Basketball – Page 70 – North Platte Post Archive

Brooks Scores 27 in Nuggets’ Win over Pistons

Posted on March 20, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Aaron Brooks had 27 points and a career-high 17 assists to lead the Denver Nuggets past the Detroit Pistons 118-109 on Wednesday night for their fourth win in five games.

Randy Foye added 22 points, Kenneth Faried had 14 and J.J. Hickson had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets, who were without Ty Lawson (sinus infection) and Wilson Chandler (injection to treat hip injury).

Greg Monroe scored 22 points to lead the Pistons, and Rodney Stuckey added 18.

Trailing by seven at the half, the Nuggets used a 10-2 run to take an 85-84 lead into the fourth quarter. Denver used another 10-2 surge to increase the lead to 104-91 with 6:04 left.

After the Pistons pulled within four in the final minute, J.J. Hickson had a layup and Anthony Randolph converted a three-point play to secure the Nuggets’ win.

The Bulldogs Handout Postseason Awards

Posted on March 19, 2014

The North Platte Bulldogs boys basketball team held their season end banquet on Tuesday night and handed out the postseason awards.

The Dawgs season came to an end in the A-1 district finals with a 42-31 loss to the No. 1 ranked team, Omaha Benson. The loss made it so North Platte finished below .500 with a 12-14 record on the year. Coach Matt Kaminski chronicled the highs and lows of the season for North Platte at the team’s banquet. One of the highs of the season was that North Platte nearly defended their GNAC tournament title, but fell just short to a highly-ranked Norfolk team in the championship game. The varsity team received their second-place medals last night from that tournament.

Two Bulldogs received All-Conference awards. Seniors Drew Callaghan and Kade Erickson were honored by the GNAC for the seasons they had. There were also four players that received All-Conference Academic awards. Alec Wesslund, Darian Allberry, Drew Callaghan and Shane Mauch were honored for their success in the classroom and on the court. Of those four, two of them were nominated for the NCPA NSAA All-Academic team. Seniors Drew Callaghan and Darian Allberry were the nominees.

Coach Kaminski also handed out his yearly Mister Awards at the banquet. The list for all of the awards handed out last night can be seen below.

All-GNAC 2013-14

Drew Callaghan, Senior
Kade Erickson, Senior

All-GNAC Academic 2013-14

Alec Wesslund, Senior
Darian Allberry, Senior
Drew Callaghan, Senior
Shane Mauch, Junior

NCPA NSAA All-Academic Nominees

Drew Callaghan, Senior
Darian Allberry, Senior

Coach K’s Mister Awards 2013-14

Mr. Dedication- Dustin Horton, Senior
Mr. Western Community College- Nick Wilkinson, Senior
Mr. Teammate- Alec Wesslund, Senior
Mr. Perseverance- Kolby Foote, Senior
Mr. Big Game- Drew Callaghan, Senior
Mr. Floor General- Kade Erickson, Senior
Mr. Slash- Bradey Anderson, Senior
Dr. Defense- Bradey Anderson, Senior
Mr. Whopper- Shane Mauch, Junior
Mr. Reliable- Darian Allberry, Senior
Mr. Spark- Brady Mason, Senior
Mr. Slender- Josh Merz, Junior

SPVA All-Conference Basketball Awards

Posted on March 18, 2014

The SPVA conference announced its 2013-14 All-Conference basketball players for both boys and girls on Tuesday.

North Platte St. Patrick’s led the way in the boys awards by having five players receive honors. Mark Mayfield and Alex Harms are both on the first-team, while Andrew O’Neill is on the second team and Drew McClellan and Bryce Byrn are honorable mention.

Sutherland had two players receive All-Conference honors. Tyler Fear made the second-team and Kadin Copeland is honorable mention.

Hershey and Maxwell each had one player on the honorable mention team. Landon Maassen for the Panthers and Zach Miller for the Wildcats.

The SPVA Boys All-Conference teams can be seen below.

The Irish of St. Patrick’s led the way in the SPVA Girls All-Conference awards as well with four players honored. Brittany Lawrence and Anna O’Malley are on the first-team and Toni Caudillo and Bree Saner made the second team.

The Lady Sailors of Sutherland had three players make All-Conference. Sam Staggs and Jalyne Schuster are on the first-team and Kayley Stokey is second-team.

Hershey also had three players awarded. Maegan Hiatt is first-team with Tayler Baker and Maddie Seamann on the second-team.

Maxwell had two players honored by the SPVA. Josie Cox is second-team and Anna Crane is honorable mention.

The SPVA Girls All-Conference teams can be seen below.

Boys Basketball All-SPVA 2013-14

First Team

Mike Daum, Kimball, Senior, 6’9″
Mark Mayfield, NPSP, Senior, 6’3″
Alex Harms, NPSP, Senior, 6’2″
Jeffery Dickey, Chase Co., Junior, 6’0″
Jake Reader, Kimball, Senior, 6’3″

Second Team

Kelton Fisher, Chase Co., Junior, 6’4″
Tyler Fear, Sutherland, Senior, 6’0″
Andrew O’Neill, NPSP, Junior, 6’1″
Tim Johnson, Perkins Co., Senior, 6’2″
Justus Wallin, Chase Co., Senior 6’1″

Honorable Mention

Travis Luhrs, Chase Co., Junior, 6’0″
Landon Maassen, Hershey, Senior, 6’0″
Zach Miller, Maxwell, Sophomore, 6’4″
Drew McClellen, NPSP, Junior, 5’10”
Bryce Byrn, NPSP, Sophomore, 5’10”
Derek Sis, Perkins Co., Freshman, 5’10”
Kadin Copeland, Sutherland, Sophomore, 5’10”
Colton Stull, Kimball, Junior, 5’11”

Girls Basketball All-SPVA 2013-14

First Team

Maegan Hiatt, Hershey, Senior, PG
Sam Staggs, Sutherland, Senior, F
Brittany Lawrence, NPSP, Senior, C
Jalyne Schuster, Sutherland, Senior, F
Anna O’Malley, NPSP, Junior, G

Second Team

Tayler Baker, Hershey, Senior, G
Shelby Vogel, Kimball, Senior, G
Maddie Seamann, Hershey, Senior, C
Kayley Stokey, Sutherland, Junior, PG
Josie Cox, Maxwell, Sophomore, F

Honorable Mention

Danika Daum, Kimball, Sophomore, F
Paige Spady, Chase Co., Junior, F
Toni Caudillo, NPSP, Junior, G
Anna Crane, Maxwell, Senior, G
Bree Saner, NPSP, Senior, F
Jessica Hanks, Kimball, Junior, F
Mariah Curtis, Perkins Co., Junior, G

Hickson Leads Nuggets to 110-100 Win over Clippers

Posted on March 18, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Reserve J.J. Hickson had 21 points and Ty Lawson scored eight of his 19 in a late fourth-quarter run, helping the Denver Nuggets end the Los Angeles Clippers’ 11-game winning streak with a 110-100 victory Monday night.

The Clippers’ streak was tied for second-longest in franchise history. Their longest, 17 in a row last season, also was snapped by Denver at Pepsi Center.

Kenneth Faried added 18 points and 16 rebounds in a duel in the paint against Blake Griffin, who finished with 26 points and 12 boards.

Down 98-96 with 4:21 remaining, Lawson hit a 3-point to give the Nuggets a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. It was part of a 14-2 run to close out the game. The Clippers didn’t score again after DeAndre Jordan’s dunk at 3:31.

Five Big Ten Women’s Basketball Teams Selected to NCAA Championship Field

Posted on March 17, 2014

Rosemont, Ill. – Five Big Ten teams were seeded sixth or higher in their respective regionals when the NCAA announced the 2014 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship field on Monday night. Iowa, Michigan State, Nebraska, Penn State and Purdue earned bids to the field, marking the 15th time in the last 21 years the conference has sent five or more teams to the NCAA Tournament.

Big Ten co-Champion Penn State will make its conference-leading 25th NCAA Championship appearance after earning the No. 3 seed in the Stanford Regional. The Lady Lions will take on No. 14 Wichita State at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, with the winner facing either Dayton or Florida on Tuesday. Penn State makes its fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and carries the second-most wins in NCAA Tournament play among conference teams with 30. Penn State will host first- and second-round games at Bryce Jordan Center.

Nebraska is the No. 4 seed in the Lincoln Regional and will open NCAA Championship play at 4 p.m. on Saturday against No. 13 Fresno State in Los Angeles. The winner will advance to face the NC State-BYU winner on Monday. The Huskers, who won the Big Ten Tournament championship, are making their 12th appearance in the tournament and have advanced to the NCAA Championship in each of their three years as members of the Big Ten. Nebraska and Pinnacle Bank Arena will serve as regional hosts next weekend.

Purdue is the No. 4 seed in the Notre Dame Regional and opens tournament play against No. 13 Akron at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, with the winner facing either Oklahoma State or Florida Gulf Coast on Monday. The Boilermakers will make their fourth straight trip to the NCAA Championship and their 24th overall, the second most among Big Ten teams. Purdue, which boasts a Big Ten-leading 45 wins in the NCAA Tournament, and Mackey Arena will serve as hosts during the first and second rounds.

Michigan State is the No. 5 seed in the Stanford Regional and faces No. 12 Hampton at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday in Chapel Hill, N.C. An opening-round win would pit the Spartans against the North Carolina-UT Martin winner in the second round on Tuesday. Michigan State returns to the NCAA Championship field for the sixth straight season and makes its 14th trip overall. The Spartans earned a share of the Big Ten Championship this season, their fourth conference title in program history.

Iowa is the No. 6 seed in the Louisville Regional and will open NCAA Championship play against No. 11 Marist on Sunday at 8 p.m., with the winner taking on either Louisville or Idaho on Tuesday. The Hawkeyes are making their seventh consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championship, the longest active streak in the Big Ten. Boasting 23 NCAA tournament berths in program history, the Hawkeyes will host first- and second-round contests at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The 2014 NCAA Women’s Final Four will be contested in Nashville, Tenn., April 6 and 8.

Nebraska Women to Play Fresno St. in NCAA Opener

Posted on March 17, 2014

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska has earned a No. 4 seed for the NCAA women’s basketball tournament and will open against Fresno State on Saturday in Los Angeles.

About 500 fans gathered with players and coaches at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Monday night to find out their destination. The Cornhuskers must beat No. 13 Fresno State and then the winner between No. 5 North Carolina State and No. 12 BYU to make it back to their home arena for the Lincoln Regional.

The Big Ten tournament champion Huskers (25-6) are in the NCAAs for the third straight year and fifth time since 2007. They lost to Duke in last year’s Sweet 16.

Mountain West Conference tournament champion Fresno State (22-10) is in the NCAA tournament for the seventh straight year.

Bookies Like Some NCAA Seeds Better Than Others

Posted on March 17, 2014

LAS VEGAS (AP) — There will be 1,000 people lined up early Thursday morning to get a seat at the LVH sports book for the start of the NCAA tournament, and most of them don’t care that Michigan State was relegated to a No. 4 seed.

Oddsmakers in this gambling city are treating the Spartans like a No. 1 seed anyway. Their numbers show a team that will likely be favored against everyone except possibly Florida, despite what the NCAA selection committee says.

Michigan State got more respect at the LVH than it did in the NCAA selection room, with oddsmakers making the Spartans a 9-2 pick to win it all. That is second only to Florida at 4-1.

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.

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