians led Game 7, 2-1, until Jose Mesa coughed up the lead in the bottom of the ninth, and the Marlins won it in the 11th against Charles Nagy.
Cleveland Browns: Eight championships
The Browns have played 63 seasons, 28 of which have ended in the playoffs, but none in the Super Bowl. They have made one post-season appearance since returning in 1999.
Founded in 1946, the Browns won the All-America Football Conference all four years they played in the league. They won four National Football League titles, but none in the Super Bowl era.
1946 AAFC Champions: In their first season, the Browns went 12-2 and beat the New York Yankees in the AAFC's inaugural championship game, 14-9. Browns rookie QB Otto Graham, who would start in all eight Browns championships, passed for 231 yards and a TD. Marion Motley, one of the first black players in modern pro football, ran for 98 yards and scored the other TD.
1947 AAFC Champions: The Browns defense forced five turnovers in icy Yankee Stadium, and Cleveland won, 14-3, on touchdown runs by Graham and Edgar "Special Delivery" Jones. Motley rushed for 113 yards. The crowd of 61,879 was a pro football record.
1948 AAFC Champions: While the undefeated 1972 Dolphins frequently are celebrated, the 1948 undefeated Browns are overlooked. They finished 15-0, including a 49-7 pasting of the Buffalo Bills in the championship game at Municipal Stadium. Motley rushed for 133 yards and three touchdowns, and Jones scored two rushing TDs. Lou Saban returned an interception for a touchdown, one of the Bills' eight turnovers.
1949 AAFC Champions: The AAFC dwindled to eight teams in its final season and the Browns had the best record, 9-1-2. Cleveland beat the San Francisco 49ers in the championship game, 21-7, at home. Jones scored the only touchdown of the first half. Motley's 63-yard run gave the Browns a 14-0 lead in the third quarter.
1950 NFL Champions: Coming from the AAFC, the Browns were considered a rogue team from a carnival league by NFL snobs until opening the season with an upset of defending NFL champion Philadelphia. Cleveland posted a 10-2 record, then beat the Giants in a playoff. The Browns defeated the Los Angeles Rams in a championship thriller, 30-28, on Lou Groza's 16-yard field goal with 20 seconds remaining at the Stadium. Graham passed for 298 yards and four TDs, and ran for another 99 yards. NFL commissioner Bert Bell said the Browns were "the greatest team ever to play football.''
1954 NFL Champions: After losses in three straight NFL championship games, the Browns recaptured the title with a 56-10 victory over the rival Lions. Detroit beat Cleveland, 14-10, in the regular-season finale, but was not the same team a week later. Neither were the Browns. Graham accounted for six touchdowns passing and rushing in what was to have been his final game. He said he was retiring.
1955 NFL Champions:Coach Paul Brown coaxed Graham out of retirement in 1955, and Graham led Cleveland to another championship, 38-14 over the Rams. The Browns defense forced seven turnovers. Graham had two TDs passing and two rushing. He finished his career having led Cleveland to 10 championship games in all 10 of his seasons, winning seven, and forever changed the position.
1964 NFL Champions: The most recent Cleveland major pro sports championship remains the Browns' 27-0 thrashing of the stunned Baltimore Colts and Johnny Unitas, played in front of 79,544 fans in the Stadium. The Browns were seven-point underdogs. In his game story, Plain Dealer writer Chuck Heaton wrote it may well have been "the best performance ever in the sparkling history of this football club.'' Gary Collins set a title-game record with three TD catches, thrown by Frank Ryan, and 40-year-old kicker Lou Groza nailed field goals of 42 and 10 yards. Jim Brown rushed for 114 yards. The Browns' front four of Bill Glass, Paul Wiggin, Dick Modzelewski and Jim Kanicki had Unitas on the run all day, forcing two interceptions.
Browns championship game losses
The Browns last played for the NFL title in 1969, losing to the Minnesota Vikings, 27-7. Cleveland also lost NFL tile games in 1951 (Rams, 24-17), 1952 (Lions, 17-7), 1953 (Lions, 17-16), 1957 (Lions, 59-14), 1965 (Green Bay Packers, 23-12) and 1968 (Baltimore Colts, 34-0).
Chris Haynes, Mary Kay Cabot and Paul Hoynes will join Chris Fedor and Dan Labbe to talk all things Cleveland sports.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's on to the Finals for the Cavaliers. The Browns are holding OTAs. The Indians are slowly turning things around.
Join Chris Fedor and me for our live half-hour show talking all things Cleveland sports. Chris Haynes will talk NBA Finals with us right off the bat. Mary Kay Cabot will talk Browns. Paul Hoynes will preview the Indians' series with the Mariners. Finally, Bud Shaw will have his weekly spinoffs segment.
Click play on the player above when the red "Live" icon appears on the bottom to watch the show. A complete archive of the show will be made available later today.
What might be more concerning for the Indians is the fact that Atchison has had less traffic on the bases during his outings than the rest of the core members of the bullpen. Atchison's 1.277 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) is better than that of Cody Allen, Nick Hagadone, Bryan Shaw, Zach McAllister and Rzepczynski.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Marc Rzepczynski tossed a pitch, induced a groundout to second base and the Progressive Field crowd went wild.
Sure, it was the ninth inning of Tuesday's contest, the Indians trailed by one and it was important to retire the leadoff batter. But essential enough for the fans in the stands to be sent into a frenzy?
The scoreboard might have had something to do with that. It displayed the final score from next door, a 118-88 beatdown that propelled the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals. So, no, Rzepczynski did not become an overnight sensation. The routine groundout was not being treated as more than that.
Here are five thoughts on the 21-25 Tribe.
1. Age before beauty: In 2013 with the Mets, Scott Atchison allowed four home runs in 45 1/3 innings. Last season with the Indians, he allowed four in 72 innings. In 15 2/3 innings this year, Atchison has served up four long balls. He gave up a two-run shot in the ninth inning of Wednesday's 12-3 victory against Texas.
His home run rate is nearly five times higher than it was last season, which is a contributing factor to his 5.74 ERA through 19 appearances. He has allowed runs in four of his last six outings. His walk rate and strikeout rate are in line with what he has posted the last few seasons, but the opposition is averaging more than a hit per inning against Atchison in 2015.
2. 'Pen problems: What might be more concerning for the Indians is the fact that Atchison has had less traffic on the bases during his outings than the rest of the core members of the bullpen. Atchison's 1.277 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) is better than that of Cody Allen, Nick Hagadone, Bryan Shaw, Zach McAllister and Rzepczynski.
Shaw owns a 3.07 ERA, but he has yielded 17 hits and six walks in 14 2/3 innings. His 5.37 FIP (fielding independent pitching) suggests he has been much shakier than his ERA would indicate.
Hagadone (4.32 ERA) has allowed 19 hits and seven walks in 16 2/3 innings. Rzepczynski (3.86 ERA) has yielded 12 hits and five walks in 11 2/3 innings. Allen, Shaw, Hagadone and Rzepczynski all sport a higher WHIP, ERA and FIP so far this season.
3. The Maid: Allen's numbers might be the most cause for concern, given his role as the ninth-inning extinguisher. In 19 innings, he has surrendered 20 hits and has issued 13 free passes. His strikeout rate (13.3 per nine innings) is off the charts, but his walk rate (6.2 per nine innings) is alarming. Allen allowed 6.2 hits per nine last season. This season, that rate has risen to 9.5. His ERA sits at 6.16, but his FIP is 3.07, which suggests his defense has not been his friend.
4. Spider Webb: Ryan Webb, an early-season addition to the roster, has chipped in 14 strong innings of relief. He has limited the opposition to six hits and three walks and has yielded only two earned runs. Webb owns a 3.29 ERA in 326 career relief appearances.
5. Men of May: Jason Kipnis' numbers in May are eye-popping. He has compiled a .447 batting average (46-for-103), a .529 on-base percentage, a .748 slugging percentage and a 1.276 OPS with four home runs, 14 RBIs, 13 doubles, three triples and 28 runs scored. Will those statistics be enough to earn him the American League Player of the Month award for May?
Prince Fielder might be his chief competition for the honor. Fielder has logged a .396/.444/.717 slash line, with nine home runs and 28 RBIs. Seattle's Nelson Cruz has posted a .359/.416/.652 slash line, with eight home runs and 16 RBIs.
Kipnis leads all AL hitters in May in hits, runs, doubles, triples, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
Akron native and former Kent State player Gary Pinkel, plus former Miami RedHawk quarterback Ben Roethlisberger inducted into MAC Hall of Fame.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As the night wore on at Wednesday's MAC Hall of Fame induction dinner, most every head in the hotel ballroom kept turning to the back, waiting for Gary Pinkel to walk through the door.
Fellow inductees Miami quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, Central Michigan wrestler Casey Cunningham, Eastern Michigan track coach Bob Parks and Western Michigan track coach George Dales spiced up the evening with stories, including Dales, the former East High track coach) talking of watching the Terminal Tower being built. And MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher whispered to Rothesberger, now the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, ''do they always clap for you in Cleveland?''
As the clock ticked, tables with friends and fans from Toledo and Kent State were still looking for Pinkel and certainly starting to think "he better have a good reason for this."
He did.
Pinkel quietly walked in literally minutes before his name was called to be honored. The native of Akron who played at Kent, coached at Toledo, and is now at Missouri, indeed had a good story to tell.
The plane chartered to get him from the SEC Spring Meetings in Florida broke down, and a replacement could not be found on 25-minute notice. Fellow SEC coaches John Calipari and Mike Stoops at Kentucky offered Pinkel a ride on their charter and even tried to get the pilot to bring Pinkel to Cleveland first before landing them in Lexington, Kentucky.
Weather made that impossible, but luckily the charter booked to get Pinkel from Cleveland back to Missouri in time for the birth of his eighth grandchild, was actually originating from Lexington.
Pinkel was late for the dinner, but determined.
"It's a miracle,'' he said. "I really wanted to be here.''
Inducted under the Toledo banner, Pinkel is one of only two Football Bowl Subdivision coaches who holds the record for career wins at two FBS institutions (Toledo 73, Missouri 113), joining Steve Spurrier (122 at Florida, 226 at South Carolina).
The HOF selection was a big one for Pinkel, as he now holds the same HOF honor where he played, where he coached, and with the league. And to think, at one time he thought he would never be a head coach after his alma mater turned down both him and former KSU teammate Nick Saban in 1989 when they applied to be head coach. KSU instead hired Pete Cordelli.
"When I got the call that this happened I had tears in my eyes, that I could be honored like this," Pinkel said. "I am very, very appreciative of this award. This (getting to the dinner) was really important to me."
Add 'em up: The award for men's and women's season-long achievement in sports, the Reese Trophy for men and the Jacoby Trophy for women, went to Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan respectively. Standings are based on composite rankings in all participating sports.
EMU easily outdistanced second-place Kent State, 9.409 to 8.433, with Akron a distant eighth 6.90. In the men's standings CMU 8.332 held off Western Michigan, 8.10 with Akron coming in third at 7.937 and Kent State fifth, 7.45.
The agenda: MAC Presidents will meet today with several things on the agenda, and possibly at least one vote. The most pressing item is Cost of Attendance, and how that is going to be phased in by each institution. Another potential vote could be on changing the format for upcoming MAC Basketball Tournaments.
Valencia Myers named to the USA Basketball Women's U16 National Team.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Solon freshmen Valencia Myers is one of the newest members of the USA Basketball Women's U16 National Team.
After an intense week of tryouts and cuts from 149 girls in Colorado, the 6-foot-2 forward said she's happy to be on the squad.
“I just got really excited and wanted to cry,” Myers said. “Afterwards I came home and took the day off to sleep.”
The freshman learned she made the 12-member team before leaving the training facility Colorado. The next step is to prepare for the 2015 FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Puebla, Mexico this summer.
This season, Myers helped lead the Solon Comets to the program’s second state appearance in Columbus. The team fell in the state semifinals to Toledo Notre Dame, 61-48, ending the season with a 22-4 record.
Prior to the postseason she received offers from Ohio State University, Tennessee and Louisville University.
Pickerington Central’s Bexley Wallace will also be representing Ohio. Both Wallace and Myers are members of the Ohio Girls Basketball Report Top 25 Freshmen list.
Chevrolet looks to continue flexing its muscle on the IndyCar circuit while the challenge remains for Honda to find a way to catch up.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's back to the twists and turns of open-wheel racing as IndyCar moves on to a dual race weekend in Detroit. To date, nothing has slowed Chevrolet power and the street circuit in the Motor City does not look to slow the march.
The bigger issue is to see if any driver can get a pair of weekend victories, which would be huge in a very tight series race to date.
Last week:Juan Pablo Montoya won the Indianapolis 500 to give team owner Roger Penske his 16th career Indy victory and first since 2009.
The points race: All Chevrolet, all the time as drivers with this engine are in immediate contention. Montoya, defending series champ Power, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Simon Pagenaud and Castroneves are all in the Top 10 and serious threats to finish No. 1. With some many so close, even one DNF could be a disaster, and finishing outside the Top 10 in any race is a serious blow.
Driver to watch:Graham Rahal continues to be the strongest Honda driver, finishing second, second, and fifth in the last three events. The question is will Honda come up with more engine power the next few weeks before Chevrolet drivers build up too much of a points cushion to overcome.
Did you know: The only Honda teams to finish in the Top 10 of any race this season are Rahal, and Andretti Autosport.
Next: Texas 600, June 6, Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas.
Jeff Gordon is in the back of the NASCAR Top 10, but looking good for a title run. Danica Patrick had a pair of early Top 10 finishes, but no better than 21st in last four races.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Now that the glamour weekend of auto racing has past, consider this the start of summer's dog days. The weekly grind for NASCAR moves on the Dover. Jeff Gordon continues to put together a solid season, but after a solid start to the season, Danica Patrick seems to have stalled.
The points race: It wasn't that long ago the discussion was about Danica Patrick becoming a consistent threat for Top 10 finishes this season with a chance for The Chase at the end.
But over the last four races she has finished no better than 21st. Considering she is driving while hunting for a new title sponsor, Danica needs to pick up the pace once again.
Driver to watch:Jeff Gordon. While most of the focus this season is on Gordon retiring at the end of 2015, the fact is he's going out strong. As it stands now he is solidly in the Top 10 in the standings and seems to be strong each week. When The Chase arrives at the end of the season don't be surprised if Gordon becomes the man to beat.
Did you know: Johnson has a series-high three victories this season. Defending series champion Kevin Harvick has won twice. ... Kyle Busch was 11th last week at Charlotte in his first points race since breaking his right leg and left foot in the opener at Daytona.
Next: Pocono 400, June 7, Long Pond, Pennsylvania.
Hurry and enter free golf contest to see how many holes you can play around the longest day of the year at fifth annual Summer Solstice Golf Challenge.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Friday is the deadline for golfers to apply for a spot in the fifth annual Summer Solstice Golf Challenge, which is free and will be held on June 19 at Hickory Nut Golf Course in Columbia Station.
We are seeking at least six area golfers to play in the sunup-to-sundown Challenge to see how many holes they can complete. The application deadline is Friday at 5 p.m.
Scroll down to access the short contest entry form.
The biggest criteria is telling us why we should select you. All greens fees and riding carts, food and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided free to the winners.
Hickory Nut Golf Course in Columbia Station is sponsoring the fifth annual Summer Solstice Golf Challenge on June 19. Scroll down to apply for the free contest.Hickory Nut
Also, we want to make this a golf event for many more people, not just the six players chosen to compete in the Challenge.
Hickory Nut will offer additional spots to play in the Challenge for a fee. The spots will be selected from the pool of applicants not chosen as one of six contest winners. Players chosen will be contacted in June.
Here are the full details on entering the free contest:
What, when, where: We are looking for six golfers from Northeast Ohio to play Friday, June 19 in the 16-hour Summer Solstice Golf Challenge at Hickory Nut Golf Course in Columbia Station. (We realize the summer solstice is June 21 but we wanted to avoid holding the contest on a weekend when courses are jammed).
Hours: Players will golf from sunup to sundown -- roughly 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
It's free for contest winners: All greens fees and riding carts will be covered, in addition to food and non-alcoholic drinks for the six contest winners.
How to enter contest: Fill out the form below. The most important factor is telling us why we should select you to participate. The deadline to apply is Friday, May 29 at 5 p.m. The six winners will be chosen in June.
