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Offensive rebounds a big part of Ohio State men's basketball team's offense

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Ohio State's offense isn't always rolling, but the Buckeyes' ability on the offensive boards should keep them in it against Gonzaga and as they try to roll on in the NCAA Tournament.


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thomas.jpgDeshaun Thomas and his long arms are very effective on the offensive glass for the Buckeyes.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. — They are magical do-overs for an Ohio State offense that has needed them more than a few times this season. With Jared Sullinger carving out space, Lenzelle Smith Jr. flying in from the wing and Deshaun Thomas sniffing out the ball like a bloodhound, the Buckeyes' ability to grab offensive rebounds may be their most reliable play call as they face Gonzaga in a round of 32 matchup in the NCAA Tournament today.


"You have teams where they don't know how to execute on a consistent basis, but they still manage to put the ball in the basket," said OSU assistant coach Dave Dickerson, who works with the Buckeyes' big men and has 22 years of coaching experience. "This has been our team this year."


Offensive rebounds then are a hidden, but vital, part of the OSU game plan, as the Buckeyes enter every game knowing the double teams thrown at Sullinger, and sometimes Thomas, are going to cause imbalances in the opposing defense that will create space at the rim for the Buckeyes to attack.


Sullinger, who leads the Buckeyes with 101 offensive rebounds, works the angles and keeps opponents at bay with his backside. (Gonzaga's leading offensive rebounder, forward Elias Harris, has 69.) Smith, whom Dickerson called the most consistent offensive rebounder on the team and who leads the guards with 49 offensive rebounds, watches point guard Aaron Craft, and if he sees him stay back to defend against a fast break, he knows he's free to go.


"I just go the opposite way Jared goes," said Smith, who has found himself boxed out at times by Sullinger this season. "But lately every time I go to the glass, I guess the secret is out because I've got two guys hitting me."






And then there's Thomas, a player that Dickerson says has the best nose for the ball that he has ever seen in his coaching career. Thomas has 87 offensive rebounds on the season, using his right arm to keep defenders off him while often skying one-handed with his left arm.


"The refs don't see it," Thomas said. "It should be an offensive foul but some refs don't see it. Well, usually it's a questionable call. If a guy grabs me or wraps their arm around me, I wrap my arm around them. And I always have a knack for the ball."


Ohio State grabs 12 offensive rebounds per game, while giving up just eight offensive boards per game. According to basketball numbers guru Ken Pomeroy, the Buckeyes have the ninth-highest offensive rebound percentage among NCAA Tournament teams, which measures how often the Buckeyes grab available boards. Gonzaga is 27th.


But the Zags are coming off a 77-54 domination of West Virginia in which rebounding was a key. They tied the Mountaineers, 31-31, in rebounds on Thursday night and held Kevin Jones, one of the best offensive rebounders in the country with 30 more than Sullinger has this season, to just four total rebounds, two on the offensive end.


"You've got to box them out before the shot even goes up," said Gonzaga forward Guy Landry Edi. "That's just like we did against West Virginia. They have one of the best rebounders in the country and we did a great job on him. We have a plan for that so we can do a great job on Ohio State, too."


"That was a key for that game and it's a key for Ohio State," Gonzaga center Robert Sacre said. "We'll have our hands full, but we're a great team that loves to hit, and we're ready for that."


OSU backup big man Evan Ravenel called an offensive rebound "one of the most demoralizing plays in college basketball" for the other team. Thomas said one can "change the momentum a lot, more than a dunk."


For the Buckeyes to succeed, they can't live without them. Virtually every OSU player said if they play today like they did in Thursday's 78-59 win over Loyola, the season will be over. The second chances are the last line of defense.


In practice, Dickerson said the OSU big men are told to finish plays when they make moves in drills, so any initial miss is chased until successfully converted. And both Sullinger and Thomas are always on the lookout for the shot about to come, Sullinger saying he studies his teammates all season so he knows exactly when they're ready to shoot.


"They do a good job of doing some early work in the post, and when the ball is not in their hands they do a great job of getting in position and wedging their way to where the ball is going," Dickerson said.


All season, Dickerson said head coach Thad Matta has done a great job of playing to his team's strengths. And they've always known offensive rebounding is one of those strengths. So when the Buckeyes miss a shot tonight in what should be a 40-minute battle against Gonzaga, Ohio State's best hopes may just be starting.


Ohio University men's basketball team sends Michigan packing in NCAA Tournament upset

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UPDATED, with photo gallery: No. 13-seed Ohio University takes down the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines, 65-60, Friday night in the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional.

Gallery preview

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The screams from the band, the cheerleaders and the fans inside Bridgestone Arena said it all: "OU, oh yeah!"

No. 13-seed Ohio University's men's basketball team took down the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines, 65-60, Friday night in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional. It was the second time in three years the Bobcats pulled a tournament upset.

Junior guard D.J. Cooper, the MAC Tournament MVP, posted 21 points and five assists. He led four OU players in double figures, including Walter Offutt with 11, Ivo Baltic with 10 and Reggie Keely with 10.

"Coach always (says) big time players step up in big games, and I consider myself a pretty good player," Cooper said.

The Bobcats benefited from a string of Michigan misses and turnovers during final 4:05 after Wolverines had closed to 63-60. The game was not sealed until a pair of Offutt free throws with 6.8 seconds to play.

Not only are the two teams relatively close geographically, many of the players have rivalries going back to high school and AAU, adding a little extra spice to the game. Keeping emotions in check was key on both benches.

"We can't get caught up in personal battles," Keely said. "It's not just one person against another person just because you know each other. You have to stay focused and come out and play our game and hopefully get the win."

That's exactly what the Bobcats did.

Skilled but not overly athletic, Michigan was the perfect foil for the smaller and faster Bobcats.

"We were humble, but we were also excited for our draw," Cooper said. "We felt we could compete. We like the whole bracket that we got."

The Bobcats took an early 7-4 lead before the Wolverines responded with back-to-back hoops for a 9-7 advantage. The Bobcats, however, found a soft spot in the Wolverines' defense, scoring four straight baskets inside to take a 15-11 lead. Michigan would not get the upper hand the rest of the night.

"We're playing with confidence right now," Cooper said prior to the game. Cooper, in particular, was hot as he had 13 points in the opening half on 4-of-5 shooting with three free throws.

Both teams shot well -- 64.3 percent for the Bobcats, 53.3 percent for Michigan.

"They're the highest-rated offensive-efficiency team that we have played all year," Ohio coach John Groce said.

The big difference was on the boards, where OU had an 8-5 edge. As the first half wound down, the Bobcats went on a 12-4 run to turn an 18-17 deficit into a 29-22 lead.

A pair of 3-pointers were key, including one from Nick Kellogg that forced the Wolverines into a timeout with 5:14 before the break. Two misses and a turnover by the Wolverines led to a wild 3-point attempt by Cooper, who was bailed out on the play by a Michigan foul. He knocked down all three free throws, extending the run to 15-4 and the lead to 32-22.

Following a media timeout, Kellogg struck again from long range to make it 35-22. It took a Trey Burke steal and layup to stop a five-minute scoring drought for the Wolverines. This was soon followed by a Wolverines 3-pointer, forcing the Bobcats to call a timeout. But now it was Michigan with the hot hand as a Wolverines tip-in cut the lead to 35-29 by halftime.

The Bobcats kept their lead through the midway point of the second half, but never could extend it to double digits even as the hot shooting continued.

Needing a 3-pointer to tie, the Wolverines missed their last five shots inside the final 2:52. With seven seconds to play, Evan Smotrycz had the last of Michigan's 10 turnovers, which led to Offutt's game-clinching free throws.

OHSAA girls basketball: Hathaway Brown victory gives Blazers shot at fourth straight Division II state title

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Hathaway Brown has a chance to win its fourth consecutive Division II girls basketball state championship tonight. However, the seventh-ranked Blazers will need to play much better than they did during Friday's 48-34 state semifinal win over unranked Bellbrook to make it happen.

Hathaway Brown's Stephanie Poland reaches for a rebound against Bellbrook's Leisha Crawford in their Division II state semifinal game Friday in Columbus. - (Gus Chan, PD)

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Hathaway Brown has a chance to win its fourth consecutive Division II girls basketball state championship tonight.

However, the seventh-ranked Blazers will need to play much better than they did during Friday's 48-34 state semifinal win over unranked Bellbrook to make it happen.

"When we were up against it, kids showed some character," HB coach Paul Barlow said. "We need to do a better job rebounding, but I thought we did a great job defensively."

The team standing in HB's path to another state title is unranked Millersburg West Holmes (24-3), a 35-29 semifinal winner over No. 6 Lima Bath.

HB (21-5) topped West Holmes, 47-43, earlier this season. The rematch is tonight at 5:15 at Value City Arena.

Blazers junior Nia Marshall scored all of her 11 points in the first quarter to help Hathaway Brown take an 18-7 lead.

But after Marshall and 6-1 junior Vanessa Smith picked up their second fouls, the Blazers abandoned their inside game in the second quarter.

"We tried to go inside but that's a credit to Bellbrook," Barlow said. "They double-downed and sagged more with their man defense."

HB led, 18-7, after the first quarter but the Golden Eagles rallied to trail, 24-18, at halftime.

Bellbrook got within 28-24 in the third quarter, but the Blazers got two free throws and a basket by Smith to go up, 32-24, heading into the fourth quarter.

Erin Dorn's foul shot and 3-pointer were part of an 6-0 run as Bellbrook pulled within 34-30 with 6:29 left in the game. Two layups by Beth Brzozowski pushed HB's lead to 39-30 and a transition basket from Stephanie Poland at the 1:40 mark all but sealed the victory.

"I attacked the basket sometimes, drew some contact and my foul shots were dropping," said Brzozowski, who finished with 14 points.

Poland, 6-4, and Marshall, 6-0, chipped in 11 points apiece, three blocks each and teamed up for 16 of HB's 37 rebounds. Smith added nine points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

"We haven't played a team with three girls about 6-foot and with a hand in your face, that's hard to go against," said Bellbrook 5-9 senior Leisha Crawford, who had three points and three rebounds.

Chea Taylor's 11 points, 11 rebounds and four steals led Bellbrook, which defeated No. 4-ranked Dayton Carroll and fifth-ranked Dayton Chaminade Julienne, along with perennial powers Kettering Alter and Kenton Ridge, to get to the state semifinals.

Poor foul shooting plagued the Golden Eagles, who were 6-of-13 from the line. HB made 17 of 23 free throws, with Brzozowski sinking 5 of 6 in the final 90 seconds.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: bfortuna@plaind.com, 216-999-4665

On Twitter: @BobFortuna

Lehigh upsets Duke, 75-70, in NCAA Tournament

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C.J. McCollum, a graduate of Canton GlenOak, scored 30 points and Lehigh upset Duke 75-70 to become the second No. 15 seed to beat a No. 2 during a wild Friday in the NCAA tournament.

C.J. McCollumLehigh's C.J. McCollum (3) celebrates his basket against Duke during the second half of an NCAA tournament second-round college basketball game in Greensboro, N.C., Friday, March 16, 2012. Lehigh won 75-70. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

GREENSBORO, N.C. — C.J. McCollum, a graduate of Canton GlenOak, scored 30 points and Lehigh upset Duke 75-70 to become the second No. 15 seed to beat a No. 2 during a wild Friday in the NCAA tournament.

The Mountain Hawks are the sixth 15 seed overall to pull off the trick. Norfolk State edged Missouri 86-84 in the West Regional earlier in the day, and No. 14 seed Ohio knocked off Michigan to add to the madness.

Duke dropped its first tournament game for only the second time in the past 16 years, and this one occurred just 55 miles from its campus. The Blue Devils also dropped their opener against 11th-seeded Virginia Commonwealth in 2007.

The Blue Devils had no answer for McCollum, a speedy guard who's a two-time Patriot League player of the year and the nation's fifth-leading scorer.

It didn't help that the Blue Devils hit just 6 of 26 shots from 3-point range.

Lehigh (27-7) led most of the game, drawing support from North Carolina fans who borrowed brown signs from Mountain Hawks supporters that read "Go Lehigh" to root against their rivals.

Lehigh coach Brett Reed said before the game his team came to Greensboro to do more than just compete — and that's exactly what it did.

The Patriot League champions led most of the first half despite shooting just 38 percent from the field.

Lehigh grabbed the lead for good at the 8:21 mark of the second half when Mackey McKnight made a 3-pointer.

The Mountain Hawks' momentum continued to build as the game went on and they started to pull away in the final three minutes.

McCollum hit a 3-pointer off a screen from Gabe Knutson and John Adams followed with a breakaway dunk to push the lead to 61-54 with two minutes to go.

Duke would get as close as three twice in the final 30 seconds, including when Quinn Cook hit a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left.

Duke fouled McCollum on the inbounds pass and he made up for two earlier misses from the line by hitting both shots to seal a shocking victory that sent the Greensboro Coliseum crowd into a frenzy.


Cleveland Cavaliers to waive Kapono and re-sign Harris for remainder of season

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Kapono was part of Thursday deal that netted Cavaliers a lottery-protected first-round draft pick from the Lakers

Cleveland Cavaliers lose to Orlando Magic, 97-86View full sizeCleveland Cavaliers' Manny Harris will be back with the team for the remainder of the season.
CLEVELAND -- Jason Kapono's second tour of duty with the Cavaliers ended before it began.

Kapono, acquired Thursday in the trade with the Los Angeles Lakers will be waived, a league source said. The club plans to sign shooting guard Manny Harris for the remainder of the season.

Coach Byron Scott has hinted the past two days the team might bring back Harris, who played sparingly during two 10-day contracts recently.

The Cavaliers signed point guard Donald Sloan from the D-League Erie Bayhawks earlier on Friday.

The club picked up Kapono as part of the deal that sent Ramon Sessions and Christian Eyenga to the Lakers for Luke Walton, a lottery-protected, first-round pick and the right to swap first-round draft picks in 2013. Kapono, who played one season (2003-04) with the Cavaliers, will become an unrestricted free agent.

The team likely will pay him approximately $400,000 that is left on his one-year deal. The Cavaliers roster is back to a full 15 players. They host Atlanta on Sunday at The Q.

    


OHSAA boys basketball: Richmond Heights falls in heartbreaking fashion to Berlin Hiland in Division IV regional final

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See a photo gallery of the game here. CANTON, Ohio — It began as a solitary clap inside the Richmond Heights locker room, which had been hauntingly quiet as anyone with a heart would have expected.

Richmond Heights' Arthur Christian lays up two points during a breakaway Friday in Canton. - (Thomas Ondrey, PD)

See a photo gallery of the game here.

CANTON, Ohio — It began as a solitary clap inside the Richmond Heights locker room, which had been hauntingly quiet as anyone with a heart would have expected.

Shortly, two more hands joined in. And then four and six more. Finally, 30 more hands clapped in unison. What had begun as a one-man tribute became a resounding show of solidarity.

Given the circumstances, that's all the Spartans had left. It was all they could do to somehow salvage having their hearts ripped out for the second year in a row in the final seconds of the Division IV regional basketball tournament at the Canton Memorial Fieldhouse.

There is punishment and there is cruel punishment. The Spartans can speak of both after Seger Bonifat's 3-point basket from deep in the left corner with 0.4 seconds remaining gave Berlin Hiland a 41-40 victory Friday in front of a crowd of about 4,000 fans.

Second-ranked Hiland, claiming its ninth regional title, will play Arlington (23-3) on Thursday at 2 p.m. in the state semifinals. Unranked Arlington knocked off third-ranked Edgerton in the Bowling Green regional, 56-33.

Richmond Heights suffered a similar fate last year when it lost by two points to McDonald on a basket in the closing seconds in the regional semifinals. This one was a tougher pill to swallow.

The Spartans had the lead, 40-38, after defensive specialist Kareem Rock scored on an off-balance 10-foot floater from just to the left of the lane. Rock's basket, his team-high 12th point of the night, came with 8.4 seconds left. That's hardly enough time to tie your shoes but it was enough for the defending state champion Hawks to turn to a play they practice once a week for game-ending situations.

"I made a mistake," said a somber Jason Priah, in his first year as the Spartans coach. "We left too much time on the clock."

The Hiland play entails every player touching the ball. Bonifat, a 6-7 West Liberty recruit, was the last one to get his hands on it after a series of passes that included a no-call on what could have been charging on Dylan Kaufman, who steamrolled Tommy Scales to the floor.

"It's a call either way, it's a call either way," Priah repeated to make a point. "It's either a charge or a block, either way and I would have been happy with either. You have to call something. I don't want to blame the refs because I work my kids too hard to have them believe they were cheated or didn't get their due. But that was a game for the ages and that play was a big part of it."

Hiland made 7 of 15 free throws to 2 of 3 for the Spartans.

With Scales sprawled on the floor, Ishaam Smith had to drop to the basket to protect against a layup. That left the wing open and Jason Miller found Bonifat, who finished with a game-high 22 points.

"I thought it was a charge, definitely" said Rock. "We lost the shooter and he hit an unbelievable shot. We just have to take it. If we could have given just a little bit more."

The Spartans (24-2) trailed most of the game but had a 38-36 lead and the ball with 3:14 left. Kaufman, a 6-5 Findlay recruit, stole the ball at midcourt and put the Hawks on top with a slam dunk with 2:05 remaining. The Spartans wasted the clock and one timeout before Rock drove down the left side and stopped for his pull-up jumper.

Junior guard Rico Jones scored three of his eight points and got three of his seven rebounds in the fourth quarter. Arthur Christian came off the bench when Scales got into early foul trouble and scored seven points.

The Spartans made 17 of 43 field-goal attempts to 16 of 42 for Hiland.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: trogers@plaind.com; 216-999-5169

On Twitter: @TimRogersPD

OHSAA girls basketball: Millersburg West Holmes, Kettering Fairmont advance to state finals

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Laina Snyder scored six of her 10 points in the final quarter as Millersburg West Holmes rallied to a 35-29 win over Lima Bath in a Division II girls state semifinal Friday in Columbus. The Knights (24-3) play the championship game against three-time defending champion Hathaway Brown today at 5:15 p.m.

Laina Snyder scored six of her 10 points in the final quarter as Millersburg West Holmes rallied to a 35-29 win over Lima Bath in a Division II girls state semifinal Friday in Columbus.

The Knights (24-3) play the championship game against three-time defending champion Hathaway Brown today at 5:15 p.m.

Bath (23-3) led, 14-6, at the half and 24-21 through three quarters.

But West Holmes pulled ahead, 29-27, with 3:38 left, when Mallori Vess made a layup off a pass from Snyder. Snyder scored another basket off an assist by Rachelle Morrison, which put the game at 31-28 after a free throw by Bath's Emily Ruhe.

The remaining points from both teams came at the foul line.

Kettering Fairmont 54, Toledo Notre Dame 45 Kettering Fairmont used a huge advantage from the foul line to beat Toledo Notre Dame Academy, 54-45, in a girls Division I basketball semifinal.

Kettering Fairmont's Kathryn Westbeld and Chelsea Welch had 16 points apiece, and Makayla Waterman added 13.

The 24-3 Firebirds return to the title game and will face Twinsburg today at 8:30 p.m. Twinsburg defeated Fairmont in last year's final.

Notre Dame ends its season at 22-5.

In its first state appearance, it went cold in the fourth quarter, missing 12 straight shots as Fairmont reeled off eight consecutive points for a 48-32 lead with 3:40 to play.

Fairmont made 26 of 32 free throws. Notre Dame made 6 of 8.

Demy Whitaker had 20 points for Notre Dame, including three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.

South Florida's Stan Heath puts trust in players: NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Nashville Insider

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Plain Dealer reporter Elton Alexander offers an inside look at the NCAA Tournament.

stan heath.JPGView full sizeSouth Florida coach Stan Heath.
Remember when: South Florida head coach Stan Heath was asked to compare his Bulls to his Kent State Elite Eight team from 2002. He compared the slow nonconference starts (7-6 for USF, 4-4 for Kent) and early trust issues between coaches and players into strong finishes for both teams. "I think, sometimes, when you have a team you really trust and you feel like they get it, you can kind of pull the reins back a little bit and let them go," he said. "I think that's where I am at right now. I'm trying to let them go a little bit. I feel like there's a strong trust level of all of us kind of being on the same page."

By the numbers: "When we have 12 or less turnovers, we average 67 points a game. So when we take care of the basketball, we are a different team, offensively, give ourselves more chances." -- Heath, on his team's offense. . . . ACC Tournament MVP Michael Snaer of Florida State, who went scoreless vs. St. Bonaventure (0-of-7) in 23 minutes.

Say what? "Winning close games, I think is [better] than blowing people out," Cincinnati's Jaquon Parker said. "I think I prefer a close game, anyway. It's good for us." This after losing a 19-point lead in the second half before defeating Texas, 65-59.

High praise: "They're the fifth-best defensive team in the country. We were right there with them. There's no negatives about this game. We lost. But we gave a great performance." -- St. Bonaventure head coach Mark Schmidt, after the Bonnies lost, 66-63, to Florida State.

-- Elton Alexander


Penn State still leads NCAA Division I wrestling championships; Kent State's Nic Bedelyon loses in semis

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Bedelyon loses a decision to No. 1 seeded Matt McDonough of Iowa, 15-7.

Frank Molinaro.JPGView full sizePenn State's Frank Molinaro remains undefeated (34-0) after a victory over Michigan's Eric Grajales in a 149-pound quarterfinal Friday at the NCAA Division I wrestling championships in St. Louis.

Kent State senior Nic Bedelyon, after winning a thrilling quarterfinal match Friday morning, lost in the 125-pound semifinals Friday night at Scotttrade Center in St. Louis.

Bedelyon lost a decision to No. 1 seeded Matt McDonough of Iowa, 15-7. McDonough was a 2010 national champion and the runner-up in 2011. McDonough improved his record to 38-1 on the season, while Bedelyon, the fifth seed, is now 32-5.

Penn State, meanwhile, all but wrapped up its second straight NCAA wrestling championship, and with a day to spare.

The Nittany Lions won all five of their semifinal matches Friday night, and have unbeaten top seeds in three weight classes heading into the finals.

Frank Molinaro at 149 pounds, David Taylor at 165 and Ed Ruth at 174 are a combined 93-0 after impressive victories Friday night. The Nittany Lions also will have finalists tonight at 125 pounds with No. 10 Nico Megaludis and at 184 with No. 6 Quentin Wright.

"It's like we're all just ricocheting off each other, reaching new heights," Ruth said. "Nobody is doing it by themselves. We're doing it together."

Penn State had 124 points and a 23.5-point lead over Minnesota in its bid to stay on top under coach Cael Sanderson, stretching what had been a 17-point lead after the quarterfinals earlier Friday.

Iowa had 93 points, followed by Cornell with 86, Ohio State with 60 and Illinois and Lehigh with 57.5 apiece. Cornell and Iowa have three finalists apiece. Cornell and Iowa have three finalists apiece.

"We wanted to be in the running for this thing and unfortunately, it looks like we're not," Minnesota coach J Robinson said. "We lost a couple important ones this morning and that hurt us."

Appalachian State's Austin Trotman had the biggest upset of the quarterfinals with a 12-9 victory over top seed Joe LeBlanc of Wyoming at 184. Ohio State had brothers Logan and Hunter Stieber in the semifinals, and Logan Stieber made the finals as the No. 2 seed at 133 against No. 1 Jordan Oliver of Oklahoma State.

Bedelyon, from Lewistown, Pa., reached the semis by winning a quarterfinal, 8-5, in a tiebreaker Friday morning against No. 4 Jesse Delgado of Illinois.

Bedelyon overcame a 4-1 deficit to force overtime. In the second tiebreaker, Delgado held on to Bedelyon's ankles for most of the 30-second period, keeping the score tied, 4-4. Delgado then escaped 12 seconds into his turn from the bottom position, but Bedelyon quickly hit a duck under, taking Delgado to his back for a four-point move and the lead.

The rest of the Golden Flashes came up short in their quest for All-America status.

At 141 pounds, sophomore Tyler Small lost to William Ashnault of Rutgers, who recorded the only point of the match with riding time. At 149, freshman Ian Miller dropped a 10-8 decision to Augustus Sako of Virginia on Friday morning. Miller finished his season 29-5 with a team-high 12 pins.

Junior Casey Newburg fell to No. 12 Jon Fausey of Virginia, 8-2, in the consolation bracket.

The three-day event, held in St. Louis for the sixth time since 2000, is sold out and on track for a tournament record despite going head-to-head with the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

Information from the KSU sports information department was used in this report.

Local athletes competing

Where: Scottrade Center, St. Louis.

When: Today, medal round at 11 a.m. and finals at 7:30 p.m.

TV/Audio: ESPNU will show this morning's medal round. ESPN will show tonight's finals. Live audio for every Kent State match can be heard on KentStateSports.com. Kent State updates throughout the tournament can also be seen on Twitter @ksuathletics.

Kent State: 125 -- No. 5 Nic Bedelyon dec. No. 4 Jesse Delgado (Illinois), 8-5, in OT in quarterfinals. Lost to No. 1 Matt McDonough of Iowa in Friday night's semifinals, 15-7. 141 --No. 12 Tyler Small dec. Scott Mattingly (C. Michigan), 9-1, in wrestlebacks; lost dec. to William Ashnault, Rutgers, 1-0 (eliminated). 149 -- Ian Miller lost by pin to Justin Accordini, Hofstra, 3:33; lost dec. to Augustus Sako (Virginia), 10-8 (eliminated). 184 -- Casey Newburg lost dec. to No. 12 Jon Fausey (Virginia), 8-2, in wrestlebacks (eliminated). 197 -- Keith Witt lost dec. to Keldrick Hall, Oklahoma, 8-5, in wrestlebacks (eliminated). Hwt. -- Brendan Barlow lost dec. to Cole Tobin, Wisconsin, 3-1, in wrestlebacks (eliminated).

Ohio State: 133 -- No. 2 Logan Stieber dec. No. 10 Chris Dardanes (Minnesota), 7-4, in quarterfinals; decision over No. 3 Tony Ramos (Iowa) in semifinals, 4-2. 141 -- No. 5 Hunter Stieber dec. No. 4 Michael Mangrum (Oregon State), 6-5; lost to No. 1 Kellen Russell (Michigan) in semifinals, 5-2. 149 -- No. 10 Cam Tessari dec. Kevin Tao (American), 2-0, in wrestlebacks; dec. Gus Sako (Virginia), 3-2; decision over No. 3 Cole Von Ohlen (Air Force), 5-4. 157 -- Josh Demas lost maj. dec. to R.J. Pena (Oregon State), 11-1, in wrestlebacks (eliminated). 174 – No. 9 Nick Heflin lost dec. to No. 1 Ed Ruth (Penn State), 11-4, in quarterfinals; Decision over Curran Jacobs, Michigan State, in wrestlebacks, 3-1 (OT). 197 -- Andrew Campolattano dec. Morgan McIntosh (Penn State), 6-3, in wrestlebacks, 8-3; pinned Matt Powless, Indiana, 4:37; Lost to No. 10 Sonny Yohn, Minnesota, 4-2 (OT). Hwt. --Peter Capone lost by pin to Nick Gwiazdowski, Binghamton, 3:49, in wrestlebacks (eliminated).

Area qualifiers: 149 -- Edinboro's No. 9 David Habat (St. Ignatius) lost dec. to Steve Santos (Columbia), 7-0, in wrestlebacks (eliminated). 157 -- Eastern Michigan's Aaron Sulzer (Holy Name) lost dec. to Tommy Churchard, Purdue, 7-2, in wrestlebacks (eliminated). 165 -- Virginia's Nicholas Sulzer (St. Edward) dec. Coleman Gracey, Army, 3-2, OT, in wrestlebacks; lost dec. to Ben Jordan (Wisconsin), 3-2 (eliminated). 197 -- Campbell's John Weakley (Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) was pinned by No. 8 Matt Powless (Indiana), 3:51, in wrestlebacks (eliminated); Edinboro's No. 2 Christopher Honeycutt (St. Edward) dec. No. 10 Sonny Yohn (Minnesota), 9-4 in quarterfinals; Decision over No. 3 Matt Wilps (Pittsburgh) in semifinals, 6-3 (OT). Hwt. -- Penn State's No. 6 Cameron Wade (St. Peter Chanel) lost dec. to No. 3 Clayton Jack (Oregon State), 7-0; Lost to Nick Gwiazdowski (Binghamton) in wrestlebacks, 7-4. Ohio's No. 7 Jeremy Johnson (Brecksville) maj. dec. No. 10 Matt Gibson (Iowa State), 11-2, in wrestlebacks; pinned Andrew Delaney, The Citadel, 5:25.

-- From staff reports

Northeast Ohio fishing report for March 16-18, 2012

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The big rains this week kicked up Northeast Ohio steelhead trout streams, and it's unlikely the rivers will clear enough to be productive.

ohio fishing.JPGView full size

Warm weather is giving Lake Erie walleye fishing an early start, with anglers trolling the Western Basin reefs and casting in the Maumee and Sandusky rivers to catch walleye.

The big rains this week kicked up Northeast Ohio steelhead trout streams, and it's unlikely the rivers will clear enough today to be productive. Mike Durkalec of Cleveland Metroparks reports the East Branch of the Rocky River and Wallace Lake were stocked this week with a few hundred pounds of rainbow trout.

Lake Erie Windy weather and thunderstorms have battered Lake Erie in recent days, but the lake has been giving up good numbers of walleye and yellow perch. The best walleye catches have come while trolling off the west end of the Niagara Reef complex. The top technique has been trolling minnow-style plugs off on-line planer boards at 10- to 15-foot depths. The lead-head jig bite on the reefs has yet to begin.

Some yellow perch have been caught near shore off Lorain, reported Craig Lewis at Erie Outfitters. The only hot spot the past couple of days has been off the Lorain Lighthouse in 24 to 27 feet of water.

Rivers and streams Walleye are already running the Maumee and Sandusky rivers in Northwest Ohio, with numbers of fish being caught on floating jig heads and minnows or twister tails using a Carolina rig.

The steelhead trout streams from the Vermilion River to Conneaut Creek are high and muddy, but some might come down enough and clear a bit by late this weekend. The upstream tributaries will be the first locations to make a cast. Many steelhead trout have already moved up on shallow spawning beds in the past weeks. There is a good mix of darker trout that have been in the rivers for a few weeks, as well as new arrivals, which will be in the deeper, faster water. Spawn bags and black jigs tipped with waxworms or maggots should do best in the coming days.

About 200 pounds of rainbow trout were stocked at Bonnie Park on the East Branch of the Rocky River. Suspend small ice jigs under a float and tip with PowerBait, maggots, salmon eggs or minnows. White suckers are also moving up the steelhead streams right now, taking small flies and ice jigs tipped with maggots.

Inland lakes and reservoirs Crappie and bluegill fishing is heating up around the area, with big crappies in the spotlight around the Portage Lakes. Ray Halter at The Rodmakers shop reports emerald shiner minnows suspended under a float are best for big Portage Lakes crappie. Pymatuning Reservoir has also been a top location for crappie.

Largemouth bass are starting to chase lures. Work the points with jigs and trailers or shallow-running, minnow-style jerk baits. Some success has been reported casting Rat-L-Trap lures and VibE blade baits.

-- D'Arcy Egan

Dog trials

All-Breed Hunter's Trial

Columbia Game Club, Sullivan, Ohio

All-Age -- Pointing: Roger Shoch, German shorthaired pointer (GSP), Maggie; John Costanzo, GSP, Hailey. Flushing: Rachel Reznik, Labrador retriever (Lab), Amber; Regis Wolanin, English springer spaniel (ESS), Dakota; Dave Rydzinski, Lab, Ambur.

Open -- Pointing: Ken Buehner, GSP, T; Deb Hronek, English pointer (EP), Marly; Janessa Hill, English setter (ES), Charlie. Flushing: Tom Bossman, Lab, Brie; George Hajek, ESS, Chico; Dave Rydzinski, Lab, Hailey.

Derby -- Pointing: Dan Kaminski, GSP, Tucker; Jason Bowers, GSP, Cooper; Brett Staschke, EP, Lil. Flushing: Justin Reznik, Lab, Lily; Tom Bossman, Lab, Daria; Fred Wright, Boykin spaniel.

Puppy -- Pointing: Jack Nutter, ES, Patch. Flushing: John Denczak, ESS, Powder; Bob Rinehart, ESS, Gracie; Chuck Weber, ESS, April.

On land and off, things heat up for Northeast Ohio's outdoor aficionados: Outdoors Notebook

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Lake Erie fishing is getting one of its earliest starts in memory. For hunters, Ohio's largest show is open through Sunday at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus.

Jerry Abele.JPGView full sizeFishermen are taking advantage of the surprisingly early walleye fishing around western Lake Erie reefs. Here, fishing guide Jerry Abele, of Marblehead, adds another walleye to the cooler.

Local anglers and hunters have come to expect a few outdoor shows at this time of year, and they won't be disappointed. The warm weather and surprisingly good fishing -- from Lake Erie to steelhead streams and inland lakes -- will also grab attention.

Lake Erie fishing is getting one of its earliest starts in memory, with yellow perch biting off Lorain and walleye chasing lures around western Lake Erie. The inland lakes are also heating up, with crappie, bluegill and bass in the spotlight.

For hunters, Ohio's largest show is open through Sunday at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus -- and with a new name. Bonnier Corporation, which owns Field & Stream and Outdoor Life magazines, has purchased the Deer & Turkey Expo shows in Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois.

Fortunately, Glenn Helgeland will continue to run the events. A proven show producer, Helgeland has grown his popular shows while other Ohio outdoor events have languished. This year, the Columbus hunting show doesn't have competition from the traditional Cleveland Sports, Travel & Outdoor Show, now defunct, or the Cleveland Outdoor Adventure Show, which moved its dates to January to hold the show with the Mid-American Boat Show.

With both shows at the I-X Center, there was still plenty of room.

The new Field & Stream Deer & Turkey Expo shows won't change their stripes. There will be hundreds of trophy deer heads, exhibits, plenty of hunting seminars and lots of turkey calling, owl hooting and outdoor photography contests.

The Columbus show is open today from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Local sportsman Cahlik dies: Greg Cahlik, 51, lost a battle with brain cancer Thursday evening. A memorial service will be held Monday from 2 to 8 p.m. at Ripepi & Sons Funeral Home in Middleburg Heights.

A noted hunter and dog trainer, Cahlik and his wife, Karie, own the Cahlik Hunting Preserve in Ashtabula County.

Fishing shows: Rodmakers Shop in Strongsville is a magnet for fishermen all year -- and especially for its Spring Tackle Show today (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Sunday (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Fishing tackle experts will show off the latest in tackle and technique. As usual, bass fishing will dominate the show.

The Dutchland Hunting & Fishing Show is today and Sunday at 15651 West High St., Middlefield.

Decoys galore: The 35th-annual Ohio Decoy Collectors and Carvers Show and Sale takes over Westlake's Holiday Inn at Crocker Road and Interstate 90. The show has a wide variety of decoy contests and seminars and makes a splash in the hotel pool when it judges the workings decoys.

The show is open today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This year's highlight will be a display of collect-

ible decoys from Butler Institute of Art. The decoys have been talked about for years but haven't been on display for about half a century. The show also has decoy and waterfowl art exhibits, including supplies.

A new decoy show debuts March 22-24 at Westlake's Holiday Inn. The Great Lakes Decoy Association Show will focus on vintage decoy collectors and carvers. There will be lots of vintage decoys for sale.

Out and about: Ohio Division of Wildlife fisheries biologists are netting Mosquito Reservoir this week to round up big, egg-laden female walleye for its walleye and saugeye stocking programs. . . . The Fly Fishing Film Tour makes a stop at Cedar Lee Theater on Tuesday to screen its globe-trotting adventures, and Chagrin River Outfitters in Chagrin Falls has discount tickets. . . . The Trout Club of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History features health and wellness expert Tracey Stroup at its Wednesday dinner (contact Karen Menn, 216-231-4600, Ext. 3278). . . . Cleveland Metroparks will debut fishing equipment rental at Wallace Lake on May 5-6, May 12-13 and May 26-27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. . . . Don Long hosts a coyote hunting seminar at Fin, Feather & Fur Outfitters in Ashland today and Sunday at 2 p.m.

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

Four Things I Think ... about the Midwest Regional in Nashville

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Plain Dealer reporter Elton Alexander offers his thoughts on the NCAA Tournament from Nashville, Tenn.

cincinnati.JPGView full sizeCincinnati forward Yancy Gates (34) drives against Texas center Clint Chapman, right, in the first half Friday in Nashville, Tenn.

1. Strange but true: Ohio went into its game against Michigan believing it had size advantage in the post. While Michigan often has four guards on the floor, and more often than not plays with a high-post pivot, after 6-7, 190-pound starter Jon Smith at center, backed up by 6-8, 260-pound Reggie Keely, no Bobcats player that gets on the court is bigger than 6-6, 190.

2. The eye test I: Cincinnati plays rugged defense, no doubt, holding Texas to 35 percent shooting in its first NCAA Tournament game. But even while shooting 46 percent themselves, the Bearcats' offense can be hard on the eyes. Perhaps it was the 3-for-16 shooting performance behind the arc, or 8-of-16 from the line. Can't complain about those 40 rebounds, though.

3. The eye test II: Florida State's vaunted defense, which got the best of Duke and North Carolina this season, had its struggles against St. Bonaventure, particularly defending around the rim. Until the final four minutes of the game, when the Bonnies appeared to wear down, shots at the rim had FSU coach Leonard Hamilton stomping his feet and screaming. The Seminoles were also outrebounded, 37-31, including 14-9 on the offensive boards.

4. Good conversation: When is a player better or worse than his numbers? A good example is Ohio guard D.J. Cooper, the Mid-American Conference Tournament MVP who averages 14.6 points and 5.7 assists, but shoots just 36 percent from the field and 31 percent on 3-pointers. The 6-0 junior is arguably the best guard in the MAC, and you want the ball in his hands at the end of the game. You just have to know it will not always turn out perfect.

David Stockton doesn't mind any comparisons to father: NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Pittsburgh Insider

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Plain Dealer reporter Doug Lesmerises offers a behind-the-scenes look at the NCAA Tournament.

david stockton.JPGView full sizeGonzaga's David Stockton, a backup point guard, is the son of Gonzaga and NBA legend John Stockton.

Taking stock of Stockton: The most famous alum of Gonzaga basketball is connected to the current team by blood. No, the Zags don't have Adam Morrison's little brother or Ronny Turiaf's second cousin on the roster.

David Stockton, the son of Gonzaga and NBA legend John Stockton, is the Bulldogs' backup point guard, averaging 17 minutes, four points and two assists per game. Stockton said Friday that his father has been low-key through his son's career, offering advice only when asked. So does David ask?

"Oh, yeah," David said. "He probably knows what he's talking about, so I'm gonna ask him."

Any similarities between Dad and son?

"I hope so," David said. "He's a pretty good person to model yourself after. If someone says that, I'm pretty happy about it."

Coach Mark Few said David Stockton has long arms and big hands like his father and great vision, but not the quickness. Few also said John Stockton "means everything to our program. He was the first one to come through, he's the first one that kind of set the standard of how you act, how you prepare, how you handle success."

And center Robert Sacre said he just likes having the elder Stockton around.

"Big J, as we like to call him, we'll work out with him in the summer. He'll give you some pointers here and there," Sacre said. "He's like Chuck Norris. He can do anything, man. He's awesome."

No, you're good, too: The idea of Ohio State power forward Deshaun Thomas as a tough matchup is almost a given now.

"He's a really tough player, I think he's really underrated," said Gonzaga's Elias Harris, who should match up with Thomas. "He can score from inside and outside, he can do it all and that makes him dangerous."

Asked if he was a tough matchup as well, Harris, who averages 13 points and nine rebounds per game, said, "I hope I'm decent out there and a halfway tough matchup for them."

So have Deshaun guard him: If Thomas is so tough, how would be guard himself? It was suggested to Thomas that he would score 30 points on himself.

"I think I would score 30 on myself," Thomas said. "Hold on. No, this year. This is the new Deshaun. Maybe last year.

"I say 20."

-- Doug Lesmerises

Four Things I Think ... about Ohio State vs. Gonzaga in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

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Plain Dealer reporter Doug Lesmerises offers his thoughts on today's matchup.

aaron craft.JPGView full sizeOhio State's Aaron Craft knows he'll face a tough matchup today with Gonzaga's Kevin Pangos.

1. The big guys are important, but maybe the most telling battle on the floor today is between point guards Aaron Craft, a sophomore, and Kevin Pangos, a freshman. Pangos, a Toronto native who was recruited by Michigan and considered the Wolverines before Trey Burke committed there, leads Gonzaga with 13.8 points and 3.4 assists per game.

"He does a great job understanding his strengths and weaknesses, and he definitely makes their team go," Craft said. "And one of the best things he does is push in transition."

Both Gonzaga and Ohio State want to run when the chance is there but won't force bad shots. Decisions there will be critical for both point guards. Pay special attention to Gonzaga pushing the ball after made Ohio State shots -- the Buckeyes really struggled with that against Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament final.

"He's going to pressure the ball and be really active all the time," Pangos said of Craft. "So I'm going to try to be aggressive myself and get my team in the offense."

2. Craft must stay out of foul trouble. He missed seven minutes in the second half Thursday after getting his third foul with 16 minutes left.

"In the Big Ten, they let you play a little more physically a lot of times and you've just got to get used to it and get a feel for the game," Craft said. "That's on me. I've got to get a better feel for the refs."

3. There are two good signs for Ohio State fans. No. 10 seed Purdue beat No. 7 seed St. Mary's on Friday night, and St. Mary's finished one game ahead of Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference and also beat Gonzaga in the conference tournament final. Also, Gonzaga had big opening wins in the past two NCAA Tournaments, over Florida State and St. John's, and then lost the second tournament game by 22 points both times.

"In the second game we were slacking," Gonzaga's Elias Harris said. "We've got to stay focused."

4. Given what happened to No. 2 seeds Missouri and Duke on Friday -- they lost, if you haven't heard -- maybe No. 2 seed Ohio State should rethink being so upset and self-critical about the performance in Thursday's 19-point win over Loyola.

-- Doug Lesmerises

Cleveland Browns release defensive end Jayme Mitchell

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UPDATED: Mitchell, who started 13 games at right end last season, became expendable when the Browns signed former Bengals defensive end Frostee Rucker to start in his place and former Eagles defensive end Juqua Parker as a backup.

Jayme Mitchell.JPGJayme Mitchell (92) was released by the Browns after a disappointing 2011 season and the signing of two free agent defensive linemen.
BEREA, Ohio — The Browns gave up on the failed Jayme Mitchell project Friday when they released the former starting defensive end.

Mitchell, who started 13 games at right end last season, became expendable when the Browns signed former Bengals defensive end Frostee Rucker to start in his place and former Eagles defensive end Juqua Parker as a backup.

The Browns also cleared substantial cap room, with Mitchell set to make $2.4 million this season.

Browns General Manager Tom Heckert had high hopes for Mitchell when he acquired him in a trade with the Vikings in October 2010 for a later-round pick in this year's draft. But then-Browns coach Eric Mangini didn't think the 6-6, 285-pound end fit in his 3-4 defense, so he parked Mitchell on the bench for all of his 12 games in 2010.

Heckert believed, however, that Mitchell had a great upside as a rusher off the edge in the new 4-3 scheme of defensive coordinator Dick Jauron. He signed Mitchell to a two-year deal before last season and installed him at left end.

Then along came Jabaal Sheard in the second round of the draft, and he was clearly more comfortable on the left side. Mitchell wasn't thrilled about swapping sides but made the best of it.

The problem was, his best wasn't very good.

By Week 9, he had lost his starting job to Emmanuel Stephens, and this time, he complained publicly about his demotion. But Stephens suffered a season-ending pectoral injury and Mitchell was pressed into service for the final five games.

All told, he made 32 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one recovery.

The Browns feel they upgraded significantly with Rucker and 12-year pro Parker, whose signing the team officially announced Friday. He received a one-year deal worth a maximum of $3 million.

"Juqua is one of the toughest players I've ever been around," said Heckert in a news release. "He performs extremely hard on every play. With the additions of Juqua and Frostee, we have added to the defensive mentality that we are looking for."

Browns coach Pat Shurmur is also familiar with Parker's work ethic.

"I was with him in Philadelphia and know him well," he said. "He is a tough, productive player who will be a great addition to our defense."

The Browns also officially announced the re-signing of cornerback Dimitri Patterson, who signed a three-year deal worth $16 million, with $6 million guaranteed, according to profootballtalk.com.

"Dimitri came in last year and was an important part of our defense," Shurmur said. "He helped solidify our defensive backfield, and we are happy to have him back with the Browns."

Signed by Tennessee as an undrafted free agent in 2001, Parker has started 46 of the 146 regular-season games he's played. He's made 354 tackles, 36.5 sacks, forced nine fumbles, recovered seven fumbles, defensed 16 passes and intercepted one. Parker spent his first four seasons as a backup with the Titans before signing with the Eagles in 2005.

In 2011, he played in 12 games, recording 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks, while tying a career-high with two fumble recoveries, both of which he returned for touchdowns.

No Kam or Kev: The Browns aren't pursuing former first-round pick Kamerion Wimbley, who was released by the Raiders on Friday, because they would've owed him $17.5 million if he were on the roster today. The Raiders still owe him $6.5 million. . . . With the Cardinals officially out of the Peyton Manning derby, they paid quarterback Kevin Kolb his $7 million roster bonus. The Browns probably wouldn't have pursued the former Eagle anyway.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @marykaycabot


Russ Canzler joins pack of Cleveland Indians trying to claim spot in left field

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Manager Manny Acta keeps waiting for someone to win the left field job. Russ Canzler is one of the guys getting chance to do it.

Russ Canzler.JPGView full sizeRuss Canzler is one of several players competing to be the Indians' starting left fielder. Canzler, a right-handed hitter, has already made three starts in left. He's hitting .400 with two RBI in nine Cactus League games.

TEMPE, Ariz. — Russ Canzler has never been in a free-for-all like this. March is more than half over and the Indians still don't know who their starting left fielder is going to be.

It could be Shelley Duncan or Aaron Cunningham. Felix Pie, Ryan Spilborghs and Ezequiel Carrera are still in the running. Fred Lewis, Trevor Crowe and Chad Huffman? Why not?

Perhaps some have already been eliminated. GM Chris Antonetti and manager Manny Acta are the only ones who know that for sure. But as far as winning the job outright, of pinning its shoulders to the floor and making left field say "uncle," it hasn't happened.

"To be honest with you guys, and I know we've had to rotate a lot of guys through there, not one guy has stood out," said Acta.

Left field opened wider than the jaw of a great white shark when Grady Sizemore injured his back and Michael Brantley moved from left to center to replace him. The search for Brantley's replacement has not gone well.

Duncan has shown the most power with three homers, but the Indians are apparently still concerned if he can play every day. Cunningham and Lewis lead the contenders with four starts each in left field, but they haven't done much offensively.

Acta is currently sorting through his swing players, guys who can play infield and outfield. That includes Matt LaPorta, who debuted in left field in Friday's 7-0 Cactus League loss to the Angels, and Canzler.

The Indians know plenty about LaPorta, but they're still dissecting Canzler. They acquired him from Tampa Bay this winter for $100,000 after he was named the International League Player of the Year at Class AAA Durham. He was available because the Rays designated him for assignment.

"We're impressed by the way he swings the bat," said Acta. "He doesn't panic at the plate. He has raw power, but he's not a pull monster. He uses the whole field consistently."

Canzler, a right-handed hitter who started at first base Friday, has already made three starts in left. He's hitting .400 (10-for-25) with two RBI in nine games.

"I don't think I've ever been involved in anything like this," said Canzler. "Not with the amount of talent we have. Most of the nonroster guys have a ton of major-league talent."

Canzler's major-league time consists of three at-bats with Tampa Bay last year. They called him up after he hit .314 (149-for-474) with 40 doubles, four triples, 18 homers and 83 RBI in 131 games at Durham.

"That season put me on the radar as a guy who is ready to be in the major leagues and ready to help a club win," said Canzler, 25.

Canzler accumulated those numbers at Durham while playing 41 games in right field, 33 in left field, 40 at third base and 17 at first.

"I think it's a position I can handle pretty well, given the opportunity," said Canzler, of left field. "I played a lot of games out there last year and was real successful. I don't think I made an error out there in 30 some games.

"I know I have to get better and work hard to show that I can play out there. We definitely have some openings. And there's still a lot of camp left to go. I know I'm going to get the opportunity, but a lot of it is out of my hands."

The numbers, it would seem, are against Canzler. If Duncan doesn't win the left-field job, he's all but assured a job coming off the bench. Cunningham, like Duncan, is out of options meaning the Indians could lose him on waivers if he doesn't make the Opening Day 25-man roster.

Canzler has three options left. He could spend the next three years bouncing between Cleveland and the minors if the Indians so desire. But that is about the future. Right now, left field remains unclaimed.

"Chris and Manny stressed to me at our meeting at the start of camp that the best guy was going to win the job regardless of options," said Canzler. "I felt they were pretty sincere about that. As a player with three options, that's all you can ask for. Hey, if I win the job, let's go win some ballgames together. If not, we'll take it from there."

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

On Twitter: @hoynsie

Fastballs fly as closer Chris Perez rehabs: Cleveland Indians Insider

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Closer Chris Perez is getting closer to pitching in Cactus League games. He threw off the mound Friday for the first time since Feb. 23.

chris perez.JPGView full sizeIt's unclear if Indians closer Chris Perez will be ready to go on Opening Day.

TEMPE, Ariz. — The thought was in the back of Chris Perez's mind Friday morning when he threw his first bullpen session since Feb. 23.

What if it happens again?

Perez, throwing all out Feb. 23, strained his left oblique muscle and has been rehabbing ever since.

"I was thinking about it," he said. "That's why I didn't go all out."

Perez threw 20 pitches, all fastballs, and felt no pain.

"He looked great," said Lonnie Soloff, Indians head athletic trainer. "He's committed to the program."

"Every outing I'll go out there and trust it more and more," Perez said of the strained oblique. "Next time out, I'll introduce the slider. By the time I get into games, I should be able to let it go at 100 percent."

Manager Manny Acta watched Perez throw and was encouraged.

"He put good effort into it and threw the ball with good life on his fastball," Acta said.

Perez says he's right on pace with Soloff's program. Whether he'll be ready for Opening Day is unclear.

"I hope to get in a game a week from now," Perez said. "I've got another bullpen [session] Sunday. If that goes well, I'll have live BP [batting practice] on Tuesday. Then a game on Friday. It's go time."

Perez says he has six or seven appearances scheduled before Opening Day on April 5. If he pitches next Friday he would still have 11 Cactus League games left on the schedule. Perez could also pitch in minor-league games.

"We'll see if that's enough," said Perez. "I don't have an exact number. Last year I was ready halfway through camp. It doesn't matter, right now. I just need to get my work in. I just need to do it."

Said Acta: "If a closer gets 10 to 12 innings, they're usually fine. With Chris, we can foresee him getting six or seven appearances and he'd be ready to go."

Vinnie Pestano will open the season at closer if Perez isn't ready.

Testing, testing: Kevin Slowey and David Huff, competing for the fifth spot in the rotation, pitched the first six innings in Friday's 7-0 loss to the Angels. Slowey allowed three runs, two of them coming on first-inning homers. Huff allowed one run over the next three innings.

"Kevin is usually a command guy, who puts the ball where he wants it," Acta said. "He wasn't very consistent with it today and missed with the wrong guys."

Erick Aybar and Albert Pujols homered against Slowey.

Pujols homered and doubled. He's hitting .455 (10-for-22) with three homers and nine RBI.

When asked how he thought Pujols would do in the American League after spending all his career with St. Louis in the National League, Acta said, "Nothing he hasn't done in the past. . . . He's going to mash."

Slowey and Huff each have a minor-league option left.

Utility job: If the Indians keep two utility infielders, and they probably will, Jason Donald has a good chance of being one of them.

"Donald has a leg up because of the job he did last year," Acta said. "We're going to throw him in the outfield and give him more games at third base this spring. He's got a leg up, plain and simple."

Donald has an edge because he can play shortstop. Jose Lopez has been pushing hard as well. He's hitting .529 (9-for-17).

Injuries: Rafael Perez (left shoulder) and Robinson Tejeda (right ankle) are ready to pitch in games. Acta said they'll pitch in a minor-league game before joining the big-league club.

Baseball breakfast: The Plain Dealer is holding its annual Opening Day breakfast to talk Indians baseball. It's $25 per person and runs from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at The Plain Dealer.

To register, go to plaindealer.com/homeopener. For more information, call 216-999-4028.

Next: Ubaldo Jimenez starts against Cincinnati today. Pestano, Chris Ray, Chris Seddon, Tony Sipp and Dan Wheeler are scheduled to follow Jimenez. WTAM AM/1100 is broadcasting the game.

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

On Twitter: @hoynsie

Lake Erie Monsters lose to Milwaukee in overtime, putting dent in playoff hopes

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The Monsters squander a two-goal lead in the third period and lose to the Admirals in overtime, 5-4, at The Q.

lake erie monsters logoView full size

CLEVELAND, Ohio — If the Monsters end up failing to qualify for the Calder Cup playoffs, Friday night's game against Milwaukee will be one that haunts them.

The Monsters squandered a two-goal lead in the third period and lost to the Admirals in overtime, 5-4, at The Q.

Winger Taylor Beck scored at 2:44 of OT. He received a pass low on the left, skated hard across the slot and stopped. After goalie Cedrick Desjardins did the splits, Beck flipped a backhander over him.

Yes, the Monsters earned one point and extended their unbeaten-in-regulation streak to eight games, which ties a franchise best. But this one had a foul smell to it.

"We got exactly what we deserved," said Lake Erie coach David Quinn. "Actually, we didn't get what we deserved. We deserved zero points. We were lucky to get one."

The ultra-intense Quinn was just getting warmed up. He was as angry during his postgame comments as he has been all season.

"It's inexcusable, what happened," he said. "I can't tell you how disappointed I am. We just weren't ready to play hockey. We played a desperate team, and they outwilled us. Inexcusable.

"You've got to be better than that. I'm so disappointed in the way we played. The better team got the two points."

The Monsters (32-25-3-4) are straddling the playoff cut line with 12 games remaining in their regular season. The Admirals (31-26-2-2) are on the outside looking in in the Western Conference, chasing Lake Erie and others.

Less than three minutes into the third period, Monsters center Eric Hunter surprised the Admirals' defense and goalie Jeremy Smith for a 3-2 lead. Hunter came from the right and fired a wrister from the faceoff dot in the right circle.

Lake Erie made it 4-2 when Peter MacArthur slipped backdoor and cashed a pass from Dean Strong. Credit David van der Gulik for using physicality to create the play.

The Monsters appeared to be in terrific shape midway through the third. They had a two-goal lead and were on the power play. But the Admirals refused to fold, scoring a shorty at 13:43 when Desjardins lost track of the puck -- one of the few times all season he has looked unsure of himself.

At 14:31, Milwaukee tied it on the power play. The goal occurred seconds after a faceoff.

The Monsters took a 1-0 lead at 15:45 of the first when Patrick Rissmiller converted a rebound. Rissmiller pounced after Smith failed to secure MacArthur's shot from the right circle. Instead of hurrying the follow, the veteran Rissmiller held firm for a split-second until Smith was out of position, then easily beat him from tight left.

Milwaukee tied it at 19:22 of the first. With the Admirals on the power play, Victor Bartley went backdoor, received an on-target pass and scored from the right doorstep.

Given their sluggish skating at both ends, the Monsters were fortunate to be tied after the first. They committed three hooking penalties and were outshot, 17-8.

Lake Erie built another one-goal lead early in the second. Rissmiller and Greg Mauldin worked a two-man game, Rissmiller eventually sliding a pass from the left circle to the speedy Mauldin, who one-timed it from short range.

The Admirals tied it at 6:49, again courtesy of a power-play goal. Brodie Dupont, applying pressure at the net front, stuffed in a rebound.

Sports TV and radio listings for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio, Saturday, March 17, 2012

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Ohio State plays Gonzaga in NCAA Tournament at 2:45 on WOIO Ch. 19.

will-buford-deshaun-thomas.jpgOhio State's Deshaun Thomas, right, is congratulated by teamate William Buford after the Buckeyes' NCAA win over Loyola (Md.) on Thursday night. OSU will take on Gonzaga today in Pittsburgh for the right to play in the Sweet 16.

AUTO RACING


9:30 a.m.


SPEED -- NASCAR, Sprint Cup, practice for Food City 500, at Bristol, Tenn.


10:30 a.m.


SPEED -- NASCAR, Nationwide Series, pole qualifying for Ford EcoBoost 300, at Bristol, Tenn.


Noon


SPEED -- NASCAR, Sprint Cup, "Happy Hour Series," final practice for Food City 500, at Bristol, Tenn.


2 p.m.


ESPN -- NASCAR, Nationwide Series, Ford EcoBoost 300, at Bristol, Tenn.


1:30 a.m.


SPEED -- Formula One, Australian Grand Prix, at Melbourne, Australia



BASEBALL


4:05 p.m. MLB, Indians vs. Cincinnati AM/1100


8 p.m. NCAA, Virginia at Florida State ESPNU


 


BOXING


10 p.m.


HBO -- Middleweights, Edwin Rodriguez (20-0-0) vs. Donovan George (22-1-1); champion Sergio Martinez (48-2-2) vs. Matthew Macklin (28-3-0), for WBC Diamond middleweight title, at New York


 


HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL


10:30 a.m. Division IV state final STO


2 p.m. Division III state final STO


5 p.m. Division II state final STO


8 p.m. Division I state final STO



MEN'S COLLEGE WRESTLING


11 a.m. NCAA Division I Championships ESPNU


7:30 p.m. NCAA Division I Championships ESPN



GOLF


9 a.m.


Golf Channel -- European PGA Tour, Open de Andalucia, third round, at Marbella, Spain


1 p.m.


Golf Channel  -- PGA Tour, Transitions Championship, third round, at Palm Harbor, Fla.


3 p.m.


NBC -- PGA Tour, Transitions Championship, third round, at Palm Harbor, Fla.


4 p.m.


TGC -- LPGA, Founders Cup, third round, at Phoenix


7:30 p.m.


TGC -- Champions Tour, Toshiba Classic, second round, at Newport Beach, Calif. (same-day tape)



HOCKEY


1 p.m. NHL, Philadelphia at Boston NHLN


7 p.m. NHL, St. Louis at Tampa Bay NHLN


7:30 p.m. AHL, Monsters vs. Chicago AM/1220


8 p.m. NCAA, Hockey East final NBCSN


10 p.m. NHL, Columbus at Vancouver FSO


10:30 p.m. NHL, Detroit at San Jose NBCSN



MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL


12:15 p.m. NCAA, Syracuse vs. Kansas State WOIO


2:45 p.m. NCAA, Ohio State vs. Gonzaga WOIO


5:15 p.m. NCAA, Marquette vs. Murray State WOIO


6:10 p.m. NCAA, Wisconsin vs. Vanderbilt TNT


7:10 p.m. NCAA, Indiana vs. VCU TBS


7:45 p.m. NCAA, Kentucky vs. Iowa State WOIO


8:40 p.m. NCAA, Baylor vs. Colorado TNT


9:40 p.m. NCAA, Louisville vs. New Mexico TBS


11 a.m. ESPN -- NIT, second round, teams and site TBD


 


MEN'S COLLEGE LACROSSE


2 p.m. Penn at Princeton ESPNU


4 p.m. Syracuse at Johns Hopkins ESPNU




MOTORSPORTS


2:30 p.m.


SPEED -- Daytona Bike Week, at Daytona Beach, Fla. (same-day tape)


5 p.m.


SPEED -- AMA Pro Racing, at Daytona Beach, Fla. (same-day tape)


7:30 p.m.


SPEED -- Supercross, at Indianapolis


 


NBA


8 p.m. Philadelphia at Chicago WGN


9 p.m. San Antonio at Dallas NBATV



TENNIS


2 p.m.


ABC -- ATP World Tour/WTA, BNP Paribas Open, men's semifinals, at Indian Wells, Calif.


WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL


11 a.m.


ESPN2 -- NCAA Division I tournament, first round, teams and site TBD


1 p.m.


ESPN2 -- NCAA Division I tournament, first round, teams and site TBD


3:30 p.m.


ESPN2 -- NCAA Division I tournament, first round, teams and site TBD


6 p.m.


ESPN2 -- NCAA Division I tournament, first round, teams and site TBD



WOMEN'S COLLEGE SOFTBALL


5 p.m. Marshall at Memphis FSO


6 p.m. Ole Miss at Alabama ESPNU





Live high school basketball: St. Edward vs. Warren Harding

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Listen live to the Division I Cleveland regional final between St. Edward and Warren Harding at 7:30 p.m.

myles-hamilton.JPGView full sizeMyles Hamilton leads St. Edward against Warren Harding tonight at the Wolstein Center.
Listen live tonight as St. Edward takes on Warren Harding for a trip to Columbus and the state final four in the Division I Cleveland regional final.

cleveland.com's Glenn Moore (@GlennMooreCLE) and Dan Labbe (@dan_labbe) will bring you all the action live beginning at 7:30 p.m. You'll also be able to chat live while you listen to get additional analysis and get your questions answered.

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