"I agree that they won't make the playoffs, but that doesn't mean they aren't worth watching. The team is rebuilding and they are in need of more talent to move into the playoffs, but they have some exciting players, so let's not write them off just yet." - Sorry, but you're wrong

View full sizeAP Photo | Tony DejakThe Cavaliers are hoping fans will be interested in seeing young players like Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson this season.

"I agree that they won't make the playoffs, but that doesn't mean they aren't worth watching. The team is rebuilding and they are in need of more talent to move into the playoffs, but they have some exciting players, so let's not write them off just yet."

AP voters pick Rodgers, who was the MVP in Green Bay's Super Bowl victory in February, and this season has passed for 4,360 yards with 40 touchdowns and six interceptions for the 13-1 Packers.

Associated PressAaron Rodgers quarterbacked the Packers to a Super Bowl win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in February, and is in the midst of a brilliant 2011 season.

GREEN BAY, Wisconsin -- When Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers needs to rekindle the feelings that drove his rise from a junior college quarterback to Super Bowl MVP, he doesn't have to look too far.

Rodgers held on to the many rejection letters he received from marquee college programs as he was coming out of high school. Even today, he leaves a few of them sitting out at his house.

"I chose the couple that I thought were most demeaning to display in a space in my house that really nobody is able to see but myself," Rodgers said. "It's something that I think is important to keep fresh on your mind. Maybe not every day, but once a week your eyes might pan across it and you have a little laugh about the journey you've been on -- at the same time, remembering that there still are people out there that you can prove something to."

Good luck finding those doubters now.

Rodgers is the 2011 Male Athlete of the Year, chosen by members of The Associated Press, after he turned in an MVP performance in the Packers' Super Bowl victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in February and then went on to lead his team on a long unbeaten run this season.

Rodgers received 112 votes out of the 212 ballots submitted from U.S. news organizations that make up the AP's membership. Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander finished second with 50 votes, followed by tennis standout Novak Djokovic (21), Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton (6) and NASCAR champion Tony Stewart (5).

Rodgers is one of three quarterbacks to receive the honor in the past five years. The New Orleans Saints' Drew Brees won in 2010 and the New England Patriots' Tom Brady won in 2007.

Rodgers says it still feels "surreal at times" to be considered among the biggest names in sports.

"Those guys are household names, the best of the best," Rodgers said. "(It's) special to win the award, and something I'll remember."

Through 14 games this season, Rodgers has completed 68.1 percent of his passes for 4,360 yards with 40 touchdowns and six interceptions. The Packers are 13-1, and Rodgers' play is leaving people speechless -- even his coach, Mike McCarthy.

"I'm running out of things to say about him," McCarthy said earlier this month, after Rodgers drove the Packers into position for a last-second, game-winning field goal to beat the New York Giants.

Green Bay's 19-game winning streak came to an end at Kansas City on Sunday, but the Packers remain a strong favorite to repeat as champions.

That's thanks in large part to Rodgers' knack for making big plays without major mistakes.

It has been a long and challenging journey out of obscurity for Rodgers, who wasn't offered a big-time scholarship out of high school and had to play a year in junior college. Then came his agonizing wait on draft day, three seasons on the bench behind Brett Favre and a tumultuous first year as a starter.

If Rodgers' path to stardom had been smoother, he says he wouldn't be the player -- or person -- he is today.

"It's something that gives me perspective all the time, knowing that the road I took was difficult. But it did shape my character and it shaped my game as well," Rodgers said. "I try and keep that on my mind as a good perspective, but also as a motivator, knowing that it took a lot to get to where I am now and it's going to take a lot to stay where I'm at."

Strangely, earning widespread respect throughout the sports world could become a challenge in and of itself for Rodgers, who draws motivation from proving himself to his doubters and critics.

Is that becoming more difficult?

"It would only be tougher if you stopped remembering or drawing or thinking about those things," Rodgers said. "And I think a great competitor has to have at least some sort of chip on their shoulder, or at least the attitude that you have something to prove every time you take the (field)."

Unable to attract attention from a big-time college program, Rodgers played a year at Butte College in Oroville, Calif., near his hometown of Chico. His play there eventually got the attention of Cal coach Jeff Tedford, and Rodgers transferred. Rodgers thrived at Cal and went into the 2005 NFL draft expecting to be taken early in the first round. But he didn't hear his name called until the Packers chose him with the 24th overall pick.

Once in Green Bay, Rodgers found himself backing up Favre, a revered Packer who didn't necessarily like the idea that the team had put his eventual successor in place. Favre kept fans and the franchise on their toes every offseason, flirting with the idea of retiring but always coming back.

Then came the summer of 2008, when tension between Favre and the Packers' front office finally snapped after Favre retired, changed his mind and asked for his job back -- or a chance to play elsewhere. Favre was traded to the New York Jets and Rodgers finally had his chance.

Rodgers wasn't immediately embraced by a segment of fans who supported Favre. He even was booed at the team's "Family Night" scrimmage. He stayed calm on the outside and played pretty well in his first year as a starter despite the team's 6-10 record.

But he still had his doubts.

"I had a lot of confidence in my abilities," Rodgers said. "But the doubts and worries are associated with, 'How am I going to be perceived by my teammates? How's my performance going to be scrutinized?'

"And you go through a point where you're reading your own clippings. You're 6-10 your first season, and you're reading some of these (Internet) comment boards, in the back of your mind, that negative voice is telling you, 'You know, you're not going to live up to any expectations you put on yourself, and you're not as good as you think you are.' Those can mess with you a little bit, but you can also draw some motivation from those negative thoughts. And I did."

Rodgers led the Packers to the playoffs in 2009 season -- then won it all last February.

"I think a weight comes off your shoulders after you win a Super Bowl, and you realize that all those doubts and worries and successes and failures you had before then, a lot of those get wiped away and the slate almost goes clean," Rodgers said.

"Because you won the ultimate prize, and you had the chance to silence some of your critics, the challenges change, the way you're viewed changes. I think a lot of the things that you really worried about too much become very little in importance."

Andy LaRoche, son of former Indians pitcher, gets spring-training invitation.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians have signed veteran infielder Andy LaRoche to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. Camp opens Feb. 20 in Goodyear, Ariz.

LaRoche is a career .226 (267-for-1180) hitter in the big leagues with the Dodgers, Pirates and A's. The Dodgers drafted him in the 39th round in 2003. His best season came in 2009 when he hit .258 (135-for-524) with 29 doubles, 12 homers and 64 RBI in 150 games as the Pirates third baseman.

He spent last season with Oakland bouncing between the big league and Class AAA Sacramento. He hit .247 (23-for-40) with six doubles and five RBI for the A's. He hit .254 (50-for-197) with 12 doubles, four homers and 27 RBI in Sacramento.

LaRoche, 28, is a right-handed hitter who played third, shortstop, second and first for the A's last season. LaRoche's father, Dave, pitched 14 years in the big leagues. He was the Indians closer in 1975 and 1976. Adam LaRoche, Andy's older brother, play for Washington.

Fisher, a passing and running threat at Palomar Community College, has two years of eligibility remaining after signing a national letter of intent to play for the Golden Flashes.

Photo by Hugh Cox for Palomar C.C.David Fisher (1) passed for 2,539 yards and 27 touchdowns while throwing just seven interceptions for Palomar Community College in 2011.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kent State announced on Wednesday that quarterback David Fisher has signed a national letter of intent to play football for the Golden Flashes.

Fisher, who has played the last two seasons at Palomar Community College in San Marcos, California, has two seasons of eligibility remaining. He will be with the Golden Flashes for spring football and could compete for the starting quarterback job with Spencer Keith, who will be a senior next season and has been Kent State's starter each of the last three seasons.

The 6-1, 215-pound Fisher was named National Southern Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Year this season, helping Palomar to a 7-4 record and an appearance in the Southern California Community College semifinals. Fisher completed 184 of 333 passes (55 percent) for 2,539 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He rushed for 403 yards and seven touchdowns.

"David is an unbelievably great competitor and a great addition to our family," said Kent State coach Darrell Hazell. "He has tremendous will and very good quarterback skills. He's a proven winner with a lot of toughness."

Before transferring to Palomar, Fisher spent the 2009 season at the University of Nevada, but did not appear in a regular season game. He was a backup quarterback at Palomar during the 2010 season.

"He's a two-dimensional type guy, where he can pull it down and run it, but he keeps his eyes down field when things break down," Hazell said. "He's the ultimate team guy and he'll do anything to help our football team win."

Fisher earned All-Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Academic Honors at Palomar, and a National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame Scholar-Leader Athlete award while at Vista (California) High School.

Kent State, with Hazell in his first season as the coach, won four of its last five games to finish the 2011 season 5-7, 4-4 in the Mid-American Conference.

Video: From youtube.com, highlights of quarterback David Fisher (1) from the first five games of Palomar Community College's 2011 season:

The Browns hope not to be embarrassed again by Baltimore running back Ray Rice, who hit them for 204 yards rushing in the first meeting in Cleveland on Dec. 4.

Kenneth K. Lam, Baltimore SunBaltimore's Ray Rice, here scoring against the Colts, ran for 204 yards against the Browns earlier this month. Cleveland defenders say they were upset by their play that day and are planning to do better against Rice when the teams meet in Baltimore on Saturday.

Nobody doubts the Browns' young defense has had its shining moments.

Goal-line stands in Pittsburgh and Arizona the past two games were two of them.

But there have been some clunkers that have elicited flashbacks of previous defensive "Seasons From Hell", too. And the first game on Dec. 4 against the Baltimore Ravens, whom the Browns play on Christmas Eve, was the stinkiest egg laid by this group.

"It left a bad taste in all of our mouths," said defensive tackle Phil Taylor.

That was the game in which Ray Rice ran for a career-high 204 yards and averaged 7.0 yards per carry. Ricky Williams chipped in 76 yards as the Ravens rushed 55 times for 290 yards.

It was reminiscent of the Browns getting gashed for a then-NFL record 295 yards rushing by Jamal Lewis in a 2003 game. The Ravens totaled 343 yards rushing in that one.

Rice, a humble man, credited his career game to execution, to his offensive line and to the wet weather conditions that inspired the run-first, run-often Baltimore game plan.

The Browns' explanation for what happened is a little more technical. But cornerback Sheldon Brown broke it down in easily understood terms.

"They won the front battle," he said. "They won the line of scrimmage. Anytime a running back can get to the second level, it's gonna be tough on anybody else trying to make that tackle. And that's what they did, create holes to get him to the second level."

Baltimore's huge offensive line knocked the Browns out of their gaps, and the diminutive Rice -- who's 5-8 -- made the secondary miss.

That game plunged the Browns to 31st against the run, their lowest ranking of the season. They were 31st out of 31 teams in the expansion season of 1999 and 32nd in 2004.

All the coaches have lamented "gap integrity" in defending the run. Current defensive coordinator Dick Jauron is one of the best at explaining exactly what that means.

"Everybody's got to do their job on every play," he said. "People have to stay in their gaps. But it's not easy.

"You've got two 300-pound men trying to knock you out of that gap. And then it expands. It doesn't stay in one spot. The play will move and as it stretches, there's a lot of things going on. You don't know before the snap which way it's going or how they're going to block it.

"In a one-gap scheme [such as Jauron's], it's pretty clear at the snap where you belong. And it's very, very difficult to play it and stay in that gap. The offenses are good, the people are huge and strong. It's what makes the game so competitive and hard to play."

Besides the linemen, Baltimore pummeled the Browns with 260-pound fullback Vonta Leach. Linebacker Chris Gocong said linebacker Kaluka Maiava took on 22 lead blocks of Leach in that game.

And then there's Rice, who runs like every play will decide his next meal. In his case, it might. He's one of several NFL running backs playing out the last season of their rookie contracts, hoping to secure a long-term deal either from their current team or a new one in free agency.

"I've worked for everything I got in my life," Rice said. "Nothing was given to me. I'm still under contract, so why would I complain about something I'm not up for? After this season is over, me and my agent will deal with it accordingly.

"My stats will take care of itself. I look at what other guys got, but that's not going to determine the outcome of my season. I want to have a great year. Obviously the ultimate goal is to win."

Rice ranks fifth in the NFL with 1,086 yards rushing and is second among all backs with 71 receptions.

"He may be a little guy but he runs better than most backs twice his size," said linebacker D'Qwell Jackson.

Rice doesn't think it will be as easy for him this time -- even though this game is in Baltimore with the Ravens hoping to complete an 8-0 home season and maintain first place in the AFC North ahead of Pittsburgh.

"They obviously want to finish their season on a high," Rice said. "We know that. They're a prideful organization. They can play the role of the spoiler. We're gonna try to the best of our ability not to let that happen this week."

The NFL will not discipline the Browns for their handling of Colt McCoy's concussion: Cleveland Browns Insider.

Gene J. Puskar, Associated PressThe Browns will not be disciplined for their handling of Colt McCoy's concussion in the Pittsburgh game. Above, McCoy is on the ground after being hit in the facemask by the Steelers' James Harrison but he quickly went back into the game. No test for a concussion was performed on the sideline.

The Browns will not be disciplined by the NFL for their handling of the Colt McCoy concussion injury in Pittsburgh on Dec. 8, according to league spokesman Greg Aiello.

The Browns put McCoy back in the game without testing for a concussion.

The NFLPA has not decided whether to file a grievance against the club, said union spokesman Carl Francis in an email reply.

The incident spurred two changes in league protocol. Teams were notified on Wednesday that starting with this weekend's games:

* A certified athletic trainer paid by the NFL will monitor the game from an upstairs booth and will notify both teams' medical staffs if it feels an injured player needs special attention. The trainer will not have the authority to remove a player from a game, but will provide information to a medical staff that might not have seen the hit or injury absorbed by a player.

The Browns contended McCoy was not given the sideline concussion test because he displayed no symptoms and their overtaxed medical staff did not see the hit by Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison.

* Team medical staffs will be able to use cell phones during games to obtain information relating to the care of an injured player. This will not be limited to concussion injuries.

McCoy has not been cleared to practice 13 days after suffering the concussion on the hit.

Another sit-down: Quarterback Seneca Wallace had a sit-down with running back Peyton Hillis last week.

"We had a long talk," said Wallace. "I just told him don't get discouraged and don't ever lose the happiness you got from playing football. Don't let the media, whatever else, take away from what you love to do. Just make sure you come out and have fun with it."

Hillis went on to have the highest-yardage rushing game of his star-crossed season. Hillis ran 26 times for 99 yards and one touchdown in Arizona.

He said he felt healthier than at any point since Week 2, in which, coincidentally, he produced similar numbers -- 27 rushes for 94 yards and two touchdowns -- against the Colts.

Wallace and Hillis have bonded because if the Browns are going to make anything of the remaining games at Baltimore and home against Pittsburgh, they are going to have to be the main cogs on offense.

Wallace will make his second start on Christmas Eve in place of McCoy.

"I don't want to overstep my boundaries," he said. "I understand if somebody has to step up and speak their mind and say what they have to say, if it's for the best of the team, you've got to do it."

Hillis said the Wallace talk hit home. It was: "Just go out and enjoy football, enjoy the game, the guys you're around, because any game can be your last. Every game's precious."

Hillis might have only two games left in a Browns uniform. His contract expires after the season. General Manager Tom Heckert recently said of re-signing Hillis, "That's another one we'll have to decide once the season's over."

Injury roundup: Besides McCoy, six other Browns did not practice on Wednesday -- linebacker Ben Jacobs (concussion), receiver Jordan Norwood (concussion), safety T.J. Ward (foot), receiver Mohamed Massaquoi (foot), defensive lineman Scott Paxson (hand, foot) and cornerback Joe Haden (thigh). . . . Coach Pat Shurmur said the team has discussed shutting down Ward, who will miss his seventh consecutive game.

Now batting: Josh Cribbs' recurrent groin injury will result in possibly more kickoff return opportunities for Buster Skrine, Shurmur said. Skrine had a 32-yard return in Arizona after Cribbs' injury acted up.

Skrine was the lone returner when Arizona kicked off in overtime, but Jay Feely's kickoff sailed into the end zone and went as a touchback.

Skrine is hoping to have some returns in Baltimore. The Ravens signed veteran Shayne Graham as a temp for Billy Cundiff, who has a calf injury and hasn't practiced for the third week in a row. Cundiff is second in the AFC with 42 touchbacks.

Cribbs, who still may get some returns in Baltimore, has not had a return over 37 yards in six games. He hasn't had a kickoff return for touchdown in 32 games.

"We're doing what we can to get him blocked up so that we can get those," Shurmur said.

Precinct report: Fan voting for the Pro Bowl ended on Monday. Joe Thomas finished fifth among AFC tackles, D'Qwell Jackson placed third among inside linebackers, and Cribbs was third among kick returners. Voting among coaches and players -- which comprises the other two-thirds of the vote total -- is completed today. Pro Bowl teams will be announced on Tuesday.

Shurmur gives injury updates, including on quarterback Colt McCoy and safety T.J. Ward. Compliments running back Peyton Hillis.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerBrowns coach Pat Shurmur (photo) says about Peyton Hillis: "...he can run all the types of runs that you see in the NFL, downhill, off tackle, around the perimeter, he can catch the football, he knows how to block..."

BEREA, Ohio

Browns coach Pat Shurmur's Wednesday press conference

Shurmur's opening statement:

"At practice today, Joe Haden still won't do much. Ben Jacobs, Mohamed Massaquoi's got a sore foot, he'll be limited. I don't know how much he'll be able to do. Colt (McCoy) hasn't been cleared to practice yet and neither has Jordan Norwood. (Scott) Paxson will be limited, we'll see how much he can do today. T.J. Ward, of course, won't be practicing. That will all be detailed in our injury report today, but otherwise we'll just continue our preparation. Those that can't practice, next guy up, get an opportunity for some guys to step in and show us what they've got."

(Questions are paraphrased)

Question: Why hasn't Josh Cribbs returned a kickoff for more than 40 yards in quite some time?

Shurmur: "I don't know. I think if you look at it, just generally speaking, up until last game he was sixth in the league in terms of kickoff returns. Now, you obviously want long ones and touchdowns so we're doing what we can to get them blocked up so we can get those, but he's obviously a dangerous guy with the ball in his hands. We're doing what we can to get him an explosive return."

Question: Was McCoy here today?

Shurmur: "He was there this morning and he hasn't been cleared to practice yet. He did a little physical activity and he's coming along."

Question: Are you ready to say that Seneca Wallace will start Saturday?

Shurmur: "Not yet, but it's going to come soon, I'm sure."

Question: What is still bothering McCoy?

Shurmur: "The effects of the concussion so that would be it."

Question: Did the team get a memo from the league about putting a trainer up in the press box?

Shurmur: "I think it has gone league wide that they're going to replace the observer with a trainer. It'll be somebody that'll be, I guess, more skilled in seeing injuries on the field. Again, I don't know much about it so it wouldn't be fair to comment on it yet. But, I know there's been conversation and league talk about that being done."

Question: What is T.J. Ward's situation?

Shurmur: "He's kind of leveled off as far as coming back so I don't know. It's probably going to be tough for him to make it for this week, but we'll see as we move forward."

Question: Would it be better to shut Ward down and not risk more injury?

Shurmur: "I think there's a reason to think about that, but we'll just keep trying to get him back like we will with the rest of the players and then make the decision as we get closer to, if he can't play this week, the last game. That's worth discussing, for sure."

Question: Do teams rush Wallace differently?

Shurmur: "I don't think so. I think they'll try to rush us. You look at Colt and Seneca, they are very similar in stature, very similar in terms of their game, they both can do things when they get outside the pocket. I'm sure they'll try to obviously get pressure on him and also not let him get outside the pocket and create a big play like we did last week."

Question: Why didn't you put Ward on injured reserve?

Shurmur: "We felt like he's been progressing to the point where he can get back in there and play. He's like all the other players, you fight week-to-week, day-to-day to get them improved so they can go in there and compete so that's why we're doing it. When you get in a situation at a position where you're really stressed in terms of not having enough players then you have to make the decision whether or not you allow him to keep getting better or put him on IR and get another body in here. Those are all things we talk about with all players."

Question: Will Dan Gronkowski play this week?

Shurmur: "We're getting him ready to play so we'll teach him. He's not going to learn the whole system, he's going to learn the game plan like guys do this time of year. We'll get him ready to go, there's a chance he could be in there for sure."

Question: Are you limited with what you can do running the ball with Benjamin Watson and Alex Smith being out?

Shurmur: "No, I don't think so. I think we have a variety of ways to run the football whether we're in two backs or two tight ends or one tight end or four wide receivers. We have runs from all packages so you just try to match them up and run the ones that are available based on the personnel that is at hand."

Question: What would you highlight about Jabaal Sheard's development?

Shurmur: "Number one, we know how talented he is and we knew how young he was, but he's been a steady performer. He's improved each week and he's continuing to get production at a time a year where some rookies that have played a great deal start to drop off. That's the thing that's exciting about what he's done."

Question: What's wrong with Paxson?

Shurmur: "He's got a hand and a foot. We'll see how he does coming back."

Question: How much do you expect the players to be self-motivated this time of year and how much of a responsibility do you have to get them fired up for games?

Shurmur: "I think as professionals, whether you're playing or coaching, you put all your effort into winning the next game and I think our guys did that last week. They've done it every week, as we've talked about, we just need to play better in some areas and play better throughout the game. I don't worry about that with our guys. They've got a great deal of pride in their performance, they've got a strong bond with their teammates who depend on their performance and I anticipate we're going to go out, fight and scratch to get a victory this week because that's just the way they're wired and that's just what you do."

Question: Why has Benjamin Watson seen a specialist and McCoy has not?

Shurmur: "You can't say he hasn't seen one. He's been evaluated just like Ben has been evaluated, whether they're specialist or not, they are doctors. He's seen all the proper people. There's no real difference."

Question: What do you know about Hillis as a player and how do you feel about him as a member of this team?

Shurmur: "I think he's a very explosive runner. He's a guy that unfortunately has had to fight back from injury this year. I thought he played very well last week and he's battled through the weeks previous when he's been back. I've got an appreciation for what he brings to the game, for sure. Like any player, when you see him play well in a game or two you just in some ways wish he had been healthy the whole year. But, there's no regrets, no doubts about how things were handled and you just keep moving forward."

Question: When you said Hillis "has played well" -- what did you mean?

Shurmur: I think he ran the ball hard and he ran the ball effectively within the scheme that we were trying to execute. I thought our line blocked well and so it was coordinated from that standpoint. He did some things in the passing game that were good and he was engaged. I think he played like an NFL runner does."

Question: Is Hillis a good fit for the West Coast offense?

Shurmur: "Good runners are a fit for any offense. I think what you find with him is he can run all the types of runs that you see in the NFL, downhill, off tackle, around the perimeter, he can catch the football, he knows how to block so he's definitely a fit."

Question: Do you look at Buster Skrine as more than just a good special teams player?

Shurmur: "Absolutely, I think Buster's got a chance to be a quality player in this league. He has the added dimension of being a returner, which a lot of corners in this league are. We're pleased with his development to this point and we anticipate that as he finishes up these last two games, and gets a real good offseason, he'll be coming in next year raring to go."

Question: Will Skrine continue to return kickoffs this week?

Shurmur: "There's a chance he could be in there, absolutely. He had a little spark on the ones he was involved with, for sure."

Question: Has Armond Smith progressed to where his speed would make him a candidate to be an important player?

Shurmur: "Armond quietly, and again you don't talk about him much because he's on the practice squad, he's quietly caught my eye. We'll see how he does as we move forward, but he's another guy that as we move forward and start to talk about the offseason, that will be very important for him."

Question: How important would it be to have Hillis back so you could concentrate on adding at other positions?

Shurmur: "We want outstanding players at all positions. We'll leave the contract stuff for the offseason. At this point, I'm just looking forward to him playing well these next two games and play in a way that I can appreciate his work and I think he's ready to do that."

Question: Has Cribbs slowed down because of the wear of the season?

Shurmur: "I don't know. He's a little bit sore, he was last week. I think he's like most players and he returns kicks. He's got a huge role on special teams and he's got a pretty solid role on offense so he's probably like a lot of guys. I'm sure he's fighting each week to get his body right to play."

Question: Is there a book on Wallace because his starts have been spread out throughout his career, and does he still have some surprises?

Shurmur: "I think I need a little bit more of a sample size working with him, but I've watched his stuff through the years and I've seen him execute efficiently through the years. I thought he did some really good things the other night. I'm looking forward to him improving on his first start here, for sure"

Question: Does Wallace have upside and might have something that he hasn't shown yet?

Shurmur: "We think he has an upside and that's why he's here. We're glad he'll be in there competing this week."

Question: Is Chris Gocong more suited on the strong side?

Shurmur: "I think he's shown he can play the outside linebacker spot on the tight end side and the weak side. He's a good player and he's made that switch pretty well."

Question: About Usama Young being an injury replacement and his future?

Shurmur: "I don't know in terms of his injury replacement, he plays in there as much as the other guys. We have what I consider to be a three safety rotation in there and all of those guys have dealt with injuries throughout the year and it think they've all handled it real well. I think he's doing some good things at safety, I think he's very effective close to the line of scrimmage, he plays well on the back end so he's doing those things. We just talked about Josh Cribbs, he's like all guys at this time of year, they're fighting through getting their body right to play each Sunday and he's done a good job of that."

Also, Akron and former football coach Rob Ianello reached a $250,000 settlement to buy out the remaining three years on Ianello's contract.

View full sizeAP fileKent State head coach Darrell Hazell.

Fisher of Oceanside, Calif., who has two years of eligibility, will join the Golden Flashes in January and compete in the spring season.

Because he is a junior-college player, he is allowed to sign with KSU ahead of February's national signing day for high school seniors.

During the 2011 season, Fisher was named National Southern Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Year. He helped Palomar to a 7-4 record and an appearance in the Southern California Community College semifinals. Fisher completed 184 of 333 passes for 2,539 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also ran for 403 yards and seven touchdowns.

"He has tremendous will and very good quarterback skills," KSU coach Darrell Hazell said. "He's a proven winner with a lot of toughness."

While at Vista (Calif.) High School, Fisher earned All-Palomar Conference First Team honors in both his junior and senior seasons.

Fisher spent the 2009 season at Nevada, but did not appear in a regular-season game.

The Golden Flashes were 5-7 this season.

Zips, Ianello settle: Akron and former football coach Rob Ianello reached a $250,000 settlement to buy out the remaining three years on Ianello's contract. Akron fired Ianello after a second straight 1-11 season this fall.

Ianello gave up the remaining $1 million-plus he would have received over the next three years so he can accept a coaching job at another college.

Akron is continuing its search for Ianello's replacement.

SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — Richmond Heights knows where it wants to go this basketball season. After going 24-1 and reaching the Division IV regional semifinals last season, the destination is definitely Columbus in March. Under first-year coach Jason Priah, the route the Spartans want to take is stifling defense and efficient offense. They got both Tuesday night in the...

Richmond Heights' Kareem Rock shoots over Akron East's Charles Travis during the second half Wednesday at Shaker Heights. - (Lonnie Timmons III, PD)

SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — Richmond Heights knows where it wants to go this basketball season. After going 24-1 and reaching the Division IV regional semifinals last season, the destination is definitely Columbus in March.

Under first-year coach Jason Priah, the route the Spartans want to take is stifling defense and efficient offense. They got both Tuesday night in the opening game of the second annual Bob Wonson Memorial Classic at Shaker Heights High as they knocked off stubborn Akron East, 75-62.

"Defense wins games, offense sells tickets," said Richmond Heights senior forward Tommy Scales, who led his club with 22 points. "We've got to continue to play defense, no matter if we get 10 shots in a row. We've still got a lot to work on."

Those are words Priah likes to hear.

The Spartans, ranked 16th in The Plain Dealer Top 25, did enough to improve to 5-0, showing in spurts that they will be a force in the state's smallest division.

After allowing the Dragons to hang around for three quarters, they put the game out of reach with an 18-9 run to open the fourth quarter and built a 67-52 advantage. Senior guard Ishaam Smith scored the first nine points of the run on four baskets and a free throw.

"Basketball is a game of runs and we kept pushing," said Smith, who finished with 18 points. "We stopped them on defense and that's been our emphasis."

The Spartans were not too shabby on offense during the final eight minutes as they connected on 11 of 15 shots. They finished an unofficial 33-for-63 from the field.

Junior guard Rico Jones contributed 15 points, which Priah was quick to point out.

"With the guards we have, I wouldn't trade them for anyone in the area," Priah said. "I'm trying to get them to be defensive minded. We've got some talented basketball players and it's defense that wins championships."

Richmond Heights used its nonstop defensive pressure and up-tempo offensive pace to turn it into a track meet. There were lapses, but the pressure took its toll as the Dragons committed 22 turnovers and managed 21-for-46 shooting.

"We like to play quick, not fast," said Akron East coach Ross Fiorello, whose club dropped took its first loss in four games. "Our kids got caught up in that tempo. We kept coming back, but we'd make that one mistake and off they'd go again."

Trailing throughout, the Dragons got the deficit down to 49-43 after a basket by junior Quinn Nash to open the fourth. But Richmond Heights decided matters with its last run.

Akron East senior guard Davonte Brunson led all scorers with 25 points, 13 in the fourth quarter. Backcourt mate Mycle Shadie had 21, connecting on a pair of 3-pointers in the second half.

The Dragons got the first basket of the game by Brunson, but then saw the Spartans run off the next 11 points. They managed to cut the deficit to 15-12 after the first quarter.

East turnovers continued to mount and Richmond Heights took advantage to go on a 9-2 run in the second quarter for a 26-14 lead. Akron East had only two baskets in the second quarter to trail at halftime, 31-22.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jmaxse@plaind.com, 216-999-5168

On Twitter: @JoeMaxse

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — Now in her third season at Cleveland Heights, veteran girls basketball coach Kim Hansen is still trying to get her program established. Early returns this season have been mostly positive, but after Wednesday's Lake Erie League victory over visiting Shaw, 55-39, Hansen couldn't hide her feelings.

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — Now in her third season at Cleveland Heights, veteran girls basketball coach Kim Hansen is still trying to get her program established.

Early returns this season have been mostly positive, but after Wednesday's Lake Erie League victory over visiting Shaw, 55-39, Hansen couldn't hide her feelings.

"I just told the girls that I was very disappointed that we couldn't play them man[-to-man]," Hansen said. "But we played a defense that worked against Shaw. That's good news and bad news. We're going to go back to working hard on our man defense."

Seemingly caught off-guard by the speed at which the Cardinals played, Cleveland Heights watched Shaw point guard Chanel Davis penetrate and draw fouls, dish to open teammates and also hit an open 3-pointer, as the Cardinals went on a 19-6 run to open a 19-12 lead early in the second quarter.

"Their speed to the basket was incredible," Hansen said. "They were fast, they were physical and they were hungry."

The solution was quite simple, really -- stop playing man-to-man. Employing a stacked 2-3 zone in which the guards picked up the Shaw guards about 30 feet from the basket and stopped penetration, the Tigers finally settled down and held the Cardinals to just 20 points for the remainder of the game.

"Their zone slowed us down and turned us into a jump-shooting team," Shaw coach Dana Jeter said. "It really became a mental thing that our girls couldn't shake. We missed a few shots and had a few turnovers, and they got their running game going and then we just couldn't find our rhythm."

Once the Tigers started defending better, they also went to the other staple of their program -- inside play. In fact, after sophomore Arion Jackson hit a 3-pointer to open the game's scoring, Cleveland Heights never hit an outside shot again. Everything was either free throws or layups.

"We needed to get the ball inside," Hansen said. "Everybody knows that's our strength. We know that's our strength. But sometimes we get away from it."

Cleveland Heights had four players score in double figures, led by Supriya Frierson with 13. Ashaunti Abshaw added 12 points and Jackson and Jasmine Harper each had 11, as the Tigers, ranked No. 12 in The Plain Dealer Top 25, upped their record to 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the LEL.

Davis finished with 17 points to lead the young Cardinals, who suffered their first loss of the season to drop to 5-1, 2-1. Shaw, ranked 25th, started three sophomores and a junior to go with Davis, who is a senior.

Joe Magill is a freelance writer in Cleveland.

St. Edward tackle Kyle Kalis is one of six finalists for the Anthony Munoz Lineman of the Year Award, given to the top high school lineman in the country, it was announced Wednesday. The award, named for former USC All-American and Cincinnati Bengals Hall of Fame offensive tackle Anthony Munoz, will be awarded Jan. 6 in San Antonio during...

Kyle Kalis - (PD)

St. Edward tackle Kyle Kalis is one of six finalists for the Anthony Munoz Lineman of the Year Award, given to the top high school lineman in the country, it was announced Wednesday.

The award, named for former USC All-American and Cincinnati Bengals Hall of Fame offensive tackle Anthony Munoz, will be awarded Jan. 6 in San Antonio during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl awards dinner.

Other nominees are Darius Hamilton of Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, N.J.; D.J. Humphries of Mallard Creek High in Charlotte, N.C.; Ellis McCarthy of Monrovia (Calif.) High; Kyle Murphy of San Clemente (Calif.) High; and Adolphus Washington of Cincinnati Taft High.

Kalis was named a first-team selection earlier this week on the Sports Illustrated All-America team. He had a 90 percent blocking efficiency this year for the Eagles, with 32 pancake blocks.

He has announced he will play college football at Michigan. Washington has orally committed to Ohio State.

-- From staff reports

Randal Holt has 20 points and Carlton Guyton 18 for the Golden Flashes, who suffer their second loss of the season.

View full sizeHerald-Journal via APKent State's Chris Evans shoots over Texas-Arlington's Cameron Catlett during the second half Wednesday in Logan, Utah.

Bo Ingram added 16 points and Jordan Reeves had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Mavericks (5-5). Reed shot 7-of-12 on the night, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range.

Randal Holt (Glenville) had 20 points and Carlton Guyton 18 for Kent State (8-2). Justin Greene added 17 points and 10 rebounds. After Holt made one of two free throws for Kent State, Reed hit his go-ahead shot from behind the arc. A long half-court attempt by Michael Porrini just missed as the buzzer sounded.

The game was part of the Athletes in Action Holiday Classic, hosted by Utah State University.

Next up for the Golden Flashes in the tournament is Utah State tonight at 10. Kent defeated St. Peter's, 67-58, in the opening game of the tournament on Tuesday.

Against Texas-Arlington, Kent shot 26-of-59 (44 percent) from the field and made 9 of 21 3-point attempts (43 percent). The Golden Flashes hit 12 of 18 free throws (67 percent) and outrebounded the Mavericks, 37-36.

Kent committed 16 turnovers to Texas-Arlington's 15.

The question for Akron head coach Keith Dambrot is: Did the past four games prepare the Zips to play and win against quality competition?

View full sizeAkron coach Keith Dambrot.

AKRON, Ohio — After comfortable double-digit victories against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Florida A&M, Youngstown State and Wednesday night over North Carolina A&T, 79-52, the Akron Zips (7-5) have climbed above .500 on the season and now get to find out if they are ready for prime time.

Following an eight-day holiday break, Akron returns Dec. 29 at Rhodes Arena against Virginia Commonwealth. The Rams (8-3) advanced to the NCAA Final Four last season and are currently winners of five straight. Like the Zips, all are double-digit wins.

The question for Akron head coach Keith Dambrot is: Did the past four games prepare the Zips to play and win against quality competition? Since the season-opening upset against Mississippi State, Akron struggled in setbacks against the likes of Duquesne, Valparaiso, West Virginia, Middle Tennessee and Cleveland State.

One thing is certain, the Zips know where their bread is buttered. Center Zeke Marshall had 20 points, eight rebounds and five blocked shots against the Aggies.

"That's the biggest thing, [No.] 44 [Marshall] is saving us," Dambrot said. "He's blocking every mistake we make. We're the least-sound defensive team we've ever had. When Zeke's on the floor, we're pretty good. If we don't have him, we stink."

Power forward Nik Cvetinovic had a double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds), and backup power forward Demetrius Treadwell was close to one (eight points, nine boards). All the inside production opened the perimeter, where 6-4 transfer guard Brian Walsh had a career-high 15 points, making four of six 3-pointers.

It all starts with Marshall, the 7-0 junior pivot who is slowly blooming into an all-around player.

"I believe I'm playing very well," Marshall said. "I want to keep it up."

Akron outrebounded A&T, 51-29, and with Marshall knocking down 10 of 13 free throws, there was little Akron could complain about. But now the going gets rougher, first with VCU, then on the road to Marshall, followed by Mid-American Conference play.

"So where are we?" Dambrot asked. "I don't know, but I think we're going to be good, if we survive until February. The key will be in a close game, are we the old Akron Zips that can pull out a win, or the new Akron Zips? I don't know the answer."

The Aggies didn't make it easy for the Zips early, as they built leads of 14-4 and 17-9 early on before Akron put together a 10-0 run that extended to 15-2 for a 24-19 advantage with seven minutes to play in the half. But instead of padding that lead, the Zips fell asleep for a moment and the Aggies answered with a 10-0 run to regain the lead, 29-24.

That got the Zips attention for good, as they closed out the half with a 16-3 run for a 40-32 halftime lead. During the final 20 minutes, the Zips slowly pulled away, and they now wait to see if they are ready for prime time after the Christmas break.

Americans goalie Drew MacIntyre holds the Monsters to one score even though Lake Erie has 34 shots on goal.

The Monsters (13-15-1-1) winged the puck at Americans goalie Drew MacIntyre 34 times while Rochester (13-12-4-1) took 16 shots at Lake Erie goalie Cedrick Desjardins.

Desjardins got credit for 16 saves, as one of the Americans' goals was an empty-netter scored with 23 seconds left.

Rochester led, 2-0, in the third period until the Monsters' Hugh Jessiman potted his 12th goal of the season, which came on the power play, at 11:52.

The Monsters are off until next Wednesday, when they host the Grand Rapids Griffins at The Q.

The Baldwin-Wallace men, led by Kyle Payne's 16 points and seven rebounds, defeat Hendrix.

Women

Northeastern 73, Kent State 65 Trisha Krewson scored a career- and game-high 20 points but the Golden Flashes (1-8) lost to the Huskies (2-9) at home.

KSU's Tamzin Barroilhet had a game-high seven assists.

Ole Miss 74, Cleveland State 63 Honesty King (Elyria) and Takima Keane each scored 20 points but the Vikings (4-6) fell to the Rebels (9-3) at the Magnolia Classic in Oxford, Miss.

CSU's Destinee Blue had a game-high eight rebounds.

Men

Baldwin-Wallace 79, Hendrix (Ark.) 63 Kyle Payne (Brunswick) scored 16 points and had seven rebounds to lead the Yellow Jackets (7-3) past the Warriors (2-7) in the consolation game of the Transylvania University Don Lane Tournament in Lexington, Ky.

Ohio State's men's team hosts Miami (Ohio) at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, while the women's team hosts Washington State at Value City Arena.

TODAY

Men

No. 2 Ohio State vs. Miami (Ohio)

Tipoff: 8:30 p.m. at Nationwide Arena, Columbus.

TV/radio: Big Ten Network; WKNR AM/850.

Notable: The Buckeyes are playing at Nationwide Arena, home of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets because Nationwide is hosting NCAA Tournament games in 2012. Since Ohio State is serving as the host school for those games, the Buckeyes have to play one regular-season game in the arena. Ohio State will not be allowed to play NCAA Tournament games in Columbus, however. Senior Julian Mavunga, at 6-8, leads Miami with 20.3 points per game. He's the only RedHawk averaging in double figures.

Next for OSU: Dec. 28 vs. Northwestern, 5:30 p.m.

Doug Lesmerises' prediction: Ohio State 79, Miami 55.

-- Doug Lesmerises

Kent State vs. Utah State

Tipoff: 10 p.m. at Smith Spectrum, Logan, Utah.

Radio: WNIR FM/100.1.

Notable: Kent State (8-2) lost to Texas-Arlington, 74-73, on Wednesday in the second game of the Athletes in Action Tournament and will be watching injured PG Michael Porrini (toe) closely. The last game of the event against Utah State (6-5) will test the Golden Flashes as Utah State has won three of its past four games and has scored 73 points or more in its past three. Kent was on a six-game winning streak before losing Wednesday and has held four of its past five opponents to 58 points or less.

Next for KSU: Dec. 29 at Arkansas State, 8:35 p.m..

Cleveland State vs. Sam Houston State

Tipoff: 7 p.m. at Wolstein Center.

Radio: WHK AM/1220.

Notable: Cleveland State (10-2) will be looking to rebound from its second loss of the season. Sam Houston State (4-7) has won three of its past four after previously losing five straight. The Vikings will be looking to regain their defensive tenacity after allowing South Florida to become the first team this season to score 70 points against them. During CSU's previous six-game win streak, five teams scored 61 points or less.

Next for CSU: Dec. 28 at Toledo, 8 p.m.

-- Elton Alexander

Women

No. 11 Ohio State vs. Washington State

Tipoff: 7 p.m. at Value City Arena, Columbus.

Notable: The Buckeyes are playing their fourth game in six days after beating Southern Utah, 88-50, on Tuesday. Tayler Hill is averaging 21.3 points per game, while Samantha Prahalis averages 17.8 points and 6.9 assists. This is the fourth ranked team Washington State has played. The Cougars lost, 75-71, to No. 14 Louisville on Monday.

Next for OSU: Dec. 30 at Wisconsin, 8 p.m.

-- Doug Lesmerises

Cavaliers coach Byron Scott is still sorting out the end of his bench.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerCavaliers coach Byron Scott, right, gave center Ryan Hollins an earful during Tuesday's preseason game against Detroit.

Hollins fouled out of the game with 55.8 seconds left, sending Detroit's Greg Monroe to the line for two free throws that pulled the Pistons within 87-86. After an active 11 minutes in the first half, Hollins had four fouls and three turnovers in the fourth quarter as his emotions seemed to get the better of him.

"When he picked up his sixth foul, I was yelling at him to relax," Scott said. "I tried to tell him afterwards that he has to understand time and situations. You don't want to stop the clock and give them two free throws and take yourself out of the game completely.

"So I was a little heated up about that. I think he understands, especially as a six-year veteran, you can't make those types of mistakes. You've got to use your head a little bit more out there."

With center Semih Erden still unable to play because of a broken right thumb, Hollins is battling Samardo Samuels for the backup center spot behind Anderson Varejao.

Scott said he had not made up his mind about that spot yet and joked that reporters might not know who the backup center is until Varejao comes out of the season opener against Toronto on Monday.

The rest of his rotation seems set, with starters Varejao, Antawn Jamison at power forward, Omri Casspi at small forward, Anthony Parker at shooting guard and, eventually, rookie Kyrie Irving at point guard.

The backups likely will be Samuels or rookie Tristan Thompson at power forward, Alonzo Gee at small forward, Daniel Gibson at shooting guard and Ramon Sessions at point guard.

The Cavs have until Saturday to cut their roster from 17 to 15. Rookie free agents Mychel Thompson and Kenny Hayes are the most likely candidates to go, but Manny Harris has yet to practice because of an ulcer on his right foot. As a nod to the shortened training camps and sped-up season, teams can dress 13 players per night this season as opposed to the usual 12 in past seasons.

But those final rotation spots likely will remain in flux until the season gets going.

So far, Hollins thinks he's doing OK.

"I think I'm doing fine, right on pace," he said. "There's no way to really gauge what goes on. The season will come and we'll be thrown into the fire."

Luke Harangody made the most of the 56 seconds he played Tuesday. He grabbed a big defensive rebound and made two free throws down the stretch and could have won the game had he hit a wide-open 10 footer or gone to the hole as time expired.

"That's a tough position. I think everybody on the bench, coaches included, were hoping and praying he would've made it [the winning shot] because it would've been such a great story for him just to come, in that type of situation, and be able to win the game. I put him in a tough situation, but I thought he did a wonderful job," Scott said.

Erden remains a mystery to the Cavs. He has been hurt almost the entire time he has been in Cleveland since being obtained from Boston, along with Harangody at the trade deadline last season.

"There's a big question mark with Semih," Scott said. "I think he has tremendous potential, but we've not had the chance to see it when he's healthy. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks we'll get the chance to see some of it.

"The injury part is a concern, yeah. He said it was bad luck when I first saw him that he keeps getting hurt. I said his luck has to change sooner or later. I'm thinking and hoping for his sake it does this year. Hopefully it's the last injury he has for a while.

"He has to start drinking more milk. He needs to get those bones stronger."

Irving improvement: Irving has done enough already to impress fans and teammates during the preseason.

"I really like his game," Varejao said. "He's a smart point guard. He's sees things that other players don't see."

Irving had 11 points, three assists, two rebounds and two steals against Detroit on Tuesday, and he has averaged 16 points in the two-game preseason. Although he has made just 9 of 26 shots (34.6 percent), Scott was pleased to see him cut down his turnovers from five in the first game to zero Tuesday.

"I thought he did a really good job," Scott said Tuesday. "He got better from game one to game two and I just think he'll keep improving. I'm really happy with the way he's running the offense. The only thing that he has to improve is on the defensive end. I know he can defend a lot better."

Irving said slowing down was the key to taking care of the ball.

"When I played at Detroit, there were a lot of jitters going in my first preseason game," he said. "In this game, I changed up my pace. I just slowed the game down like I did at Duke. I had to make quicker decisions, which will be one of my biggest transitions to the NBA."

The last word: From Varejao, on rookie Thompson, who is more energetic than effective at this point, "He reminds me of me."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mschmitt@plaind.com, 216-999-4668

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

Urban Meyer adds UNC interim head coach Everett Withers and current Ohio State assistant Mike Vrabel to his staff.

View full sizeGerry Broome, Associated PressNorth Carolina interim coach Everett Withers is joining the Ohio State staff.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State has announced six of the nine assistants who will be part of Urban Meyer's staff after officially adding current North Carolina interim head coach Everett Withers and retaining Mike Vrabel from the current staff Wednesday.

The Buckeyes have four defensive coaches in place, with Withers and Vrabel joining holdovers Luke Fickell and Taver Johnson. On the offensive side, the Buckeyes have retained Stan Drayton, though he will move from receivers coach to running backs coach, and hired Iowa State's Tom Herman as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Withers will come aboard after coaching the Tar Heels against Missouri in the Independence Bowl on Monday. He'll have the title of assistant head coach and co- defensive coordinator. Fickell will have the co-defensive coordinator title as well, and Meyer said previously that Fickell will call the plays on defense.

Fickell and Withers, 48, were in the same boat this year -- veteran defensive assistants elevated to their first head coaching jobs after the previous coaches were forced out. Withers took over for Butch Davis on July 28 and went 7-5. Fickell stepped in for Jim Tressel on May 30 and went 6-6.

"Everett is extremely well-respected across the country," Meyer said in a statement released by Ohio State. "I've known about him for a number of years and followed his progress as a college and NFL assistant coach. He will be a great fit for this staff and I think he and Luke are going to work well together as the co-coordinators of our defense."

Withers told reporters in North Carolina that several years ago he discussed the Florida defensive coordinator job with Meyer. He said he wasn't worried about the NCAA sanctions that hit the Buckeyes on Tuesday.

"I feel very fortunate to be part of The Ohio State University," Withers told the Durham (N.C.) Herald-Sun. "I think the sanctions are what they are. Coming in on the front end, it gives us a chance to build a program and it will be a very positive thing in the long term. . . . I think when you are recruiting at Ohio State, kids want to go to Ohio State."

Vrabel will stay on after joining the staff this year, hired to coach the linebackers by Fickell, one of his best friends, after retiring from the NFL after 14 seasons. On Monday, Meyer said he was still considering Vrabel. Meyer said he wanted to watch Vrabel recruit and get to know Vrabel and his family before making the hire. He also spoke with his friend, and Vrabel's former boss, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

"Coach Belichick and I had a really good discussion about Mike," Meyer said. "While Mike is young, we both agreed that the unique experiences he has had as a player, coupled with the things he has already accomplished as a coach and recruiter for Ohio State, has prepared Mike for this opportunity."

Meyer said Monday he plans to announce his full staff Jan. 3, the day after the Buckeyes play Florida in the Gator Bowl.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dlesmerises@plaind.com, 216-999-4479

Expect coach Gary Waters to have the Vikings' defense playing at a high level tonight against Sam Houston State.

View full sizeTyler Tjomsland, St. Petersburg TimesSouth Florida center Augustus Gilchrist, right, eyes the basket over Cleveland State's Tre Harmon on Monday in Tampa, Fla.

No, the wheels have not come off the Cleveland State men's basketball wagon. One loss to any Big East team should not cause the current level of angst found among the Vikings' faithful. A 10-2 record should speak for itself.

CSU's defense was less than 100 percent in a 70-55 loss Monday night at South Florida. Raise a question tonight if that is the case again against Sam Houston State (4-7) at the Wolstein Center. But history says head coach Gary Waters will have CSU's defense back at full throttle.

For those worried about the consistent scoreless stretches of seven minutes or more during games, learn to live with it. Waters has won in the past with teams that went through similar droughts, and already has double-figure wins with this outfit. He calls it winning ugly. Defense remains the key.

"Winning ugly is when it's hard to score for both teams," Waters said earlier this season. "We're going to score. Let me tell you something. The worst thing a team can do is keep the game close with us, because we become stronger. They may have a chance, but the one thing we have probably more than most teams, is we have guys who can score.

"In these close games, we can score. We've just been inconsistent. But if you can't score, it's over. I say that sincerely. If you can't score on us, it's over."

So far, South Florida is the only team this season to score 70 points against the Vikings. In CSU's preceding six-game winning streak, five teams scored 61 points or less. Two scored less than 50.

Guarded behavior: Offensive consistency begins with the backcourt play of Tre Harmon and Jeremy Montgomery. Both have been sporadic during the first third of the season. Harmon is averaging 11.3 points per game and Montgomery is at 9.0. But neither has strung together more than a few consecutive games of dominant scoring efforts before fading back into the pack. In the past five games, Harmon has scored 11, 16, 24, 6 and 5. While Montgomery has scored 7, 7, 10, 12 and 9. However, both have made several game-winning shots already this season.

Up and coming: Freshman Anton Grady is on the rise. Recruited as a combo forward, the Cleveland Central Catholic product is seeing the bulk of his minutes at center, and has produced well so far this season. With starting center Aaron Pogue as inconsistent as his backcourt brothers, Grady has come off the bench this season to average 6.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per game.

His past five games he has played 24, 18, 27, 24 and 13 minutes, which is just as much a reflection on Pogue's effectiveness as Grady's.

The 6-7 freshman is also shooting a respectable 58.8 percent from the field and 69.0 percent from the free-throw line.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: ealexander@plaind.com, 216-999-4253

SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — Shaker Heights had better get used to this. When you are the top-ranked team in the area, opponents are going to be gunning for you every night out. The host Raiders gave their faithful moments of concern before holding off upstart Orange, 55-47, in the nightcap of their second annual Bob Wonson Memorial Classic on...

Orange's Will Carter fouls Shaker Heights' Terry Rozier during the second half Wednesday at Shaker Heights. - (Lonnie Timmons III, PD)

SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — Shaker Heights had better get used to this.

When you are the top-ranked team in the area, opponents are going to be gunning for you every night out. The host Raiders gave their faithful moments of concern before holding off upstart Orange, 55-47, in the nightcap of their second annual Bob Wonson Memorial Classic on Wednesday night.

If not for the heroics of seniors Terry Rozier and Robert Fomby, that No. 1 ranking in the Plain Dealer Top 25 poll might be a thing of the past.

"We are the hunted," said Shaker Heights coach Danny Young, whose club improved to 5-0. "It can wear on you."

Playing for the second night in a row after defeating Euclid on Tuesday might have played a part in it. But no one on the Shaker side was using that as an excuse. After letting a 13-point, home-floor advantage disappear in the third quarter, the Raiders had all they could handle from the Lions.

But with Rozier scoring 10 of his game-high 28 points down the stretch, the Raiders scored the game's final six points to get the win.

"There are no excuses," said Louisville recruit Rozier. "We practice hard. Every team is going to come in here with the target on us. We have to live up to the hype."

Rozier lived up to his rep as he tried to energize the offense with his moves to the basket and ballhandling. The 6-4 Fomby did the same, especially when he hit the boards for consecutive put-back baskets off Rozier misses in the fourth quarter.

"That's what I'm there for," said Fomby, who finished with 15 points and 16 rebounds. "I thought we all played hard as a team. We just have to play harder."

The Lions, ranked No. 20, were definitely out to prove they belonged against the top team. It looked as if things might get away from them when the Raiders scored the first six points of the second half to take a 39-26 lead.

But five different players scored for Orange as they closed the gap to 39-36 entering the fourth. They tied the game on a 3-pointer by senior forward Devaughn Wingard and had it even at 41-all on a layup by junior Will Carter.

The Lions trailed, 49-47, after senior Julian Turner scored on a drive with 1:58 to play. But they missed three shots and three free throws after that to end their upset hopes.

"We knew Shaker was going to be one heck of a challenge," said Orange coach Bobby Wright, whose club lost for the first time at 4-1. "We didn't want to coach or to play them tough, we wanted to win. We made some mistakes, but we're proud we left it out there on the floor."

Turner paced the Lions with 15 points, Wingard finishing with 14 and Carter eight.

As for the Raiders, they get to face another club looking to make a name for itself when they face Richmond Heights on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Orange will meet Akron East at 6 p.m.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:jmaxse@plaind.com, 216-999-5168

On Twitter: @JoeMaxse