The Maxwell Wildcat athletes are off and running this season. The boys and girls basketball teams are young and inexperienced but eager to improve. The Wildcat wrestlers served notice in their first two events that they’ve got one of the strongest teams around. Hear all about it in this week’s Mxwell Wildcat sports update!
Kobe scores 30,000th point
UNDATED (AP) — Kobe Bryant has become the fifth player in NBA history to score 30,000 points. He’s also the youngest.
The 34-year-old Bryant needed 13 points to reach the plateau before he scored 29 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 103-87 win at New Orleans. Wilt Chamberlain was 35 when he hit the mark, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone were each 36 and Michael Jordan was 38.
Dwight Howard added 18 points for the Lakers, who trailed by a point at halftime before a 13-0 run helped them end a two-game skid.
Hot Stove League continues
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Major League players continue to find new teams or new contracts as the winter meetings continue in Nashville.
The Los Angeles Angels have worked out contracts with a pair of pitchers. Left-hander Sean Burnett has agreed to a two-year contract with the Halos, pending a physical. The 30-year-old Burnett was 1-2 with a 2.38 ERA in 70 games this year for the Washington Nationals.
The Angels also worked out a two-year, $15 million contract with right-hander Joe Blanton, who was 10-13 with a 4.71 ERA in 191 innings for the Phillies and Dodgers last season.
A person familiar with the deal says the Chicago White Sox have reached agreement on a three-year, $12 million deal with infielder Jeff Keppinger. He hit .325 with nine homers and 40 RBIs for Tampa Bay last season
A person with knowledge of the negotiations says the Arizona Diamondbacks and infielder Eric Chavez have agreed to terms on a $3 million, one-year contract. The 34-year-old Chavez hit .281 with 16 homers in 278 at-bats for the New York Yankees, playing first and third base and at designated hitter.
The Seattle Mariners are hoping Jason Bay has anything left after he hit .165 with eight homers and 20 RBIs for the Mets last season. A person familiar with the deal tells the AP that Bay has reached a one-year contract with the M’s.
Lefty Randy Choate and the Cardinals have agreed to a three-year pact worth $7.5 million, according to a person familiar with the deal.
And Mets third baseman David Wright has signed his eight-year, $139 million contract extension.
Larkin says keep the cheaters out of Cooperstown
NEW YORK (AP) — Hall of Famer Barry Larkin says there’s no room for steroid users in Cooperstown.
The former Cincinnati Reds shortstop told The Associated Press in a phone interview Wednesday that players who cheat shouldn’t receive baseball’s highest individual honor.
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa are all up for selection for the first time, and all three have been linked to performance-enhancing drugs.
Roethlisberger on the mend…Suggs optimistic…Lewis returns…Sanchez in, Lindley out
UNDATED (AP) — Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger appears on track to return this weekend against San Diego.
Coach Mike Tomlin was encouraged by Roethlisberger’s performance as he worked out on a limited basis on Wednesday. Tomlin called it a “positive” day for his franchise quarterback but isn’t quite ready to say Roethlisberger is ready to start against the reeling Chargers.
Roethlisberger hasn’t played since spraining his right shoulder and dislocating a rib in a 16-13 overtime win over Kansas City on Nov. 12.
Also in the NFL, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs says he doesn’t intend to let a torn biceps keep him out of Sunday’s game against Washington. Suggs says he has to see how it holds up throughout the week and it will be a game-time decision.
The injury happened in the fourth quarter of a 23-20 loss to Pittsburgh last Sunday.
Meanwhile, Ray Lewis returned to practice Wednesday as he makes his way back from a torn right triceps. The 37-year-old linebacker was hurt Oct. 14 against Dallas and placed on injured reserve, designated for return.
Rex Ryan is sticking with Mark Sanchez as the New York Jets’ starting quarterback. Sanchez was pulled late in the third quarter, and Greg McElroy came in and led the Jets to the only touchdown of the game on his first NFL drive in a 7-6 victory.
Arizona’s John Skelton will be back at starting quarterback when the Cardinals play the Seahawks Sunday in Seattle. Coach Ken Whisenhunt says his decision to replace rookie Ryan Lindley was based on several factors, including the environment the Cardinals will face in Seattle.
The Minnesota Vikings have placed ailing wide receiver Percy Harvin on injured reserve. The move was announced Wednesday afternoon, after Harvin missed another practice because of severely sprained left ankle that has kept him out of the last three games.
The NFL says Seattle cornerback Brandon Browner has dropped the appeal of his suspension for using performance-enhancing substances and will miss the final four games of the regular season. Browner will be eligible to rejoin the team on Dec. 31 and will be able to play in the postseason should the Seahawks make the playoffs.
Rarely has the buzz surrounding the annual men’s basketball contest between Nebraska and Creighton been this loud. A sellout crowd is expected inside the Bob Devaney Center as the two teams meet tonight for the 46th time. The Huskers are off to a 6-1 start and have posted back-to-back lopsided victories over major conference foes. But they face their toughest test of the season tonight in the 16th-ranked Blue Jays, who enter with a 7-1 record. The Jays feature preseason All-American Doug McDermott and three other starters that return from last year’s NCAA tournament team. The home team in this meeting has won the last seven contests, including Creighton’s 77-66 win in Omaha last season. Tipoff tonight is scheduled for 7:02 PM. The game will not be televised but can be viewed online at ESPN3.com.
The Denver Broncos go for an eighth consecutive victory tonight in Oakland as they take on the Raiders on Thursday Night Football. It’s the first meeting between the two long-time rivals this season. The Broncos have already wrapped up a division crown and now have home field advantage in the AFC to shoot for. While the Broncos are trending upwards, the Raiders have sunk in the opposite direction, losing five straight. ESPN Radio 1410 has the action tonight, with pregame coverage at 5:35 and the kickoff scheduled for 7:20.
The women’s half of the intrastate rivalry between Nebraska and Creighton on the hardwood went to the Bluejays in a mild upset. The Jays topped the 25th-ranked Huskers 66-57 in Omaha last night, their first win over Nebraska in eight tries. Creighton closed the first half on a 9-2 run to lead 36-27 at the break and never trailed in the second half. Husker standout Jordan Hooper was stymied by the Jays defense and was held scoreless for the first time in her career. Nebraska dropps to 6-2 with the loss. They host 24th-ranked Florida State Saturday afternoon.
The Denver Nuggets dropped their fourth consecutive road game, falling to the Atlanta Hawks 108-104 in the first stop on a five-game road swing. Ty Lawson led the Nuggets with a career-high 32 points and seven assists, but also committed a crucial turnover in the final minute that led to a game-sealing three-point play for the Hawks. All told, the Nuggets committed 20 turnovers in the game. Corey Brewer added 19 points off the bench for the second straight game. The Nuggets fall to 9-10 with the loss. They’re in Indiana to play the Pacers Friday night.
The Colorado Rockies acquired relief pitcher Wilton Lopez from the Houston Astros in exchange for pitcher Alex White and a minor league pitcher. Lopez was one of the best setup men in the game last season, posting a 2.17 ERA in 66.1 innings last season. White, acquired in the Ubaldo Jimenez trade in July 2011, was a disappointment for the Rockies, going 2-9 with a 5.51 ERA in 23 games last season. The Rockies have also agreed in principle to a one-year deal with left-hander Jeff Francis. Francis was 6-8 with a 5.58 ERA in 24 starts with the Rockies last year.
Busy night of play
UNDATED (AP) — Carmelo Anthony is averaging over 30 points a game over his last six outings and tonight the New York forward takes the shows to Charlotte. The Knicks have won three straight while the Bobcats have dropped four in a row.
The Blazers are closing out a seven-game road trip tonight with a game at Indiana. Portland is looking to finish the long trip with its third-straight win.
In Boston the Celtics are playing host to the Timberwolves. The game marks the return of Boston guard Rajon Rondo. He was forced to sit out the previous two games after being suspended by the league for an altercation in a game with Brooklyn.
The Pistons have won five straight in the Palace of Auburn Hills and tonight they play host to Golden State. The Warriors are starting a road trip after losing at home to snap a five-game home court winning streak.
Chicago has won nine straight from Cleveland and tonight they resume their Central Division rivalry with a game in Cleveland. Last month the Bulls beat the Cavs 115-86 for their fifth straight win on the Cavs home floor.
The Lakers have won seven straight regular-season games from New Orleans and tonight they are facing off in the Crescent City. LA may be without Pau Gasol, who is suffering from tendinitis in both knees.
The 14-4 Spurs are looking for their seventh win in eight games tonight with a home game against Milwaukee. The Spurs may have one of the best records in the league but they are a banged-up team with several injured players.
Rounding out the schedule of 11 games, Denver is in Atlanta, Orlando is playing at Utah, the Raptors are facing the Kings in Sacramento and Dallas is in L.A. to play the Clippers.
Gators lead the way
UNDATED (AP) — The highest-ranked team in action in men’s basketball tonight is No. 6 Florida. The 6-0 Gators are on the road at Florida State. The only other top-10 school in action is No. 10 Gonzaga. The 8-0 Bulldogs are on the road at Washington State.
Rounding out play tonight, 18th-ranked New Mexico is home to Southern California, 19th-ranked Michigan State is playing host to Arkansas-Pine Bluff and 23rd-ranked Oklahoma State is entertaining South Florida.
Sanchez to start
NEW YORK (AP) — Rex Ryan is sticking with Mark Sanchez as the New York Jets’ starting quarterback. The team has announced that Sanchez, benched last Sunday against Arizona, will get the start over Greg McElroy and Tim Tebow when the Jets play the Jaguars at Jacksonville.
Sanchez was pulled late in the third quarter, and McElroy came in and led the Jets to the only touchdown of the game on his first NFL drive in a 7-6 victory.
Wright: ‘Where I’ve wanted to play from Day 1’
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — David Wright says he never considered leaving the New York Mets.
The star third baseman held a news conference Wednesday at the winter meetings to discuss his $138 million, eight-year contract, a deal finalized Tuesday.
Wright, a six-time All-Star who broke into the major leagues with the Mets, says “This is where I’ve wanted to play from Day 1.”
He gets $11 million next year, down from the $16 million he had been scheduled to make. His salaries will be $20 million in each of the following five seasons, $15 million in 2019 and $12 million in 2020. Some of the money will be deferred.
The Wildcat boys and girls got their seasons started on the hardwood last weekend. The boys are hoping to pile up the wins this year and they have five starters returning to help them towards that goal. The girls lost their first two games but hope to develop quickly under a new head coach. Hear all about it in this week’s Wallace Wildcat sports update!
What will Hershey’s basketball teams do for an encore? Both made the trip to state last year. The girls are loaded with talent and eager for another trip. The boys have to replace all of their starters but are still confident they can have a great season. Hear all about the first week of winter prep sports at Hershey in this week’s Hershey Panther Sports Update!
