The Indians sign Accardo and Lewis to one-year, minor-league deals, with invitations to spring training with the big-league club.

View full sizeMark Duncan, AP file photoOutfielder Fred Lewis, 31, who has played with San Francisco, Toronto and Cincinnati, has signed a minor-league deal with the Indians.

They signed right-hander Jeremy Accardo and outfielder Fred Lewis to one-year, minor-league deals, with invitations to spring training with the big-league club.

Accardo, 30, pitched with Baltimore last year, going 3-3 with a 5.97 ERA in 31 appearances. He struck out 23, walked 18 and allowed 43 hits in 37 innings.

Accardo's made his big-league debut with the Giants in 2005. He moved to Toronto in 2006 and stayed with the Blue Jays until 2010. His best season came in 2007, when he went 4-4 with a 2.14 ERA and converted 30-of-35 save chances. In his career, he's 38-of-52 in save opportunities.

The Indians have invited four pitchers to camp with big-league experience in Accardo, Chris Ray, Chris Seddon and Robinson Tejeda.

Lewis, 31, has played with San Francisco, Toronto and Cincinnati. He spent last year with the Reds, hitting .230 (42-for-182), with seven doubles, three homers and 19 RBI in 81 games. He opened the year on the disabled list with a strained right oblique muscle.

The left-handed-hitting Lewis is played left and right field with Cincinnati. He stole 17 bases for the Blue Jays in 2010 and 21 for the Giants in 2008. He's a career .267 hitter (412-for-1,542), with 91 doubles, 21 triples, 27 homers and 136 RBI in 517 games.

Here is a list of the nonroster invitees:

• Pitchers: Accardo, Ray, Seddon, Tejeda, Austin Adams, Hector Ambriz, Chen-Chang Lee, Tyler Sturdevant.

• Catchers: Luke Carlin, Chun Chen, Michel Hernandez, Matt Pagnozzi.

• Infielders: Andy LaRoche, Jose Lopez.

• Outfielders: Lewis, Chad Huffman, Felix Pie.

Tick, tock: Don't expect a quick resolution among the Indians and Asdrubal Cabrera and Rafael Perez. They exchanged arbitration numbers Tuesday after failing to reach agreement on a deal.

Cabrera is seeking $5.2 million, while the Indians offered $3.75 million. Perez is looking for $2.4 million, and the Indians have offered $1.6 million. Arbitration hearings start Feb. 1 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

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

On Twitter: @hoynsie

One step at a time, 49ers safety Donte Whitner went from being told he'd probably never walk again to being one victory away from the Super Bowl.

View full sizeJose Carlos Fajardo, Contra Costa TimesFormer Glenville and Ohio State star safety Donte Whitner celebrates a fumble recovery during San Francisco's victory over New Orleans last weekend.

San Francisco 49ers strong safety and Cleveland native Donte Whitner went from being told as a little boy that he would probably never walk again to being one step away from playing in the Super Bowl.

"It's tremendous to even be playing football at all," said Whitner, who will face the New York Giants in the NFC championship game on Sunday. "To be one victory away from being in the Super Bowl after everything I've been through is my biggest dream come true." At 6 years old, Whitner was playing catch in his Kinsman Road driveway, and the ball rolled into the street. He darted out after it and was struck by a car driving down the street. His mom, Deborah Robinson, got the call at work that her eldest son had been hit by a car, and she was convinced he was dead.

"Nobody would tell me anything but that he had been hit," she said. "All I could think of was that he was gone and they weren't telling me."

She raced home from her job at a nearby nursing home, blinded by her tears and screaming hysterically. "I could've been killed myself," she said. She was driven to Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, where Whitner had been taken by ambulance.

"I had to be strong in front of him," she said. "But the doctors told me he'd probably never walk again and that he'd never, ever play sports again."

Whitner's legs had been shattered in 15 places, and he was placed in a full-body cast for six months. Robinson bought a little red wagon to cart him around, and carried him up and down the stairs at home. After that, he was placed in a half-cast for another eight weeks and then had to learn how to walk all over again.

"He kept trying to tear those casts off his legs," she said.

View full sizePD fileDonte Whitner as a Glenville Tarblooder. "To be one victory away from being in the Super Bowl after everything I've been through is my biggest dream come true."

Whitner vividly recalls being told by the doctors that he would probably never walk again.

"Even when you're 6, you understand what it means when somebody tells you you're not going to walk or play sports again," said Whitner. "It was the first time in my life where I actually had to believe in myself when nobody else did."

About four months after he took those first steps, he asked his mom to buy him a basketball hoop.

"I didn't want to do it," said Robinson. "I was so scared those little legs were going to pop. But I couldn't say no. He was so under the weather that he needed something. Sports was all he thought about."

Before long, Whitner was shooting hoops. By age 8, he wanted to play Pop Warner football, but knew his mom would never let him. He forged her signature and had his aunt help him get the physical.

"One day, his coach called me and said, 'Where's Donte? He's missed a few practices and we really need him!' " recalled Robinson. "I said, 'You must be talking about one of my nephews. Donte doesn't play football."

Robinson searched the back porch and found Whitner's hidden uniform.

"He had stopped going because he thought I wouldn't approve," said Robinson, who keeps the forged registration form in a frame. "And he's right, I probably would've never let him play."

As time went on, word kept getting back to Robinson about how good her son was in football. "I went and watched and I could see what they were talking about, when I was able to keep my eyes open."

Whitner brought a certain ferocity to the football field, and they both knew where it came from.

"I grew up in a single-parent household, and I didn't really have a relationship with my father [Lindsey Robinson] growing up," he said. "He did so much time in prison for different reasons. I dealt with it on the football field. I always played like an angry man."

At home, it was a different story. Whitner was the man of the house from the time he was young. His mom raised not only him and his little brother, but also four and sometimes five of her nephews that her brothers and sisters left with her.

"Ever since I could walk, I was doing chores," said Whitner, who now has a good relationship with his father. "I cleaned, did the wash, wiped down walls, stairways and toilets. I also cooked. My most famous thing was pork and beans. That and a big pitcher of Kool-Aid took care of everybody."

Because his mother worked two jobs, Whitner, second-oldest of the seven boys, got the kids up for school and made sure they were all in the house at night. On Sundays, they went to church and sang in the choir.

"With the help of my grandma, my mom was able to make sure seven boys were fed, got good grades, had a home and went to church," said Whitner, now a father of three.

A near straight-A student, Whitner started out at Benedictine, but ended up at Glenville after his freshman year with coach Ted Ginn Sr. There, he became close friends with current teammate Ted Ginn Jr. and former 49er Troy Smith, and they all went to Ohio State together.

"Since the day I met Ted Ginn Sr., everything's been going uphill for me," said Whitner. "He put us through rigorous workouts before and after school. He was like a father to me. The determination came from coach Ginn. It was all his vision from Day One."

Whitner won the national championship at Ohio State and then was a first-round draft pick -- eighth overall -- of the Bills in 2006, where he started at strong safety for five seasons. He signed with the 49ers last off-season and quickly became one of the team leaders. It was his crushing blow on New Orleans' Pierre Thomas on the opening drive last week that popped the ball loose and set the tone for the 49ers' victory.

Whitner is excited about the matchup against the Giants, but knows the 49ers will have their hands full.

"Eli [Manning's] playing the best of his career. He's getting the ball to the right guys, he knows where to go with the football before the ball is even snapped, and he's not turning the ball over," said Whitner.

What makes the playoffs even more special for Whitner is he's getting to share it with Ginn Jr., who is like a brother to him. "We've dreamed of this for a long time," he said.

Whitner was so determined to get to this point, not even two shattered legs were enough to stop him.

"This shows you that with enough determination and belief in yourself, you can do anything," he said.

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

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Tayler Hill has 21 points and 10 rebounds and Samantha Prahalis has 19 points and nine assists to lead No. 10 Ohio State .

View full sizeTerry Gilliam, Associated PressOhio State's Samantha Prahalis (21) drives to the basket as Nebraska's Jordan Hooper defends during the first half Thursday in Columbus. Ohio State won, 82-68.

Tayler Hill had 21 points and 10 rebounds and Samantha Prahalis had 19 points and nine assists to lead No. 10 Ohio State past 20th-ranked Nebraska, 82-68, in women's college basketball on Thursday night in Columbus.

"They've got as good a guard play with the two of those guys as anybody in the country," Cornhuskers coach Connie Yori said.

But the rest of the Buckeyes needed to contribute -- and they did in a big way. Ashley Adams had 13 points, 11 rebounds and five blocked shots for Ohio State (18-1, 5-1 Big Ten), with Amber Stokes scoring 12.

Prahalis, the only senior on the roster, was asked how this year's team compares with others that have won two Big Ten titles and have made it to three NCAA tournaments. "The other teams I've been on we had a lot of talent, just as much as this one," she said. "But this team is all about defense and hard work. This team has a little bit of a tough edge to it. It's not like we were soft in the past, but it's just a little different. We have a little bit more dog in us."

Emily Cady scored a career-high 24 points for the Cornhuskers (15-3, 4-2), who lost their second in a row.

No. 12 Wisconsin-Green Bay 75, Youngstown State 50 Lydia Bauer had 19 points to lead the host Phoenix (16-0, 6-0 Horizon League) to their 36th straight regular-season victory. Brandi Brown had 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Penguins (8-9, 2-4).

Blessed with quickness, long arms and sure hands, Grady has all the attributes a solid baseline player needs. That he has put it all together so quickly in his rookie season is testament to the lessons he learned while at Cleveland Central Catholic.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerCleveland State's Anton Grady is averaging 7.4 points and 5.1 rebounds a game, and he's getting better.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Anton Grady is basketball evidence of the adage, "A watched pot never boils."

Almost every game, particularly since Horizon League play began, the 6-8, 215-pound freshman seems on the cusp of a breakout performance.

As recently as Cleveland State's 72-66 loss Sunday at Valparaiso, the product of Central Catholic High was one point shy of his first career double double.

In CSU's biggest conference win to date, 76-69, on the road last week at Butler, Grady had 11 points with eight rebounds, and coach Gary Waters was left saying after the game what could have been.

"If I could have kept Anton on the floor, they had nightmares with him," Waters said of the Bulldogs. "He could score when he wanted to. He couldn't be on the floor because he was in foul trouble. I'm telling you, he was on the verge of having a phenomenal game, but he had to sit down for a long period of time."

Blessed with quickness, long arms and sure hands, Grady has all the attributes a solid baseline player needs. That he has put it all together so quickly in his rookie season is testament to the lessons he learned in high school. Not only did Grady miss time as a junior because of a knee injury, he was also suspended at various times throughout his career for team violations.

Through it all, Grady played on a Division III state championship Central Catholic team in 2009, and took the Ironmen within one game of another state title in 2011.

"The biggest lesson I learned is how quickly this can all be taken away," Grady said. "When coach didn't play me for what I had done, or because I wasn't leading the way he wanted me to lead, it opened my eyes. This can be taken away any day. Don't take it for granted.

"I was lucky to learn that at a young age, so now I see things from a different point of view."

One example of that is where Grady is playing for the Vikings.

Highly recruited by Big Ten schools and others, Grady ended up at CSU not just because his cousin, Earl Boykins, was a standout for Waters at Eastern Michigan. It was also because of the understanding that Grady would see playing time as a small forward and not be exclusively a banger inside.

So far, though, Grady plays almost exclusively close to the rim for the Vikings. And there is no pouting about it.

"I joke with coach all the time," Grady said. "I was supposed to be a 3-4 (small forward-power forward), and he's made me a 4-5 (power forward-center). But this is just my freshman year, I still have three more."

Within that statement is yet another hint of his emerging maturity.

as visions of "the league" which certainly are there, have clearly been put into perspective by Grady. All of which is testament that hard lessons learned at Central Catholic have paid off.

Former Central Catholic coach Kevin Noch, now working in mortgage real estate in North Carolina, said an old-school regimen of discipline without exceptions, along with time management and 5:30 a.m. practices, became a proving ground for everyone involved.

"He wasn't used to structure or organization prior to coming to Central Catholic," Noch said of Grady. "As all of us, in our youth, we challenge authority. So we had to work through that. When it came to basketball, we kept a tight schedule. We practiced at 5:30 in the morning. If you're late, you pay, or the whole team pays.

"He wasn't pushing back any more than anyone else, but he had to deal with the consequences like everyone else."

The challenge became the outside influences, more in the gym than on the streets.

"The AAU situation, he'd leave in the spring just where we wanted him, then come back a totally different kid," Noch said. "Just like all these young men have to face. You've got Rick Pitino sitting in the stands watching you, Tom Izzo and Gary Waters coming to watch you practice -- it's just natural to start getting a little bit of an ego."

And even on the high school level, the stage can be bigger and the lights a lot brighter at places other than Central Catholic High.

"The big schools, if they want you, they try to get you," Noch said. "They have new players coming in every year. So when they see a guy like Anton, of course they're trying to influence him. Don't spin that like a negative. It's a reality."

That's when the strict discipline, the structure, the early morning practices can be used as a lure to draw kids away to an easier way of doing things.

But Noch stuck to his ways, and faced what he knew was out there head-on. He told Grady that he could leave if he wanted, if he felt someone would take better care of him.

"He understood that," Noch said. " 'This is how we're going to do it, and when we're going to do it.' That's what he's talking about when he says how easy it can be taken away.

"Everybody has to earn their stripes. Even though he pushed the limit, they all did. But when he had to lead, man, he's something else."

Evidence of what Grady learned in high school is on display now. He doesn't play the game in a rush, but smooth and determined. He can score with ease from either side of the lane, over either shoulder or facing up. He can drive from the wing and attack the basket with a variety of moves, or he can stand behind the arc and knock down 3-pointers.

On the season, he is averaging 7.4 points and 5.1 rebounds, but in Horizon League play he is at 10.0 points and 6.0 rebounds.

Overall, there is a maturity to his game most young players don't show until well after their freshman season. That's why many feel a breakout game for Grady is only a tipoff away. The work ethic is showing and adjusting to physical college play is as well.

"The physicality, I think, once he gets over that hump, things will get easier for him," Waters said. "The thing I know about Anton is his body hasn't matured to the level it is going to mature. He's got big broad shoulders. He's going to be a big man."

The good news for the Vikings is, by all accounts, CSU hasn't seen the best of Grady yet. But it's close.

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

New Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer hasn't yet signed the Class of 2012, but he already has the first oral commitment and a leader for the Class of 2013, which will be the first class at Ohio State that Meyer has a chance to fully recruit. (With video.) Watch video

TROTWOOD, Ohio — Seated in Urban Meyer's office last Sunday, cornerback Cameron Burrows, ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 1 junior in Ohio in recruiting's Class of 2013, had an announcement to make. And he was the only one who knew it was coming.

"I'm taking my talents to Ohio State," is what Dionne Miller heard her 16-year-old son say to the new coach of the Buckeyes. First came the shock, then the hugs and photos. Dionne and Andre Burrows, who had discussed Ohio State with their son but had no idea he had made up his mind, were so taken off guard, Meyer still jokes with Cameron about the size of his mother's eyes as the words came out of his mouth.

"I wasn't expecting him to pull the trigger," Andre Burrows said. "I was a bit surprised. It was pleasantly surprised, but surprised nonetheless."

It was a moment that was bigger than just a high school junior and his parents. Meyer hasn't yet signed the Class of 2012, with National Signing Day on Feb. 1, but he already has the first oral commitment and a leader for the Class of 2013, which will be the first class at Ohio State that Meyer has a chance to fully recruit. And for Trotwood-Madison, coming off a Division II state title, Burrows could be a first step in establishing the Buckeyes at a Dayton-area power where they haven't been particularly active in recent years.

That was a trend that the players and administrators at the school noticed. The last Trotwood player to go to Ohio State was safety Will Allen in the Class of 2000, who received his offer while he was a junior at Trotwood before transferring to Huber Heights Wayne for his senior year of high school. Before that, tight end John Lumpkin had been in the 1994 class. But while Michigan and other Big Ten schools pulled players from Trotwood, there was what current Trotwood Athletic Director Guy Fogle called a "glass ceiling" when it came to Ohio State.

Now with a first-team All-Ohio high school player, who Fogle also said ranks No. 7 in the junior class with a 3.5 grade-point average, that could be ready to change. Meyer and OSU defensive coordinator Luke Fickell visited Trotwood in tandem about two weeks ago. Trotwood coach Maurice Douglass, a former NFL player, said he expects both Ohio State and Michigan, with Dayton native Brady Hoke in charge, to regularly walk his hallways for years to come.

View full sizeDayton Daily NewsFuture Ohio State cornerback Cameron Burrows.

And that's why getting a player such as Burrows, out of a school such as Trotwood, more than a year before he will be able to officially sign with the Buckeyes in February 2013, was big for the Buckeyes.

"It's going to be a great relationship," Douglass said of Meyer. "He already stated that he wants to make this a hot spot for him and his coaching staff."

Burrows is a good friend of Trotwood senior safety Bam Bradley, who holds an OSU offer but is also seriously considering Pitt and Stanford as Douglass wonders if the Buckeyes already have too many safeties. And junior linebacker Mike McCray, who visited Ohio State in December with Burrows and Bradley, doesn't have an offer from Ohio State yet, but the No. 9 junior in Ohio is hoping for one and said Thursday that the Buckeyes would immediately jump into his top three.

But this day was about Burrows, who, despite his words to Meyer four days earlier, kept the suspense going at his Thursday afternoon news conference. Dressed in a suit, with a red shirt, he picked Ohio State's cap from among the six on the table on the stage at his high school, and then said he has already gone to work trying to build the 2013 recruiting class.

Jalin Marshall of Middletown, ranked as the No. 2 junior in the state by Rivals, has said he will announce his decision Jan. 31 and could be headed for Ohio State. The No. 3 in-state player in the class, Dymonte Thomas of Alliance, has already announced his intention to attend Michigan.

"He wants to be a major part of that class, so he got the ball rolling," Andre Burrows said of his son. "I think a lot of people are about to be surprised about what's about to happen."

At 6-1 and 190 pounds, Cameron Burrows has good size and speed for a corner. He said he plans to enroll early at Ohio State next January, which would give him a jump at playing early by going through spring football. That's a long way off, but Douglass said he will tell other coaches that Burrows is off-limits since he has given an oral commitment.

"I know I have what it takes to be able to be a Buckeye," Burrows said. "Everybody here grew up being an Ohio State fan, so for them to recruit me, it's just an honor."

Will Allen, the current Pittsburgh Steeler and former Buckeye, was on hand to support the player he remembers watching in peewee football. He was glad for Burrows.

And he was glad for what Burrows can mean to his former school, which he felt he had to leave before his senior year because of the instability in the football program back then.

"He's a pioneer, he's a trailblazer," Allen said of Burrows. "He's a scholar as well and he's a good-hearted kid, and he's going to be great at Ohio State and it's indicative of other kids here at Trotwood.

"He's going to play on Sundays. You can see it now. His instincts, his demeanor, how he prepares himself for his business -- he may not know it yet, but as someone who's been [in the NFL] for eight years, I can tell you, you can see it. If he stays focused, the sky's the limit."

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

Scott says he can't compare the Cavs rookie to the Chicago Bulls star at the same stage of his career because he doesn't see Rose play on a daily basis, but Scott is happy with Irving's progress.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerCavs rookie guard Kyrie Irving is leading the team in scoring at 17.7 points per game and shooting 48.6 percent.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cavaliers coach Byron Scott refused to compare Cavs rookie point guard Kyrie Irving to Chicago point guard and reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose at the same stage of his career.

"I didn't get a chance to see Derrick Rose on an everyday basis," Scott said of Rose, who has missed the Bulls' past two games with a toe injury. "I can't make the comparison.

"I do know Kyrie is getting better every day. He understands his role with the team. He understands there are certain areas of the game he has to improve on. He's taking those areas very seriously. That's all we can do is continue to coach him."

Scott pointed out that Rose played a full season at the University of Memphis, whereas Irving played just 11 games at Duke. But Scott loves where his point guard is right now.

"I love what I see with Kyrie," Scott said. "He has All-Star-potential written all over him. It's a matter of how much he wants it. After being around him for six weeks, he wants to be a great player in this league. He needs to continue to work on it."

The coach also admitted he was a bit surprised that Irving is leading the team in scoring at 17.7 points per game and shooting 48.6 percent.

View full sizeAPBulls guard Derrick Rose.

"I thought he'd struggle more than he has," Scott said. "He's getting warmed up to the NBA lifestyle. He got himself pretty acclimated to how he needs to play and what he has to do. I'm a little surprised by his numbers and how he's shooting the ball. But then again, it tells you the type of talent that he had."

Irving said he was on Rose's bandwagon, but shunned comparisons.

"He's a great point guard, the best probably in the game," he said. "It's just another game. I'm not really facing Derrick Rose. I'm facing the Chicago Bulls. It's the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. the Chicago Bulls. That's what I'm looking forward to."

Welcome to the NBA, rook: Irving remains ninth among Eastern Conference guards in the All-Star voting totals released Thursday. He has 53,300 votes. Rose (1,040,210 votes) and Miami's Dwyane Wade (972,015) lead the East guards.

Parker back? Starting shooting guard Anthony Parker took part in all of practice Thursday, raising hopes that he will be able to play tonight against the Bulls. Parker (sore lower back) missed the second half of Monday's victory at Charlotte and all of Tuesday's loss to Golden State.

"He did everything [Thursday], which surprised me," Scott said. "He said he felt good this morning. I'll be anxious to see how he feels [today]."

Black Heritage Celebration: Students from Cleveland's "Closing the Achievement Gap" program will be honored during halftime ceremonies tonight as the Cavs tip off the eighth annual Black Heritage Celebration with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Night. In addition, two-time Sprite Step Off National Champions, the Delta Xi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., will perform at halftime.

The last word: From Zydrunas Ilgauskas, new special assistant to Cavs General Manager Chris Grant, when asked if he, his wife and two young sons were moving back to Cleveland for the job: "Our basketball court is outside. What does that tell you?"

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

On Twitter:@pdcavsinsider

Starting with Friday's game against Chicago at The Q, the Cavaliers play every team above them in the Eastern Conference standings, including three games with LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerCavaliers rookie guard Kyrie Irving (2) has played very well this season, but he will be put to the test as the schedule becomes more difficult.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavaliers have enjoyed a relatively good start thanks to a difference-making rookie, a minutes-conscious coach, a defense-first approach and a kind-hearted schedule maker.

Over the next 15 games, the Cavaliers must rely heavily on the first three factors because the schedule maker turns sadistic between now and Feb. 17.

There are no signs of Detroit, Charlotte or ample practice time in the near future, but lots of Miami and plenty of back-to-back games. It's a stretch that will test the Cavaliers' validity as a playoff contender and give management a better idea where the team stands a month before the March 15 trade deadline.

Starting with tonight's game against Chicago at The Q, the Cavaliers (6-7) play every team above them in the Eastern Conference standings, including three games with LeBron James and the Miami Heat. The 15-game segment also features five back-to-backs, a punishing run especially when contrasted with the three back-to-backs in the season's opening weeks.

The Cavs have yet to win a second game (0-3) when they play on consecutive nights.

"There are going to be a lot of good games coming up against some of the premier teams in the East," forward Tristan Thompson said. "It will be a good test, especially for a young team like ours. The back-to-backs are kicking in and that's the difference between the [regular] 82 games and the [lockout-shortened] 66 games."

"We have to stay prepared, stay fresh and stay hydrated."

While they won three times on a season-long stretch of seven straight road games and had to play the Lakers in Los Angeles, a quick check of the standings confirms the Cavaliers are about to step up in class.

As of Thursday afternoon, the combined winning percentage of their opponents in the first 13 games was .420. The combined winning percentage of the opponents in the next 15 games is .583 (120-86).

"You are starting to get into the meat of the schedule . . .," said Cavs coach Byron Scott, who likened the next 10 games to going through a buzz saw. "It will test us from a physical standpoint and a mental standpoint."

The Cavaliers have remained relatively healthy. Shooting guard Anthony Parker (sore lower back) is the only starter to miss a game. Meanwhile, their next three opponents -- Chicago (Derrick Rose), Atlanta (Al Horford) and Miami (Dwyane Wade) -- all could be missing a significant player from their lineups.

One big story coming out of the lockout was how the compacted schedule might lead to more injuries. Scott has been mindful of it since training camp started.

He begins this crucial stretch with players who have not been overextended in minutes. In last week's 97-92 loss to the Lakers, Scott did not play anybody 30 minutes, while all the Los Angeles starters logged at least 30 minutes.

Just two Cavaliers -- Anderson Varejao (31.2 minutes per game) and Antawn Jamison (30.8) -- rank among the league's top 95 players in playing time.

"It's not only going to help us now but in the long run, down to the last month of the season," Scott said. "I've tried to be conscious of not overloading guys with minutes."

The Cavaliers have one of the league's most productive benches, which started the week ranked among the top five in scoring average (39.3 points).

"Our second unit has played pretty well . . . so it has been easy for me to really keep the minutes at a minimum," Scott said. "And, as we get down to March and April, hopefully we are still right there where we can up the minutes and make a run."

First, they must get through the next 15 games.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: treed@plaind.com, 216-999-4370

"Why do you want to do that?" That's the question Sherry Cloud posed to her husband Bill Cloud when he was asked to coach Richmond Heights' girls basketball team two weeks before the start of football two-a-day practices.

Richmond Heights girls basketball coach Bill Cloud.

"Why do you want to do that?"

That's the question Sherry Cloud posed to her husband Bill Cloud when he was asked to coach Richmond Heights' girls basketball team two weeks before the start of football two-a-day practices.

"I wanted the challenge," said Bill Cloud, who has been the Spartans' football coach three years and is in his rookie season leading the girls basketball program. "I used to coach middle school boys basketball, but this is my first time with the girls."

Cloud estimates he gets 4-5 hours of sleep a night during the two seasons, but is enjoying the experience.

"The football players razz me that I'm easier on the girls, but I'm the good cop in this and my assistant coaches are the bad cops," said Cloud, a security guard at the school and father of four boys. "The girls are more receptive of the fundamentals of the game of basketball than the boys, and they always want to get better."

The added responsibility has taken time away from his family, but Bill Cloud gets plenty of support.

"My boys will come to practice with me once in a while and this has also made me a better coach," said Cloud, a 42-year-old Bedford resident. "I've become more organized."

Jim Miranda just completed his 23rd season as a head football coach, the past nine at Columbus Eastmoor Academy, and is the first-year boys basketball coach after spending nine years with the girls.

"You really need an understanding family and assistant coaches you can count on to make this work," said Miranda, 52, also a business teacher at the school.

Miranda, who has a daughter and a physically-challenged son with his wife Antoinette, leaves the football field at 6:30 p.m. in the fall and is in the gym with the girls by 7 a.m.

He averages five hours a sleep in-season.

"I make a point to take a vacation with the family 7-10 days in the summer," Miranda said. "I need a break from it all, as does everyone else.

"Just ask my wife."

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

On Twitter:@BobFortuna

CUYAHOGA HEIGHTS, Ohio — Al Martin has taken the tasks of teaching math and coaching football and girls basketball to a new art at Cuyahoga Heights. He's so successful in all three endeavors and well liked, students often wear T-shirts with a photo of Martin and the phrase "Got Al?" sprawled across the front.

When Al Martin isn’t coaching the Cuyahoga Heights girls basketball team, he’s coaching the Redskins’ football team. When he isn’t coaching, he’s teaching at the school. But what Martin is always doing — from playbooks to math books — is getting the most from his students. - (Scott Shaw, PD)

CUYAHOGA HEIGHTS, Ohio — Al Martin has taken the tasks of teaching math and coaching football and girls basketball to a new art at Cuyahoga Heights.

He's so successful in all three endeavors and well liked, students often wear T-shirts with a photo of Martin and the phrase "Got Al?" sprawled across the front.

"I'll never have a coach like him again," former Redskins basketball player Heidi Mervar said.

As the head coach of two sports that overlap between the fall and winter seasons the past seven years, plus teaching six classes daily, Martin, 45, could be called Mr. Cuyahoga Heights.

"You need an understanding wife and kids, dedicated assistant coaches and teenagers whose parents step aside and let them do their thing," Martin said when asked how he performs all the jobs at the small school, which competes in Division V in football and Division III in basketball.

The Redskins' nine-person football staff totals 119 years at the school, 160 seasons overall and a 148-31 record in Martin's 15 years. Nine losses in 14 postseason appearances have come against three state champs and six runners-up.

The four-member girls basketball coaching staff, which has directed the Redskins to three straight Chagrin Valley Conference Metro Division titles, has a combined 19 years at the school and 61 seasons overall. The team is 11-1, 6-0 and stands 98-45 during Martin's seven-year stint.

Martin's a workaholic who agreed to add girls basketball to his regimen seven years ago. He knew that would make for longer days -- more days of rising at 5:30 a.m. and retiring 20 hours later. Why do it?

Martin served as an assistant boys basketball coach for three years and missed it but more than that, he couldn't say no to administrators "because the people at the school have been so good to me and my family."

Kathy Martin, his wife of 21 years, knew changes would follow, including moving from Brunswick to Walton Hills to reduce Al's commute. "Al goes 120 percent at whatever he does," she said.

Then there's all the extras he does outside the classroom, court and fields.

When former Redskins tailback/linebacker Alec Torgerson was prepping for the math portion of the ACT exam, he spent two hours each Sunday at the Martin home for extra studying.

"Coach was tough but got me ready for that test because his work ethic and communication skills are incredible," said Torgerson, a redshirt freshman linebacker at Notre Dame College. "I once had a bad first half against Cardinal and he talked to me instead of ripping me. I went out and had a pretty decent second half."

Martin attends John Carroll women's basketball games to follow the progress of Mervar, a sophomore guard, and holds workouts when she's on break.

"Mr. Martin will help me with moves I'm having trouble with or show me new ones," Mervar said.

In practice, Martin zeroes in on fundamentals, refusing to advance to the next drill until the current one is performed correctly numerous times. He's the same way in his math classes.

"He gets you to buy into what he's doing," senior tackle Austin Lane said. "He knows what buttons to push."

That method has won students and impacted lives.

Senior guard Maggie Simmons was average at math until Martin's algebra II class last year. When Martin went as far as telling her parents she wouldn't get anything higher than a C, Simmons worked harder in class and attended Martin's pre-homeroom tutoring sessions.

She earned an A and is now taking honors pre-calculus.

"I would have never thought of a career in math but I'm now planning on majoring in accounting at Slippery Rock," Simmons said. "He's the best teacher I ever had because he never gave up on me and treats everyone the same, not just the athletes."

His motor seems never ending.

Martin once returned to school a few hours after having knee surgery, and says the birth of his and Kathy's second son is one of the best days of his life. During football season in 1998, Kathy gave birth to Taylor on a Friday morning then told her husband to leave her hospital room because there was a football game that night.

"We beat Independence in double overtime," Al proudly recalled.

Martin stays in his office sometimes as late as 2 a.m. watching film after a football game.

"And he's back in the gym six or seven hours later for basketball practice, and he never looks tired," senior point guard Brooke Rayokovich said.

Martin's not perfect.

Senior post player Deana Lewis often gets mad at him after being yelled at or pushed hard.

"Coach will make a sarcastic remark when you're having a bad day but he's complimenting you a minute later," Lewis said.

"He really knows kids. He gets it."

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

On Twitter: @BobFortuna

Lake Erie goalie Gerald Coleman is credited with 34 saves.

Grand Rapids led, 1-0, entering the third period, the goal coming on a power play at 7:28 of the first period.

A shorthanded goal less than two minutes into the third period triggered the four-goal onslaught.

The Griffins (16-16-4-3), who had been winless in their previous four games, outshot the Monsters, 39-21, including 10-2 in the first period.

Lake Erie goalie Gerald Coleman was credited with 34 saves while Grand Rapids goalie Joey MacDonald made 21 to earn the shutout. One of MacDonald's saves came with 2:05 left in the second period when he stopped the Monsters' Mark Olver on a penalty shot.

Lake Erie (18-20-2-1) will play its third game in as many nights tonight, when it hosts Oklahoma City at The Q. First puck drops at 7:30.

SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — If the Lake Erie League will teach you one thing, it's that you can't relax until the final buzzer. Shaker Heights' boys basketball team went through that experience Friday night.

Terry Rozier had 25 points and nine rebounds for Shaker Heights on Friday. - (PD file photo)

SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — If the Lake Erie League will teach you one thing, it's that you can't relax until the final buzzer.

Shaker Heights' boys basketball team went through that experience Friday night.

The Raiders looked to have a comfortable 11-point lead midway through the fourth quarter against visiting Warren G. Harding, but instead of cruising, Shaker found itself battling in overtime, where Terry Rozier led the Raiders to a 61-58 victory.

"In the LEL, you can never take a breather," Shaker Heights coach Danny Young said. "It's been that way for umpteen years. You have to come ready to play every single night. There are no nights off."

Rozier started the overtime with a spinning fadeaway 3-pointer. He also hit all four of his foul shots and finished with 25 points and nine rebounds.

"When the game is on the line, [Rozier] is the guy you want to have the ball in his hands," Young said. "He has the ability to make big shots. It's not by chance he's going to Louisville to play for Rick Pitino."

Freshman Esa Ahmad hit two foul shots with 34 seconds left in overtime, and Kash Blackwell hit one of two with 21 seconds left for a 61-57 lead, but Harding still had a chance to tie.

Rasaun Smith was fouled attempting a 3-point shot with 14 seconds left, but cramped up and was forced to leave the game. Sophomore King Garner, who had not played, hit one of three foul shots. Harding's Delshawn Bell got the rebound on the final miss, but his 3-point shot to tie went off the rim.

"Warren Harding comes hard to play every game," Rozier said. "They always give a fight. We're just happy to get the win, that's all I can say."

Shaker Heights improved to 11-1 overall and took over first place in the LEL with a 5-0 record. Warren Harding slipped to 7-3 and 3-2.

"What I liked about it was through all that adversity they were able to clear their heads and still persevere and get the win," Young said. "That's tournament-style basketball. That's going to help us down the road."

Warren Harding was ice cold at the start. Harding, also nicknamed the Raiders, did not score until Smith hit a 3-point shot with 1:01 left in the first quarter. Shaker had built a 10-0 lead.

Five blocked shots helped Harding get back in the game in the second quarter. A drive by Bell cut the deficit to 21-20 with 53 seconds left.

Two consecutive 3-point shots by Mel Leach (12 points) helped Shaker regain control in the third quarter. A drive by Rosel Hurley gave Shaker a 48-37 lead with 4:23 left in the fourth quarter. But not quite enough to put away Warren Harding.

"We got off to a bad start," Warren Harding coach Steve Arnold said. "We just couldn't find our rhythm. But we fought. We clawed back."

Bob Migra is a freelance writer in Westlake.

LAKEWOOD, Ohio — It's getting to be nitty-gritty time in high school hockey. Shaker Heights and host St. Edward played one of those tense, give-and-take affairs Friday night, a prelude to next month's Baron Cup and state tournaments that keep spectators on edge.

LAKEWOOD, Ohio — It's getting to be nitty-gritty time in high school hockey.

Shaker Heights and host St. Edward played one of those tense, give-and-take affairs Friday night, a prelude to next month's Baron Cup and state tournaments that keep spectators on edge.

But there were two perspectives at the end of the 2-2 game, not even an eight-minute overtime session able to break the tie.

The visiting Raiders had the satisfaction of rallying for the deadlock on their opponent's ice. The Eagles did not have the luxury of escaping with the point.

"The fans were treated to a great game," said veteran Shaker Heights coach Mike Bartley, whose club is 17-3-1 overall and 4-2-1 in the Red North Division of the Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League. "We wanted to get off to a good start, and we had some chances. It was back and forth."

The Raiders were on their game at the outset as they held a 13-3 edge in shots after the first period. They scored first when junior forward Jacob Shick found the net in close after 2:40 of play.

St. Edward (11-10-3, 3-4-1) asserted itself after that on both ends, outshooting the visitors, 17-6, over the next two periods. Junior defenseman Patrick Flannery scored on a backhander with four minutes left in the first period to tie the game.

The Eagles took the lead with 10:52 left in the second period when senior Mick Bartholomew scored. Showing patience, Bartholomew took his time to beat Raiders goaltender Eric Sterin with a backhander.

The lead stood until the pressing Raiders scored off a scramble in front, junior Richard Grant flipping the puck past senior goaltender Logan Galati with 2:24 to play in regulation.

"Sam [Clellen] took a shot and Nick [Hartman] tipped it," said Grant. "The key was getting guys in front. I'm not happy, but I'm not disappointed. I'm glad we came back."

The Eagles nearly won it with 2:30 left in overtime, but senior C.J. Hoy could not convert on his breakaway attempt.

"I was playing all my angles," said goaltender Sterin, relieved with the breakaway reprieve. "These are all big games. Tying is definitely better than losing."

After another frustrating close game-but-no-cigar outing, St. Edward coach Troy Gray was not seeing things that way.

"Absolutely not," said Gray. "We haven't put together three periods all year. We have some lapses and we don't have the offense to run teams out of the rink. We have to learn how to finish."

St. Edward outshot Shaker, 24-21. The teams meet again in two weeks.

SOLON, Ohio — Just the fact Solon and Maple Heights had not wrestled in 11 years says plenty about what has happened to the sport in the past decade. The dual meet has withered as coaches and the sport's deep thinkers place more emphasis on tournaments and quadrangular and triangular meets. In the 1970s through the '90s, Solon and...

SOLON, Ohio — Just the fact Solon and Maple Heights had not wrestled in 11 years says plenty about what has happened to the sport in the past decade. The dual meet has withered as coaches and the sport's deep thinkers place more emphasis on tournaments and quadrangular and triangular meets.

In the 1970s through the '90s, Solon and Maple Heights traditionally met the first Friday night of Christmas break in a meet that often packed the gym and quickened the pulse of even casual wrestling fans.

Friday at Solon, the two old standard-bearer programs resumed their rivalry on a throwback night that included nearly 50 Solon wrestling alumni as well as the Comets' traditional ringing of an antique bout bell before the meet.

More than 600 fans saw plenty of good wrestlers, if not much in the way of good matches. Each team had five pins and Solon beat the Mustangs, 40-35.

The team's strengths were mismatched. Solon pinned in five of the first seven matches; Maple Heights won five of the last seven bouts, the final three by pin.

"We knew their heavyweights were good. Our lightweights had to come through strong," said Solon senior Justin Kresevic, who won a major decision at 160. "To have a [33-6] lead like that going into the middle weights was big."

Solon state champs Brandon Thompson pinned in 1:10 at 120 pounds and Anthony Collica's 145-pound match lasted 2:30. Also pinning for Solon were Daniel Clement (106), Grant Nemeckay (113) and Shawn Williams (132). Anthony Restifo (138) and Shiloh Moore (182) won decisions.

Maple's pinners were Jaron Robertson (126), Melvin Johnson (152), Devin Revels (195), Almonte Patrick (220) and Aaron Pipkins (285). Richard Robertson (170) won a technical fall.

Williams' pin was key because DeJon Moss had Williams on his back in the second period. Moore clinched the meet with a tight, 8-4 win over Arieus Towns. Moore emerged from a second-period scramble with a takedown and a 7-3 lead.

"We knew it was going to be tough for us," said Pipkins, who raised his record to 26-1 with a fall in 72 seconds. "They're a little bit stronger than us. We have a lot of young and inexperienced guys."

Richard Robertson and Kresevic were to meet at 160 in what would have been the bout of the night, but Maple Heights coach Jamie Milkovich said he bumped Robertson up because his starter at 170, senior Lionel Coleman, suffered a season-ending knee injury last week.

The Comets and especially coach Tony DiGiovanni, who has led the program since 1983, said they appreciated the crowd and alumni support.

"It makes me realize how awesome it is to be at home," Restifo said.

Maple Heights leads the all-time series, 14-9.

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

On Twitter: @TimsTakePD

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert takes to Twitter to say:"Words do not describe how bad we failed tonight."

View full sizeJoakim Noah dunks the ball as the Chicago Bulls rout the Cavaliers 114-75

Lenzelle Smith Jr. got a late start in making his mark at Ohio State, but defense has given him the chance to show what he can do.

View full sizeJay LaPrete, Associated PressLenzelle Smith, top, shoots between Indiana's Tom Pritchard, left, and Kory Barnett during the Buckeyes' 80-63 victory over the Hoosiers last weekend.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — For Lenzelle Smith Jr., his freshman year was a rumor, delayed from the start by wrist surgery in summer 2010 that kept him out of the off-season work that bonded together the rest of his recruiting class.

"I don't know if he got a fair freshman year," Ohio State coach Thad Matta said.

When Smith did get on the court, averaging five minutes of action in the 20 games he played while sitting out 17 others, "I just had the freshman jitters," he said. "I was all over the place. I was so excited, I had more energy than I ever had in my life."

Entering his sophomore season, there wasn't much else known about Smith, who had been the No. 132 recruit in the Class of 2010, according to Rivals.com (ranking fifth among the six-man OSU class). Entering tonight's game at Nebraska, after Smith's 28-point effort against Indiana on Sunday, OSU fans have a better feel for the Illinois native. And this is how he got here.

Matta's goal for this season was to take that energy and use it for good; take a player who had spent his AAU career in Illinois playing in national showdowns against the Ohio team led by future OSU teammates Jared Sullinger, Aaron Craft, Jordan Sibert and J.D. Weatherspoon and find him a role; take a player accustomed to contributing on offense and get him to value defense first; and take that player set back by injury and turn him into the fifth starter Matta needed for this national title contender. So Matta told Smith this in the off-season, "Lose yourself in the team."

"He thought about himself, which is typical for a freshman, of what do I have to do to get on the court?" Matta said, emphasizing the "I."

"When you're out [after surgery] and you can't do anything, and the other 12 guys for six straight months have been sweating and running and doing everything together and you're sitting and watching, his mind-set was 'How do I get involved?'

"And then, we started to see it late last year, he thought this is a great place, this is a great program, I'm on a great team and I'm going to lose myself into that. And that's when he started turning the corner."

He certainly had the ability. Mike Springs, a family friend and one of Smith's AAU coaches with the Rising Stars in the Chicago area, said he has watched his recording of Smith's 10-for-12 shooting performance against Indiana three times.

Just being a threat on offense, even in spurts, could change the game for the Buckeyes. Smith voted for himself as the best dunker on the team, but that's not why he has earned the starting spot for Ohio State at the crowded two guard, playing ahead of fellow sophomore Sibert and freshmen such as Sam Thompson and Shannon Scott. Springs said Smith talked about defensive-minded senior David Lighty all the time last season, and while Matta said some players shy away from being known as a defensive stopper, defense is what keeps Smith on the floor.

"I told him if you want to play substantial minutes, you're going to have to help us be a great defensive team," Matta said.

Matta said he doesn't see it all the time yet, as Smith's defense falters when he gets tired. But he's done enough to stay on the court more often than not, averaging 23 minutes per game. Offensively, he ranks 59th in the Big Ten in scoring, at 6.4 points per game, but in an offensive rating stat from StatSheet.com that measures offensive efficiency, he ranks 12th in the conference. When he gets the ball, he does something with it.

And when he got this chance, after a full, healthy summer, he's done something with that as well. Asked what he thought fans may have known about him before his 28-point outburst, Smith focused on his defense and added, "I felt like they knew I was a guy who did whatever it took to make sure we got a 'W.' "

If he can keep that reputation, he'll take it.

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

Men's and women's teams from Lake Erie College and Notre Dame College play at home today.

View full sizeLake Erie College

Men

No. 6 Ohio State at Nebraska

Tipoff: 8 p.m. at Devaney Center, Lincoln, Neb.

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

Notable: Since losing at No. 6 Ohio State (16-3, 4-2 Big Ten) by 31 on Jan. 3, the Cornhuskers are 2-2, losing by just five points to Illinois and Wisconsin and beating Penn State and Indiana. That's because Nebraska (10-8, 2-5) has back 6-11 Jorge Brian Diaz and 6-5 Dylan Talley, both of whom missed that loss to Ohio State. Diaz averages 9.8 points and 4.6 rebounds, with Talley averaging 9.2 and 3.7. So OSU coach Thad Matta knows this game will be different. Ohio State's most recent trip to Lincoln was a 72-63 win on Dec. 5, 1987.

Next for OSU: Wednesday vs. Penn State, 6:30 p.m.

Doug Lesmerises prediction: Ohio State 67, Nebraska 53.

-- Doug Lesmerises

Lake Erie vs. Saginaw Valley State

Tipoff: 3 p.m. at the Jerome T. Osborne Family Athletic and Wellness Center, Painesville.

Notable: LEC is 7-8, 2-6 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and has lost three straight. The Storm lost to Lake Superior State, 73-69, in its most recent outing despite shooting 51.8 percent from the field. Riley Thomas and Nate Tait (Brush) led LEC with 17 points each. Saginaw Valley (8-8, 4-5 GLIAC) lost at Ashland on Thursday, 72-52.

Next for LEC: Thursday at Findlay, 8 p.m.

Notre Dame College vs. Malone

Tipoff: 4 p.m. at Murphy Gymnasium, South Euclid.

Notable: NDC has lost seven straight dating to Dec. 18. The Falcons (4-11) are 2-4 at home. Malone is 8-10 overall and hasn't won on the road since Nov. 29. NDC freshman guard Marcquise Taylor is coming off a 31-point game Wednesday against Roberts Wesleyan and has averaged 24.5 points over the past four games.

Next for NDC: Wednesday at Urbana, 7 p.m.

Women

Lake Erie vs. Saginaw Valley State

Tipoff: 1 p.m. at the Jerome T. Osborne Family Athletic and Wellness Center, Painesville.

Notable: SVSU is 3-13, 1-8 GLIAC, LEC is 11-4, 5-3. The Storm defeated Lake Superior State, 67-43, on Thursday to snap a two-game losing streak. The win was the 200th of coach Bob Booher's career. Alyssa Wagers (Stow) led the Storm with 14 points and eight rebounds.

Next for LEC: Thursday at Findlay, 6 p.m.

Notre Dame College vs. Malone

Tipoff: 2 p.m. at Murphy Gymnasium, South Euclid.

Notable: NDC (7-10) is playing at home for the first time since Dec. 28. The Falcons will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak. Malone (9-10) comes to South Euclid with a 5-4 road mark. The Pioneers have yielded just 51.2 points per game in going 3-2 over their past five contests. NDC has won six straight against Malone, dating to 2008.

Next for NDC: Jan. 28 at Ursuline, 2 p.m.

Baldwin-Wallace vs. Marietta

Tipoff: 3 p.m. at the Lou Higgins Center, Berea.

Notable: B-W (9-7, 4-5 Ohio Athletic Conference) will look to break a two-game losing skid when it faces upstart Marietta (9-7, 4-5). The Pioneers ended a 33-game losing streak to B-W earlier this season with a 70-64 home win on Dec. 3. The Yellow Jackets are led in scoring by sophomore guard Jessica Lairson's 11.9 ppg. Senior forward Catherine Spisak is 10th all-time at B-W with 538 rebounds, and junior guard Rachel Rossman (Olmsted Falls) is 11th with 220 career assists. Marietta is led by junior guard Aleisha Guiler's 14.7 ppg.

Next for B-W: Wednesday at Heidelberg, 7:30 p.m.

John Carroll vs. Capital

Tipoff: 3 p.m. at the DeCarlo Varsity Center, University Heights.

Notable: JCU (6-9, 3-6 OAC) looks to make it three straight wins at home and is paced by reigning OAC Freshman of the Year, Missy Spahar, who averages a team-high 15.4 points and is tied for first in the OAC at 9.3 rpg.

Next for JCU: Wednesday at Mount Union, 7:30 p.m.

-- Compiled using information from the colleges' sports information departments.

Akron currently is in a three-way tie for the top seed in the MAC Tournament, while Kent is tied for the fourth seed.

Phil Masturzo, Akron Beacon JournalAkron 7-0 center Zeke Marshall averages 10.9 points per game.

Tipoff: 6 p.m. at Rhodes Arena.

TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio; WARF AM/1350, WNIR FM/100.1.

Tickets: The game is sold out.

Notable: A huge game for potential MAC Tournament seeding. Akron is in a three-way tie for the No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament. Kent is in a six-way tie for the No. 4 seed. The top four seeds get byes to the quarterfinals and semifinals; all others must play six games in nine days to win the tournament.

Scouting Akron: The Zips (11-7, 3-1) easily have the most depth and experience in the league, in three-year 7-0 starter Zeke Marshall (10.9 ppg), four-year 6-8 starter Nik Cvetinovic (10.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg) four-year 6-3 Brett McClanahan (5.5 ppg) and seasoned transfers Brian Walsh, Chauncey Gilliam and Quincy Diggs. Seven players average between 7.0 and 10.9 ppg. One must go deep into the bench to find the Zips' youth, which is where arguably the most talent is in 6-6 Nick Harney and 6-7 Demetrius Treadwell. At times Akron has struggled to find the right fit on the court.

Scouting Kent: The Golden Flashes (12-5, 2-2), like Akron, have not found a rhythm to their season. Nearly every veteran KSU player outside of junior G Randal Holt (11.9 ppg) is having a down statistical season. Defense has been the backbone of Kent's victories, but in the past two games -- allowing 87 points in each -- even that has abandoned KSU. Once one of the most physically imposing teams in the league, the Flashes are now one of the smallest, and it is starting to take a toll, especially on senior C Justin Greene (12.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg), who has little consistent baseline help scoring and rebounding.

Key for Akron: Marshall historically has been strong against Kent on defense, and that must continue. PG Alex Abreu has to be solid, and dervish swingman Diggs must keep his temper under control. If newcomers Treadwell and Harney provide rebounding and scoring, and the Zips' defense is in top form, Akron will be tough to beat.

Key for Kent: Kent must find its defense, because the Golden Flashes do not have the firepower to win a shootout. In the past, Kent has had the ability to rise up for big games, although its 87-65 loss this week at Ohio brings that into question. Senior G Carlton Guyton (9.8 ppg) has been key in every big KSU win this season. His overall play -- scoring, defending, rebounding and assists -- will take pressure off Greene to carry the whole load.

Next for Akron: Tuesday at Ball State, 7 p.m.

Next for Kent: Wednesday vs. Northern Illinois, 7 p.m.

-- Elton Alexander

The freshman from Cleveland Central Catholic finishes with 10 points and 13 rebounds in 21 minutes of play.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerVikings forward Anton Grady, right, had a double-double against Green Bay on Friday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Anton Grady notched the first of what looks to be many double doubles in his career Friday night in Cleveland State's men's basketball victory against Green Bay. The freshman from Cleveland Central Catholic finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds in 21 minutes of play.

"I was going to keep him in the game," CSU coach Gary Waters said. "He's going to be our future."

By the numbers: As the midway point of the conference season hits this weekend, the stats bear out Cleveland State as the dominant team in the Horizon League. In nine of 10 major statistical categories, the Vikings rank no worse than fourth. Only rebounding margin, in which CSU is eighth, averaging 31.3 boards a game to the opposition's 33.0, is a negative. In other categories, CSU is first in scoring margin (6.3 ppg), second in assists (14.1 apg), scoring defense (59.3 ppg), free-throw percentage (73.3 percent), 3-point shooting (35.7 percent) and 3-point defense (30.2 percent). It's third in field-goal percentage (43.9 percent) and fourth in scoring offense (65.6 ppg) and field-goal percentage defense (42.9 percent).

Penguins for real? That question could be at least partially answered this weekend regarding Youngstown State. The Penguins play the same Milwaukee-Green Bay tandem at home. They entered the weekend tied for fourth place, one game out of second and two out of first. A Friday night matchup with first-place Milwaukee ended with a 68-66 win for the Penguins. Stay tuned.

The Penguins will play Green Bay on Sunday, then they host Cleveland State next Saturday. YSU already has a 73-67 road win against the Vikings earlier this season.

Just in case: Horizon League officials are in Cleveland for the weekend checking out Wolstein Center, just in case the Vikings finish second to Milwaukee for the HL title.

Say what? The city of Milwaukee has rented out the city-owned U.S. Cellular Arena for the March 2-3 dates for the quarterfinals and semifinals of the tournament. That means No. 2 would host the tournament for those two days. The HL finals, March 6, would then be at the site of the highest remaining seed.

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — Walsh Jesuit used a 10-point halftime lead and relentless defense to prevent Archbishop Hoban from finding much success during the Warriors' 57-45 win. Walsh Jesuit (8-2, 2-2 North Coast League) has won two straight while the Knights (8-3, 2-2) had a five-game winning streak snapped.

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — Walsh Jesuit used a 10-point halftime lead and relentless defense to prevent Archbishop Hoban from finding much success during the Warriors' 57-45 win.

Walsh Jesuit (8-2, 2-2 North Coast League) has won two straight while the Knights (8-3, 2-2) had a five-game winning streak snapped.

"We didn't have any flow," said Hoban coach T.K. Griffith, whose team's most recent loss came against St. Vincent-St. Mary on Dec. 23. "We could never get over the hump to get a flow. We were taken out of a lot of things that we've been doing well all season. Their defense was really good."

Walsh Jesuit took a 36-26 halftime lead, largely due to its red-hot 3-point shooting -- making seven 3-pointers.

L.J. Campbell scored all 12 of his points -- shooting 4-of-5 from behind the arc -- in the first half.

"I thought . . . defensively we did an excellent job at forcing them to stay on the perimeter," Walsh Jesuit coach John Norris said. "They made some big shots in the first half, but I think, as the game went on, those shots got tougher and tougher to come down."

The Knights led early into the second quarter but Walsh Jesuit fought back.

Powered by an 18-7 run, which included back-to-back Campbell 3-pointers, the Warriors built their 10-point halftime lead.

The Warriors' offense didn't give up the double-digit lead in the second half, but the Knights didn't do anything to relieve the pressure, either.

"They came back at us the whole way until the . . . end," Norris said. "They didn't give up on us."

A big part of the Warriors' success was the post play of senior captain Nick Foschia, who maintained a strong defensive presence while scoring 14 points.

"He does a great job of working around the defense and coming to the ball," Norris said. "He really uses his body well around the rim in order to finish."

Walsh held Hoban to just three points in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter.

Cody Erbacher is a freelance writer in Kent.

Carmona posts $13,000 bail on Friday but is ordered not to leave his homeland of the Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, Carmona put his $7 million contract with the Indians in jeopardy because he used a false name, but the Indians are not indicating they will void the deal.

View full sizeJim Mone, Associated PressNew Indians pitcher Kevin Slowey was 0-8 with a 6.67 ERA last season with the Twins.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — It sounds as if the Indians believe Fausto Carmona could be cooling his heels in the Dominican Republic for a long time.

A couple of hours after Carmona was released from jail Friday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, after his arrest Thursday for trying to obtain a visa under a false name, the Indians traded for right-hander Kevin Slowey to take Carmona's spot in the rotation. They didn't come out and say as much, but it's a conclusion that's easy to draw.

The Indians acquired Slowey and a reported $1.25 million from the Rockies for right-hander Zach Putnam. Slowey was in the Twins' starting rotation for the past five years before being dealt to Colorado in December following a season of bad results, injury and discontent.

Carmona posted $13,000 bail but was ordered not to leave his homeland. He was arrested by the Dominican National Police outside the U.S. Consulate after applying for a visa to go to spring training next month in Goodyear, Ariz. Dominican authorities say Carmona's real name is Roberto Hernandez Heredia and that he's 31, not 28, as he's listed in the Indians' 2011 media guide.

"I ask for the forgiveness of my fans, the government of the United States and the Cleveland Indians for this situation," Carmona told the Associated Press upon leaving court Friday.

In September, another Dominican pitcher was arrested for using a false identity.

Leo Nunez of the Miami Marlins is really Juan Carlos Oviedo. The Marlins recently signed him to a one-year, $6 million contract, but Oviedo has been unable to obtain a visa since his arrest. If the pitcher formerly known as Carmona runs into a similar delay, he could conceivably miss a big part of the regular season.

The Indians open the season April 5 at Progressive Field.

At the end of the World Series, the Indians exercised a $7 million option in Carmona's contract for 2012. He put that contract in jeopardy by playing under a false name. At least two sources say the Indians have a good case if they want to void the contract, but that doesn't appear to be their intent. If they didn't want Carmona, they could have traded him or made him a free agent by not picking up his option. Besides, if Carmona can't get out of the Dominican Republic, he won't be paid anyway.

The Indians' problem is that they don't know when Carmona will be able to join them. Enter Slowey.

"It will take its proper course," said Winston Llenas, an Indians adviser in the Dominican Republic. "This was the U.S. Consulate that discovered this. They're pretty tight on situations like this."

Llenas helped sign Carmona in 2000. He is the general manager for Aguilas, the team Carmona made five starts for this winter.

A report on ESPN's "Outside The Lines" on Friday said that the mother of the real Fausto Carmona recently blew the whistle on pitcher Carmona's fake identity on a radio show in Santo Domingo. ESPN's Pedro Gomez said the woman was upset because Carmona had stopped paying her family money to keep his secret. Gomez said U.S. authorities, alerted by the broadcast, were waiting for Carmona when he applied for his visa.

Indians General Manager Chris Antonetti said he hadn't seen the report and wouldn't comment on it.

Identification fraud is nothing new when it comes to baseball in the talent-rich island of the Dominican Republic. The Indians have been burned several times.

Former Indians pitcher Bartolo Colon grew 2 years older in spring 2002 when he was found to be using a false birth certificate and a phony visa. In 2009, the Indians signed 16-year-old Dominican shortstop Jose Ozoria to a $570,000 bonus. They found out he was actually Wally Bryan, an 18-year-old. They never recovered any of the money.

Slowey, 27, went 0-8 with a 6.67 ERA last year. He was bothered by shoulder bursitis and a strained oblique muscle. During the course of the year, he fell into disfavor with the front office and fans.

Until last year, Slowey was one of the Twins' most consistent starters. He was 13-6 in 2010, 10-3 in 2009, 12-11 in 2008 and 4-1 in 2007. He will compete for a spot in the rotation with Jeanmar Gomez, Zach McAllister, Scott Barnes and David Huff.

Slowey signed a one-year, $2.75 million deal to avoid arbitration after being traded to the Rockies. Indians doctors reviewed his medical history Friday and believe he's healthy.

"The uncertainty with Fausto's situation had something to do with this," Antonetti said, "but we've said all along this winter, we will look for any opportunity to improve our team.

"We've liked Kevin for a long time. We tried to get him at the trading deadline last year from the Twins."

Putnam made his big-league debut last year for the Indians. He was scheduled to compete for a job in the bullpen this spring.

He went 1-1 with a 6.14 ERA in eight appearances with the Tribe and 6-3 with a 3.65 ERA and nine saves in 44 appearances with Class AAA Columbus. Putnam was the Tribe's fifth-round pick in 2008.

New guys: The Indians signed outfielder Ryan Spilborghs and infielder Gregorio Petit to minor-league deals, with invitations to big-league spring training.

Spilborghs, 32, is a career .272 hitter (424-for-1,561), with 42 homers and 218 RBI in 619 games. He hits right-handed and can play all three outfield positions. He's been in the big leagues seven seasons, all with the Rockies.

He played just 98 games last year because of a right foot problem. Spilborghs hit .210 (42-for-200), with three homers and 22 RBI. As a pinch hitter, he has a career average of .305 (53-for-174).

Petit, 26, missed last season after injuring his knee playing winter ball in Venezuela. The middle infielder played 25 games in the big leagues with Oakland in 2008 and 2009.

He hit .251 (118-for-471), with 20 doubles, seven homers and 30 RBI in 130 games at shortstop for Class AAA Oklahoma City in 2010. Swing and a miss: The Indians missed out on first baseman Carlos Pena. He signed a one-year, $7.25 million deal with Tampa Bay on Friday. At one time, the Indians had serious interest in Pena but had to go to owner Larry Dolan to see if they could afford him.

It doesn't appear the Indians made an offer.

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

On Twitter: @hoynsie