A pair of Northern Illinois free throws with two seconds to play lifted the Huskies to an 80-79 victory over the Akron Zips.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Akron's Josh Williams and Isaiah Johnson, both dealing with nagging injuries, were stellar against Northern Illinois, but not good enough to deny the Huskies a 80-79 victory over the Zips.

A pair of Aaric Armstead free throws with two seconds to play gave the Huskies the homecourt victory, snapping a five-game losing streak. Armstead finished with 21 points while teammate Marin Maric had 17.

Williams' first game back from a concussion was good for 22 points, including 14 in the first half, while Johnson (ankle) joined him with 16 points, both off the bench. But with only one Akron starter in double figures, the Zips were never able to pull away.

Akron took its final lead, 79-78, with 14 seconds to play on a pair of Johnson free throws. NIU's Travon Baker next missed a 3-pointer. But Akron could not get the rebound, and Johnson fouled Armstead as he gathered in his teammate's miss.

Armstead then sealed the victory for NIU. But the key stat for the game was a solid 41-34 advantage on the boards for the Huskies, including a resounding 15-6 on the offensive glass. This rebounding offset Akron's 15-of-34 shooting behind the 3-point line as Northern finished the game with 15 more field goal attempts than the Zips.

The loss, however, does not greatly impact Akron (20-5, 9-3) in the Mid-American Conference standings as their closest challengers also lost. So Akron's two-game edge in the standings remains.

NIU (17-8, 6-6) does finish 1-1 in the two game series with Akron, which could prove beneficial in tiebreakers.

Akron returns home Tuesday night to face Buffalo, 7 p.m. in Rhodes Arena.

In the course of enjoying his 12th All-Star appearance in Toronto, the two-time champion granted cleveland.com an exclusive interview.

TORONTO - Whether it's a half-court shooting competition against Dwyane Wade at practice during Canada's edition of All-Star Weekend or an NBA Finals appearance, LeBron James embraces hard work and competitiveness.

In the course of enjoying his 12^th All-Star appearance in Toronto, the two-time champion granted cleveland.com an exclusive interview on his tireless work ethic, the work ethic of his team and how he's withstood the test of time.

James is habitually the last player to leave the court after practices. On the average, he works up a further sweat 45 minutes to an hour post practice. At times, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love will accompany him, but it's often a solo effort.

"You have to put in the work if you expect to improve your game," James explained. "That's always been my mindset. I can't cheat the game. You only have so long to play this game at a high level and I want to do my part to make sure I'm still progressing."

By the middle of his additional workouts, most teammates have already received treatment, showered and are in street clothes. On the road, James' extra workload can sometimes cause problems.

While the four-time MVP is getting his shots up, teammates are left waiting, wondering how much longer James will be. There's only one bus assigned to take the team to their hotel. Some players watch James, some fiddle with their phones and others wait on the bus. Could you imagine the ramifications should the bus and players take off without him?

That's why it never happens unless the team is aware of James having an alternative method of transportation prearranged. If not, they stand by. When asked if he would prefer some of his teammates to hang around and get some work in on top of what's required, James responded bluntly.

"Look, it's got to be in you," he said. "The one thing about me, if you have to force someone to put in the work, then they're not supposed to be there."

Knowing James, one of his biggest pet peeves is players who clearly need the extra work and instead choose to clock out on time. The Cleveland Cavaliers have championship aspirations. It's going to take an abundance of extra work to attempt a dethroning of the Golden State Warriors or a potential clash with the San Antonio Spurs.

James understands that he can't do it all by himself. It's going to take a total team commitment of doing what's necessary. He said he always tries to stay ready on and off the court so he won't have to get ready.

Preparation is key.

James said he saw how Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett prepared themselves for competition when he was a youngster making his first couple of All-Star games. Even though they were getting ready for an exhibition contest, James said he witnessed firsthand the level of professionalism and drive needed to perform at a maximum clip night after night.

He's played the game since childhood and is still going strong. In reflecting on how fortunate he is to remain one of the top players in the game, he credits the overtime he's put in, shooting in the gym until the sun went down. In any professional field, it takes skill to be successful. To reach one's potential, it takes a steadfast work ethic.

Following Sunday's All-Star Game, the final one Bryant plays in, James will be one of the oldest All-Stars at 32, perhaps the oldest -- depending on Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

His class is the next generation in line which will one day hang it up. Soon, James will be the undisputed All-Star veteran. His longevity is a testament to his drive and determination to reach new heights.

But he wants to make one thing clear: he's experienced, not old.

"I have not [thought about being the old vet] until you brought it up," James said. "Don't make me feel so damn old, man.

"Nah, it'll be cool. It'll be all right. I'm next. We're next. You're on deck."

Browns left tackle Joe Thomas considers landing Hue Jackson a "huge coup'' for the Browns and says he was his first choice during the search. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Left tackle Joe Thomas knew immediately he wanted to stick around when the Browns hired Hue Jackson.

"I've known Hue casually just from playing against his teams through the years in the NFL and always had nice words with him after the games that we played against Cincinnati this past year," Thomas said after an appearance at the Home and Garden Show at the I-X Center Thursday night. "I talked to him after we hired him, when we were going through the coaching search. He was the No. 1 guy that I was hoping that we would hire.

"I didn't know what our chances would be because of the history that this franchise has had with firing coaches so quickly and going through so many different guys, but for Jimmy to be able to land Hue I think is a huge coup and it says a lot about the resources and the position that we are in even though coming off a 3-13 season.''

The nine-time Pro Bowler believes Jackson's hiring bodes well for the future.

"The things that (Haslam) was telling Hue must have been music to Hue's ears," said Thomas. "I actually saw Hue last weekend. We got a chance to meet in person and talk when we were at the Super Bowl, and I'm really impressed. He's a guy that comes in with a lot of confidence. He has a history as a playcaller, as an offensive genius and I don't think the Cleveland Browns can be any better off than we are with Hue Jackson.''

Jackson's hiring put to rest any thoughts of Thomas asking to be traded, which he said he might do if he didn't like the new staff. Thomas is also confident the Browns will land their quarterback of the future with the No. 2 pick.

"Yeah, I'm in and super-excited about Hue,'' he said. "I think he's going to do a great job and as long as they hit on that quarterback pick, we're set up for a nice run, something the Browns deserve and the Browns fans deserve. You pick a guy like Ben Roethlisberger, your franchise is good for 15 years. That's what I'm hoping we do in this draft.''

Thomas, who knows he'll be trade bait over the next few months, is genuinely optimistic about the season despite that Jackson is his sixth head coach in 10 seasons.

Related: Thomas says Manziel saga "is a sad ending" to the story

"We got the biggest fish to be had in this off-season and now he was able to put together an impressive staff, so the ship's headed in the right direction,'' he said.

He said he met new offensive line coach Hal Hunter at the Pro Bowl a few years ago and really liked him.

"I've had a chance to do some due diligence on him,'' he said. "I've talked to some guys that have played for him and all of those guys had good things to say about him. Everyone really liked him, they thought he kept a good room, he was a good coach on the field, very technically sound, a good football mind, so I'm excited to work with him."

Thomas, who met with Executive Vice President Sashi Brown after the season and was assured that he's a big part of the team's future, believes the club is in good hands.

Related: Thomas knows he can still be traded despite reassurances

"It's great,'' he said. "I'm really happy for him. He's a guy that I've gotten to know over the last couple years in Cleveland, even before he took over as the head man, even before the conversation we had after the season, I developed a relationship with him.

"All the things you hear in the media, that's who he is. He's a humble guy. It's not an ego thing for him. He's really smart and he's very analytical and I think he's the right man for the job."

Just like he believes Jackson is for his.

Twenty of 30 NBA owners would need to approve a change to rules to outlaw the 'hack-a-Shaq' strategy. NBA commissioner Adam Silver says the change is needed; LeBron James disagreed earlier this month.

TORONTO - NBA commissioner Adam Silver signaled Saturday that a change may be coming to league rules to outlaw the increasingly common practice of intentionally fouling a player away from the ball so he must shoot free throws, known as "hack-a-Shaq."

"I'm beginning to feel that a change needs to be made," Silver said during his annual All-Star press conference. "And that comes in response to conversations with our network partners. It comes in response to fan data that we look at, we're constantly surveying our fans to get their sense of what they see out on the floor. I'm talking to players and general managers and our owners of course."

Silver said NBA data shows teams are employing the "hack a Shaq" strategy 51/2 times more frequently than last season. The NBA's competition committee studied the issue last summer and chose not to recommend a rule change.

Silver said Saturday there would be no rule change this season, and owners may consider the issue in April and vote in July. It would take approval of two-thirds of the league's 30 franchise owners to enact a rule change, something Silver says the data shows is warranted.

"To the extent that the data is coming in, it's showing there is a clear trend and that clearly our coaches who are smart and using very complex analytics believe it is benefiting them," he said.

The strategy can slow the pace of play, forcing fans to watch poor shooters toss bricks from the foul line instead of enjoying LeBron James or Stephen Curry moving gracefully around the court.

More recently, the league office has monitored players literally jumping on the backs of opponents to make sure a foul is called as part of "hack-a-Shaq." Silver said teams were warned that doing so could warrant a flagrant foul.

To illustrate how the strategy works - it was named after notoriously poor free-throw shooter Shaquille O'Neal -- Detroit All-Star big man Andre Drummond is a 35-percent shooter who once took 18 free throws in a game this season. He made just 2-of-8 foul shots against the Cavs last month.

The practice is at times compared to the infield shift in baseball, where infielders crowd to one side based on a hitter's tendencies. The practice makes it harder to get hits, but there's little that can reasonably done to legislate against the shift.

Earlier this month, James said he didn't see a problem with "hack-a-Shaq."

"At the end of the day, it's a strategy of the game and whatever it takes to win," James said. "If that's a part of the game, and you have a guy that is a bad free-throw shooter and you put him on the line, that's a part of strategy."

Silver said that among the challenges to changing the rule is there is little consensus as to what should replace it.

"We're just beginning to formulate what an alternative would look like, because I think until there is a clear alternative that emerges, it's easy to say I hate the strategy, but it's a much more, I think, difficult issue to decide exactly what the new rule should be," Silver said.

The All-Star Game, which is Sunday, is the 65^th in NBA history but the first outside of the U.S. The game is in Toronto, where the NBA Raptors play. Silver suggested there could be consideration down the road of moving the game overseas - to a market without an NBA team - but regular-season scheduling conflicts, such as adding days to the All-Star break, would need to be considered as well.

Silver also said the league was considering moving the NBA Draft back a few days, but the goal would still be to finish both the Finals and draft in June.

The 2016 draft is scheduled for June 23.

Failure to rebound down the stretch turned Cleveland State's triumph over Youngstown State into a nailbiter, 64-59.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland State Vikings got a yeoman's performance from Demonte Flannigan Saturday night in Youngstown to survive a late Youngstown State flurry for a 64-59 victory.

Flannigan finished with 30 points, including two free throws with four seconds to play, made essential because failure to rebound in the final 35 seconds nearly cost CSU the triumph.

Leading 62-55 with 25 seconds to play, Cleveland State allowed the Penguins to get six possessions to the Vikings' one, a missed free throw. In the process, Youngstown State closed to 62-59 with five seconds to play before Flannigan ended it.

The Vikings built a 32-21 halftime lead behind Flannigan, who had 16 points in the first 20 minutes. This came as CSU senior starter Vinny Sollo was serving the first of a three-game suspension for a violation of team rules.

The Vikings (8-18, 3-10) entered on a five-game losing streak that began with a 70-55 setback to YSU (9-17, 4-9) in Cleveland. The Penguins trimmed the Vikings lead to 34-32 early in the second half.

But Cleveland State responded and got the margin back up to double digits, 44-34, with just under 12 minutes to play. YSU then made its late push, forcing the Vikings to hit big free throws to avoid overtime.

See highlights from NBA All-Star Saturday Night 2016 featuring a 3-point competition between Draymond Green and Kevin Hart.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Comedian/actor Kevin Hart made headlines again on Saturday during 2016 NBA All-Star weekend after Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green accepted his 3-point competition challenge at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

Hart made the challenge back on Feb. 5 and ended the competition tying Green with 12 points.

On Saturday, Minnesota rookie Karl-Anthony Towns won the Skills Challenge title against Boston's Isaiah Thomas, and Golden State's Klay Thompson went on to win the 3-point competition.

Minnesota's Zach LaVine repeated as a dunk contest winner. See below for highlights.

St. Ignatius had two 3rd-period goals to defeat University School to win the Cleveland Cup.

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio — Aidan Spellacy's two third-period goals lifted St. Ignatius' hockey team to a 5-3 win in the 2016 Cleveland Cup final against University School at OBM Arena by Iceland USA in Strongsville on Saturday.

The Wildcats, who have won all three Cleveland Cups, had a 3-1 lead after the first period. The Preppers scored twice in the second to tie the game at 3 going into the third period.

Connor Koehnke, Camden Gerard and John von Keyserling all scored as well for the Wildcats.

@SIHSVBLUEHOCKEY wins the @GLHL1 Cleveland Cup, 5-3, over @MaroonBlackPuck #threepeat pic.twitter.com/KlGiengAzL

— @HSportsMedia (@HSportsMedia) February 14, 2016

JD Clemens scored twice for University School, and Nick Muha also had a goal for the Preppers.

Take a look back at the Cleveland Cup in with this bracket.

Joe Vardon has five smoking hot takes from a cold, cold All-Star Saturday night in Toronto, where Stephen Curry's winning streak was put on ice.

TORONTO - Stephen Curry lost at something. That's news.

Here's five things I think about that and other stuff following All-Star Saturday night in Toronto, where it feels like -18.

HOT STREAK GONE COLD: So, Curry's been doing quite a bit of winning.

Last year's 3-point champion. Top All-Star vote getter. League MVP. Finals champ. Hottest jersey sales.

AND THAT STREAK CAME CRASHING DOWN IN TORONTO.

Or, maybe, it wasn't quite so pronounced. Perhaps he merely he lost to teammate Klay Thompson by three points - 27-24 - in the 3-point shootout Saturday.

I mean, the Warriors are 48-4. LeBron James thinks they're gonna set the NBA record for wins. Curry leads the league in scoring.

Maybe you're a Cavs fan, and you're feeling a little like Curry and the Warriors are invincible. So, finally, Curry lost. At something, But it was to his own teammate.

FREE J.R.: OK, obviously, J.R. Smith should've been in the 3-point contest.

The bottom of the field - Devin Booker, Khris Middleton, and C.J. McCollum - has nowhere near the resume or 3-point stats this season that Smith has compiled. McCollum is the closest, trailing Smith for eighth place in made 3s this season by four. Click here for a quick comparison.

On cue, Middleton and McCollum failed to get out of the first round. McCollum was replacing the injured Chris Bosh, so, theoretically, the NBA skipped over Smith twice: when the field was first announced and then again when Bosh removed himself from competition.

The saving grace for the NBA: Booker made it into the finals with Thompson and Curry.

THE SHOW: So, naturally, Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon gave us perhaps the best dunk contest showdown in in NBA history, and I move it down to the third item on my list.

The contest's master of ceremonies said there had never been six consecutive perfect dunks until Saturday night. I don't know if that's true, but LaVine, the repeat winner, and Gordon, the worthy challenger, certainly deserved all those 50s.

It was a dunk contest J.R. Smith would've loved. Gordon brought the Orlando Magic mascot and put him on a hoverboard. It made for some of the most unique dunks, well, ever.

CAN'T BE BOTHERED: For at least the second straight year, or as long as I've been covering these things, James didn't attend All-Star Saturday night.

Unless he was hidden somewhere in a suite, James was not there on the court reacting with feigned shock and awe at every dunk, along with the rest of his All-Star colleagues.

Full disclosure, James wasn't the only no show. As James (a 12-time All-Star), and Dwyane Wade graduate to senior statesmen status, they're excused.

Barring something unforeseen, James will be at full strength for his party with GQ tonight.

TOUGHEN UP: As previously mentioned, it's cold here. So when Associated Press reporter Brian Mahoney had the chance Saturday night, he asked NBA Commissioner Adam Silver if a warm-weather city was going to get the 2018 All-Star Game.

Charlotte will host next season.

"Like I said, we love it here in Toronto," Silver said. "The game is indoors. Stop complaining, Brian."

Here is a look at Friday's girls basketball scores from around Ohio.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Here is a look at Saturday's girls basketball scores from around Ohio.

Bellevue 55, Shelby 44

Bucyrus 48, New Riegel 39

Carey 84, Mt. Blanchard Riverdale 51

Collins Western Reserve 53, Wellington 46

Columbia Station Columbia 41, Garfield Hts. Trinity 26

Columbus Grove 62, Pandora-Gilboa 45

Conneaut 48, Iroquois, Pa. 27

Galion Northmor 36, Centerburg 30

Lorain 46, Cle. Hts. 42

Maple Hts. 61, Bedford 54

Marion Pleasant 66, Galion 17

Massillon Perry 41, Gates Mills Gilmour 37

Maumee 40, Pemberville Eastwood 30

Metamora Evergreen 38, Tol. St. Ursula 19

Northwood 56, Tol. Maumee Valley 12

Ontario 65, Norwalk 58

Orrville 61, W. Salem NW 44

Ottoville 54, Findlay Liberty-Benton 50

Rocky River 69, Vermilion 36

Sandusky 51, Tiffin Columbian 36

Sullivan Black River 47, Lucas 31

Sycamore Mohawk 47, Old Fort 35

Tiffin Calvert 67, Lakeside Danbury 47

Tol. Christian 39, Spring. Emmanuel Christian 16

Tol. Ottawa Hills 39, Gibsonburg 32

Tontogany Otsego 62, Delta 48

Wadsworth 68, Solon 46

Waynesfield-Goshen 64, Van Buren 54

Ashville Teays Valley 59, Sunbury Big Walnut 39

Beavercreek 59, Fairborn 24

Brecksville-Broadview Hts. 49, Copley 48

Can. McKinley 84, Akr. Garfield 6

Centerville 41, Trenton Edgewood 30

Cin. Mercy 59, Morrow Little Miami 43

Cin. Oak Hills 43, Oxford Talawanda 39

Cin. Princeton 67, Cin. Anderson 41

Cin. Winton Woods 59, Cin. Mt. Healthy 50

Cle. Hay 54, Maple Hts. 38

Cols. DeSales 54, Grove City 51

Cols. Northland 86, Marysville 71

Cols. Upper Arlington 56, Dublin Jerome 32

Cols. Watterson 69, Pataskala Licking Hts. 36

E. Cle. Shaw 47, Eastlake N. 28

Euclid 57, Chardon 40

Gahanna Lincoln 44, Mt. Vernon 35

Green 57, Louisville 40

Hilliard Bradley 31, Westerville Cent. 25

Huber Hts. Wayne 82, W. Carrollton 27

Kent Roosevelt 66, Akr. North 26

Kettering Fairmont 42, Clayton Northmont 32

Kings Mills Kings 65, Cin. NW 34

Lakewood 58, Parma Normandy 37

Lebanon 51, Vandalia Butler 41

Lewis Center Olentangy 75, Delaware Hayes 26

Liberty Twp. Lakota E. 75, Batavia Amelia 33

Logan 65, Cols. Briggs 51

Loveland 47, Cin. St. Ursula 43

Madison 58, Willoughby S. 43

Medina Highland 60, Cuyahoga Falls 45

Mentor 81, Painesville Riverside 39

Milford 63, Middletown 57

N. Olmsted 48, Elyria 46

New Carlisle Tecumseh 66, Xenia 36

Newark 68, Cols. Hamilton Twp. 29

Olmsted Falls 71, N. Ridgeville 54

Pickerington Cent. 58, Grove City Cent. Crossing 24

Powell Olentangy Liberty 80, Galloway Westland 37

Reynoldsburg 68, Canal Winchester 26

Riverside Stebbins 61, Franklin 44

Shaker Hts. 66, Cle. JFK 28

Sidney 72, Miamisburg 56

Springboro 71, Springfield 26

Stow-Munroe Falls 72, Youngs. East 27

Strongsville 45, Wooster 43

Twinsburg 91, Garfield Hts. 13

Uniontown Lake 52, Barberton 48

Ursuline Academy 65, Cin. Sycamore 37

W. Chester Lakota W. 78, Cin. Withrow 27

Westlake 44, Grafton Midview 16

Zanesville 43, Hilliard Darby 20

Akr. Buchtel 56, Akr. Springfield 28

Akr. Coventry 43, Mogadore Field 36

Alliance 74, Norton 43

Bay Village Bay 55, Lorain Clearview 27

Bellbrook 66, Day. Stivers 37

Bellefontaine Benjamin Logan 66, Eaton 51

Beloit W. Branch 68, Mantua Crestwood 27

Can. South 58, Akr. Kenmore 32

Canal Fulton Northwest 45, Streetsboro 33

Chillicothe 32, Washington C.H. Miami Trace 19

Cin. Mariemont 62, Cin. Shroder 22

Circleville 45, Washington C.H. 33

Cle. Cent. Cath. 62, Cle. Hts. Beaumont 42

Cle. VASJ 71, Ashtabula Edgewood 35

Cuyahoga Falls CVCA 46, Peninsula Woodridge 25

Day. Chaminade Julienne 56, Wilmington 50

Day. Thurgood Marshall 42, Germantown Valley View 33

Dresden Tri-Valley 59, Lisbon Beaver 47

Elyria Cath. 42, Fairview 19

Jefferson Area 55, Ashtabula Lakeside 38

Kettering Alter 70, Middletown Fenwick 27

LaGrange Keystone 43, Lodi Cloverleaf 39

Mentor Lake Cath. 60, Chesterland W. Geauga 48

New Concord John Glenn 41, Gnadenhutten Indian Valley 32

New Philadelphia 59, Belmont Union Local 31

Oberlin Firelands 47, Medina Buckeye 36

Orange 50, Cle. St. Martin De Porres 39

Ravenna 62, Niles McKinley 28

Ravenna SE 67, Girard 49

Richfield Revere 70, Cle. MLK 7

Shaker Hts. Laurel 46, Chagrin Falls 41

Spring. Kenton Ridge 51, Bellefontaine 42

St. Paris Graham 53, Day. Meadowdale 44

Thornville Sheridan 53, McArthur Vinton County 49

Tipp City Tippecanoe 85, Spring. Greenon 14

Vincent Warren 48, Jackson 45

Warren Howland 81, Hubbard 46

Albany Alexander 47, New Lexington 39

Anna 73, Day. Northridge 14

Bethel-Tate 56, Cin. Clark Montessori 36

Casstown Miami E. 56, Camden Preble Shawnee 48

Chillicothe Huntington 47, Piketon 44

Cin. Hills Christian Academy 53, Cin. N. College Hill 43

Cin. Madeira 67, St. Bernard 16

Cin. Purcell Marian 49, St. Bernard Roger Bacon 41

Cin. Summit Country Day 69, Reading 21

Hamilton Badin 60, Cin. Deer Park 35

Ironton 87, Portsmouth 10

Jamestown Greeneview 58, Lees Creek E. Clinton 36

Lore City Buckeye Trail 43, Coshocton 32

Lynchburg-Clay 64, W. Union 39

Martins Ferry 42, Cadiz Harrison Cent. 38

Middletown Madison Senior 49, Carlisle 43

Minford 46, Chesapeake 32

Nelsonville-York 45, Crooksville 26

Proctorville Fairland 62, Lucasville Valley 29

Sardinia Eastern Brown 62, Ironton Rock Hill 46

Seaman N. Adams 61, Peebles 42

Southeastern 55, Bidwell River Valley 39

Spring. NE 49, Milton-Union 38

Spring. NW 58, New Lebanon Dixie 24

Sugarcreek Garaway 84, Zanesville W. Muskingum 49

Versailles 45, New Paris National Trail 16

W. Lafayette Ridgewood 77, Bellaire 40

W. Liberty-Salem 48, N. Lewisburg Triad 16

Waynesville 72, Cin. Seven Hills 33

Wheelersburg 57, S. Point 24

Williamsport Westfall 53, Oak Hill 34

Woodsfield Monroe Cent. 50, Barnesville 48

Zoarville Tuscarawas Valley 81, Newcomerstown 21

Belpre 47, Glouster Trimble 42

Berlin Hiland 93, Toronto 9

Botkins 58, Ansonia 42

Cedarville 59, Cincinnati Christian 25

Covington 54, Bradford 30

Day. Miami Valley 51, Day. Jefferson 10

Fayetteville-Perry 64, Lockland 27

Felicity-Franklin 42, Hamilton New Miami 36

Ft. Loramie 66, DeGraff Riverside 12

Georgetown 59, Cin. Gamble Montessori 41

Houston 55, Russia 49

Jackson Center 60, Troy Christian 35

Leesburg Fairfield 60, Manchester 55

Malvern 76, Caldwell 52

New Madison Tri-Village 82, Spring. Cath. Cent. 8

Newton Local 58, Pitsburg Franklin-Monroe 33

Portsmouth Notre Dame 62, Portsmouth Clay 44

Reedsville Eastern 59, Ironton St. Joseph 28

S. Charleston SE 50, Xenia Christian 34

Shadyside 63, Strasburg-Franklin 36

Ky. School for the Deaf, Ky. 36, Ohio Deaf 26

Thompson beat his Golden State teammate and defending champion Stephen Curry with a dazzling display at All-Star Saturday night.

TORONTO -- Klay Thompson did what barely any team has done this year.

He beat Stephen Curry.

The 3-point contest championship has gone from one "Splash Brother" to another, as Thompson beat his Golden State teammate and defending champion with a dazzling display at All-Star Saturday night. Thompson finished the final round with 27 points, four more than Curry managed as once again, the title came down to the two Golden State sharpshooters.

"We love to shoot against each other," Thompson said. "You know, I've never been on a team with someone who shoots it better than me, so it's a privilege to work with him every day. He makes me that much better."

Phoenix's Devin Booker was third, with 16 points in the final round. He beat Houston's James Harden and J.J. Redick of the Los Angeles Clippers to get out of the first round, and Toronto's Kyle Lowry, Portland's C.J. McCollum and Milwaukee's Khris Middleton were eliminated early.

As probably many expected, it came down to Curry and Thompson.

Curry shot before Thompson in the final round, making his first seven shots and putting up 23 points -- which, to that point, was the best score of the night. Shooters got one point for making a conventional 3-pointer, two points for using a multicolored "money ball."

"At the end of the day, you've got to make shots," Curry said. "Just like in a game."

So the pressure was on Thompson, and he delivered.

Here's how good Thompson was in the finals -- he had two different streaks of eight consecutive makes. Thompson was 19-for-25 in the final round, 18-for-25 in the first, and adding them together put him at 74 percent on the night.

That's what it took to beat Curry, who set the NBA single-season record with 286 3-pointers last season and is on pace to obliterate that mark this season. He's already at 245, and the Warriors have 30 games remaining.

And really, the only title Curry probably really wants to defend is the NBA championship anyway. He and Thompson have helped the Warriors get off to a 48-4 start this season, making them the heavy favorites to repeat as titlists.

"Back-to-back years for the 'Splash Brothers,'" Thompson said. "It's pretty cool.

NBA All-Star Weekend 2016: Zach LaVine repeatedly perfect to repeat as dunk champ

The 3-Point Contest was thought to be the main attraction on Saturday night of All-Star Weekend, but Minnesota's Zach LaVine and Orlando's Aaron Gordon stole the show in the Slam Dunk Contest.

TORONTO - The 3-Point Contest was thought to be the main attraction on All-Star Saturday Night, but Minnesota's Zach LaVine and Orlando's Aaron Gordon stole the show in the Slam Dunk Contest.

Those two athletes put forth a performance for the ages with a wide range of creative, innovative and jaw-dropping dunks.

LaVine executed a windmill dunk from the free-throw line and Gordon threw down a one-handed 360 dunk in which he snatched the ball out of the hands of Orlando's mascot who was twirling in a circle on a hoverboard.

The duo registered a perfect score of 50 six straight times. The record previously was three such scores. It will go down as one of the legendary NBA nights of entertainment.

LaVine eventually won after Gordon received a much-booed score of 47 on a double-pump reverse jam. Maybe the judges were ready to hit the town, because it was deserving of a 50. LaVine finished it off with a 50 with his between the leg windmill from the charity stripe.

I think the league should have called the contest a round earlier as a tie. Both candidates deserved to win. No one could have prepared for as many attempts as they attempted on Saturday.

On a side note, Klay Thompson defeated his Splash Brother Stephen Curry in the final round of the 3-Point Contest, 27-24. That's the matchup everyone was hoping for. Thompson caught fire on his final rack, nailing all five shots to dethrone Curry.

In the inaugural year of big men being included in The Skills Challenge, Minnesota center Karl Anthony-Towns took down Boston point guard Isaiah Thomas to win the title. A 6-10 player maneuvering through a maze of cones, hitting passing targets and hitting a trey before a 5-7 player could do the same was quite impressive.

However, Saturday night was all about Gordon and LaVine, now a two-time dunk champion. He praised Gordon afterwards, saying he had never before seen the moves Gordon pulled off.

It was a dunking clinic that rocked Air Canada Centre. Easily, the best dunk contest I've covered.

The Lake Erie Monsters had their winning streak stopped at four games Saturday night, losing 4-3 in overtime to the Texas Stars in Austin.

Cleveland's Lake Erie Monsters had their winning streak ended at four games Saturday night, losing 4-3 in overtime to the Texas Stars at Cedar Park Center in Austin.

The loss left Lake Erie at 26-16-5-3, in third place in the American Hockey League Central Division. Texas, winning its fourth straight, improved to 28-18-3-3,
alone in second place in the AHL's Pacific Division.

Lake Erie led 3-1 in the third period, but Texas' Brett Ritchie closed the margin to 3-2 at 9:09, and Asa Lindell's short-handed goal at 12:36 tied the game.

Jason Dickinson created a turnover and scored the winning marker at 3:34 of overtime.

T.J. Tynan broke the ice for Lake Erie with a power-play goal at 14:55 of the opening frame, assisted by Sonny Milano and John Ramage.

The Monsters went up 2-0 when Jaime Sifers deflected a rebound at 7:22 of the second period, fed by Daniel Zaar and Michael Chaput.

But the Stars opened the third period with a power-play goal by Julius Honka. Lake Erie's Lukas Sedlak responded at 6:31, assisted by Michael Paliotta and Oliver Bjorkstrand, restoring the two-goal lead that didn't hold up.

Brad Thiessen took the loss in net, stopping 31 of 35 shots. Maxime Lagace saved 33 of 36 for the win.Lake Erie's Josh Anderson got the better of Texas' Stephen Johns in a bout at 8:30 of the chippy third period, when each was charged five minutes for fighting. Over all, he Monsters had six penalties totaling 15 minutes, and Johns accounted for three of the five Texas penalties totaling 13 minutes.

Next up: The Monsters play the Stars again on Sunday at 5 p.m. CST, and then return home to The Q at 7 p.m. Friday against the San Antonio Rampage.

LaVine and Aaron Gordon matched each other dunk for dunk for the first two tries in the final round. Then needed two rounds of tie-breakers to decide a winner.

TORONTO -- Aaron Gordon soared over his mascot, but nobody flies higher than Zach LaVine in the slam dunk contest.

LaVine was perfect just a little longer than Gordon and won a thrilling final event to cap off an entertaining NBA All-Star Saturday. LaVine captured his second straight dunk title -- and a second trophy in two nights.

"I had to bring my A-plus-plus-plus game," LaVine said.

"He did two dunks that were just crazy with the mascots, jumping over them. We just kept pushing each other until the last dunk."

The 3-point crown stayed by the Bay -- though with the other 'Splash Brother.' Klay Thompson pulled off a smooth-shooting surprise by beating Stephen Curry.

"Back-to-back years for Splash Brothers, it's pretty cool," Thompson said.

All-Star weekend so far has belonged to LaVine and the Minnesota Timberwolves, as rookie Karl-Anthony Towns showed big guys have skills, too.

The night -- and the first two nights of this first All-Star weekend held outside the U.S. -- ended with a celebration for LaVine, who won the MVP award in Friday night in the Rising Stars Challenge for rookies and second-year players.

He outlasted Gordon in a duel that needed two overtimes and ended only when there was literally no ball to use. Curry batted it down to other end of the court after he and the other NBA stars who were as captivated as the fans and celebrities sitting courtside charged onto the court when LaVine leaped from just inside the free throw line, put the ball between his legs in midair and slammed it down.

He and Gordon traded perfect scores of 50 for the previous few rounds after advancing to the final, but the Orlando Magic rookie mustered only a 47 in his last attempt.

But he may have had the most memorable dunks of the night with some help from the Magic's mascot -- aptly named Stuff the Magic Dragon.

On Stuff's first assist, Gordon took the ball with one hand from the mascot, who was spinning around on a hoverboard, and did a 360-degree dunk. He got another assist from Stuff on the next one, leaping high to take the ball, putting it under his legs -- nearly in a sitting position in midair -- and slamming it down with his left hand.

"Me and him are now like best friends, me and Stuff," Gordon said.

The only boos went to the judges, with the crowd thinking Shaquille O'Neal was a little stingy with a couple of 9s instead of perfect 10s.

"We were kind of mind-boggled a couple times because we got 49s and they were 50s," LaVine said.

A night that included an appearance by boxing ring announcer Michael Buffer ended with a couple heavyweight matchups. LaVine became the first repeat dunk champion since Nate Robinson, but Curry wasn't even the best on his own team after setting a final-round record last year.

This time, Thompson was so good he had clinched it even before the final ball on his final rack. He started to walk away after making first four -- then turned and made that one, anyway.

"He definitely shot well tonight," Curry said. "I still think I can hold my own in the competition, but the way that he finished off that second round was amazing. So trust me, the pressure of knowing what number he had to hit and making five out of five was fun to watch."

Towns beat Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas to win the Skills Challenge, further validating the evolution of the big man from a plodding post player to a playmaking force.

In the first year that frontcourt players were allowed to compete against the guards in the event that combines dribbling, passing and perimeter shooting, Towns beat Golden State's Draymond Green and Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins in the big men side of the bracket before edging Thomas in the finals.

"I'm glad I was able to help the bigs come out with this trophy," said Towns, the No. 1 overall pick in the June draft. "This is bigger than me. This is for all the bigs out there, with the game changing the way it is, to show that bigs can stand up with guards and skillwise."

 

LeBron James took a bazooka to an absurd report that the Cavs would trade Kevin Love and get back Carmelo Anthony.

TORONTO - In the event that rumored talks of the Cavaliers somehow seeking to trade Kevin Love in return for Carmelo Anthony needed to be put to bed, LeBron James did just that on Saturday.

"It's false. That's the only thing, I can look at it and say it's false," James said Saturday in Toronto, after the East's practice in preparation for Sunday's 65^th NBA All-Star Game in Toronto. "And that's the last thing I was worrying about right now, and that's trade talks for our team."

James considers Anthony, 31, one of his best friends, but the scenario laid out in a report Friday night made virtually no sense. Basically, according to the report, the Cavs would trade Love, their stretch-four and $113 million man, to Boston (an East rival that needs a player like Love), and turn that (by trading Timofey Mozgov to New York, while Boston sends picks to the Knicks) into Anthony coming to Cleveland from New York.

Anthony, of course, plays the wing, like James, only he's been hobbled by injuries, plays little defense, and dominates the ball - the virtual antithesis of what the Cavs need.

A high-ranking Cavs official said Saturday there was a "zero percent" chance the team would do what it was reportedly seeking to do.

"Total nonsense. Absolutely not discussed," said the source, who was given anonymity to speak freely about team affairs.

The NBA trade deadline is Thursday. The Cavs, at 38-14, lead the East by three games over Toronto. The Knicks are 23-32, five games out of the 8^th seed in the East. They've lost 10 of 11 games and fired coach Derek Fisher during that stretch.

Anthony, who would have to waive his no-trade clause, said on Sirius XM NBA Radio Saturday: "There's always some trade (stuff) going (on). I'm not going anywhere."

Anthony's averaging 21.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He's missed seven games this season, and last year played in just 40 because of a bad left knee that required surgery and forced him out after the All-Star break.

The Knicks are in danger of missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season. Anthony has made it past the first round just once in 13 seasons - when he took Denver to the Western Conference finals in 2009.

James said he "feels" for Anthony. James went No. 1 overall to Cleveland, Anthony was the No. 3 pick by Denver, and Dwyane Wade was taken fifth by Miami. Chris Paul, James' other best pal, was drafted in 2005.

"I feel for any one of my friends," James said. "Obviously it's well documented that Carmelo, Dwyane, Chris Paul is my three best guys that we have around this league. I felt for CP last year in the postseason, felt for D-Wade throughout his injuries that he's had, and then last year having a rough season and not making the playoffs, and I feel for Melo."

The Heat, of course, missed the postseason following James' departure from the organization. Miami had gone to four consecutive Finals.

James quoted Pat Riley Saturday - the "main thing" reference below, which, of course, is winning -- when he talked about the Cavs moving forward. Those plans certainly seem to include Love.

"Obviously with myself and Kyrie and Kev, we kind of spearhead the whole thing," James said. "We're focused on the main thing, knowing what the main thing is every day and we'll give ourselves a great chance."

Look at the week-by-week list of tests for the Buckeyes, which will be much more difficult than the 2015 schedule.

Get Twitter updates from reporter Scott Patsko, as well as local teams competing in the state dual tournament.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 2016 OHSAA dual team state wrestling tournament is Sunday at Ohio State’s St. John Arena. Get live updates from all three rounds right here in this post.

The Twitter window below will display updates from cleveland.com reporter Scott Patsko, as well as teams from Northeast Ohio and around the state competing at the fourth-year event.

Quarterfinal rounds are at 11 a.m. and 1:15 p.m., followed by semifinals (3:30) and finals (7:30).

Check out Patsko’s scouting report on this year’s state dual tournament.

Tweets from State Duals 2016

Six opponents in 2016 are new. And every single one of them is tougher than the team from 2015 it is replacing.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Imagine the unanimous No. 1 team in the nation in a top-five showdown last September.

It might have been exactly what the 2015 Ohio State Buckeyes needed, but it wasn't there. Now the 2016 Buckeyes will face that kind of early test, whether they are ready or not.

The schedule Ohio State will face in 2016 is significantly more difficult in every way than the 2015 schedule. It's a schedule that ideally the Buckeyes would flip-flop with last year.

The bored, at times overly confident veteran team of 2015 could have used national title contender Oklahoma early on and more challenges in the Big Ten. That team could have won those games, or the tougher schedule would have allowed one loss to not eliminate the Buckeyes from the playoff picture. Either way, the Buckeyes would have been more prepared for the Michigan State game in week 11 than they were after such a lousy run of opponents.

The young, developing team of 2016 could have used a 10-game start to the season that didn't include a top 25 team, as was the case last year. Instead, a team replacing 16 starters will face four teams that won at least 10 games last year before getting to the Spartans and Wolverines. If the Buckeyes are slow to come together, they could have multiple losses before that big November finish.

Six games on the 2016 schedule feature the same opponents, the six other teams in the Big Ten East in Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Rutgers, Maryland and Indiana. That includes the Spartans and Wolverines sitting at the end of the schedule again as the last two games in late November.

The other six? It's like 2015 was a JV schedule in comparison.

By one quick measure, the other six teams Ohio State played in 2015 (Virginia Tech, Hawaii, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois) were a combined 37-41.

The other six teams on the schedule this year (Oklahoma, Bowling Green, Tulsa, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Nebraska) were a combined 53-26 last year.

Here's how the schedule swap compares as the Buckeyes will put almost an entirely new team on the field in 2016.

1. Major national showdown: Swapping Virginia Tech (7-6) for Oklahoma (11-2)

The Buckeyes did lose to the Hokies two years ago, but the new home-and-home with the Sooners in 2016 and 2017 will be the toughest nonconference games the Buckeyes play since facing USC in 2008 and 2009. The last three major national foes (Miami, Cal and Virginia Tech) from 2010 to 2015 all fell off as programs from the time the games were originally scheduled.

Not the Sooners. A playoff team last year, they'll be a playoff favorite again in 2016.

2. The MAC game: Swapping Northern Illinois (8-6) for Bowling Green (10-4) 

The Falcons lost their coach, quarterback, leading rusher and two leading receivers (after Gehrig Dieter transferred to Alabama on Saturday). But with new coach Mike Jinks, the Falcons will still offer a high-flying, Big 12-style offense in the opener. As good as Northern Illinois is as a program, they are more traditional to prepare for.

Jinks, who was Texas Tech's running backs coach, hasn't been a college head coach before. So Ohio State won't know exactly what's coming.

3. The easy nonconference game: Swapping Hawaii (3-10) for Tulsa (6-7)

This is all part of a plan pushed by Gene Smith to make the schedule more difficult in the playoff era. This game shows that as much as anything. This is a very good "worst-team-on-the-schedule" game, as Tulsa made a bowl last season and lost to Virginia Tech.

Yes, the worst nonconference team on this schedule played the best nonconference team on last year's schedule in a bowl.

Second-year coach Philip Montgomery, a former Baylor offensive coordinator, is part of the new wave of young head coaches with high-octane attacks, and his quarterback is returning. This is not Hawaii. Not close.

4. The extra Big Ten game: Swapping Western Michigan (8-5) for Northwestern (10-3)

The Big Ten nine-game schedule begins this season, and it's a major change. Instead of another nonconference snoozer, the Buckeyes get a third crossover game against the West Division. 

That will bring Northwestern's first trip to Columbus since 2007 instead of another MAC team like Western Michigan. The Wildcats return 1,400-yard runner Justin Jackson from a team that finished No. 23 in the final AP poll. 

5. The worst Big Ten crossover game: Swapping Illinois (5-7) for Nebraska (6-7)

The Cornhuskers were down last year in Mike Riley's first season. But five of their losses came by 1, 2, 2, 3 and 5 points. There's more talent in Lincoln than there is in Champaign. The Cornhuskers could certainly be 6-2 or so by the time they arrive in Ohio Stadium. 

6. The best Big Ten crossover game: Swapping Minnesota (6-7) for Wisconsin (10-3)

The Golden Gophers have been overachievers as a Big Ten contender, but the Badgers are far more of a real deal. Wisconsin has won just one of its last eight against the Buckeyes, but it's not just about whether the Buckeyes can beat the Badgers.

Facing Wisconsin in week six in Madison is unlike anything the Buckeyes faced a year ago in October. A game like that will either make them stronger for the stretch, or soften them up for the Penn State, Northwestern and Nebraska games to follow.

In 2016, Ohio State fans won't be able to nap until November, knowing the Buckeyes will still be undefeated when they wake up. This season, every week will be more interesting than a year ago.

That could be good. Or that could be bad. It could have been just what the 2015 team needed.

Indiana and Iowa look to stay on top of the competitive Big Ten men's basketball race when they play games today.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Big Ten men's basketball race doesn't have the star power of the Big 12, but it's just as competitive and as topsy turvy. Following Wisconsin's dismantling of No. 2 Maryland on Saturday, there are now eight teams with at least an outside chance for a regular-season title and spots in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.

Indiana and Iowa share the lead at 10-2 and both play today, looking to make a statement. Indiana will visit No. 8 Michigan State (1 p.m., CBS) and No. 4 Iowa plays host to Minnesota (7:30, BTN).

No. 17 Arizona is home to No. 23 USC tonight (8 p.m., FS1) in a rematch of the four-overtime thriller won by USC on Jan. 9.

You can get previews to these games, league standings and updates on our live scoreboard.

Sunday's Top 25 schedule

• No. 4 Iowa vs. Minnesota, 7:30 p.m., BTN
• No. 8 Michigan State vs. Indiana, 1 p.m., CBS
• No. 9 North Carolina vs. Pitt, 1 p.m., ESPNFC
• No. 12 Miami at Florida State, 6:30 p.m., ESPNU
• No. 17 Arizona vs. No. 23 USC, 8 p.m., FS1

The Eagles and Pioneers are two of five local semifinalists.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – St. Edward, Elyria and Brecksville advanced to the semifinals of the Division I OHSAA dual team state tournament on Sunday, joining Division II Lake Catholic and Division III Rootstown in the next round.

Semifinals begin at 3:30 and finals are at 7:30 at Ohio State's St. John Arena.

The top-seeded Eagles face Massillon Perry in the semifinals, while Elyria faces the defending champion Bees. 

St. Edward won 12 matches to defeat Cincinnati Elder 57-9 in its quarterfinal. That included bonus points in 10 matches. Massillon Perry rallied late for a 34-24 win against Fairfield. This is the third time in four years the Eagles and Panthers have met at the state tournament. The Eagles won in the finals in 2013, then lost in the semifinals in 2014, when the Panthers won the title.

The Bees defeated Dublin Coffman 40-28 despite a pair of two-time state placers losing matches. A technical fall by Nolan Wochna (138) and a pin by Jadon Kinney (170) were keys for the Bees' victory. 

Elyria, the No. 2 seed, defeated Delaware Hayes 41-21, getting wins in three of the final four matches to pull away.

Check out complete Division I quarterfinal results. 

Lake Catholic, in its first state duals appearance, defeated Mt. Orab Western Brown 47-24. The Cougars won their final five matches, getting pins from Matt Wertenberger (170), John Szep (182), Brendan Galloway (220) and Hunter Williams (285).

They advance to face three-time defending champion St. Paris Graham, which defeated New Lexington 70-6, winning 13 of 14 matches.

St. Vincent-St. Mary was the only local eliminated in the quarterfinals. The Irish lost 40-22 to Wauseon after starting their quarterfinal down 12-0 due to forfeits at 106 and 113. Then the team was docked three points due to unsportsmanlike conduct by coach Mike Skonieczny. 

Wauseon faces Steubenville in the semifinals.

Check out complete Division II quarterfinal results.

Rootstown defeated Oak Harbor 30-29. A 9-2 decision at 220 by Ryan Boyle clinched the dual, setting up a semifinal meeting with three-time defending champion Delta, which won its quarterfinal against Shadyside, 54-19.

Apple Creek Waynedale will face Mechanicsburg in the other semifinal.

Check out complete Division III quarterfinal results. 

For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact sports reporter Scott Patsko on Twitter (@ScottPatsko) by email (spatsko@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Will the Browns look to draft Braxton Miller? Will they have Josh Gordon on the team next year? Is it smart for Hue Jackson to call his own plays? These and other questions answered in Hey Mary Kay!

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Hey Mary Kay!

Hey, Mary Kay: Will the Browns look at adding Braxton Miller in the draft?

-- Jake Sherman, Oak Grove, Ky.

Hey Jake: Miller had an excellent Senior Bowl two weeks and scouts I talked to were really excited about him as they left Mobile, Ala. Browns coach Hue Jackson was impressed with Miller during the three days of practices he watched, and I'm sure the Browns will consider drafting him. It just depends on where they have him ranked as the draft rolls around. I've been told he can climb into the late first round with a good 40 time at the NFL Combine or his pro day. The Browns have the No. 32 overall pick and might consider him there.

Here's #Buckeyes WR Braxton Miller catching a pass at #seniorbowl practice pic.twitter.com/GOXqjvp96c

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) January 27, 2016