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La Lumiere (Ind.) finishes No. 1 in Super 25 Computer boys basketball rankings

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La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) moved 12 spot thanks to its victory in the DICK’S Sporting Goods Nationals to finish No. 1 in the Super 25 Computer rankings for boys basketball.

La Lumiere (27-1) sweeps the Super 25 Expert and Computer national titles.

RELATED: Full Computer rankings

EXPERT RANKINGS: Final Super 25

The Lakers beat three teams in the Super 25 Expert rankings in three consecutive days to increase its strength of schedule factor in the computer rankings.

Nathan Hale (Seattle), which had been No. 1 via the Super 25 Computer, moves to No. 2 after an unbeaten season and a Washington 3A title.

Four Southern California teams finished in the next four spots: CIF Open Division state champion Bishop Montgomery (Torrance) at No. 3, Chino Hills at No. 4, Mater Dei (Santa Ana) at No. 5 and Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) at No. 6.

Montverde Academy (Fla.) came in at No. 7, Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) at No. 8, Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia) at No. 9 and Champlin Park (Minn.) at No. 10.

Apple Valley (Minn.) starts the second 10 at No. 11, followed by Memphis East (Tenn.), Grand Rapids Christian (Mich.), The Patrick School (Hillside, N.J.) and IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.).

Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) comes in at No. 16, with Klein Forest (Houston), Greensboro Day (N.C.), Jonesboro (Ark.) and Damien (La Verne, Calif.) rounding out the top 20.

The final five in the Super 25 are Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), Skyline (Dallas), Roosevelt (Corona, Calif.), Archbishop Wood (Philadelphia) and Brentwood Academy (Tenn.).


Super 25 Regional Boys Spring Soccer Rankings -- Week 3

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Each week USA TODAY High School Sports and National Soccer Coaches Association of America will release Super 25 Regional Boys Spring Soccer Rankings. Rankings are based on results from the 2016-17 season, quality of players and strength of schedule. Regions are determined by the NCSAA.

MORE: Boys Soccer Spring Rankings

REGION I (South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia)

Rank School W-L-T
1 Wando (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) 10-0-0
2 Battlefield (Haymarket, Va.) 4-0-0
3 River Bluff (Lexington, S,C.) 10-1-1
4 Mauldin (Mauldin, S.C.) 12-1-0
5 James Madison (Vienna, Va.) 6-1-0
6 The McCallie School (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 3-0-2
7 West Potomac (Alexandria, Va.) 3-0-2
8 Eastside (Taylors, S.C.) 10-0-0
9 Collierville (Collierville, Tenn.) 6-0-0
10 Wade Hampton (Greenville, S.C.) 14-1-1

REGION II (Alabama, Georgia)

Rank School W-L-T
1 Peachtree Ridge (Suwanee, Ga.) 11-0-0
2 Dalton (Dalton, Ga.) 12-1-0
3 McIntosh (Peachtree City, Ga.) 12-1-0
4 Clarkston (Clarkston, Ga.) 12-1-1
5 Berkmar (Lilburn, Ga.) 10-0-1
6 Johnson (Gainesville, Ga.) 9-1-0
7 Riverwood (Atlanta, Ga.) 12-2-1
8 Walton (Marietta, Ga.) 10-2-2
9 Etowah (Woodstock, Ga.) 10-1-1
10 Enterprise (Enterprise, Ala.) 10-3-0

REGION III (Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, Wyoming)

Rank School W-L-T
1 Creighton Prep (Omaha, Neb.) 6-1-0
2 American Fork (American Fork, Utah) 6-0-2
3 Omaha South (Omaha, Neb.) 6-1-0
4 Valley (West Des Moines, Iowa) 0-1-0
5 North Star (Lincoln, Neb.) 6-0-0
6 Iowa City West (Iowa City, Iowa) 0-0-0
7 Weber (Pleasant View, Utah) 6-1-0
8 Omaha Westside (Omaha, Neb.) 4-1-0
9 Fremont (Plain City, Utah) 7-2-0
10 Cheyenne Central (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 4-1-0

REGION IV (Arkansas, Oklahoma)

Rank School W-L-T
1 Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 6-1-0
2 Stillwater (Stillwater, Okla.) 8-0-0
3 Harber (Springdale, Ark.) 9-2-0
4 Broken Arrow (Broken Arrow, Okla.) 7-2-0
5 Owasso (Owasso, Okla.) 8-1-0
6 Springdale (Springdale, Ark.) 8-2-0
7 Capitol Hill (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 7-1-0
8 Northside (Fort Smith, Ark.) 9-2-0
9 U.S. Grant (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 5-0-0

REGION V (Alaska, California, Washington)

Rank School W-L-T
1 Auburn Mountainview (Auburn, Wash.) 5-0-1
2 Camas (Camas, Wash.) 6-0-1
3 Stadium (Tacoma, Wash.) 6-0-0
4 Archbishop Murphy (Everett, Wash.) 6-0-0
4 Wenatchee (Wenatchee, Wash.) 7-1-0
6 Mercer Island (Mercer Island, Wash.) 5-1-0
7 Lewis & Clark (Spokane, Wash.) 8-1-0
8 South Anchorage (Anchorage, Alaska) 0-0-0
9 O’Dea (Seattle, Wash.) 7-1-0
10 Kamiak (Mukliteo, Wash.) 6-0-0

 

Super 25 Regional Girls Spring Soccer Rankings -- Week 3

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Each week USA TODAY High School Sports and National Soccer Coaches Association of America will release Super 25 Regional Girls Spring Soccer Rankings. Rankings are based on results from the 2016-17 season, quality of players and strength of schedule. Regions are determined by the NCSAA.

MORE: Boys Soccer Spring Rankings

MORE: Girls Soccer Spring Rankings

REGION I (Delaware, North Carolina, Virginia)

Rank School W-L-T
1 Battlefield (Haymarket, Va.) 7-0-0
2 Green Hope (Cary, N.C.) 13-0-0
3 Mills Godwin (Richmond, Va.) 2-0-1
4 Padua Academy (Wilmington, Del.) 1-0-1
5 Kellam (Virginia Beach, Va.) 2-1-1
6 Cardinal Gibbons (Raleigh, N.C.) 9-1-1
7 Hough (Cornelius, N.C.) 10-0-0
8 James Madison (Vienna, Va.) 6-0-0
9 Wakefield (Raleigh, N.C.) 10-0-0
10 Weddington (Matthews, N.C.) 8-1-0

REGION II (Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina)

Rank School W-L-T
1 J.L. Mann (Greenville, S.C.) 9-0-0
2 Peachtree Ridge (Suwanee, Ga.) 10-1-0
3 Westminster Schools (Atlanta, Ga.) 10-1-0
4 Whitewater (Fayetteville, Ga.) 12-0-1
5 Vestavia HIlls (Vestavia, Ala.) 11-1-2
6 Columbus (Columbus, Ga.) 10-0-1
7 Marist School (Atlanta, Ga.) 9-1-1
8 St. Pius X (Atlanta, Ga.) 13-1-1
9 Lexington (Lexington, S.C.) 12-2-0
10 McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Ala.) 15-2-0

REGION III (Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin)

Rank School W-L-T
1 Naperville North (Naperville, Ill.) 4-0-0
2 Barrington (Barrington, Ill.) 2-0-0
3 Forest Hills Central (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 0-0-0
4 Centennial (Ankeny, Iowa) 0-0-0
5 Stoney Creek (Rochester Hills, Mich.) 2-0-0
6 New Trier (Winnetka, Ill.) 5-0-0
7 St. Charles North (St. Charles, Ill.) 3-0-1
8 Waukee (Waukee, Ill.) 0-0-0
9 Brookfield Central (Brookfield, Wis.) 1-1-0
10 Canton (Canton, Mich.) 3-0-0

REGION IV (Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma)

Rank School W-L-T
1 Blue Valley West (Overland Park, Kan.) 0-0-0
2 Rockwood Summit (Fenton, Mo.) 5-0-0
3 Owasso (Owasso, Okla.) 8-0-0
4 Notre Dame de Sion (Kansas City, Mo.) 4-0-0
5 St. Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.) 2-1-0
6 Lee’s Summit (Lee’s Summit, Mo,) 1-0-0
7 Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 5-0-0
8 Cabot (Cabot, Ark.) 7-2-0
9 Little Rock Christian Academy (Little Rock, Ark.) 6-1-0

REGION V (Alaska, California, Colorado, Wyoming)

Rank School W-L-T
1 Broomfield (Broomfield, Colo.) 3-0-0
2 Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village, Colo.) 7-0-0
3 Valor Christian Academy (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) 4-0-0
4 Marian (Omaha, Neb.) 6-0-0
5 Regis Jesuit (Aurora, Colo.) 3-0-2
6 Millard West (Omaha, Neb.) 5-0-0
7 The Classical Academy (Lakewood, Colo.) 4-0-0
8 Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 6-0-0
9 Laramie (Laramie, Wyo.) 0-0-0
10 Dimond (Anchorage, Alaska) 0-0-0

 

Super 25 Computer Regional Boys Basketball Rankings: Final

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Nathan Hale forward Michael Porter Jr. (Photo: Ted S. Warren, Associated Press)

The Super 25 Computer Boys Basketball rankings are provided by Ken Massey. The five regions mirror those used in the Expert Rankings — East, Midwest, South, Frontier and Pacific.

The number after each school indicates where it is ranked overall nationally, according to the computer.

RELATED: Final Super 25 Expert Boys Basketball Rankings

MORE: Computer rankings searchable by state

EAST

Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine

  1. Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia), 9
  2. Patrick School (Hillside, N.J.), 14
  3. Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), 21
  4. Archbishop Wood (Philadelphia), 24
  5. St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, N.J.), 35
  6. Rindge & Latin (Weston, Mass.), 46
  7. Linden (N.J.), 63
  8. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), 65
  9. Mount St. Joseph (Baltimore), 66
  10. Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia), 77

SOUTH
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, and Louisiana

  1. Montverde Academy (Fla.), 7
  2. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 15
  3. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 16
  4. Memphis East (Tenn.), 12
  5. Greensboro Day (N.C.), 18
  6. Brentwood Academy (Tenn.), 25
  7. McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.), 29
  8. Tift County (Tifton, Ga.), 38
  9. Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Chattanooga, Tenn.), 41
  10. Miami Christian (Fla.), 49

MIDWEST
Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota

  1. La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.), 1
  2. Champlin Park (Minn.), 10
  3. Apple Valley (Minn.), 11
  4. Grand Rapids Christian (Mich.), 13
  5. Evanston (Ill.), 26
  6. Wayzata (Minn.), 27
  7. Simeon (Chicago), 28
  8. Clarkston (Mich.), 32
  9. Jackson (Massillon, Ohio), 33
  10. Lakeville North (Lakeville, Minn.), 34

FRONTIER
Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming

  1. Klein Forest (Houston), 17
  2. Jonesboro (Ark.), 19
  3. Skyline (Dallas), 22
  4. Cy Falls (Houston), 30
  5. Union (Tulsa), 53
  6. Bingham (South Jordan, Utah), 56
  7. Houston Math Science & Tech ((Texas), 58
  8. Norfolk (Neb.), 62
  9. Lone Peak (Highland, Utah), 67
  10. Wagner (San Antonio), 73

PACIFIC
California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Hawaii, Oregon, Alaska

  1. Nathan Hale (Seattle), 2
  2. Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.), 3
  3. Chino Hills (Calif.), 4
  4. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 5
  5. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 6
  6. Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), 8
  7. Damien (La Verne, Calif.), 20
  8. Roosevelt (Corona, Calif.), 23
  9. Birmingham (Van Nuys, Calif.), 31
  10. Woodcreek (Roseville, Calif.), 40

Super 25 Computer boys basketball rankings: Who's the top team in every state?

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Montverde Academy’s RJ Barrett (Photo: Gregory Payan, Associated Press)

The high school basketball season has come to a close, so now it’s time to take a look at the state by state rankings according to the Super 25 Computer.

MORE: La Lumiere (Ind.) finishes No. 1 in Super 25 Computer boys basketball rankings

Super 25 Computer rankings are provided by Ken Massey. The ratings are designed to reward teams for their performance, and objectively quantify those performances. Strength of schedule is built into the model. The model also corrects for home field advantage. Teams lose less for a loss on the road and gain more for a win on the road. Margin of victory also is factored in. Because some of the data is based on past performances, the computer will be more accurate as the season progresses. Once a team plays three games, the computer can better slot how it stacks up against teams nationally.

RELATED: Full computer rankings searchable by state

Check below to see who is the top team in each state, according to the Super 25 Computer.

Alabama: Jemison-Hunt (Huntsville)

Alaska: Dimond (Anchorage)

Arizona: Shadow Mountain (Phoenix)

Arkansas: Jonesboro

California: Bishop Montgomery (Torrance)

Colorado: George Washington (Denver)

Connecticut: Notre Dame (West Haven)

Delaware: Smyrna

District of Columbia: Gonzaga College

Florida: Montverde Academy

Georgia: McEachern (Powder Springs)

Hawaii: Kahuku

Idaho: Rocky Mountain (Meridian)

Illinois: Evanston

Indiana: La Lumiere (La Porte)

Iowa: Iowa City West

Kansas: Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park)

Kentucky: Bowling Green

Louisiana: Madison Prep (Baton Rouge)

Maine: Portland

Maryland: Mount St. Joseph (Baltimore)

Massachusetts: Rindge and Latin (Weston)

Michigan: Grand Rapids Christian

Minnesota: Champlin Park

Mississippi: Meridian

Missouri: Webster Groves

Montana: Beaverhead County (Dillon)

Nebraska: Norfolk

Nevada: Findlay Prep (Henderson)

New Hampshire: Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro)

New Jersey: The Patrick School (Hillside)

New Mexico: Las Cruces

New York: Long Island Lutheran (Brookville)

North Carolina: Greensboro Day

North Dakota: Minot

Ohio: Jackson (Massillon)

Oklahoma: Union (Tulsa)

Oregon: Jefferson (Portland)

Pennsylvania: Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia)

Rhode Island: Bishop Hendricken (Warwick)

South Carolina: Dorman (Roebuck)

South Dakota: O’Gorman (Sioux Falls)

Tennessee: Memphis East

Texas: Klein Forest (Houston)

Utah: Bingham (South Jordan)

Vermont: Rutland

Virginia: Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson)

Washington: Nathan Hale (Seattle)

West Virginia: Huntington Prep

Wisconsin: La Crosse Central

Wyoming: Riverton

Wow, Ohio pitcher strikes out 17 in six innings

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Ohio State baseball signee Seth Lonsway had a performance for the ages on the mound Monday.

Lonsway had 17 strikeouts – in six innings – to lead Celina (Ohio) to a 4-0 victory against St. Henry. Yes, 17 of the 18 outs recorded were via strikeout.

The 6-1 Lonsway was perfect into the fifth inning when he allowed one hit. In total, he faced 19 batters, throwing 81 pitches, and hit 94 on the radar gun.

With those 17 strikeouts, he also tied the school record for career strikeouts with 183.

J.J. Watt surprises his fourth-grade teacher in adorable video

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Teachers matter.

Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt made sure his fourth-grade teacher, Judy Keefe, knows that.

As noted by For The Win and Lake Country Now, Watt made a surprise visit to his former fourth-grade teacher’s class on Monday at Horizon Elementary School in Wisconsin to bring gifts and a cake to congratulate her on her impending retirement at the end of the school year. According to the video description on Facebook Live, she has been teaching for 41 years and now teaches fifth grade.

Watt also presented her with a pair of his signature shoes and asked if she would participate in his celebrity softball game.

Instagram Photo

St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) to open with St. John Bosco (Calif.), face Centennial (Ariz.)

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St. Thomas Aquinas celebrates winning the GEICO State Champions Bowl Series (Photo: Ray Carlin, USA TODAY Sports)

St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale), which last season won its 10th Florida state football championship and finished among the top five teams in the Super 25, has agreed to play at Peoria Centennial in late September, the schools confirmed.

“We’re very fortunate to host them,” Centennial athletic director Brett Palmer said. “We were able to drop the (Scottsdale) Chaparral game. They’re going to be playing Valencia (Calif.).”

That Chaparral game in California will be played on Sept. 8, Chaparral AD Tommy Eubanks said.

Palmer said Centennial and St. Thomas Aquinas agreed on the game, which will likely be played on Sept. 29, a Friday.

St. Thomas Aquinas has another test to open the season when it hosts St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) on Aug. 25, according to the Aquinas schedule released Tuesday. Bosco finished last season at No. 6 in the Super 25.

“This will be another great opportunity for our players to focus on the present campaign and take each practice and each game seriously,” Aquinas coach Roger Harriott told The Miami Herald. “It allows us to help them generate the focus they need each day to produce a positive result.”

Coach Richard Taylor said that Centennial was looking to host either Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei or Corona (Calif.) Centennial, before the school was able to get St. Thomas Aquinas to play them at home.

“St. Thomas said, ‘We don’t need any money, we’ll just fly out,’ ” Taylor said.

Nothing has been confirmed yet on who will be televising the game. There is a chance that it could be nationally televised by ESPN.

Taylor calls this a no-lose game.

“You don’t lose when you play a team like this,” he said. “It doesn’t do any good to play an easy schedule.”

Contributing: Richard Obert, AZCentral


Super 25 Computer Regional Girls Basketball Rankings: FINAL

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The Super 25 Computer Girls Basketball rankings are provided by Ken Massey. The five regions mirror those used in the Expert Rankings — East, South, Midwest, Frontier and Pacific.

The number after each school indicates where it is ranked overall nationally, according to the computer.

SUPER 25 COMPUTER: Full rankings searachable by state

EAST
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine

1. Saint John’s (Washington, D.C.), 6
2. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), 12
3. Rutgers Prep (Somerset, N.J.), 23
4. McDonogh (Owings Mills, Md.), 37
5. Ursuline Academy (Wilmington, Del.), 39
6. National Christian Academy (Fort Washington, Md.), 53
7. Saint Rose (Belmar, N.J.), 54
8. Manasquan (N.J.), 65
9. Minersville (Pa.), 68
10. Cardinal O’Hara (Philadelphia), 71

SOUTH
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, and Louisiana

1. Miami Country Day (Fla.), 1
2. Paul IV (Farifax, Va.), 4
3. Riverdale (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), 9
4. Hamilton Heights Christian (Chattanooga, Tenn.), 13
5. Monacan (Richmond, Va.), 18
6. McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.), 22
7. Norcross (Ga.), 29
8. Bradley Central (Cleveland, Tenn.), 36
9. Saint Francis (Alpharetta, Ga.), 41
10. Ribault (Jacksonville, Fla.), 43

MIDWEST
Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota

1. Hopkins (Minnetonka), 15
2. Butler (Louisville), 19
3. Elk River (Minn.), 26
4. Homestead (Fort Wayne, Ind.), 27
5. Strafford (Mo.), 28
6. North Central (Indianapolis), 30
7. Edwardsville (Ill.), 31
8. Male (Louisville), 33
9. Mercer County (Harrodsburg, Ky.), 34
10. Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati), 49

FRONTIER
Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming

1. Grandview (Aurora, Colo.), 7
2. Duncanville (Texas), 8
3. Fayetteville (Ark.), 14
4. Timberview (Arlington, Texas), 17
5. Amarillo (Texas), 24
6. Canyon (Texas), 25
7. Argyle (Texas), 40
8. North Little Rock (Ark.), 44
9. Little Rock Central (Ark.), 47
10. Clear Springs (Texas), 58

PACIFIC
California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Hawaii, Oregon, Alaska

1. Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.), 2
2. Centennial (Las Vegas), 3
3. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 5
4. Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.), 10
5. Mesquite (Gilbert, Ariz.), 11
6. Windward (Los Angeles), 16
7. Mission Hills (San Marcos, Calif.), 20
8. Seton Catholic (Chandler, Ariz.), 21
9. Etiwanda (Calif.), 32
10. Southridge (Beaverton, Ore.), 35

VIDEO: Louisiana coach goes viral with 'Daddy Ball' speech on toughness

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University of Louisiana baseball coach Tony Robichaux spoke at length during a news conference last week about the lack of toughness in kids who come from select baseball, and it seems to have struck a nerve with people. 

He related a story about his grandson getting a ring from a United States Specialty Sports Association baseball tournament that was bigger than a Major League Baseball World Series ring.

Kids win, they get a giant ring, Robichaux said. And when they lose, they’re still rewarded with pizza parties and trips to the zoo and theme parks.

That’s not how real life works.

“We’re not teaching them anything,” Robichaux said. “Life’s not that way…We shouldn’t be fooling kids into a false model.”

When the Cajuns drop a game, he said, “they’re waiting for me to take them to Water World.

“Dude, we ain’t going to Water World.”

Robichaux has long been known for valuing toughness among his players. He praises those who have “throwdown,” who play with passion and leave it all on the field. He has earned a reputation for turning boys in grinders.

Toughness, Robichaux said, can compensate for shortcomings in talent. “If you can get your kids tough, then you have an advantage,” he said.

“I don’t care what mental weakness a kid has, what lack of ability he has, if he’s been taught how to throw down … he’s gonna make it,” Robichaux said.

UL coach Tony Robichaux talks to pitcher Gunner Leger and other Cajuns during an NCAA Tournament win over Arizona last season. (Photo: Lee Celano/The Advertiser)

Here is the full text of what Robichax had to say on this topic, courtesy of FootballScoop.com.

“We tell them all the time, you’ve got to work while you wait. Most people, in their personal life, they stop working until the door opens, and then they want to work again now that the door is open. But in this profession you’ve got to work while you wait.

“That’s why the select model is such a bad model, you know? Because nobody sits the bench. But then in high school, you’re going to sit the bench. Then in college you’re going to sit the bench. In rookie ball, you’re going to sit the bench. In low A and high A, you’re going to sit the bench. Double A, you’re going to sit the bench. Triple A, you’re going to sit the bench, and at the big league level you’re going to sit the bench,” Robichaux explained.

“Why would we go down and create a stupid model that doesn’t allow people to sit the bench, when every other model after that, you’re going to sit the bench?

“That’s why so many kids quit. That’s also why they stop working while they wait, because someone created a model that promised them that they would never sit. Then they get ready to get in the real world, they get out of ‘daddy ball,’ and they get into ‘big boy baseball’ and they can’t handle it, because they have to sit maybe.”

Contributing: , The Daily Advertiser

Super 25 Computer girls basketball rankings: Who's the top team in every state?

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The high school basketball season has come to a close, so now it’s time to take a look at the state by state rankings according to the Super 25 Computer.

MORE: Miami Country Day finishes No. 1 in Super 25 Computer girls basketball rankings

Super 25 Computer rankings are provided by Ken Massey. The ratings are designed to reward teams for their performance, and objectively quantify those performances. Strength of schedule is built into the model. The model also corrects for home field advantage. Teams lose less for a loss on the road and gain more for a win on the road. Margin of victory also is factored in. Because some of the data is based on past performances, the computer will be more accurate as the season progresses. Once a team plays three games, the computer can better slot how it stacks up against teams nationally.

RELATED: Full computer rankings searchable by state

Check below to see who is the top team in each state, according to the Super 25 Computer.

Alabama: Homewood

Alaska: Dimond (Anchorage)

Arizona: Mesquite (Gilbert)

Arkansas: Fayetteville

California: Clovis West

Colorado: Grandview (Aurora)

Connecticut: New London

Delaware: Ursuline Academy (Wilmington)

District of Columbia: St. John’s

Florida: Miami Country Day

Georgia: McEachern (Powder Springs)

Hawaii: Konawaena (Kealakekua)

Idaho: Eagle

Illinois: Edwardsville

Indiana: Homestead

Iowa: Valley (West Des Moines)

Kansas: Manhattan

Kentucky: Butler (Louisville)

Louisiana: Destrehan

Maine: Gorham

Maryland: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore)

Massachusetts: Bishop Feehan (Attleboro)

Michigan: Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills)

Minnesota: Hopkins (Minnetonka)

Mississippi: Olive Branch

Missouri: Strafford

Montana: Helena

Nebraska: Lincoln Christian

Nevada: Centennial (Las Vegas)

New Hampshire: Bishop Guertin (Nashua)

New Jersey: Rutgers Prep (Somerset)

New Mexico: Hobbs

New York: Long Island Lutheran (Brookville)

North Carolina: Raleigh Southeast

North Dakota: Century (Bismarck)

Ohio: Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati)

Oklahoma: Choctaw

Oregon: Southridge (Beaverton)

Pennsylvania: Minersville

Rhode Island: St. Andrew’s (Barrington)

South Carolina: North Augusta

South Dakota: St. Thomas More (Rapid City)

Tennessee: Riverdale (Murfreesboro)

Texas: Duncanville

Utah: American Fork

Vermont: Champlain Valley Union (Hinesburg)

Virginia: Paul VI (Fairfax)

Washington: Central Valley (Veradale)

West Virginia: Huntington

Wisconsin: Beaver Dam

Wyoming: Campbell County (Gillette)

Baseball doubleheader turns into long night in Wisconsin

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What’s worse than a 16-inning marathon baseball game on a school night?

When that is the first game of a doubleheader and the second game involves different teams than the first.

That was the case in Wisconsin on Tuesday night.

Verona beat Parker (Janesville) 6-5 in 16 innings. Game time was 4 hours, 33 minutes. The winning run scored on a sacrifice fly after a balk moved the runner to third, according to the Janesville Gazette.

And then Craig (Janesville) and La Follette (Madison) took the field for the second game. First pitch was 9:54 p.m. The scheduled first pitch: 7:15.

The good news, the game was shortened to five innings by the 10-run rule. Craig won 11-1 as Creighton commit Evan Spry threw a one-hitter.

La Follette had roughly a 45-minute ride to get back home after the game.

 

 

UNC's Nate Britt becomes 10th Oak Hill player to win NCAA title

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Nate Britt cuts the net after UNC defeated Gonzaga. (Photo: Ronald Martinez, Getty Images)

Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) has produced a bevy of major college basketball players, and on Monday its 10th alumni became an NCAA champion.

Nate Britt, who played his senior season at Oak Hill, helped North Carolina to its sixth national championship.

His former coach gave him a shout out on Twitter.

VIDEO: 7-year-old dribbling phenom puts on show with Harlem Globetrotters

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Samaya Clark-Gabriel, a 7-year-old dribbling phenom from Brooklyn, has made her way to the Harlem Globetrotters.

Samaya received a surprise recently at P.S. 309 when Hoops Green and teammate Buckets Blakes came to visit. As you might expect, a dribbling session broke out. Samaya has tricks on top of tricks, and well, so do the Globetrotters.

The Globetrotters also invited her to a game last weekend at the Barclays Center.

Samaya also has tried soccer and boxing in her short few years.

Here is the video from the visit to her school:

At the Barclays Center, Samaya joined Ace Jackson on the court as shown below.

VIDEO: Texas Tech commit Jaylon Robinson shows off slick move at Rivals camp

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Paschal (Fort Worth, Texas) wide receiver Jaylon Robinson showed why it would be no fun to catch him in the open field while at the Rivals Camp over the weekend in Dallas.

Check out the move below from the Texas Tech commit.


UPDATED: USA TODAY Sports' 2017 Composite Team Basketball Recruiting Rankings

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Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari. (Photo: Brett Davis, USA TODAY Sports)

Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari. (Photo: Brett Davis, USA TODAY Sports)

With the signing period set to begin next week, four of the top seven and five of the top 12 players remain uncommitted. But here is where the USA TODAY Sports’ Composite Team Recruiting Rankings for the Class of 2017 stand.

The composite looks at the rankings from 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout and averages them to determine where each team stands. Teams that were unranked received one more than the maximum listed by each service (51 for 247, 41 for ESPN, 36 for Rivals, 26 for Scout).

The top three teams are unanimous in their position with Kentucky at No. 1, UCLA at No. 2 and Arizona at No. 3. After that, the variance begins.

UPDATED: 4/6/2017

Rank School 247 ESPN Rivals Scout Avg.
1 Kentucky 1 1 1 1 1
2 UCLA 2 2 2 2 2
3 Arizona 3 3 3 3 3
T4 Alabama 4 5 4 5 4.5
T4 Duke 5 4 5 4 4.5
6 Texas 6 7 6 7 6.5
7 Louisville 7 8 7 10 8
8 Xavier 9 10 8 8 8.75
9 Miami 8 6 10 12 9
10 Western Kentucky 12 12 9 11 11
11 Oregon 11 13 12 13 12.25
12 Florida State 16 15 15 18 16
13 Illinois 36 11 13 9 17.25
14 Texas A&M 13 27 20 15 18.75
15 Oklahoma 18 22 25 16 20.25
16 Virginia Tech 15 25 18 24 20.5
17 Kansas 31 24 14 14 20.75
18 Arizona State 14 26 27 17 21
T19 Stanford 10 41 11 26 22
T19 USC 20 16 26 26 22
21 Iowa State 26 17 23 26 23
22 North Carolina 28 14 30 22 23.5
23 Butler 19 19 32 26 24
24 Florida 27 9 36 26 24.5
25 Auburn 33 29 19 20 25.25
26 Arkansas 29 18 29 26 25.5
27 Michigan State 38 23 17 26 26
28 Villanova 24 40 21 21 26.5
29 Wisconsin 17 37 28 25 26.75
30 Creighton 21 38 24 26 27.25
31 Colorado 23 41 22 26 28
32 Mississippi State 25 33 36 19 28.25
T33 Purdue 22 41 36 26 31.25
T33 Michigan 34 30 35 26 31.25
35 Texas Christian 30 41 31 26 32
36 Missouri 47 41 16 26 32.5
37 Iowa 41 31 36 26 33.5
38 Washington 51 41 36 6 33.5
39 Indiana 32 41 36 26 33.75
40 Oregon State 39 35 36 26 34
41 West Virginia 35 41 36 26 34.5
42 Georgia 43 34 36 26 34.75
43 Clemson 37 41 36 26 35
43 Pittsburgh 40 41 36 26 35.75
T44 Vanderbilt 42 41 36 26 36.25
T44 Maryland 48 41 33 23 36.25
T44 California 51 32 36 26 36.25
47 Ole Miss 44 41 36 26 36.75
48 Marquette 45 41 36 26 37
T49 SMU 46 41 36 26 37.25
T49 Oklahoma State 51 36 36 26 37.25

UPDATED: 4/6/2017

2017 Nike Hoop Summit: TV schedule, rosters, guide

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Quade Green (Photo: Gregory Payan, Associated Press)

The 20th annual Nike Hoop Summit will tip Friday in Portland. Kentucky leads the way with four future players in the game, while Duke and Virginia Tech have two apiece.

Below are full rosters, TV information, and links to more of our coverage.

What: Nike Hoop Summit
Where: Moda Center in Portland, Ore.
When: Friday, April 6 at 7 p.m. PST (10 p.m. EST)
How to watch: Watch live on ESPN2

MORE: Five most compelling players and their storylines

MORE: Michael Porter Jr. has big plans for Missouri

FULL ROSTERS

TEAM USA          
Class Name Pos. Hgt Wt. School College
2017 Mohamed Bamba C 6-11 210 Westtown School (Pa.) Undecided
2017 Troy Brown Jr. G 6-7 215 Centennial (Las Vegas) Oregon
2017 Trevon Duval PG 6-3 183 IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) Undecided
2017 Wendell Carter Jr. F 6-9 255 Pace Academy (Atlanta) Duke
2017 Quade Green PG 6-1 170 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, PA) Kentucky
2017 Jaren Jackson SF 6-10 226 La Lumiere School (La Porte, IN) Michigan State
2017 Kevin Knox F 6-9 203 Tampa Catholic (Fla.) Undecided
2017 Collin Sexton PG 6-3 180 Pebblebrook (Mableton, Ga.) Alabama
2017 Michael Porter Jr. SF 6-10 212 Nathan Hale (Seattle, WA) Washington
2017 Gary Trent Jr. G 6-6 205 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) Duke
2017 Jarred Vanderbilt PF 6-8 200 Victory Prep Academy (Houston, TX) Kentucky
2017 M.J. Walker G 6-5 210 Jonesboro (Lithia Springs, Ga.) Undecided
TEAM WORLD          
Age Name Pos. Ht. Wt. School/Team College
18 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander G 6-5 185 Hamilton Heights Christian (Tenn.) Kentucky
19 Lindell Wigginton G 6-1 165 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) Virginia Tech
18 Nickeil Alexander-Walker G 6-5 195 Hamilton Heights Christian (Tenn.) Virginia Tech
18 Angus Glover G 6-4 180 Illawara Hawks (Australia) N/A
19 Tadas Sedekerskis F 6-7 205 Baskonia Vitoria Gasteiz (Spain) N/A
16 R.J. Barrett G/F 6-6 185 Montverde Academy (Fla.) Undecided
19 Nick Richards C 6-11 250 The Patrick School (Elizabeth, NJ) Kentucky
18 Kostja Mushidi F 6-5 210 BC Mega Leks (Serbia) N/A
19 Borisa Simanic F 6-11 220 Crvena Zvezda (Serbia) N/A
18 Isaiah Hartenstein F 6-11 249 Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania) N/A
18 Felipe Dos Anjos C 7-3 230 Oviedo (Spain) N/A
18 Ikechukwu Obiagu C 7-0 245 Greenforest Christian Academy (Ga.) Florida State

 

Norco (Calif.) remains No. 1, six newcomers in Super 25 softball

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CC Cook of Pinnacle High in Arizona (Photo: Rob Schumacher, azcentral sports)

Norco (Calif.) remains No. 1 in this week’s USA TODAY Sports/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Super 25 for softball, but there was plenty of shuffling.

Norco (14-0) did not play last week and has outscored its last three opponents 26-0, entering Thursday’s game against Mesa (Murietta, Calif.).

RELATED: Full Super 25 softball rankings

Pinnacle (Phoenix) jumped two spots to No. 2 and has outscored its last six opponents 70-7 to move to 24-1. Cape Fear (N.C.), Willis (Texas) and Los Alamitos (Calif.) each had unbeaten weeks to move two spots to complete the Top 5.

Six new teams enter the Super 25; those teams have a combined mark of 98-4. La Cuerve (N.M.) leads that group at No. 11 with a 15-0 mark, followed by Fort Myers (Fla.) at No. 12 with a 20-1 record. Stockdale (Calif.) is No. 13 and has outscored its opponents 54-0 in its last five games. No. 16 Bentonville (Ark.) has eight shutout wins. Also new to the Super 25: Enka (Okla.) at No. 18 and Kingwood (Texas) at No. 24.

California schools Amador Valley, Sheldon and Clovis; Immaculate Heart Academy in New Jersey and D.H. Conley of North Carolina dropped out.

State rankings submitted by NFCA member coaches are used to compile the Super 25.

Which is the best boys basketball program of the decade so far?

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Montverde Academy’s Ben Simmons (left) led the school to three consecutive Super 25 titles (Photo: David Butler, USA TODAY Sports)

With the end to the 2016-17 boys basketball season, USA TODAY High School Sports has named its seventh national champion of the decade.

So which has been the best program in the last seven seasons? We thought we’d find out by taking the final Super 25 rankings for the seasons that ended in 2011 through 2017 to provide a snapshot.

During that time, roughly 120 teams have finished in the final Super 25 in any year. Only three programs have appeared in all seven: Montverde Academy (Fla.), Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) and Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.).

The chart below shows you where each team was ranked in each year and provides an average of each’s position. Teams that ended the season without a ranking were awarded a 26.

That gives Montverde the narrow edge over Findlay with its three consecutive Super 25 titles. (As an aside, each also was ranked in 2010. Add in 2010 and Findlay has the better composite ranking.)

Teams had to be ranked in at least three years to qualify. Note that La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) and St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) were ranked in only three years, but were in the top 5 in each of those years.

Rank School 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Avg.
1 Montverde 15 10 1 1 1 5 7 5.71
2 Findlay Prep 13 2 3 6 4 10 3 5.86
3 Oak Hill 4 1 23 4 2 2 8 6.29
4 Mater Dei 11 7 8 2 10 26 15 11.29
5 Huntington Prep 26 6 7 3 5 26 26 14.14
6 La Lumiere 26 26 21 5 26 3 1 15.43
7 St. Anthony 1 3 26 26 26 4 26 16.00
8 St. Benedict’s Prep 26 15 2 26 9 12 26 16.57
9 Simeon 7 5 5 26 26 26 26 17.29
10 Blanche Ely 26 20 12 6 8 26 26 17.71
11 Miller Grove 7 26 20 26 26 8 26 19.86
12 DeMatha Catholic 26 11 26 26 19 13 26 21.00
13 Bishop Gorman 26 14 15 17 26 26 26 21.43
14 Corona del Sol 26 22 26 16 14 26 26 22.29

 

No. 1 Bishop Gorman football coach faces domestic battery charge

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Bishop Gorman coach Kenny Sanchez (Photo: Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports)

Kenny Sanchez, coach of three-time Super 25 football champion Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), is facing a domestic battery charge and was arrested Tuesday on a warrant, according to court documents.

The news was first reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

He was arraigned Thursday, according to court records, with a bench trial set for May 30.

Sanchez declined comment when reached by USA TODAY High School Sports. He referred questions to his lawyer, who responded with the following statement: “Mr. Sanchez is an outstanding coach and leader in the Las Vegas community and an incredible father.  There is absolutely no truth to any these allegations.”

According to the report, the incident happened on Christmas Day when Sanchez, 36, went to his former girlfriend’s home to pick up their son. According to the report, Sanchez was “very upset.”

“I went to say goodbye to my son in the driveway,” Brooke Jade Stewart wrote in a statement, according to the Review-Journal. “Kenny came behind me and pulled my hair out of my head, punched me in the eye. As I was going down, he punched me on the side of my face and put his hands around my neck. He held me on the ground and ran to his car and drove away.”

Sanchez was named the Gorman coach in January 2015, replacing his brother Tony, now the head coach at UNLV. Kenny Sanchez had been the defensive coordinator.

Sanchez led Bishop Gorman to back-to-back unbeaten seasons and Super 25 titles with a combined record of 30-0. The Gaels won their first Super 25 title under Tony Sanchez in 2015.

The program enters the 2017 season on a 54-game winning streak, second-longest active streak in the nation.

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