Sports – Page 507 – North Platte Post Archive

Cavs Take Wiggins with No. 1 Pick in NBA Draft

Posted on June 26, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — Andrew Wiggins of Kansas has been taken by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

The Cavs went for a freshman from Canada to open the draft for the second straight year Thursday and will hope Wiggins works out better than Anthony Bennett.

Bennett was injured last summer, came into the season out of shape and made no impact, one of the reasons the Cavs were back in this spot again.

But Wiggins seems a much more ready product after averaging a Kansas freshman-record 17.1 points. He may have ended up as the top pick anyway, but became the best option for the Cavs once Jayhawks teammate Joel Embiid suffered a stress fracture in his right foot shortly before the draft.

US Advances to World Cup’s 2nd Round Despite Loss

Posted on June 26, 2014

RECIFE, Brazil (AP) — The United States reached the knockout stage of consecutive World Cups for the first time, just not the way the Americans wanted.

Germany beat the U.S. 1-0 Thursday in soggy Recife on Thomas Mueller’s 55th-minute goal to win Group G, but the Americans held onto second place when Portugal defeated Ghana 2-1 in a game played simultaneously in Brasilia.

The Germans, three-time World Cup champions, finished with seven points, while the U.S. had four after allowing a 95th-minute goal against Portugal on Sunday in a 2-2 draw. Portugal also had four, but the Americans advanced from the so-called “Group of Death” because their goal difference was even and the Portuguese were minus three.

The Americans will play the Group H winner, likely Belgium put possibly Algeria, Monday in Salvador.

AP Source: Nuggets Acquire Afflalo from Magic

Posted on June 26, 2014

DENVER (AP) — A person with knowledge of the situation says the Denver Nuggets have acquired guard Arron Afflalo from the Orlando Magic for point guard Evan Fournier and the No. 56 pick in the draft.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because the deal has yet to be announced.

Afflalo played for the Nuggets for three seasons before being dealt to Orlando on Aug. 10, 2012. He averaged 18 points for the Magic last season.

Fournier is an up-and-coming guard whose minutes increased late in the season after Andre Miller was traded and Nate Robinson went out with a knee injury. Fournier averaged 8.4 points and 1.5 assists in 2013-14.

The 21-year-old Fournier was taken 20th overall in 2011.

The deal was first reported by Yahoo! Sports.

Vandy Beats Virginia 3-2 for 1st National Title

Posted on June 25, 2014

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — John Norwood’s home run in the top of the eighth inning gave Vanderbilt the lead, and the Commodores beat Virginia 3-2 on Wednesday night for their first national championship.

Norwood turned on Nick Howard’s 97 mph fastball and sent it into the left field bullpen to break a 2-2 tie in the third and deciding game of the College World Series finals.

It was Norwood’s third homer of the year, his first since April 19, and Vanderbilt’s first since May 16. It also was only the third home run in 16 CWS games and the 22nd in 72 games by the Commodores (51-21).

The Cavaliers (53-16) loaded the bases with one out in the eighth when Adam Ravenelle hit Kenny Towns. But Mike Papi was forced out at home on a chopper to Ravenelle, and Brandon Downes grounded out.

Bases-Loaded HBP in 8th Helps Dodgers Beat KC 5-4

Posted on June 25, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Wade Davis plunked A.J. Ellis of the Dodgers with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth inning Wednesday night, sending Los Angeles to a 5-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

Jamey Wright (3-2) threw 2 2-3 scoreless innings in relief of Dan Haren to pick up the win.

Davis (5-2) had not allowed a run in 22 1-3 innings spanning his last 20 outings. But after nearly escaping a jam by catching Adrian Gonzalez in a rundown between third base and home for the second out of the eighth, the reliever walked Scott Van Slyke to load the bases.

Davis then had a 1-2 count on Ellis before hitting him in the shoulder.

J.P. Howell and Brandon League worked the bottom of the eighth for the Dodgers, and Brian Wilson handled the ninth in place of closer Kenley Jansen for his first save since April 12, 2012.

The First Nationals get back on the Winning Track against Overton

Posted on June 25, 2014

The North Platte First Nationals returned home to Bill Wood Field and beat Overton 7-2 Wednesday night.

North Platte (21-11) scored in the bottom of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead and held that score through three innings. Overton tied the game in the top of the fourth inning before the First Nationals scored one in the bottom half of the fourth to regain the lead, 2-1. North Platte added one more in the fifth inning and four in the sixth inning to go up 7-1. Overton scored one run in the seventh inning for the final run of the game.

The First Nationals called up some members of the Junior team and played a season-high 17 players in the game. Austin Chitty pitched a complete game to earn the win and gave up just two unearned runs on five hits. He also struck out four batters while walking five.

Luke Volz led the way for North Platte at the plate by going 1-1 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored.

The First Nationals return to the diamond Thursday for a Cornhusker League doubleheader against Columbus. The first game is scheduled for 4:00 pm with the first pitch of game two set to be thrown at 6:30 pm at Bill Wood Field.

The North Platte First Nationals Juniors also beat Overton Wednesday night, 10-3. The North Platte Juniors team is now 18-6 on the season and next plays Saturday on the road in a doubleheader against Norfolk.

Lady Huskers to Face Utah in Return to Devaney Center

Posted on June 25, 2014

The Nebraska women’s basketball team plans to honor its first NCAA Tournament team when the Huskers return to the Bob Devaney Sports Center to take on Utah on Sunday, Nov. 23.

The game, which was announced by Nebraska on June 25, will mark the Huskers’ first game at the Devaney Center since moving into their new home at Pinnacle Bank Arena for the start of the 2013-14 season.

The Devaney Center, which has been converted into the permanent home of the Nebraska volleyball team, has received extensive renovations with a new seating capacity of nearly 8,000. In NU’s final women’s basketball season at the Devaney Center in 2012-13, capacity was more than 13,000.

The event will be the first college basketball game back at the Devaney Center since the massive internal and external renovations. The Devaney Center did hold games in the 2014 boys and girls high school state tournaments.

The return to the Devaney Center for the contest with Utah was necessitated by a scheduling conflict with “Disney On Ice” at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska plans to make the day special by honoring the 1988 Big Eight champion Huskers, who went a perfect 13-0 at the Devaney Center on their way to the school’s first NCAA Tournament bid.

The 1988 team featured Big Eight Player of the Year Maurtice Ivy and All-Big Eight guard Amy Stephens, who has returned to Nebraska as an assistant coach for the 2014-15 season. Two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American Stephanie Bolli was also a major contributor for that Big Red team under Coach Angela Beck.

“We plan on making it a fun day for our fans to get back inside the Devaney Center and watch some great basketball,” Nebraska Executive Associate Athletic Director Marc Boehm said. “We are going to make the most of our one-game return this season by honoring our first NCAA Tournament team, and highlighting some of our great memories from our time at the Devaney Center.”

The battle between the Huskers and the Utes will be the second in a two-game series. Last season, Nebraska worked its way to a 75-69 victory over Utah at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Nov. 15, 2013. It was a breakout game for point guard Rachel Theriot, who erupted for 28 points, seven rebounds and four assists while playing the full 40 minutes for the first time in her career. Theriot went on to earn first-team All-Big Ten and conference tournament MVP honors before being named an honorable-mention Associated Press All-American as a sophomore in 2013-14.

Theriot is one of four starters back for the Big Red in 2014-15, joining senior second-team All-Big Ten selections Emily Cady and Tear’a Laudermill and senior Big Ten All-Defensive Team member Hailie Sample. Nebraska will also feature seven newcomers who have been ranked among the top 10 incoming classes in the nation by ESPN.

“We are expecting a great game from Utah,” Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said. “Rachel played a great second half to help us come back to win last year. We know Utah will be hungry for a win against us this year.”

Nebraska’s game with Utah will be part of an 18-game home schedule in 2014-15 that includes 17 games in the second season at Pinnacle Bank Arena. NU’s two exhibition games and 15 regular-season home games at Pinnacle Bank Arena will be part of a 17-game season ticket package that will be available to the public starting on Monday, July 28.

The game with Utah at the Devaney Center will be a separate, single-game ticket outside of that season ticket package. Tickets for the Utah game and advance parking for that game also will go on-sale to the public beginning on Monday, July 28.

Nebraska’s 2013-14 women’s basketball season ticket holders will have the first opportunity to renew their season tickets and purchase Utah tickets, beginning in mid-July.

Single-game tickets for the rest of Nebraska’s outstanding home schedule will not go on sale until late October or early November. The Big Red’s 2014-15 home schedule at Pinnacle Bank Arena will include showdowns with 2014 NCAA Women’s Final Four qualifier Maryland, Sweet 16 participant Penn State and NCAA second-round qualifiers Duke, Purdue and Iowa. All five of those teams finished the 2013-14 season ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation.

The Huskers also will face 2014 postseason qualifiers Minnesota and Michigan at the arena, along with Big Ten home games against Illinois, Ohio State and Wisconsin in Nebraska’s first-ever nine-game home conference schedule.

Nebraska’s non-conference home games include the season opener with Pepperdine on Saturday, Nov. 15, and contests with Alcorn State, Northern Colorado, Bakersfield and High Point, which went 22-11 and won the 2014 Big South regular-season title on its way to the Postseason WNIT.

Allison Finkbeiner of Arizona Signs with NPCC Softball

Posted on June 25, 2014

North Platte- Allison Finkbeiner from Kingman High School in Kingman, Arizona signed her National Letter of Intent to play softball at North Platte Community College. Finkbeiner will play in the outfield for the Knights and is a versatile batter at the plate.

During her senior season at Kingman, Finkbeiner finished with a .300 batting average and a .998% fielding percentage.

“Allison was a standout student-athlete while at Kingman High and academics were very important to her as she was deciding where to continue her education and her softball career,” said head coach Janelle Higgins. “Allison has the drive and determination to be a standout student-athlete in any program. Her attitude and willingness to do whatever it takes on the field or in the classroom will definitely be a great addition to our program.”

“I decided to committ to NPCC becasue it is a small town just like back home,” said Finkbeiner. “I have always wanted to get out of Arizona and the desert and NPCC and coach Higgins gave me that opportunity. I really liked the college campus and all the great academic classes and educational programs that are offered.”

“Allison has a great first step and read of the ball off the bat in the outfield and she is not afraid to leave her feet to dive or get dirty to make a play,” said Higgins. “In the batters box she hits for power but can lay down a bunt depending on the situation. Allison is definitely going to help round out our recruiting class for the outfield and fill gaps from graduation. Her personality and attitude fit with what we are looking for in athletes and I am very excited to get her back to campus in the fall.”

Adams Homers, Cardinals Rally to Beat Rockies 9-6

Posted on June 25, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Matt Adams homered and drove in two runs, Matt Holliday had three hits, and the St. Louis Cardinals rallied to beat the Colorado Rockies 9-6 on Wednesday.

Drew Stubbs homered, and Justin Morneau had two hits for the Rockies, who finished their homestand 1-5.

The game featured the major league debuts of both starting pitchers. St. Louis’ Marco Gonzales was sharp early before faltering. Colorado’s Yohan Flande also started well before getting hit hard in his last inning.

Pat Neshek (2-0) pitched an inning in relief to earn the win. Trevor Rosenthal got four outs for his 23rd save in 26 chances.

The Cardinals scored twice in the eighth off Adam Ottavino (0-2) on RBI doubles by Daniel Descalso and Matt Carpenter to take a win away from Flande.

Petteway to Attend Kevin Durant Skills Academy

Posted on June 25, 2014

Lincoln – Nebraska junior wing Terran Petteway was invited to participate in the Kevin Durant Skills Academy which takes place in Washington, D.C., this weekend. The academy is for the top 30 high school and top 15 college wing players and is hosted by Oklahoma City Thunder forward and NBA MVP Kevin Durant.

“Getting invited to the camp is an honor, that you are considered to be among the top wing players in the country,” Petteway said. “I can’t wait to get there and play, as well as pick their minds and learn some insight to improve my game.”

Petteway, the first Husker player to attend the event which began in 2011, put together a strong sophomore season, as he averaged 18.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game to earn All-Big Ten honors. The 6-foot-6 wing led the Big Ten in scoring average in 2013-14, becoming the first Husker to lead a conference in scoring in over 60 years. The Galveston, Texas, native reached double figures in 30 of 32 contests and had a pair of 30-point efforts on the year.

In Big Ten play, he also led the conference at 18.6 points per game, becoming the first Husker since Andre Smith in 1980-81 to accomplish the feat. He also was among the Big Ten leaders in rebounding (5.1, 19^th), free throw percentage (.788, 12^th), 3-pointers per game (1.6, 12^th) and blocked shots (0.9, 12^th) in conference games.

Petteway, who has spent the summer working on his ball handling and improving his shooting technique, will work with campers during the sessions and then go through sessions with the other college plays and pros running the camps

“I just have to keep doing what I’ve been doing all summer and go to the Kevin Durant camp and hopefully advance on to the Lebron James Skills Academy next month,” Petteway said.