Kyle Korver joins the Cavaliers, bringing a whole lot of firepower to the floor for LeBron and Co. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With 13-year veteran sharpshooter Kyle Korver set to join the Cleveland Cavaliers this week, here is a look at Korver's career, dating back to his college days at Creighton.

Two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year

At Creighton, he was a two-time all-conference first team selection, and a second-team All-American in 2003.

Traded by New Jersey on Draft Night 2003 to Philadelphia

Korver was dealt to Philadelphia for cash considerations after being taken with the 51st overall pick in 2003 -- 50 spots after new teammate LeBron James.

NBA leader in 3-pointers made (226) in 2005

When coach Jim O'Brien replaced Randy Ayers in Philly, Korver's game blossomed. The 226 treys is still a career high.

Led NBA in free throw percentage (91.4 percent) in 2007

Korver is a career 87.9 percent free throw shooter. He's shot better than 90 percent for a season three times.

Finished 2nd in All-Star 3-point shootout in 2005

Quentin Richardson claimed the title in 2005. But it was Korver's rookie turn in the shootout in 2004 that got teammate Allen Iverson pumped.

Traded to Utah in 2007 for Gordon Giricek and 1st round pick

In 2010, Korver received his only career regular-season technical foul while playing for the Jazz.

NBA single-season 3-point percentage record (53.6 percent) in 2010

Korver broke Steve Kerr's NBA single-season record for 3-point percentage.

Appeared in all 82 games in 2011

Korver's career high for minutes played is 32.5 in his second season (2005) at Philly.

Led NBA in 3-point field goal percentage three times

From 2013-15, no player in the NBA shot the ball from 3-point range better than Korver. He finished 2014 at 47.2 percent and upped that to 49.2 percent in 2015. He currently ranks 8th on NBA all-time 3-pointers made list (1,952).

Second-longest consecutive games with a 3-pointer streak (127) in NBA history

Korver's run stretched from Nov. 4, 2012 to March 2, 2014. His mark was surpassed by Stephen Curry (157) in 2016.

Named an All-Star reserve in 2015

Korver was the fourth-oldest player in league history to be named to his first All-Star game.

Made 100+ 3-pointers 11 times in career, including each of last 6 seasons

Korver has drained a career high eight three-pointers in a single game twice.

But that's a common theme with the Cavaliers roster. Loaded with shooters. Lacking creators. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The addition of Kyle Korver is a coup for the Cleveland Cavaliers, another brilliant move by General Manager David Griffin in his endless quest for shooters.

There's no downside to adding a career 42.9 percent 3-point bomber who possesses the versatility and work ethic the Cavs covet. It adds depth to an unfinished roster.  

But it doesn't address the Cavaliers' primary need. That's backup point guard, the glaring hole since the beginning of training camp that becomes harder to disregard as the season closes in on the halfway point.

A savant moving without the ball, Korver uses screens and creates space to get his shot off the way Ray Allen did for years and the way Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry do for the Warriors now. It takes a toll on an opposing defense and can lead to numerous breakdowns with just a minor slip-up in communication being the difference.

One of the league's premier 3-point shooters, Korver will no longer be a defensive focal point, which will lead to more open looks playing alongside LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. It's the kind of space Channing Frye, J.R. Smith, Richard Jefferson, James Jones and countless others rave about.

But that's a common theme with the roster. Loaded with shooters. Lacking creators. James and Irving do most of the heavy lifting, forcing the defense into a tough decision, with a drive-and-kick game that leads to plenty of headaches.

Aside from those two -- and Kevin Love from time to time -- the Cavs don't have anyone else to step into the playmaker role.

That's where the Cavaliers miss Matthew Dellavedova the most. When given the ball last year, Dellavedova helped run the second unit, creating shots for teammates in pick-and-roll situations. He finished second on the team in total assists.

Before Delly slid into the primary backup role, Mo Williams served as a facilitator during the first few months Irving was sidelined with a knee injury.

That's been a missing ingredient. James and Irving have combined for 437 of the team's 752 total assists. That's 58 percent. The other 12 players on the roster have 315 -- or 122 fewer than Cleveland's All-Star duo.

Last season, James and Irving accounted for 41 percent of the team's assists while the rest of the roster tallied 59 percent. It's been reversed this year without the third creator.

Lue has tried a variety of players. He's still searching for someone to take some of that burden. But when guys start putting the ball on the floor, looking for their own shots or opportunities for others, the offense has issues.

While Kay Felder has started to emerge since a one-game trip to the D-League, even James understands the risk of putting that responsibility on a rookie.

"Kay's in the process of learning on the fly," James said the other night. "He's a rookie and is going to have his mistakes and things of that nature. It's tough on him because we're a franchise trying to win a championship. He has to have a fast-track mind. But we don't have a backup point guard."

Other contenders do. Toronto has Cory Joseph. Charlotte uses Ramon Sessions. Golden State has Shaun Livingston. Houston has Patrick Beverley. The Spurs have Patty Mills. 

James' versatility can be an easy answer for Cleveland. The best solution is an outside addition via free agency or trade.

There's no reason to doubt Griffin, who has proven to be one of the league's best executives. And he has plenty of time to work more trade magic. Korver was a great start. But there's more to be done.

The Cavs are already the best team in the Eastern Conference -- and perhaps in the NBA. But it's hard to consider the roster complete, even after the shrewd Korver-Dunleavy swap, until the Cavs find at least one more playmaker.

Even the champs need some fine-tuning from time to time.  

Kyle Korver represents another improvement for a Cavs team missing J.R. Smith. But LeBron James wants more. And what he wants he gets.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - LeBron James has made his feelings pretty well known about the Cavs' need for roster help.

"It's my last time saying it," he told reporters Friday in New York. "We need a point guard."

He must want the media to stop asking him?

That couldn't have been meant for David Griffin. I mean, what's keeping Griffin beyond, you know, tying up the loose ends of a deal to acquire Kyle Korver, one of the game's great three-point shooters.

And finding the roster space to bring on reinforcements.

James is probably tired of being asked about it since he's made his opinion known. No doubt the Cavs will sign a point guard and maybe even find another big man.

If we've learned anything about Griffin it's that he doesn't exactly sit tight if he (or LeBron) see the need for change.

Or so David Blatt might tell you.

* James on the challenge of playing shorthanded: "We're not able to practice the way we would like to."

Somewhere, Allen Iverson is shaking his head.

Practice? James just doesn't get it.

* Western Michigan's P.J. Fleck will leave Kalamazoo to coach the University of Minnesota.

Fleck introduced the slogan "Row The Boat" at Western and steered the program to three bowl games.

No doubt his ultra positive attitude recommended him to a Gophers' program staggered by a sexual assault investigation and a threatened bowl game boycott.

Fleck apparently won't be able to take "Row The Boat" motto with him. Western owns the trademark.

Something like "Follow The Code of Conduct" should work with Minnesota's players, even if it's not particularly catchy.

* Minnesota fired head coach Tracy Claeys following the Holiday Bowl to "address challenges in recruiting" among other things.

Claeys angered alumni and other "concerned citizens" who signed a petition seeking his ouster after he sent out a Tweet in support of the team's expression of concern about the extent of the sexual investigation.

Claeys later apologized and offered to donate $50,000 to raise awareness for sexual assault victims.

Other than that, it's been a pretty quiet season up north.

* Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon will declare for the draft after receiving a first-round grade from the NFL's advisory committee.

Mixon, who was suspended in 2014 for punching a woman who slapped him at a deli in Norman, told ESPN he wants NFL teams to get to know the "actual me."

"I will tell them the complete truth," he said.

If we've learned anything about this topic, Mixon won't go as high in the draft as his talent suggests.

Not because teams want to take a hard stand on behalf of the victims of abuse. Only because the incident involving him was captured on video.

* Rory McIlroy was chosen as one of 2016's 10 Best Mannered People.

How big of an honor that is depends on the company. If the Pope is No. 11 for instance, that's high praise.

If it's Kanye West, not so much.

* To be fair, the list comes from the National League of Junior Cotillions.

And, no, Pacman Jones didn't get the nod either.

* Nuggets coach Michael Malone said he didn't mean it when he addressed the lack of veteran leadership on his team.

"No stepping up, don't hear anyone speaking, taking the lead."

"We have a great group of guys," he said a day later. "And we do have good leadership."

So, it was obviously a typo.

* The Detroit Lions are 71/2-point underdogs to the Seahawks in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

Is that because the Lions have lost three in a row? Or because they finished 9-7? Or because they were 0-5 against 2016 playoff teams during the regular season?

Or any two of the three.

* Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman has announced a media boycott, previously pointing out that reporters should consider themselves lucky when he talks to them.

"I'm just going to make sure people -- it's a privilege to have me up there," Sherman told reporters at his locker. "You're going to miss me when I'm gone."

Sherman is one of the better interviews in the NFL, I'll say that.

But "privilege?" That's a bit of a stretch there, Dalai Lama, unless you were saving up some pearls about the meaning of life.

* Just think if Sherman didn't speak we would've missed this message about how the spirit of competition lifts us all:

* One stat from espncleveland.com's review of the Browns' season: They were -71 in the third quarter of games this season after scoring just a total of 36 points.

That could explain why the surest way to get Hue Jackson to bristle is to ask a question about halftime adjustments.

* No losing coach likes that question. But the alternative in this case is that opposing players got together at halftime and simply decided to start taking the Browns seriously.

Is that better?

* The Columbus Blue Jackets finally lost to the Capitals Thursday night. That loss ended the Blue Jackets' run of 16 consecutive wins.

The Jackets lost 5-0.

The quitters.

* Jeff Garcia told KNBR 1050 he is ready to lead the San Francisco 49ers but he understands he probably won't get the chance because teams want head coaches to have years of experience and not take "shortcuts."

"I'll tell you what, the 17 years of professional football experience that I have had in my back pocket, and the years of growing up around a father who was a head coach ... have prepared me to be the leader of a football team.

"And that's what this team needs. They need somebody who is gonna come in and is not gonna take any trash; not gonna take any instability as far as the personality is concerned, and understand that this has to be about the team."

That's more than Garcia talked as Browns quarterback in the entire 2004 season.

* Garcia was Montreal's quarterbacks coach in the CFL in 2014. In 2015, he worked as a Rams assistant. Doubtful the Niners ownership will hire him.

I don't know what kind of coach he'd make. I just know when he was here that year he couldn't have come across any less upbeat.

He seemed to wear black a lot and cover his head. The only thing missing was a hood and a scythe.

Browns head coach Hue Jackson is set to fire Ray Horton soon. Gregg Williams has been discussed as his replacement.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It looks like Ray Horton will be a fall guy for the Browns' disastrous 1-15 season -- worst in franchise history.

He won't be the only one. Sources have told cleveland.com that other members of the Browns staff -- especially on defense, will be let go.

Horton -- who was fired by the Browns after the 2013 season -- could be fired again soon, and Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has been discussed as his possible replacement, league sources told cleveland.com.

Williams, suspended in 2012 for his role in the New Orleans' Bountygate scandal, is in limbo after Jeff Fisher was fired by the Rams late in the season.

Alex Marvez of Sporting News first reported that Horton was his way out and that Williams has already been offered the job. He stated that Williams has until Monday to decide if he wants the job.

Marvez reported that Wade Phillips has also been contacted.

A league source told cleveland.com that the Browns also reached out to fired Jaguars coach Gus Bradley about the job, but he's unlikely to come here. He's the frontrunner to run the Redskins' defense.

Sources told cleveland.com that Jackson has been talking about replacing Horton for the past few days, but that it hinged on several things, including finding the right replacement.

The door was left open for Horton to return, but now that word is out, it would be hard to keep him. One source said Horton expected to be back and was surpised by these developments.

 But Jackson hinted at changes during the season wrapup press conference on Monday.

"I'm going to take a look at it all,'' he said. "Our staff worked extremely hard this year, but as being one of the leaders with these men here, we have to go back and look at it all and see how we can get better.''

Other Browns assistants will be let go, especially on defense. Running game coordinator Kirby Wilson and others are safe, a source said.

Jackson understands that Horton didn't have much to work with this season, a source said, but still seeks to make a change.

Horton's off-season began with leading pass-rusher Desmond Bryant being lost for the season to a torn pectoral muscle. The Browns then parted ways with Paul Kruger and restocked the defense through the draft.

But some of the draft picks didn't pan out the way the Browns hoped. Second-round pick Emmanuel Ogbah lived up to his draft status, finishing with a team-high 5.5 sacks. But third-rounder Carl Nassib was a disappointment, failing to affect the quarterback much and finishing with 2.5 sacks -- including one in which he didn't even touch Landry Jones until he was already on the ground.

Is Ray Horton to blame for Browns defense?

Fourth-round linebacker Joe Schobert started four games at outside linebacker but played primarily on special teams.

Horton's defense finished 31st overall, 31st against the run and 21st against the pass. The defense was also at or near the bottom of every statistical category including points per game (30th), sacks (tied for 30th with 26), interceptions (tied for 23rd with 10), forced fumbles (tied for 30th with seven) and third-down conversions (30th).

But Horton got good seasons out of linebacker Chris Kirksey, cornerback Jamar Taylor and nose tackle Danny Shelton.

In early November, after a 35-10 loss to the Cowboys, Jackson said Horton's job was not in jeopardy.

"No, no, and I say that with no question, and I don't want to continue to get into those kind of things," Jackson said. "And that's probably the last question that I will probably take about any of our staff members about their job because it's not about that at all, in my opinion."

Cornerback Joe Haden said before the season finale he was glad not to be facing another scheme change.

"It's so sweet,'' he said. "It was cool for me because I was in this defense before. When you come back in and everybody you're with is with the same defense, you've seen it before, so now we're just trying to take it to the next level.''

Williams, 58, just put the finishing touches on the seventh top-10 defense of his career. The Rams, who went 4-12, finished ninth overall, 16th against the run and 10th against the pass. They finished 23rd in points per game, tied for 24th in sacks (31), tied for 23rd in interceptions (10) and tied for 21st in forced fumbles (13).

Williams, the former head coach of the Bills from 2001-03, has been defensive coordinator of the Rams since 2014 and an NFL coach for 26 seasons, including 15 as a defensive coordinator.

He's known for running attack-minded 4-3 schemes -- which is a departure from Horton's 3-4 base.

Williams is also known for administering the bounty system in New Orleans, for which he was suspended in 2012. The bounty system paid defensive players for their performance. Williams denies the system involved trying to hurt opponents and knock them out of the game.

He had a big fan in Los Angeles in the Rams' best player, defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

"The best thing about him is he doesn't let you get comfortable," Donald told ESPN. "No matter how much success you've got, you make one little mistake, he's going to jump on you and let you know about it. He always motivated me, always pushed me. I just love the way he let us play. He plays to his players' strengths and lets us go out there and just fly around."

Get the latest updates and analysis from the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 35 against the Brooklyn Nets.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers face the Brooklyn Nets on Friday in Game 35 of the 2016 NBA regular season.

Follow along in the comments section as Joe Vardon brings you observations and analysis throughout the game.

Make sure to follow Vardon on Twitter.

Game 35: Cavs (26-8) vs. Nets (8-25)

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. at Barclays Center.

TV/radio: FoxSports Ohio; WTAM 1100 AM; 87.7 FM (ESP).

Cavs probable starting lineup: LeBron James, Richard Jefferson, Tristan Thompson, DeAndre Liggins, Jordan McRae.

Nets probable starting lineup: Bojan Bogdanovic, Trevor Booker, Brook Lopez, Sean Kilpatrick, Isaiah Whitehead.

FREQUENTLY REFRESH this page to get the latest updates. If you're viewing this on a mobile app, click here

Help us improve your Cavs gameday experience on Cleveland.com!
CLICK HERE TO TAKE A SHORT SURVEY.

Check out our poll and let us know what you think.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Browns defensive coordinator Ray Horton could be fired soon, according to Mary Kay Cabot. This leads us to the question of whether or not Horton should be the fall guy for the Browns' defensive problems in 2016.

Here are some final stats:

The Browns finished 31^st in total yards allowed (6,279) and rushing yards allowed per game (142.7), and 30^th in points allowed per game (28.3). They were 21^st in pass yards per game (250).

The Browns were 30^th in sacks (26) and forced fumbles (seven) and 23^rd in interceptions (10).

Horton's defense dealt with injuries to key players such as defensive end Desmond Bryant (out for the season), starting free safety Jordan Poyer (gone after six games) and returning starting linebacker Nate Orchard (gone after three games), among others.

The defense also had six rookies start games this season.

And then there was the offense, which didn't help matters by finishing 30^th in time of possession and yards per game (311) and 31^st in points per game (16.5).

Check out the poll below and let us know what you think. You can explain your answer in the comments section. 

The Buckeyes lost safety Malik Hooker and cornerback Gareon Conley to the NFL this week -- Marshon Lattimore is also announcing soon -- but they have commitments from four top-rated defensive backs. There could be a few more.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State will lose at least two of its defensive backs early to the NFL, and it will probably be three before it's all said and done. 

The 2017 recruiting class will help Urban Meyer replenish the position. 

The Buckeyes lost safety Malik Hooker and cornerback Gareon Conley to the NFL this week -- Marshon Lattimore is also announcing soon -- but they have commitments from four top-rated defensive backs.

Those prospects are five-star Shaun Wade of Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity, four-stars Isiah Pryor and Marcus Williams of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG and four-star Amir Riep of Cincinnati (Ohio) Colerain. 

They could get a few more defensive backs on Saturday. 

Five-star safety Jeffrey Okudah of Grand Prairie (Texas) South, five-star cornerback Darnay Holmes of Calabasas, Calif., and four-star safety Bubba Bolden of Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman are all announcing their decisions at the U.S. Army All-American Game. 

So who is going to Ohio State? Let's take a closer look: 

* Okudah: Rated the No. 1 safety in the 2017 class, Okudah has been an Ohio State lean for months and it would be a huge shock if he were to commit anywhere else. Okudah is also technically considering Florida State, Oklahoma, Alabama and Georgia, but he's going to be a Buckeye. If -- or when -- he commits to Ohio State, he'll likely be considered the best overall player in Meyer's class, which is really saying something. 

* Holmes: Though Holmes is an early enrollee and Ohio State starts school on Monday, the cornerback has told reporters that he has no idea where he's going to college. Ohio State has gained a ton of momentum, but he's also still considering UCLA, USC and Nebraska. A source close to Ohio State told cleveland.com that there would be no issue getting Holmes ready to go on Monday if he decides to sign with the Buckeyes. His commitment is still kind of up in the air, though. 

* Bolden: Ohio State already has three commitments in its 2017 class from Gorman, and for a while it seemed like it was possible they'd get a fourth. Rated the No. 6 safety in the 2017 class, Bolden was once committed to USC -- the Trojans and Buckeyes are his finalists. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound prospect is widely expected to pick USC. 

Four-star Tate Martell of Bishop Gorman has been committed to Ohio State for months and he's been one of the top performers during practice for the Army game in San Antonio all week.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Saturday's U.S. Army All-American Game is the source of all types of anticipation for Ohio State fans because three top defensive back targets are announcing their college decisions. 

Those prospects are five-star safety Jeffrey Okudah of Grand Prairie (Texas) South and, five-star cornerback Darnay Holmes of Calabasas, Calif., and four-star safety Bubba Bolden of Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman. 

Where are Okudah, Holmes and Bolden going?

It's easy to forget to excited about what you already have. 

What about the quarterback? 

Four-star Tate Martell of Bishop Gorman has been committed to Ohio State for months and he's been one of the top performers during practice for the Army game in San Antonio, Texas all week. 

See his highlights, which were compiled by Scout.com, below. 

Lorain boys basketball's Naz Bohannon came up one rebound shy of a double-double, but had 27 points and nine rebounds to lead the Titans past Maple Heights, 85-65.

LORAIN, Ohio — Lorain coach John Rositano was worried about how his team was going to respond to Tuesday’s big win vs. Garfield Heights.

He got the response he was hoping for, with his Titans pulling away from Lake Erie League rival Maple Heights, 85-65, on Friday.

Naz Bohannon led the way for the Titans (7-1, 2-0 LEL), ranked No. 2 in the cleveland.com Top 25, with 27 points and nine rebounds. The 6-foot-6 senior led his team with three 3-pointers.

“I’ve been shooting that in AAU since about my sophomore year. I just never had to shoot it because we always had shooters on the team,” Bohannon said.

Bohannon’s first three of the game sparked a 12-2 run in the first quarter to give Lorain the lead for good.

No. 13 Maple Heights (7-2, 1-1) cut the lead down to one in the second quarter but never got it back. Once the Titans got the lead, they pushed the tempo and tried to wear down the Mustangs.

“I thought we came out a little slow to start the game,” Rositano said. “We forced them into a lot of very difficult shots. And that’s what very good defensive teams do is force the other team’s players into difficult shots. And they make guys that normally don’t score start shooting the basketball. I thought that’s what happened as the game wore on.”

Sophomore guard Devone Grant provided a major boost off the bench for Lorain with 18 points, seven rebounds and a blocked shot. Grant, who had 17 points earlier this season against Oberlin, has relied on the support of the upperclassmen on the team while he finds his role.

“They’ve just boosted me up and just kept me going, and keep my confidence high,” Grant said. “I also just keep that in my mind as well to just stay positive.”

Lorain’s win came three days after the Titans held off No. 4 Garfield Heights, 66-64. Lorain prevented Garfield Heights from attempting a game-winning shot at the buzzer.

“I’ll be honest. We were concerned,” Rositano said. “It took a lot out of both teams I think, the energy, the emotion. It was a concern coming back against a really good team. Like I said, after we settled into the game in the first three or four minutes, I thought we did a good job of getting that energy back and took out a very, really good Maple Heights team.”

Fonse Hale led Maple Heights with 19 points, but had only six in the second half.

Lorain travels to Warrensville Heights on Jan. 13, and Maple Heights will play at Youngstown Cardinal Mooney on Tuesday.

Early in the second half, as the Cavs started to pull away from Brooklyn Nets, Kevin Love tossed a slick bounce pass to LeBron James, who completed the thunderous one-handed dunk.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers got off to a slow start in the first game of their longest roadtrip this season.

But once they hit their stride, they started whipping the ball around and piling up the highlights. 

Early in the second half, as the Cavs started to pull away from Brooklyn Nets, Kevin Love tossed a slick bounce pass to LeBron James, who completed the thunderous one-handed dunk. 

Listen to the oh's and ah's in the @barclayscenter [?]

STREAM @cavs basketball on Fox sports GO: https://t.co/J1WEX49EqV pic.twitter.com/gBV7oTR0IX

-- FOX Sports Ohio (@FOXSportsOH) January 7, 2017

(h/t @FoxSportsOH)

It was one of James' many dunks Friday night, as he scored 36 points, topping the 30-point mark for the ninth time this season.  

Ken Kaminski's 23 points and Antonio Campbell's 18 points led Ohio past Kent State which struggled to score due to turnovers.

ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University easily topped Kent State on Friday, 85-67, as they played their game to perfection as the preseason Mid-American Conference favorites and beat the Golden Flashes at their game as well.

The Bobcats shot it well from the perimeter, led by senior forward Ken Kaminski with 23 points, plus 18 from Antonio Campbell. But when it counted they also had the better of it on the boards the bulk of the night against the No. 1 rebounding team in the MAC.

Kent, with eight players seeing their first MAC action on the road, looked like it, even as Jimmy Hall finished with a double-double 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Ohio built a 20-point lead early into the second half before a 9-0 Kent run closed the OU lead down to 58-42. But a technical foul on Kent's Adonis De La Rosa for flopping stopped that KSU spurt which was as close as the Flashes would get the rest of the night.

The Flashes kept up the fight, ultimately winning the board battle, 47-35, and added their nation-leading offensive rebound averages a game with 22. But 21 turnovers and being out-scored in the paint, 34-28, was too much to overcome Friday night in the OU Convocation Center.

• Game summary

The first half: The first eight minutes of the game was close with the Bobcats holding a 19-18 lead. But a 9-0 run followed for OU putting Kent in a 28-18 hole. The Golden Flashes, the No. 1 rebounding team in the league, was being out-worked at their own game, 11-9, and only three of them were offensive.

A frustrated Jimmy Hall didn't help matters as the Bobcats lead grew to 34-19 with 6:21 to play and Hall struggling with three turnovers and 2-for-7 shooting. It only got worse by halftime for Kent, trailing OU 45-28 as Ken Kaminski was already in the books with 14 points.

While the Bobcats were rolling offensively, shooting 54.5 percent including 6-for-17 on 3-pointers, Kent was struggling shooting 37.9 percent and compounding their issues with 12 turnovers, five from Hall.

Something missing: If it seemed like the ESPNU announcers were a bit disengaged from the game last night, they were. ESPN has been cutting costs in many ways recently and is now doing MAC basketball TV games on the cheap. The broadcast team of Bernie Guenther and Mark Wise, normally SEC voices stationed in Florida, announced the game from a studio in Orlando, Florida. If that's the recipe, why not just play the game at regular time (7 p.m.) then tape-delay the broadcast?

By the numbers: The Bobcats somewhat statistically belie their reputation. Known as sharpshooters, they are making 40.0 percent on 3-pointers to lead the MAC, but six other MAC teams have attempted more 3-pointers. ... The Bobcats also shoot a miserly 67.5 percent on free throws, second worst in the MAC. Also known as a soft defensive team, the Bobcats lead the MAC holding teams to 65.6 points a game, and lead the MAC holding teams to 39.7 percent shooting against them.

Next in line: Ohio plays its first MAC road game Tuesday night at Buffalo, the defending MAC Tournament champ. ... Kent State returns home to host Northern Illinois on Tuesday night in the M.A.C. Center.

The Fighting Irish turned up their defensive pressure for a third-quarter rally that propelled them to a 69-67 boys basketball win vs. St. Edward at LeBron James Arena.

AKRON, Ohio — St. Edward coach Eric Flannery said he knew a double-digit lead was not safe.

Not at St. Vincent-St. Mary, where he deemed the Fighting Irish nearly unbeatable.

That proved to be the case Friday night inside a jam-packed LeBron James Arena. STVM turned up its defensive pressure for a third-quarter rally that propelled it past Flannery’s Eagles, 69-67, in a matchup of teams near the top of the cleveland.com boys basketball rankings.

“When you’re winning on the road, you know momentum can change fast,” the St. Edward coach said. “They just started, you could see, light up a little bit. A confident team at home with two Division I guards, you’ve gotta play really well.”

Those two Division I guards, Jayvon Graves and Jon Williams, combined for 32 points. Graves scored 19 to lead everyone with a handful of dunks and a spring in his step.

No. 6 STVM (5-3) needed it after suffering back-to-back losses.

“We lost two big games and felt this was a good way to get back,” said Graves, a Buffalo commit. “We just started talking up and I think we figured it out. We’re coming together as a team.”

Scott Walter with the drive, @JayGravess23 with the finish. Top play nominee? pic.twitter.com/Si6PbInod7

— Matt Goul (@mgoul) January 7, 2017

Check back later for more video highlights, reaction and Saturday's Boys Basketball Rewind.

They needed it against No. 1 St. Edward (7-2), which returned to Ohio with momentum from a 3-1 finish at a tournament in San Diego.

The Eagles built an 11-point lead, which reached its plateau as Tommy Schmock found freshman Grant Huffman cutting to the basket before the buzzer.

Schmock had five of his eight assists in the first half. Huffman scored eight points, all in that half, and the Eagles’ size advantage showed with 6-foot-8 Emmett Chambers and 6-7 Kelvin Calhoun.

“We were up 11 at halftime and I didn’t think we played well,” Flannery said.

Oh here's another @T_schmock22 to @GrantHuffmann play. Huffman added a steal afterward. pic.twitter.com/NSpmFb8D6B

— Matt Goul (@mgoul) January 7, 2017

STVM rallied with a 31-15 third quarter, sparked by sophomore guard Chris Painter. He scored eight of his 11 points in that stretch, including a steal and score that gave the Irish their first lead at 48-47.

They took control on his play with 2:46 left in the third and never trailed again. A 19-4 run reached its pinnacle when Graves finished a long pass from Williams with a one-handed slam.

“I think this shows a lot of people who we are as a team,” Painter said. “Even though we had some downfalls earlier in the season, this shows we can pick back up.”

Another Graves dunk pushed STVM’s lead to nine in the fourth quarter, but St. Edward pulled within one. The game ended on a desperation 3-point try by sophomore Demetrius Terry on an inbounds pass with a second left.

The Eagles had that opportunity after 5-9 guard Jack Sullivan forced a jump ball while being tangled on a rebound. St. Edward had just tried a 3, and Flannery called for another one with the last-second chance.

“They pressured the ball well, and we didn’t handle it,” Flannery said. “I’m really proud of our guys. It’s nearly impossible to win here and we almost did.”

Rebounding and foul trouble sank STVM early. St. Edward held a 20-15 advantage in the first half on the boards.

Turnovers pushed the Irish back in it. They forced the Eagles to commit 19 of them, including seven in the third quarter.

“We knew we had to get back in it pressuring the ball,” said Graves, whose team plays again Sunday in the Scholastic Play By Play Classic at Baldwin Wallace against Euclid.

St. Edward is playing three straight days this weekend. The Eagles travel Saturday to No. 10 Benedictine, then wrap up Sunday vs. Brunswick at BW.

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.

The Cleveland Monsters couldn't hold a lead and fell to the Texas Stars on Friday, 4-2.

CEDAR PARK, Texas -- The Texas Stars scored twice in the third period to defeat the Cleveland Monsters, 4-2, in an American Hockey League game Friday at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.

With the loss, the Monsters are now 16-13-1-2 while the Stars are 16-13-1-1. The two teams meet again Saturday.

The score was tied 2-2 after two periods, then Jason Dickinson put Texas on top with a goal at 11:18 of the third period and Matej Stransky scored at 14:50.

• Game summary
• AHL standings

The Stars jumped ahead on a goal by Remi Elie at 3:04 of the first period, but the Monsters responded with two goals before the period ended. Sonny Milano notched his eighth goal of the season at 12:34 and John Ramage got his third at 17:57.

Patrik Nemeth got Texas even with a shorthanded goal at 12:27 of the second period.

Joonas Korpisalo stopped 30 of 34 shots for the Monsters to fall to 5-5-2. Stars goalie Maxime Lagace stopped 23 of 25.

All-Stars: Monsters forwards Ryan Craig and Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Texas D Julius Honka were named Thursday to the Western Conference roster for the 2017 AHL All-Star Classic on Jan. 28-30 in Allentown, Pa.

Up next: After playing the Stars on Saturday at 8, the Monsters will be at Charlotte Checkers next weekend, on Friday at 7:15 p.m. and Saturday at 6 p.m. ... The Monsters return to Quicken Loans Arena on Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. against the Rockford IceHogs.

There are plenty of reasons for Kyrie Irving to be happy after the Cavs' 116-108 win over the Nets Friday, and any one is as likely as the next. Watch video

NEW YORK -- Kyrie Irving was all smiles, and any one reason is as likely as the next.

His right hamstring finally feels better after eight days, three missed games, and what he said felt like an "eternity."

A Friday night out in New York City. Enough said.

Nike opened a pop-up store for him in New York for this weekend -- a little boutique on Bowery Street where fans can test his Kyrie 3 signature shoe and see his favorite music records.

Kyle Korver's coming to the team, and soon.

The Cavs beat the Nets 116-108. Although, this one was closer than it should've been.

And, perhaps, finally, Irving poured in 32 points, with 16 in the fourth quarter.

Let's start right there -- not so much the outburst in the fourth to stave off a Brooklyn comeback, but the shenanigans that took place before with Irving's shots. He finished the game 10-of-26 shooting, but was 5-of-17 entering the final period.

Irving was missing everything, short, makeable layups that bounced on every part of the rim but fell off instead of through -- the rust of a three-game layoff showing its ugly colors.

"I never hung my head," Irving said. "Now if this was three years ago I probably would've been down on myself or, 'ah man, I haven't played in three games, let me keep forcing it.'

"But when you have great players like this that we do on our team that are able to get you easy plays, get you some easy ones, are still willing to be unselfish even when you're not shooting the ball well -- I mean we still believe in each other. That's the greatness of being on this team."

LeBron James led all scorers with 36 points -- including 21 in the first half. Kevin Love scored 17 and Tristan Thompson added 10.

But it was Irving who intervened when things tightened dramatically to start the fourth quarter. Irving and Love were on the court while the Nets (the NBA's worst team at 8-27 now) trimmed an 18-point deficit down to six.

Irving, well, he scored Cleveland's next 12 points, beginning at the 9:45 mark and ending with one of his signature, nifty layups at 7:36. Brooklyn scored just two during that stretch.

"Really just started to get pissed off," Irving said. "Just, the momentum was shifting. We had a few plays, a few opportunities at the rim, a few in and outs, but we weren't executing plays. As the point guard I take full responsibility for that."

Irving said that as Brooklyn drew closer and closer, his killer instinct "just comes out of me naturally."

"He's special," James said of Irving, and not for the first time. "He loves big moments and no matter if a team with a record that they have and the record that we have, if the game's going to be close he's going to step up to the plate and it's great to see him come through."

Irving was injured in the first half of a 124-118 win over Boston on Dec. 29 when he banged knees with James. The collision impacted Irving's right hamstring, and it tightened on him late in the fourth quarter and forced him out of the game. The team called the injury first a cramp, and then "tightness." On Friday night, Irving said it was a strain that was "a lot worse than I ever intended."

Irving said missing Cleveland's next three contests "was definitely necessary," that he eased himself back to action with the help of the team's medical staff, player development coaches, and finally some teammates who played four on four with him Thursday.

I see the Green Bay Packers winning but not covering against the New York Giants as part of NFL Wild Card Weekend 2017.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- OneUp Sports called to ask about my best "bets'' for NFL Wild Card Weekend 2017. Entertainment purposes only, of course.

Of the four games, I chose two as BB -- and I was uneasy about those two. That is how problematic I view the spreads.

Complete Wild Card Weekend picks

I am so uncertain about the weekend as a whole that, for the first time this season, I made an executive decision to switch one pick. I flipped from Detroit +8 to Seattle -8. (The MGM Mirage line for that game remained the same from late Wednesday afternoon until the time of the switch Friday night.)

Justin Thomas and Ryan Moore were tied for the lead at the halfway mark of the PGA Tour's SBS Tournament of Champions 2017 in Hawaii.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Justin Thomas and Ryan Moore were tied for the lead entering the third round of SBS Tournament of Champions 2017 on Saturday in Hawaii.

Thomas and Moore were at 12-under 134. Each shot 67-67 in the first two rounds.

Patrick Reed shot 8-under Friday and was tied for third with first-round leader Jimmy Walker at 11-under. Northeast Ohio native Jason Dufner was fifth at 10-under.

The PGA Tour season began with the "fall series'' in October, but in the eyes of many, the Tournament of Champions is the lid-lifter. The T of C unfolds at Plantation Course at Kapalua in Maui.

Defending champion Jordan Spieth was tied for 19th at 5-under. Spieth, ranked No. 5 in the world, shot 30-under 262 last year. Spieth owns three top-10s in his past four worldwide starts.

SBS tee times

SBS TV times

• Saturday: NBC Sports -- 4-6 p.m.; Golf Channel -- 6-8 p.m.
• Sunday: NBC Sports -- 3-5 p.m.; Golf Channel -- 5-7 p.m.

Spieth obviously is one of the favorites this week, but he is not the most dialed-in player in the field. Nobody is performing better than Hideki Matsuyama, world No. 6.

Matsuyama has won four worldwide starts since October, including one in two starts on this season's PGA Tour. He finished second in the other PGA Tour event and ranks No. 1 with 850 FedExCup points.

Matsuyama was sixth at 9-under.

World No. 1 Jason Day returned after having been sidelined several months because of back issues. He was tied for 11th at 7-under.

Saturday's live leaderboard:

PGA TOUR

SBS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

Site: Kapalua, Hawaii.

Course: Plantation Course at Kapalua. Yardage: 7,452. Par: 73.

Purse: $6 million (First prize: $1.08 million).

Defending champion: Jordan Spieth.

Previous tournament: Mackenzie Hughes won the RSM Classic at Sea Island.

Notes: The field is only for PGA Tour winners from 2016. ... The six players who chose not to start at Kapalua are British Open champion Henrik Stenson, Masters champion Danny Willett, Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, Charl Schwartzel and Adam Scott. ... Spieth won last year by eight shots and finished at 30-under, joining Ernie Els (Kapalua 2003) as the only players in PGA Tour history to complete 72 holes at 30-under or lower. ... Jason Day is playing for the first time since he withdrew after one round at the Tour Championship. ... Among the nine players at Kapalua for the first time is Greg Chalmers, who won his first PGA Tour event (Barracuda Championship) at age 42. ... Just 11 players are back at Kapalua from last year's Tournament of Champions. ... Seven players at Kapalua are not yet eligible for the Masters. ... Spieth last year became only the second player to win as No. 1 in the world. The other was Tiger Woods in 2000.

Next week: Sony Open.

Online: www.pgatour.com

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

See what happened around OHSAA with these boys basketball scores from Friday, courtesy of The Associated Press.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — See what happened around the state with these boys basketball scores from Friday, courtesy of The Associated Press.

Akr. Buchtel 77, Akr. Garfield 56

Akr. Coventry 62, Akr. Springfield 60

Akr. East 62, Akr. North 50

Akr. Ellet 63, Akr. Firestone 50

Akr. Hoban 59, Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 26

Akr. Kenmore 56, Canal Fulton Northwest 54

Akr. Manchester 69, Wooster Triway 44

Akr. SVSM 69, Lakewood St. Edward 67

Alliance 72, Salem 51

Alliance Marlington 72, Beloit W. Branch 56

Apple Creek Waynedale 73, Jeromesville Hillsdale 60

Arcanum 47, Ansonia 28

Ashland 66, Millersburg W. Holmes 54

Ashland Mapleton 63, Monroeville 58

Ashtabula Edgewood 51, Oxford Talawanda 39

Ashville Teays Valley 67, Circleville Logan Elm 61

Avon 72, Lakewood 42

Avon Lake 61, Amherst Steele 41

Barberton 66, Kent Roosevelt 43

Bascom Hopewell-Loudon 90, Vanlue 51

Batavia Amelia 37, Batavia 33

Bay Village Bay 98, Parma Hts. Valley Forge 75

Beachwood 59, Wickliffe 50

Beavercreek 70, Kettering Fairmont 55

Bellefontaine 62, Lewistown Indian Lake 38

Bellevue 72, Tiffin Columbian 64, 2OT

Berea-Midpark 42, Olmsted Falls 37

Berlin Center Western Reserve 111, Mineral Ridge 73

Bethel-Tate 60, Blanchester 43

Bloom-Carroll 72, Amanda-Clearcreek 48

Brecksville-Broadview Hts. 47, Wadsworth 42

Bristol 84, N. Bloomfield 43

Brookville 57, Eaton 29

Brunswick 62, Euclid 48

Bucyrus Wynford 66, Attica Seneca E. 63

Byesville Meadowbrook 95, Marietta 76

Cadiz Harrison Cent. 48, Steubenville Cath. Cent. 46

Cambridge 50, Uhrichsville Claymont 45

Canal Winchester 55, Cols. Franklin Hts. 51

Canfield 73, Ashtabula Lakeside 62

Canfield S. Range 84, Salineville Southern 45

Carey 60, Morral Ridgedale 44

Carlisle 50, Milton-Union 39

Casstown Miami E. 48, New Paris National Trail 36

Celina 66, Lima Bath 47

Chagrin Falls Kenston 67, Mayfield 59

Chardon NDCL 55, Mentor Lake Cath. 52

Chesterland W. Geauga 48, Chagrin Falls 46

Chillicothe 58, Lees Creek E. Clinton 43

Chillicothe Unioto 66, Williamsport Westfall 35

Cin. Anderson 67, Loveland 65

Cin. Glen Este 50, Cin. Withrow 43

Cin. Hughes 63, Cin. Aiken 62

Cin. Indian Hill 60, Cin. Finneytown 26

Cin. La Salle 41, Cin. Elder 36

Cin. Mariemont 57, Cin. Deer Park 48

Cin. Moeller 60, Cin. Winton Woods 24

Cin. Mt. Healthy 59, Cin. NW 44

Cin. Oak Hills 50, Middletown 32

Cin. Oyler 59, Miami Valley Christian Academy 39

Cin. SCPA 42, Cin. Riverview East 38

Cin. St. Xavier 79, Cin. Country Day 34

Cin. Taft 76, Cin. Shroder 44

Cin. Walnut Hills 63, Milford 55

Cin. Woodward 72, Cin. Western Hills 69

Cin. Wyoming 61, Cin. Madeira 29

Clayton Northmont 81, Huber Hts. Wayne 80, OT

Cle. Benedictine 55, Parma Padua 43

Cle. Cent. Cath. 86, Warren JFK 40

Cle. Hts. Lutheran E. 78, Rocky River Lutheran W. 43

Cle. St. Ignatius 68, Can. Glenoak 46

Coldwater 54, New Knoxville 43

Collins Western Reserve 60, Ashland Crestview 56, OT

Cols. Africentric 57, Cols. West 36

Cols. Beechcroft 99, Cols. International 28

Cols. Bexley 41, Worthington Christian 39

Cols. DeSales 46, Cols. Hartley 38

Cols. Eastmoor 57, Cols. Walnut Ridge 55

Cols. Grandview Hts. 56, Whitehall-Yearling 38

Cols. Hamilton Twp. 74, Circleville 71

Cols. Independence 57, Cols. Briggs 47

Cols. Mifflin 74, Cols. East 50

Cols. Northland 69, Cols. Linden McKinley 51

Cols. Ready 53, Can. Cent. Cath. 48

Cols. South 78, Cols. Marion-Franklin 51

Cols. St. Charles 59, Cols. Watterson 42

Cols. Upper Arlington 60, Galloway Westland 37

Cols. Whetstone 54, Cols. Centennial 49

Convoy Crestview 64, Ada 30

Copley 90, Aurora 44

Cortland Lakeview 71, Struthers 65

Cory-Rawson 57, McComb 36

Cuyahoga Falls CVCA 55, Zoarville Tuscarawas Valley 30

Cuyahoga Hts. 76, N. Ridgeville Lake Ridge 54

Dalton 44, Creston Norwayne 39

Day. Chaminade Julienne 56, Middletown Fenwick 54

Day. Christian 60, Spring. Emmanuel Christian 40

Day. Miami Valley 57, Yellow Springs 47

Day. Oakwood 58, Germantown Valley View 56, OT

Day. Ponitz Tech. 73, Day. Belmont 63

Day. Stivers 64, Day. Meadowdale 48

Delphos Jefferson 53, Columbus Grove 36

Delphos St. John's 44, Minster 41

Dover 54, Warsaw River View 26

Doylestown Chippewa 39, Smithville 36

Dresden Tri-Valley 63, Thornville Sheridan 61

Dublin Coffman 77, Marysville 74

Dublin Jerome 52, Hilliard Darby 39

Dublin Scioto 47, Worthington Kilbourne 43

E. Palestine 62, Columbiana Crestview 48

Elida 62, Defiance 36

Elyria 74, Mentor 69

Elyria Cath. 78, Rocky River 43

Fairfield 52, Cin. Sycamore 33

Findlay 67, Lima Sr. 56

Findlay Liberty-Benton 63, Van Buren 58

Frankfort Adena 45, Bainbridge Paint Valley 44

Franklin 71, Monroe 48

Ft. Recovery 51, St. Henry 46

Garrettsville Garfield 70, Atwater Waterloo 51

Gates Mills Hawken 68, Fairport Harbor Harding 39

Gibsonburg 71, Lakeside Danbury 35

Girard 76, Warren Champion 68

Goshen 70, Norwood 48

Grafton Midview 58, Westlake 56

Greenwich S. Cent. 76, Plymouth 43

Grove City 72, Gahanna Lincoln 66

Groveport-Madison 53, New Albany 50

Hamilton Badin 55, Cin. McNicholas 44

Hannibal River 63, Bridgeport 53

Hilliard Bradley 55, Delaware Hayes 35

Hilliard Davidson 52, Grove City Cent. Crossing 32

Hudson 57, Twinsburg 48

Jackson Center 39, Houston 21

Jefferson Area 60, Hubbard 57

Kettering Alter 53, Day. Carroll 42

Kings Mills Kings 43, Cin. Turpin 20

Lancaster Fairfield Union 70, Baltimore Liberty Union 39

Leavittsburg LaBrae 75, Campbell Memorial 46

Leipsic 68, Arcadia 32

Lewis Center Olentangy 78, Westerville Cent. 73

Lexington 56, Mt. Vernon 40

Liberty Twp. Lakota E. 57, Cin. Princeton 40

Lima Perry 77, DeGraff Riverside 29

Lima Shawnee 54, St. Marys Memorial 47

Lisbon David Anderson 60, Leetonia 48

London Madison Plains 56, Spring. NE 46

Lorain 85, Maple Hts. 65

Louisville 52, Minerva 38

Louisville Aquinas 58, Garfield Hts. Trinity 38

Lowellville 46, Sebring McKinley 44

Madison 78, Chardon 70

Magnolia Sandy Valley 72, Bowerston Conotton Valley 39

Malvern 70, Newcomerstown 61

Mansfield Madison 53, Mansfield Sr. 50

Mantua Crestwood 56, Hartville Lake Center Christian 53

Maria Stein Marion Local 60, New Bremen 24

Martins Ferry 52, St. Clairsville 31

Mason 66, Hamilton 59

Massillon Jackson 66, Green 38

Massillon Tuslaw 40, Navarre Fairless 27

Maumee 54, Holland Springfield 53

McArthur Vinton County 90, Jackson 60

McDonald 72, N. Jackson Jackson-Milton 58

McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley 52, Lima Temple Christian 49

Medina 92, Shaker Hts. 79

Middlefield Cardinal 59, Kirtland 56, OT

Middletown Madison Senior 48, New Lebanon Dixie 41

Milford Center Fairbanks 45, Spring. Cath. Cent. 42

Mogadore Field 51, Lodi Cloverleaf 39

Morrow Little Miami 54, Hamilton Ross 31

Mt. Orab Western Brown 54, New Richmond 51

N. Baltimore 58, Mt. Blanchard Riverdale 45

N. Can. Hoover 81, Can. McKinley 68

N. Olmsted 56, N. Ridgeville 49

N. Royalton 64, Macedonia Nordonia 54

Nelsonville-York 47, Wellston 39

New Concord John Glenn 65, Philo 24

New London 36, Norwalk St. Paul 31

New Madison Tri-Village 66, Bradford 54

New Middletown Spring. 64, Hanoverton United 58

New Philadelphia 50, Zanesville Rosecrans 34

New Washington Buckeye Cent. 64, Bucyrus 55

Newton Falls 49, Brookfield 43

Niles McKinley 59, Youngs. Liberty 38

Orange 75, Painesville Harvey 56

Oregon Stritch 65, Tol. Maumee Valley 46

Orrville 53, Gnadenhutten Indian Valley 50

Orwell Grand Valley 60, Kinsman Badger 45

Ottawa Lake Whiteford, Mich. 66, Tol. Emmanuel Baptist 38

Ottawa-Glandorf 67, Van Wert 63

Pandora-Gilboa 47, Arlington 45, OT

Parma Hts. Holy Name 103, Parma 63

Peninsula Woodridge 59, Norton 39

Perrysburg 53, Napoleon 38

Pickerington Cent. 61, Reynoldsburg 46

Pickerington N. 67, Lancaster 53

Piketon 48, Chillicothe Huntington 42

Pitsburg Franklin-Monroe 51, Newton Local 39

Portsmouth Clay 49, Portsmouth Notre Dame 48

Racine Southern 56, Belpre 51

Reading 61, N. Bend (Cleves) Taylor 52

Richmond Edison 67, E. Liverpool 58

Ridgeway Ridgemont 57, Dola Hardin Northern 49

Rootstown 52, Mogadore 48

Russia 55, Ft. Loramie 43

S. Charleston SE 84, Cedarville 57

Sandusky 67, Norwalk 53

Shelby 79, Willard 56

Sidney 75, W. Carrollton 47

Sidney Fairlawn 66, Anna 55

Sidney Lehman 67, Waynesfield-Goshen 45

Solon 81, Strongsville 61

Spencerville 75, Paulding 56

Spring. NW 56, Bellefontaine Benjamin Logan 46

Spring. Shawnee 54, Spring. Kenton Ridge 49, OT

Springboro 78, Miamisburg 57

Springfield 65, Lebanon 57

St. Bernard Roger Bacon 58, Cin. Purcell Marian 47

St. Paris Graham 82, Spring. Greenon 44

Stow-Munroe Falls 62, Cuyahoga Falls 44

Strasburg-Franklin 46, E. Can. 32

Streetsboro 66, Ravenna 54

Sugarcreek Garaway 50, Berlin Hiland 45

Sylvania Northview 78, Bowling Green 51

Sylvania Southview 57, Whitehouse Anthony Wayne 45

Tallmadge 57, Medina Highland 56

Tipp City Bethel 76, W. Alexandria Twin Valley S. 56

Tol. Cent. Cath. 55, Oregon Clay 32

Tol. Christian 57, Tol. Ottawa Hills 38

Tol. St. John's 52, Tol. St. Francis 42

Tol. Whitmer 65, Fremont Ross 60, OT

Trenton Edgewood 51, Oxford Talawanda 39

Trotwood-Madison 73, Piqua 45

Troy Christian 61, Union City Mississinawa Valley 45

Tuscarawas Cent. Cath. 52, W. Lafayette Ridgewood 50

Uniontown Lake 66, Massillon Perry 45

Upper Sandusky 61, Sycamore Mohawk 38

Urbana 56, New Carlisle Tecumseh 47

Utica 58, Granville Christian 35

Van Wert Lincolnview 57, Harrod Allen E. 40

Vandalia Butler 55, Fairborn 43

Versailles 71, Rockford Parkway 29

W. Chester Lakota W. 54, Cin. Colerain 40

W. Jefferson 64, London 40

W. Liberty-Salem 41, N. Lewisburg Triad 36

Wahama, W.Va. 81, Corning Miller 55

Wapakoneta 65, Kenton 63, OT

Warren Howland 57, Austintown Fitch 53

Warrensville Hts. 45, Bedford 35

Washington C.H. 46, Clarksville Clinton-Massie 45

Washington C.H. Miami Trace 55, Greenfield McClain 36

Waterford 69, Glouster Trimble 48

Wellington 64, Oberlin Firelands 51

West Salem Northwestern High School 54, Rittman 46

Westerville N. 59, Powell Olentangy Liberty 57

Westerville S. 56, Lewis Center Olentangy Orange 34

Williamsburg 77, Felicity-Franklin 54

Willoughby S. 71, Eastlake N. 38

Wilmington 95, Hillsboro 50

Windham 59, Warren Lordstown 49

Wintersville Indian Creek 33, Rayland Buckeye 31

Wooster 71, Bellville Clear Fork 50

Xenia 55, Tipp City Tippecanoe 51

Youngs. Boardman 60, Youngs. East 55

Youngs. Ursuline 40, Youngs. Mooney 25

Zanesville Maysville 66, Crooksville 56

Zanesville W. Muskingum 72, McConnelsville Morgan 56

LaPorte LaLumiere, Ind. 85, Cle. VASJ 44

Crown City S. Gallia vs. Stewart Federal Hocking, ppd. to Jan 21.

Pomeroy Meigs vs. Athens, ppd. to Feb 5.

Bidwell River Valley vs. Albany Alexander, ppd. to Jan 10.

Wheelersburg vs. Oak Hill, ppd.

Franklin Furnace Green vs. Beaver Eastern, ppd. to Feb 5.

John Marshall, W.Va. vs. Barnesville, ccd.

Southeastern vs. Chillicothe Zane Trace, ppd.

Peebles vs. Fayetteville-Perry, ppd. to Jan 10.

Ripley-Union-Lewis-Huntington vs. Sardinia Eastern Brown, ppd. to Jan 7.

Lynchburg-Clay vs. Leesburg Fairfield, ppd. to Jan 14.

Manchester vs. Mowrystown Whiteoak, ppd. to Feb 4.

Gallipolis Gallia vs. Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant, ppd. to Feb 5.

Proctorville Fairland vs. S. Point, ppd. to Jan 17.

Portsmouth vs. Chesapeake, ppd. to Jan 28.

Latham Western vs. Willow Wood Symmes Valley, ppd. to Jan 28.

Bellaire vs. Belmont Union Local, ppd. to Jan 25.

New Boston Glenwood vs. Portsmouth Sciotoville, ppd. to Feb 11.

Lucasville Valley vs. S. Webster, ppd. to Jan 7.

Portsmouth W. vs. Minford, ppd. to Jan 25.

Waverly vs. McDermott Scioto NW, ppd. to Feb 14.

Reedsville Eastern vs. Hannan, W.Va., ppd. to Feb 5.

Shadyside vs. Cameron, W.Va., ppd. to Jan 21.

The Cavs' Big 3 was back in full force and took care of the Brooklyn Nets 116-108 on Friday night.

NEW YORK -- With all that's going on for the Cavs at the moment, let's pause to remember there was a game played Friday night.

Cleveland won it, beating the NBA's worst team, the Brooklyn Nets, 116-108 behind 36 points from LeBron James.

Kyrie Irving was right there with 32 points in his first game back after sitting out three in a row because of tightness in his right hamstring, and Kevin Love returned from his food-poisoning-induced absence to contribute 17 points and 13 rebounds.

Bojan Bogdanovic led the Nets (8-27) with 23 points.

All the focus outside Cleveland's locker room -- and maybe even in it -- seems to be on the team's pending trade with Atlanta for Kyle Korver. The trade is imminent, but was not completed as of Friday night.

The Cavs are sending Mike Dunleavy (who was not with the team in Brooklyn), a 2019 first-round pick, and potentially Mo Williams to the Hawks in exchange for one of the NBA's all-time great 3-point shooters.

Cleveland is already near the top of the NBA in 3s and 3-point percentage, and shot 9-of-33 against the Nets. That's a terrible night by Cavs standards. The addition of Korver is, well, welcomed by the Cavs and not as much by the rest of the league.

Earlier Friday, they completed a swapping of first-round picks with Portland to help them make the Korver deal.

The Cavs (27-8) have had problems with the Nets in the fourth quarter this year. On Dec. 23, Cleveland led by as many as 46 points, but was outscored 42-21 in the fourth to make the final score more respectable.

Naturally, the Nets opened the final period Friday with a 12-0 run to cut an 18-point deficit down to 86-80. Then Irving got involved, running off 16 points in the quarter to end the rebellion. The closest the Nets would get again was seven.

James scored 21 in the first half, including eight in a row, 10 of the Cavs' 13 points, and an assist (Love also shot a technical) in a 13-0 run over a three-minute stretch that lasted until just before halftime. What was a tight game turned into a 50-36 advantage after James' outburst.

He finished with nine rebounds, six assists, and shot 14-of-20 from the field.

So, this is weird. Brooklyn has a super fan called "Mr. Whammy," a real person named Bruce Reznick, who sits near the baseline at Barclays and stands for every opponent's free throw and puts a hex on the shooter. On their official web site, the Nets claim it works.

This sounds ridiculous, of course. Well, the Cavs were 8-of-18 from the line in the first half, and Tristan Thompson in particular was 0-for-9.

When the teams switched baskets for the second half -- Reznick, excuse us, Whammy doesn't change seats -- the Cavs made their next 12 foul shots. Thompson connected on four in a row.

Cleveland and James actually have a history with Whammy and the Nets. He accused James of having him removed from his seat in the first half of a game here two seasons ago.

"Oh, the older guy?" James said Friday morning, when a reporter (not from Cleveland) asked about a "rivalry" with Whammy. "I ain't got no rivalry with him. Trying to create a story. There ain't no story there."

James had no trouble at Whammy's end, making five of six from the line.

NEXT: Game 2 of this season-long, six-game road trip takes the Cavs to Phoenix, where they'll play the Suns on Sunday at 8:30 eastern.

Anyone thinking there's still a chance Mike Napoli is returning to the Indians needs to sit down, take a deep breath and rethink the situation.

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: I know it's a huge what if, but if the Indians somehow could sign Mike Napoli, would they put Carlos Santana in left field? He didn't look bad out there in the World Series. - Troy Conroy, Ravenna.

Hey, Troy: You realize the Indians just signed Edwin Encarnacion, right?

I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, but Napoli is not coming back. All signs point to him signing with Texas. The Party at Napoli's has left Progressive Field.

As far as Santana playing left, I give him props for going out there on baseball's biggest stage not once, but twice. But I don't want to see him out there for 140 to 150 games. One more thing, doesn't Michael Brantley play left field?

Hey, Hoynsie: Can you provide updates on the health of Michael Brantley and Carlos Carrasco? - Bob Rosen, Solon.

Hey, Bob: Brantley has started swinging the bat and the Indians remain optimistic that he'll be ready to participate in all drills in spring training. But no one will know for sure until he starts testing his right shoulder at-bat to at-bat and game to game. Last year he would get to a certain point in his rehab and his shoulder would hurt and he'd have to stop, rest and start the rehab process again.

Until Brantley can get past that point, and prove he can stay on the field and produce on a consistent basis, he has to be considered a question mark.

Carrasco, who suffered a broken right hand on Sept. 17, is expected to be 100 percent in spring training. He's been playing catch since December.

Tribe's Brantley describes August surgery

@hoynsie What's up with Gomes giving up his number to EE? Seems like an odd and maybe awkward situation. Thanks! - Derek in North Canton,OH

-- derek quinn (@derekquinn) January 6, 2017

Hey, Derek: There's nothing awkward about it. Especially with Encarnacion and Yan Gomes being teammates. It happens a lot when an established player comes to a new team. The interesting thing will be to see how much Encarnacion has to pay for the number.

Gomes gives up No.10 for Encarnacion

Hey, Hoynsie: In the worst case scenario, if Michael Brantley can't make it back, do you think the Indians are considering playing Giovanny Urshela at third base and Jose Ramirez in left field? Is Urshela even in the discussion at this point? -- Drew Romito, Twinsburg.

Hey, Drew: All front offices have backup plans for backup plans. The fact that you and I are discussing this situation means the Indians have done the same thing - repeatedly.

Ramirez saved the Indians last year because he was able to go out to left field and do a great imitation of Brantley. Then he moved to third base after Juan Uribe was released. I have no doubt they will explore that option again if Brantley is unavailable.

Urshela hit well this winter in Venezuela.

@hoynsie Hey Hoynsie, why don't I get more respect for the role I play in providing rallies for the tribe?

-- John Adams's Drum (@TribeRallyDrum) January 6, 2017

Hey, Mr. Drum: You're going to have to speak up. I can't hear you because there's some guy sitting behind me pounding a big bass drum.

Hey, Hoynsie: Have the Indians closed the vault on their spending for 2017? What if they need a piece at the trade deadline? - Jack Dever, Kirtland.

Hey, Jack: What $60 million on Encarnacion wasn't enough for you?

The Indians are not going to take another big plunge in free agency. But if they need a piece at the trading deadline, or even before that, and they're positioned to return to the postseason, I think they'll be as aggressive as they were last season.

This is their time and they've already made a big investment in Encarnacion and Andrew Miller.

@hoynsie where is the best spot to bat Encarnacion and Santana? Barb Schopp-Miller, Mansfield

-- Schopp-Miller (@Barb6503) January 6, 2017

Hey, Barb: I think Encarnacion probably gets locked into the No.4 spot. With the way manager Terry Francona used Santana last year, he could hit leadoff, cleanup, fifth or sixth.

What will the Indians do with Encarnacion?

Hey, Hoynsie: I believe the Indians need to sign another right-handed bat and play him in right field. That guy is Jose Bautista and I think the Indians could sign him for two years and $25 million. If you combine Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion with the Indians' pitching staff, they could put a championship team on the field every night - Richard Crawford.

Hey, Richard: I'm going to give you two stat lines from last season and you tell me which one you'd want to have in right field for the Indians in 2017.

Stat line 1: .277 (188-for-678) with 42 doubles, six triples, 17 homers and 75 RBI.

Stat line 2: .234 (99-for-423) with 24 doubles, one triple, 22 homers and 69 RBI.

The first stat line belongs to Lonnie Chisenhall and Brandon Guyer, who figure to platoon in right field. The second belongs to Bautista, who struggled last season with his swing and injuries. Bautista, 36, is certainly talented enough to bounce back in 2017, but I don't see the Indians adding Bautista.

@hoynsie did the Indians make an offer to Rajai?

-- James (@PurpleHatKid) January 6, 2017

Hey, James: The Indians did make Rajai Davis an offer before he signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the A's. I get the impression that they couldn't match or better the $6 million Oakland gave Davis because of what they paid Encarnacion.

Oakland signs Davis to a one-year deal

But Davis and Napoli were great one-and-done signs by the Tribe. They wouldn't have won the pennant without them.

@hoynsie Hey Hoynsie, center field seems like a weak spot. Is mgt. truly happy w/Naquin-Almonte platoon? Norm K. Toledo

-- Norm Kujawa (@njkujawa) January 6, 2017

Hey, Norm: I think they would have definitely liked to sign Davis to help in center field, but Tyler Naquin and Abraham Almonte should do a decent job.

There's also a chance that Bradley Zimmer and Greg Allen could come into play sometime during the season. Yandy Diaz played some center field for Caracas this winter in Venezuela.

They could also make a deal or bring in an inexpensive free agent.

Hey, Hoynsie!
Any chance you dye your hair like @MrLapara this season?
-LongTime Reader, FirstTime Tweeter from Somewhere, USA https://t.co/gK6R6IAjQA

-- Jensen Lewis (@JLEWFifty) January 6, 2017

Hey, Jensen: I don't have enough hair left on my head to pull that off. I think Jose (Ramirez) has that look cornered.

@hoynsie With Napoli and Rajai gone, who will be the veteran leader of the team? Kurt Ramage, North Ridgeville

-- Kurt Ramage (@kurtramage) January 6, 2017

Hey, Kurt: The Indians have good chemistry among their players, coaches and manager. Napoli and Davis had a positive effect last season, but I think Jason Kipnis, Yan Gomes, Corey Kluber, Francisco Lindor, Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw and a lot of other players know how to handle the ebb and flow of the season.

The key, of course, to being a good leader, is to be a good producing player on the field. The Indians have a lot of them.

Rookie quarterback Connor Cook will lead the Oakland Raiders into a wild card playoff game Saturday at the Houston Texans and the Detroit Lions will play at the Seattle Seahawks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Rookie Connor Cook, the former Walsh Jesuit High School standout from Hinckley, Ohio, will become the first quarterback ever to make his first NFL start in a playoff game on Saturday, leading the Oakland Raiders against the Houston Texans (4:35 p.m., ESPN) in an AFC wild card game.

Saturday's NFC wild card game has the Detroit Lions at the Seattle Seahawks (8:15 p.m., NBC).

On Sunday, the Miami Dolphins are at the Pittsburgh Steelers (1:05 p.m., CBS) in the AFC, and the New York Giants visit the Green Bay Packers (4:40 p.m., FOX) in the NFC.

You can get complete previews, live scores, stats and updates on our NFL Scoreboard.

Here's a look at Saturday's games:

Oakland Raiders (12-4) at Houston Texans (9-7)

When: Saturday, kickoff at 4:35 p.m., NRG Stadium

TV: ESPN

Live stream: WatchESPN

Why watch: Connor Cook, the fourth-round draft pick out of Michigan State makes his first NFL start in a playoff game. Cook spent most of his rookie season inactive, but was activated last week after starter Derek Carr was lost for the season with a broken leg. Then Matt McGloin injured his shoulder last week and Cook finally got his chance. ... The Texans will return Brock Osweiler as the starting QB, replacing injured Tom Savage (concussion). Savage had taken over for an ineffective Osweiler late in the season. ... The Raiders defeated the Texans, 27-20, during a Week 11 matchup in Mexico City. ... Houston RB Lamar Miller is expected to play after missing two games with an ankle injury. Miller rushed for 1,073 yards this season. ... The Raiders are making their first playoff appearance since 2002. ... With Savage out, former Browns QB Brandon Weeden will serve as Osweiler's backup.

Detroit Lions (9-7) at Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1)

When: Saturday, kickoff at 8:15 p.m., CenturyLink Field

TV: NBC

Live stream: NBC Sports Live

Why watch: With QB Matthew Stafford nursing an injured finger on his throwing hand, the Lions lost their last three games, although Stafford passed for 347 yards and two touchdowns in their loss to the Green Bay Packers last week and topped 4,000 yards for the season. ... Seattle also struggled to finish the season, closing with two losses in its final four games. ... The Seahawks signed return specialist Devin Hester this week and he's expected to play. Hester, who played with the Baltimore Ravens this season, is replacing Tyler Lockett, who broke a leg on Christmas Eve. ... The Lions are 0-8 in wild card games, seven of those being road games. ... Seattle is 7-4 in wild card games and QB Russell Wilson is 4-0 in home playoff games.