Tre Cobbs scored 24 points, while Dantez Walton supplied 20 points and 11 rebounds to spur LCC’s second-half surge and 66-44 win Saturday morning at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The third straight OHSAA Division III boys basketball championship meeting between Villa Angela-St. Joseph and Lima Central Catholic went to the Thunderbirds.

Tre Cobbs scored 24 points, while Dantez Walton supplied 20 points and 11 rebounds to spur LCC’s second-half surge and 66-44 win Saturday morning at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center.

VASJ (23-6) trailed by just one at halftime after sophomore point guard Jerry Higgins forced up a buzzer-beating shot to evade a double team. The Vikings followed in the third quarter by shooting 1-of-9 from the floor.

LCC (28-1) took control from there.

Check back later for more photos, video highlights and reaction.

LCC prevented VASJ from a seventh state championship that would have tied it for the OHSAA all-time record with Middletown. St. Vincent-St. Mary, also with six state crowns, will go for that record at 2 p.m. vs. New Concord John Glenn.

Middletown’s run stretched from 1944 to 1957. Jerry Lucas, who led the last of Middletown’s championships, has his No. 11 jersey retired at Ohio State.

The number hangs in the rafters just behind the bench where VASJ sat Saturday morning. The Vikings reached the state final for a fourth straight time.

VASJ beat Lima Central Catholic last year, 63-50, with a senior-laden team that included three players – Carlton Bragg, Dererk Pardon and Brian Parker – now at Division I colleges.

Higgins led VASJ with 15 points. The Vikings shot 17-of-47 from the floor and 4-of-19 on 3-pointers. LCC also owned a 36-22 rebounding edge.

LCC won the first meeting two years ago with sophomore Xavier Simpson leading the Thunderbirds, 64-62. Simpson since transferred to Lima Senior, committed to the University of Michigan and won this season’s Ohio Mr. Basketball award. He will lead the big public school Saturday night in the Division I championship game against Westerville South.

Buzzer-beater for @j_higgins6 has @VASJBasketball down just one point at half. pic.twitter.com/8nNf77SW5Y

— Matt Goul (@mgoul) March 19, 2016

Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

VASJ became the first team since LeBron James' St. Vincent-St. Mary teams to reach 4 straight state championship games.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — VASJ boys basketball's fourth straight trip to a state championship game ended with a 66-44 loss to Lima Central Catholic on Saturday in the Division III final.

But the path the Vikings took to reach their record-tying fourth championship game featured a set of extremely tough challenges.

Before the season started, VASJ had to figure out how to replace 99 percent of its scoring. Its head coach, Babe Kwasniak, took a leave of absence to start the season. Just 23 wins later, including a buzzer-beating layup by sophomore guard Jerry Higgins in a district final win against Beachwood, the underdog Vikings made it back to the state final.

"Special kids, man," Kwasniak said about his senior class. "If I get emotional, it's not because we lost. It's because I don't get to coach them anymore.

"I refuse, I absolutely refuse myself to put my head down. I know these guys are hurting now. But, what a run. We have a saying in the (Viking) Village — our AD isn't here — that we don't hang up runner-up banners. Well we need to change that because of what these guys did."

The Vikings, who defeated LCC in the Division III championship game last year, 63-50, lost Division I prospects Carlton Bragg, Dererk Pardon and Brian Parker to graduation. Four of the players who started on Saturday for the Vikings combined to play just five minutes in last year's championship game.

But the VASJ senior class featuring starters Sherman Dean III, Jacob Stauffer and Kevin Roberts leaves having won 93 games, four regional titles and two state championships.

"Going through the season, we all had the mindset that it was not going to be easy to get here," Dean said. "I feel like we shocked a lot of people.

"It's not just going to be bad because we lost. I feel like it's going to be tears of joy also because we did the impossible."

The impossible comes from VASJ becoming the first team to play in four straight state championship games since LeBron James' St. Vincent-St. Mary teams from 2000-03. The Vikings also became the 12th team in state history to reach the state final four in four consecutive years.

"Everything that we have faced has gotten us closer and closer and closer," said Higgins, who led the Viking with 15 points in the loss. "Without that togetherness, we wouldn't be here right now."

The Thunderbirds won the 2014 Division III championship against the Vikings, 64-62.

The Cleveland Browns will likely decide between Cal quarterback Jared Goff and North Dakota State's Carson Wentz with the No. 2 pick the draft. Here's one vote for Goff.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - So the Browns poured water on a football at Jared Goff's pro day to simulate tough weather conditions.

It would be more symbolic if Hue Jackson and Pep Hamilton traveled to these quarterback workouts with a gallon jug filled with this city's tears.

Is Goff The One? Finally? The last name (for a while) on the Browns' list of starting quarterbacks since 1999?

The Browns are stripping down and building up again. Jackson says there's a plan, a smart plan, a plan everyone in the organization is embracing. Surely that plan isn't to bypass a quarterback at the top of the draft and try to sell Colin Kaepernick leftovers as an appetizing replacement.

"He's a tremendous kid,'' Jackson told NFL Network about Goff. "Obviously him being here at Cal, we have a little insight as to what he is, but he's a tremendous young man. Had a tremendous career, has a lot of poise, obviously accuracy, can throw the ball with anybody, make all of the throws, but I think you guys all know it's more than that than just playing quarterback.

"That guy has to be the face of the franchise, so just kind of want to find out as much as we can and be able to evaluate it all as we go through this process."

Browns can rely on Jackson's and Hamilton's QB expertise 

Jackson has Cal connections. Cal connections in the NFL are easier to come by than North Dakota State connections. You can make a case that North Dakota State's Carson Wentz is the better option for the Browns, but only because of his size and stronger arm. 

Can there really be more concern about Goff's hands than Wentz's competition in college?

Let's put aside the argument that the Browns should take the best available player and instead let's assume they will use the No. 2 pick on a quarterback.

I'd be less concerned about Goff's hands or his sunny California roots. I'd be more concerned that Wentz was coming off a wrist injury, played half of last season, and did so in a lesser conference.

Jackson claims Browns have a plan

We'll never know how Goff would've fared against Wentz's level of competition or vice versa. We'll never know how Cardale Jones would've played if he were at North Dakota State. My guess: They'd still be trying to tackle him.

The competition difference should be much more of a stumbling block. Just pointing out that Steve McNair excelled in the NFL out of Alcorn State or Joe Flacco out of Delaware isn't enough.

Wentz would still rank as an exception. That's a bigger issue than whether Goff's hands are 9 inches (the combine measurement) or 91/8 (the pro day measurement). Or the number of warm, sunny days where they played their college ball.

"I've played in cold weather before and I wouldn't be the first quarterback to go from California to cold weather," Goff told the Associated Press. "I think Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are doing pretty well. They're able to do it."

The Browns have a chance to draft the top quarterback in the draft and develop him. Jackson tells us the new regime in Berea is a smart bunch whose vision is impressive and whose plan deserves to be trusted. At the same time, the Harvard guys will rely on Jackson's feel for quarterbacks.

"You try to spend as much time as you can and talk to as many people as you can and then at the end of the day it really comes down to your gut and what you feel inside about the person,'' he said.

Goff had a tough start at Cal as a freshman. A particularly bad game in the rain at Oregon that year is why the Browns and other NFL teams want to simulate tough weather conditions for him.

He got better against good competition, throwing for 78 TDs his last two seasons. That should count for something, at least enough to make him the front runner at No. 2.

If there's an argument that says Wentz has the higher upside, isn't that just another way of saying he's more of a projection?

STVM lost to John Glenn, 76-72, in the Division II state championship game.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — STVM's boys basketball team fell short of a record-tying seventh state championship as it lost to New Concord John Glenn, 76-72, on Saturday in the Division II state championship game at the Schottenstein Center.

Jayvon Graves led the Irish (26-4) with 18 points and Butler commit Henry Baddley had 16 points. Junior guard John Williams added 14 points and four assists.

John Glenn (28-1) led by as much as 12 points in the third quarter thanks to its tremendous shooting. The Muskies shot 65.8 percent from the field to 37.1 percent for the Irish.

STVM (26-4) started the game making only one of their first 17 shots of the game. John Williams had the Irish's only basket of the first quarter as they shot 6.7 percent from the field.

The Irish rallied to take the lead early in the fourth quarter as it relied on its pressure defense to force turnovers and generate easy baskets. They also had a big game from the free-throw line, converting on 21 of 25 attempts.

John Glenn's Drew Rackley had a team-high 25 points and Matt Weir added 18.

The game was a rematch of an earlier season meeting that John Glenn (28-1) won, 54-51.

Robert Griffin III visited the Browns Saturday, a source told cleveland.com.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns missed out on their first crack at quarterback Robert Griffin III, but now they have another one.

The former Redskins quarterback made an official free agent visit to the Browns facility this weekend, a league source confirmed for cleveland.com. He flew to Cleveland on Friday night and left Saturday afternoon.

He met with Executive Vice President Sashi Brown, coach Hue Jackson, assistant head coach/offense Pep Hamilton and Vice President of Player Personnel Andrew Berry. The visit went well, according to a source.

It was the second visit Griffin III has made since the Redskins released him March 7. He's also visited the Jets, and had at least some mild interest from the Broncos.

The 2012 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Griffin III, 26, is looking to revive his career after he was benched last season in favor of Kirk Cousins. He reportedly would love to play in Los Angeles for the Rams, the team that traded away the right to draft him in 2012.

It remains to be seen how serious the Browns are about signing him. He left town without a contract.

The Browns are doing their due diligence on available veteran quarterbacks and have also expressed interest in trading for 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. A source told cleveland.com recently that the Browns would be willing to part with a third-round pick for Kaepernick, but that the trade hinged on a contract restructuring.

The 49ers reportedly won't cut Colin Kaepernick

The 49ers reportedly won't release Kaepernick before his $11.9 million base salary contract is guaranteed April 1, and are reportedly willing to let him battle Blaine Gabbert for the starting job if they don't get an offer they like.

Jackson likes Kaepernick and has always believed he changes the way a defense lines up. But landing him won't be easy.

The Broncos have also talked to the 49ers about Kaepernick. They traded for Mark Sanchez and are prepared to start him.

Along with kicking the tires on a veteran quarterback, the Browns are considering drafting a quarterback in the first round in April. On Friday, the team's top brass attended Cal quarterback Jared Goff's Pro Day, where Jackson, Hamilton and Berry all congratulated him after a solid workout.

Pep Hamilton throws water on Jared Goff's Pro Day

The Browns are searching for a new quarterback of the future after waiving Johnny Manziel last week. They have veteran Josh McCown, 36, and Austin Davis, but are determined to add to the mix.

Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports first reported Griffin III's visit to Cleveland.

Robert Griffin III met with the Browns today on an official visit, sources say. Now flying out of Cleveland but sounds like a good visit.

-- Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 19, 2016

When Mike Holmgren was president of the Browns in 2012, the Browns tried to trade with the Rams to take RG3, but got outbid by the Redskins. The Browns offered three first-round picks, including both in 2012 and one in 2013, and were prepared to throw in their 2012 second-rounder.

The Rams, who had close ties to Redskins coach Mike Shanahan, accepted Washington's offer of three first-round picks spread out over three seasons, and a second-rounder. Holmgren expressed dismay over how the deal went down, saying the Browns' offer "was every bit as good'' as the Redskins'.

Griffin III, the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner out of Baylor, had a stellar rookie year under former Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, but tore his ACL in a playoff loss to the Seahawks and things went downhill from there.

Griffin threw for 20 touchdowns and only five interceptions as a rookie en route to a 102.4 rating and Pro Bowl honors. He also rushed for 815 yards and seven TDs.

Little did anyone know he may have peaked.

In the two seasons following the torn ACL, Griffin went 5-15 and lost his job last season to Cousins, who recently signed his $20 million franchise tender. Along the way, Mike and Kyle Shananah were fired because of their differences with the former rookie sensation.

For Griffin's career, he has a 14-21 record and has completed 63.9 percent of his passes. He's thrown for 8,097 yards, with 40 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. His career rating is 90.6.

The Browns' top decision-makers, including Jimmy Haslam, Paul DePodesta, Jackson and Brown, are headed Sunday to the NFL Annual Meeting in Boca Raton, Florida, where free agent deals and trades are sometimes completed.

Get the latest updates and analysis on the Cleveland Cavaliers game against the Miami Heat.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - LeBron James will play his former team Saturday night, as the Cleveland Cavaliers travel to Miami.

Follow along in the comments section as Chris Haynes, Joe Vardon and Chris Fedor bring you observations and analysis throughout the game.

Make sure to follow Haynes, Vardon and Fedor on Twitter.

Scoring Summary:

End of 2nd Quarter - Cavs trail Heat, 65-44. The Cavs are led by Lebron James, who has 18 points. Kyrie Irving has added 11. Miami is paced by Goran Dragic, who has 14 points. Josh Richardson has added 12 points off the bench. 

End of 1st Quarter - Cavs trail Heat, 31-19. LeBron James has scored a team-high eight points. Kyrie Irving has added seven points. Miami's balanced scoring attack is led by Joe Johnson, who has seven points. 

Game 69: Cavs (49-19) vs. Heat (39-29)

Tip off: 7:30 p.m. at American Airlines Arena.

TV/radio: Fox Sports Ohio; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7 FM, 87.7 FM (ESP)

Cavs probable starting lineup: Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, LeBron James and Kevin Love.

Heat probable starting lineup: Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade, Joe Johnson, Luol Deng and Amar'e Stoudemire.

First baseman Mike Napoli, a newcomer to the Indians, is having a strong spring in Goodyear. Is this a spring-training mirage or is the power-hitting Napoli returning to his old form?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here or Tweet him at @hoynsie.

Hey, Hoynsie: Mike Napoli has looked pretty good thus far in spring training. How much of these early returns are a product of a veteran ballplayer abusing some of the younger talent in camps?  How much of these early returns may actually be due to the fact that he is fully healthy again and might return to the form he has showed in the past? - Casey Dubiel, Belmont.

Hey, Casey: You're right, Napoli is having a good spring. He's a hard-working guy and right now his swing looks great. As you suggest, some of it might be spring-training related as pitchers round into shape, but he's a year removed from having the surgery to correct his sleep apnea and he's also coming off a good second half with Texas last year.

I think Carlos Santana and Napoli are going to help the Indians in the middle of the lineup.

Hey, Hoynsie: Is it really possible to make the postseason without a player who hits at least 30 home runs? - Tom Goodsite, Gulfport, Miss.

Hey, Tom: I love power as much as the next person, but to answer your question, yes, it is possible. The Kansas City Royals won the World Series last year without a 30-home run hitter. In fact, seven of the 10 teams that qualified for the postseason last year did so without a 30-home run hitter.

Besides the Royals, Texas, Houston, St. Louis, the Mets, Pittsburgh and the Dodgers made the postseason without one of their players hitting 30 homers. If you're wondering about Yoenis Cespedes, yes, he hit 35 homers, but only 17 came with the Mets on their way to the NL pennant.

Over the last few years, power is not viewed as the ultimate weapon that it used to be. Why else would free agents such as Marlon Byrd and Pedro Alvarez twist in the wind for so long before finding homes this off-season?

Hey, Hoynsie: With Danny Salazar getting hit in the left forearm by a line drive in his last Cactus League start, it made me wonder. What if he had broken his left forearm and had to wear a cast? Is there anything in the rules that would not allow him to pitch in a game because of the cast? Since it's his left forearm and he doesn't need to bat in AL games, would he theoretically still be able to pitch? Have you heard of this happening before? -- John Cole, Chicago.

Hey, John: Theoretically, Salazar might still be able to pitch, but if an opposing batter said the cast on Salazar's left arm was distracting him, he'd have to remove it or leave the game.

I don't see a team sending a pitcher to the mound with a cast on his non-throwing arm. He still has to catch the ball to field his position and defend himself against line drives. I just don't see that happening.

Danny Salazar takes line drive off left forearm from Joey Votto in third inning. Threw Votto out, but is getting looked at by trainers.

-- paul hoynes (@hoynsie) March 17, 2016

I remember a game in which Indians closer Ernie Camacho, a right-hander, had a sore left wrist. Each time he made a pitch, catcher Ron Hassey would throw the ball back to the first baseman or third baseman, who would flip it to Camacho. Hassey, on one throw, forgot about Camacho's sore wrist and fired the ball back to him. Camacho caught it, but jumped around the mound in pain shaking his wrist.

If I remember correctly, the umpire finally told Hassey that he was going to have to throw the ball directly to Camacho.

Hey, Hoynsie: If Gio Urshela finishes spring training with an OPS above 4.000, will he start the year at Class AAA Columbus? Or might common sense prevail and Juan Uribe be paid, thanked and cut? The Chris Johnson episode proved that the Indians will, under extraordinary circumstance, eat millions. - Wayne Smith, Wattsburg, Pa.

Hey, Wayne: I think it's a foregone conclusion that Urshela will open the season playing third for Columbus, while Uribe will start at the hot corner for the Indians. The only thing that might change that is if Uribe is injured and can't open the season.

Urshela makes hay, while Uribe is away

Hey, Hoynsie: Will the new scoreboard at Progressive Field be used to show replays, even on close plays, or is this really just a larger billboard to drive ad revenue? - Bill Thompson, Olmsted Falls.

Hey, Bill: Since MLB allows all plays subject to review by a manager's challenge to be shown on the scoreboard, I would say yes. I don't think you ever want to endanger the well being of an umpire who has just made a judgment call, but the precedent has already been set.

Here's a look at new Progressive Field scoreboard

Hey, Hoynsie: Why does Trevor Bauer have a lock on the fourth spot in the starting rotation? Having Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar in the first three spots makes sense, but is Bauer that much better than Cody Anderson or Josh Tomlin? -- JB Rose, Bon Air, Va.

Hey, JB: Right now Bauer is probably more durable than Tomlin and more advanced than Anderson. Last year Bauer threw 176 innings and made 30 starts. Tomlin has never made more than 26 starts nor pitched more than 165 1/3 innings in a big league season and that was in 2011. Anderson has reworked his body and mechanics to where he's been throwing 95-97 mph since his first Cactus League game this spring. Still, he's having trouble harnessing his new velocity and body.

Hey, Hoynsie: I know you have debated the Tribe outfield situation at length, but I am still concerned about whether any of the current crop of outfielders other than Michael Brantley will actually be able to hit. The Dodgers' starting pitching seems to be a mess going into the season and they are probably looking to add another starter for depth. Do you see any possible fit here with the Tribe trading one of their back end starters from the group of TJ House, Josh Tomlin, Cody Anderson or Mike Clevinger for a decent hitting outfielder? Andre Ethier might work if there was salary relief, Trayce Thompson looks like he is ready and would be controllable for years and Joc Pederson has big time power and at 23 is still figuring things out. - Gary Beckerman, Santa Ynez, Calif.

Hey, Gary: I think the Indians made their equivalent of a trade when they brought outfielder Marlon Byrd into camp on Friday. They're obviously as concerned as you are about the lack of offense from the outfield.

Tribe makes Marlon Byrd signing official

STVM coach Dru Joyce is sure his top senior's best days in basketball are ahead at Butler.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Henry Baddley arrived at St. Vincent-St. Mary as a “blank check.”

That’s how Fighting Irish coach Dru Joyce described Baddley following the Butler recruit’s last game. It didn’t end the way they hoped, a 76-72 loss to New Concord John Glenn for the OHSAA Division II state boys basketball championship at Ohio State.

“We could write whatever we wanted,” Joyce said. “He came in with not a whole lot of skill set, but now he’s going to be playing basketball at the highest level in the Big East.”

Joyce struggled with the realization that he will not have Baddley, a 6-foot-5 guard, for another game in Akron. Baddley closed his high school career with 16 points, seven rebounds while playing the final 3:23 with four fouls.

At the time, the Irish (26-4) trailed John Glenn (28-1) by four points at Schottenstein Center. They rallied from a 14-point deficit in the early portion of the second quarter.

Joyce blamed himself, discouraged with the season’s conclusion.

“Ultimately, the loss is my fault,” he said. “I played too conservative in the first half. We should have pressed them in the beginning.”

Baddley sat next to him, his eyes red.

Check back later for more video highlights and reaction.

STVM showing signs of life. This cut John Glenn lead to seven. Muskies' lead just 51-47 entering fourth. pic.twitter.com/l3CyO7ROBO

— Matt Goul (@mgoul) March 19, 2016

STVM will return two starters for one more season in guards John Williams and Jayvon Graves. Both scored in double figures and helped the Irish pull even in the fourth quarter. Williams tied the score with a drive and then provided STVM’s first lead since the early moments with a 3-pointer.

Two of John Glenn’s best players are headed to service academies, and it took their discipline to ward off Baddley and Co. a second time. Guard Drew Rackley plans to play at Virginia Military Institute, while 6-foot Matt Weir is headed to Air Force. They combined for 43 points, with Rackley’s 25 leading the way.

The 6-2 Rackley matched up against Baddley when they met in late January at LeBron James Arena. Rackley remembered it for an uncharacteristic shooting night, which Baddley helped cause with his length.

Saturday turned out a little different, with the same end result.

“I think we got to the rim a little easier,” Rackley said. “When we broke their 1-2-2 press. We kept getting out and making layups. I think we were just comfortable.”

Where does that comfort originate? Depends. Weir said it's their mothers. Coach Greg Woodard offered a basketball-related opinion.

“I think their comfort comes from playing a lot of AAU basketball,” he said. “They’ve played against a lot of great competition and athletes that are superior to us.”

Baddley is in that category. Entering this season, Joyce only questioned if his senior could provide the necessary leadership to reach the state final. Baddley never turned into the emotional, outspoken leader Joyce said was missing from this team.

Baddley’s play and demeanor spoke for him. His teammates appreciated it. Graves said he will miss the jokes and hanging out.

“On the court, it’s everything about him,” Graves said.

Baddley verbally committed to Butler in early August over Kent State and Toledo.

“I told the coaches at Butler he’s nowhere near the ceiling of his abilities,” Joyce said.

A year after receiving second-team All-Ohio honors in Division II, Baddley shared player-of-the-year honors earlier this week with two others in the state.

Markell Johnson of East Tech is one.

Rackley was the other.

Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

Cleveland Indians scribbles about Trevor Bauer wanting to throw harder, Brantley's quick comeback and Juan Uribe making his way back to spring training.

GOODYEAR, ARIZONA -- Some quick thoughts from listening to Manager Terry Francona's pre-game presser Saturday evening:

1. Trevor Bauer threw four scoreless innings in a Class AAA game on Friday. He walked two, gave up two hits. Francona mentioned how "Trevor is looking for more velocity." The manager doesn't seem that worried, "I look for how the ball is coming out of his hand."

2. But back to the velocity, is that an issue -- throwing harder for Bauer? "Not for me," said Francona.

3. The Indians want Bauer to improve his control. He led the American League in walks. Talking to writers earlier in the spring, Bauer mentioned that he worked on his control last spring and he led the league in walks. Now, he has decided to concentrate on throwing harder. It will be interesting to watch how all this works out. He apparently did throw well against the Dodgers Class AAA team.

4. Francona is very excited to see Michael Brantley take the field. Brantley was set to be in the lineup for Saturday night's game against the Cubs. The Tribe's star left fielder played in a minor league game earlier in the week. Brantley is making a terrific comeback from significant off-season shoulder surgery.

5. Francona on Brantley at the bat: "He has the lowest maintenance swing of anyone in camp." Brantley does have a short, compact, quick swing from the left side. He was batting third in the lineup.

6. The Tribe sent Shawn Armstrong to Columbus. The reliever has battled a lat injury this spring. He pitched only one inning in Goodyear. Armstrong's average fastball was 94.5 mph. He had a 2.36 ERA with 16 saves at Columbus last season. He also pitched eight innings for the Tribe in 2015. The injury is not considered serious and he is a real prospect for the bullpen. Armstrong had 91 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings last season.

7. Francona is not concerned about Josh Tomlin (7.15 ERA), who has had a rough camp. The manager said Tomlin is healthy and simply needs to get his fastball down in the strike zone.

8. Marlon Byrd is expected to DH in Sunday's game, his first appearance since signing a minor league deal with the Tribe.

9. Juan Uribe is coming back from the Dominican, but his flight was delayed and he may be stuck in Atlanta. So it may be a few days before he plays.

10. Francona was praising Giovanny Urshela the other day. The third baseman is hitting .300 with 4 HR. Francona has really liked how Urshela's bat is quicker this season, he has pulled a couple of inside fastball to left field for homers. He didn't do that very often last year.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Cornerstone Christian will have its first state champion banner. The 14-year-old school from Willoughby Hills led from start to finish Saturday in its OHSAA Division IV boys ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Cornerstone Christian will have its first state champion banner.

The 14-year-old school from Willoughby Hills led from start to finish Saturday in its OHSAA Division IV boys basketball championship game and beat Van Wert Lincolnview, 72-54, at Schottenstein Center.

Division IV Player of the Year Michael Bothwell scored 14 points as part of four double-figure scorers for the Patriots (17-12). Jeremy Owens also had 14 points, while junior Brandon McQueen and senior Jack Kelsheimer each added 13.

Trevor Neate led Lincolnview (27-2) with 16 points.

Check back later for more video highlights and reaction.

Both of Cornerstone’s boys and girls teams reached the state semifinals in Columbus. Coach Dan Selle’s boys drove down last week to watch their classmates just hours before their regional final in Canton against Lutheran East.

“I think it gave them a taste of what they could do if they won this game,” Selle said then.

Cornerstone closed the season winning its last 10 games. Lincolnview entered the postseason as the state’s top-ranked team in The Associated Press’ Division IV poll.

Five Cleveland-area boys teams made the state semifinals. Three played Saturday in championship games for Divisions I through IV. Cornerstone emerged as the area’s lone state champion.

The OHSAA announced the Division IV title game attendance as 9,675.

Brandon McQueen with the 3-point play to put Cornerstone in front by 16. pic.twitter.com/qejardU0kZ

— Tim Bielik (@bielik_tim) March 19, 2016

Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

Cornerstone Christian won a state championship after playing an extremely difficult schedule to get there.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — When Cornerstone Christian sophomore guard Michael Bothwell was an eighth grader two years ago, he asked his future boys basketball coach Dan Selle if the Patriots could play some tougher opponents. Up until that point, Cornerstone Christian had played mostly Division IV schools.

Selle obliged, and that season, the team won the school's first district title in boys basketball.

Two years later, emboldened with the lessons of those tough tests, Bothwell, the Division IV Co-Player of the Year, and the Patriots won the first state championship in school history, 72-54, against Van Wert Lincolnview on Saturday in the Division IV state championship at the Schottenstein Center.

"We started changing the schedule two years ago, and I think that really made just a huge difference for us and prepared us to be here with our mindset that we can play against anybody," Selle said.

At first glance, Cornerstone Christian's 17-12 record doesn't look too great. The Patriots entered the postseason with a losing record.

But consider some of its opponents this season: VASJ, who lost in the Division III state final, Garfield Heights, who lost in the Division I state semifinal, and Bedford, who lost to Garfield Heights in the Division I Solon District final.

"We've gotten served a lot of pieces of humble pie in the summer sessions, at tournaments we went to," Cornerstone Christian junior Brandon McQueen said. "I just thought to myself, 'This year, we're going to make it.'"

The lessons they learned from losses earlier in the season helped prepare the Patriots to face Lincolnview, who was ranked No. 1 in the AP state poll the entire season. The Lancers entered the game allowing only 41.1 points per game and had not allowed anyone to score 70 points against them until Saturday.

"I like to research a lot. I research No. 1 teams, who's committed where, things like that," McQueen said. "For me on the inside, I'm extremely hyped, especially after watching the NCAA tournament when you see all those upsets. I'm like, 'This is kind of an upset because if you think of us on paper, we look like trash. But we're in the state championship. We're playing the number one team.' All that motivated me and I was like, 'We've got to get this win.'"

The Patriots started off strong by getting the lead 31 seconds into the game and never trailed. They led by as much as 26 points on the way to their first state championship.

Bothwell led the way with 14 points and McQueen had 13 points and nine rebounds off the bench.

Jack Kelsheimer, one of the seniors on the Patriots, had 13 points, including five in the first quarter to get his team off to a good start.

"This is what we came to Cornerstone to do," Kelsheimer said. "A lot of people, it's a dream. But to us, we said, 'This is something we can do.' Just to go out my senior year and go out like this, and to know we came out on top is just a great feeling."

Oklahoma State sophomore Dean Heil of Brunswick and St. Edward at the NCAA Wrestling Championships in New York.

 CLEVELAND, OHIO -- Oklahoma State sophomore Dean Heil of Brunswick won the 141-pound title at the NCAA Wrestling Championships Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York.

And then he was gone.

Heil defeated Bryce Meredith of Wyoming, 3-2, in the final. Instead of taking part in a mat-side interview live on ESPN, Heil ran about 15 rows into the stands to celebrate with his family. He locked in on several long, emotional hugs with brothers and parents, Michael and Kimberly. Michael wrestled at John Carroll.

"A big part of this is his dad and his mom. It's a family thing, you know?'' Oklahoma State coach John Smith told ESPN. "He's a great student -- All-Big-12 academically. He's got it all. He lives to be a student-athlete, he's enjoing it and having fun.''

Heil, a sophomore No. 1 seed from St. Edward, becomes the high school power's fourth NCAA champ (five titles overall), and the first since two-time winner Ryan Bertin 2005.Heil was a four- time state champion at four weights at St. Edward, and graduated in 2013.

Meredith was a 14 seed who beat No. 2 seed Joey McKenna of Stanford, 5-3, and was Wyoming's first finalist in 20 years.

Heil hit a single-leg takedown late in the first period and started the second with a quick escape for a 3-1 lead. Meredith opened the third with an escape, cutting the margin to 2-1.

Heil barely held on to an ankle to avoid a takedown during a third-period scramble, putting the wrestlers back in the neutral position for the final 45 seconds, during which each wrestler was warned for stalling.

"The one thing he did well was avoiding getting taken down with scrambles,'' Smith said.

Heil held off Meredith for the final 11 seconds and raised both fists upon winning, hugged Smith and took off.

Heil also beat Meredith, 5-4, in a December dual meet.

Heil reached the finals with an 8-3 decision over No. 4 Anthony Ashnault of Rutgers on Friday.

• Note: The finals were not complete in time for this edition. Check back to Cleveland.com/sports for a final update.

Penn State wins: Penn State had five finalists and clinched its s fifth NCAA title in six years.

Led by finalists Myles Martin (174 pounds) and Kyle Snyder (heavyweight), defending champion Ohio State was fifth entering the championship matches behind Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech and Iowa.

Ohio State four All-Americans: The Buckeyes duo of Nathan Tomasello (125 lbs.) of Parma and Bo Jordan (165 lbs.) of St. Paris placed third.

Tomasello rebounded from his semifinal loss -- his first setback since January of 2015 -- with a dominant 10-1 major decision over Michigan's Connor Youtsey in the consolation semifinal. In the third place match, Tomasello edged American's David Terao, 5-3, in one of the most entertaining bouts of the championships.

Tomasello, who won last year as a redshirt freshman, saw his dream of becoming a four-time champion end in Saturday's semifinals. He was pinned in sudden-victory overtime by rival Thomas Gilman of Iowa, ending Tomasello's 43-match winning streak.

Tomasello just missed a potential match-winning takedown at the end of the third period. Gillman stuck Tomasello in the first sudden-victory period.

"When I got into overtime, I hooked his head with my foot. I made an adjustment there,'' Gillman said. "And that's something -- if you look at my career, that something I've really done well is making adjustments, not only day-to-day or year-to-year but within the match itself. And that's what good wrestlers do. They make adjustments within the match. I thank my ability there."

Titanic final: The finals began at 125 pounds so that Snyder's match against two-time defending NCAA champion Nick Gwiazdowski of North Carolina State is the last bout in one of the most highly anticipated finals in recent years. Snyder was an NCAA runner-up last year and went on to become the United State's youngest freestyle world champion last summer as a 19-year-old. Snyder is a sophomore from Maryland.

"I know he is a good game planner,'' Snyder said. "So I know he's going to have a game plan for me, and I just want to make it a wrestling match. I want to get in wrestling positions and I feel like if I can get into lots of wrestling positions I'll come out on top. I'll win the majority of them."

NE Ohio All-Americans: Among wrestlers with Northeast Ohio connections, Kent State produced two All-Americans, as did St. Edward High school:

• 125 pounds: Nathan Tomasello, Ohio State (Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy), third.
• 149: Anthony Collica, Oklahoma State, Solon High School, third; Mike DePalma, Kent State, fifth
• 157: Ian Miller, Kent State, sixth.
• 174: Cody Walters, Ohio University (St. Peter Chanel), seventh.
• 285 pounds: Ty Walz, Virginia Tech (St. Edward), fourth.

 Locals fall: Losing in the semifinals were Solon graduate Anthony Collica of Oklahoma State, St. Edward grad Ty Walz of Virginia Tech and Kent State's Ian Miller.

After a pair of upset wins, No. 11 seed Collica lost to Iowa's Brandon Sorensen, 4-2.

Snyder beat Walz, 10-6. With Snyder on bottom and ahead 7-4 to start the third, he escaped, got a takedown and accumulated more than a minute of riding time.

"It was a tough match,'' Snyder said. "Ty Walz is a good opponent. Haven't wrestled him in a while. We used to practice together, but first time I wrestled him in competition. So it was fun.''

DiJulius done: Walsh Jesuit Johnni DiJulius lost a 13-8 consolation bracket match to Air Force's Josh Martinez at 133 that ended the redshirt senior's career. DiJulius finished his career 115-47 with four trips to the NCAA Championships, but he did not achieve All-America status.

Saturday's finals and consolation finals

125 pounds

Championship: No. 3 Nico Megaludis (Penn State) d. No. 4 Thomas Gilman (Iowa), 6-3.
3rd: Nathan Tomasello (Ohio St.) d. David Terao (American), 5-3
5th: Conor Youtsey (Michigan) (Medical For.) Dylan Peters (Northern Iowa)
7th: Ryan Millhof (Oklahoma) d. Connor Schram (Stanford), 1-0

133 pounds:

Championship: No. 1 Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) d. No. 2 Cory Clark (Iowa), 7-6
3rd: Cody Brewer (Oklahoma) d. Zane Richards (Illinois), 9-4
5th: Eric Montoya (Nebraska) d. Jordan Conaway (Penn State), 7-4
7th: Earl Hall (Iowa St.) tf. Jade Rauser (Utah Valley), 17-1 (2:16)

141 pounds:
Championship: No. 1 Dean Heil (Oklahoma St.) d. No. 14 Bryce Meredith (Wyoming), 3-2

3rd: Joey McKenna (Stanford) d. Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers), 7-6
5th: Chris Mecate (Old Dominion) d. Solomon Chishko (Virginia Tech), 5-3
7th: Joseph Ward (North Carolina) sv. Randy Cruz (Lehigh), 3-1

149 pounds:
3rd: Lavion Mayes dec. Anthony Collica (Oklahoma St.), 3-2.
5th: Mike DePalma (Kent St.) pinned Alec Pantaleo (Michigan), 3:30.
7th: Justin Oliver (Central Michigan) dec. Geo Martinez (Boise State), 5-1.

157 pounds:
3rd: Nick Brascetta (Virginia Tech) dec. Dylan Palacio (Cornell), 4-1.
5th: Chad Walsh (Rider) 29-9 won by medicial forfeit over Ian Miller (Kent St.).
7th: Joseph Smith (Oklahoma St.) dec. Thomas Gantt, 6-3.

165 pounds
3rd: Bo Jordan (Ohio St.) dec. Daniel Lewis (Missouri), 9-7.
5th: Steven Rodrigues (Illinois) dec. David McFadden (Virginia Tech), 8-5.
7th: Austin Wilson (Nebraska) dec. Anthony Perrotti (Rutgers), 4-2.

174 pounds
3rd: Zach Epperly (Virginia Tech) dec. Casey Kent (Pennsylvania), 8-4.
5th: Nathan Jackson (Indiana) dec. Lelund Weatherspoon (Iowa St.), 5-2.
7th: Cody Walters (Ohio) dec. Alex Meyer (Iowa), 4-3.

184 pounds
3rd: Pete Renda (NC State) tf. Nolan Boyd (Oklahoma St.), 18-3.
5th: Mathew Miller (Navy) dec. Willie Miklus (Missouri), 4-2.
7th: Nate Brown (Lehigh) dec. Sammy Brooks (Iowa), 9-3

197 pounds
3rd: Brett Pfarr (Minnesota) dec. Nathan Burak (Iowa), 2-1.
5th: Patrick Downey (Iowa St.) pinned Jared Haught (Virginia Tech), 3:48.
7th: Conner Hartmann (Duke) md. Brett Harner (Princeton), 11-2.

285 pounds
3rd: Adam Coon (Michigan) pinned Ty Walz (Virginia Tech), 7:57.
5th: Amarveer Dhesi (Oregon St.) pinned Austin Marsden (Oklahoma St.), 1:29.
7th: Michael Kroells (Minnesota) dec. Max Wessell (Lehigh), 5-2.

Some additional notes from USA Wrestling: Ohio has 12 All-Americans: The All-Americans include athletes from 29 states and Canada. The top few states:
12 - Pennsylvania
10 - Ohio
6 - Illinois, New Jersey, Iowa, Michigan
4 - California

All-Americans by Team
6 - Penn State, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Virginia Tech
4- Ohio State, Missouri
3 - Nebraska, Cornell., NC State, Illinois, Michigan, Iowa State, Lehigh
2 - Oklahoma, Kent State, Rutgers, Minnesota, Stanford,
1 - Wyoming, Navy, Penn, Wisconsin, Oregon State, Northern Iowa, Old Dominion, Rider, American, Princeton, Indiana, Ohio, Central Michigan, Duke, North Carolina, Utah Valley, Boise State

All-Americans by Conference
31 - Big Ten
13 - Big 12
11 - ACC
10 - MAC, EIWA
4 - Pac 12
1 - EWL

Finalists with the lowest seeds
No. 14 Bryce Meredith (Wyoming, 141)
No. 11 Myles Martin (Ohio State, 174)
No. 7 Timothy Dudley (Nebraska, 184)

Finalists by Team
5 - Penn State
3 - Iowa
2 - Oklahoma State, Ohio State, Cornell
1 - Missouri, Nebraska, NC State, Illinois, Wyoming, Wisconsin

Freshmen in the finals
No. 1 Bo Nickal (Penn State, 174)
No. 3 Jason Nolf (Penn State, 157)
No. 11 Myles Martin (Ohio State, 174)

Finalist who had family win the NCAAs
* Isaac Jordan of Wisconsin, the 165-pound finalist, follows his father Jim Jordan, a three-time All-American and two-time champion from Wisconsin. Jim Jordan is a Congressman from Ohio.

Returning NCAA champions in the finals
2x - Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State, 165)
2x - Nick Gwiazdowski (NC State, 285)
1x - Isaiah Martinez (Illinois, 157)
1x - Gabe Dean (Cornell, 184)
1x - J'Den Cox (Missouri, 197)

Villa Angela-St. Joseph, St. Vincent-St. Mary and Cornerstone Christian will pursue state championships on Saturday. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The OHSAA boys basketball state tournament and season concludes Saturday with the championships of all four divisions. Follow the live coverage in the comments section below, as reporters Matt Goul, Tim Bielik and Bill Landis will be in Columbus at Ohio State's Schottenstein Center.

Three teams from Northeast Ohio reached the state championship games. In case you missed it, here are highlights of Friday's semifinals that included two teams from Northeast Ohio.

First, Cornerstone Christian advanced to its first state title game in Division IV.

The night ended with Garfield Heights falling in its Division I semifinal rematch against Westerville South. 

Saturday's championship games

Division III championship: Villa Angela-St. Joseph (23-5) vs. Lima Central Catholic (27-1), 10:45 a.m.

* Preview: Rematch satisfies preseason pact

* Preview: Stage isn't too much for VASJ's new crew

Division II championship: St. Vincent-St. Mary (26-3) vs. New Concord John Glenn (27-1), 2 p.m.

* Preview: Rematch two months in the making

Division IV championship: Cornerstone Christian (16-12) vs. Van Wert Lincolnview (27-1), 5:15 p.m.

* Preview: McQueen rewarded for move to sixth man

Division I championship: Westerville South (25-4) vs. Lima Senior (29-0), 8:30 p.m.

* In review: Jackson provides Garfield Heights coach with one more memory

Middle Tennessee State, Hawaii, Northern Iowa and others look to continue pulling March Madness upsets as the second round of the NCAA Tournament continues.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Does the March Madness storm kick back up today after there was a calm Saturday within NCAA Tournament 2016? Chances are it will as there are a bevy of low seeds looking to extend their NCAA Tournament play into the Sweet 16 next weekend.

Middle Tennessee State vs. Syracuse offers intrigue as the Orangemen, even by coach Jim Boeheim's admission, certainly did not expect to be playing in this tournament. So MTSU could send them back to campus quickly, 6:10 p.m. on TNT. At the other end of the spectrum, Xavier vs. Wisconsin, 8:40 p.m. on TNT, could be the catalyst for the winner to point through to the Final Four.

Overall, there are eight NCAA Tournament games on the slate to wrap up the second round of the tournament, starting with Iowa vs. Villanova, 12:10 p.m. on CBS. You can follow our live scoreboard here, which includes previews and updates. Winners advance to the Sweet 16 regionals next week.

Today's schedule

• Iowa vs. Villanova, 12:10 p.m. CBS
• Stephen F. Austin vs. Notre Dame, 2:40 p.m. CBS
• VCU vs. Oklahoma, 5:15 p.m. CBS
• Middle-Tennessee vs. Syracuse, 6:10 p.m. TNT
• Hawaii vs. Maryland, 7:10 p.m. TBS
• Northern Iowa vs. Texas A&M, 7:40 p.m. TruTV
• Wisconsin vs. Xavier, 8:40 p.m. TNT
• St. Joseph's vs. Oregon, 9:40 p.m. TBS

Cleveland Indians watched Michael Brantley return from shoulder surgery with a homer and throwing a runner out at home plate from his old left field spot.

GOODYEAR, ARIZONA -- The smile.

That's what said so much about Michael Brantley's return to Cactus League action.

The All-Star left fielder had the kind of night that makes Tribe fans dream.

And dream big.

Very, very big.

What would you like to hear about first? The 2-run majestic home run to right field or his beautiful throw to home plate from left field?

But let's start with the smile.

"It was a very good day," said Brantley about the Tribe's 10-5 victory over the Cubs in front of a Goodyear Ballpark record crowd of 11,616 Saturday.

He is coming back from surgery to repair a labral tear in his right shoulder on November 9. The operation put a huge question mark about Brantley being ready for opening day.

There were even internet reports that he could be out until the middle of the summer.

Guess again.

"It was exciting being out there," Brantley said. "I got up at 5:45 (a.m.), ready to go."

I asked him about what kind of timetable was set for him after the surgery?

"I was told I was going to be ready when I told them I was going to be ready," he said. "I did everything the training staff asked me to do. And everything the doctors asked me to do. I didn't take a day off, I stuck to the program."

A SPECIAL NIGHT

The first pitch he saw, he unleashed that smooth left-handed swing. His wrists are quicker than a snake's tongue. He drilled a 390-foot liner to dead center, caught by the outfielder.

Why swing at the first pitch in his first game back?

"I got a good fastball over the plate and I put a good swing on it," he said. "I'm not going to just work the count, I'm going to (approach) it like I would in the season."

In the fifth inning, there was the home run. He clubbed a towering fly ball to right field that had to carry at least 400 feet deep into the Arizona night.

He hit it off Justin Grimm, who had 1.99 ERA for the Cubs last season.

Pitching out of the bullpen, Grimm allowed only four homers in 62 innings. So Brantley connected against a legitimate big league pitcher, not some scared kid from Class AA getting a chance to show his stuff in March.

I asked Brantley if he knew he'd hit a homer.

"I never think anything I hit is going out," he said.

He was being truthful. Brantley has 35 homers in the last two seasons. But he doesn't dwell on home runs.

As Corey Kluber said: "He's got the same swing, no matter what. He's got a really short, simple swing. I think that's why he's able to repeat it so easily. I'm not a hitting coach, but if I could teach somebody a swing, I'd say swing like that."

Last season, Brantley made contact on 93 percent of his swings. That's the most in the Majors.

He is one of only three players with more walks than strikeouts in 2015.

KLUBER & BRANTLEY

Kluber allowed only one run in five innings.

The Cubs loaded the bases in the third inning. Kris Byrant ripped a single to left. Brantley fielded it perfectly, came up throwing. One bounce to catcher Yan Gomes. He slapped the tag on the Cubs' Ben Zobrist, who was trying to score from second base.

OUT!

"He plays a great left field," said Kluber. "That was a big play in that inning right there. Bases loaded, nobody out, all of a sudden you can kind of sneak one out right there with him making a great throw and getting the guy at the plate."

Granted, the left-handed Brantley had surgery on the right shoulder. So his throwing arm is fine.

He played a few innings in a minor league game on Thursday and also threw out a runner at the plate.

"You can do the outfield defensive drills every day, but there is nothing like game speed," said Brantley. "You can practice all you want, but when the adrenaline is flowing, there is nothing like it.

ALL-AROUND PLAYER

In the last four years, he has thrown out an average of 10 runners per season. The career .292 batter is so much more than just a good hitter.

Brantley is a good left-fielder. He's a clutch hitter, a career .329 batter with runners in scoring position.

In the last two years, he has stolen 38 bases and been thrown out only twice.

"He just wants to be with the team," said Kluber. "That's probably the most important thing for him, like it is for all of us. We don't want to be sitting in the dugout not able to play when the games matter. I think that's probably the most frustrating thing for any player."

That's why Brantley kept smiling, the warmth of it melting away some of the frustration he felt during the winter as he rehabilitated after surgery.

"From what I've gathered from talking to him, if he's ready on Opening Day, great," said Kluber. "If it's not, make it as little time as possible."

WORKING AT IT

Manager Terry Francona has been talking about all the defensive drills that Brantley has been doing to keep sharp.

"It's pretty obvious that he's been working hard," said Francona. "Besides the fact that he took some good swings, you could see how everyone reacted to him. He's done every drill they've asked and more."

The power was especially impressive because it's the right arm and shoulder that drives the bat during a swing for a lefty hitter. You'd never guess Brantley had surgery.

"I've had other surgeries before and I know what I have to do to come back," said Brantley. "That's been one of the most important things. . . I learned from experience."

Brantley had surgery to repair a broken hand in 2011. He had another surgery in 2012 for a sports hernia.

"I still have some bumps in the road to get over," he said. "Playing back-to-back games. . . Playing full games. . . Playing multiple games."

All of that is true, but Brantley's appearance on a Saturday night remind Tribe fans how they have a very special player in left field.

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade share a true friendship, but will it have a negative effect on the Cavaliers? Chris Haynes weighs in.

MIAMI, Fla. - When LeBron James was seen fraternizing, laughing it up with "his brother" Dwyane Wade at the half with the Cleveland Cavaliers down 21 to the Miami Heat, you had to wonder if it had a negative psychological effect on his teammates.

The two superstars were all smiles on the sideline, but only one of them had a reason to truly be smiling at that moment.

Let's say Cavs coach Tyronn Lue had a spirited halftime speech in which he challenged his guys to pick up the intensity, demanded they play with aggression and urged them to stick together, no matter what.

And then immediately after, James drifts off and entertains Wade while the rest of his Cavaliers teammates are shooting jumpers, getting warmed up for what they're hoping to be a forceful second-half comeback attempt.

How are his teammates supposed to digest that playful interaction? It wasn't the best look.

Whether it played a part in the Cavaliers' crumbling even further in the third quarter and facing a deficit of 33 points is anybody's guess. But, James continuing to hang out with the opposition's best player -- a player who happens to be one of his best friends, a player he won two titles with -- isn't conducive to building locker-room camaraderie.

The brotherly love those two players share is genuine, but James might need to consider suspending that relationship until the Cavs can at least win a game in Miami. Cleveland has now lost 11 straight at American Airlines Arena following Friday's 122-101 beat-down. The last win was on Jan. 25, 2010.

This could very well be a team the Cavaliers see in the playoffs. By losing the season series, 2-1, Cleveland has given Miami confidence that the reigning Eastern Conference champs can be dethroned.

"I don't know if it's concerning," James said. "The way they beat us here, it's a little concerning if we face them. But I think we'll be ready for it even more. It's not about the wins or losses, it's how you win or lose, and tonight we didn't play with the biggest potential we can play with."

In the Cavaliers' locker room after the game, there was so much dead air that you could hear a pin drop. It was a somber atmosphere. Kyrie Irving left without speaking to media. Typically, players aren't in a rush to depart South Beach, but that's just how badly they were outplayed.

"There's a number of reasons why it went down the way it did, but more than anything, we just want to get back home," Cavs power forward Kevin Love said after a seven-point, one rebound performance.

Miami has been getting rave reviews for its new small-ball lineup. The addition of Joe Johnson and the bold move of bringing Hassan Whiteside off the bench have paid huge dividends. It's a quicker, more up-tempo lineup.

James said, "They definitely pushed the tempo on us...Their pace definitely affected us."

But that loss had nothing to do with what the Heat did and had everything to do with what the Cavaliers didn't do.

"It's a combination of competing, defending, and [not] moving the ball," the Cavs' J.R. Smith said after only scoring two points on two field-goal attempts. "It happens, I guess."

The Cavs' toughness has always been in question. Yes, they are the most talented bunch in the conference, but the scouting report still emphasizes being physical with them and you'll give yourself a chance in the end. The word is the Cavaliers would rather play a finesse game than mix it up.

"Well it (physicality) needs to be part of our identity," James said. "I'm not saying that we have it. It's off and on. It's a light switch for the most part. For us, we've got to understand that teams are going to be physical with us, bring the physical game to us and we've got to be able to accept the challenge."

There are mental, physical and psychological problems preventing the Cavaliers from being mentioned in the same breath as the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. James might need to put aside a friendship momentarily, and the team as a whole might need to put aside personal objectives for one common cause.

There are 13 games left in the regular season, and right now this team doesn't resemble a championship-level unit.

That could all change come April. But if the Cavs finish the regular season out on the same roller coaster they're currently riding on, they'll enter the postseason with the "ready or not, here we come" approach.

"You would like to be playing extremely well in late February going into March," James said, "but if not, then you just work your habits and continue to work what you've been doing over the season and then get ready for the postseason."

Welcome to Club 20k my brother!! Congrats @dwyanewade. #BrotherHood #Greatness #StriveForGreatness

A photo posted by LeBron James (@kingjames) on Mar 20, 2016 at 4:51am PDT

The 2015-16 boys high school basketball season came to a close Saturday night at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 2015-16 boys high school basketball season came to a close Saturday night at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center.

Westerville South’s 57-55 win on a shot in the final seconds from Jordan Humphrey propelled it over Lima Senior and Ohio Mr. Basketball Xavier Simpson. Lima got there by holding off Wilmington. See below for coverage of Garfield Heights, which lost to South for a second straight time.

Looking back, here is an index of cleveland.com’s coverage from three days in Columbus.

A champion is crownded

• Cornerstone Christian captures first Division IV state crown convincingly vs. Lincolnview, 72-54

• Lessons learned from difficult schedule led Cornerstone Christian to title

• Sixth man Brandon McQueen’s sacrifice rewarded with finals run

• Michael Bothwell, Cornerstone beat Columbus Wellington in semifinal

• Q&A with Cornerstone Christian Academy

End of an era

• Garfield Heights loses to Westerville South, 87-78, in Division I semifinal

• Before Missouri, Willie Jackson provides one more memory for Garfield Heights coach Sonny Johnson

• Guards Marreon Jackson, Shawn Christian push Garfield Heights back to state semifinal

Vikings don’t stop

• Tre Cobbs, Dantez Walton power Lima Central Catholic to OHSAA Division III boys basketball state title vs. VASJ

• Vikings reflect on return to fourth straight championship game

• VASJ, Lima Central Catholic rematch for state title satisfied preseason pact

• Vikings defeat Lynchburg-Clay, 81-64, advances final

• Ohio State, OHSAA state semifinal stage not too bright for this VASJ team

• Jacob Stauffer’s growth instrumental in VASJ’s return to state semifinals

Fuel for thought

• St. Vincent-St. Mary falls to New Concord John Glenn, 76-72, in Division II championship game

• Henry Baddley still hasn’t reached ‘ceiling’ as he leaves STVM for Butler

• STVM-John Glenn rematch was two months in the making

• Irish back in OHSAA Division II state final for first time since 2013, top Cincinnati Aiken

Initial blast

• Bay falls to New Concord John Glenn, 84-56, in Division II state semifinals

• Seniors hope they set blueprint for Bay’s future

• Running mentality, up-tempo offense help Bay to first state semifinal

From the baseline

• Beachwood’s Maishe Dailey announces decommitment from Rutgers 

• OHSAA basketball state tournament: Watch Value City Arena supervisor explain idea behind stars at center court

Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

At noon Sunday, the Ohio State women played West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament at St. John Arena, while the OSU men played Florida in the NIT at Value City Arena. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The answer is four minutes and 51 seconds. (The time lapse video at the top of the page speeds that up into 21 seconds.)

That's how long it takes an out-of-shape man in his 40s, who had to wait for a walk sign at the crosswalk for a bit, to walk from an NCAA Tournament game at St. John Arena to an NIT game at Value City Arena.

I'm not sure if there's ever been a quicker walk from current game sites in college basketball postseason history.

The Ohio State women, a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, hosted No. 6 seed West Virginia at noon Sunday. As a result of being a top four seed in their region, the Buckeyes earned the right to host the first two rounds of the tournament. 

Since Value City Arena was booked for the high school state championships through Saturday, the plan for the women all along was to play in St. John for their games Friday and Sunday.

The Ohio State men, a No. 3 seed in the NIT, hosted No. 2 seed Florida at noon Sunday. Florida should have hosted as the higher seed but the Gators' arena is under construction. Since the high schools were done Saturday, the Buckeyes were able to take on the game Sunday. 

Both game times were controlled by ESPN, with the men on ESPN and the women on ESPN2. Ohio State just did what it was told.

And that was playing postseason games involving its two teams on campus at the same time.

As the season nears its end, the Cavaliers' defense, effort and offensive execution are all sometimes suspect. Otherwise, no problem on scheduling the title parade.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers are strangers in a strange land as the regular season nears its end.  

They have not rediscovered the defense-first philosophy that turned them into a dominant team at this time last year and carried them, despite injuries that would have stopped most other teams, to the NBA Finals.

They are trying to play fast, but they might be trying to be someone they simply are not.  The Warriors' championship team played fast last season, but was also a serious defensive presence.

This season, Golden State has a 62-7 record. On their heels are the San Antonio Spurs at 59-10, who are unbeaten at home and defeated the Warriors  Saturday.

The Cavs, 49-20, are best in the NBA (L)east, with an increasingly close view of Toronto in the rear-view mirror.

The Cavs are almost the definition of mediocrity -- 14th in a 30-team league -- in their pet statistic of defensive field goal percentage. 

They simply do not seem to be a championship caliber team as the 82-game regular season begins to draw to a close.

The coaching change

They changed coaches in midseason in a surprising  move by general manager David Griffin.

Critics  caricatured coach David Blatt by his worst moment, popping off the bench, like a badly timed Jack in the box, to call a  timeout that the Cavs did not have in a critical moment in the Chicago series.

His top aide, Tyronn Lue, nearly tackled Blatt before referees saw him signaling, and then kept him from doing anything else stupid.

But while Lue was a respected assistant coach in the NBA, he is a first-time head coach in the league, just as was Blatt.

The near-Chris Webber experience was one very bad moment for Blatt. The Cavs, however, were 30-11, a .732 winning percentage under him, when he was fired. They were 83-40, .701 percent, with him overall. They were 14-6, .700, with him in the playoffs.

They are 18-8, .692 under Lue.  The change represents a slight slide, not a quantum leap forward.

Saturday night in Miami was a bad experience.  It is likely that more such moments are ahead.

Not ready for prime-time players? 

Blatt was excoriated for the 34-point loss to Golden state at The Q in his final days this season.

Too often, Lue too simply does not have his team ready to play.

Let us begin Saturday night's 122-101 debacle in Miami with the obvious excuse that the Cavs were playing their fifth game in seven nights.

Additional motivation for the Heat came from the return of LeBron James, who serves as a lower-voltage lightning rod in Miami when he is back there, just as he did here, only as a virtual rolling blackout, when he came back to The Q with Miami.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra did what any NBA coach would  and ordered his team to put the pedal to the metal. The Heat ran early and often and overwhelmed the weary Cavs.  

The Heat could have won by as much as they wanted to. The lopsided final score does not begin to capture the dimensions of the poor performance.

Who's disconnected now?

That old devil, disconnectedness, which Griffin sleuthed out as the potential saboteur of the season, keeps rearing its diabolical head, as far as team cohesion goes. 

Kyrie Irving's assist totals are alarmingly low, and his defense is  sort of his offense, getting it back at the other end of the floor. I discussed this recently.

The "taking turns"  approach to offense with James and Dwayne Wade worked for two championships in four seasons in Miami. Possibly that was because Chris Bosh was a better fit there as the third wheel than Kevin Love is here.

Again, though, the biggest problem is defense. Love and Irving are both particularly big defensive liabilities.

This is a team with great talent that comes with a warning label.

Coaches say of a player with many facets to his game, "He's a tough guard." 

I wonder what general managers think of a  team that has  to apportion ball-handling between isolation-set stars such as James and  Irving and still mollify the other players? Might they say, "They're a tough coach"?

If the Cavs don't even make the Finals, which seems to be more of a possibility than ever now, it goes on Griffin.

The Buckeyes finish the 2015-16 season 21-14.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It was a fitting way to end it. Two things that were problems for this Ohio State basketball team all year led to a season-ending loss to Florida.

The Buckeyes got off to slow starts to begin both halves, failing to bring the energy to match Florida's despite getting the higher-seeded Gators in their home building. That led to another loss for Ohio State to a top-50 program.

Ohio State's season ended with a 74-66 loss to Gaators on Sunday in the second round of the NIT at Value City Arena.

The loss pushed Ohio State's record to 2-11 this season against teams ranked in the top 50 of the KenPom ratings. Those kind of losses are what kept Ohio State (21-14) out of the NCAA Tournament, and ended its season on Sunday.

Down one to start the second half, the Buckeyes allowed Florida to go on a 14-2 run -- matching the 14-2 run Florida used to start the first half. A defensive effort that really wasn't present for the entire game put the short-handed Buckeyes in a hole.

Playing again without Keita Bates-Diop (illness), and still without Jae'Sean Tate, the Buckeyes couldn't hang with the Gators the same they did with Akron in their first-round NIT game.

The Buckeyes cut the Florida lead to single-digits a handful of times in the second half, but Florida always found an answer. After cutting it to 65-58 with 1:55 left, Florida's Dorian Finney-Smith hit a 3-pointer to put Ohio State back up by 10.

Florida, normally not a hot shooting team, finished the game 45 percent from the floor (29 of 64), and 6 of 19 from 3-point range.

The only time Ohio State showed some life came toward the end of the first half, when the Buckeyes used a better defensive presence to create easy offense.

A Kam Williams drive and finish off a turnover, followed by a Marc Loving put back of a Williams missed cut Florida's lead to 31-30 just before the half. Rallying from an early 14-2 hole to cut it to one point before the break was a big momentum swing for the Buckeyes, but it didn't carry over to the second half.

Loving led Ohio State with a game-high 20 points. JaQuan Lyle had 19 points and 11 rebounds.

When it was over

A couple of free throws from A.J. Harris cut Florida's lead to to seven with 4:34 left in the second half. But on the next possessions, Florida's Kasey Hill hit a wide open 3-pointer to put the Gators up 65-55.

What it means

The 14 losses are the most ever for a Matta-coached team at any of his three stops, including Butler and Xavier.

Ohio State's season -- a frustrating one for everyone involved ends, and important offseason for the Buckeyes begins. With every player on the roster slated to come back, Ohio State has to find ways to improve this offseason and regroup for a better run next year.

What's next

Florida advances to the NIT quarterfinals to play the winner the game between No. 1 Monmouth and No. 4 George Washington, who play Monday night.