See highlights from Villa Angela-St. Joseph's 66-61 win against Mentor, plus more high school basketball action from the weekend.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Villa Angela-St. Joseph boys basketball coach Babe Kwasniak resisted temptation to lobby for his team.

“We’ve won six state championships and one AP poll,” he said Saturday night after the Vikings’ 66-61 win against Mentor.

VASJ (11-5) is ranked No. 17 in the cleveland.com Top 25 — but highest among any Division III school in Northeast Ohio. Their matchup with No. 13 Mentor (11-5) is notable because a year ago, it served as their last loss until the state championship game against Lima Central Catholic.

The Vikings reeled off 10 straight wins last year during their run back to Columbus. About 12 games separate them from another such run, depending on how they are bracketed in the tough Division III Garfield Heights District.

That will be determined Sunday, as area coaches vote later this week online and then meet to select their spots on the brackets.

Meanwhile, The Associated Press state poll is a different story.

VASJ was only ninth last week, despite returning its point guard and standout center from last year’s run to the state finals.

Perhaps Saturday’s win against Mentor, a bigger Division I school, will give the Vikings a boost.

Maybe St. Ignatius’ 74-50 win against Cleveland Heights will help its case when a thumping of Columbus Northland didn’t help. (Northland received more state votes to receive special mention.)

In the pursuit of Columbus, votes calculated there mean nothing. But the votes cast this weekend online can have a substantial impact because they will determine where teams slot for the postseason.

Here is another look at VASJ’s case against Mentor.

And here is where Mentor stands after 16 games.

SATURDAY TAKEAWAYS

There were more notable matchups on Saturday. Multiple games pitted two cleveland.com Top 25 teams.

• Top-ranked St. Ignatius opened the season with a one-point loss to No. 8 Cleveland Heights. They met again, and the Wildcats (12-4) used a 28-11 first-quarter spurt to turn away the Tigers.

Austen Yarian slices and dices his way to the basket. Yarian has 13 points through 3 quarters #GoCats pic.twitter.com/WqXegvmMvi

— SIHS Sports (@SIHSSports) February 5, 2017

• Antonio Blanton did it again. The Elyria guard delivered a buzzer-beating 3 to hand Medina its first loss earlier this season, and his heroics on the road continued again for the 12th-ranked Pioneers (14-3) against a rival wearing green and white. This time it was closer to home against No. 22 Elyria Catholic, as Blanton’s dagger delivered a 66-63 win.


• Speaking of Medina, No. 5 Garfield Heights bounced back from a midweek loss by pulling away from the 14th-ranked Bees, 63-45. Senior guard Shawn Christian scored 21 points and Leonard Cottrell added 20.


• No. 9 Benedictine ended a two-game losing streak in a resounding way. Marlon Moore scored 13 points, while freshman Andy Barba added 11 in a 72-42 blowout of Gilmour. The Bengals (13-4) are jostling for position in the Division II Stow District, while Gilmour (11-5) will join VASJ and Elyria Catholic (11-5) in the D-III Garfield Heights District.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Both East Tech’s boys and girls teams won fourth straight Senate League crowns Friday night.

See highlights of both, from the boys’ 71-66 win behind Isaiah Washington’s 41-point performance … 

… to the girls’ win against John Hay.

Also be sure to check out girls highlights from Hathaway Browns’ 54-47 win against defending state champion Wadsworth.

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.

Alex Mack broke his surgically-repaired fibula in the NFC Championship Game but will play tonight in the Super Bowl, according to reports. Joe Thomas is not surprised. Watch video

HOUSTON, Tex. -- Joe Thomas has watched Alex Mack play through appendicitis, not miss a game after an appendectomy and come back strong after a broken fibula and torn ligaments in his ankle.

So he's not surprised that his good friend will gut it out in the Super Bowl tonight after re-breaking the fibula in the NFC Championship Game.

"He's a warrior that has played through some terrible stuff,'' Thomas said in a email response. "This should be no problem.''

ESPN and NFL Network reported Sunday morning that Mack suffered the fracture during the NFC Game against the Packers but will play tonight. ESPN describes it as "chip fracture'' above the plate Mack had inserted in his leg when he first broke the fibula in 2014.

A Falcons source texted Tiffany Blackmon of NFL Network and said Mack told him, "I'm playing. Period.''

It's the same mindset Mack had as a Brown, when he played every snap for five-plus seasons before breaking the fibula in week five of the 2014 season. He underwent surgery to have the plate inserted to have ligament damage repaired, and sat out the rest of the season.

Mack came back in 2015, and rounded into his Pro Bowl form about midway through the season.

Mack also impressed his teammates by not missing a game in 2011 after undergoing an appendectomy. He felt ill one game and refused to come out even after throwing up, and discovered afterwards that he had appendicitis. Then, he returned to the field after recovering from the appendectomy through the bye weekend, keeping his streak of 5,279 snaps intact.

"It was not the ideal situation for me,'' Mack said at the time. "I wouldn't want to have anyone else who had any kind of surgery here rush too quick. It's not like we're setting a bar here, who can come back fastest. Both me and the doctors felt it was where I felt good enough to play and I felt I could do a good enough job."
One source told ESPN that if this were the regular season, Mack would miss six to eight weeks.

But he told cleveland.com this week that "playing in the Super Bowl is a lifelong dream.'' So he's not about to miss it.

"I just know his toughness and strength is so great," Falcons coach Dan Quinn during the week. "The good thing is, I know he's feeling better than he did in the NFC Championship Game. But yeah, I'm concerned. I'm not panicked, but I'm concerned."

Mack broke the leg in the second quarter of the NFC Championship game against the Packers, and came out for a play before going back in. He then sat out the last series while Ben Garland replaced him.

Mack will have a painkilling shot in the leg so he can play, and it's yet to be determined if he'll need another surgery.

According to ESPN, he'll join three other players who battled through a broken or recently repaired fibula to play in the Super Bowl: former Rams defensive end Jack Youngblood (Super Bowl XIV),  Charles Woodson (Super Bowl XXVII) and Terrell Owens (Super Bowl XXXIX ).

The Falcons' wide-zone blocking scheme, run by former Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, relies heavily on Mack to make it work.

Kevin Love revealed that neither his coach nor general manager has said a word to him about the trade winds swirling about. The Cavs and Knicks play again Feb. 23, the trade deadline. Watch video

NEW YORK -- Kevin Love revealed that neither his coach nor general manager has said a word to him regarding the trade winds swirling about.

And he denied his eyebrow raising, Cavs' bench electrifying dunk in the second quarter of Cleveland's 111-104 win over the New York Knicks had anything to do with frustration pent up over talk that hasn't gone away about a potential Love-Carmelo Anthony swap.

Somewhere in the middle is where Love probably sits today, with the Cavs headed to Washington over what had to be a surreal Saturday for him: playing at Madison Square Garden, the country's media and basketball mecca, where the rumor mill suggests he could end up, trading key buckets with the player for whom he could (but probably won't) be dealt.

"My life is so tough," Love said with a laugh, having posted 23 points and 16 rebounds at the Garden. "Oh, rumor mill! ... It's funny, I don't think about it, I don't really pay attention. I do look at my phone but it is not like it is really crossing my mind or what is top for me at all."

You couldn't really make this stuff up. The Cavs play the Knicks once more this season...on Feb. 23, the day of the trade deadline. So Love is probably not done seeing Love-for-Anthony speculation splash across his phone.

The two shared a splashy sequence Saturday. With 1:02 left, Anthony stole the ball from close friend LeBron James and went in for a dunk that cut the Cavs' lead to 106-101.

On the ensuing possession, James attacked the basket, drawing Kristaps Porzingis to him. And then in how'd-he-do-that fashion, James somehow fired a perfect pass while contorting in midair to Love in the corner, who was wide open for a 3-pointer he drained with 44.4 seconds left.

"It was everything to do with him and that was like a pre-game shot for me," Love said. "How he fit that through almost two guys... actually Porzingis went high and was a little late with his arms and I had all the time in the world. That's just what he does, an unbelievable pass."

Of the play, James said: "I saw Porzingis clocking me like a highway patrolman. I was barreling down the highway. ... Once I saw it I just tried to engage him to where he was trying to go for the block, and then I just tried to put it on time, on target. That's what I live by, and Kev still had to make the shot."

The Cavs needed Love to make that 3-point shot.

Maybe Love needed to dunk the ball like he did on New York's Willy Hermangomez late in the second quarter.

Love and virtually everyone who watches him play agrees he doesn't normally do what he did there -- put the ball on the floor for two dribbles and slam the ball in someone's face.

It was as though something was fueling him. James and the rest of the Cavs' bench rushed the court, so surprised they were by the outburst.

"He told you, he doesn't usually do that," James said. "So, you see something that's not done often then that's the reaction you get. It was a big-time move, a big-time play, and it was a great finish."

James also said: "He's here for a reason, we know why he's here. We know what he's capable of."

Enjoy the latest opinions from around the NFL during today's game, and add some of your own!

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The 2016-17 NFL season comes to an end this evening, as the New England Patriots seek their fifth title in the Tom Brady era while the upstart Falcons chase their franchise's first crown.

Follow along in the comments section as reporters around the country bring you observations and analysis throughout the game in Houston.

Make sure to follow Mary Kay Cabot, Dan Labbe and Scott Patsko on Twitter.

Super Bowl LI: Patriots (16-2) vs. Falcons (13-5)

Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. at NRG Stadium, Houston.

TV/radio: WJW Ch. 8/Fox. Announcers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews. Streaming on Fox Sports GO. Westwood One Radio. Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Boomer Esiason, Tony Boselli and James Lofton.

The New England Patriots won their fifth championship title Sunday with a record-breaking comeback to beat the Atlanta Falcons, 34-28, in the Super Bowl.

HOUSTON -- Tom Brady led one of the greatest comebacks in sports history highlighted by an unbelievable Julian Edelman catch that helped lift New England from a 25-point hole against the Atlanta Falcons to the Patriots' fifth Super Bowl victory, the first ever in overtime.

The Patriots scored 19 points in the final quarter, including a pair of 2-point conversions, then marched relentlessly to James White's 2-yard touchdown run in overtime to beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 Sunday night.

Brady, the first quarterback with five Super Bowl rings, guided the Patriots (17-2) through a tiring Atlanta defense for fourth-quarter touchdowns on a 6-yard pass to Danny Amendola and a 1-yard run by White, which came with 57 seconds remaining in regulation. White ran for the first 2-pointer and Amendola did the deed with a reception on the second.

Brady, winning Super Bowl MVP for a record fourth-time, finished 43 for 62, the most attempts in Super Bowl history, for 466 yards, also a record, and two touchdowns.

"You know, we all brought each other back," Brady said. "We never felt out of it. It was a tough battle. They have a great team. I give them a lot of credit. We just made a few more plays than them."

Tom Brady named Super Bowl LI MVP after leading Patriots back from 25-point deficit

Before the stunning rally -- New England already held the biggest comeback in the final period when it turned around a 10-point deficit to beat Seattle two years ago -- the Falcons (13-6) appeared poised to take their first NFL championship in 51 seasons. Having never been in such a pressurized environment, their previously staunch pass rush disappeared, they stumbled on offense and Brady tore them apart.

The Patriots won the coin toss for overtime and it was no contest. Brady completed six passes against an overmatched Falcons secondary. A pass interference call took the ball to the 2, and White scooted to his right and barely over the goal line.

His teammates streamed off the sideline to engulf White as confetti streamed down from the NRG Stadium rafters.

WATCH: James White scores winning touchdown

It was almost an impossible dream for the Patriots a bit earlier. But helped by Matt Ryan's fumble on a sack, a Edelman's catch off of a defender's shoe, and Brady's passing, they never stopped coming.

White scored three touchdowns and had 14 receptions for 110 yards, but Brady hit seven different receivers.

Until the Patriots took charge with their late surge, league MVP Ryan was outplaying Brady. It didn't last.

Atlanta's string of touchdowns on its opening drive ended at eight, though Devonta Freeman sprinted for 37 yards on the Falcons' first offensive play. The drive was stunted when Ryan was sacked by Trey Flowers, New England's leader in that category.

Then it was Atlanta's D that went sacks-happy, getting two on the Patriots' next drive in what would be a scoreless opening quarter. Who expected that? Well, New England has not scored a point in the first 15 minutes in Brady's seven Super Bowls.

It sure looked as if the Patriots would get on the board immediately in the second period as Brady and Edelman connected twice for 40 yards. But Blount's fumble turned the momentum to the Falcons, who then took their biggest lead in a Super Bowl -- yeah, we know, they have been here only twice -- on Freeman's 5-yard run to cap a quick 71-yard drive on which Jones came alive.

Jones showed why he is an All-Pro receiver with a tough leaping catch over the middle for 19 yards, then got open on the sideline for 23. Freeman did the rest.

Before New England could catch its breath, Ryan had the Falcons up by 14. Using the no-huddle attack to perfection, he threw for 51 yards on a 52-yard drive, hitting Hooper with a pinpoint pass in the left side of the end zone.

Then Brady was victimized by his own poor decision, a rarity on the big stage. Atlanta was called for defensive holding three times on third downs to keep the drive alive. From the Falcons 23, under pressure Brady tried to squeeze a throw to Danny Amendola. Alford stepped in and sprinted, then glided 82 yards for the second-longest pick-6 in a Super Bowl -- and Brady's first.

Shockingly, it was 21-0.

New England gathered its wits for a 52-yard drive to Stephen Gostkowski's 41-yard field goal. Still, it was 21-3 when Lady Gaga took the stage.

There was smoke hanging over the field when both teams had three-and-outs to open the third quarter. It was a mirage regarding Ryan and Co., who marched 85 yards to Coleman's 6-yard TD catch on a swing pass. While New England scored the next nine points on James White's 5-yard TD reception -- the extra point was missed by Gostkowski, who later made a 33-yard field goal.

Roger Goodell booed mercilessly during Patriots trophy presentation at Super Bowl LI (video)

Super Bowl LI ended in historic fashion with the New England Patriots defeating the Atlanta Falcons in a thrilling 34-28 overtime victory. With this win Tom Brady was crowned Super Bowl LI MVP, which makes him the first player in NFL history to become a four-time Super Bowl MVP. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Super Bowl LI ended in historic fashion Sunday with the New England Patriots defeating the Atlanta Falcons in a thrilling 34-28 overtime victory.

Heading into the fourth quarter, the Patriots faced a 28-9 deficit, but that didn't stop Tom Brady and the Patriots from mounting a 19-point comeback, forcing the game to the first overtime in Super Bowl history, and then winning in overtime.

Brady was crowned Super Bowl LI MVP, which makes him the first player in NFL history to become a four-time Super Bowl MVP. 

The praise was extensive for Tom Brady and the Patriots ... and the Atlanta Falcons become the focus of ridicule.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Tom Brady, Greatest Quarterback of All Time.

That argument might be settled. Love him or hate him, Brady now owns five Super Bowl rings in seven appearances, winning his latest by erasing a 25-point deficit ... the largest ever in the Super Bowl ... in topping the Atlanta Falcons in overtime, 34-28.

He was named MVP of Super Bowl LI after throwing for 466 yards, a record, and two touchdowns.

And the effort did not go unnoticed on social media, with the praise pouring in from all over, including from the president and a king ... LeBron James, a Cowboys fan who also calls Brady the GOAT.

Check out a small sample of the reaction below.

The Cavs (34-15) make their first trip to President Trump's Washington to play the Wizards (30-20) at 7 p.m. Monday. Watch video

WASHINGTON -- The Cavs (34-15) make their first trip to President Trump's Washington to play the Wizards (30-20) at 7 p.m. Monday.

Last meeting: The Cavs beat the Wizards 105-94 in Washington on Nov. 11.

Cavs fast fact: LeBron James needs two assists to pass Lenny Wilkens (7,211) for 13th place on the NBA's all-time list. Over the last 9 games, James is averaging 26.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 10.6 assists in 39.4 minutes.

Cavs injuries: Kyrie Irving (right quad soreness) is questionable; J.R. Smith (right thumb surgery) and Chris Andersen (torn right ACL) are out.

Wizards fast fact: Not only have they won 17 straight at home and seven in a row overall.

Wizards injuries: Ian Mahinmi (knees) and Danuel House Jr. (broken right wrist) are out.

Probable starters:

Cavs

F LeBron James (25.8 ppg; 8.0 rpg; 8.6 apg)

F Kevin Love (19.9 ppg; 11.1 rpg; 1.9 apg)

C Tristan Thompson (7.6 ppg; 9.6 rpg; 0.8 apg)

G Iman Shumpert (8.0 ppg; 3.0 rpg; 1.6 apg)

G Kyrie Irving (24.2 ppg; 5.9 rpg; 2.7 apg)

Wizards

F Otto Porter Jr. (14.2 ppg; 6.6 rpg; 1.6 apg)

F Markieff Morris (14.3 ppg; 6.8 rpg; 1.8 apg)

C Marcin Gortat (11.8 ppg; 11.5 rpg; 1.6 apg)

G Bradley Beal (21.8 ppg; 2.9 rpg; 3.6 apg)

G John Wall (23.0 ppg; 4.4 rpg; 10.4 apg)

Let's take a look back at our NFL preseason predictions for 2016.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Hindsight is 20/20. And that's not good when you are trying to predict the future. Some things are better left in the past, blurry and forgotten.

Take our 2016 NFL predictions from September, for example. Prior to the season Mary Kay Cabot, Dan Labbe, Scott Patsko, Bud Shaw and Doug Lesmerises tried to tell you how the season would play out. We picked division winners, playoff matchups, a Super Bowl winner and postseason awards.

How did we do? Meh.

Below is a look at the best and worst predictions for each would-be prognosticator. Click on a reporter's name to see their full list of predictions.

Cabot

Best: Patriots win Super Bowl.

Worst: Carson Palmer (Cardinals) MVP.

Labbe

Best: Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys) Offensive ROY (He was second in voting).

Worst: Bengals win North Division.

Lesmerises

Best: Jalen Ramsey (Jaguars) Defensive ROY (He was second in voting).

Worst: Cam Newton (Panthers) MVP.

Patsko

Best: Patriots win Super Bowl.

Worst: Vernon Hargreaves (Buccaneers) Defensive ROY.

Shaw

Best: Joey Bosa (Chargers) Defensive ROY.

Worst: Mike Zimmer (Vikings) Coach of the Year.

For reference, here's how things actually played out:

Playoffs

AFC East Division champion

New England Patriots

North Division champion

Pittsburgh Steelers

South Division champion

Houston Texans

West Division champion

Kansas City Chiefs

Wild-card teams

Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders

NFC East Division champion

Dallas Cowboys

North Division champion

Green Bay Packers

South Division champion

Atlanta Falcons

West Division champion

Seattle Seahawks

Wild-card teams

Detroit Lions, New York Giants

AFC Championship

Patriots over Steelers

NFC Championship

Falcons over Packers

Super Bowl LI

Patriots over Falcons

Awards

NFL Most Valuable Player

Matt Ryan, Falcons

NFL Coach of the Year

Jason Garrett, Cowboys

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year

Dak Prescott, Cowboys

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year

Joey Bosa, Chargers

Michigan will have three assistants making $1 million next year. When is that coming to Ohio State?

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Michigan has ushered the Big Ten into the world of the $1 million assistant coach. When will Ohio State go there?

It's a funny thing about the Buckeyes, they compete with the major powers in college football in everything, except for when it comes to paying out big dollars to top assistant coaches.

As a total staff, Ohio State paid just over $4.5 million to its assistant coaches in 2016, which was the seventh-highest total in the country according to USA Today's database. They're keeping up with the rest of the country there, but they weren't one of the 10 programs with at least one assistant coach who made $1 million or more last year.

Michigan didn't have any million-dollar assistants last year either, and now the Wolverines have three. They'll pay assistant head coach Pep Hamilton, offensive coordinator Tim Drevno and defensive coordinator Don Brown at least $1 million next season. Michigan is the first program to have three assistants make seven figures.

Ohio State's highest-paid assistant in 2016, Luke Fickell, made $750,000. Are the Buckeyes about to open up the check book to keep up with Michigan?

"It's gonna happen here one day," Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith told cleveland.com. "We're gonna do our best to make sure we compensate people based on market performance. Our market in the Big Ten has been pretty stable. This will change it. When will it have it's effect? I can't project. But it will eventually."

Ohio State has three new hires -- offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson, quarterbacks coach Ryan Day and linebackers coach Bill Davis -- plus four other assistants who are due new contracts for the 2017 season.

Defensive coordinator Greg Schiano's one-year deal expired on Jan. 15, while cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs, receivers coach Zach Smith and running backs coach Tony Alford have contracts set to expire on April 30. That doesn't mean any of them are in jeopardy of not being at Ohio State next year. It just takes time for the details of these things to get ironed out.

They'll all be back next season, but how much they'll make remains unknown. Cleveland.com has requested contract information for the three new hires, plus the four holdover assistants due new deals once they're completed, and we'll report the numbers when we get them.

Here's what we know now:

* Defensive line coach Larry Johnson and offensive line coach Greg Studrawa have contracts that run through April 2018. Johnson makes a base salary of $475,000, while Studrawa makes $400,000, according to the most recent contracts obtained by cleveland.com through an open-records request.

* Smith's current contract shows him as the lowest-paid assistant with a base salary of $226,600, while Alford's contract shows a base salary of $400,000. Don't expect either to get a bump that would bring them anywhere near seven figures.

Meyer explains timetable for Wilson, Day

* Day and Davis have extensive NFL experience, but as position coaches it's unlikely that either would be paid $1 million. Day's predecessor, Tim Beck, made $600,000 last year.

* Schiano signed a one-year deal that paid him $600,000 in 2016, which is probably below market value for a coach of Schiano's status. He made $2.3 million in his final season as Rutgers' head coach in 2011, and $3 million per year as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But he could afford to take less from Ohio State last year because he was still being paid by the Bucs.

Schiano won't be paid by anyone other than Ohio State in 2017. So it's reasonable to expect that he'll get a bump in pay for next year whenever his new deal is finalized.

* Like Schiano, Wilson is a former head coach who made $2.3 million at Indiana last year before resigning in December. In resigning, Wilson will not be paid a full buyout, according to the Indianapolis Star. But Indiana will pay Wilson $542,000 this year, the Star reported, which will go to Wilson despite that fact that he's now employed by Ohio State. 

That might be enough for the Buckeyes to get Wilson at a bit of a discount this season -- like they did with Schiano last year -- and keep him under the $1 million mark. Last year Wilson's predecessor, Ed Warinner, made $650,000.

"We've tried to be sensitive to salaries in our league," Smith said. "The SEC is probably still ahead of everyone. It's been that way for five to eight years, they've had those single top-level people, not the aggregate pool, but the top-level people. SEC has been there. But we all knew that eventually there's salary creepage. Somebody was gonna be the first in our league."

Michigan was first. Ohio State might not be far behind.

Tyronn Lue said the commonality between the Cavs' record Finals comeback and the Patriots' Super Bowl LI win is both organizations have "greats." Watch video

WASHINGTON -- The year of the comeback in pro sports started with the Cavs, of course.

So it's easy -- required, really -- to look for the parallels between their never-been-done-before recovery from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals to beat the Golden State Warriors and the New England Patriots' 34-28 Super Bowl LI victory Sunday over Atlanta in which they came back from 25 points down.

"Keep believing," Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said Monday, before his team's shootaround in preparation for this evening's game against the Washington Wizards.

"It's just perseverance," added LeBron James.

Actually, something strange went on in major professional sports for the 2016 season. The Cavs came back from 3-1, as did the Chicago Cubs over the Indians in the World Series, and, if you can believe it, the Patriots reeled off 31 unanswered points and stunned the Falcons in overtime.

"I guess you'd rather have a lead than not have a lead, but at the end of the day, the two teams in that championship final are there for a reason," James said. "They both have an uncanny ability to just not give up no matter the circumstances. Just look at what's been going on in our major sports, let's just say it's been great for the fans."

Pinning it down to just the Cavs and Patriots, Lue said the commonality is both organizations have "greats."

"I'm a very big supporter of (Patriots coach Bill) Belichick and I think he's one of the greatest of all time in all sports," Lue said. "But last night, he didn't have much to do with that. It was all about Tom Brady. And that's the luxury you have when you have LeBron James and Kyrie Irving who you can just give the ball to and say, 'Listen: Make it happen. Put us on your back.' That's what Tom Brady did last night."

The Cavs watched the Super Bowl as a team at the MGM National Harbor hotel and casino, where they're staying in Washington. Lue said assistant coach James Posey is a Patriots fan and was "going crazy" over the game.

Brady set a Super Bowl record with 466 passing yards (as well as for completions (43) and attempts (62)), not surprising given the 25-point hole.

James scored 41, 41, and 27 (with a triple-double), respectively, in the Cavs' last three wins in the Finals.

Asked to compare himself to Brady, with whom James said there is a "mutual respect," he said: "I'm not really in that mindframe right now to talk about the traits that I see.

"I just see greatness in Brady," James said. "He's very calm. He's very calm, no matter the situation, no matter the situation, no matter what was going on throughout the game. He's just very calm. Worrying about what the next play was, worrying about making the next completion. Just keeping his guys mentally focused on the job at hand. You've got to have that.

"You've got to have a sense of calm when everything else and everybody else is erratic, you've got to have a sense of calmness about you as the leader because your troops see that. When they see that, then they feel good about themselves."

There might only be one vacancy available for a handful of candidates. The Indians have added southpaw Boone Logan to the fold as a second lefty alongside Andrew Miller. Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw, Dan Otero and Zach McAllister -- all paid handsomely via arbitration -- return to the mix as well. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There might not be much to sort out, roster-wise, once the Indians arrive in the desert for spring training.

Barring an injury, the rotation appears to be set. If Michael Brantley avoids any setbacks -- the first two letters of this sentence couldn't hold more significance -- the legwork of the position-player riddle will be complete.

As for the bullpen, there might only be one vacancy available for a handful of candidates. The Indians have added southpaw Boone Logan to the fold as a second lefty alongside Andrew Miller. Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw, Dan Otero and Zach McAllister -- all paid handsomely via arbitration -- return to the mix as well.

If the Indians opt to carry seven relievers, that would leave only one opening. Let's take a look at how it all sets up, as pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear, Arizona, on Sunday.

The mainstays

Cody Allen

The numbers: 2.51 ERA, 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings

Against righties: .139/.230/.270

Against lefties: .218/.295/.382

Profound postseason: 13 2/3 scoreless innings, 24 strikeouts

2017 salary: $7.35 million

Contract status: Under team control through 2018 season

Andrew Miller

The numbers: 1.45 ERA, 14.9 strikeouts per nine innings, nine walks in 74 1/3 innings

Against righties: .153/.195/.279

Against lefties: .181/.189/.333

Profound postseason: 19 1/3 innings, 1.40 ERA, 30 strikeouts

2017 salary: $9 million

Contract status: Under team control through 2018 season

Bryan Shaw

The numbers: 3.24 ERA, 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings

Against righties: .214/.286/.352

Against lefties: .255/.348/.408

Rubber arm: 70 or more appearances in each of last four seasons; 299 outings are most in baseball over that stretch

2017 salary: $4.6 million

Contract status: Can become a free agent at the end of the season

Dan Otero

The numbers: 1.53 ERA, two home runs allowed in 70 2/3 innings

Against righties: .223/.234/.295

Against lefties: .197/.248/.274

Much better: Hit rate dropped to 6.9 per nine innings from 12.3 in 2015

2017 salary: $1.05 million

Contract status: Under team control through 2019 season

Boone Logan

The numbers: 3.69 ERA, 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings

Against righties: .211/.338/.421

Against lefties: .142/.222/.255

Track record: 3.85 ERA, 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings over the last seven seasons

2017 salary: $5.5 million

Contract status: Under team control through 2018 season

Zach McAllister

The numbers: 3.44 ERA, 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings

Against righties: .269/.352/.435

Against lefties: .242/.318/.374

Finish line: After his ERA ballooned to 5.34, McAllister posted a 0.82 ERA over his final 20 appearances of 2016

2017 salary: $1.83 million

Contract status: Under team control through 2018 season

The contenders

Steve Delabar

Age: 33

The skinny: He'll be in camp as a non-roster invitee. Could he be this year's Otero or Scott Atchison or Jeff Manship? He hasn't pitched particularly well since 2013, when he earned his way onto the American League All-Star roster.

Shawn Armstrong

Age: 26

The skinny: Limited action with the Indians the last two years, but he logged a 1.84 ERA, with 72 strikeouts and only 27 hits allowed in 49 innings for Triple-A Columbus in 2016.

Nick Goody

Age: 25

The skinny: Posted a 4.66 ERA in 27 outings for the Yankees last season, though he owns a 2.19 ERA and 13.0 strikeouts per nine innings in his minor-league career.

Perci Garner

Age: 28

The skinny: The man with the heavy sinker earned his first taste of the big leagues late last season after he registered a 1.83 ERA in 41 appearances between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus.

Joe Colon

Age: 26 (turns 27 on Feb. 18)

The skinny: Allowed only two earned runs in 22 innings at Columbus last season before he merited a promotion to the major-league roster.

Kyle Crockett

Age: 25

The skinny: Crockett excelled as a rookie in 2014, but has struggled since. He posted a 5.06 ERA in 29 outings for the Indians last season, though he did battle a back injury.

Carlos Frias

Age: 27

The skinny: Acquired from the Dodgers, Frias posted a 4.06 ERA -- he allowed more than 10 hits per nine innings -- with Los Angeles in 2015. He recorded a 4.46 ERA at Triple-A last season.

Hoby Milner

Age: 26

The skinny: The lefty produced a 2.49 ERA in stops at Double-A and Triple-A last season in the Phillies' system. The Indians selected him in the Rule 5 Draft in December.

Austin Adams

Age: 30

The skinny: It seems as though Adams has been on the fringe of the big-league roster for decades. He sported a 9.82 ERA in 19 appearances for the Tribe last season. He might be running out of chances.

Josh Martin

Age: 27

The skinny: He received an invitation to big-league camp after he logged a 3.41 ERA in Columbus' bullpen in 2016. He has averaged a strikeout per inning during his five-year minor-league career.

Mike Clevinger

Age: 26

The skinny: It's much more likely that Clevinger begins the 2017 campaign in the rotation at Columbus. He did rack up 17 appearances with the Tribe last year, and another four in the postseason.

Ryan Merritt

Age: 24 (turns 25 on Feb. 21)

The skinny: He's in the same boat as Clevinger, especially now that the Indians have added Logan and aren't desperate for another lefty. Before he emerged as an overnight postseason sensation, Merritt logged a 3.70 ERA in 24 starts for Columbus.

Cody Anderson

Age: 26

The skinny: The right-hander had a year to forget in 2016, and the Indians have maintained that he'll return to the rotation this year, even though he spent much of last season pitching in relief.

There were seven losses among teams ranked in the top 10 of the Associated Press Top 25 men's basketball poll last week and 13 altogether. Only seven Top 25 teams have gone the last two weeks without a loss.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Gonzaga, the only undefeated team in Division I, remained in the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press Top 25 men's basketball poll announced Monday.

Gonzaga (24-0) got 59 of 65 first-place votes and 1,619 points to be No. 1 for the second straight week. The Bulldogs are followed by last year's champion, Villanova (22-2), which jumped up two spots and got the other six first-place votes.

Kansas remained third, followed by Louisville and Oregon. Rounding out the top 10 are Baylor, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arizona and UCLA.

Kansas had a 51-game home winning streak snapped by Kansas State last week, while Baylor dropped from No. 2 after losing twice.

Break down, Top 25: Another tough week for ranked teams as there were seven losses among top 10 teams and 13 in the Top 25, with two teams losing both games last week. Only seven ranked teams have avoided a loss in the last two weeks. Meanwhile, Notre Dame drops out of the Top 25 after losing four straight.

All of this volatility is a mirror of what is happening in conference races around the country. None of the recognized power conferences have an undefeated team, unless you count the American Conference (former football teams splintered from the Big East) where Cincinnati is 10-0.

And few go more than five or six teams deep with winning conference records. One would think this opens the door for a few more mid-major teams into the NCAA Tournament as at-large teams. Time will tell on that with five weeks still to play in the regular season.

Lookahead: There are six double-ranked games this week: No. 4 Louisville is at No. 12 Virginia on Monday; No. 5 Oregon is at No. 10 UCLA and No. 8 North Carolina visits No. 18 Duke on Thursday; No. 1 Gonzaga visits No. 20 Saint Mary's and No. 2 Villanova is at No. 24 Xavier on Saturday; and No. 11 Cincinnati is at No. 25 SMU on Sunday.

Several key games this week are Thursday night, including Purdue at Indiana, North Carolina at Duke, and Oregon at UCLA. For Indiana and Duke, these are must-win games and rivalries to boot. The Hoosiers and Blue Devils are already hovering at .500 in league play so another loss, even to a quality rival, is not good on the NCAA Tournament resume.

ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Feb. 5, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week's ranking:

Others receiving votes: Wichita State 38, Southern Cal 35, Notre Dame 33, Northwestern 11, California 3, Iowa State 3, Monmouth (N.J.) 3, New Mexico State 3, VCU 3, Kansas State 1, Oklahoma State 1, Vermont 1.

ELTON ALEXANDER'S BALLOT

1. Gonzaga
2. Villanova
3. Louisville
4. Kansas
5. Baylor
6. Arizona
7. Wisconsin
8. UCLA
9. Oregon
10. West Virginia
11. Kentucky
12. Virginia
13. North Carolina
14. Cincinnati
15. Florida State
16. Saint Mary's
17. South Carolina
18. Maryland
19. Florida
20. Duke
21. Butler
22. Purdue
23. Monmouth
24. Wichita State
25. Creighton

(The Associated Press contributed)

Wondering what picks each team has in the 2017 NFL Draft? We have you covered.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - With Super Bowl LI behind us and the season complete, the order is set for the 2017 NFL Draft April 27-29 in Philadelphia.

For a look at the round-by-round picks each team has in the draft, check out the list below. Follow the link to see a team's picks:

AFC EAST

Patriots

Dolphins

Bills

Jets

AFC NORTH

Steelers

Ravens

Bengals

Browns

AFC SOUTH

Texans

Titans

Colts

Jaguars

AFC WEST

Chiefs

Raiders

Broncos

Chargers

NFC EAST

Cowboys

Giants

Redskins

Eagles

NFC NORTH

Packers

Lions

Vikings

Bears

NFC SOUTH

Falcons

Buccaneers

Saints

Panthers

NFC WEST

Seahawks

Cardinals

Rams

49ers

In the latest installment of the video debate series Prepare for List Off, Cleveland.com sports columnists Bud Shaw and Doug Lesmerises discuss a trade for Patriots' backup Jimmy Garoppolo versus the Browns finding their next QB in the draft. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Halfway through Super Bowl LI, Tom Brady looked ready for retirement and -- by consequence -- Jimmy Garoppolo looked like he might be a keeper for the Patriots after all.

Assuming Brady's excellence during a second-half correction that delivered the Pats to the greatest Super Bowl comeback is another factor that makes Garoppolo available through trade, should the Browns pursue him?

I think they should. Cleveland.com sports columnist Doug Lesmerises thinks differently - big surprise there. We discuss it as part of our video debate series, Prepare For List Off.

The argument comes down to how you feel about the 2017 quarterback class and whether you've liked what you've seen of Garoppolo in limited action.

Both boxes are checked for me. I don't think this is a strong quarterback class. I'm not sold on Deshaun Watson as a pocket passer. Garoppolo has the mobility to avoid the pass rush but can make a living delivering the football on time and on target.

Anyway, Doug has legitimate concerns about sending high draft picks for another team's backup.

If Bill Belichick is willing to part with Garoppolo despite Tom Brady's age, isn't that a little scary?

Hear us out and tell us who got it right. Or at least right-ish.

Guide through the slideshow to see Ohio State's five biggest recruiting misses in the 2017 recruiting class and find out where those prospects ended up.

Many athletes and coaches disagree with President Trump's policies, is it enough to decline a visit as a team to White House?

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The New England Patriots are the Super Bowl 51 champions and will visit the White House and President Donald Trump, a tradition of championship teams.

As often happens, at least one or more members of a championship team will not participate in the tradition for various reasons. Currently, Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett will not join his team to visit with President Donald Trump because he told NJ.com that he doesn't support Trump.

Championship players from Larry Bird to Michael Jordan to Tom Brady have all decided at various times to decline a White House visit.

But will it come a time when a championship team declines a visit?

Several players have been outspoken about their lack of support when it comes to President Trump. Even San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has expressed his disappointment in the president.

Which team would be most likely to refrain from a White House visit?

Ohio State went into Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco and signed five-star offensive tackle Wyatt Davis as part of its 2017 recruiting class. Can it do it again?

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State went into Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco and signed five-star offensive tackle Wyatt Davis as part of its 2017 recruiting class. 

Who says the Buckeyes can't do it again? 

Four-star safety Jaiden Woodbey, Davis' former teammate, is announcing his college decision on Monday evening at 8:00 p.m. The Buckeyes are considered the favorite, but he's also closely involved with Nebraska, Oklahoma and USC. 

5:00 I will be announcing my College Decision #GBR#Fighton#Zone6#OUDNA

-- I AM JAIDEN WOODBEY (@JaidenWoodbey6) February 6, 2017

Rated the No. 3 safety in the 2018 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Woodbey unofficially visited Ohio State on Jan. 28 for Urban Meyer's junior day. It was the final weekend before National Signing Day. 

Ohio State offensive line coach Greg Studrawa dropped in on him in late January, too, while out in California visiting Davis. 

Ohio State has two commitments in its 2018 recruiting class: Five-star quarterback Emory Jones of Franklin (Ga.) Heard County and four-star running back Brian Snead of Seffner (Fla.) Armwood. 

Stay tuned with cleveland.com for Woodbey's decision. 

There is a lot of talk about a Carmelo Anthony for Kevin Love trade, but the Cleveland Cavaliers have more pressing needs -- like a backup point guard. Here are some names. - Terry Pluto video. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- ESPN and other major networks keep campaigning for the Cleveland Cavaliers to trade with the New York Knicks for Carmelo Anthony.

Anthony, the Knicks forward and long-time friend of LeBron James, has been the conversation of trade talk for most of the season, but recent rumors about a deal with the Cavs for Kevin Love have kept the network talkers extra busy.

But the Cavs need something else -- as Saturday's game in New York demonstrated.

Let's talk point guards, and I have some names to offer in this video.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith shared with fans Monday that he got the chance to hold his newborn daughter for the first time.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith proclaimed Monday one of the best days of his life after he got the chance to hold his newborn daughter, Dakota, for the first time.

Smith shared a photo of the tender moment on Instagram, saying "GOD is GREAT" along with the hashtag #DakotaStrong.

The photo shows Dakota's tiny head and one of her hands resting gently under a blanket against Smith's unmistakable tattooed chest.

Dakota was born in January, five months premature to Smith and his wife Jewel.

The couple announced Dakota's arrival a short time later in a video message on Uninterrupted.com and thanked fans for their support.

On January 13, Smith shared a photo of his older dauthter, Demi, peering into Dakota's NICU bed.

Smith has not played for the Cavaliers since undergoing surgery on his right thumb in December.

Today is one of the greatest days of my life. Today I get to hold my youngest for the first time! GOD is GREAT! #DakotaStrong

A photo posted by JR Smith (@teamswish) on Feb 6, 2017 at 9:10am PST