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March Madness in Texas

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in NCAA BASKETBALL.

By Tucker Stephenson

With the exception of Macho Man Randy Savage, nothing says “madness” quite like the month of March.

The best tournament in all of sports is once again approaching, and the state of Texas will no doubt be well represented. Beginning with the Big 12, here’s a look at the locks, bubble teams and schools that will need to win their respective conference tourneys in order to earn an invite to the big dance.

BIG 12

LOCKS: Texas Tech, Baylor

The Red Raiders have spent much of the season in or near the top 10 and will be competing in the NCAA Tournament this March. Texas Tech is fresh off of an eye-opening 91-62 win over Kansas at home and is led by sophomore guard Jarrett Culver (18.0 points per game), who is a hometown product from Lubbock Coronado High School.

The Bears are Texas’ second best bet from the Big 12 to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, as Baylor holds quality conference wins against Iowa State (twice), Texas Tech and Oklahoma (twice). The Bears can add to that résumé down the stretch against Texas, Kansas State and Kansas, but they already appear to be in the field of 68.

ON THE BUBBLE: Texas, TCU

The Longhorns have endured a roller-coaster ride this season. Head coach Shaka Smart’s team holds impressive victories against North Carolina, K-State, Oklahoma, Kansas and Baylor. Then again, Texas has also dropped games to Radford, Providence and Oklahoma State. A large portion of the Longhorns’ case could rest upon the status of suspended guard Kerwin Roach and whether or not he is reinstated by the school.

The Horned Frogs don’t have much in the way of non-conference wins, but they’ve been more than competitive in a deep Big 12. TCU managed to sweep Iowa State in a pair of meetings and has also knocked off Baylor and Texas. Jamie Dixon, now in his third year at the helm of the program, could be a dark horse candidate for conference coach of the year.

Texas Tech guard Jarrett Culver (23) goes to the basket defended by Oklahoma forward Kristian Doolittle (21) and forward Brady Manek (35) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

IN NEED OF A MIRACLE: None

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

LOCK: Houston

The Cougars aren’t just a mortal lock to make the tournament, they’ll also likely be the top seed from the entire state. Houston has dominated its conference opponents and owned a 26-1 overall record and a lofty No. 8 ranking in the nation as of Feb. 25. The Cougars are led by the tandem of Corey Davis Jr. (15.7 points per game) and Armori Brooks (14.1 points per game). Houston is coached by Kelvin Sampson, who is a former assistant with the NBA’s Houston Rockets and a former head coach at Oklahoma.

IN NEED OF A MIRACLE: SMU

SEC

IN NEED OF A MIRACLE: Texas A&M’s only shot is to win the Southeastern Conference Tournament. Otherwise, it’s on to baseball season in Aggieland.

BEST OF THE REST

SUN BELT CONFERENCE: There are a few conferences with just one available bid, and their league tournaments will determine who will advance. In the Sun Belt, Texas State is the current leader and will be the favorite to earn a spot in the big dance. However, a strong challenge from George State and/or Georgia Southern is likely, and UT-Arlington is hoping to play the role of spoiler from its fourth-place position.

IN NEED OF A MIRACLE: None

CONFERENCE USA: UTSA has a shot to advance from Conference USA, as does North Texas, but Old Dominion is the odds-on favorite to run the table in the conference tournament. The Roadrunners are among a four-team pack fighting for second place behind Old Dominion, and the Mean Green are one of only two 20-win teams in Conference USA.

IN NEED OF A MIRACLE: Rice, UTEP

SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE: Sam Houston State has built a comfortable lead in the race for the Southland’s regular season crown and looks ready to make more noise in the league’s postseason tournament. Abilene Christian and Lamar aren’t out of the conversation by a long shot, though. Abilene Christian is already over the 20-win mark, while Lamar headed into the home stretch of its season schedule riding a five-game conference winning streak.

IN NEED OF A MIRACLE: Stephen F. Austin, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Houston Baptist, Incarnate Word

SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE: Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern appear to be the biggest roadblocks for one another in each program’s quest for the SWAC’s lone NCAA Tournament bid. Prairie View A&M looks as though it will win the regular season conference crown, while Texas Southern is hoping to turn the tables in conference tourney.

IN NEED OF A MIRACLE: None

WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE: Lastly, UT Rio Grande Valley will need a miracle in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament to unseat heavy favorite New Mexico. UT Rio Grande Valley has had a respectable season and is in the middle of the pack in the league standings, but there isn’t any room for error.

Horns edge out Purdue before facing Tech & LSU.

Written by Charles Branch on . Posted in College Baseball, TEXAS SPORTS.

The magic in 2018 was unforgettable for the Horns as Cody Clemens led the way with clutch hitting and over 20 home-runs leading them to Omaha. It was remarkable to see and this season will try to get close to equivalence.

The Horns will be without short stop David Hamilton for the season as he suffered through an Achilles injury. The horns lost a  total of five players from last season and some of the question marks are in some important aspects of this team most notable the pitching; referencing to Chase Shugart and Nolan Kingham.

The Longhorns bring in a challenging group and the expectation to win another Big 12 title and earn a top seed to Omaha. David Pierce is a fine coach at developing talent and fans will definitely keep an eye out for this promising group. There might be hiccups early in the season or there might be some progress. At this point the horns have earned a respectable 6-2 record to start the birth of the 2019 season. The offense should be the strength of this team even with the absence of Clemens. Pierce has turned this program into a competitive and strong one each and every year. They will lean on the bats of Tate Shaw, Austin Todd, Duke Ellis, and Ryan Reynolds.

The Disch has already hosted Purdue giving Texas a series win over a span of three games. Gaining this momentum has given them a confidence as they prepare for a battle with series against 2nd ranked LSU and #3 Texas Tech. If they can come out of this maybe splitting these two it’s a success and and will direct them into the right direction.

With Pierce’s strength and knowledge regarding his team, there’s a stability that he will put his players in the right positions to win. A one game at a time mentality for this young rebirthing team is the right thing to do and the leadership from Pierce will definitely be used. Once this team gets their feet underneath them and the hard work they portray this season they should be able to match the success. The expectation is not out of reach. We’ll get a real feel once they face the Red Raiders. And they will see them again down the line. It’s not a failure if you see them go back and forth and maybe going just 1-2. They have time and with a respectable 6-2 record it can only get better. The uncertainty of how they’ll start the season is behind us and now it’s time to turn up the notch. There will be bumps and bruises but the grind will hopefully turn this team into the team to beat in the BIG 12. Grab a seat, get some popcorn, and Hook ‘EM.

Austin LBJ falls short to (S.A.) Brack 80-67 in Playoff.

Written by Charles Branch on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL HOOPS.

A brisk cold wind breezed its way through this particular Saturday morning. A student walked alongside the building struggling to keep warm. It was 9 am and the LBJ Jags prepared for the playoffs, winners of the District 25 5A division, they ran through their half-court offense repeatedly. The basketball bounced, the coaches yelling instruction from a distance, it was time to elevate their game for playoff basketball.

              

The team graciously welcomed your fellow writer at the practice facility and one of the coaches came up giving a rundown of the team. He started pointing with Brian Batts, senior guard, playing his last year for the Jags who has chosen to attend college at University of Texas at Permian Basin to play football. Batts earned All District Utility Player of the Year playing both sides of the ball and also chosen for first team All-District this basketball season. Batts handled the ball with an efficient scoring mentality.

The next player looked at was Junior Jordan Teal. As a sophomore, Teal guarded well enough to earn Defensive MVP. He played the outside confidently shooting his mid-range shot at the elbow.

Coach Roland approached, we shook hands, and began to dive deep into the quality head coach that he is. He teaches Health at the high school and believes that the kids should feel important, they write their name on a piece of paper and bring to class each and every day. Coach’s main ideology is his students and athletes graduate high school. The relationship he develops through his athletes has come over time. He keeps in touch with former Jag Kerry Hyder who played college at Texas Tech and now currently plays for the Detroit Lions recovering from an injury. He has this paternal complex about him that reveals his intentions. A lot of players have looked up to him as they are raised by single mothers. He offers guidance, structure, and most of all discipline.

 Coach looks over to the speaker blaring hip hop music and chuckles. He comes from the old school listening to Marvin Gaye and The Temptations. The modern day music genre is an unique one.  The fundamentals aspects are what he preaches and he is confused on the mentality of the flashy athlete. What does it benefit? Why the need for it?

The assistant coaches whistled for the shooting drill where each player lined up at two lines at each basket with time on the clock and shot. You could hear one of them screaming “legs” as a few shots were coming up short. The tiredness was taking effect but they pushed through it in their effort to shoot the basketball when the game was on the line. Mental toughness comes into play when the body is drained and technique is weakened.

They ran one more circuit Coach Roland shook hands, then walked over to center court where the team circled together. It was hard to listen on his words but you could see the teams focus on every sentence. Two days before their first playoff game these next two days were important; scouting reports had to be read, healthy eating had to be consumed, but most of all they had to understand this could be their last practice.

They didn’t want this season to end and for some it was their last few games especially for starting senior Rodrick Roberts, “It’s my last year, I want to win state.”

Jordan Teal replied with even more ambition,” We’re gonna win state.”

And for others it’s just like this,” I want us to play as a team and we have seven more games to play. It’s deeper than basketball.”

Yes it is. Especially for the LBJ Jaguar basketball team

Longhorns Youth on Mound Strength in 2019.

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in College Baseball, TEXAS SPORTS.

AUSTIN — With a legacy of live arms that includes Burt Hooton, Greg Swindell and Roger Clemens, the Longhorns realize that the greatest equalizer of all is usually the man on the mound.

But after a return trip to the College World Series, Texas’ rotation seems to be under major construction in 2019.

Two of head coach David Pierce’s most reliable hurlers — Nolan Kingham and Chase Shurgart — are no longer with the program, leaving Blair Henley as the most experienced returnee. Henley, a junior right-hander from Fort Worth, posted a 3.32 ERA last season on his way to earning All-Big 12 second team recognition.

Most expect Pierce to rely on depth during the early season until a handful of reliable pitchers separate themselves from the pack. If that doesn’t happen, then it could be all hands on deck for the entire year.

Also figuring into the potential starting rotation will be sophomore right-hander Bryce Elder, freshman right-hander Coy Cobb, sophomore right-hander Matt Whelan and freshman right-hander Ty Madden. Elder, who played his high school ball in Decatur, is off to a solid start with a 0.64 ERA in his first 14 innings of work.

There are plenty of options in the bullpen, including sophomore right-hander Kamron Fields, who got some quality playing time in the CWS last season as a collegiate newcomer and is also set to play some outfield for Texas. 

Redshirt freshman Cole Quintanilla, a native of nearby Cedar Park, has done his best to prove he can be trusted in multiple situations. The 6-foot-5 righty has already collected a win and a save in his first four appearances — all without surrendering a run.

In addition to Fields and Quintanilla, Tristan Stevens, Brandon Ivey, Donny Diaz, Mason Bryant and Nico O’Donnell have each seen more than one appearance in the first two weeks of 2019. Bryant is a 6-foot-5, right-handed freshman from Austin McCallum, while Ivey, a senior southpaw from Houston, is the lone senior of the bunch.

One of the most intriguing prospects in senior Matteo Bocchi, who is from Parma, Italy. The 6-foot-4 right-hander tossed three scoreless innings during the Longhorns’ 8-6 loss to the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns and could be a wild card as the season progresses.

The good news is there’s still some time to figure out who will figure into the mix when Big 12 play rolls around. Texas is set to open conference play in Austin on March 15-17 with a three-game series against Texas Tech.

Corey Knebel Living Field of Dreams

Written by Daniel Jones on . Posted in MLB.

Corey Knebel was somewhere around El Paso, on his way to spring training in Phoenix, when we finally caught up. He had just obliterated a large burger and fries, quite possibly easing the transition from the relative normalcy of the off-season to the demanding, high-stakes, though always thrilling, kickoff to baseball season.

And Knebel, 27, has a lot to be excited about: He was virtually unhittable in the playoffs last October, posting a .90 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 10 innings; this after he struggled to pitch at his best for much of the 2018 season following an April hamstring injury.

Although the didn’t quite match the same regular-season impact he had as an All-Star in 2017, in which he had a 1.78 ERA, 126 strikeouts and 39 saves in 45 opportunities, Knebel’s performance in the 2018 playoffs proved him to be one of most dominating closers in all of Major League Baseball. With help from his lights-out pitching, the Brewers made it to game seven of the National League Championship Series before the team lost to the Dodgers, just a game shy from competing in the World Series.

“To be honest, the comfort factor for me is ending the season like that. That was definitely the highlight of my career. I wanted to pitch in every game, and of course I couldn’t,” because he had a scheduled rest day, he said. “Now I’m able to move forward into this next season and start off strong just like I ended.”

EMBRACING THE PRESSURE

The 39th overall pick in the Major League Baseball 2013 draft by the Detroit Tigers, Knebel this January signed a one-year, $5.125 million contract extension with the Brewers, beginning his fifth season with the organization. When asked if the new contract takes some of the pressure off him to perform, the former UT closer said it doesn’t and that he also doesn’t want it to because “I really feed off the pressure.”

Knebel, a Leander-area resident and a graduate of Georgetown High School, approaches closing out big league games the same way he does with hunting. He starts getting his mind right and focused when he’s sitting up in the hunting blind when things are calm. “You’re excited, but you know you have to calm down or else you’re going to miss your shot,” he said. “Well, that’s exactly how I feel when I’m in the bullpen.”

But it’s big league hitters who more likely have to calm down when he’s called in to ensure a win. Knebel’s the one whose fastball occasionally tops out at 100 MPH, a pitch that makes his wicked breaking ball nearly impossible to hit when it’s placed well.

CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE AND SAGE ADVICE

Regarding his success in professional baseball, he gives credit to the countless coaches, teammates and family members who have helped guide and encourage him along the way, from his father to Georgetown High School head coach Adam Foster, former UT coach Skip Johnson, who is now head coach of Oklahoma University, and Brewers manager Craig Counsell. “These guys have been all the keys to my success. All have helped me and have been right there to lean on, especially when I went through my tough time last year.”

To his 12-year-old self, he would say, “Honestly, do not give up on your dreams. I never thought I’d be where I am today. It was just a dream that I had when I was younger.” He also discourages youngsters from throwing curve balls. Learn how to get guys out with your fastball and changeup, he said. It’s worked for him.

March Madness is Perfect.

Written by Charles Branch on . Posted in NCAA BASKETBALL.

The wildest college playoff is about to come alive for March Madness for two weeks time. Every year is a surprise, bubble teams squeeze themselves in, snubs have to accept their fates, fan brackets are crushed in the first week, Cinderella’s develop, and unsuspected players create their legacies as they are talked about forever. Fan favorites are born; the last seconds are dragged on capturing moments for all to see that will be discussed in the office; Who will win? How many teams do you have left in your bracket etc..

Many NBA players have taken that with them to cast their careers with Steph Curry and Gordon Hayward.

Let’s go back to Gordon Hayward for a second, in 2010 a college kid who looked like he snuck in the locker room, stole a jersey, and just took Butler all the way to the Finals against Duke. Hayward missed just inches as the basketball hit the rim ricocheting causing Duke to rush the court as the last seconds ticked away. Coincidentally Brad Stevens coached Butler and earned himself one of the best basketball developers in the sport. Hayward got drafted by Utah then ended up in Boston as he teamed up again with his former coach.

 The underdog is one of the go to stories giving casual fans to take a look what all the attention is about. That was the case for Curry in 2008 as he led Dayton to wins over Gonzaga, Georgetown, and Wisconsin. It all seemed possible for the small boyish face to go all the way but Big 12 representative and eventual champion Kansas beat them 59-57. He beat records for most threes in the tournament that year. It’s pretty safe to say he didn’t ease off the trigger a few feet back in the NBA.

The stress that goes into each game for the fans shoot at the very beginning. A little voice creeps in saying, “I think this is the game that ends the season,” because in all reality only one team can win. Their eyes are glued to the screen, yells are called on fouls that are suspect. There is a little bit of paranoia, are the refs getting paid? The logical answer is no but we all remember the debacle in the NBA a few years back with Tim Donaghy. For two hours everyone soaks up the intensity. The last five minutes feels like a second game, is this one of the games that will be talked about the next day. Conversation is intense as well.

This year gets a little interesting. One of the tops team in Duke grabs headlines for their confidence, youth, and one of the top picks Zion Williamson. And just for nostalgia sake Rick Barnes who has coached Tennessee one of the top teams in the nation. Sorry Texas fans but Tennessee won on the coaching changes with Shaka Smart not able to be a consistent threat. With Rick Barnes you knew what you had.

  • Texas guard Kerwin Roach II (12) shoots past Oklahoma State forward Yor Anei (14) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019, in Austin, Texas. Texas won 69-57. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

 The Longhorns have a chance to sneak in as the Big 12 hasn’t had a clear cut leader of the pack. They have to finish strong and demand attention or maybe even winning the Big 12 title to get in as a lower seed.

The name March Madness is the perfect. Heart comes to life on the hardwood, teams are strengthen or weakened, stories are written, upsets are on high alert. This year will be no different, this year will carry out its own identity. Roll out the balls and let’s meet at half court because there will bound to be something worth remembering this year. 

Southwestern University Baseball is set on making it to regional.

Written by Daniel Jones on . Posted in College Baseball.

BY DANIEL JONES

A year after losing in the final round of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) tournament to Centenary College, and just a win away from going to regionals, Southwestern University’s baseball team has returned with more experience and an eagerness to up its game.

    “Everyone’s got a lot of energy, a lot of pep in their step,” J.C. Bunch, the team’s head coach, said in early February.

Last season, the Georgetown, Texas-based Division III team finished with an 18-24 overall record ‒ 7-11 in the SCAC. At home, the Pirates went 12-12; but away games were a different story: just five wins in 15 away games. Coach Bunch said he was, despite the team’s losing record, pleased with how well Southwestern played at the end of the season and in the conference tournament.

The 2019 season began in mid-February, and conference play kicks off Friday and Saturday, March 15 and 16, with three away games at Schreiner University.

This year’s team lost some arms from 2018, but coach Bunch isn’t at all worried. “I think we have a deeper pitching staff than we had last year,” he said. “We’ve returned the nucleus of our pitching staff,” which includes three returning, right-handed hurlers ‒ sophomores Austin Smith and Aaron Clark and junior Colton Hunter. Smith had a 4-1 record last season in 11 total appearances on the mound, including six starts; Clark was 2-2 in 11 appearances; and Hunter was 3-4 in eight starts and 12 total trips to the mound.

Coach Bunch said two freshmen could “see meaningful innings.” They are local recruits Travis Harvey (Cedar Park High School) and Benjamin Ludwig (Westlake High School). And other relief pitchers who didn’t see as many innings last year will also be brought in more often to get batters out.

More depth on the mound means the Pirates can have more live scrimmages while simultaneously saving pitchers for games. “To get better,” coach Bunch said, “we have to actually play baseball. Batting practice doesn’t make you better; it’s live at-bats, it’s instant feedback from the pitcher.”

Offensively, he’d like to see this year’s team hit for a much higher average and hit for more power. Last year the Pirates hit .260 with just 12 bombs. Plus coach Bunch wants his players to come to the plate with more “intent,” he said ‒ to get in the batter’s box with a specific objective already in mind, whether it’s to advance a runner and get them in scoring position, or to disrupt a pitcher’s rhythm and confidence.

Most of Southwestern’s strongest offensive players have returned this season. Sophomore infielder Seth Spark hit .311 last year as a freshman. As a result, he was named to the American Baseball Coaches Association Division III’s West All-Region Third Team. Three seniors will lead the team and set an example for the younger, more inexperienced players. They are starting catcher Colby Schmidt, first baseman Cole Kelly, who in 2018 had a .300 batting average, and outfielder Ethan Hallmark ‒ a .306 career hitter.

“We’re cautiously optimistic with how this year’s going to go,” coach Bunch said. “But our goal every year is to find a way to get to the regional tournament.”

Texas over Oklahoma State 69-57

Written by Russell Dowden on . Posted in TEXAS SPORTS.


By JIM VERTUNO, AP Sports Writer
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — In a Big 12 season of ups and downs for Texas, none was more befuddling than an early loss to last-place Oklahoma State.
The Longhorns made sure there would be no repeat on Saturday.
Kerwin Roach II scored 16 points, Dylan Osetkowski scored 14 on 5-of-5 shooting a 69-57 Texas win that sent the Cowboys to their fifth straight loss and eighth loss in nine games.


“It was our emphasis today to come out, just be aggressive, don’t take these guys lightly,” Roach said. “Respect them. They beat us the first time. We wanted to pay them back.”


Oklahoma State (9-16, 2-10) jumped on Texas early the first time the teams met and looked to do it again with a flurry of 3-pointers, including three by Thomas Dziagwa. Texas responded when the Longhorns pushed out to defend further on the perimeter, and Oklahoma State made just one from long range over the final 9 minutes of the first half.


Dziagwa finished with 23 points behind seven 3-pointers.
“We just shut down everybody else,” Roach said. “We made it tough on him, too, but he still made some tough ones.”
Texas (15-11, 7-6) led 20-19 before closing the first half on a 19-7 run punctuated by Roach’s 3-pointer from the corner with 1 second left in the half.


Texas led by 13 early in the second before the Cowboys cut it 42-38. The Longhorns responded with three straight baskets and a 3-point play by Courtney Ramey to end the threat.


Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton dismissed three players for team rule violations after a 2-3 start in the Big 12 that included the previous win over Texas. The Cowboys are down to just seven scholarship players.
“That’s kind of a moving target. I put a walk-on on scholarship, but he broke his foot,” Boynton said. “(Texas) has players who weren’t even dressed that could start for us … I still sense a very frustrated group that feels like it cannot win.”


BIG PICTURE
Oklahoma State: The Cowboys had very little working offensively when Dziagwa wasn’t firing away from long range. They were 12 of 30 inside the arc and went 9 of 18 from the free throw line. Dziagwa was 0-6 when he wasn’t shooting 3-pointers.
“Even on a night we make eight (3-pointers) we still don’t get to 60 points,” Boynton said.


Texas: The Longhorns will like the confident shooting stroke from Osetkowski, who came in just 2 of 21 shooting 3-pointers in the previous nine games. He made two from the same spot in right corner in the first half, then made another with 7:12 to play that put Texas ahead by 10. His ability to score away from the basket will be key to the Texas offense over the stretch run of the season.


Osetkowski’s three 3-pointers were his season high.
“I’m looking for seven 3s like I did last season at Iowa State,” Osetkowski said. “It’s great see some going in.”


SCORING DEPTH
Texas’s deeper bench made a big difference. While Oklahoma State had four players log at least 38 minutes and two — Cameron McGriff and Lindy Waters III — played the entire game, Texas has only two players on the court for more than 30 minutes.


The Texas bench outscored Oklahoma State’s 16-2. Longhorns guard Elijah Mitrou-Long had six points and three assists and Royce Hamm Jr. had four points and three aggressive rebounds.


“Those guys gave us a real lift in terms of spirit and energy,” Texas coach Shaka Smart said. “We wanted to take advantage of the fact we had more depth.”


UP NEXT
Oklahoma State hosts TCU on Monday. The Cowboys lost the previous matchup 70-68.


Texas plays Oklahoma Saturday, looking for a season sweep over the Sooners. Texas won the previous meeting 75-72 when the Sooners missed a 3-pointer in the final seconds.

More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/Collegebasketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Team LeBron rallies to beat Team Giannis, 178-164

Written by Russell Dowden on . Posted in NBA.


By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Basketball Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — LeBron James was trading lob passes with Dwyane Wade again, one last time. Catching lobs from former teammate Kyrie Irving once again, too. And after making a stepback 3-pointer late, he stared down Joel Embiid to send a message without saying a word.
Oh, this mattered to James — and Team LeBron as well.


Team LeBron, down by 20 in the second half, finally got firing and went on to beat Team Giannis 178-164 in the All-Star Game on Sunday night. MVP Kevin Durant scored 31 points for Team LeBron, the one that James drafted and led to victory in the captain’s-choice format for a second consecutive season.


“You put me on the floor, I love to compete,” James said in the postgame interview room. “I’m a competitor, no matter what it is. I was competing to see if I could get to this table first.”
He wasn’t kidding. He then turned to NBA spokesman Mark Broussard, asked if he was the first player to get into the room and grinned when told he was.


“See what I’m talking about?” James said.
Klay Thompson scored 20 points, and James and Kawhi Leonard each had 19 for the winners.


“It’s all sweet to me,” Durant said after getting his second All-Star MVP award, to go with the one he claimed in 2012. “It’s hard to rank because everything’s special. But it’s cool to be out there with some of the best players to ever play the game. And to win MVP in front of my family and friends is pretty sweet.”


Giannis Antetokounmpo — the first-time captain — led everybody with 38 points on 17 for 23 shooting for the club he drafted. Paul George and Khris Middleton each scored 20 points for Team Giannis, which got 17 apiece from Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook.


“Just being the leader of a team, it wasn’t as tough as I thought,” Antetokounmpo said. “My teammates, the guys in the locker room, encouraged me to step up and take it serious and play hard.”
The highlights, as would be expected, were absurdly good, time and again.
Curry slammed the ball off the floor on a first-half fast break and watched it ricochet toward the rim with an apex that flirted with the top of the backboard. Too high for most humans — but Antetokounmpo isn’t most humans. The freakishly long Greek star slammed Curry’s unconventional alley-oop pass home, with both benches reacting in disbelief.


Curry then slammed an alley-oop on the last play of the game, to himself, for a dunk that closed the scoring in his hometown.
“I thought we put on a great show tonight,” said Kemba Walker, Charlotte’s lone player in the game.


It was not a defensive showcase, as always.
Team Giannis set an All-Star record with 23 field goals in the first quarter, topping the mark of 22 set on four other occasions — by both the West and the East in the first quarter of the 2017 game, and by the West in both the second and third quarters of the 2016 game.


The 53 points tied a one-quarter All-Star record as well, matching the total by the West in the third quarter of the 2016 games and by the East in the first quarter of the 2017 game. But when it was time to get competitive, things tightened up considerably, at least by All-Star standards.
But when Team LeBron used a flurry of 3s to get back into it in the third quarter, everyone on the bench was standing — sometimes running from the bench and onto the court during play, the celebrations a bit more exuberant than what’s usually allowed.


“We got the win,” said Houston’s James Harden, who scored 12 points for Team LeBron. “That’s all that matters.”


And the All-Star farewells for Miami’s Wade and Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki— the adds to the game by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, in honor of their career bodies of work — were festive, as everyone wanted.
Nowitzki entered the game late in the first quarter and made his first three shots — all of them 3-pointers — before heading back to the bench. Wade checked in not long after Nowitzki took the floor, then started the second half and achieved his primary missions for his last All-Star Game as a player.


He got an alley-oop lob from James.
And he threw an alley-oop lob to James.
Wade dunked, James dunked, and the close friends who entered the NBA together in 2003 and won championships with Miami in 2012 and 2013 got a couple more moments to savor in their final night as on-court teammates.
Wade finished with seven points in 10 minutes, and Nowitzki never returned after his nine-point, four-minute opening stint. When the third quarter ended, every player gathered behind them as Wade and Nowitzki were honored with commemorative jerseys at midcourt.


“Thank you to the commissioner and the NBA for allowing us to both be on this stage again,” Nowitzki said.
“Exactly what Dirk said,” Wade said as he took the microphone. “We’re very thankful for this opportunity. … The game is in great hands. It’s easy to walk away right now.”


TIP-INS
Team Giannis: Antetokounmpo was awarded a first-quarter free throw — but instead of shooting it, he tossed a pass to himself off the backboard. It isn’t legal, and didn’t work, but he didn’t mind. … Embiid had 12 rebounds and Antetokounmpo added 11. … Team Giannis gave up 96 points in the second half after leading 95-82 at the half.


Team LeBron: James spent part of halftime on the court listening to J. Cole’s performance, then grabbed a hug from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. … New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, who was dealing with a muscle strain in his shoulder, played five minutes and made both of his shot attempts.


SPLAT BROTHERS
Ordinarily “Splash Brothers” in Golden State, Curry went splat — courtesy of Thompson. Early in the fourth quarter, Curry shot a 3-pointer from the right wing while getting fouled by someone who’s usually his teammate. Thompson gave a dismissive wave, as if to ask “Why’d I do that?” when Curry’s 3 swished. And Curry made the free throw to seal the four-point play.
“I felt like the opposition for once. … It sucked to be on the receiving end,” Thompson said. “But it’s all fun and games in the All-Star Game and that was a crazy shot.”


DUAL COACHSPEAK
Team Giannis coach Mike Budenholzer of the Milwaukee Bucks and Team LeBron coach Michael Malone of the Denver Nuggets did their postgame news conference together. That doesn’t happen in normal games, and they were asked if they liked speaking alongside one another.
“Probably not a good idea,” Budenholzer said.


OLADIPO SPEAKS
Victor Oladipo’s season is over with a leg injury that kept him from playing in the All-Star Game as well. The Indiana Pacers star, however, was watching. “Wish I could be there playing with you guys but I know this will be a good game to watch!” Oladipo tweeted. “I was on Team LeBron last year but this year it’s all about #TeamGiannis! Lets Go Fellas!!!” Oladipo was replaced on the Team Giannis roster by Brooklyn’s D’Angelo Russell.


NO-FIGHT NIGHT
There were no fights, though that didn’t stop the league from bringing in renowned boxing ring announcer Michael Buffer to deliver his famed “Let’s get ready to rumble” proclamation just before tip-off.
UP NEXT
The next All-Star Game is Feb. 16, 2020, in Chicago.

More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Astros open camp with bar ‘set incredibly high’

Written by Russell Dowden on . Posted in MLB.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — When you have this many stars and this much talent, you can’t help but have visions of playing baseball deep into October. And considering it was only a year ago the Astros were talking about defending their World Series title, their window to win another one remains wide open.

Those crisp late October nights are a long way from the sun-splashed back fields of Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, where Astros pitchers and catchers reported Wednesday morning with their gear and expectations in tow. Spring Training is underway for the Astros, a loaded club that followed up its 2017 World Series championship with a club-record 103 wins last year.

Astros pitchers and catchers will work out for the first time Thursday, with position players slated to report Monday. The first full-squad workout is Tuesday. The Astros open Grapefruit League play on Feb. 23 against the Nationals at Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.

“The bar is set incredibly high, and we need to have a good, productive spring,” Astros manager AJ Hinch said.

By Brian McTaggart MLB.com @brianmctaggart Feb. 13th, 2019

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