Sports – Page 323 – North Platte Post Archive

Afflalo, Nuggets Hand Wolves 12th Straight Loss

Posted on January 5, 2015

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Arron Afflalo scored 34 points and the Denver Nuggets handed the Minnesota Timberwolves their 12th straight loss with a 110-101 victory on Monday night.

J.J. Hickson had 16 points and 11 rebounds and the Nuggets shot 55 percent to cruise past the Timberwolves (5-28), by far the worst team in the Western Conference. Jusuf Nurkic scored 14 points and Ty Lawson added 12 assists for the Nuggets, whose reserves outscored Minnesota’s 47-10.

Gorgui Dieng tied a career high with 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Shabazz Muhammad added 19 points and six boards for Minnesota. The Timberwolves shot just 43 percent and have not won since Dec. 10 while playing without Ricky Rubio, Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin.

Former Knight Montalvo, Texas State Upsets Georgia State 77-74 in 2OT

Posted on January 5, 2015January 6, 2015

Ethan Montalvo with the NPCC Knights in 2014

ATLANTA (AP) — Emani Gant scored 11 of his 17 points in two overtime periods as Texas State upset Georgia State77-74 on Monday night.

Gant nailed a 3-point jumper as time expired in the first overtime to tie the game at 69. He made two straight jump shots in the second extra period and Kavin Gilder-Tilbury sank three free throws as the Bobcats ended Georgia State’s 18-game home court winning streak.

The Panthers, picked to win the Sun Belt Conference, held a 55-51 lead with 1:17 left in regulation. Ethan Montalvo and D.J. Brown nailed consecutive treys for the lead with 17 seconds remaining. Ryan Harrow drove for a layup to tie at 57 and send it to overtime.

Cameron Naylor had a career-high 18 points, Brown added 12 and Gilder-Tilbury and Montalvo had 11 apiece for Texas State (8-4, 2-1 Sun Belt).

Harrow had 29 points for Georgia State (9-5, 2-1).

Nick Hundley and Rockies Finalize $6.25 Million, 2-Year Deal

Posted on January 5, 2015

DENVER (AP) — Free agent catcher Nick Hundley and the Colorado Rockies have finalized a $6.25 million, two-year contract.

The 31-year-old, whose deal was announced Monday, played for San Diego from 2008-14 and was traded to Baltimore last May 24. He hit .243 last year with six homers and 22 RBIs in 83 games.

Hundley played in a career-best 114 games in 2013, when he set career highs for doubles (19), homers (13) and RBIs (44). He’s thrown out 27 percent of base stealers in his seven-year career.

He gets $3.1 million this year and $3.15 million in 2016. The deal also includes award bonuses.

To make room on their 40-man roster, the Rockies designated right-handed pitcher Chris Martin for assignment.

Boy Scouts Basketball at NPCC

Posted on January 5, 2015January 6, 2015

Area Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Explorers and their families are invited to a free evening of basketball action at North Platte Community College. A doubleheader is planned for Saturday in the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium on south campus. The women’s game starts at 2 p.m. and the men’s game begins at 4 p.m. All Scouts in uniform will also be treated to a free bag of popcorn. They will have the opportunity to meet the NPCC Knights men’s basketball team at an autograph session following the men’s game.

Kennedy Selected to All-Nebraska Team

Posted on January 5, 2015

North Platte Community College Lady Knight volleyball player Samantha Kennedy was recently named to the All-Nebraska Junior College volleyball first team presented by the Omaha World Herald. This is the second year that Kennedy was selected.

Kennedy led the Lady Knights in kills with 442 kills and a kill efficiency of 0.306. The 442 kills in a season is tied for 6^th place in the history of the Lady Knights volleyball program. The 0.306 kill efficiency also places her 6^th in the kill efficiency category.

Kennedy, a Sutherland, Nebraska native, finished her career with the Lady Knights with 828 kills which places her in 5^th place in school history and a 0.298 kill efficiency which is 4^th best in school history.

Former Lady Knights volleyball coach Sally Thalken said, “Sam is very deserving to be on this team. She led our team in many categories and was much of the time our ‘go to person.’”

Other Lady Knights named honorable mention to the All-Nebraska team were sophomores Joli Hopping, Samantha Byrn, and Erika Goodwin. Freshman Valerie Most also was named Honorable mention.

The All – Nebraska team is selected from six junior colleges in the state of Nebraska and is picked by balloting of the coaches.

Royals Assistant GM Taylor Announces Retirement

Posted on January 5, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Longtime Royals executive Dean Taylor is retiring from the front office, part of a shakeup of the American League champions’ baseball operations department.

Taylor began his career in Kansas City in the early 1980s and spent time with the Atlanta Braves before becoming GM of the Milwaukee Brewers. He also worked for the Dodgers and Reds before returning to the Royals organization in 2006.

Royals GM Dayton Moore said Taylor will serve as a consultant.

Among other moves Monday, J.J. Picollo was promoted to vice president and assistant GM in charge of player personnel; Rene Francisco was appointed assistant GM of major league and international operations; Scott Sharp was made assistant GM of baseball operations; and Jin Wong became the assistant GM of baseball administration.

Storm To Skate In Hastings, Aid Salvation Army

Posted on January 5, 2015

KEARNEY, Neb. – This week the Tri-City Storm will be helping the Salvation Army food pantry in Hastings collect donations, and have planned an outdoor skating event to take place in Libs Park from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 7.

Various Storm players will partake in a hockey exhibition during the first part of the skate, before opening things up for a public skate.

The team asks that fans who attend bring food donations for the Salvation Army food pantry. The pantry is critically low, with bare shelves and freezers empty of meat.

Food needs include: Canned meats, i.e., tuna, spam, etc., hamburger meat (preferably in one pound tubes), hamburger helper, macaroni and cheese, soups, and stews. Other non-perishable items will also be accepted.

Tri-City is teaming up with NBC Nebraska’s Tim Jones and Taylor Kilgore for the event, as well as the team’s radio partner, Platte River Radio.

Jones and Kilgore will broadcast live from the park during their 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts.

In addition, the Viaero Event Center will serve as a collection site for food donations during the team’s upcoming home games on Jan. 9 & 10 against the Waterloo Black Hawks. Fans planning on attending either game are encouraged to bring a donation to support the food pantry.

Friday’s game gets underway at 7:30 p.m., while Saturday’s puck drop is scheduled for 7:05.

For more information and to purchase tickets, contact the Viaero Event Center Box Office at 308.338.8011 or visit www.stormhockey.com.

Manning, Marshall Return to Broncos Practice

Posted on January 5, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Peyton Manning and Brandon Marshall have returned to practice following the Denver Broncos’ first-round bye.

Manning missed both of the team’s practices last week. Marshall, the team’s top tackler, hadn’t practiced since spraining his right foot at San Diego on Dec. 14.

Also back was safety T.J. Ward, who missed the season finale with a neck injury.

Denver listed 22 players on its injury report before the Broncos’ final game, against Oakland, when safety David Bruton Jr. and left guard Orlando Franklin sustained concussions.

Those were the only two players not participating in practice Monday, working instead with a strength and conditioning coach on the sideline.

The Broncos (12-4) host the Indianapolis Colts (12-5) Sunday in an AFC divisional playoff game.

NPCC Knights Travel to Northwest Kansas

Posted on January 5, 2015

The North Platte Community College Knights travel Tuesday, January 6 to Goodland, Kansas to play the Northwest Kansas Technical College Mavericks at the Max L. Jones Fieldhouse..

North Platte Community College has a 10-3 record on the season, while Northwest Kansas is 9-7.

This is the first game back for the Knights after the winter break. The Knights defeated the Mavericks 81-68 on December 10 at the McDonald – Belton gymnasium. Northwest Kansas will be playing their second game since the break losing to Frank Phillips College 70-64 on the road.

North Platte is led in scoring by sophomore Cameron Williams who is scoring 23.1 points per game. Williams is currently in 11^th place in the country in scoring. Williams also leads Region IX in scoring.

Other Knights scoring in double figures are Marco Pascolo with 11.1 points per game, and Shyquinn Dix with 11.0 points per game.

The Mavericks are led in scoring by DeAngelo Stewart with 14.5 points per game. Stewart scored 13 in the previous outing against North Platte.

Montrell Williams and James Sylvester are the other Mavericks in double figures. Williams is averaging 12.9 points per game; Sylvester is averaging 10.3 points per game.

Tip–off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. CST.

The game may be heard on ESPN 1410 or on the World Wide Web at www.northplattepost.com

Kentucky Stays at No. 1 in AP Top 25; ODU Makes Poll Debut

Posted on January 5, 2015

For the fifth straight week, Kentucky is the unanimous No. 1 team in the AP Top 25.

The Wildcats (13-0) got all 64 first-place votes cast Monday after having the week off, and have been atop the rankings all season. Kentucky hasn’t played since beating Louisville on Dec. 27 and returns Tuesday against Mississippi.

The top five remained unchanged, with Duke, Virginia, Wisconsin and Louisville behind Kentucky.

Seton Hall, VCU, Arkansas and Old Dominion were new arrivals to the Top 25, with the No. 19 Pirates (12-2) the highest of that group after upsetting then-unbeaten Villanova over the weekend. For the No. 25 Monarchs (12-1), it marked their first appearance in program history.

Washington, Colorado State, Northern Iowa and Georgetown dropped out of the poll.

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Jan. 4, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week’s ranking:

	Record	Pts Prv
1. Kentucky (64)	13-0	1,600	1
2. Duke	13-0	1,535	2
3. Virginia	13-0	1,446	3
4. Wisconsin	14-1	1,397	4
5. Louisville	13-1	1,322	5
6. Gonzaga	14-1	1,275	7
7. Arizona	13-1	1,260	8
8. Villanova	13-1	1,089	6
9. Utah	12-2	1,059	10
10. Texas	12-2	976	11
11. Maryland	14-1	966	12
12. Kansas	11-2	884	13
13. Notre Dame	14-1	775	14
14. West Virginia	13-1	712	17
15. Wichita St.	12-2	686	16
16. Oklahoma	10-3	674	18
17. Iowa St.	10-2	663	9
18. North Carolina	11-3	591	19
19. Seton Hall	12-2	448	—
20. VCU	11-3	311	—
21. Baylor	11-2	186	22
22. Ohio St.	12-3	184	20
23. Arkansas	11-2	103	—
24. St. John’s	11-3	92	15
25. Old Dominion	12-1	80	—

Others receiving votes: N. Iowa 72, Iowa 63, Butler 53, LSU 50, George Washington 39, TCU 33, Temple 33, Colorado St. 31, Stanford 29, South Carolina 16, Washington 13, Wyoming 11, Indiana 9, Oklahoma St. 9, Georgetown 7, Cincinnati 6, Dayton 5, BYU 3, Xavier 2, Davidson 1, Hofstra 1.