BARBERTON, Ohio — If defense wins championships, Hathaway Brown looks well-equipped to make a run at its fourth consecutive Division II girls basketball state title next week. The Blazers started and finished strong at the defensive end in a 52-37 victory over Lake Catholic Friday night in the regional championship at Barberton.

BARBERTON, Ohio — If defense wins championships, Hathaway Brown looks well-equipped to make a run at its fourth consecutive Division II girls basketball state title next week.

The Blazers started and finished strong at the defensive end in a 52-37 victory over Lake Catholic Friday night in the regional championship at Barberton.

"Defense is our game," Hathaway Brown junior guard Vanessa Smith said. "We know whatever opponent we come up against, we need to play defense because that's our forte. Stopping them is what we came into the game focused on, and that's what we did."

Hathaway Brown (20-5) needed a defensive stand in the fourth quarter to secure a return to Columbus.

Lake Catholic (18-8) battled back from a big early deficit to trail by just a point late in the third quarter.

A jump shot by Kelsey Lancon cut Hathaway Brown's lead to 30-29 with 20 seconds left in the third quarter.

But Beth Brzozowski hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Blazers a little breathing room, and Hathaway Brown held the Cougars scoreless for about five minutes while they pulled away in the fourth quarter.

"Beth's 3 at the end of the third was huge," Hathaway Brown coach Paul Barlow said. "That was a big momentum lift for us. We played great in the fourth quarter."

Hathaway Brown's decisive run started with two inside shots by Stephanie Poland, who finished with 14 points, six rebounds and eight blocked shots. A second-shot basket by Smith (14 points) and then two Smith foul shots gave the Blazers a 47-33 lead with 2:29 left.

"It feels good, but we're not done," Smith said. "We're still hungry for what we're trying to finish here."

The game started with Hathaway Brown holding the Cougars scoreless until Erin Mog hit a 3-point shot with 4:25 left in the first quarter. It was the only basket of the quarter for the Cougars.

The Blazers finished the quarter with a 3-pointer by Brzozowski, a steal and a layup Brzozowski, and a drive by Smith for a 15-3 advantage.

Mog hit her head hard on the floor scrambling for a loose ball early in the second quarter. She returned to finish the first half but sat out the second half.

"She was a little dizzy and a little blurry," Lake Catholic coach Stephen Eppich said. "We didn't want to take any chances. It killed her to sit there and watch."

Lake Catholic rallied in the third quarter despite the absence of their point guard. Bridget Mulhall and Katlyn Spahar started the quarter with back-to-back 3-point shots. Delani Stopp's 3-pointer with 4:35 left cut the deficit to 25-23.

But the experienced Blazers were up to the challenge in the fourth quarter and are on their way to the Final Four for the sixth straight year.

"It never gets old," Barlow said. "It's a different group of kids and a different set of circumstances, but it never gets old."

Bob Migra is a freelance writer in Westlake.

WARREN, Ohio — Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Someone not in attendance at Howland High School on Friday for the Division III district championship game between fifth-seeded Berkshire and second-seeded Newton Falls could easily be fooled by looking at the box score.

WARREN, Ohio — Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

Someone not in attendance at Howland High School on Friday for the Division III district championship game between fifth-seeded Berkshire and second-seeded Newton Falls could easily be fooled by looking at the box score.

Final: Berkshire 43, Newton Falls 37. The Badgers made only 33 percent of their field-goal attempts for the game, but they were the very definition of accuracy compared with the Tigers, who hit just 24 percent (12-of-49), including 2-of-17 on 3-point attempts. The teams combined to miss 13 free throws in the fourth quarter alone.

"Yes, it was a very ugly game," said Berkshire coach Pete Moran. "But it was just the way we wanted it. I thought we were just tremendous, defensively."

The bottom line is that the 18-6 Badgers won their 13th consecutive game to advance to the regional semifinals Wednesday at Canton Fieldhouse against Orrville, which defeated Wellington, 61-51. Berkshire did it by upsetting the top three seeds in the tournament, and in the final, they completely took Newton Falls out of its game, holding the Tigers 27 points below their season average.

Berkshire's Tim Goff dominated the paint in scoring 21 points and hauling down 14 rebounds, but all he wanted to talk about afterward was the defensive effort of teammate Tim Ludlow, who hounded Cody Dillon much of the game and helped hold the high-flying forward to 6-of-20 shooting.

"He's one of the best scorers we've seen all season," Goff said. "But we have players like Tim Ludlow, who could probably score 30 a night if given the chance, but he was willing to focus on shutting down a great player."

Ludlow wasn't alone, as Berkshire also rotated Ian Munroe and Tim Miller onto Dillon, face-guarding him the entire length of the court. The Tigers struggled with the tight defense, opening the game by missing their first eight shots as the Badgers jumped to a 7-0 lead.

"We definitely set the tempo early in the game," Moran said. "We had some success face-guarding [Dillon] last year. We never wanted him to get comfortable."

With Goff scoring eight consecutive points, the lead got as big as 13 late in the third quarter, but Newton Falls came roaring back late in the game. Dillon finally hit a spurt, scoring 10 points in a three-minute span to cut the margin to two, 39-37, with 1:25 to play.

After Miller split a pair of free throws with 1:17 left, Berkshire junior Erick Burzanko found himself at the free-throw line with 39 seconds remaining and a 40-37 lead. Earlier in the tournament, Burzanko was in a similar position and missed both free throws.

His first attempt hit the front of the rim, then the backboard, then the rim again before it went in. His second attempt was good.

Joe Magill is a freelance writer in Cleveland.

News and notes from the MAC Tournament at The Q.

View full sizeAmy Sancetta, Associated PressCentral Michigan coach Sue Guevara has had a change of heart about freshmen players.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Rob Murphy sat courtside at The Q, and his team wasn't even in Cleveland. Eastern Michigan's men's basketball coach and the 2011-12 MAC Coach of the Year was on hand to support the school's women's team, which advanced to today's championship against Central Michigan.

Expect to hear more about Murphy, because he's quickly making a name for himself. His team was a preseason pick to finish sixth in the West Division and 11th overall. His Eagles won the West -- albeit the weaker MAC division, but first place is still a first.

Murphy also accomplished a few personal firsts: He's just one of four MAC coaches to lead his team to a division title in his first year, and just one of four first-year coaches to earn Coach of the Year since the award was first given in 1970. When first told he was a strong candidate for the award, his initial reaction was, "How is that possible? We're below .500," he said as the Eastern Michigan women rallied late against Toledo. "I was not expecting that." His Eagles finished 14-18 overall, 9-7 in the league.

It takes a village: Murphy comes from strong coaching stock. For seven seasons, he served as an assistant at Syracuse under Jim Boeheim, whom he called his biggest coaching influence, and at Kent State under Jim Christian for two more. Of all the players he's coached, a kid with a name you might recognize from his hometown of Detroit left a lasting impression. "The best player I've ever coached at any level was Antonio Gates," he said.

"When the game's on the line, you want him in your corner. He was second to none for what he brought to the table."

Gates went on to star in basketball at Kent State and as a Pro Bowl tight end with the San Diego Chargers.

Fresh princesses: "Don't ever let me say I don't like freshmen. I usually don't, but I do now." -- Central Michigan coach Sue Guevara, after a trio of first-year players -- and Crystal Bradford (20 crunch-time points, 12 rebounds) in particular -- stepped up to pull off the upset of the women's tournament, 69-66, over top-seeded Bowling Green.

• "We'll go to an eighth consecutive postseason. We're not done." -- Bowling Green women's coach Curt Miller, doing the lemons (a bitter upset after winning the past two MAC championships) to lemonade (a likely NIT invite) thing.

• "We got outplayed in this game for most of the game . . . but how 'bout those Eagles?!" -- Eastern Michigan women's coach AnnMarie Gilbert after her team shot just 25 percent in the first half, got outrebounded and trailed the whole game, but still survived a scare from Toledo.

What's missing? It wasn't until Friday's semifinals that one got the sense of a tournament in town. Until then, the ambiance of seeing a collection of fans from around the league, and The Q sprinkled with teams clustered together -- watching their peers play before them -- was all missing.

In the early rounds, the likes of Northern Illinois did not even bring its band or its cheerleaders, even though both its men's and women's teams had advanced to the quarterfinals. Fans from Akron and Buffalo, the top two seeds, were few and far between before the Zips and Bulls played Friday night. In short, there was no tournament buzz.

Attendance numbers for Thursday's quarterfinals, featuring Ohio schools Toledo, Ohio University and Kent State was only 3,351. That number was much better Friday as No. 1 Akron and No. 2 Buffalo helped to nearly pack the arena.

Names, names: Word out of Athens, Ohio, is highly regarded Kadeem Green, a 6-8 Canadian sophomore forward who left Missouri at midseason, is now cleared to enroll for the spring quarter at Ohio University. The hope at OU is, when the Bobcats go from a quarter system to semesters next season, that Green will become eligible after the first grading period.

Plain Dealer reporters Elton Alexander, Jodie Valade, Bill Lubinger and Dennis Manoloff contributed to this story.

Will Buford didn't have a big scoring night, but he hit a couple important shots and didn't take the Buckeyes out of the game.

APDeshaun Thomas goes up for a shot against Purdue's D.J. Byrd on Friday night. Thomas scored 22 points for Ohio State.

Thoughts from Ohio State's 88-71 Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal win over Purdue

* The best postgame line came from OSU coach Thad Matta, talking about the defense of Deshaun Thomas: "Deshaun is really taking to the defensive end. Deshaun is a very prideful kid, and there's been a point in his career where I just call him Shaun, because I'm saying there's no D in your game.  I've gone back to calling him Deshaun."

* Jared Sullinger received the ball in better position around the basket than he has in weeks. The Buckeyes seemed to do a better job on the angles they used to get Sullinger the ball, and Purdue didn't have a big man who could muscle Sullinger out of position. It won't always be that easy, but it's worth remembering what happened when they did get him the ball in those spots. Sullinger got some very easy looks on his way to a career-high 30 points.

Sullinger said after the game "I've been working on that," with freshman big man Amir Williams "being my guinea pig" as the guy who makes Sullinger work for it.

* Purdue coach Matt Painter was hit with a technical foul during the game and he could be seen indicating that he believed someone on Ohio State was grabbing a Boilermaker.

"One of their bigs was just grabbing our players out in the open on a ball screen defense, and I just pointed it out while he had two hands around him to," Painter said. "One of their bigs just had his hands around him, so I pointed it out to him and said he's got both his hands around him, and he stares right at it and ignores it.  So I can't repeat what I said to him."

* Thomas had already explained it to others when I got to him in the locker room to ask about the offensive rebound putback that I thought was the biggest play of the game for the Buckeyes. He slumped his shoulders and smiled in exasperation for a moment when I asked him to go through the play again. And then he said this.

"It's just a knack for the ball. I mean, my hand on it, I tried to tap it in, tap it off the backboard, then when I tapped it the second time I knew it was going to come off, so I tapped it into the rim to try to tap it and then the next thing you know, it came off to the left side so I just said I'm going to grab it.

"I know it seems like how can you think of all that with pace and movement, but it seems like you're in the zone out there, so I was just tapping and tapping and tapped it in the right spot and caught it and laid it up."

 * For a 4 for 10 shooting night, I thought William Buford was pretty much in control. In fact, this is the kind of game I said a few weeks ago that the Buckeyes need more of. Then, Buford was going back and forth between huge games and terrible games. But his 11-point, six-rebound, five-assist game, as teammates Sullinger and Thomas had big nights, was just what Ohio State needed.

He hit a couple big shots. But more importantly, he didn't take the Buckeyes out of the game with ill-advised shots. Certainly 4 of 10 isn't great. But it's a lot better than 4 for 14 or 2 for 10. 
 
* Big stat of the night: Ohio State's 16-7 assist to turnover ratio. That was the best for the Buckeyes in 10 games, since they had a 16-7 ratio in a win over Penn State. Since then, the Buckeyes had more assists than turnovers in just four of 10 games before Friday.
 

Donovan Robertson is nationwide. From Seattle to New York City, the Berea senior is establishing himself as the nation's premier high school hurdler.

Donovan Robertson - (PD)

Donovan Robertson is nationwide.

From Seattle to New York City, the Berea senior is establishing himself as the nation's premier high school hurdler.

Robertson broke the indoor 60-meter hurdles national record last weekend in Seattle, and he'll try to do it again this weekend in New York.

"I'm ecstatic. I'm riding on cloud nine. I'm happy to raise the bar for everybody else," Robertson said.

Robertson ran a 7.57 at the Brooks PR Invitational, a high school All-Star meet. The previous high school record of 7.6 was set by Wayne Davis of Southeast Raleigh (N.C.) in 2009. Robertson ran a 7.77 in prelims. His previous best was 7.78.

He will run the same event, which has five hurdles, at the New Balance Nationals in New York today and Sunday.

"I want to defend my spot there and hopefully stay No. 1," said Robertson, an Ohio State recruit. "It's really an extraordinary thing. I had never been west of Iowa, and I'm grateful for this experience."

At that pace, Robertson could put himself in position this spring to break the high school national outdoor 110 hurdles record (13.30) set by Dayton Dunbar's Chris Nelloms in 1990.

"It all looks good on paper, but there's a lot of little variables," Robertson said. "But don't be surprised."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: twarsinskey@plaind.com, 216-999-4661

On Twitter: @TimsTakePD

Acta opens his fortune cookie after a meal at P.F. Chang's and gets some positive reinforcement.

View full sizePlain Dealer file photoOK, it's just a fortune cookie, but Indians manager Manny Acta will take good news wherever he can find it.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Manager Manny Acta doesn't believe in omens when it comes to baseball.

"I believe in first-pitch strikes, catching the ball and people hitting doubles with the bases loaded," Acta said.

Still, he was taken aback Thursday night when he opened his fortune cookie after a meal at P.F. Chang's. The fortune inside the cookie said, "Your sports team will be very successful."

"That was unbelievable," Acta said. "I've never gotten a fortune cookie talking about sports in my life . . . and I eat a lot of Chinese food. So that was a pleasant surprise.

"What's so funny about it is I usually don't even open the cookies, but my friend said, 'Let's open it and see what it says.' My friend, who is pretty wealthy, opened his and it said, 'Your finances are going to be better.' "

View full sizeAP Indians manager Manny Acta.

Acta was so excited about the fortune that he took a picture of it with his phone and put it on his Twitter account.

"A guy Tweeted me back," Acta said. "He said, 'I hope you have a winning season so you can afford a better phone. He was complaining because the picture was fuzzy.' "

Friday, the day after Acta broke open his fortune cookie, the Indians lost to Milwaukee, 12-2. Perhaps the fortune referred to the regular season.

Fickle winds: The Brewers had 16 hits, including four homers, one triple and three doubles, against five Indians pitchers.

"It looked like the wind was blowing out for only one team," Acta said.

Dan Wheeler allowed one homer, Chris Ray two and Zach McAllister one. Lefty Nick Hagadone worked the eighth inning and gave up hits to three straight lefties. Wheeler, Ray and Hagadone are competing for two open spots in the bullpen.

"I don't erase anyone based on one appearance," said Acta, referring to veterans Wheeler and Ray.

Acta believes Hagadone is good enough to get lefties and righties out.

"Until he throws that fastball wherever he wants to, he's going to have a tough time being successful up here," Acta said.

Dotted line: Frank Herrmann, McAllister, Scott Barnes, Russ Canzler, Ezequiel Carrera, Lonnie Chisenhall, Juan Diaz, Shelley Duncan, Hagadone, Jason Kipnis, Lou Marson and Vinnie Pestano agreed to one-year deals with the Indians.

The Indians have reached agreement with all players in camp. No players had their contract renewed.

Nice gesture: The Indians invited the Chardon High School baseball team to Progressive Field on Friday to take batting practice in the cages and tour the Indians' clubhouse.

Three Chardon students were killed and two others wounded in a shooting at the high school on Feb. 27.

Indians owner Larry Dolan has deep roots in the Chardon community.

Big crowd: Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish of the Rangers will pitch against the Indians on Tuesday. About 140 reporters are expected to converge on Goodyear Ballpark to cover the game.

Since the ballpark has one of the smallest press boxes in the Cactus League, Bart Swain, director of media relations, is planning an auxiliary box to handle the overflow. Hey, it's the postseason in March.

Injuries: Rafael Perez (left shoulder) threw a bullpen session Thursday, but still has to throw to hitters before he can pitch in a Cactus League game. . . . Robinson Tejeda, trying to win a job in the bullpen, has a strained calf and can't pitch. . . . Catcher Chun Chen (right ankle) will be out of action for a couple of days. . . . Prospects Austin Adams and Tyler Sturdevant are still down with sore right shoulders.

Next: Justin Masterson will face San Diego today in Goodyear. STO will televise the game and it will be carried on radio at WTAM AM/1100 at 4:05 p.m. A split-squad of Indians will play the Angels in Tempe, Ariz., on Sunday at 4 p.m. MLB Network will televise that game.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

On Twitter: @hoynsie

While the Cavaliers have long modeled themselves after the San Antonio Spurs for the way they built a championship team in a small market, they have also patterned themselves after the Thunder and stars Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.

View full sizeJack Dempsey, Associated PressCavaliers coach Byron Scott respects the way Oklahoma City has built its team by wisely using the draft.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Cavaliers fans, imagine your team as the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Really, it's not that hard.

Former NBA Coach of the Year? Check.

NBA Rookie of the Year? Almost certain check.

Loud and passionate fan base? Maybe two checks.

While the Cavaliers have long modeled themselves after the San Antonio Spurs for the way they built a championship team in a small market, they have also patterned themselves after the Thunder and stars Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.

"Oklahoma [City] is doing it through the draft," said Cavaliers coach Byron Scott, the NBA Coach of the Year in 2008 with the New Orleans Hornets. "They got a chance to get Durant in the draft, Westbrook in the draft, Harden in the draft. That's how they've built it. They haven't built it going through free agency. They've built through the draft and developing their young players. That's something we think is very important."

In addition to his admiration for the way the franchise has been building, Scott has a special place in his heart for Oklahoma City. The Hornets played their home games here for two seasons after Hurricane Katrina.

"The Oklahoma City crowd is unbelievable," he said after Friday morning's shootaround at Chesapeake Energy Arena. "This city is unbelievable. Loved it here for the two years I was here, met a lot of great people, still have friends here. I haven't made my way back here like I wanted to, but I plan on being back to play Oak Tree [Golf and Country Club] again this summer, play a little golf, try to take on that monster.

"When we were here those two years, we felt then that they deserved an NBA team, and we're just happy they got that opportunity and they've taken full advantage of it."

Last man standing: Cavs center Ryan Hollins knows he's the last line of defense against the multitalented Durant.

"He's a tough cover," Hollins said. "It's not left to one guy. It's a full team effort on pick-and-rolls, going after him, making every shot tough, trying to keep him off the free-throw line. You want to try to make everything as contested as possible. He's great in transition, so guys have to get back. It's just making him have to score between two and three defenders."

Scott said Durant is unique.

"He's in a different [class]," Scott said. "There's not a lot of people you can say emulate the way he plays the game, because of his height and his size and his ability to put the ball on the floor to create shots for himself and his teammates. The last guy who did that was a guy I played with [Magic Johnson], but he was 6-9. But he was a pure point guard. This guy's a pure scoring machine -- totally different type of player. I love watching Kevin play. I think it's a joy to watch because of the way he plays and because he plays the right way. He plays this game because he loves the game and he wants to win."

Lesson learned: Scott thinks the only difference between the driving layup rookie Kyrie Irving missed at Indiana and the ones he has made against Denver, Dallas and Boston is confidence.

"He had the one at Indiana where he had the great look and missed it," Scott said. "That, to me, was a learning experience for him. Knowing him the way I know him already, I thought if he got another opportunity, he was going to make sure he didn't miss it. He's had that opportunity three or four times, and he's been able to deliver on all of 'em, so it's great when you have a young man who, first of all, wants the ball in that situation. He likes being in that situation. He's not afraid to be a goat, so to speak. You've got to have guys like that. For him, missing the first one was probably the best thing that's ever happened to him because I think it has really made him focus every time we've been in that situation since."

Travel plans: With the rush back after the lockout and the tight 66-game schedule, the Cavs altered their travel plans in order to try and get their players more rest. Instead of flying out after games, more and more the team has been staying overnight and flying the next day, if the schedule permits. On back-to-backs, obviously, it's not possible.

"I like it right now," Scott said of the new plan. "I enjoy the fact that we get to stay over and guys can get some sleep, get up the next day and get a workout in and get on the plane. We don't have to worry when we get into that city, trying to find a gym or anything like that. As opposed to last year, I kind of like this setup better. We'll take a look at it when this is all said and done and get ready for next year. But right now, I really like the fact that, if we have an opportunity to stay in town, I think it does help with our guys getting more rest."

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

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

UPDATED: It is the third victory this season for the Zips over the Golden Flashes as Akron benefits from sizzling 3-point shootings and a strong effort from bench players.

View full sizePhil Masturzo, Akron Beacon JournalKent State's Michael Porrini fouls Akron's Zeke Marshall (44) during the second half Friday at The Q. Akron defeated Kent State, 78-74.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Both teams were hot, but in the end only one was hot enough as top-seeded Akron pulled out a 78-74 men's college basketball victory over rival Kent State on Friday night in the Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinals at The Q.

It was the third victory this season for the Zips over the Golden Flashes. While both teams had strong shooting nights, the Zips came with sizzling 3-point shooting (8-of-19), tenacious rebounding (34-23) and a strong effort off the bench -- none of which the Flashes could counter.

"We haven't been hot like that in a month," Akron coach Keith Dambrot said of the Zips' 3-point shooting.

Nik Cvetinovic made 2-of-3, Chauncey Gilliam made 2-of-3, and Alex Abreu made 3-of-4 from behind the arc to lead the Zips. Add in 12 points and six rebounds off the bench from 6-7 Benedictine High product Nick Harney, and Kent just didn't have enough to counter. Add in every 50-50 play seemed to go the way of the Zips, and Kent just could not make the Zips feel much pressure.

"Any time they needed a big shot or a big play, they made it," Kent State coach Rob Senderoff said. "Whatever it was, they made the play."

Defense may have been the difference, but neither team had much of that as Akron finished the game shooting 46.4 percent to Kent's 51.0 percent. KSU got 20 points from senior center Justin Greene and 21 from Glenville High product Randal Holt. But it still was not enough. When the Flashes needed a play, they just couldn't get it.

Perhaps indicative of the night for Kent came with five minutes to play and the Flashes trailing, 64-59. A nifty steal by KSU's Eric Gaines led to a 3-on-1 break for Kent. But Gaines rushed his pass ahead for the layup, and Abreu stole it back, then went to the line for a pair of free throws to push Akron's lead to 66-59.

Dambrot and Akron players said it was nothing more than a gamble by Abreu to pick off the pass intended for the hot-shooting Holt. But the 5-8 guard said otherwise.

"I saw the 3-on-1, but I've been in that situation before," Abreu said. "I went with my instincts and read him like a book. Easy money."

Dambrot said; "No question he was gambling. It's 3-on-1, and he's 5-8. He's gambling."

Some missed free throws by Akron and a pair of last-minute 3-pointers from Holt pulled Kent within 76-74 with 15.2 seconds left. But Abreu hit a pair at the line to make it a two-possession game and send the Zips to the MAC title game for the sixth straight season. If the offense stays as hot, Akron could be headed to its second straight NCAA Tournament.

The first eight minutes of the game were played the way one would expect from rivals on a neutral court. Back and forth, nip and tuck, with every Kent State spurt answered by Akron. It was 17-17 at the 11:27 mark as both teams were shooting well and rebounding even. The spark for the Zips was Cvetinovic with eight points.

The 6-8 Serbian bumped that up to double figures moments later with a fast-break layup for a 21-17 Akron lead. Kent would stay close, 28-26, as both teams were above 50 percent from the field. But Akron began to exert itself on the boards, and that in turn led to a Zeke Marshall hook inside followed by an Abreu 3-pointer, resulting in a 33-26 Akron lead and KSU timeout.

The 3-pointer was now Akron's friend as the lead would grow just a bit, 37-28, as the Zips would knock down four 3-pointers to none for KSU. But a tough hoop inside for Kent, followed by a pair of free throws for Justin Greene, helped the Flashes stay in touch, 37-32, then 41-36 at the half.

Kent was shooting 58.3 percent from the field to Akron's 55.6 percent. But the Zips still had the upper hand on 3-pointers, 4-0, and on the boards, 14-9. Key to that was Akron's Harney with four rebounds and eight points off the bench for the Zips.

Kent began the second half going to Greene inside for a pair of hoops followed by a steal and a layup from Holt for a 42-41 Kent lead. But the Zips responded with three straight 3-pointers around a pair of missed free throws from Holt to go back on top, 50-42, and force KSU into a timeout at 15:37 to go. Akron would not feel much pressure the rest of the way.

"That was a big emphasis for us," Abreu said of the hot start. "We wanted to get out of the gate. But I think we would have won no matter what."

No. 3 seed Ohio State beat Purdue to advance to a Big Ten Tournament semifinal against No. 2 seed Michigan.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Under the basket as the shot went up from the corner, Ohio State's Deshaun Thomas slid out in front of the rim, tapped the rebound, tapped it again, grabbed it and put it back in for a six-point Ohio State lead with just over six minutes to play Friday night.

For a team that tied for the regular-season Big Ten crown but has some players that haven't been tested in a true championship situation, the Buckeyes' late run to pull away for a 88-71 win over Purdue in a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal was a stretch of basketball that can allow them to hang with anyone.

If Thomas hadn't won the rebound battle, Purdue could have cut Ohio State's lead to one on the next possession. Instead, Thomas energized a 14-0 run that included Jared Sullinger scoring inside, William Buford driving and making 3-pointers and Thomas again hitting a smooth baseline jumper.

The Boilermakers couldn't handle the assault of an offense sharing the ball and hitting shots, and led by Sullinger's season-high 30 points and 12 rebounds, and 22 points and seven rebounds from Thomas, the Buckeyes eased down the homestretch.

Ohio State's win set up the first time in the 15-year history of the Big Ten Tournament that the top four seeds advanced to the semifinals. Today features No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 4 Wisconsin, followed by No. 2 Michigan against No. 3 Ohio State. The Buckeyes and Wolverines split two regular-season meetings.

The Buckeyes (26-6), ranked No. 7 in the nation, will try to keep the offense rolling. Beyond the leading scorers, Buford added 11 points and five assists, while Lenzelle Smith Jr. also scored 11 and Aaron Craft had 10 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.

Ohio State started on the edge between crisp and rushed, not the first time the Buckeyes have sought offensive rhythm through sharp, quick passes in the first five minutes. The result was a 13-3 lead that saw the Buckeyes shooting 6-for-10 in the first five minutes while Purdue was 1-for-10.

Purdue got back to even at 24 but couldn't take a lead before Ohio State extended its edge that eventually reached 40-36 at the half.

No. 6 seed Purdue (21-12) got as close as three points in the second half on several occasions, but the Buckeyes never allowed them the energy that might have come with a tie game.

The Buckeyes beat the Boilermakers in their only previous meeting, an 87-84 win in Columbus on Feb. 7. That meant Friday was the first chance for Purdue fans to yell at the Buckeyes this season. When Smith went to the foul line in the first half, Purdue backers shouted "Block that kick," a reference to Purdue's blocked extra point on the football Buckeyes in the fall that forced overtime and led to a Purdue victory.

The late turn in this game went the way of the Buckeyes. Ohio State came in with four titles in the 14 previous seasons of the Big Ten Tournament, more than any other team. No other team has won more than two.

If the Buckeyes can remember how their offense felt late in the game, they'll have a shot at a fifth Big Ten Tournament title. And then maybe more after that.

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

UPDATED, with photo gallery: Antawn Jamison has 21 points and Anthony Parker adds a season-high 14 as the Cavaliers might be playing themselves back into the playoff picture.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The Cavaliers have been looking for a center to replace injured Anderson Varejao, who broke his wrist four weeks ago. Who knew it would turn out to be Antawn Jamison?

For two straight games, coach Byron Scott has shifted the veteran power forward to center down the stretch, playing him with rookie point guard Kyrie Irving and shooters such as Alonzo Gee, Anthony Parker and Daniel Gibson. For two straight games, it has worked like a charm, allowing the Cavs to knock off Denver on Wednesday and then record their biggest win of the season with a 96-90 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Jamison led the Cavs with 23 points, in spite of making just 9 of 25 shots. Parker added a season-high 14 points, Gee had 12 points and eight rebounds, and Irving finished with nine points and a career-high 12 assists.

Kevin Durant had 23 points and Russell Westbrook added 19 for the Thunder, 31-9, who came into the game with the best record in the league. It was just their second home loss in 19 games.

"That's a pretty good win," Cavs coach Byron Scott said as his team improved to 15-23, 7-11 on the road, matching its total number of road victories from last season. "Anytime you can beat a team this good in their building says a lot about the way our guys came and competed and the way we played. It was just like the last game against Denver, where we had a concerted effort for 48 minutes. That's all I've been asking the last few games, and our guys have been able to do that and we got a couple of very good wins on the road."

Asked how often he can get away with that small lineup, Scott smiled and said, "It depends on who we're playing. . . . I'm going to get away with it as long as I can."

Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks also went small at the end of the game, shifting Kevin Durant from small forward to power forward, so Scott had no choice to try and match it.

"I didn't want A.J. guarding him because he's too good," Scott said of Durant, the second-leading scorer in the league.

"I'm too old to be chasing him around the court," the 35-year-old Jamison said, laughing.

The small lineup gives Irving more options and more room to operate.

"It allows the lane to open up that much more," he said. "Having Antawn set the screen, he's picking and popping and I'm able to attack. The basket seems that much more open than when we have our bigs in. Going down the stretch, no offense to our bigs, we didn't really need them tonight."

That being said, it must be noted that the Cavs outrebounded the Thunder, 51-40, including 21-8 on the offensive end. They held the high-powered Thunder 12.3 points below their season average and limited them to 15 fast-break point, in part, because they took good care of the ball and committed just 14 turnovers. The Cavs' reserves also outscored the Thunder's, 29-26, which is the best the Cavs second unit has looked since Scott inserted Gee and Ryan Hollins into the starting lineup Monday against Utah.

"The one thing I thought that really helped us tonight is our second unit, when they did come in, there wasn't such a big drop," Scott said. "For our second unit to outscore their second unit, that's a big plus."

The game was close throughout, with 21 lead changes and 20 ties. Cleveland trailed, 85-82, before scoring nine straight points. Parker hit a fadeaway in the lane, Irving made two layups, Jamison added another and Irving made a free throw to break the game open.

Basically, everyone who played contributed, and with two straight satisfying road wins after a dreadful six-game losing streak -- their first back-to-back away victories since 2010 -- the Cavs have put themselves back into the playoff conversation.

"I would think by the end of the month, we'll definitely know if it's a shot or not," Jamison said. "We have to do a great job of bringing the same type of energy and focus as the last two games on the road to the teams going home. We've got our work cut out for us, but we have to meet the challenge and compete at a high level and get as many wins as possible."

Said Scott: "For us, when we compete and we play hard, we can play with anybody in the league. That's how we feel."

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

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

Here's today's and tonight's sports listings for TV and radio for the Cleveland area.

Sports TV and radio listings for today

AUTO RACING

12:30 p.m. Kobalt Tools 400 practice Speed

1:30 p.m. Sam's Town 300 qualifying Speed

3 p.m. Kobalt Tools 400 "Happy Hour Series" Speed

5 p.m. Sam's Town 300 ESPN2

BASEBALL

3 p.m. Chicago Cubs vs. Milwaukee WGN

4 p.m. INDIANS vs. San Diego STO; AM/1100

BOXING

10 p.m. Mikey Garcia vs. Bernabe Concepcion

Orlando Salido vs. Juan Manuel Lopez (31-1-0) Showtime

CYCLING

3 p.m. Paris-Nice, stage 7 (tape) NBCSN

GOLF

Noon Cadillac Championship Golf Channel

2 p.m. Cadillac Championship WKYC

6:30 p.m. Puerto Rico Open (tape) Golf Channel

HOCKEY

1 p.m. NHL, Washington at Boston NHLN

7p.m. H.S. state semifinal, St. Ed vs. University (tape) STO

7 p.m. NHL, Philadelphia at Toronto NHLN

8 p.m. AHL, MONSTERS at Oklahoma City AM/1220

8 p.m. NHL, COLUMBUS at St. Louis FSO

9 p.m. H.S. state semifinal, Syl. N'view vs. Olen. Orange STO

MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

11 a.m. America East final, Vermont vs. Stony Brook, ESPN2

11:30 a.m. Conference USA final, Marshall vs. Memphis, WOIO

1 p.m. SEC semifinal, Florida vs. Kentucky, WEWS

1 p.m. A-10 semifinal, Massachusetts vs. St. Bonaventure, CBSSN

1 p.m. ACC semifinal, North Carolina State vs. North Carolina, ESPN

1 p.m. MEAC final, Bethune-Cookman vs. Norfolk State, ESPN2

1:40 p.m. Big Ten semifinal, Wisconsin vs. Michigan State, WOIO

3 p.m. ACC semifinal, Florida State vs. Duke, ESPN

3 p.m. Southland final, McNeese State vs. Lamar, ESPN2

3:30 p.m. SEC semifinal, WEWS, Mississippi vs. Vanderbilt

3:30 p.m. A-10 semifinal, Xavier vs. St. Louis, CBSSN

4 p.m. Big Ten semifinal, OHIO STATE vs. Michigan, WOIO

6 p.m. Big 12 final, Baylor vs. Missouri, ESPN

6 p.m. Pac-12 final, Colorado vs. Arizona, WOIO

7 p.m. MWC final, New Mexico vs. San Diego State, NBCSN

8 p.m. MAC final, AKRON vs. Ohio, ESPN2

9 p.m. Big East final, Louisville vs. Cincinnati, ESPN

10 p.m. Big West final, UC Santa Barbara vs. Long Beach State, ESPN2

Midnight WAC final, Louisiana Tech vs. New Mexico State, ESPN2

MEN'S COLLEGE LACROSSE

11 a.m. Princeton vs. North Carolina ESPNU

1:30 p.m. Cornell vs. Virginia ESPNU

MOTORSPORTS

7:30 p.m. Supercross (tape) Speed

NBA

8 p.m. New Orleans at Minnesota NBATV

8 p.m. Utah at Chicago WGN

10:30 p.m. Dallas at Golden State NBATV

RODEO

9 p.m. PBR, Last Cowboy Standing NBCSN

SOCCER

7:30 a.m. Premier League, Queens Park at Bolton ESPN2

6 p.m. MLS, Columbus at Colorado FSO

WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Noon Big 12 final FSO

1 p.m. MAC final, Eastern Michigan vs. Central Michigan, STO

2:30 p.m. Pac-12 final FSO

4 p.m. MEAC ESPNU

4 p.m. MWC final NBCSN

6 p.m Patriot League final, Holy Cross vs. Navy CBSSN

6 p.m. SWAC ESPNU

8 p.m. C-USA final CBSSN

8 p.m. SWAC ESPNU

News of Washington leapfrogging over the Browns and landing the No. 2 pick blew up on Twitter last night, as Cleveland and national sports media along with fans alike took to their mobile devices and tweeted their frustrations, feelings of relief and speculations on the Browns' next move in a sort of collective therapy session.

APYou can now retire the hashtag #RG3toCLE.

Did the Browns dodge a bullet by not giving up the farm to draft Robert Griffin III or will they live to regret the night they watched their franchise quarterback of the future go to the Redskins?

News of Washington leapfrogging over the Browns and landing the No. 2 pick blew up on Twitter last night, as Cleveland and national sports media along with fans alike took to their mobile devices and tweeted their frustrations, feelings of relief and speculations on the Browns' next move in a sort of collective therapy session.

Here's a sample of some of that conversation.

Excerpt: A healthy Carlos Santana has been concentrating on his defense this spring under the instruction of former All-Star catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. A healthy Carlos Santana has been concentrating on his defense this spring under the instruction of former All-Star catcher Sandy Alomar Jr.

tony Dejak, Associated PressCarlos Santana is working closely with Sandy Alomar Jr. this spring to improve his defensive skills.

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- This time around catcher Carlos Santana is getting the Full Alomar. Last spring training, he couldn't handle it because of a surgically repaired left knee. This spring everything has been super sized.

Friday was not a particularly good work day for anyone wearing an Indians uniform. They lost to Milwaukee, 12-2, and were held hitless until Cristian Guzman singled in the seventh inning.

Santana was behind the plate for the first six innings. He caught new starter Derek Lowe for the second time in Cactus League play. At times they didn't look like they were in the same zip code, much less the same ballpark.

Lowe threw a wild pitch and walked three. The Brewers ran on Santana, but it didn't turn into the Penn State Relays. He threw out Carlos Gomez at second in the first. Santana was smooth and quick with his throw instead of trying to break the sound barrier as he did so many times last year.

It was no contest on the next two steals of second. Brooks Conrad did it in the second and Nyjer Morgan in the third. Both steals turned into runs.

"We're hammering on it, but we have to give him a little dose at a time," said Sandy Alomar Jr., Indians bench coach and catching instructor. "In work sessions, his transfer (moving the ball from glove to throwing hand) is pretty good. It's just that sometimes, when he sees the guy running, he tends to overload on his throws."

Santana threw out 21 percent (15-for-71) of the runners he faced last season.

"All he has to do is put the ball in the air," said Alomar. "His arm is strong enough to throw guys out. When he puts the ball in the air, sometimes less is more."

Said Santana, "Day to day I'm getting better."

Lowe, who was not happy with the way he pitched, enjoys throwing to Santana. They just had to get a couple of things straight. Lowe likes to throw his breaking ball to the outside part of the plate. Santana kept calling it inside.

"All that takes is a conversation," said Lowe. "OK, if we throw the breaking ball, I'll probably throw them away. He doesn't know that. Maybe he thinks it's so bad, I need to throw it in."

Lowe was laughing when said the last sentence of his comment.

"He was good," said Santana. "He kept the ball down."

No one is a bigger fan of Santana than manager Manny Acta. He's excited that Santana will get to spend all of spring training with Alomar, a former All-Star and Gold Glove catcher.

"He's got the tools to be a premium catcher defensively," said Acta. "He's got soft hands from being an ex-infielder. He did a tremendous job blocking the ball over the last couple of years. . .and he's got that arm."

Right now Santana's arm is blessing and a curse.

"Sandy works very hard with him, but at times Carlos puts too much emphasis on throwing the all 200 mph to second base instead of getting it there real quick," said Acta.

Last year Santana caught 95 games and played first base in 66 more. With the signing of first baseman Casey Kotchman, Santana isn't expected to play that much first this year. When he needs a break, he'll probably DH against certain left-hander.

"I think having him focus on one position in spring training will help him," said Alomar.

If it turns out that Santana, 25, evolves into a good catcher, but not great one, there will probably be few tears shed. The offensive side of his game is the money making side.

Last season Santana hit 27 homers, a club record for a switch hitter, along with 35 doubles and two triples. He's the only catcher in franchise history to have at least 30 doubles, 25 homers and 90 walks in one year.

Santana hit only .239 (132-for-552) for the season. From the left hand side of the plate, he hit .202 (75-for-371), but with 22 homers and 54 RBI.

So he has work to do at the plate and behind it. The final product should be a sight to behold.

Some pitchers say they're "working on things' in spring training. Derek Lowe says he's just trying to get people out.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerDerek Lowe wasn't happy with his second start of the Cactus League season Friday against Milwaukee.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- When a pitcher has a bad game in spring training, he has a convenient excuse. It goes like this, "I was out there working on things."

Translation: Since spring training games don't count, the pitcher was on the mound working on a specific pitch whether it go hit or not.

Derek Lowe doesn't run on that road.

"Spring training is a cop out," said Lowe, acquired from the Braves during the offseason. "You can say I'm working on my curveball today. Oh, yeah, I was working on my change up today. Then when you pitch well, you say "Oh, yeah, I went out there to get people out.'

"I've always believed that you always pitch the best you can. I've never believed that you go out to throw X-amount of any specific pitch. You try to get the guy out. That's the only way you can assess where you are."

Lowe threw three innings Friday in a 12-2 loss to Milwaukee. He gave up three runs on four hits and three walks. He was not pleased with his effort.

What was he working on?

"Today I was going to work with guys on base," said Lowe with a laugh. "That was my plan. I wanted to work on the stretch. I just tried to get it all in there in one inning.

"You don't go out there thinking, "I hope I'm not very good today.' Every day , you go out there and expect to have command and throw your breaking ball with more consistency. If not, you're giving yourself an excuse before you go out there."

On the three walks, Lowe said, "Three bad ones. How do you explain it? We were in the count to get a couple of those guys out and weren't able to do it. The style of pitching I have, you're going to give up hits.

"Chalk it up to not a very good outing. We're now on our regular five days and all you can do is try to keep getting better every time out."

Today's lineup:

Padres: CF Will Venable, 2B Orlando Hudson, LF Jesus Guzman, 1B Kyle Banks, DH Yonder Alonso, RF Jeremy Hermida, SS Jason Bartlett, 3B James Darnell, C John Baker, P Dustin Moseley.

Indians: CF Felix Pie, SS Asdrubal Cabrera, RF Shin-Soo Choo, DH Carlos Santana, 2B Jose Lopez, 3B Lonnie Chisenhall, LF Russ Canzler, 1B Mat LaPorta, C Lou Marson, RHP Justin Masterson.

Men at work: Jeremy Accardo, Hector Ambriz, Scott Barnes, Vinnie Pestano and Joe Smith are scheduled to follow Masterson today against the Padres. Pestano will be the Opening Day closer if Chris Perez hasn't recovered from his strained right oblique. Smith is guaranteed a spot in the pen and Accardo is competing for one. Ambriz and Barnes will open the season in the minors.

Injuries: CF Grady Sizemore (back), RHP Chris Perez (left oblique), LHP Rafael Perez (left shoulder), RHP Robinson Tejeda (right calf), RHP Tyler Sturdevant (right shoulder), RHP Austin Adams (right shoulder) and C Chun Chen (right ankle).

Next: In split-squad games Sunday, Kevin Slowey will face Texas in Surprise, Ariz., and David Huff will face the Angels in Tempe, Ariz. Frank Herrmann, Cory Kluber, Chen-Chang Lee and Tony Sipp will, follow Slowey. Chris Ray, Danny Salazar and Chris Seddon are scheduled to follow Huff. The Tribe's game against the Angels will be televised on MLB Network in the Cleveland area.

This trade would have almost assured the Browns of not being able to protect and maximize Griffin's talent.

View full sizeAPRobert Griffin III is absolutely worth the No. 2 overall pick, says ESPN NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay.Washington traded its top draft picks in each of the next three years to St. Louis for the right to pick the Baylor quarterback.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Three first-round draft picks for Robert Griffin III?

I don't make that deal.

Yes, I know what Washington did, shipping its top draft picks in each of the next three years to St. Louis for the right to pick the Baylor quarterback. Also in the deal is Washington's 39th pick this season.

Maybe the man known as RG3 will be worth it. Maybe Browns fans will add the 'No Deal For RG3' to the list of laments, along with 'Red Right 88', 'The Drive' and the other stops on the local football trail of tears. Maybe failure to out-bid Washington will forever haunt the current front office of President Mike Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert.

But I doubt it. And I would not have risked it.

Griffin is a unique talent and an exceptional student. It would be a shock if he fails to become a good NFL quarterback. But great quarterbacks need superior players to help them reach those heights.

This trade would have almost assured the Browns of not being able to protect and maximize Griffin's talent. Losing the top picks over the next few seasons cuts off the main flow of talent.

Besides, do we really know what was the final price? Suppose the Browns actually offered their top two first-rounders this season, plus their top pick in 2013, plus a second round pick. There is a report that the Browns did offer three first-rounders, but that was "too late."

I doubt it ... either the offer, or that it was "too late." The draft is April 26. Trades can't even be announced until Tuesday.

But suppose the Browns were willing to trade three first-rounders, would that have been enough? Who knows? Washington could have raised its offer because Washington is reckless and desperate, a combination that rarely leads to success.

Two weeks ago, I wrote a column saying the price for Griffin would probably include three first-round picks. Several readers argued otherwise. They mentioned the infamous Jimmy Johnson draft value chart along with some history where no more than a pair of first-rounders were part of mega-deals for rookie quarterbacks.

My counter was two words: Daniel Snyder.

The Washington owner doesn't care what he pays for free agents, trades or coaches. He spends wildly and cares little about next year's team. The problem is that he's not won in the present, despite all the big money and big names. In the last three years, Washington is 5-11, 6-10 and 4-12. Since Snyder bought the team in 1999, Washington has had only three winning seasons -- and six head coaches.

Why would a respected football man such as Mike Shanahan make this trade?

A) His owner wants it.

B) His record in his first two seasons was 5-11 and 6-10.

C) If he doesn't win now, he'll be fired because Snyder likes to hire and fire big-name coaches. So he won't have to worry about the future and those draft choices.

Some fans and media people say that no matter what Washington was willing to pay, the Browns should have paid more -- as if making the deal (even a damaging one) is the same as turning a losing team into a legitimate playoff contender.

But the opposite could be true.

Giving up three first-round picks, a second-round pick, and who knows what else very well could have ensured that the Browns remain out of the playoff picture for a long time -- despite the excitement that Griffin might have brought to Cleveland.

Paige Redditt's contested lay-in from the right block with 1.5 seconds left gave Eastern Michigan a 72-71 victory over Central Michigan.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerAfter Paige Redditt's winning shot, the Eastern Michigan Eagles were able to celebrate their Mid-American Conference women's championship Saturday and a berth into the NCAA Women's Tournament.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Right-handed Paige Redditt practiced the left-handed spin move over and over, day after day -- even year after year -- for just such a time as this.

Redditt's contested lay-in from the right block with 1.5 seconds left gave Eastern Michigan a 72-71 victory over Central Michigan on Saturday afternoon in the Mid-American Conference Tournament women's championship game at The Q.

"I knew it was going in," said Redditt, a 6-1 senior forward. "I think I jumped before it went in. It was surreal. You can't imagine the feeling I had at that moment."

Redditt converted a terrific pass from South Euclid's Natachia Watkins to send the Eagles to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004, when they also won the MAC tourney.

"What a beautiful layup," Eagles coach AnneMarie Gilbert said. "What a beautiful finish."

As the Eagles (23-8) prepare for the NCAAs, Redditt need not worry about Gilbert being in her ear about the lefty spin.

"Sometimes, coach Gilbert is like, 'Stop doing that move,'" Redditt said with a chuckle. "She'll get on me because sometimes it's not there, and she wants me to go baseline instead. But I've gotten so comfortable with it, it almost seems like I'm better with the left than the right."

In a semifinal against Toledo on Friday, she made a layup with 1:09 left to give the Eagles their first lead. Redditt later sank a free throw for the final point in a 59-57 victory.

With less than one minute to play against CMU, Redditt sought out Gilbert. The Eagles trailed, 69-68.

"She told me, 'Coach, no matter what the score reflects, we've got this,'" Gilbert said. "For her to be the one to make the basket at the end of the game is just amazing."

There were some tense moments between Redditt's guarantee and the make-good. Teammate Tavelyn James sank two free throws with 35 seconds left to give EMU a 70-69 advantage. James, the MAC women's player of the year, got to the line by drawing a foul in the lane -- at least according to the whistle. CMU players and coach Sue Guevara were livid, convinced that James had been bailed out as the shot clock was winding down.

"Tavelyn is the best player in our league," Guevara said, "but, um, I think the best player in the league gets protected. And I thought that's exactly what happened down the stretch."

The free throws were part of EMU's 19-of-25. CMU went 5-of-7.

"I think, if you look at the free-throw differential -- that's unbelievable," Guevara said.

It almost was a moot point. Chippewas freshman guard Crystal Bradford made a layup with 14 seconds left, then the Eagles committed a turnover on the way up the floor. After two EMU fouls, CMU guard Jessica Green missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with nine seconds to play. Watkins grabbed the rebound and dribbled to midcourt, where she spotted Redditt and put the ball on target.

"I made sure she saw me," Redditt said. "I was yelling her name, waving my arms."

The Eagles had elected not to use a timeout.

"We're a team that's better in transition, when we can catch the other team off-guard," Gilbert said. "If we can get it and go, we will."

CMU never got anything going in the final 1.5, thereby ending a remarkable run. The young Chippewas (20-15) went 4-1 in the tourney, including victories the previous three days.

"They're very talented and will have a bright future," Gilbert said, "but this was our moment, and I'm excited about the way we closed out this game."

On Twitter: @dmansworldpd

Columbus - St. Edward rallied to defeat University School in overtime, 3-2, on Saturday in a state semifinal hockey game at Nationwide Arena. Senior Gabe Lampron scored with 21 seconds left in the first overtime sesssion to win it. The Eagles (20-12-3) will play the winner of the Sylvania Northview/Olentangy Orange game on Sunday for the championship at 11 a.m....

Columbus - St. Edward rallied to defeat University School in overtime, 3-2, on Saturday in a state semifinal hockey game at Nationwide Arena. Senior Gabe Lampron scored with 21 seconds left in the first overtime sesssion to win it.
The Eagles (20-12-3) will play the winner of the Sylvania Northview/Olentangy Orange game on Sunday for the championship at 11 a.m. St. Edward rallied from a 2-0 deficit after two periods to get the win. US scored two power-play goals in the second period. Senior defenseman Conner Judson scored with 13:44 left in the period. Senior teammate Matt Wipper converted less than two minutes later, with the Eagles once again playing shorthanded. The Eagles cut the deficit on a power-play goal by senior Matt Geib with 12:10 to play in the third period. They tied it on a score by senior defenseman Alex Norton with 1:19 to play. After a review, the goal was allowed. St. Edward will be seeking its 12th state title.

For the Gladiators, it is the beginning of the Dan Gilbert Era.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer"It's nice to win a division, but we want to be ArenaBowl champions," Gladiators receiver Robert Redd (right) says in anticipation for Monday's season opener Georgia. "We won't settle for anything less this year."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Robert Redd simply wanted to make something happen.

In a first-round Arena League playoff game last July at The Q, the Gladiators led the Georgia Force by seven points in the final seconds of the first half. Georgia missed a field-goal attempt as time expired. Because the ball caromed off the net, it was live.

Instead of just falling on it, though, Redd -- the Gladiators' heart, soul and guts -- went towork. But he got trapped inside the 5 and pitched to teammate Joe Phinisee, who fumbled. Georgia recovered and scored.

The Gladiators never were the same and went on to lose, 51-40. The end of the  season was the beginning of Redd's anguish.

"I was ticked off all off-season," he said. "We did lose as a team, but there's no doubt that the play at the end of the half cost us. They got momentum and ran with it, so I take a lot of responsibility for the loss."

The day the 2012 Arena League schedule was released was the happiest of the off-season for Redd. The day got even better when he saw the Gladiators' opponent for the season opener: Georgia. The Force hosts the Gladiators in Duluth, Ga., on Monday night. For the Gladiators, it is the beginning of the Dan Gilbert Era. Gilbert's Cavaliers ownership group bought the franchise from Jim Ferraro in January.

"We've had a bitter taste for months, and our first chance to get rid of it will be against Georgia," Redd said. "Perfect. I'm glad Georgia is the first one, not the fifth or sixth. I can't wait for kickoff. I'm ecstatic, and I know my teammates are, as well."

Gladiators coach Steve Thonn, as coaches are wont to do, was a tad more clinical about the rematch.

"Georgia is a good football team," he said. "They knocked us out of the playoffs last year, so there is a little history, so to speak. We had a good camp and think we have a solid team put together. Georgia will be a good first test for us."

The 2011 Gladiators went 10-8 in the regular season and won the East. They qualified for the postseason for the second time in their three seasons in Cleveland.

"It's nice to win a division, but we want to be ArenaBowl champions," Redd said. "We won't settle for anything less this year. I know it's hard to do, but that's got to be the goal. And we have the pieces in place to get it done. We can go as far as we want, as long as we take care of the little things."

Everything starts at quarterback, a position filled again by veteran John Dutton, who started the opener last year at Spokane and tore his left Achilles' in the fourth quarter. Dutton did not return until the playoff game, coming off the bench to relieve an ineffective Kurt Rocco.

Thonn chose Dutton over Rocco coming out of last season.

"It feels good to be back out there with my teammates," Dutton said. "Last season was tough. Initially, all sorts of things go through your mind as to if you can return from an injury like that. It took a lot of hard work and intense rehab, but I feel good and ready to play."

Three of the Gladiators' top four receivers return: Dominick Goodman (120 catches), Redd (98) and Thyron Lewis (42).

"I've got all the confidence in the world in Goody and T-Lew," Redd said. "We'll pull our weight, trust me. And when you've got the general back there throwing, it's great. You're talking about one of the best to ever play in this league."

On Twitter: @dmansworldpd

Home wins take the edge off poor road trip for Miami, while Oklahoma City ponders' Cavaliers surprise.

View full sizeCharles Rex Arbogast, Associated PressDwight Howard's emphatic play -- and 29 points -- Thursday against Chicago reminded the Bulls of what they don't have -- a serious inside presence.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This week's assessment of the mighty and the not-so-much in the NBA, through Friday's games.

1. Miami Heat

Last week: 1

Heat lost twice to end road trip, but recover quickly back in South Florida.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder

Last week: 2

Cavaliers snap Thunder's 14-game home winning streak.

3. Chicago Bulls

Last week: 3

Derrick Rose is sick of talking about Dwight Howard, but Bulls seem more fragile than their record.

4. San Antonio Spurs

Last week: 4

Manu Ginobili is back again. Can he stay healthy?

5. Memphis Grizzlies

Last week: 9

Look out: No. 3 seed with Zach Randolph coming back.

6. Orlando Magic

Last week: 6

When you can't decide whether to buy or sell, maybe you should just hold.

7. Philadelphia 76ers

Last week: 7

When Evan Turner mystery is solved maybe their go-to-guy dilemma will be as well.

8. Los Angeles Lakers

Last week: 8

Good defensive team complaining about the offense: The Mike Brown story

9. Los Angeles Clippers

Last week: 5

Remember when some thought they would be a title contender?

10. Dallas Mavericks

Last week: 5

The champs have had a brutal schedule as of late.

11. Indiana Pacers

Last week: 11

For a minute, Pacers were third seed in the East, but like everything with them it went the other way quickly.

12. Atlanta Hawks

Last week: 13

They have been better since Joe Johnson, who has the richest contract in the NBA, got hurt.

13. Houston Rockets

Last week: 12

Rockets had lost five straight as of Friday.

14. Denver Nuggets

Last week: 14

Ty Lawson is John Wall quick.

15. Minnesota Timberwolves

Last week: 18

Rubio injury could devastate Wolves' playoff chances.

16. Boston Celtics

Last week: 16

This club will be happy when Thursday passes.

17. New York Knicks

Last week: 15

Oh, the Knicks are starting to play like the Knicks again and Carmelo Anthony is taking all the heat.

18. Portland Trail Blazers

Last week: 17

Blazers are 4-6 in their last 10.

19. Utah Jazz

Last week: 19

If only Al Jefferson could get a couple more games against the Cavs each season.

20. Golden State Warriors

Last week: 20

Warriors are 7-15 against teams with winning records.

21. Milwaukee Bucks

Last week: 21

Does Andrew Bogut want out of Milwaukee? Should probably could get healthy first.

22. Phoenix Suns

Last week: 22

Did not think the Suns would keep Steve Nash, but that appears to be the case.

23. Cleveland Cavaliers

Last week: 23

Cavs get two huge road wins against Denver and OKC, places where they lost by a combined 57 points last season.

24. Detroit Pistons

Last week: 24

Pistons get quality win over Lakers

25. Toronto Raptors

Last week: 25

Is Jose Calderon on trading block?

26. New Jersey Nets

Last week: 28

Latest Brook Lopez injury kills any hope of getting back into playoff race

27. Sacramento Kings

Last week: 26

No wonder the Kings don't want to leave Sacramento. They can't win anywhere else.

28. Washington Wizards

Last week: 29

Don't expect an Andray Blatche bobblehead night anytime soon.

29. New Orleans Hornets

Last week: 27

Hornets quickly slid back into form after win over the Cavs.

30. Charlotte Bobcats

Last week: 30

In rebuilding mode, they have expressed no interest in Peyton Manning

Shin-Soo Choo's solo homer in the fourth was one of the few offensive bright spots for the Indians.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerRight fielder Shin-Soo Choo hit his second home run of the spring Saturday against the San Diego Padres.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Shin-Soo Choo hit his second homer of the spring but it wasn't enough in the Indians' 4-2 loss to the San Diego Padres at Goodyear Ballpark.

 Opening Day starter Justin Masterson pitched three innings, allowing four hits and one run while striking out four.

 "They were swinging early, which was good and I was pounding the strike zone," Masterson said. "They scored a run but the ball was usually going where I wanted it to go."

 Masterson allowed eight earned runs in his first 12 innings of spring training a year ago. Saturday's outing was a decided improvement over his first start but he makes it clear he's not measuring himself by his statistics.

 "As you come into spring training the amount of throwing ramps up and you get looser and looser," said Masterson.

 The Padres added two runs in the fourth inning off reliever Joe Smith, who retired the first two hitters. One run scored on catcher Lou Marson's throwing error.

 Vinnie Pestano pitched a scoreless fifth, helped by left fielder Russ Canzler's nice catch of a Yonder Alonso drive.

 Lefthanded starter Scott Barnes, acquired from San Francisco in the Ryan Garko deal, allowed a single hit in two scoreless innings.

 The Indians scored their ONLY other run in the seventh when Canzler doubled in Andy LaRoche, who walked to lead off the inning against San Diego closer Houston Street.

 The Padres added a run in the eighth on Andy Parrino's homer off righthander Hector Ambriz. San Diego outhit the Tribe 14-7.

Jeremy Accardo allowed one run and three hits in the ninth.