Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona and General Manager Mike Chernoff addressed a packed City Club crowd in downtown Cleveland on Friday, Jan. 27.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona and General Manager Mike Chernoff both attributed a focused team concept within the entire organization, not just the players on the field, for their success.

"We have a great setup here," Francona said. "I wanted to be in a place where you can speak your mind and be respected. It's made me a better baseball person; I actually think it's made me a better person. I wouldn't trade this for anything."

What Francona won't trade is what Chernoff calls a "collaborative culture" in the Indians organization. He credits his manager for being a catalyst in creating that environment, for maintaining a "deep caring for people and direct communication with players."

"The younger guys in the organization have the ability to make us think," Francona said. "I love that."

As the son of a player, Francona grew up around ballparks. It's in his blood. He and Chernoff spoke on a range of topics at The City Club in Cleveland on Friday. Francona, in his fifth year as Indians manager, has tallied 352 wins during four seasons here - all over .500. Last year, the team never lost more than three consecutive games while earning Cleveland's first shot at a World Series title since 1997, Chernoff said.

Chernoff credits Francona with always moving forward, keeping an open mind with anyone in the organization, not just players.

"With everything Tito has accomplished it would be easy to be complacent," he said. "This is a person who is motivated to get better."

Francona and Chernoff addressed the team's culture, players and other topics:

Francona

* On what being a 'player's manager' means: "It means we are asking more of every player on the field than anyone has ever asked while at the same time caring about them more than anyone has."

* On the approach to working with young players like Francisco Lindor: "Respect. We treat them like young men and we except them to act like respectable young men. Last year I didn't do any baby-sitting."

* On dealing with millennials: "Young people are changing, their expectations are changing. We have to recognize that, but we don't sacrifice our principles."

* On Lindor: "What you see is what you get. He is a joy to be around. I am not sure I like his haircut."

* Single biggest improvement fans didn't know about: "Mike Napoli signing with us. We got really good numbers from Nap. We got leadership. His leadership was incredible. ... We were tougher because of him. Even though he's not going to be back I think our guys are tougher because of him." Francona added: Some players looked up to him, some were afraid of him.

* On signing Edwin Encarnacion: "When we signed Edwin my first phone call was to Napoli."

* On this week's announcement of Cleveland being awarded the 2019 All-Star Game: "I didn't grow up here, but I've been here long enough to care. It's a celebration of baseball, but I think it's a celebration of Cleveland."

* On Michael Brantley, who missed most of the 2016 season: "Brantley has lived in Cleveland the past two years. He hasn't missed a day at the ballpark."

* On empty seats in Progressive Field: "As much as we would love to have a full house every night, I don't think I have the right to tell people how to spend their hard-earned money."

* On improving: "You try to learn every day. If you don't you're kind of missing the boat. ... If you think about yesterday too much you kind of get that hangover feeling. If you think about tomorrow you miss what's in front of you."

Chernoff:

* On helping young players: "How do we develop a player as a whole person, not just a player? How do we give him the resources so he can take ownership of his career?"

* On Lindor: "He's motivated to get better."

* On the All-Star Game: "This has been in the works a long time, putting in a bid for this. This catapults the momentum even further, to continue the positive energy we've seen."

Commissioner Rob Manfred on a solution to Indians' logo Chief Wahoo: "I think we'll produce a result that will be good for the Indians and good for baseball." Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Commissioner Rob Manfred met with Indians owner Paul Dolan and minority owner John Sherman on Friday morning at Progressive Field to discuss the team's Chief Wahoo logo.

After the meeting, Manfred announced that the Indians will host the 2019 All-Star Game. As for the future of Chief Wahoo, time will tell.

"I'm not going to speculate on what I want the end of the process to be," Manfred when asked about Chief Wahoo after the All-Star Game announcement. "Paul has been fantastic about engaging. We've had a number of conversations.

"I want those conversations to continue and I think we'll produce a result that will be good for the Indians and good for baseball. But what exactly that is I don't want to speculate."

Manfred would not say if a deadline on a decision has been set.

"The conversations are ongoing," he said. "I'm not going to say more about the timing."

The team has gradually limited the use of Chief Wahoo over the years, but they will still wear the logo on some of their caps and all of their jerseys in 2017.

The Chief Wahoo logo has drawn criticism from Native American groups and others who consider it racist and demeaning.

In this Prepare for List off, Doug Lesmerises and Bud Shaw disagree on how James has handled himself this week. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James after a loss Monday criticized the way the Cavaliers front office managed the roster this season. 

Wednesday, general manager David Griffin talked to James and coach Tyronn Lue talked to the team about James' comments. 

Friday morning, James didn't have much to say when asked about his relationship with team owner Dan Gilbert.

That's a lot of talk for a team that, entering Friday night's game, has lost three straight, four out of five, and six out of eight.

So, did James go too far?

In this Prepare for List off, Bud Shaw and I discussed that and we disagreed.

Listen to our cleveland.com sports podcast as Joe Vardon joined Doug Lesmerises and Zack Meisel to go inside this Cavs public dustup. Subscribe on iTunes or SoundCloud

Three original cast members from the 2016 Tony winner for Best Musical, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Jasmine Cephas Jones and Phillipa Soo will sing the customary patriotic song prior to the game February 5 at NRG Stadium. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Lady Gaga will perform at halftime, Luke Bryan will sing the national anthem and we now know who will sing "America the Beautiful" at Super Bowl LI in Houston: the cast of "Hamilton."

Three original cast members from the 2016 Tony winner for Best Musical, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Jasmine Cephas Jones and Phillipa Soo will sing the customary patriotic song prior to the game February 5 at NRG Stadium.

The trio portrayed Anjelica, Peggy and Eliza Schuyler sisters in Lin-Manuel Miranda's groundbreaking production. Their song, "The Schuyler Sisters," is one of the musical's best known tunes, though each of the actresses have since moved on from the show.

Super Bowl LI, between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons, kicks off next Sunday at 6:30 p.m. on Fox.

Watch this video to tag along with UFC champ Stipe Miocic for a behind the scenes look at his workout and his night at the Cleveland Sports Awards. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Tag along with UFC heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic for a behind the scenes video look at his workout and his night at Thursday's Cleveland Sports Awards.

Miocic gave us access to his workout before the show, as well as his drive to downtown Cleveland for the show and his night on stage and backstage. Watch the video above.

Miocic was nominated for the 2016 Professional Athlete of the Year award, which was won by LeBron James. Miocic also was one of the speakers at the event. 

Follow along in the video for footage from the sports awards, in addition to Miocic's afternoon workout as Strong Style Mixed Martial Arts & Training Center in Independence.

The New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons will play Super Bowl LI on Feb. 5 in Houston. Here's a preview look at the game and the day's programming schedule on FOX.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Super Bowl LI between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons is Sunday, Feb. 5 at NRG Stadium in Houston.

The game will be televised on FOX at 6:30 p.m. and streamed live at FOX Sports GO.

Here's a look at FOX Sports programming for Super Bowl Sunday:

• 11 a.m. -- The Road to the Super Bowl, tracking the season for the Patriots and Falcons.
• 12 p.m. -- The Undisputed Super Bowl Special with Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless.
• 1 p.m. -- FOX Super Bowl Kickoff with Colin Cowherd.
• 2 p.m. -- FOX Super Bowl pregame show with Terry Bradshaw, Curt Menefee, Howie Long, Michael Strahan and Jimmy Johnson.
• 6:30 p.m. -- Super Bowl LI.

Why watch: Legacy is on the line for Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who could become the first quarterback with five Super Bowl victories. Presently, Brady is 4-2 in the Super Bowl and Joe Montana, considered by many as the greatest QB, is 4-0 in the big game. Coach Bill Belichick is making his seventh Super Bowl appearance as a head coach and seeking his fifth victory.

The Patriots have the experience with Belichick and Brady and remain the favorites, but the younger Falcons come in with the most explosive offense and the type of speed on defense that could disrupt the Patriots.

The Falcons return to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1999 and this time they enter the game with the most explosive offense in the NFL. The Falcons finished the regular season No. 1 in 21 offensive categories, including leading the league with 540 points and 63 touchdowns.

The Falcons defense is led by head coach Dan Quinn, who was in charge of the Seattle Seahawks defense when the two teams met in the Super Bowl two years ago.

The defense is playing so well that it has allowed a combined completion percentage of just 55.8 in the six-game winning streak, compared with 67.8 in the first 12 games, according to an article on AJC.com. In the same article, the Falcons over the past six games have allowed 10 touchdown passes and collected eight interceptions.

We've compiled a list of the 10 best athletes to follow on Instagram in 2017. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As a new crop of young and talented athletes take over the national sports scene, they're taking over the world of social media as well. 

We've compiled a list of the 10 best pro athletes to follow on Instagram, both in the video above and the list below. Do you have a favorite? Let us know who in the comments section below.

Angels baseball player Mike Trout - @miketrout

The two-time American League MVP may not be as good on Instagram as he is on the field, but he's still amongst the elite. Posting photos and videos of everything from his favorite spots at home in New Jersey to in-action shots on game day, Trout balances the professional and personal pretty well. 

Patriots football player Rob Gronkowski - @gronk

Perhaps America's most fun-loving football player, Gronkowski's Instagram reflects the persona he's put forth since coming into the limelight. Not only is Gronkowski's account littered with hilarious posts, but he's prone to post plenty of pictures of he and his teammates on the gridiron. 

Cubs baseball player Kris Bryant - @kris_bryant17

A newly crowned NL MVP and 2016 World Series Champion, Bryant's entry into baseball's elite isn't the only exciting thing happening in his life, as evidenced by his account. Bryant was recently hitched and provides a glimpse into his new life with his wife, along with his various photoshoots and national TV appearances.

Thunder basketball player Russell Westbrook - @russwest44

The triple-double, fashion-forward machine brings as much flair to his Instagram account as he does to his wardrobe and to the court. Westbrook posts plenty of photos catching his crazy outfits, but also provides a glimpse into his charitable life and into his psyche once he hits the hardwood. 

Nationals baseball player Bryce Harper - @bharper3407 

It's unfathomable Harper hasn't yet hit the 1 million mark on Instagram, but as of now that's the case. With an eclectic view into his life -- with posts from everything to his love for his wife's Ohio State Buckeyes to a late-night trip to McDonald's -- Harper should soon eclipse that million-follower milestone. 

76ers basketball player Joel Embiid - @joelembiid

Definitely the least famous name on this list, Embiid has a case for the best Instagram in the NBA. A hilarious, up-and-coming superstar, the 7-foot Philadelphia 76er isn't afraid to make fun of you, himself or just about anything else. While the pictures may not be the most entertaining, it's the captions that capture his spot on this list. 

Steelers football player Antonio Brown - @ab

The subject of a recent social media controversy, Brown clearly enjoys giving the fans a look into his life. On his Instagram account, the Steelers wideout posts everything from incredible edits to #TBT videos of him tearing up opponents as a student at Central Michigan. Brown is exciting on the field and we can't wait to see what he comes up with next on his Instagram. 

Pro soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo - @cristiano

Admittedly, Ronaldo's Instagram may be more for the ladies than it is for the males that follow him on the field. Ronaldo is known as one of the more attractive athletes in the world and seems to know as much, posting plenty of pictures of himself in slim-cut suits or grabbing his most recent award. For perhaps the most popular athlete in the world, however, he does provide a peek behind the curtain when not standing out in front of it. 

Cavaliers player LeBron James - @KingJames

Ah, yes. King James is back. The No. 1 athlete on our list of Cleveland athletes to follow on Instagram, LeBron grabs a spot in the Top 10 overall athletes to follow, thanks to the combination of his fame, his influence and his transparency. Not only does LeBron let fans look at his world, he lets them know what he's feeling at just about any given moment. James knows his role in America and seeks to be a role model as much on Instagram as anywhere else. 

Pro tennis player Serena Williams - @serenawilliams

Maybe the most influential female athlete on earth, Williams continues to inspire even on Instagram. With beauty, power and grace, the tennis star gives fans a chance to see how she lives her life in the spotlight, giving insight into her training, her psyche, her sister Venus and even her dogs. More so than most, Williams updates pretty consistently, no matter what may be going on her life. 

When you're through following these incredible athletes, you can follow us on Instagram here!

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook looks to be the first NBA player since Oscar Robertson 55 years ago to average a triple double in points, rebounds and assists for a season.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio - They don't call the almost impossible dream season  Russell Westbrook is having in the NBA a Triple Crown, but his quest for a season long triple-double is even rarer.

When the Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera was the Triple Crown winner in hitting in baseball in 2012, he was the first to do so since Boston's Carl Yastrzemski in 1967. Yaz only tied for the home run lead with Harmon Killebrew, by the way.

Since the start of the World Series in 1903, 12 players have led their leagues in homers, RBI and batting average a total of 14 times. (Ted Williams and Rogers Hornsby were the repeaters.)

Obviously, a "pure" NBA Triple Crown, leading the league in scoring, assists and rebounds, is almost impossible. Only 6-1 Tiny Archibald with a losing Kansas City-Omaha team in 1972-73  led in both scoring and assists. By nickname alone, he wasn't a contender in rebounding.

Cincinnati's Oscar Robertson in 1961-62 remains the only player ever to post a season-long average in double digits in points, rebounds and assists -- 30.5, 12.5 and 11.4.

Westbrook's average going into Sunday afternoon's game at The Q against the Cavaliers: 31.0, 10.6, 10.2.

Running down rebounds

The big surprise is the rebounding of Westbrook, a 6-3 point guard. Westbrook's previous best was last season's 7.8 average, which is still superb for a point guard.

The loss of Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka in the off-season, however, meant more rebounds were available. Quick and explosive, Westbrook is hard to beat to long rebounds, which are more numerous with the growing influence of the 3-point shot.

Westbrook has already moved into the fifth spot all time with 60 games with a triple-double. It's a long way from Oscar's 181, Magic Johnson's 138 and Jason Kidd's 107, though. Next up for him: Wilt Chamberlain's 78.

Amazingly, at least in fan voting for the starting spots in the All-Star Game, Westbrook is also one of the most underappreciated players. Westbrook finished third behind Golden State's Steph Curry and Houston's James Harden. In both media and player voting, Westbrook finished first.

Love: "He's my guy."

"It's so tough with all the guards out of that loaded Western Conference," said the Cavaliers' Kevin Love, an All-Star for the fourth time, but his first with Cleveland.

A former roommate on the road with Westbrook at UCLA, Love added: "But with all he's done this year, I was pretty surprised at the voting. I know I'm a little biased because that's my guy, but he's been almost unprecedented this year."

Westbrook plays as if angry, with glowering and aggrieved looks. Perhaps his motivation is Durant's defection to the loaded Warriors, or his own second fiddle status on the Thunder until Durant left, or the unfinished business Durant spurned for greener pastures.

"I've always seen a chip on Russ's shoulder," said Love. "It's not going to stop anytime soon. It's made Russ Russ. He's a future Hall of Fame player."

Westbrook has not missed a game. Now he is without another big man, 6-11 Enes Kanter, who broke his forearm while throwing a sideline temper tantrum this week.

"If I had to make a bet in where he finishes with a triple-double for the season, I'd say yes," said Love. "The stuff he does in today's NBA on a nightly basis is just incredible -- that chip on his shoulder, being able to bring it. Unbelievable player, unbelievable athlete. It's so much harder than for Oscar because everybody's bigger, stronger, faster now."

Embry on the Big O

Robertson played in a much more free-wheeling offensive era. His Cincinnati Royals in 1961-62 averaged 126.2 possessions per game. Oklahoma City's average is eighth-best in the league at 101.9.

Former Cavs' general manager Wayne Embry played with Robertson and was the beneficiary of many of Oscar's assists on the pick-and-roll.

"The main thing is that Oscar played to win the game, not build up his stats," Embry said. "If it was close at the end, he might try to score in the most direct way. But I remember a game when Arlen Bockhorn made 13 shots in a row. Oscar brought the ball up the floor each time looking for Bucky, didn't even think about shooting, because Bucky had the hot hand."

What LeBron looks for

LeBron James has 47 career triple-doubles. "Ten points for guys like Westbrook, myself, Oscar Robertson, Magic (Johnson), we could do that every single night," James said. "But when you're rebounding, you're helping your teammates. And when you assist, you're definitely helping your teammates. (For me) the assists are No. 1, then the rebounding, and the scoring last."

His overall impression of Westbrook's season?

"It's phenomenal," said James.

In episode five of our new sports podcast, we talk Indians, Browns and discuss the Cavs public problems, assisted by Cavs writer Joe Vardon. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Cleveland in 2019 could now be a culmination, not a stand-alone celebration.

Because an All-Star Game, should, in a perfect world, never be the most important sporting event in your city. An exhibition can't matter that much - not compared to the chase for a championship.

In this fifth episode of our cleveland.com sports podcast, Zack Meisel and I talk about the All-Star game and what it means for Cleveland. We also:

* Talk with Cavs writer Joe Vardon about what's going on with the Cavs and the public disagreements between LeBron James and David Griffin

* Play a game asking whether a quote is from Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams or from the movie, "Any Given Sunday"

* Briefly rant about stories on ex-Browns in the Super Bowl

Subscribe to our new podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud

Also, this is the video we reference in the podcast about my loss of patience with the stories about ex-Browns in the Super Bowl. 

Previous podcast

How many championships will Cleveland win in the next five years?

Get the latest updates and analysis from the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 45 against the Brooklyn Nets.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers face the Brooklyn Nets on Friday in Game 45 of the 2016 NBA regular season.

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

Make sure to follow Vardon and Fedor on Twitter.

Game 45: Cavs (30-14) vs. Nets (9-36)

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena.

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

Cavs probable starting lineup: LeBron James, Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert, Kyrie Iriving.

Nets probable starting lineup: Brook Lopez, Bojan Bogdanovic, Trevor Booker, Randy Foye, Spencer Dinwiddie.

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

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CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland Cavaliers (30-14) look to end their three-game losing streak as they go up against the Brooklyn Nets (9-36) tonight at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs, who are mired in a slump, losing six of the last eight games, won the first two meetings this season with the league's worst team. The Nets are led...

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland Cavaliers (30-14) look to end their three-game losing streak as they go up against the Brooklyn Nets (9-36) tonight at Quicken Loans Arena.

The Cavs, who are mired in a slump, losing six of the last eight games, won the first two meetings this season with the league's worst team.

The Nets are led by center Brook Lopez who is averaging 20.6 points per game.

Head coach Tyronn Lue discusses the matchup in the video above during his pregame news conference at The Q. 

Stay tuned for postgame reaction from the locker room. 

Follow on Twitter: @CLEvideos

The Cavs lost $40 million last season despite winning their first NBA championship, according to an estimate calculated and by Forbes magazine.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavs lost $40 million last season despite winning their first NBA championship, according to an estimate calculated and published Friday by Forbes magazine.

Cleveland was one of a handful of the NBA's 30 teams to lose money last season, Forbes said, based on earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert and his partners spent $185 million on the team's roster, Forbes said, with $115 million in payroll, $54 million luxury-tax penalties, employee benefits, cash payments to trade partners and the team's share toward league-wide revenue.

A source said Forbes' estimate of the Cavs' losses was low.

The timing of the Forbes' report is worth noting, given that star player LeBron James and the front office are fighting over some perceived skimping on players for the bottom of the Cavs' roster.

The skirmish spilled into the public this week.

Hurd, who accounted for 2,635 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground in 33 games over three years at Tennessee, announced his intention to transfer from the Volunteers in October.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer is always full of surprises near National Signing Day. Shame on everyone for thinking this year would be different. 

According to a source close to the program, former Tennessee running back Jalen Hurd is visiting Ohio State this weekend. ElevenWarriors.com was the first to report the news. 

Hurd, who accounted for 2,635 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground in 33 games over three years at Tennessee, announced his intention to transfer from the Volunteers in October. It was in the middle of the football season.

The transfer was abrupt, but Hurd cited a displeasure with how some of his injuries were handled and not being a fit for Tennessee's offense as reasons for leaving.  

Ohio State already has a running back enrolled early from the 2017 recruiting class in JK Dobbins of La Grange, Texas, but Hurd said he was interested in converting to either tight end or receiver when he transferred. In reality, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Hurd could be a fit at all three positions. 

Transfers have to sit out one year before being eligible to play per NCAA rules, which means Hurd would have to sit out the 2017 season and have one season of eligibility remaining. But if Hurd graduates before this summer, he could play immediately for the Buckeyes as a graduate transfer. 

Below are Hurd's highlights from Tennessee. 

Lorain boys basketball used a 13-3 game-ending run to pull off a 69-67 win against Cleveland Heights, helping the Titans further secure first place in the Lake Erie League.

WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, Ohio — Dribble, dribble, shoot.

The words of his late uncle were the only thing going through Lorain forward Naz Bohannon’s head when he stepped to the free-throw line with 15 seconds left in a 66-66 tie game vs. Cleveland Heights on Friday at Warrensville Heights.

Bohannon made the first, which gave the Titans the lead for good on their way to a 69-67 win in a pivotal Lake Erie League game.

“I didn’t hear nothing else. I’m just hearing him in my head saying, ‘Dribble, dribble, shoot. Dribble, dribble, shoot,’” said Bohannon, who had 15 points and seven rebounds.

Bohannon missed the second, but DaeSean Brooks grabbed the rebound, and Devone Grant hit two more free throws to secure the win for Lorain (12-2, 5-0 LEL), ranked No. 4 in the cleveland.com Top 25. The win helped keep Lorain in first place in the conference.

Lorain's three free throws capped a 13-3 run it used to rally from an 8-point deficit with less than five minutes to play.

“I heard guys in the huddle saying, ‘We’re not losing this game. We’re not losing this game,’” Lorain coach John Rositano said. “When you have that belief, when you’re used to winning in these kind of environments, these kind of games, it really helps. That’s how you come back from that kind of deficit against a really good basketball team and somehow find a way to win.”

Naz Bohannon had a 3-point play in the final seconds of the first half to send Lorain and Cleveland Heights into HT tied at 36. #NEOvarsity pic.twitter.com/RrUtCzFkUV

— Tim Bielik (@bielik_tim) January 28, 2017

Lorain senior guard Jalil Little led all scorers with 24 points. He had 13 in the first quarter, and had eight in the 13-3 run, including a 3-point play with 1:27 to go to tie the game at 66.

“When we’re down, that makes us play harder, very hard,” Little said. “We told ourselves, ‘We’ve still got this game.’

“Last game, I only had three points … so I had to come out strong for them.”

No. 6 Cleveland Heights (9-5, 3-2) grabbed the lead in the third quarter with an 11-0 run. The Tigers’ frontcourt of Jaylen Harris and Tyreke Smith, both Division I football recruits, caused problems for Lorain in the paint.

Smith had a team-high 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Harris had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

But after pushing the lead to as much as nine in the fourth quarter and leading by eight in the final minutes, the Tigers made just one field goal while Lorain rallied for the win.

“We have grown up a lot. But now our thing is when we have a team down, great teams know how to take an 8-point lead and increase it to 10, 12 or better,” Cleveland Heights coach Jeremy Holmes said. “That’s where we have to get better at, and know that it’s a game of runs. So even when they make that run, we have to do better at situations. That’s really on me and my staff to make sure that we’re doing those things in practice.”

After Yahel Hill split a pair of free-throws to cut the deficit down to two with five seconds left, Cleveland Heights forced a turnover, but failed to hit a potential game-winning shot.

Lorain hosts Shaw on Tuesday, and Cleveland Heights will travel to Wilmington to face Huber Heights Wayne on Saturday in the Wilmington Play by Play Classic.

LeBron James scored 31 points and the Cavs snapped a three-game losing streak.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavs had fallen so hard, so fast that coach Tyronn Lue found himself needing to remind this team of one inalienable truth.

"We're the champs."

Those were words Lue actually used to address the star-studded Cavs while they were busy losing six of eight.

After they snapped a three-game losing streak Friday night with a 124-116 win over the Brooklyn Nets, it'd be premature to say they're back. The Cavs haven't quite remembered who they are, what they accomplished in 2016, and what's expected of them.

But for one night, even against a depleted, bad team, the Cavs looked, well, OK. And that's a start.

"To get a win makes you feel better," said Lue, whose bunch beat the Nets for the eighth straight time at The Q and swept the season series, 3-0.

"Get the taste out of our mouth and just get back on the winning track, but you're supposed to take care of home," Lue said. "We had a great home record before we left on that road trip, and coming back we struggled a little bit. But I have every confidence in the world that we're going to get back on track, so tonight is going to be a good start for us."

LeBron James led Cleveland (31-14) with 31 points and 11 assists to go with five rebounds. Kyrie Irving added 28 points and six assists. Kevin Love contributed 13 points and 14 rebounds, and Tristan Thompson added 10 and 10 boards. Kyle Korver scored 14 off the bench.

It had been a heckuva seven days for this team, with two overtime losses at home, an ugly loss in New Orleans against an Anthony Davis-less Pelicans team, and James' assault on management for its construction of the roster and commitment to repeating as champs. Those criticisms didn't sit well with an ownership that is spending $130 million on salaries this year, and what the Cavs had on their hands was an open feud with their star and a losing streak to contend with.

"We're the champs and right now we're going through a tough stretch, but that's nothing," Lue said he told his players. "Everybody goes through a tough stretch. Now you got to dig yourself out of it. We're capable of doing it. We are going to do it. So, we are the champs, we do have a great team and we have the (fourth)-best record in the NBA right now so we got to play like it."

It's not like there's a wealth of talent on the Nets (9-37) to begin with -- they are in fact the NBA's worst team. But Brook Lopez (20.6 ppg, rest) Jeremy Lin (injured), Joe Harris (former Cav, injured) Trevor Booker (sick), and Caris LeVert (Columbus native, rest) all weren't available. Sean Kilpatrick led the Nets with 18 off the bench.

So this win isn't exactly like beating the Warriors. But the reverse would've been nothing short of a disaster.

The third quarter was Cleveland's best. An eight-point halftime lead ballooned to as many as 24. Irving scored 20 in the period and James added 10. In fact, Irving and James scored the last 19 points of the period, with Irving booking the final nine -- all on 3-pointers.

For whatever reason, no Cavs lead is safe against these Nets. Brooklyn had scored 42 and 40 points in the fourth quarters of the first two games between the two teams. The Nets opened the final period Friday night making their first seven shots, and lo and behold, tacked another 43-point fourth quarter.

No. 16 Villa Angela-St. Joseph goes up on No. 22 Cleveland Central Catholic by 2 games in division play after 61-55 win.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Strange variables entered the equation late in Friday night's Villa Angela-St. Joseph vs. Cleveland Central Catholic boys basketball game, but Jerry Higgins provided the constant.

An emergency-exit alarm blared during multiple fourth-quarter possessions, and a fan threw popcorn onto the court amid a subsequent technical foul sequence. But Higgins continued to make free throws to help VASJ hold off Central Catholic, 61-55, and retain sole possession of first place in the North Coast League's White Division.

Villa Angela-St. Joseph boys basketball senior guard Danny McGarry prepares to attempt an inbound pass as Cleveland Central Catholic senior guard Tyler Golphin defends in the fourth quarter of the Vikings' 61-55 win against the Ironmen on Friday night at Central Catholic High.

Sam Robinson, special to cleveland.com

Higgins finished his night 16-for-22 from the charity stripe en route to a 31-point game, one that put the Vikings (9-4, 5-0 NCL White Division) 1 1/2 games up on the Ironmen (8-6, 5-4).

The junior point guard did not play in the teams' first meeting in December, but then again, none of the Central Catholic varsity squad suited up due to suspensions. Higgins' return won out, but he had to force the action frequently down the stretch.

"That's not his best performance, nowhere even close. That was probably like a C-minus performance," VASJ coach Babe Kwasniak said of Higgins, before adding "if I had one pick in the city of Cleveland I’d take No. 15, just because the kid’s a warrior, man. He also understands if we lose it’s gotta be on him."

Sidelined for much of the Vikings' early-season schedule due to lingering left ankle injury sustained during football, Higgins spent the fourth period slashing to the right side of the hoop at will and attempted 18 free throws in the period, sinking 14.

It proved too much for the Ironmen to surmount. Higgins wore a brace on his ankle and needed to beat stiff man-to-man defense from Central Catholic throughout the game, only toward the end forcing the hosts to foul. 

"I figured out they were in the bonus, so we definitely had to take advantage of it. Coach told me to be aggressive," said Higgins, now a second-year starter after leading the Vikings back to the Division III championship game last season. 

The teams traded baskets throughout the second half, and Maryland Eastern Shore commit Miryne Thomas' inside bucket gave the Ironmen a 44-42 lead. But his post counterpart, VASJ sophomore Alonzo Gaffney, countered with a layup off an assist from Higgins inside of six minutes left to tie the game. Shortly after Thomas blocked a Higgins floater, he closed that possession with two free throws. Higgins then helped VASJ beat Cental Catholic full-court pressure by finding Danny McGarry for a transition hoop to give the Vikings a 49-46 advantage.

The 6-foot-7 Thomas scored a team-high 22 points, including another inside bucket to cut VASJ's lead to 51-49 near the two-minute mark, but Central Catholic could not recapture the lead the rest of the way.

Multiple 3-pointers misfired against a VASJ defense that mixed up man and zone looks, and by the time Thomas pulled off a backcourt steal-and-banked-in trey in the final minute, the hosts couldn't stop Higgins from getting to the line. 

Officials whistled Central Catholic for two technical fouls in the final 10 seconds, with one being given because of a fan disruption before an ejection of the spectator, giving Higgins four free throws.

VASJ senior guard Will Butler's ankle injury induced Kwasniak to shift to zone, and it led to several slow-paced, off-rhythm possessions for Central Catholic. Butler did not see much time in the game, but his absence led to a change in strategy.  

"We don’t like to mix defenses, but since we were hobbled we just wanted to control the pace of the game. They’re so talented you can’t let them get comfortable," Kwasniak said of the zone switch.

The Ironmen, who lost 79-50 in the teams' December matchup that featured the Central Catholic junior varsity team playing for a suspended varsity squad, received 10 points from Tyler Golphin -- including two breakaway dunks. They put together some strong first-half defensive trips but could not sustain much offensive consistency. 

"Shots didn’t fall for us. We had a bunch of great looks and shots didn’t fall for us," Central Catholic coach Jordan Duke said. "Last year, we figured out how to win games. This year, we have to figure out how to win games with this group."

Noah Newlon sank four 3s for VASJ, who has a pivotal nonconference road tilt against No. 3 St. Edward on Saturday night. Central Catholic returns to action on Wednesday at Garfield Heights.

A big third quarter from Garrett Houser and resiliency down the stretch led Archbishop Hoban boys basketball to a 56-51 win over Benedictine Friday night.

AKRON, Ohio – There must be something about third quarters against Benedictine for Archbishop Hoban junior Garrett Houser.

After scoring two touchdowns in the third quarter of Hoban’s 28-0 win over Benedictine in football this past season, Houser scored 11 points in the third quarter Friday night to lead the Knights to a 56-51 win over the Bengals in a North Coast League basketball game.

With Benedictine leading 32-31 and the Knights trailing for the first time since the score was 5-4 in the first quarter, Houser hit two straight 3-pointers and then three of four free throws to give the Knights a 40-34 lead.

“Unbelievable, he really stepped up,” Hoban coach T.K. Griffith said. “Houser really put us on his back. I am so proud of what he did. Those shots didn't have a ton of room but he found a way to get them up and he also went to the rack and made some big free throws. That’s a great high school basketball game and he made it fun to watch.”

With Houser’s third quarter, the Knights (13-1, 5-0) held a 46-37 lead heading into the fourth. Benedictine was able to get to back within one at 50-49 when Devon Fox scored with 1:47 remaining, but that’s when the Bengals lost their cool.

On Hoban’s next possession, Benedictine’s Davin Zeigler fouled Matt Salopek, which drew the ire of Bengals coach Rob Stircula. The officials assessed a technical foul on the Benedictine coach, which sent Houser to the line for two free throws and also gave the Knights possession. While Salopek missed both of his attempts, Houser knocked down both technical free throws to make it 52-49.

“I was making free throws all game so I had my form down and I had to make a clutch shot,” Houser said. “Last time we played Benedictine, I missed free throws and the end of the game but we won by one. I had to nail them and I did.”

Benedictine (12-3, 4-2) ended the first half on a 10-2 run after the Knights had taken a 27-18 lead with 3:08 left in the second quarter. Bengals senior Marlon Moore had six of Benedictine’s 10 points in that span. The Knights didn’t get discouraged at halftime and used a 15-9 third quarter advantage to help in the win.

“We didn’t go off on them (in the locker room),” Griffith said. “We just said this is how you get better. If you want to be a tournament team, a team that can do good things, this is how we are going to grow and learn. Let’s go grow and learn.”

The 6-foot-5 Moore had missed the meeting between the two teams earlier in the season and finished with a game-high 23 points.

“He is very special,” Griffith said. “I am proud of my guys for being able to beat them with him. He is a heck of a high school basketball player.”

Houser paced the Knights with 20 points, while Collen Gurley and Cartier Bickley each added 12.

“I knew it was a big game, we were playing for the league,” Houser said. “We had to come up big and that’s what we did.”

If the Knights, ranked seventh in the cleveland.com boys basketball Top 25, are to be successful over the next couple of weeks, they will have to develop some road resiliency. Hoban will be on the road for the next five games, beginning with playing at Padua on Tuesday.

“We are 13-1 for gosh sake’s,” Griffith said. “We never in a million years thought this team would be 13-1. We just keep surprising ourselves. We have five road games in a row now so I am sure we will face some adversity. We will learn from it.”

Benedictine, who entered the game eighth in the Top 25, will travel to St. Ignatius to take on the Wildcats on Tuesday.

Ryan Isley is a freelancer from Akron. For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. 

Check out scores from around the OHSAA, courtesy of The Associated Press.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Check out scores from around the state, courtesy of The Associated Press.

Akr. Coventry 90, Ravenna 48

Akr. Ellet 63, Akr. Kenmore 61

Akr. Firestone 75, Akr. East 46

Akr. Garfield 92, Akr. North 57

Akr. Hoban 56, Cle. Benedictine 51

Akr. SVSM 81, Akr. Buchtel 51

Alliance 54, Louisville 50

Ansonia 60, Casstown Miami E. 57

Apple Creek Waynedale 70, Smithville 58

Archbold 67, Hamler Patrick Henry 40

Arlington 67, N. Baltimore 58

Ashland Crestview 70, Ashland Mapleton 65

Ashtabula Edgewood 76, Hubbard 58

Ashtabula Edgewood 60, Hamilton Ross 46

Aurora 72, Kent Roosevelt 43

Austintown Fitch 66, Canfield 47

Batavia Amelia 53, New Richmond 42

Bellefontaine 74, St. Paris Graham 42

Berlin Center Western Reserve 73, N. Jackson Jackson-Milton 51

Berlin Hiland 71, W. Lafayette Ridgewood 47

Bethel-Tate 53, Felicity-Franklin 40

Beverly Ft. Frye 55, Sarahsville Shenandoah 53

Bidwell River Valley 38, Wellston 34

Brecksville-Broadview Hts. 61, Cuyahoga Falls 53

Bristol 84, Southington Chalker 52

Brunswick 43, Elyria 41

Byesville Meadowbrook 91, Warsaw River View 44

Caldwell 64, Barnesville 59

Camden Preble Shawnee 65, New Lebanon Dixie 53

Campbell Memorial 88, Warren Champion 63

Can. Cent. Cath. 53, Youngs. Mooney 46

Can. Heritage Christian 68, Mansfield Temple Christian 39

Canal Winchester Harvest Prep 77, Grove City Christian 68

Canfield S. Range 78, Hanoverton United 60

Cardington-Lincoln 63, Howard E. Knox 40

Carlisle 69, Middletown Madison Senior 47

Carrollton 49, Beloit W. Branch 43

Centerburg 46, Galion Northmor 36

Centerville 63, Clayton Northmont 52

Chagrin Falls Kenston 79, Eastlake N. 65

Chardon 89, Mayfield 53

Chillicothe 76, Clarksville Clinton-Massie 73

Chillicothe Huntington 53, Frankfort Adena 46

Chillicothe Unioto 62, Bainbridge Paint Valley 49

Cin. Aiken 59, Cin. Shroder 57

Cin. Clark Montessori 59, Cin. Christian 51

Cin. Deer Park 78, Cin. Finneytown 53

Cin. Glen Este 60, Milford 46

Cin. Indian Hill 46, Cin. Mariemont 42

Cin. La Salle 58, Cin. St. Xavier 38

Cin. Madeira 55, Reading 44

Cin. Moeller 52, Cin. Elder 46

Cin. NW 62, Morrow Little Miami 48

Cin. Princeton 57, Fairfield 42

Cin. Taft 58, Cin. Woodward 47

Cin. Walnut Hills 51, Cin. Turpin 48

Cin. Withrow 62, Cin. Anderson 57

Cin. Wyoming 73, N. Bend (Cleves) Taylor 20

Cle. VASJ 61, Cle. Cent. Cath. 55

Collins Western Reserve 60, New London 51

Cols. Beechcroft 87, Cols. Mifflin 68

Cols. East 82, Cols. Whetstone 72

Cols. Eastmoor 70, Cols. Independence 55

Cols. Hartley 49, Cols. Watterson 35

Cols. Marion-Franklin 44, Cols. Africentric 39

Cols. Northland 74, Cols. Centennial 49

Cols. South 47, Cols. Briggs 45

Cols. St. Charles 51, Cols. Ready 40

Cols. Upper Arlington 62, Grove City Cent. Crossing 50

Cols. Walnut Ridge 78, Cols. West 41

Columbiana 65, Heartland Christian 35

Convoy Crestview 63, Van Wert Lincolnview 49

Copley 74, Barberton 64

Corning Miller 81, Stewart Federal Hocking 54

Coshocton 46, Uhrichsville Claymont 27

Crooksville 60, Philo 53

Cuyahoga Falls CVCA 49, Akr. Manchester 38

Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 58, Mentor Lake Cath. 50

Dalton 67, Jeromesville Hillsdale 40

Danville 55, Lucas 47

Day. Carroll 40, Hamilton Badin 35

Day. Chaminade Julienne 57, St. Bernard Roger Bacon 48

Day. Miami Valley 70, Franklin Middletown Christian 53

Day. Oakwood 41, Eaton 30

Day. Stivers 61, Day. Ponitz Tech. 58

Defiance Ayersville 50, Sherwood Fairview 42

DeGraff Riverside 57, Ridgeway Ridgemont 40

Delaware Buckeye Valley 62, Galion 41

Delphos St. John's 71, Rockford Parkway 50

Dover 47, Cambridge 42

Dresden Tri-Valley 44, New Lexington 40

Dublin Jerome 47, Thomas Worthington 43

Dublin Scioto 50, Delaware Hayes 48

Elida 64, Van Wert 61

Elyria Cath. 68, Parma Hts. Holy Name 55

Fairborn 72, Greenville 56

Fairfield Christian 69, Lancaster Fisher Cath. 42

Fayetteville-Perry 62, Ripley-Union-Lewis-Huntington 49

Findlay 44, Tol. Cent. Cath. 43

Findlay Liberty-Benton 67, McComb 42

Fostoria St. Wendelin 48, Kansas Lakota 47

Franklin 75, Bellbrook 45

Ft. Loramie 56, N. Lewisburg Triad 39

Gahanna Cols. Academy 51, W. Jefferson 47

Gallipolis Gallia 62, Ironton Rock Hill 39

Garrettsville Garfield 51, Ravenna SE 40

Gates Mills Hawken 41, Richmond Hts. 38

Gnadenhutten Indian Valley 58, Massillon Tuslaw 55

Goshen 70, Batavia 35

Green 63, Can. Glenoak 47

Greenfield McClain 39, Washington C.H. 27

Greenwich S. Cent. 65, Monroeville 45

Grove City 59, Lancaster 55

Hamilton 44, W. Chester Lakota W. 41

Hannibal River 49, Shadyside 38

Harrison 54, Oxford Talawanda 48

Harrod Allen E. 72, Ada 65

Hartville Lake Center Christian 56, E. Can. 53

Haviland Wayne Trace 60, Holgate 38

Heath 69, Newark Cath. 45

Hicksville 45, Edgerton 42

Hilliard Davidson 49, Dublin Coffman 36

Huber Hts. Wayne 59, Lebanon 44

Huron 59, Port Clinton 44

Johnstown Northridge 49, Utica 26

Kettering Alter 53, Cin. McNicholas 52

Kettering Fairmont 75, Miamisburg 59

Kirtland 66, Independence 47

LaGrange Keystone 52, Oberlin Firelands 35

Leavittsburg LaBrae 79, Brookfield 45

Lees Creek E. Clinton 54, Wilmington 41

Legacy Christian 62, Spring. Emmanuel Christian 44

Leipsic 65, Cory-Rawson 53

Lewisburg Tri-County N. 59, Newton Local 43

Lewistown Indian Lake 63, Spring. Greenon 50

Lexington 59, Ashland 45

Liberty Center 53, Delta 39

Liberty Twp. Lakota E. 64, Cin. Sycamore 60

Lima Perry 90, Dola Hardin Northern 37

Lima Shawnee 87, Kenton 77

Lima Sr. 54, Tol. St. Francis 51

Lima Temple Christian 64, Waynesfield-Goshen 29

Lorain 69, Cle. Hts. 67

Lorain Clearview 74, Brooklyn 39

Lore City Buckeye Trail 85, Woodsfield Monroe Cent. 54

Loveland 41, Kings Mills Kings 35

Lynchburg-Clay 55, Seaman N. Adams 45

Macedonia Nordonia 44, Hudson 40

Malvern 55, Magnolia Sandy Valley 51

Mansfield Madison 60, Bellville Clear Fork 49

Mansfield St. Peter's 77, Kidron Cent. Christian 41

Mantua Crestwood 55, Rootstown 46

Maple Hts. 79, Bedford 53

Maria Stein Marion Local 60, Ft. Recovery 58

Marion Harding 53, Marion Pleasant 33

Marysville 69, Galloway Westland 67

Mason 76, Cin. Oak Hills 54

Massillon Jackson 83, Can. McKinley 65

McArthur Vinton County 85, Athens 52

McDonald 81, Lowellville 35

Medina 77, Strongsville 65

Medina Buckeye 58, Wellington 49

Medina Highland 57, Richfield Revere 50

Miami Valley Christian Academy 39, Cin. SCPA 38

Middletown 41, Cin. Colerain 36

Milan Edison 68, Clyde 58

Minerva 78, Alliance Marlington 68

Mogadore 68, Atwater Waterloo 54

Monroe 42, Germantown Valley View 41

Mt. Blanchard Riverdale 57, Vanlue 42

Mt. Orab Western Brown 64, Norwood 59

Mt. Vernon 47, Millersburg W. Holmes 37

N. Can. Hoover 68, Massillon Perry 49

N. Olmsted 37, Avon 36

N. Royalton 46, Twinsburg 44

New Bremen 45, New Knoxville 39

New Carlisle Tecumseh 46, Spring. Shawnee 37

New Concord John Glenn 68, Zanesville W. Muskingum 44

New Middletown Spring. 58, E. Palestine 50

New Philadelphia 51, Marietta 42

New Riegel 64, Sandusky St. Mary 52

Newark 59, New Albany 41

Newark Licking Valley 53, Pataskala Watkins Memorial 50

Newcomerstown 65, Sugarcreek Garaway 62

Newton Falls 63, Youngs. Liberty 55

Norton 60, Akr. Springfield 40

Norwalk St. Paul 63, Plymouth 48

Oak Glen, W.Va. 55, E. Liverpool 52

Oak Hill 61, Lucasville Valley 35

Old Fort 60, Fremont St. Joseph 48

Olmsted Falls 57, Lakewood 53

Orrville 59, Zoarville Tuscarawas Valley 50

Ottawa-Glandorf 57, Defiance 35

Ottoville 52, Ft. Jennings 35

Pandora-Gilboa 63, Arcadia 26

Parma Hts. Valley Forge 57, Rocky River 56

Parma Padua 59, Chardon NDCL 58

Pataskala Licking Hts. 44, Granville 39

Paulding 41, Columbus Grove 28

Peninsula Woodridge 56, Lodi Cloverleaf 30

Perrysburg 74, Holland Springfield 61

Pettisville 64, Montpelier 62

Pickerington Cent. 64, Pickerington N. 59

Piketon 59, Southeastern 57

Pioneer N. Central 65, Edon 51

Piqua 75, Riverside Stebbins 62

Plain City Jonathan Alder 51, Richwood N. Union 39

Poland Seminary 57, Cortland Lakeview 49

Pomeroy Meigs 61, Albany Alexander 50

Portsmouth 54, Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant 36

Portsmouth Clay 83, Franklin Furnace Green 47

Portsmouth Notre Dame 60, Latham Western 53

Portsmouth Sciotoville 54, Beaver Eastern 49

Powell Olentangy Liberty 60, Lewis Center Olentangy Orange 50

Proctorville Fairland 56, Ironton 53

Rayland Buckeye 58, Cadiz Harrison Cent. 47

Reedsville Eastern 53, Wahama, W.Va. 36

Reynoldsburg 56, Gahanna Lincoln 43

Rittman 63, Creston Norwayne 54

Russia 53, Anna 43

S. Point 61, Chesapeake 34

Salem 74, Can. South 61

Sandusky Perkins 66, Castalia Margaretta 43

Sardinia Eastern Brown 66, Leesburg Fairfield 50

Sebring McKinley 72, Mineral Ridge 68

Sidney 69, Trotwood-Madison 67

Sparta Highland 37, Fredericktown 35

Spencerville 49, Bluffton 46

Spring. NW 72, Bellefontaine Benjamin Logan 52

Springfield 66, Springboro 56

St. Bernard-Elmwood Place 50, Cin. Seven Hills 40

St. Henry 62, Coldwater 53, OT

St. Marys Memorial 54, Lima Bath 41

Steubenville 84, Belmont Union Local 51

Strasburg-Franklin 48, Tuscarawas Cent. Cath. 35

Streetsboro 62, Mogadore Field 55

Struthers 64, Niles McKinley 57

Sunbury Big Walnut 52, Canal Winchester 47

Swanton 56, Metamora Evergreen 48, OT

Sylvania Northview 58, Maumee 44

Sylvania Southview 69, Bowling Green 50

Thornville Sheridan 72, McConnelsville Morgan 55

Tiffin Calvert 71, Crestline 40

Tipp City Tippecanoe 59, W. Carrollton 33

Tol. Bowsher 71, Tol. Waite 65

Tol. Maumee Valley 79, Northwood 42

Tol. Ottawa Hills 60, Gibsonburg 42

Tol. St. John's 59, Fremont Ross 38

Tol. Whitmer 60, Oregon Clay 42

Tol. Woodward 66, Tol. Rogers 64

Toronto 87, Bellaire 66

Urbana 62, Spring. Kenton Ridge 29

Van Buren 57, Bascom Hopewell-Loudon 34

Vandalia Butler 47, Beavercreek 41

Vermilion 69, Oak Harbor 64

Versailles 75, Minster 60

Vincent Warren 67, Logan 58

W. Union 51, Mowrystown Whiteoak 47

Wadsworth 53, Stow-Munroe Falls 41

Wapakoneta 54, Celina 46

Warren Harding 79, Youngs. East 74

Warren Howland 68, Jefferson Area 52

Warren JFK 71, Louisville Aquinas 69

Washington C.H. Miami Trace 69, Hillsboro 56

Waterford 77, Crown City S. Gallia 54

Wauseon 59, Bryan 33

Waverly 59, S. Webster 50

Wellsville 75, Lisbon David Anderson 61

West Salem Northwestern High School 77, Doylestown Chippewa 26

Westerville Cent. 64, Westerville N. 62

Westerville S. 75, Lewis Center Olentangy 60

Westlake 53, Avon Lake 33

Wheelersburg 68, Minford 50

Whitehouse Anthony Wayne 55, Napoleon 33

Wickliffe 72, Orange 67

Williamsburg 59, Georgetown 44

Williamsport Westfall 59, Chillicothe Zane Trace 37

Willoughby S. 64, Lyndhurst Brush 55

Willow Wood Symmes Valley 91, New Boston Glenwood 41

Windham 77, N. Bloomfield 3

Wintersville Indian Creek 44, Weir, W.Va. 32

Wooster 80, Mansfield Sr. 49

Wooster Triway 63, Navarre Fairless 45

Worthington Kilbourne 63, Hilliard Darby 61, OT

Xenia 72, Troy 57

Youngs. Boardman 86, Ashtabula Lakeside 52

Youngs. Valley Christian 54, Garfield Hts. Trinity 36

Zanesville Rosecrans 42, Zanesville 38

Racine Southern vs. Glouster Trimble, ppd.

Steubenville Cath. Cent. vs. Bellaire St. John, ppd.

Lexi Thompson shot 12-under 61 on Friday and was one shot behind Brittany Lincicome entering the third round of Pure Silk Bahamas 2017.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Brittany Lincicome led by one shot entering the third round of the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic on Saturday. The event is the LPGA Tour's season opener.

Lincicome shot 64-65 for 17-under at the halfway mark. Lexi Thompson, who posted a 61 on Friday, was second. Gerina Piller was third at 14-under.

Ariya Jutanugarn, world No. 2 and the reigning Rolex player of the year, was tied for 68th at 2-under.

Jutanugarn, from Thailand, begins her third LPGA Tour season. She won five times in 2016, including three straight starts in May. Two months later, she won the RICOH British Open -- her first major.

• Pure Silk-Bahamas tee times

World No. 1 Lydia Ko is not in the field, but four of the top 10 are.

PURE SILK-BAHAMAS LEADERBOARD

This is the fifth anniversary of the event. All previous winners are playing.

LPGA TOUR

PURE SILK-BAHAMAS LPGA CLASSIC

Site: Paradise Island, Bahamas.
Course: Ocean Club GC. Yardage: 6,625. Par: 73.
Purse: $1.4 million (First place: $210,000).
Television: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 3-5 p.m.).
Defending champion: Hyo Joo Kim.
Previous tournament: Charley Hull won the CME Group Tour Championship to end the 2016 season.
Notes: This is the first LPGA Tour event of the year, kicking off an international schedule of four tournaments before its first domestic event on March 16-19 in Phoenix, Az. ... U.S. Solheim Cup captain Juli Inkster begins her 35th season on the LPGA Tour by competing in the Bahamas. The Solheim Cup will be played in Iowa in August. ... Stacy Lewis is in the field. The Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic was her 11th runner-up finish dating to her most recent victory -- June 2014 at the Walmart Northwest Arkansas Championship. ... Natalie Gulbis is playing on a sponsor's exemption. ... Also in the field is Michelle Wie, who hasn't won since her U.S. Women's Open title in 2014.
Next tournament: ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open, Feb. 13-16.
Online: www.lpga.com

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Tiger Woods missed the cut at Farmers Insurance Open 2017.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Justin Rose led by one shot entering the third round of Farmers Insurance Open 2017 on Friday at Torrey Pines GC in La Jolla, Calif. Tiger Woods missed the cut.

Rose was 8-under 136 at the halfway mark. Adam Hadwin, who shot a 59 at the CareerBuilder Challenge last week, was one of two players tied for second. Two players were tied for fourth at 6-under.

The PGA Tour season began in mid-October, with the Safeway Open in California, and has consisted of 10 official events. Quality players have provided plenty of highlights and entertainment value.

Understand the reality, though: The PGA Tour season just got real. It had to do with the presence of one man: Woods.

Woods, who shot 4-over, played in an official tour event for the first time in 17 months. Woods was part of a loaded field that included Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, Hideki Matsuyama, Jimmy Walker, Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson and Rose. And Brandt Snedeker.

Don't overlook the unassuming Snedeker, who has thrived in this event in recent years and happens to be defending champion. Snedeker was tied for second through two rounds this week.

• Farmers Insurance tee times

All-time-great Woods has won 79 PGA Tour official events, including 14 majors. He is an eight-time winner as a pro at Torrey Pines. However, he has not won overall since 2013 (five times) and is major-less since 2008 (U.S. Open).

Woods' previous start in an official event on the PGA Tour came at the Wyndham Championship in late-August 2015. He finished tied for 10th in a season already shortened by injuries. He underwent multiple back surgeries/procedures and did not play again until the unofficial Hero World Challenge at the outset of December 2016.

At Hero in the Bahamas, Woods finished 15th in a field of 18 but led everybody with 24 birdies.

Mickelson, the second-best player of his era, underwent two sports-hernia surgeries in late 2016 before making his 2017 debut last week at CareerBuilder Challenge. He finished tied for 21st.

Mickelson was tied for 48th at 1-under at Torrey Pines.

Saturday's live leaderboard:

PGA TOUR

FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN
Site: San Diego.
Course: Torrey Pines GC. Yardage: 7,698 Par: 72 (South Course); Yardage: 7,258. Par: 72. (North Course).
Purse: $6.7 million (First place: $1,206,000).
Television: CBS Sports (Saturday 3-6 p.m.; Sunday, 3-6:30 p.m.); Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday 3-7 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m.)
Defending champion: Brandt Snedeker.
Last week: Hudson Swafford won the CareerBuilder Challenge.
Notes: Tiger Woods makes his 2017 debut at the tournament he has won seven times, most recently in 2013. ... Also making a debut is the North Course that Tom Weiskopf renovated. The nines have been reversed, bunkers reduced, and the size of the greens expanded. ... Since his previous victory at Torrey Pines, Woods has missed the 54-hole cut (2014) and withdrawn after 11 holes because of tightness in his back. ... This is the first time Jason Day is competing against a full field since the Deutsche Bank Championship in early September. ... The tournament last year finished on a Monday (wind) for the second time in four years. ... Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler entered the tournament. Both were in Abu Dhabi last week. ... Bubba Watson (2011) is the only past champion at the Farmers Insurance Open who is not playing this year -- not including those on the PGA Tour Champions. ... Justin Rose, who missed the cut at Torrey in 2015 and 2016, is playing for the third straight year.
Next week: Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Online: www.pgatour.com

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)