Sports – Page 584 – North Platte Post Archive

Umpire Leaves Game After Being Struck by Ball

Posted on March 17, 2014

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Umpire Brad Myers was struck by a line drive and left Cincinnati’s spring game against Cleveland.

Myers, a base umpire on a rotating three-man crew, was hit hard behind the pitcher’s mound in the second inning on Monday. The ball hit by Cincinnati’s Brandon Phillips struck the umpire in the groin area. He was down for several minutes before he left on a cart driven by Reds trainer Tomas Vera. Myers was in a sitting position on the cart.

The game was designated as a replay game with four umpires rotating between the field and a truck housing the replay equipment outside the ballpark.

Umpire John Tompane replaced Myers on the bases.

Can Classes Yield a Billion-Dollar Bracket?

Posted on March 17, 2014

So, about that billion dollars.

Warren Buffett looks at the offer of $1 billion to anyone who fills out a perfect NCAA tournament bracket as nothing more than a matter of having the numbers in his favor.

Mathematicians say he’s right, though that’s not stopping them from building a cottage industry by teaching bracket-fillers how to make the impossible seem possible.

About a half-dozen colleges are offering special seminars and classes to teach people the ins and outs of the numbers that will, inevitably, work against them.

And there’s one website — takebuffettsbillion.com — that sends a statistician-crunched bracket to anyone who signs up, with the promise that all those in on the gig will split the money if one of those brackets is the winner.

Study: 8 NCAA Teams Fall Below Graduation Standard

Posted on March 17, 2014

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — An annual study of the schools in the men’s NCAA tournament shows a slight increase in teams that fall below graduation rate standards.

The University of Central Florida’s Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport said Monday in its report that eight teams that made the 2014 men’s bracket fall below the NCAA-mandated Academic Progress Rate score of 930, equivalent to a 50 percent graduation rate.

Last year six teams didn’t reach that benchmark.

Beginning with 2012-13 championships, teams must earn a minimum 900 four-year APR or a 930 average over the most recent two years to be eligible to participate in NCAA championships.

In 2014, seven teams fell below 925, compared with three teams in 2013.

Flatrock 17’s Place Third at National Qualifier

Posted on March 17, 2014

Members of the team are (from left to right) front row: Kelsey Higgins (Thedford), Whitney Rosno (Hays Center), Colby Cox (Hays Center), Allison Kuenle (North Platte), back row: Tara Callahan (Brady), Josie Cox (Maxwell) and Olivia Nicholson (North Platte). Head coach for the team was Lori Mau and assistant coach was Lenny Beall. — Members of the team are (from left to right) front row: Kelsey Higgins (Thedford), Whitney Rosno (Hays Center), Colby Cox (Hayes Center), Allison Kuenle (North Platte), back row: Tara Callahan (Brady), Josie Cox (Maxwell) and Olivia Nicholson (North Platte). Head coach for the team was Lori Mau and assistant coach was Lenny Beall.

The Flatrock 17’s club volleyball team participated in the Colorado Crossroads National Qualifying tournament in Denver Colorado March 14^th, 15^th & 16th and finished 3rd.

After going undefeated the first two days of pool play they won their first 2 matches of bracket play and lost a hard found 3 set match in order to reach the finals. They bounced back and beat the Nebraska Impact 171 team to finish an impressive third place out of 104 teams.

Along the way they defeated teams from Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska.

Montalvo Named 1st Team All-Region IX, Montalvo & Simmons Named All-Region IX Tournament Team

Posted on March 17, 2014

North Platte – Sophomore Ethan Montalvo was named to the 2013-14 All-Region IX 1^st Team for his play during the season. Montalvo and sophomore Tim Simmons were named to the All-Region IX Tournament Team for their play during the 2014 Region IX Tournament. Montalvo and Simmons will go down as two of the best players in Knights history as both finished in the Top 50 of the Knights career scoring list.

Montalvo was named to the All-Region IX 2^nd Team a year ago and is a repeat selection for the All-Region IX Tournament Team. Montalvo led the Knights in scoring at 18.9 points per game and in steals at 2.2 per game while also contributing 3.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.

In the Region IX Tournament, Montalvo scored 15, 22 and 18 for a 18.3 points per game average and had five steals in a game.

Montalvo finishes his career with 1,173 points to finish 5^th All-Time and ties Chase Grabau, Ben Wilson and Aboubacar Casse for most games played in a Knights uniform at 68. Montalvo started every single game of his Knights career.

Simmons was named to the All-Region IX Tournament team after scoring 16, 11 and 11 to go along with 10 assists. Simmons was also responsible for guarding the oppositions best perimeter player.

Simmons finishes his career with 700 career points to finish 40^th All-Time to go along with his assignment of guarding the best player every night.

Montalvo and Simmons have been a part of the most successful two year stretch in program history as they compiled a 57-11 record during their career, including a Region IX Championship in 2013 and National Tournament appearance. The 57 wins are the most in program history in a two year stretch and the 11 losses are the fewest. Montalvo and Simmons have never known defeat at McDonald-Belton Gymnasium finishing a perfect 28-0 in their two years, also a school record.

2013-14 All Region IX Team Men’s Basketball
Division I

First Team
Muhammed Ahmed- Gillette College
Fred Dure- Sheridan College
Deon Edwin- Laramie County Community College
Ethan Montalvo– North Platte Community College
Bronson Moton- Northeastern Junior College
Jay Wright- Casper College

Second Team
Lorenzo Bonam- Gillette College
Tony Dobbinson- McCook Community College
Quiton Everett- Little Big Horn College
Chris Golden- Otero Junior College
Deshon Portley- Laramie County Community College
Renard Suggs- Gillette College

Third Team
Dwight Anderson- Gillette College
Jon Dogbo- Miles Community College
George Edwards- Casper College
Odessa Lear- Northeastern Junior College
Dominic Williams- McCook Community College
Richard McCallop- Trinidad State Junior College

Coach-of-the-Year
North Sub-Region- Shawn Neary, Gillette College
South Sub-Region- Eddie Trenkle, Northeastern Junior College

2014 Region IX All-Tournament Team

Casper College
#11 Jay Wright
Gillette College
#35 Muhaammed Ahmed
#14 Lorenzo Bonam
#2 Dwight Anderson
North Platte
#15 Ethan Montalvo
#35 Tim Simmons
Northeastern Junior College
#10 Duol Mayot
#1 Jamel Crocker
#22 Jamal Peterson
Northwest College
#11 Jonothan Newsom
Otero Junior College
#1 Chris Golden
Sheridan College
#14 Abednego Lufile
#22 Jeff Amazan
Western Nebraska
#2 Tyler Crosbie
McCook Community College
#25 Dominic Williams

McDermott, Bluejays Earn No. 3 West Seed

Posted on March 16, 2014

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Doug McDermott and the Creighton Bluejays have earned the No. 3 seed in the West region and will face 14th-seeded Louisiana-Lafayette on Friday in San Antonio.

McDermott leads the nation in scoring at 26.9 points and was the unanimous Big East Conference Player of the Year. However, the Bluejays (26-7) were upset by Providence in the conference tournament final.

McDermott has 3,105 points, fifth on the all-time scoring list. He is trying to become the 11th player to be a three-time All-America and the first since Patrick Ewing of Georgetown and Wayman Tisdale of Oklahoma in 1985.

The Ragin’ Cajuns (23-11) earned an automatic bid as Sun Belt champions and are making their first NCAA appearance since 2005. They’re led by Elfrid Payton (19.1 points) and Shawn Long (18.7 points, 10.5 rebounds).

Baylor Opens with Nebraska in NCAA Tournament

Posted on March 16, 2014

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Baylor may have gotten off to a slow start in conference play, but victories in 10 of the last 12 games have propelled the Bears into the NCAA tournament as a No. 6 seed in the West.

Baylor (24-11) will face No. 11 Nebraska in San Antonio on Friday. The Bears return to the tournament after winning the NIT last season.

Baylor is coming off a loss to Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament final. Baylor finished tied for sixth in the regular-season conference standings, after going 2-8 to start league play.

The Huskers (19-2) are making their first tournament appearance since 1998, and seventh overall. They’ve never won in the tournament.

Nebraska, picked to finish last in the Big 10, surpassed expectations overall this season but fell 71-67 to No. 24 Ohio State in the quarterfinals of the Big 10 tournament.

NCAA Bid Worth Extra $150,000 for Huskers’ Miles

Posted on March 16, 2014

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s selection to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is worth an extra $150,000 for coach Tim Miles.

The bonus is one of several that are spelled out in Miles’ contract based on his team’s performance.

Miles already had secured a $50,000 bonus for finishing fourth in the Big Ten regular season. If the 19-12 Huskers beat Baylor on Friday, Miles’ contract calls for him to receive an extra $75,000 for having a 20-win season.

Miles was named Big Ten coach of the year in a vote of the coaches, but Michigan’s John Beilein was tabbed by the media. Miles is supposed to receive a $50,000 bonus if he is the consensus coach of the year. Executive associate athletic director Marc Boehm said he would consider giving Miles that bonus anyway.

Six Big Ten Teams Selected For NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament

Posted on March 16, 2014

INDIANAPOLIS — Six Big Ten teams were selected to participate in the 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, and Wisconsin will represent the conference in this year’s tournament.

Michigan, the Big Ten Champion, is the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region and will travel to the Milwaukee second and third round site. Up first for the Wolverines is No. 15 Wofford, with the winner facing either No. 7 Texas or No. 10 Arizona State. Michigan is making its 21st appearance in the NCAA Tournament and fourth consecutive trip. The Wolverines boast a 41-20 record in the tournament. Michigan has made five appearances in the Final Four, including last year, and won the 1989 National Championship.

Wisconsin is the No. 2 seed in the West Region and will travel to the Milwaukee second and third round site. The Badgers will take on No. 15 American with the victor facing the winner of No. 7 Oregon vs. No. 10 BYU. Wisconsin will be playing in the NCAA Tournament for the 20th time and making its 16th straight appearance. The Badgers are 25-18 in their previous trips and have made two Final Four appearances, including winning the 1941 title.

Michigan State is the No. 4 seed in the East Region and will visit the Spokane, Wash., second and third round site. The Spartans will face No. 13 Delaware in the second round with the winner facing either No. 5 Cincinnati or No. 12 Harvard. Michigan State is making its 28th NCAA Tournament appearance and 16th consecutive. Michigan State boasts a 56-26 mark in the NCAA Tournament with eight Final Four appearances, including the 1979 and 2000 national championships.

Ohio State is the No. 6 seed in the South Region and will start at the Buffalo, N.Y., second and third round site. The Buckeyes will face No. 11 Dayton with the victor taking on the winner of No. 3 Syracuse vs. No. 14 Western Michigan. Ohio State is making its 26th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and sixth consecutive. The Buckeyes have a 43-23 record in the tournament and nine appearances in the Final Four, including a national championship in 1960.

Nebraska will be the No. 11 seed in the West region and will play at the San Antonio second and third round site. The Cornhuskers will face No. 6 Baylor in the second round, with the winner of that contest taking on either No. 3 Creighton or No. 14 Louisiana Lafayette. Nebraska is making its sixth NCAA Tournament Appearance and its first since 1998.

Iowa is a No. 11 seed in the Midwest Region and will play Tennessee in a First Four game in Dayton, Ohio. The winner of that contest will travel to Raleigh, N.C., for its second and third round matchups. They will take on No. 6 Massachusetts with the winner facing either No. 3 Duke or No. 14 Mercer. Iowa’s appearance is the 23rd in school history and its first since 2006. The Hawkeyes have a 27-24 record in NCAA tournament games as well as three Final Four appearances.

Note: records do not include games that were later vacated.

Creighton, Nebraska are on NCAA Collision Course

Posted on March 16, 2014

The state of Nebraska will have two teams in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament for the first time since 1991 — and they would meet if they win their openers Friday in San Antonio.

No. 3-seeded Creighton will open against No. 14 Louisiana and No. 11 Nebraska will play No. 6 Baylor.

Creighton (26-7) is in the NCAA tournament for the third year in a row. Nebraska (19-11) had to sweat until its name was called, but it didn’t take too long. The Huskers are in the tournament for the first time since 1998.

The crowd of 2,000 at Pinnacle Bank Arena erupted when Nebraska appeared on the big screen at the team’s NCAA Selection Show watch party.