In Prepare for List Off, Bud Shaw and Doug Lesmerises ponder local players, coaches and owners who could follow the Trump path to Washington. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If a businessman and reality TV star with no previous political experience can become the 45th President of the United States, then one day we may see a star from the world of sports jump straight to the Oval Office as well.

Not kidding.

An electorate that voted for Donald Trump could one day put a player, coach or manager in the White House, just like we might see an actor or musician make that leap as well.

Fame can serve as a qualification these days. That's a reality. And leaders can come from anywhere.

Trump is taking office on Friday. Who from the Cleveland sports world is the most likely candidate to be taking the oath in another eight, 12, 16, 20, 24 or 28 years?

In this Prepare for List Off, Bud Shaw and I offered our answers. 

In the final edition of the season-long quest, we settle on six quarterbacks that could provide a quarterback answer in Cleveland. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The quarterback answer for the Cleveland Browns is out there.

Maybe answers, plural.

After a 1-15 season earned the Browns their first shot at the No. 1 pick since they selected defensive end Courtney Brown in 2000, there isn't an obvious quarterback to take. In the 16 years since the Browns took Brown, 12 times a quarterback has been the No. 1 pick. Four times it has been another position.

Almost every one of those quarterbacks has been a fairly obvious choice, or at least has been in a debate with another quarterback for the top spot. But quarterback was the way.

Of those 12, nine were starters in the NFL this season.

So, see, this often works. The world has trained you to remember JaMarcus Russell in 2007 or David Carr in 2002 as No. 1 draft pick QB busts. But that's not the norm.

More often, you get Eli Manning or Cam Newton, Andrew Luck or Matthew Stafford, Jameis Winston or Carson Palmer.

Maybe not a Hall of Famer or a Super Bowl champ. But an answer.

That's what the Browns need. An answer.

Maybe it's not obvious right now. But there are answers out there, answers better than Robert Griffin III or Cody Kessler, answers better than any of the 26 quarterbacks to have started in Cleveland since 1999.

Here at the Tracker, with this final installment of the search we began in week one of the season, that's all we seek - an answer. We started this knowing that finding a quarterback was really what mattered most from a 2016 season that was bound to disappoint on the field. Now, answers are everywhere.

Right now, you don't know what the Browns are going to do, and the Browns themselves likely don't know what they're going to do. But with the No. 1 and No. 12 picks in the first round, two more picks in the second round and significant salary cap room, they have the ability to find an answer to a question 15 years in the making, since Tim Couch became the last quarterback to start all 16 games in 2001.

As it stands, there are six quarterback answers with which we'd feel comfortable. At some point, we may declare a final preference. But the goal isn't our answer. It's any answer. Since drafting Couch with the No. 1 pick in 1998, the Browns have drafted eight quarterbacks.

* Spergon Wynn, 6th round, 2000

* Luke McCown, 4th round, 2004

* Charlie Frye, 3rd round, 2005

* Brady Quinn, 1st round, No. 22, 2007

* Colt McCoy, 3rd round, 2010

* Brandon Weeden, 1st round, No. 22, 2012

* Johnny Manziel, 1st round, No. 22, 2014

* Cody Kessler, 3rd round, 2016

But never have they drafted a quarterback high enough to assure everyone that this was their answer. Maybe it would prove to be a wrong answer, but at least it would be definitive. 

That's a list of maybes. Since 2000, 29 quarterbacks have been drafted at No. 12 overall or higher. Here's hoping the Browns add to that list, either at No. 1 or at No. 12. Or, they find an answer another way. Any answer.

On to the final Tracker.

Doug Lesmerises, cleveland.com 

Deshaun Watson, Clemson, 26 percent: Watson topped our initial tracker in week one, both in our evaluation and in the fan vote. Four months later, here we are. 

Why does Watson receive our highest final percentage chance of being the Browns choice? Because they could get him two ways.

The No. 1 pick means the Browns will get their guy if they fall in love with a quarterback. That could be Watson. But Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett remains a popular option at No. 1 - Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com polled five league executives, and all five predicted the Browns take Garrett at No. 1.

If that happens, Watson could certainly be around at No. 12. He remains the third quarterback on the board for several draft analysts. Jeremiah, in his first mock draft, has Mitch Trubisky going No. 2 and DeShone Kizer No. 6, while he has Watson sliding all the way to No. 25, with the Browns passing on him twice.

The point - of the top three QBs, the Browns may have to take Trubisky and Kizer at No. 1 to get them. At the moment, that may not be the case with Watson.

Our ideal draft scenario for the Browns remains Garrett at No. 1 and Watson at No. 12. So Watson tops the final list. Last time: 25 percent

Jimmy Garoppolo, New England Patriots, 24 percent: The trade route takes our final No. 2 spot, with plenty of NFL media eying this match. Mel Kiper Jr. became the latest, in a conference call Thursday, to suggest the Browns as the most likely landing spot for Tom Brady's backup.

Plus side - you speed up the rebuild with Garoppolo ready to start from day one. New England has done the grooming for you. 

Down side - he's going to cost a lot, since it doesn't make sense to trade for him if you aren't going to extend him. And if he also costs the Browns the No. 12 pick, plus another mid-round pick, that's a major investment.

However, if you could use only a second-rounder on the trade, and build your defense with both first-round picks? That's hard to argue with.

Dan Labbe provided an excellent must-watch film breakdown of Garoppolo, then came to this conclusion on him. Last time: 18 percent

DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame, 16 percent: The Fighting Irish QB has been off the radar since his team didn't make a bowl game, but he still projects as a top-five pick. He's an Ohio native and at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds is the biggest of the draft prospects. You'll find people who emphasize that for an AFC North quarterback. He could be Cleveland's Roethlisberger.

That means we view him as the quarterback the Browns may be most likely to fall in love with and deem worthy of the No. 1 pick. But that's the only way they're going to get him. Last time: 16 percent

Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina, 14 percent: We don't want to disappoint anyone hoping for the Mentor product. He very well may be the first quarterback drafted and a top-two pick. But despite previous reports of the Browns loving Trubisky, we wonder if a one-year starter would be the choice of a front office that has so far seemed to value college production more than some teams.

Trubisky has it all - size, arm and running skills. He's careful with the ball, yet flashes big-play ability. There's a lot to like. And he may stay in the mix for the overall No. 1 pick all the way until April 27. But for now, we envision the Browns going elsewhere at No. 1 and Trubisky landing either with San Francisco at No. 2, Chicago at No. 3 or the New York Jets at No. 6. Last time: 20 percent

Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech, 11 percent: He's our second-round flyer, though as the likely fourth quarterback off the board, he could wind up in the first round. He comes out of the Texas Tech sprint-and-chuck-it offense, but his arm, size and feet are undeniable. There's a high ceiling here, though it may take a little longer.

How could he be a Brown? The top three quarterbacks go in the first round, none to Cleveland, the Garoppolo trade doesn't happen and when the second round starts, Mahomes is sitting there at No. 33.

There's enough to go on with Mahomes that we'd view that as an answer, even if you needed someone else to start in 2017. Last time: 6 percent

Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills, 8 percent: From Buffalo comes an NFL veteran making his first appearance on the Tracker this season. Taylor was 7-8 in 15 starts this season and is 14-14 in two years as a starter in Buffalo. With a new coach in Sean McDermott, Buffalo might be looking to save money in a rebuild (and maybe give a long look to Cardale Jones at quarterback) so Taylor could be available.

If so, he'd probably top a list of other available veterans beyond Garoppolo that could include Cincinnati's AJ McCarron, Tampa Bay's Mike Glennon and San Francisco's Colin Kaepernick. 

The answer, as we said, could be two answers in a situation like this, maybe acquiring Taylor and drafting Mahomes. With Kessler still around, that would be three quarterbacks for the Browns to consider. Taylor, at only 27, still could be a player who proves he's a top-20 quarterback. 

There are a lot of the ways for the Browns to go. We're not listing Kessler or Robert Griffin III as long-term options any longer, or including any other draftable quarterbacks like Miami's Brad Kaaya, Cal's Davis Webb, Pitt's Nathan Peterman or Iowa's C.J. Beathard.

There are too many other answers out there. We're guessing one of the six we listed will be the Browns answer. And we think any of the six could give the Browns the stability at the position they've been seeking since they returned.

That would mean we wouldn't need to do the Tracker again next season, though there should be some top college QBs available in 2018. (Hello, Josh Rosen.)

Let the search end. Anticipate an answer for 2017.

Previous Browns Future QB reader voting

Week 1: Deshaun Watson 40%, DeShone Kizer 37%, J.T. Barrett 6%

Week 2: DeShone Kizer 35%, Deshaun Watson 25%, Cody Kessler 13%

Week 3: Cody Kessler 42%, Deshaun Watson 18%, DeShone Kizer 12%

Week 4: Mitch Trubisky 30%, DeShone Kizer 30%, Cody Kessler 23% 

Week 5: Cody Kessler 28%, DeShone Kizer 14%, Patrick Mahomes 10% 

Week 6: Cody Kessler 61%, Deshaun Watson 11%, Mitch Trubisky 10%

Week 7: Off for World Series

Week 8: Off for World Series

Week 9: Like a moron, forgot to include the poll

Week 10: Mitch Trubisky 33%, Patrick Mahomes 26%, Cody Kessler 11%

Week 11: Mitch Trubisky 58%, Jimmy Garoppolo 8%, Cody Kessler 8%

Week 12: Mitch Trubisky 42%, Deshaun Watson, 13%, Cody Kessler 11%

Week 13: Seriously, forgot the poll again

Week 14: Mitch Trubisky 44%, Jimmy Garoppolo 16%, DeShone Kizer 12%

Week 15: Deshaun Watson 44%, Mitch Trubisky 19%, Jimmy Garoppolo 14%

Week 16: Deshaun Watson 43%, Mitch Trubisky 24%, Jimmy Garoppolo 9%

Previous Browns Future QB Trackers

Week 1: Deshaun Watson leads way

Week 2: Lamar Jackson enters picture

Week 3: Cody Kessler makes a case

Week 4: Mitch Trubisky could be hometown answer

Week 5: Don't follow Brock Osweiler plan

Week 6: DeShone Kizer descending, Cody Kessler climbing

Week 7: Off for World Series

Week 8: Off for World Series

Week 9: Can Cody Kessler be a top 20 QB?

Week 10: What about Patrick Mahomes?

Week 11: Zeroing in on Mitch Trubisky?

Week 12: RG3 possible long-term solution

Week 13: Did Browns win Carson Wentz trade?

Week 14: Could Browns have Carr-Mack draft?

Week 15: Deshaun Watson should concern Buckeyes, intrigue Browns

Week 16: Deshaun Watson wants to be Tom Brady

Danny Shelton is the seventh player to face the fan vote.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Who saw this coming?

Danny Shelton, the first-round draft pick who spent 2015 being torn apart by angry fans expecting more, is not only our third Cleveland Browns building block since this series began, he was nearly the most overwhelming building block.

Fans must have liked what they saw from the defensive tackle in 2016. Shelton received 89 percent of the vote, just behind receiver Terrelle Pryor (92 percent) and ahead of linebacker Jamie Collins (80.6 percent). Of the seven players profiled so far, they are the only three to clear the 67 percent threshold to be called a building block.

Is Danny Shelton a Browns building block?

Maybe it was the fact the Shelton ranked No. 8 among interior linemen against the run in 2016, according to Pro Football Focus. Or maybe fans are excited about his potential under new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

Here's what you had to say:

CLEontheRISE: If Shelton isn't a building block who is?  Lol... mine as well cut everyone.  He's your draft pick from just a couple years ago.  Those are the players that have to be.

Dr Brown: too funny that the two building blocks so far are pryor and collins, each of whom have only one year of moderate success with the browns. thats a clear indicator of how desperate the fans are for building blocks.

now, is shelton a building block?  if so, then the browns ought to sign him to an extension a year before he hits free agency.  i don't see that happening.

inthe330: He'll keep getting better, If the team goes defense line in the 1st round and they come in as advertised it'll draw a little attention away from Shelton.  The trenches will look good!!

pretend spirit: since Shelton showed improvement i dont see why he wouldnt be a building block.. hopefully he gets better and better and by his 4th year he can be a pro bowler

ih8humans2000: if you have to ask the question- obviously not

Bicyclebuckeye: Many fans thought the No. 12 pick of the 2015 draft was a bust after his rookie season ended with 36 tackles and no sacks.

Many of those fans labeled him a bust early and often. Just goes to show how dumb so many fans are. They didn't watch him very carefully and focused too much on his stats - which is not how a NT is graded. 

If you paid attention this season, you'd see that most offensive coordinators ran away from him. Probably the highest compliment he could be paid.

Bakedbrownie: Danny Shelton is the type of young player the Browns need more of desperately

Accepted building blocks:

Jamie Collins

Terrelle Pryor

Rejected building blocks:

Cameron Erving

Joe Haden

Cody Kessler

Isaiah Crowell

The Cleveland Indians Kenny Lofton, Roberto Alomar, Omar Vizquel and Jim Thome make for a good debate as far as the Baseball Hall of Fame fates of the first two go and the chances for the latter pair go.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This is a story about four Cleveland Indians, an abstention and the muddled process by which baseball determines those who get to be remembered as the best who ever played the game.

1. Maybe it's fitting that the Baseball Hall of Fame is in Cooperstown, N.Y., a quaint village whose place as the actual birthplace of baseball is as big a myth as the Scottish village Brigadoon, which shimmered to life for one day every 100 years in the Broadway musical.

2. Even at that, Brigadoon will be around more often than Kenny Lofton on Hall of Fame ballots.

The former Indians center fielder put up stats than compare well with newly elected Tim Raines. Lofton played "clean," with no whispers of using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). 

Raines was a former cocaine user. That's not a PED, but it is quite illegal by the laws of the United States.

Raines played 23 years, Lofton 17, thus Raines has a bigger pile of decimal points for analytics-oriented voters to examine.

Lofton was only on the ballot for one year and was dropped because he failed to receive the requisite 5 percent of votes from eligible baseball writers. 

Steroid suspects Pudge Rodriguez and Jeff Bagwell made it on this year's ballot. Maybe attitudes are changing, and more voters are coming around to my view that you cannot undo history.

I believe Lofton was a textbook case of a player being crowded out by others with bigger numbers from the steroid era. He thought so too.

In my column about not casting vote this year, I discussed the voters' uncertainty about what to do with the steroid era.

Lofton was one of the Indians who sometimes wasn't around to talk to after making a bad play or who took aggressive stances toward questions about a mistake.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he would say to a question about his base running mistake or a misread fly. Usually, however, his pure speed made up for the mistakes. He was a world-class athlete who happened to play baseball.

Still, after one of those exchanges with writers, a veteran player, who was professional in every part of his approach to the game, sidled over to me and said, "Kenny has a little trouble facing the music, doesn't he?"

Even so, Lofton was one of the key parts of the great Indians teams in the 1990s and again in 2007. He certainly deserved more than one shot at the Hall of Fame.

3. Next year, the voters' ballots become public knowledge for the first time. It might reduce some secret-ballot votes that would raise eyebrows.

I did, however, admit that I did not vote for former Indians second baseman Roberto Alomar in his first year of eligibility. Alomar fell six votes short.

For many, the probable reason for omitting him was his rhubarb with umpire John Hirschbeck, which ended with Alomar spitting in the umpire's face -- then appealing his way into the playoffs and, as a member of the Baltimore Orioles, eliminating the Indians.

That was not my reason. My reason was Alomar's can't-be-bothered play in the decisive fifth game of the division series against Seattle in 2001. No less than Indians former president Mark Shapiro admitted as much.

Alomar made the Hall of Fame easily the next season. I voted for him then. I felt his play in the win-or-go-home game at Seattle (the Indians went) kept him from going in on the first ballot with the best of the best.

4. No worries about my abstaining next year.

Maybe Major League Baseball will have issued some rules clarifying steroid era players eligibility, but probably not.

But how could I not vote for Omar Vizquel, the best shortstop I ever saw, the glove man on the 1990s teams full of sluggers who bashed through at the plate their own mistakes in the field?

Vizquel was my favorite Indians player and my second favorite athlete to cover ever, behind only Dr. J, Julius Erving.

Vizquel needed no glove, as he made breathtaking, bare-handed plays in the field. He needed no hands, as he fielded grounders during infield practice with his feet as a former soccer player. Omar was magic, pure and simple.

5. I'll also vote for the Indians' all-time leader in home runs, Jim Thome. He is seventh all time, with a total of 612 homers.

I did not support Thome getting a statue at Progressive Field ahead of Larry Doby, the racial pioneer and Hall of Famer. But I did think he was a wonderful throwback to the days of rural kids who liked to hunt, fish and play two if they could.

Thome was an unassuming man who faced all questioning with equanimity. Indeed, he said he learned how to be a big leaguer in that respect the day early in Vizquel's first Indians' season when Omar made three errors in a game and stood at his locker, forthrightly answering wave after wave of questions.

For the statue, I had another choice. As the column below asked, "Why not Omar?"

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State football program will sign cornerback Kendall Sheffield on Feb. 1 as part of its recruiting class for National Singing Day 2017. Here is an in-depth look at this member of the Buckeyes' recruiting class.  Kendall Sheffield  School: Brenham (Texas) Blinn College  Position: Cornerback Height, weight: 6-foot, 185 pounds 247Sports Rating: Sheffield is rated the No. 1 cornerback and the No....

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State football program will sign cornerback Kendall Sheffield on Feb. 1 as part of its recruiting class for National Singing Day 2017. Here is an in-depth look at this member of the Buckeyes' recruiting class. 

Kendall Sheffield 

School: Brenham (Texas) Blinn College 

Position: Cornerback

Height, weight: 6-foot, 185 pounds

247Sports Rating: Sheffield is rated the No. 1 cornerback and the No. 4 overall player in the 2017 JUCO class in the 247Sports composite rankings. Coming out of high school, Sheffield was the No. 4 cornerbacks and the No. 20 overall player in the 2015 recruiting class. 

Other schools: TCU, Texas, Texas A&M and USC 

What's his deal? Ohio State fans may rememeber this name because the Buckeyes recruited Sheffield two years ago when he was a national prospect. Sheffield, however, ended up going to Alabama instead. After one year there -- a redshirt season -- Sheffield decided to transfer to junior college in Texas (the same junior college at which Cam Newtown starred). Sheffield's plan was always to play one year of JUCO football, then move back to big-time college football. Ohio State needed cornerbacks badly and scooped him up the second time around. 

How he fits into Ohio State's plans: Ohio State lost both of its starting cornerbacks to the NFL and it's possible that those players -- Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley -- could both be first-round picks. For most other programs, that would be a crippling loss. For Ohio State, they went out and found an immediate replacement. 

That's where Sheffield comes in. Though the Buckeyes have a ton of elite secondary talent coming in with the 2017 class -- five-star corner Jeffrey Okudah, five-star corner Shaun Wade, four-star safety Isaiah Pryor, four-star corner Marcus Williamson and four-star corner Amir Riep -- Sheffield is two years removed from high school and should be physically ready to start for Ohio State immediately. Early playing time was important to Sheffield during his most recent recruiting process, and Ohio State gave him the best opportunity to find it. 

Projections for 2017: He starts from day one for Ohio State. And if he's anything like his projections and rankings indicate, it's possible Sheffield will be entering the NFL Draft a year from now, which would open the door for a youngster like Wade. 

Player comparison: Bradley Roby. Both are physical, fast and athletic freaks who can change the dynamics of a game. They're both roughly the same size and could be the lockdown corner that makes Ohio State's defense elite. Roby is in the NFL right now with the Denver Broncos, and that's the league in which Sheffield hopes to be soon. 

Why he's important to the best class in Ohio State history: When you look at what Urban Meyer has assembled in this class, you see a bunch of game-ready prospects. That's what happens when a program signs the elite of the elite. However, Sheffield is the most game-ready because of his advancement in his career. Yes, he has only three years to play two seasons at Ohio State, but he plugs in a direct need and should help the Buckeyes compete for a national title in 2017. Oh, and there's nothing like getting to recruit a prospect for the second time. 

Highlights: 

What we've written about him: 

Kendall Sheffield commits to Buckeyes

Will Thome or Vizquel be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame a year from now? Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It has been nearly 20 years since a player went into the Baseball Hall of Fame with an Indians hat on his plaque.

That player, Larry Doby, was elected to Cooperstown by the Veterans Committee. It has been even longer since the Baseball Writers Association of America has elected a player who donned a Cleveland cap upon entry. That distinction goes to Bob Lemon, who was inducted in 1976.

That drought could soon end, as Jim Thome and Omar Vizquel will join the ballot at the end of the year. Will it end in 2018, though, or will Thome and Vizquel have to wait?

Let's examine.

The ballot breakdown

Trevor Hoffman (74.0 percent) and Vladimir Guerrero (71.7 percent) are all but shoe-ins to earn the 75 percent of the vote required for induction. After those two, there's a steep drop to Edgar Martinez (58.6 percent), Roger Clemens (54.1 percent) and Barry Bonds (53.8 percent). Mike Mussina is the only other returning player who received at least 50 percent.

Newcomers to the ballot will include Thome, Vizquel, Chipper Jones, Scott Rolen, Andruw Jones, Jamie Moyer, Johnny Damon and Johan Santana.

Chipper Jones could be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He compiled a .303/.401/.529 slash line during his 19-year career with the Braves. He totaled 468 home runs, eight All-Star Game nods, more walks than strikeouts and 84.6 WAR (which ranks 32nd all-time among position players, just ahead of Joe DiMaggio, Roberto Clemente, Jeff Bagwell and Pete Rose).

8 takeaways from 2017 Hall of Fame results

Thome's case

Only six players have slugged more home runs than Thome: Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Alex Rodriguez, Willie Mays and Ken Griffey Jr. That's elite company. Thome tallied 612 homers, he logged a .956 OPS and he totaled 69.0 WAR.

He didn't always stand out -- he never finished in the top three in the voting for the Most Valuable Player award, and only twice did he finish in the top six during his 22-year career.

A five-time All-Star, Thome was consistently powerful for a long time. He hit at least 25 homers in 14 different seasons. He also hit 17 postseason home runs, including 12 in a four-series span. He went deep twice in the 1997 World Series, four times in the 1998 ALCS against the Yankees and four more times in five games in the 1999 ALDS against Boston.

Thome reflects on '97 World Series, career

Vizquel's case

Perhaps the best defensive shortstop since Ozzie Smith, Vizquel claimed 11 Gold Glove Awards. He collected 2,877 hits (four more than Babe Ruth), swiped 404 bases and walked (1,028 times) nearly as often as he struck out (1,087). His career slash line, however, was just .272/.336/.352.

Vizquel made three All-Star teams, though he was forced to battle for American League shortstop supremacy with Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Nomar Garciaparra and Miguel Tejada.

It'll be interesting to see if voters reward him for his longevity -- he played for 24 seasons and kept his body agile enough to continue to play middle infield until his mid-40s -- or if they will penalize him for needing so many trips to the plate to rack up nearly 3,000 hits.

Vizquel totaled 42.6 WAR during his career, per FanGraphs. He ranks 12th all-time in games played. Nine of the 11 players ahead of him are in the Hall of Fame. Bonds and Rose are not.

The life and times of 'Little O'

For this first big board, I took a look at various rankings, pulled them together and then made my own adjustments.

Top Player of the Year candidates lead their Top 25 teams into action at home Saturday: College Basketball 2017 weekend preview, schedule, TV, scoreboard.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Front-runners for the John Wooden Award as the national Player of the Year will be on display Saturday in some of the key college basketball games to watch this weekend.

Josh Hart and No. 1 Villanova take on Providence. Frank Mason and No. 2 Kansas will host Texas, Lonzo Ball and No. 3 UCLA will host No. 14 Arizona, and Nigel Williams-Goss and No. 4 Gonzaga will take on Portland.

All but one Top 25 team is in action Saturday. No. 22 Xavier will play host to Georgetown on Sunday. You can follow our live college basketball scoreboard all weekend for scores, updates, game stories, previews, and schedules.

There are also games in the Horizon League and Mid-American Conference on Friday, including the Akron Zips, the only undefeated team remaining in the MAC, hosting Eastern Michigan at 6:30 p.m. in Rhodes Arena.

EMU is favored to win the MAC West. But a quirk in the schedule has the Eagles, Zips and Ohio University -- all top preseason favorites -- playing each other twice this season. EMU and Akron already have victories over Ohio, both while the Bobcats were without defending MAC Player of the Year Antonio Campbell, out with a foot injury.

It was learned Friday that Campbell suffered a broken bone in his foot prior to the EMU game and will now be lost for the remainder of the season. He will have surgery next week.

Kent State hosts Toledo in a MAC game on Saturday, looking to snap a four-game losing streak.

Cleveland State is at Milwaukee on Friday night. The Vikings snapped a three-game losing streak in Horizon League play earlier this week at Oakland. This is the second of four straight road games.

Here is a look at the weekend schedule:

FRIDAY

Horizon League
Cleveland State at Milwaukee, 8 p.m., ESPN3
Detroit at Wright State, 7 p.m., ESPN3
Youngstown State at Green Bay, 8 p.m., ESPN3
Oakland at Northern Kentucky, 7 p.m., ESPN-FC

Mid-American Conference
Eastern Michigan at Akron, ESPN3, 6:30 (live stats)

SATURDAY

AP Top 25
No. 1. Villanova vs. Providence, Noon, Fox
No. 2. Kansas vs. Texas, 2 p.m., CBS
No. 3. UCLA vs. No. 14 Arizona, 4 p.m., CBS
No. 4. Gonzaga vs. Portland, 8 p.m., ROOT
No. 5. Kentucky vs. No. 24 South Carolina, 6 p.m., ESPN
No. 6. Baylor at TCU, 8 p.m., ESPNU
No. 7. West Virginia at Kansas State, 6 p.m., ESPN2
No. 7. Creighton vs. Marquette, 2:30 p.m., FS1
No. 9. North Carolina at Boston College, Noon, ESPN
No. 10. Florida State vs. No. 12 Louisville, 2 p.m., ESPN
No. 11. Oregon vs. Stanford, 6 p.m., PACNet
No. 13. Butler at DePaul, 2 p.m., FS1
No. 15. Notre Dame vs. Syracuse, Noon, ESPN
No. 16. Virginia vs. Georgia Tech, 2 p.m., ESPN
No. 17. Wisconsin at Minnesota, 4:30 p.m., Big Ten Net
No. 18. Duke vs. Miami, 8 p.m., ESPN
No. 19. Florida vs. Vanderbilt, Noon, CBS
No. 20. Cincinnati at Tulane, 4 p.m., CBSSports
No. 21. Purdue vs. Penn State, Noon, Big Ten Net
No. 23. St. Mary's vs. Pepperdine, 11 p.m.

Mid-American Conference
Miami at Central Michigan, 1 p.m., ESPN3
Ball State at Bowling Green, 2:30 p.m., ESPN
Ohio University at Northern Illinois, 3:30 p.m., ESPN3
Western Michigan at Buffalo, 3:30 p.m., ESPN3
Toledo at Kent State, 7 p.m., ESPN3

SUNDAY

AP Top 25
No. 22 Xavier vs. Georgetown, 2 p.m. CBS

The 17th Greater Cleveland Sports Awards is Jan. 26 at Renaissance Cleveland Hotel Grand Ballroom downtown.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jay Crawford was so hyped during the cellphone conversation that the caller could barely get out the invitation before Crawford respectively interrupted.

"I barely let them finish asking before I said I'll do it," said Crawford, an ESPN broadcaster, about his conversation with the Cleveland Sports Commission. "I'm more than thrilled to be a part of it."

Crawford grew up in nearby Sandusky as a Cleveland sports fan, so the opportunity to emcee the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards on Jan. 26th at the Renaissance Hotel was a no-brainer.

"I really wasn't even aware of the awards until a few years ago," Crawford said. "I started seeing some things on social media and I thought to myself that I had to be a part of it somehow, some way."

The 17th Annual Greater Cleveland Sports Awards will celebrate the best in Cleveland sports that will include tributes, video highlights, and impressive   presentations and of local sports personalities.

Click here for tickets and more information.

The Sports Awards recognize the best and brightest in Cleveland amateur and professional sports. The opportunity to share in the celebration with Cleveland's athletes and fans is only natural for Crawford, who remains a supporter of Cleveland sports - despite growing up in a town not far from Detroit that had some championship success.

"I grew up a die-hard Indians, Browns and Cavs fan," Crawford said. "Rooting for teams in Detroit would not have been an option because of my father. He was a Cleveland sports fan and an avid Detroit sports hater. There were some lean years [with Cleveland sports teams] but my father taught me that you stick with your team win or lose. It was mostly lose for awhile but now [staying loyal] is finally paying off."

Crawford will get the opportunity to share the stage with former Tribe manager Mike Hargrove, who will receive the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award, given to an individual who has dedicated his life to the advancement of sport in Cleveland.

Hargrove played 12 years in the majors. He played seven years with the Tribe. Following his playing career, Hargrove served as manager for the Indians, Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners, holding a career major league managerial record of 1,188-1,176, including 721-591 with the Indians during the years of 1991-1999. The Indians secured five consecutive American League Central titles under his leadership, and World Series appearances in 1995 and 1997.

The Greater Cleveland Sports Awards will also honor Kendra Seitz with the Sports Health Courage Award. Seitz, a sixth grade competitive swimmer out of Hudson, competed in the Transplant Games of America after she recovered from a heart transplant.

She received a gold medal in the butterfly and breaststroke. Additionally, Seitz was awarded a silver medal in the freestyle and a bronze medal in the backstroke.

Here is a list of the nominees for each award to be presented Thursday:

High School Athlete of the Year
Dillon Dingler, Football, Jackson High School, Massillon
Jaylen Harris, Football, Cleveland Heights High School, Cleveland Heights
Valencia Myers, Basketball, Solon High School, Solon
Andrea Scali, Softball, Parma High School, Parma

Collegiate Athlete of the Year
John Carroll football team, Football, NCAA Division II Collegiate, Cleveland
Marshon Lattimore, Football, The Ohio State University, Cleveland
Mitch Trubisky, Football, University of North Carolina, Mentor

Amateur Athlete of the Year
Tiana Bartoletta, Track, U.S. Women's Olympic Team, Elyria
Charles Conwell Jr., Boxing, U.S. Men's Olympic Team, Cleveland Heights
Emily Infeld, Cross Country, U.S. Women's Olympic Team, University Heights

Professional Athlete of the Year
LeBron James, NBA, forward, Cleveland Cavaliers
Francisco Lindor, MLB, shortstop, Cleveland Indians
Stipe Miocic, UFC, mixed martial artist, UFC Heavyweight Champion
Joe Thomas, NFL, offensive lineman, Cleveland Browns

LeBron James continues to call Spurs coach Gregg Popovich the greatest coach of all time. He also is trying to forget the era of David Blatt in Cleveland. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James was perhaps being a little ornery Thursday night when he said he didn't remember the first half of last season.

James, 32, has a razor-sharp memory; easily able to recall faces and names from the past, even plays from otherwise mundane, regular-season games during his 14 pro seasons.

He was asked after the Cavs' 118-103 win over Phoenix, which brought them to a season record of 30-11, the same record they had at this time a year ago, if he saw any parallels between then and now, and said "I don't remember the first half from last year. I don't even remember. I don't even remember what was going on."

For a quick refresher, the Cavs fired David Blatt the day after they won their 30th game. James supported the move. Outside the organization, he was widely blamed for it, and the blame stung him.

James remembers, he just doesn't want to let his mind go to those dark days, where winning couldn't trump the mistrust he had with Blatt, the responsibility he felt he had to place on his shoulders in the locker room, and the way all of it wore on him and his teammates.

As was the case last season, Cleveland's 42nd game falls on the opener of the NBA on ABC's Saturday evening package -- the league's weekly, supposedly signature slot. This time the opponent is the San Antonio Spurs and their coach Gregg Popovich, who are coming to The Q at 8:30 p.m. 

"I think he's the greatest coach of all time," James said Thursday night. "I've said that over and over and over."

James has indeed offered similar sentiments over the past three seasons, though they seemed to be occasionally laced with a hint of sarcastic juxtaposition with Blatt. There's Popovich over there, with his five championships and NBA dynasty that spans from David Robinson to Tim Duncan to Kawhi Leonard. And here's Blatt, who when he arrived on the Cavs in the summer of 2014 had never coached in the NBA.

(For instance, Blatt once tried to compare his Euroleague success to the championship banners hanging in the rafters in San Antonio.)

But Blatt is of course gone and Tyronn Lue runs the team now. Lue is inarguably James' favorite pro coach.

But the admiration for Popovich continues to flow from James. It was always genuine -- the two have squared off in three Finals, with Popovich's Spurs beating the Cavs in 2007 and Heat in 2014, and James' Heat winning in 2013.

Now, though, there is no dual purpose served by giving Popovich the credit James so clearly believes he deserves.

"A guy that's been able to do what he's done in an era of basketball where it's changed so much and he's been able to have a growth mindset and be able to change with the game," James said of him. "Obviously Tim Duncan was a huge part of that because Timmy was allowed to change with the game as well, but he's just continued to build around Timmy and Manu (Ginobili) and Tony (Parker) and bring pieces in and out throughout his whole tenure."

This will be James' first game against the Spurs since Duncan's summer retirement. James has called Duncan the best power forward of all-time.

Leonard, 25, is now An Antonio's primary star. He will start the All-Star Game for the West in New Orleans next month, and is averaging a career-high 25.1 points per game.

Pau Gasol was brought in to replace Duncan, but he broke his hand in pregame warmups Thursday night and is out indefinitely. LaMarcus Aldridge is averaging 17.6 points in this his second season in San Antonio.

Ginobili is 39, Parker 34.

The Spurs have been replaced in the Finals the past two seasons by the Golden State Warriors, and currently sit behind them in the West at 33-9.

James said Thursday night that while the faces change on Popovich's roster, so has the style of play in the league. From an NBA dominated by big men to one featuring the pick-and-roll, to now the 3-point-happy league that it is, "Pop has been able to adjust every single time and still, for some odd reason, keep those guys under the radar.

Yandy Diaz and Bradley Zimmer, two of the youngsters expected to make a big-league cameo at some point this year, headline the group. Infielders Eric Stamets, Nellie Rodriguez and Ronny Rodriguez, outfielder Greg Allen and pitchers Josh Martin and Tyler Olson also received invitations to major-league camp on Friday. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians have granted eight minor-league prospects a spring-training audition.

Yandy Diaz and Bradley Zimmer, two of the youngsters expected to make a big-league cameo at some point this year, headline the group. Infielders Eric Stamets, Nellie Rodriguez and Ronny Rodriguez, outfielder Greg Allen and pitchers Josh Martin and Tyler Olson also received invitations to major-league camp on Friday.

The Indians considered promoting Diaz to the big-league roster last September, but they ultimately decided against it. The 25-year-old was named International League Rookie of the Year in 2016, as he batted .325 with a .399 on-base percentage. He followed that up by hitting .371 in 40 winter ball games in Venezuela.

Zimmer, the organization's first-round draft selection in 2014, will make his first appearance at major-league camp. The 24-year-old split time between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus last season. In 130 games, he batted .250 with a .790 OPS, 15 home runs and 62 RBI. He stole 38 bases, but struck out 171 times.

Allen, 23, posted a .295 batting average and .416 on-base percentage, with 45 steals and nearly as many walks (77) as strikeouts (78) in 129 games split between High-A Lynchburg and Akron.

The Indians acquired Stamets from the Angels in exchange for outfielder David Murphy in 2015. Stamets, a glove-first shortstop, hit just .237 between Akron and Columbus last season. The 25-year-old is a native of Dublin, Ohio.

Which prospects could make the leap in '17?

Ronny Rodriguez spent most of his time at second base with the Clippers last season. He hit .258 with 24 doubles. He batted .306 in 44 games in the Dominican Winter League.

Nellie Rodriguez hit 26 homers and tallied 85 RBI for Akron last season. The 22-year-old was named an All-Star, a year after he earned the distinction of Carolina League Most Valuable Player.

Martin logged a 3.41 ERA in 47 relief outings with Columbus last season. The Indians claimed Olson off waivers from the Royals in July. The southpaw made nine appearances for Columbus last season.

Pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear, Arizona, for spring training on Feb. 12. The rest of the big-league squad is scheduled to report on Feb. 16.

Testing, testing: Michael Brantley has advanced to the next stage of his rehab process, which includes hitting off of a tee. Brantley returned to Cleveland in early January to resume his recovery, which began with dry swings. The outfielder appeared in only 11 games last year because of recurring shoulder and biceps issues. He underwent his second surgery in a span of nine months in August.

Center of attention: Chris Antonetti, the Indians' president of baseball operations, indicated that Brandon Guyer could see time in center field during spring training. Guyer played the corner outfield spots last year with the Indians, but he racked up some time in center earlier in his career with the Rays. The 31-year-old signed a two-year deal this week worth at least $5 million. The Indians hold a club option on Guyer for the 2019 season.

Still, there are plenty of storylines to monitor in the season's second half, as the champs attempt to surge back to the NBA Finals. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers have reached the halfway point of the season, boasting a shiny 30-11 record, the same mark as last season.

While it's been far from perfect, the Cavs haven't been engulfed by trade rumors involving one of the Big Three, coaching controversy, chemistry questions or cryptic tweets.

It feels different than last season. Because it is. Players have come into their own and any "issues" are minor in comparison, none of which seem to threaten their chances at a repeat.

Still, there are plenty of storylines to monitor in the season's second half, as the champs attempt to surge back to the NBA Finals.

New addition?

It's no secret. Ever since training camp the Cavaliers have lamented not having a backup point guard. They miss Matthew Dellavedova for more than just his feisty defense. 

For the most part, the Cavs' point guard situation has become a two-man show: LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.

Last week, during the team's lengthy road trip, general manager David Griffin mentioned not wanting to box himself in, solely looking for a backup point guard. Instead, he used the term "playmaker" when referencing necessary roster tweaks shortly after James made his voice heard.

"I'm grateful," Griffin said. "It's something where we're all pretty keenly aware that it would help take some burden off of Kyrie and LeBron as our primary playmaker."

James reiterated that following a 35-point drubbing against the Golden State Warriors, as he listed at least seven different players he felt could make plays for the league's top team.

The Cavs essentially have two. Kevin Love would be a third, provided head coach Tyronn Lue gets back to using him at the elbow more.

Any title chance centers on the Big Three being brilliant. But it's asking a lot for those players to consistently create offense -- not only in a seven-game series, but also in the final 41 games of the regular season. That kind of load could take its toll. 

So how do the Cavs acquire that missing piece? With limited assets, unless they are willing to send away the draft rights to Turkish youngster Cedi Osman, the Cavs might have to get creative. 

Their earlier trade for Kyle Korver was shrewd asset maneuvering, reclaiming this year's first-round pick and freeing them up to use another future first in a potential deal. That pick could become the centerpiece of a swap. 

However, the most likely option is a free agent. Mario Chalmers has been linked to the team since training camp, but he's trying to recover from an Achilles injury, one of the most difficult for any NBA player, and resumed basketball activities in August.

Another former Miami Heat guard, Norris Cole, remains an option, after a hamstring injury sunk his China deal. Veteran Jarrett Jack is still looking to return after recovering from torn knee ligaments that ended his time with the Brooklyn Nets in early January 2016.

The other option is waiting until the buyout period and seeing who becomes available to occupy the final spot. 

Minutes watch

Taking a big-picture approach, Lue's No. 1 stated goal is entering the postseason as healthy as possible. That means keeping James, Irving, Love and others from high minute totals -- even if it means losing the top seed.

Earlier this season, Lue mentioned the rest plan for James. It was supposed to consist of slowing him down in late January and February and ramping back up following the All-Star break. This could mean sitting the second of a back-to-back or resting for consecutive contests.

It will be a feel thing and James' trainer Mike Mancias will have a lot of say.

Despite missing three games to rest, James is averaging 37.1 minutes, the most since being back with the Cavaliers and third most in the NBA this season.

Meanwhile, Irving, who had a busy summer and already once complained of heavy legs, is averaging 34.8 minutes.

Because of the roster versatility, being able to use James, Richard Jefferson, James Jones and even Channing Frye in his spot, the Cavs have been able to keep Love's workload in check. He's averaging 31.6 minutes.

Korver's integration

Since completing a deal for Korver during the six-game road trip, the Cavs have been trying to figure out how to best utilize him. It started slow, with Korver admitting he was trying to erase what he learned in Atlanta and pick up a new system with little practice time.

But he seems more settled, both on and off the court.

Lue has dipped into his old Ray Allen plays from his time as an assistant in Boston to get Korver more involved. Using motion, pindowns and other screens to capitalize on his unique movement skills, Korver has started to show flashes of his potential.

Lue has also adjusted his rotation, wanting Korver to play more alongside James, who has assisted on six of Korver's 16 made shots since coming to Cleveland.

It's starting to come together. Korver is averaging 12.6 points on 46.6 percent from the field and 43.4 percent from 3-point range in the last three games.

Plenty of upcoming practice time will be devoted to Korver's transition.

Then there's the other Korver-related question: What happens when J.R. Smith returns?

Will an Eastern Conference contender make a move?

This is hardly breaking news, but a big gap exists between the Cavs and the rest of the East. While the standings show Toronto 2.5 games back and Boston 4.5 behind, neither team has the star power to compete with Cleveland in a seven-game series.

If the goal is something other than runner-up, both teams will have to consider making a move or two prior to the trade deadline.

The Celtics added Al Horford and point guard Isaiah Thomas has emerged as a likely All-Star, but Boston is middle-of-the-pack defensively and one of the worst rebounding teams in the league, two areas that become vitally important in the playoffs.

With a treasure trove of future picks, Boston has the assets to swing a blockbuster deal if available. 

Atlanta reportedly pulled free-agent-to-be Paul Millsap off the block after dealing away Korver. Phoenix seems hesitant to deal Tyson Chandler. Sacramento doesn't seem inclined to part with likely All-Star DeMarcus Cousins. The other attractive piece the Kings could've moved, Rudy Gay, is out for the season after a nasty Achilles injury. Would underachieving Chicago be willing to trade All-Star starter and franchise cornerstone Jimmy Butler? That's doubtful. Brooklyn's Brook Lopez could be available, but does little to help Boston's two primary issues.

So what options exist in this market?

Would Dwight Howard fit next to Al Horford? Would Atlanta, in the fourth spot, be willing to send him away after giving him a hefty contract this off-season? What about Nerlens Noel, loosening the big man logjam in Philadelphia?

Perhaps the Celtics would be willing to meet the asking price to pry Carmelo Anthony away from New York. Of course, he has a no-trade clause, making things incredibly complicated.

Then there's Toronto, which seems to be at least one player short from taking Cleveland's conference throne.

Either way, that's what it will take for the Cavs to get some real competition in the East. Something will have to change. As of now, it looks like the path is clear.

Smith's comeback

Our Joe Vardon caught up with Smith following Thursday's game against Phoenix. Smith said he's a "long ways away" from coming back.

J.R. Smith not doing any cardio since thumb injury

There are plenty of steps for him. And there's a difference between active and effective. Once he returns, it will likely take him some time to get back into rhythm. After all, missing all of training camp and preseason seemed to be part of the reason for Smith's slow start.

Then once he gets comfortable his role will need to be determined.

Shumpert has thrived as a starter and that was the Cavs' original plan when they made the trade with New York in 2015. This year, Korver was brought in to do many of the things Smith did for the Cavs.

This isn't to say the Cavs don't need Smith. Of course they do. His defense and 3-point shooting over the last two years made him one of Cleveland's most important players. That hasn't changed because of a busted thumb.

But Smith likely won't be back until the postseason. Perhaps a little bit before. Avoiding drastic rotation changes and not disrupting chemistry late in the season would be wise. 

Various reports say the Browns are close to signing linebacker Jamie Collins. Did he always play like a keeper after coming here from New England? No. But their need is great. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Not too long after arriving from New England in a surprising trade, Browns linebacker Jamie Collins said, "If the money is right I could stay here."

There have been more rousing endorsements.

But to be fair the guy left the penthouse and moved into a basement apartment this season. Then things got ugly for him as the Browns managed a single win.

Since various reports suggest he will be staying here, we can assume that money can buy the Browns some love in his case.

If you'd rather he jumped up and down about the prospect of playing long term for the Browns, fine. Would you have?

The Browns are in need of a talent infusion. Collins didn't always play like a keeper, but his talent was obvious. You either sign him or you have to replace him.

Will the Browns overpay? Probably.

But two things on that topic.

One, they were 1-15. That doesn't sell itself.

Two, they easily have enough cap room.

We'll throw in one more. Unless Jimmy Haslam is asking you to help him pay for Collins, why is overpaying a pressing issue?

* LeBron James reiterated Thursday he believes Spurs' head coach Gregg Popovich is "the greatest coach of all time."

That was James' opinion a year ago. He's given that ranking a lot of thought and no doubt assessed the biggest winners in NBA history.

So don't take his latest compliment to mean "greatest coach of all time who hasn't called my management team a 'posse.' "

* Popovich was ejected from Thursday's game against Denver after telling referee Zach Zarba, "You're a terrible referee."

I don't need LeBron to tell me that's the most simple and direct insult of all time.

* New Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said he's been told he's taken over five defenses -- different players, different coaching staffs, different schemes -- and molded them into Top 5 units.

"I don't know about the accuracy of that," he said.

But hey, I'd go with it, too, if I were him.

* One of the more irreverent moments of the Williams presser was when he talked of raising money for his foundation and how a signed LeBron jersey brought a hefty price.

"I timed it right with LeBron signing a jersey," he said, "and somebody was stupid enough to pay $25,000 to help those kids back in that town."

But, really, sir, Gregg Williams wants to applaud your generosity.

* In a conference call with reporters, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson 36^th  on his board but said he expects him to go in the Top 10. He said Watson could even go in the top two or three by the time the NFL draft rolls around.

At this rate, if the draft weren't held until July, he might become the first player to go No. 1 overall and be inducted into Canton the same day.

* Kiper pointed out none of the Final Four in the NFL playoffs - Green Bay, Pittsburgh, New England or Atlanta has a first-round draft choice running back starting for them.

"Last time I checked 11 of the 12 teams in the playoffs didn't have a first-round running back," Kiper said, via espncleveland.com

At the same time, he projects the Browns taking Florida State running back Dalvin Cook.

So he must think the Browns are dumb, or cutting-edge thinkers.

* Russell Westbrook won't start in the NBA All-Star game.

He is averaging 30.6 points per game, 10.6 rebounds and 10.4 assists.

Clearly he needs to get that assist average up a couple decimal points before he has a case.

* Dick LeBeau will return as Tennessee's defensive coordinator.

It will be his 59^th season in the NFL. He is 80.

(This column will resume after my daily nap.)

* The Seattle Seahawks, who lost a fifth-round draft pick because of an offseason workout rules violation, could lose a second-rounder now. At least that's the speculation.

The league is looking into Seattle's failure to report Richard Sherman's knee injury during the season.

Which they say they simply forgot to do. Week after week after week.

* NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is traveling to Atlanta for the second consecutive weekend instead of  subjecting himself to still-angry Patriots fans at the New England-Pittsburgh game.

Goodell hasn't been to Foxborough since DeflateGate.

But hey, I'm sure he's flown over it on his way to his vacation home in Maine. So... we all good now?

* Jets wideout Brandon Marshall is 33.  If the Jets cut him after a disappointing season, they'd take a salary cap hit of $7.5 million. Marshall doesn't think that's a big number.

"Any team should be happy to have me for $7.5 million," Marshall told reporters.

It goes without saying he'd be attractive to teams at that price in part because of his humility.

* The Philadelphia 76ers are 6-2 in January.

And, yes, since there is no relegation on this side of the Atlantic, they are still in the NBA.

* After Antonio Brown's locker room Facebook Live post caught Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin using pejoratives about the Patriots, New England's Julian Edelman said, "That's how that team is run."

Ben Roethlisberger responded by defending his organization.

"I don't think I need to speak much," the Steelers quarterback said. "We've got our trophies out there."

It's interesting to hear two teams with respective Lombardi Trophy collections trade shots.

All I know is if I ran the Browns and Antonio Brown played in Berea and did that in a post-game video, I'd give him five years, 10 years tops, to get his act together.

* Roger Goodell just remembered he shaves with a Gillette razor.

Does that count?

Akron struggled making free throws and 3-pointers but still led from the opening tip against Eastern Michigan to set the record for the longest winning streak at Rhodes Arena at 27 straight.

AKRON, Ohio -- The Akron Zips led the entire game and defeated Eastern Michigan, 70-63, in a key Mid-American Conference cross-division showdown Friday night in Rhodes Arena.

Akron was a woeful 13-of-28 from the foul line and 7-of-27 on 3-pointers to help keep the game close throughout. EMU closed to 65-61 with 1:31 to play, but junior guard Antino Jackson made three of his next four free throws to give Akron breathing room.

Jackson finished with 11 points. Akron center Isaiah Johnson led all scorers with 21 points.

The first half: The Zips held a 38-28 lead at the break led by Johnson's nine points. But Akron spoiled a chance at a blowout by going 4-of-10 from the free throw line. Akron's defense was solid, holding Eastern Michigan to 34.4-percent shooting and forcing six turnovers, but it was the free throws that caused concern going into the second half.

• Game summary

Next in line: Akron plays three of its next four games on the road starting Tuesday night at Western Michigan. That's followed by a home game against Buffalo, then games at Northern Illinois and Ohio University. The Akron game ended a road stretch for EMU, which plays two of its next three at home against Ball State and Kent State, with a game at Miami in between. The rematch between Akron and EMU is Feb. 11.

Opening up: Akron is starting to go deeper into its bench as 6-8 freshman Emmanuel Olojakpoke and 6-6 freshman Daniel Utomi are starting to get more playing time. Olojakpoke is becoming a crowd favorite with his ability to block shots and dunk off alley-oops.

One player currently being watched closely is 6-9 freshman center Michael Hughes, who has been nursing a tender back.

Brad Thiessen had 32 saves as the Cleveland Monsters shut out the Rockford IceHogs on Friday, 2-0.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Brad Thiessen earned his first victory of the season as the Cleveland Monsters blanked the Rockford IceHogs, 2-0, in an American Hockey League game Friday at Quicken Loans Arena.

Thiessen, added to the roster when Joonas Korpisalo was called up to the Columbus Blue Jackets, finished with 32 saves to improve to 1-3-0.

With the win, the Monsters improved to 18-15-1-3, while Rockford falls to 14-20-3-3. Rockford shut out the Monsters on Wednesday, 1-0, but the Monsters lead the season series, 4-2-0-0.

• Game summary
• AHL standings

Blake Siebenaler finally found the net for the Monsters at 17:17 of the second period, off assists from Justin Scott and Sonny Milano. Siebenaler's second goal of the season was the first off Rockford goalie Jeff Glass in four periods.

The Monsters made it 2-0 at 13:31 of the second when Alex Broadhurst potted his eighth goal of the season, assisted by T.J. Tynan and John Ramage.

Glass stopped 17 of 19 shots for Rockford. After being outshot Wednesday, 34-26, the Monsters got pounded again Friday as Rockford had a 32-19 edge.

Only three penalties were called, one against the Monsters and two against Rockford, all in the third period.

Yo-yo man: The Columbus Blue Jackets recalled Monsters left wing Markus Hannikainen on Friday, his seventh recall this season. The Blue Jackets play host to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.

All-Star: Monsters goalie Anton Forsberg has been added to the Central Division roster for the 2017 AHL All-Star Classic on Jan. 29-30 in Allentown, Pa., home of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Forsberg joins teammates Oliver Bjorkstrand and Ryan Craig at the All-Star game.

Up next: The Monsters will play at the Grand Rapids Griffins on Saturday at 7 p.m., then play at the Milwaukee Admirals on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ... The Monsters will return to the Q to face the Chicago Wolves next Thursday and Saturday, then have six days off for the All-Star break.

Andre Harris scored 18 points, Tajh Benton added 16 and sixth man Deion Burton’s performance established Brush boys basketball atop the Western Reserve Conference.

MADISON TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Brush coach Chet Mason didn’t hide his praise for Deion Burton.

To Mason, the 5-foot-9 junior guard is the best player in Northeast Ohio coming off the bench. Burton scored 14 points to help Brush hand Madison its first loss of the season Friday night, 76-67.

The victory established Brush (12-2, 7-0) atop the Western Reserve Conference. Beating Madison (9-1, 5-1), the No. 25 team in this week’s cleveland.com boys basketball Top 25, is something his young team could not do last season.

Brush seized control early w/10-point run capped by this Andre Harris and-one. pic.twitter.com/nj2SM2LhvI

— Matt Goul (@mgoul) January 21, 2017

Sophomore guard Andre Harris scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Point guard D.J. Dial, another sophomore, added 18 mostly on free throws down the stretch to clinch it. But Burton ignited the Arcs whenever Madison turned up its game.

“Deion is the key to our team,” Mason said. “Everything you want him to be as a sixth man our team he is.”

Defense and energy? He provided that with three steals.

Offense? He knocked down two 3-pointers, including one in the fourth.

Most importantly, he found himself around nearly every loose ball. One of the smallest players on the court scooped up nine rebounds in addition to his steals. Many of his hustle plays turned into baskets in transition.

“He’s a key player. We need Deion,” Harris said. “He’s a corner (3) specialist.”

Burton started some games last season and came off the bench for others. With his role now established, he said he embraces it.

“I love being sixth man,” Burton said. “The coaches look to me for energy.”

He used a corner 3 to quell Madison, which rallied from a 12-point deficit early in the fourth quarter. At the height of Brush’s momentum, Harris punctuated it with a slam dunk.

Madison showed its fight behind senior forward Corbin Anthony. The 6-4 Anthony scored a game-high 23 points, pulled down 13 rebounds and kept the Blue Streaks from staggering.

“He kind of neutralized the bleeding because of timely offensive rebounds with his putbacks,” Madison coach Pat Moran said.

Madison senior guard Dhel Duncan-Busby added 17 points, point guard Zach Guyer scored 15 and forward Josh Ferry added 10. Their effort slashed Brush’s big lead to just three points with about a minute to go.

“When we were down, we could have been blasted out of the gym,” Moran said. “But our resolve showed well.”

The threat faded as Brush guard Tajh Benton attacked the basket. Benton scored 16 points, and the closing minute turned into a matter of the Arcs making free throws.

Their victory sends them to a week of practice before traveling Friday, Jan. 27 to Willoughby South. Madison is back at home Saturday against St. Martin de Porres, plays another nonconference game Tuesday and is at Riverside when its WRC schedule resume.

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.

No. 11 Holy Name boys basketball rallies after slow start to vex No. 24 Bay, 83-65, in GLC showdown.

BAY VILLAGE, Ohio -- Bay boys basketball captured an early lead against Holy Name in its quest to avenge a season-opening defeat but learned quickly containing the Green Wave's top weapon proved impossible Friday night.

Dwayne Cohill helped the Green Wave -- ranked No. 11 in the cleveland.com Top 25 -- erase a first-quarter deficit with a second-period ignition sequence, kick-starting a dominant night for the junior guard in an 83-65 victory against No. 24 Bay. The junior guard finished his masterpiece with a career-high 47 points to keep the Green Wave (13-1, 7-0 Great Lakes Conference) stay atop the GLC.

"That second quarter was our Achilles' heel," Bay coach Jared Shetzer said of a period that saw Holy Name flip a nine-point deficit into a nine-point lead by halftime. "It's tough to get in his way, especially when you're talking to sophomores and telling them, 'Hey, just get in the way of this guy that's going 100 miles per hour.'"

Following a five-point first stanza, Cohill made the disparity apparent between the speed at which he was operating and that of every other player on the court. Displaying the form that's led to 12 Division I teams -- including Ohio State, Xavier and Penn State -- submitting scholarship offers, Cohill delivered spurts of offense that bedeviled the Rockets (9-5, 4-3 GLC). He scored 22 of the Green Wave's 31 second-quarter points, slashing to the rim at will against a bevy of defenders tasked with deterring him.

Cohill showed an array of moves and finished with 20 field goals -- 19 from inside the arc and most at the rim -- to lift Holy Name to a 45-36 halftime lead after the Rockets held him to five first-period points. Cohill finishes the regular-season series against Bay with 85 points, and the 47-point outburst surpasses his previous season-best total by eight. 

"I was tired. I was dead tired," Cohill said of his energy level after the quarter. "We came out slow and (coach Jeff Huber) told me, 'You're the leader. You've got to bring the energy.'"

A right-handed Cohill jam less than three minutes into the quarter gave Holy Name a 28-25 lead. R.J. Sunahara led Bay with 28 points, and the versatile post scored nine of the Rockets' first 12 to help the hosts to a 12-2 advantage. Choosing to attack the Green Wave often from the 3-point line, Bay cooled off and could not stay with a player who did his damage inside. Cohill received his only rest of the game near the end of the first half, but as Bay narrowed Holy Name's lead to two points near the 1-minute mark, Huber reinserted his top weapon. Cohill then scored the final five points of the half. 

However, the dizzying array of moves Cohill displayed to get to the rim freed up teammates. Seniors Sean Hickey and Nick Opincar added 15 and 11 points, respectively, mostly on open jumpers. 

"We got three or four guys that can make shots, and it really puts the defense with a dilemma," Huber said. "Do you sag in against Dwayne and keep him from getting to the basket, or do you stick with them and then he's pretty hard to stop one on one in the middle of the floor, so I think that makes us hard to guard."

Bay cut the Holy Name lead to eight after a Jack Maxwell 3-pointer with just more than 6 minutes left in the game, but Cohill scored the next six points in barely a minute to extend the margin back to double digits and end a last-ditch comeback bid.

The Green Wave held the Rockets to 65 points, bettering their defensive performance in the teams' December meeting in Parma Heights by 15. Holy Name has nearly doubled its win total from last season (8-16) and will travel to face Elyria Catholic next Friday. Bay has a road tilt against Elyria set for Tuesday night. 

Check out Friday's boys basketball scores from around the OHSAA, courtesy of The Associated Press.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Check out Friday's boys basketball scores from around the state, courtesy of The Associated Press.

Akr. Buchtel 93, Akr. North 39

Akr. Coventry 95, Mogadore Field 61

Akr. Firestone 61, Akr. Garfield 57

Akr. Kenmore 80, Akr. East 54

Akr. Springfield 51, Ravenna 42

Albany Alexander 73, McArthur Vinton County 71

Alliance 59, Can. South 39

Alliance Marlington 57, Carrollton 43

Anna 66, Houston 48

Ansonia 65, New Paris National Trail 43

Ashland 62, Mansfield Madison 60

Atwater Waterloo 66, Ravenna SE 48

Austintown Fitch 62, Youngs. Liberty 57, OT

Avon 70, Olmsted Falls 67

Avon Lake 54, N. Olmsted 52

Bainbridge Paint Valley 60, Southeastern 45

Barberton 55, Richfield Revere 54

Batavia 66, New Richmond 49

Batavia Amelia 48, Norwood 43

Beachwood 62, Painesville Harvey 53

Beavercreek 56, Miamisburg 54

Bellefontaine 42, Spring. Shawnee 28

Bellefontaine Benjamin Logan 41, Spring. Greenon 39, OT

Belmont Union Local 71, Barnesville 53

Beloit W. Branch 49, Minerva 43

Belpre 57, Wahama, W.Va. 50

Berea-Midpark 44, Westlake 34

Berlin Center Western Reserve 70, Lowellville 51

Berlin Hiland 68, Newcomerstown 54

Bethel-Tate 54, Georgetown 35

Bidwell River Valley 64, Nelsonville-York 38

Bluffton 66, Paulding 47

Brecksville-Broadview Hts. 45, Hudson 42

Bristol 81, Newbury 29

Brookville 39, Day. Oakwood 36

Brunswick 61, Mentor 48

Bryan 50, Swanton 41

Bucyrus Wynford 73, Bucyrus 60

Burton Berkshire 62, Fairport Harbor Harding 42

Canfield S. Range 58, New Middletown Spring. 39

Carlisle 36, Camden Preble Shawnee 33

Centerville 43, Lebanon 35

Chesterland W. Geauga 62, Wickliffe 61

Chillicothe 69, Washington C.H. 51

Chillicothe Unioto 44, Piketon 41

Chillicothe Zane Trace 61, Chillicothe Huntington 49

Cin. Anderson 61, Milford 57

Cin. Christian 63, Lockland 43

Cin. Clark Montessori 47, Cin. Hills Christian Academy 45

Cin. Hughes 60, Cin. Woodward 52

Cin. Mariemont 50, Cin. Madeira 35

Cin. Moeller 58, Cin. St. Xavier 38

Cin. Oak Hills 51, Hamilton 43

Cin. Princeton 53, Middletown 40

Cin. Seven Hills 63, Cin. Country Day 59

Cin. Shroder 69, Cin. Western Hills 60

Cin. Summit Country Day 50, Cin. N. College Hill 42

Cin. Sycamore 47, Cin. Colerain 43

Cin. Taft 82, Cin. Aiken 57

Cin. Turpin 58, Loveland 52

Cin. Walnut Hills 60, Cin. Glen Este 51

Cin. Withrow 58, Kings Mills Kings 29

Circleville Logan Elm 55, Baltimore Liberty Union 45

Clayton Northmont 83, Piqua 42

Cle. Benedictine 73, Mentor Lake Cath. 55

Cle. Cent. Cath. 67, Louisville Aquinas 60

Clyde 54, Oak Harbor 52

Cols. Briggs 47, Cols. Africentric 44

Cols. East 59, Cols. Centennial 57

Cols. Eastmoor 78, Cols. West 50

Cols. Grandview Hts. 62, London 47

Cols. Hamilton Twp. 58, Amanda-Clearcreek 53

Cols. Independence 56, Cols. Marion-Franklin 42

Cols. Mifflin 56, Cols. Linden McKinley 55

Cols. Northland 82, Cols. Beechcroft 64

Cols. Ready 53, Cols. Watterson 50

Cols. South 73, Cols. Walnut Ridge 39

Cols. St. Charles 43, Cols. DeSales 36

Cols. Whetstone 85, Cols. International 45

Columbiana 68, Leetonia 41

Continental 59, Ft. Jennings 41

Convoy Crestview 40, Lima Cent. Cath. 30

Corning Miller 75, Racine Southern 64

Cory-Rawson 57, Bascom Hopewell-Loudon 49

Creston Norwayne 56, Doylestown Chippewa 44

Cuyahoga Falls CVCA 48, Massillon Tuslaw 46

Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 55, Chardon NDCL 52

Cuyahoga Hts. 45, Gates Mills Hawken 44

Dalton 58, Rittman 43

Danville 43, Mansfield Christian 41

Day. Christian 76, Day. Miami Valley 61

Day. Ponitz Tech. 51, Day. Thurgood Marshall 50

Day. Stivers 54, Day. Belmont 51, OT

Defiance 59, Celina 45

Delphos Jefferson 64, Ada 44

Delphos St. John's 56, Coldwater 41

Dover 54, Uhrichsville Claymont 46

Dresden Tri-Valley 56, McConnelsville Morgan 48

Dublin Coffman 64, Cols. Upper Arlington 59, OT

Dublin Jerome 61, Worthington Kilbourne 54

Elida 52, St. Marys Memorial 42

Elyria 75, Euclid 58

Elyria Cath. 72, Parma Normandy 66

Fayetteville-Perry 58, Mowrystown Whiteoak 51

Findlay Liberty-Benton 66, Arlington 45

Frankfort Adena 52, Williamsport Westfall 46

Franklin Middletown Christian 48, Spring. Emmanuel Christian 45

Ft. Loramie 53, Botkins 34

Gallipolis Gallia 48, Portsmouth 43

Garfield Hts. 82, New Day Academy 54

Gates Mills Gilmour 69, Hunting Valley University 61

Genoa Area 55, Tontogany Otsego 30

Germantown Valley View 49, Bellbrook 34

Glouster Trimble 79, Reedsville Eastern 44

Gnadenhutten Indian Valley 60, Zoarville Tuscarawas Valley 55

Goshen 77, Mt. Orab Western Brown 59

Grafton Midview 57, N. Ridgeville 52

Green 75, Massillon Perry 62

Grove City Cent. Crossing 79, Galloway Westland 69

Groveport-Madison 62, Sunbury Big Walnut 33

Hamilton Ross 50, Cin. Mt. Healthy 49

Hamler Patrick Henry 48, Delta 40

Hannibal River 50, St. Clairsville 43

Hanoverton United 81, Columbiana Crestview 69

Hartville Lake Center Christian 53, Garrettsville Garfield 52

Heath 45, Johnstown Northridge 39

Hilliard Bradley 36, Thomas Worthington 29

Hilliard Davidson 47, Marysville 25

Hillsboro 57, Lees Creek E. Clinton 55

Huron 67, Castalia Margaretta 43

Independence 54, Middlefield Cardinal 52

Ironton 54, Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant 41

Jamestown Greeneview 43, Milford Center Fairbanks 39

Kenton 51, Van Wert 43

Kettering Alter 71, Day. Chaminade Julienne 50

Kinsman Badger 60, Vienna Mathews 44

Kirtland 75, Richmond Hts. 72, OT

Lakewood 62, Amherst Steele 61

Lancaster Fairfield Union 46, Bloom-Carroll 42

Leavittsburg LaBrae 73, Jefferson Area 62

Leesburg Fairfield 71, W. Union 53

Leipsic 66, Vanlue 45

Lewistown Indian Lake 63, Urbana 49

Lexington 73, Bellville Clear Fork 36

Liberty Center 64, Metamora Evergreen 61

Liberty Twp. Lakota E. 52, W. Chester Lakota W. 26

Lima Perry 87, Sidney Lehman 51

Lima Sr. 78, Oregon Clay 68

Lima Temple Christian 73, Ridgeway Ridgemont 56

Linsly, W.Va. 72, Caldwell 49

Lisbon David Anderson 60, Salineville Southern 44

London Madison Plains 52, N. Lewisburg Triad 49

Lorain 83, Bedford 39

Lorain Clearview 67, Fairview 56

Lore City Buckeye Trail 59, Sarahsville Shenandoah 42

Louisville 85, Salem 62

Lucas 52, Kidron Cent. Christian 51, 2OT

Lynchburg-Clay 73, Sardinia Eastern Brown 60

Lyndhurst Brush 76, Madison 67

Magnolia Sandy Valley 70, Tuscarawas Cent. Cath. 61

Malvern 68, W. Lafayette Ridgewood 54

Mansfield St. Peter's 71, Loudonville 55

Maria Stein Marion Local 73, Rockford Parkway 40

Marietta 70, Coshocton 66, OT

Martins Ferry 59, Wintersville Indian Creek 32

Mason 56, Fairfield 45

Massillon Jackson 79, Can. Glenoak 54

Mayfield 51, Eastlake N. 50

McDonald 74, Sebring McKinley 51

McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley 60, Dola Hardin Northern 44

Medina 78, Solon 76

Medina Buckeye 79, Sullivan Black River 44

Medina Highland 65, Kent Roosevelt 51

Middletown Fenwick 38, Day. Carroll 37

Milan Edison 73, Vermilion 68

Millbury Lake 63, Elmore Woodmore 61

Miller City 72, Ottoville 62

Millersburg W. Holmes 60, Mansfield Sr. 53

Mineral Ridge 91, N. Jackson Jackson-Milton 78

Minster 48, New Bremen 37

Mogadore 76, Mantua Crestwood 75

Monroe 53, Eaton 47

Morrow Little Miami 57, Oxford Talawanda 44

Mt. Blanchard Riverdale 42, Arcadia 37

N. Baltimore 73, Pandora-Gilboa 65

N. Robinson Col. Crawford 66, Carey 49

Napoleon 68, Bowling Green 65

New Albany 64, Cols. Franklin Hts. 57

New Carlisle Tecumseh 56, Spring. Kenton Ridge 47

New Lebanon Dixie 58, Day. Northridge 44

New Lexington 58, Zanesville Maysville 57

New Madison Tri-Village 73, Lewisburg Tri-County N. 26

New Philadelphia 64, Byesville Meadowbrook 56

New Washington Buckeye Cent. 51, Sycamore Mohawk 44

Newark 57, Canal Winchester 42

Newark Cath. 54, Johnstown-Monroe 38

Newark Licking Valley 40, Granville 39

Newton Falls 46, Rootstown 44

Niles McKinley 53, Warren Howland 48

Northside Christian 51, Granville Christian 46

Northwood 41, Tol. Emmanuel Baptist 38

Norton 63, Lodi Cloverleaf 59

Oak Hill 74, McDermott Scioto NW 28

Ohio Deaf 55, Ky. School for the Deaf, Ky. 24

Ontario 79, Willard 32

Orange 54, Geneva 50

Orrville 61, Wooster Triway 49

Ottawa-Glandorf 72, Lima Shawnee 59

Parma Hts. Holy Name 83, Bay Village Bay 65

Pataskala Licking Hts. 58, Hebron Lakewood 44

Pemberville Eastwood 62, Bloomdale Elmwood 54

Peninsula Woodridge 69, Streetsboro 66, OT

Perrysburg 79, Maumee 34

Philo 48, Zanesville W. Muskingum 45

Pickerington Cent. 65, Gahanna Lincoln 49

Pickerington N. 63, Grove City 47

Pitsburg Franklin-Monroe 55, Bradford 48

Poland Seminary 65, Girard 40

Pomeroy Meigs 76, Wellston 44

Portsmouth Clay 45, Beaver Eastern 30

Portsmouth Notre Dame 65, New Boston Glenwood 53

Portsmouth Sciotoville 65, Latham Western 47

Powell Olentangy Liberty 83, Lewis Center Olentangy 67

Proctorville Fairland 89, Chesapeake 23

Rayland Buckeye 72, Bridgeport 49

Reynoldsburg 42, Lancaster 40

Ripley-Union-Lewis-Huntington 63, Peebles 61

Rocky River 52, Parma 50

Rossford 61, Fostoria 49

Russia 37, Jackson Center 34

S. Charleston SE 74, Mechanicsburg 32

S. Webster 50, Minford 40

Sandusky 67, Shelby 60

Sandusky Perkins 55, Port Clinton 33

Sandusky St. Mary 78, Fremont St. Joseph 74

Shaker Hts. 75, Strongsville 71

Sidney 68, Fairborn 57

Sidney Fairlawn 81, Covington 52

Smithville 71, Jeromesville Hillsdale 57

Spencerville 41, Harrod Allen E. 32

Spring. Cath. Cent. 68, Cedarville 41

Spring. NW 74, St. Paris Graham 56

Springfield 70, Kettering Fairmont 64

St. Bernard Roger Bacon 56, Cin. McNicholas 45

St. Bernard-Elmwood Place 71, Hamilton New Miami 54

St. Henry 61, New Knoxville 51

Steubenville Cath. Cent. 69, Madonna, W.Va. 64

Stow-Munroe Falls 69, N. Royalton 53

Sugarcreek Garaway 48, E. Can. 33

Sylvania Southview 56, Sylvania Northview 49

Tallmadge 64, Aurora 51

Thornville Sheridan 89, Crooksville 53

Tiffin Columbian 53, Norwalk 43

Tipp City Tippecanoe 57, Riverside Stebbins 56

Tol. Bowsher 79, Tol. Woodward 72

Tol. Christian 51, Oregon Stritch 47

Tol. Maumee Valley 61, Gibsonburg 53

Tol. Ottawa Hills 57, Lakeside Danbury 42

Tol. Rogers 69, Tol. Start 52

Tol. St. Francis 89, Fremont Ross 38

Tol. St. John's 70, Tol. Cent. Cath. 30

Tol. Waite 40, Tol. Scott 17

Tol. Whitmer 57, Findlay 55

Toronto 93, Bowerston Conotton Valley 68

Trenton Edgewood 42, Harrison 37

Trotwood-Madison 98, Troy 58

Troy Christian 73, Yellow Springs 61

Twinsburg 54, Cuyahoga Falls 47

Union City Mississinawa Valley 54, Arcanum 51

Uniontown Lake 52, N. Can. Hoover 48

Van Buren 58, McComb 40

Van Wert Lincolnview 51, Columbus Grove 41

Vandalia Butler 70, W. Carrollton 40

Versailles 55, Ft. Recovery 48

Vincent Warren 59, Jackson 45

W. Alexandria Twin Valley S. 55, Newton Local 50

Wapakoneta 59, Lima Bath 37

Washington C.H. Miami Trace 70, Clarksville Clinton-Massie 53

Waterford 101, Stewart Federal Hocking 34

Wauseon 47, Archbold 40

Waverly 75, Portsmouth W. 73

Wellington 67, LaGrange Keystone 53

West Salem Northwestern High School 75, Apple Creek Waynedale 48

Westerville N. 63, Lewis Center Olentangy Orange 52

Westerville S. 56, Westerville Cent. 26

Wheelersburg 60, Lucasville Valley 35

Whitehouse Anthony Wayne 58, Holland Springfield 47

Williamsburg 62, Batavia Clermont NE 39

Willoughby S. 49, Chagrin Falls Kenston 43

Willow Wood Symmes Valley 60, Franklin Furnace Green 55

Wilmington 44, Greenfield McClain 38

Windham 74, Southington Chalker 72

Woodsfield Monroe Cent. 69, Shadyside 62

Wooster 66, Mt. Vernon 35

Worthington Christian 49, W. Jefferson 35

Xenia 68, Greenville 65

Youngs. Mooney 51, Steubenville 42

Youngs. Ursuline 76, Youngs. East 74, OT

Youngs. Valley Christian 52, Warren JFK 49

Zanesville 48, Warsaw River View 26

Zanesville Rosecrans 53, Cambridge 42

Culver Academy, Ind. 49, Collins Western Reserve 42

Cols. Bexley 66, Circleville 45

Cols. Wellington 76, Cols. Horizon Science 39

Waynesfield-Goshen vs. DeGraff Riverside, ppd.

Spring. NE vs. W. Liberty-Salem, ccd.

Hudson Swafford led at the halfway mark of CareerBuilder Challenge 2017. Phil Mickelson, in his first start of the calendar year, was tied for sixth.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Hudson Swafford led by one shot entering the third round of the PGA Tour's CareerBuilder Challenge 2017 on Saturday in California.

Swafford shot 65-65 for 14-under 130 through two rounds. Two players, including first-round leader Dominic Bozzelli, were tied for second. Two players were tied for fourth, two shots back.

CareerBuilder Challenge received a huge boost at the "last minute'' when Phil Mickelson decided Wednesday that he would compete. Mickelson, 46, had not played a round that counted since the Safeway Open in mid-October 2016. He underwent two sports-hernia surgeries in his offseason.

CareerBuilder tee times

Mickelson is ambassador for CareerBuilder, an event he has won twice. He finished tied for third last year. He has not won a tournament since the 2013 British Open.

Through two rounds, Mickelson was tied for sixth at 10-under after 68-66.

Northeast Ohio native Jason Dufner is defending champion of CareerBuilder. Last year, he shot 25-under, then won a playoff against David Lingmerth.

Through two rounds this year, Dufner was tied for 21st at 7-under.

Saturday's live leaderboard:

PGA TOUR

CAREERBUILDER CHALLENGE

Site: La Quinta, Calif.

Courses: TPC Stadium Course at PGA West (Yardage: 7,113. Par: 72); Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West (Yardage: 7,159. Par: 72); La Quinta CC (Yardage: 7,060. Par: 72).

Purse: $5.8 million (First prize: $1,044,000).

Television: Golf Channel (Thursday-Sunday, 3-7 p.m.).

Defending champion: Jason Dufner.

Previous tournament: Justin Thomas won the Sony Open for his second straight victory.

Notes: Phil Mickelson is the headliner. ... Hunter Mahan, who hasn't finished in the top 50 in nearly a year, is playing this tournament for the first time since 2007. ... John Cook received a sponsor's exemption. Cook, 59, is a two-time winner of the Bob Hope Classic. Also playing is 55-year-old Mark Brooks, who won the Hope in 1996 -- the year he bagged his only major (PGA Championship). ... Harrison Frazar once shot 59 on the Nicklaus course during the fourth round of Q-school in 2008. ... Spencer Levin and Peter Malnati are in the field. They have not missed a PGA Tour event for which they have been eligible in the 2016-17 season. ... Americans have won this tournament all but three years since it began in 1960. The exceptions were Jhonattan Vegas of Venezuela (2011), Jesper Parnevik of Sweden (2000) and Bruce Devlin of Australia (1970).

Next week: Farmers Insurance Open.

Online: www.pgatour.com

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Wilson will play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on Saturday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- If Dontre Wilson has designs on playing in the NFL, maybe he can catch the right person's eye on Saturday.

Wilson will play in the 2017 NFL Players Association Collegiate Bowl on Saturday in Los Angeles. The game will be televised on Fox Sports 1 at 4 p.m ET.

This isn't the most prestigious of the pre-draft all-star games, but players have done enough in the Collegiate Bowl before to find their way into the NFL Draft. Last year 19 players from the game were invited to the NFL Combine, and four were drafted. In 2015, 10 players from the Collegiate Bowl were drafted, including four in the first five rounds.

Wilson making the NFL feels like a long shot based on his struggles to stay healthy at Ohio State, but long shots have made it before.

In a year when most of Ohio State's draft-eligible players are underclassmen who declared early, watching Wilson in the Collegiate Bowl is the only chance you'll get before the combine to see Buckeyes go through the pre-draft process. The Senior Bowl will be played next weekend, but there aren't any Buckeyes in that game.

Like the Senior Bowl, the Collegiate Bowl experience includes a few days to practice in front of interview with teams across the NFL.

Wilson will play for Team National in the Collegiate Bowl, which features nine other players from the Big Ten.

Wilson arrived at Ohio State in the 2013 recruiting class as a star who looked like he was going to be the standout Urban Meyer needed at H-back. He flashed as a true freshman, but a broken foot suffered as a sophomore in 2014 seemed to hinder him the rest of his career.

He finished the 2016 season with 27 catches for 352 yards, 16 carries for 78 yards and six total touchdowns.