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Lovie Smith's first Illinois offer: Derrick Brooks' son DeCalon

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DeCalon Smith (Photo: 247Sports)

DeCalon Smith (Photo: 247Sports)

Lovie Smith chose a familiar name for what is believed to be the first scholarship he has offered since being hired as Illinois coach Monday.

DeCalon Brooks is a three-star inside linebacker from Gaither High in Tampa, Fla. His dad is Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Brooks, who played his entire career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Smith, of course, spent the last two seasons as coach of the Bucs.

“My dad always tells me, ‘Go out there and just play ball, don’t think about anything else,’ ” DeCalon told The Tampa Bay Times last fall. “My dad is always motivating me to focus on Decalon Brooks, not Derrick Brooks.”

DeCalon has five offers, including Florida State, Louisville, Florida International and South Florida. He attended Florida State’s Junior Day two weeks ago. Derrick Brooks is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, has his number retired at Florida State and was a member of the 1993 national championship team.

Here is a look at DeCalon from the recent Nike Opening regional:

 


Illinois Girls Basketball POY: Kiara Lewis

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The Gatorade State Girls Basketball Players of the Year were selected based on athletic production and impact in the 2015-16 fall season. Each winner also demonstrated high academic achievement and exemplary personal character, including volunteerism, sportsmanship and community leadership.

For the complete list of Gatorade State Girls Basketball Player of the Year winners, click here.

THE WINNER: Kiara Lewis

THE BASICS

School: Whitney M. Young Magnet (Chicago, Ill.)
Grade: Senior
Position: Point Guard
Height: 5-foot-9

Athletic achievement: She averaged 24.4 points per game this past season, leading the Dolphins (27-6) to the Class 4A state semifinals. A 2015-16 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Preseason Girls Basketball Team selection by USA TODAY, Lewis added 7.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 3.2 steals per contest. Also a returning Chicago Tribune First Team All-State selection, she led Whitney Young to the Class 4A state championship as a sophomore in 2014.

Academic excellence: Lewis has maintained a 3.30 weighted GPA.

Exemplary character: In addition to donating her time as a youth basketball instructor, she has volunteered with the Special Olympics, as a first-grade teacher’s assistant and on behalf of a youth literacy-outreach initiative. Lewis has also participated in her school’s Lunch Buddy program to benefit students with moderate to severe cognitive disabilities.

THE PRAISE

“She is unflappable as a player,” said Dorothy Gaters, head coach at rival John Marshall High. “She’s an amazing talent as a shooter and penetrator, and she’s the heart of her team. She is big time.”

THE FUTURE: Lewis has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at The Ohio State University this fall.

Nebraska Girls Basketball POY: Rylie Cascio Jensen

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The Gatorade State Girls Basketball Players of the Year were selected based on athletic production and impact in the 2015-16 fall season. Each winner also demonstrated high academic achievement and exemplary personal character, including volunteerism, sportsmanship and community leadership.

For the complete list of Gatorade State Girls Basketball Player of the Year winners, click here.

THE WINNER: Rylie Cascio Jensen

THE BASICS

School: Fremont (Neb.)
Grade: Senior
Position: guard
Height: 5-foot-10

Athletic achievement: She averaged 22.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.6 steals per game this past season, leading the Tigers (21-7) to the Class A state quarterfinals. A returning 2014-15 Second Team Super-State selection by the Lincoln Journal Star, Cascio Jensen shot 44.9 percent from the field, 40.7 percent from 3-point range and 78.2 percent from the free-throw line. A 2016 McDonald’s All-American Game nominee, her 34 consecutive successful free throws set a Class A record this winter.

Academic excellence: Cascio Jensen has maintained a 3.88 GPA, serving as president of her school’s letter club and an invited member of both the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society.

Exemplary character: She has also received Fremont’s Optimist Student of the Year and Business Student of the Year awards. In addition to donating her time as a youth basketball instructor, Elliott has also volunteered locally as part of the Adopt-A-Family program, Meals of the Heartland and her city’s Memorial Day flag tribute ceremonies.

THE PRAISE

“She is a scorer but a team player at the same time,” said Dave Licari, head coach at rival Columbus High. “She does what her team needs to be successful. She maintains her composure on the court at all times even though she is the focal point of every defense. To me, that is a sign of good character.

THE FUTURE: Cascio Jensen has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at the University of South Dakota this fall.

Connecticut Girls Basketball POY: Shaquana Edwards

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The Gatorade State Girls Basketball Players of the Year were selected based on athletic production and impact in the 2015-16 fall season. Each winner also demonstrated high academic achievement and exemplary personal character, including volunteerism, sportsmanship and community leadership.

For the complete list of Gatorade State Girls Basketball Player of the Year winners, click here.

THE WINNER: Shaquana Edwards

THE BASICS

School: Weaver (Hartford, Conn.)
Grade: Senior
Position: Guard
Height: 5-foot-5

Athletic achievement: She led the Beavers to a 19-5 record and the second round of the Class M state tournament this past season. Edwards averaged 30.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.3 steals and 4.0 assists per game. A three-time New Haven Register All-State honoree, she was named to USA TODAY’s ALL-USA Connecticut Second Team as a junior.

Academic excellence: Edwards has maintained a 3.92 GPA.

Exemplary character: She has raised funds to benefit breast cancer research and has served as a mentor for younger athletes.

THE PRAISE

“Edwards just cannot be defended,” said Russ Crist, head coach at Farmington High. “She’s unstoppable on offense and she gets her teammates shots as well. She’s also an underrated rebounder and defender.”

THE FUTURE: Edwards has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at La Salle University this fall.

New Hampshire Girls Basketball POY: Becca Ripley

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The Gatorade State Girls Basketball Players of the Year were selected based on athletic production and impact in the 2015-16 fall season. Each winner also demonstrated high academic achievement and exemplary personal character, including volunteerism, sportsmanship and community leadership.

For the complete list of Gatorade State Girls Basketball Player of the Year winners, click here.

THE WINNER: Becca Ripley

THE BASICS

School:  New Hampton School (New Hampton, N.H.)
Grade: Junior
Position: Guard and Forward
Height: 6-foot

Athletic achievement: She averaged 15.2 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.3 blocks per game this season, leading the Huskies (21-7) to the New England Prep School Athletic Council Class A Tournament semifinals. Because of injuries to her teammates, Ripley played all five positions this season for New Hampton. She is a two-time Lakes Region All-Star and a 2014 NEPSAC All-Star.

Academic excellence: Ripley has maintained a 3.13 GPA.

Exemplary character: She has volunteered locally as a school ambassador and as part of multiple community service projects through her school.

THE PRAISE

“Becca Ripley is the most versatile player that I have ever coached against,” said Billy O’Dwyer, head coach of Thayer (Mass.) Academy. “She can shoot from all over the court and is strong enough to play in the post. She is too big and strong for most guards and too agile for most post players.”

THE FUTURE: Ripley has made a verbal commitment to play basketball on scholarship at the University of Miami (Fla.) in the fall of 2017.

South Dakota Girls Basketball POY: Brianna Kusler

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The Gatorade State Girls Basketball Players of the Year were selected based on athletic production and impact in the 2015-16 fall season. Each winner also demonstrated high academic achievement and exemplary personal character, including volunteerism, sportsmanship and community leadership.

For the complete list of Gatorade State Girls Basketball Player of the Year winners, click here.

THE WINNER: Brianna Kusler

THE BASICS

School: Aberdeen Central (Aberdeen, S.D.)
Grade: Senior
Position: Guard
Height: 5-foot-9

Athletic achievement: She has led the Golden Eagles to a 21-1 record and a berth in the Class AA state tournament, scheduled to begin March 10. Kusler averaged 16.6 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from inside the arc through 22 games. A 2015 First Team All-State selection, she surpassed the 1,000-point mark for her prep career earlier this season.

Academic excellence: Kusler has maintained a 4.08 weighted GPA.

Exemplary character: A devoted member of her church youth group, she has volunteered locally on behalf of the Special Olympics, Kids Against Hunger and a childcare facility.

THE PRAISE

“Brianna Kusler is the type of player that every coach would love to have on their team,” said Wade Stobbs, head coach at Huron High. “She has the skill, height and athleticism to play every position on the court.”

THE FUTURE: Kusler has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at Northern State University this fall.

Matchups set for National High School Invitational baseball

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Blake Rutherford Photo: Youtube Screenshot

Blake Rutherford (Photo: Youtube Screenshot)

USA Baseball has unveiled all four pods for the 16 teams participating in the prestigious National High School Invitational in Cary, N.C. from March 23-26.

In the first pod, Super 25 No. 4 Huntington Beach (Calif.) faces Poly Prep (Brooklyn, N.Y.), and host Topsail (N.C.) meets Trinity Christian (Jacksonville, Fla.).

RELATED: Super 25 Preseason Baseball rankings

Huntington Beach is the favorite and looks to have plenty of depth on the mound led by junior righthander Hagen Danner (7-2, 1.15 ERA, 65Ks in 61 innings last season), who has committed to UCLA; lefthander Nick Pratto, who transferred from Mater Dei (Santa Ana); senior righthander Logan Pouelsen, a UCLA signee who didn’t allow an earned run last season; and junior Cory Moore, a transfer from Yucaipa. Pouelsen, however, is sidelined with an elbow injury suffered last week.

RELATED: 16-team field set for elite tournament

In the second pod, North Broward Prep (Pompano Beach, Fla.) opens with Rocky Mountain (Fort Collins, Colo.), and Houston (Germantown, Tenn.) takes on Allatoona High (Acworth, Ga.).

In the third pod, it’s a battle of past champions as 2012 and ’13 champion Mater Dei meets 2014 NHSI champ The First Academy (Orlando). Mater Dei becomes the first school to play in the event three times. Also in the third pod, Florence (Ala.) faces Liberty Christian Academy, (Lynchburg, Va.)

In the fourth pod, No. 14 Walton (Marietta, Ga.) meets Bingham (South Jordan, Utah) and Flanagan (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) faces Chaminade College Prep (Canoga Park, Calif.).

The focus in the fourth pod likely will be on Chaminade and All-American Blake Rutherford, who could be a top 10 pick in the major league draft in June.

Teen daughter of St. Louis Cardinals president helping girls with prom

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ST. LOUIS – The teenage daughter of St. Louis Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III is helping girls get their prom dresses for free.

With entrepreneurship in her blood, DeWitt, 17, started the site promdresssharestl.com and has collected more thsn 400 gently used prom dresses.

A student at John Burroughs High, she was inspired by a story she saw on the news about a father who could not afford a prom dress for his daughter.

For donations in the St. Louis area, you can visit the website to get more information.

Contributing: KSDK.com


Georgia offers nine football players from same school on same day

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Al Blades Jr. (Photo: 247Sports)

Al Blades Jr. (Photo: 247Sports)

Perhaps following the lead of Tennessee, the Georgia football program offered scholarships to nine players on the same day at St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale), according to Rivals.com.

Tennessee recently offered 20 players in the same day at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

Aquinas is expected to be one of the top schools in the nation when the Super 25 preseason rankings come out in August.

The offers went to players in the 2017, ’18 and ’19 classes and included four second-generation athletes who all play deefnse — the sons of former NFL players Cornelius Bennett, Asante Samuel, Al Blades and Benjamin Sapp.

Blades has already re-committed to Miami after initially de-committing.

RELATED: Al Blades Jr. video diary

According to Rivals.com, defensive end LaShawn Paulino and defensive tackle Kivon Bennett were offered from the Class of 2017; defensive backs Asante Samuel Jr., Benjamind Sapp III and Al Blades Jr., defensive end Nikolas Bonitto, wide receiver Elijah Moore were offered from 2018; and inside linebacker Anthony Solomon and running back Daniel Carter from the Class of 2019.

Bennett, who’s father was a College Football Hall of Famer at Alabama, also received an offer from Arkansas on Wednesday.

Whether any of these players — all of whom have a long way until their respective signing days — lands with Georgia remains to be seen. But the tactic of mass offers at top schools could be a new strategy that other schools emulate.

VIDEO: Iowa coach's son may be the best freshman in the state

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That name sound familiar? It should, as Patrick is the son of Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery—and the youngster has some serious game. Patrick, who has battled through cancer and earned a “real” scholarship offer from his father, is by all accounts the top player in Iowa’s class of 2019

Here is a look at some highlights from his freshman season at Iowa City West from our friends at CourtsideFilms.com.

#DreamFearlessly Fan Vote winners set for High School Slam & 3-Point Championship

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afi-hs-slam-dunk-3-point-championshipsAfter four rounds of the #DreamFearlessly Fan Vote, the final tickets have been punched for the American Family Insurance High School Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships in Houston.

The results of the championship matchups were announced Thursday with the winners surviving a 16-person bracket to earn a spot among the nation’s top dunkers and three-point shooters who will be competing April 1 in the host city of the men’s basketball NCAA Final Four.

Elijah Pemberton of Cheshire Academy (Conn.) narrowly won the dunk vote with 50.27% over Elijah Thomas from Sunrise Mountain in Arizona. Pemberton is a 6-4 shooting guard who has signed to play at Hofstra.

The boys’ three-point champion participant is Ian Mumford from Keys Gate in Florida. The 5-10 Mumford shot 52% on threes and averaged 12.2 points per game this season. He posted 50.25% of the vote to edge Drew Kelly from East Burke in North Carolina.

The girl’s three-point champion participant is Nicole Beavers from Mount Zion, Ill. The 5-6 Beavers shot 34% from three-point range and set a school record with 81 three-pointers this season. She scored 54.34% of the vote to down Sam Caruth of Faith Lutheran in Nevada.

USA TODAY High School Sports caught up with the three winners Thursday and asked them how they won, how they’re preparing and more.

ELIJAH PEMBERTON, DUNK

Elijah Pemberton

Elijah Pemberton

What was your strategy to get people to vote?

I used every resource I could — Every social media network I could, friends, family, even people at my former school, Xavier High School in Middletown. I think of myself as a nice person and I keep in contact with a lot of people. Cheshire Academy did a lot for me. My town is behind me a lot. Everyone was helping on Facebook and Twitter too

When did you think you had a realistic chance to win it all?

When I got a shoutout from World Star Hip Hop in the final. They have 1.3 million followers on Twitter so I knew this was going to happen. My points started going up from there. One of my close friends, Jimmy Auger, knows the director of World Star Hip Hop. He put it up there for me.

How have you been practicing to get ready in hopes you would be selected?

I’m back in the weight rom doing a lot of plyometrics and squats, trying to keep my vertical leap up and my legs prepared. I took a week off after the playoffs to get rid of the bruises and soreness — we play in a tough league up here. Hopefully when I get down there I’ll be bouncy.

What’s your game plan here? Do you have your dunks picked out? You blew people away when you dunked over 6-3 teammate Chol Marial in your highlight tape. 

I got my dunks and I’m practicing a few that nobody has seen in my videos. I want make sure everything is exciting. … I have never jumped over anybody who is 7 feet before. I jumped over someone who was 6-9 so I put (Marial) under the hoop and said, ‘I gotta to go for it.’  That’s something I can tell my future kids, that I jumped over someone who was 7-3. Not many people can say that.

For people who are planning to watch the broadcast, what would you tell them?

Just enjoy it and hopefully, I get to impress everybody. I’m not Aaron Gordon or Zach Levine, but I’m going to try to put on a show.

IAN MUMFORD, BOYS’ THREE-POINT

Ian Mumford

Ian Mumford

What was your strategy to get people to vote?

My family has a lot of friends, we have lot of friends at school. They were telling their friends and coworkers. We were going around school, sending mass emails out and teachers were putting it on the board in their classes. The principal really helped me too. We were using Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and I put up a few snaps too.

When did you think you had a realistic chance to win it all?

I didn’t want to get big-headed and end up regretting it. Every round was pretty tough. I had a lot of friends that were very into it with me. I was confident with my friends helping me. Wasn’t 100% sure that I would win until Thursday when I saw the percentages.

How have you been practicing to get ready in hopes you would be selected?

I’ve been practicing every day since the season ended and I’m actually calling you right before practice. I make sure after I practice with my travel ball team that I go in and shoot three-pointers for at least an hour or more. I shoot about 200. I keep going until I get tired, then I go a little more. I’m usually the last one there.

For people who are planning to watch the broadcast, what would you tell them?

Hopefully, I will do a good job and make all their votes worth it. I want the people who voted for me to know it was worth spending the time.

NICOLE BEAVERS, GIRLS’ THREE-POINT

Nicole Beavers

Nicole Beavers

What was your strategy to get people to vote?

We had posters all around my high school. We posted a lot of on social media with Facebook and Twitter. We had fliers on a lot of local businesses with the voting period and how can you vote. We had a lot of relatives find out from Facebook or from my mom and they got all their towns to vote.  My parents are from a small town close t us so their whole town was supporting us, too.

When did you think you had a realistic chance to win it all?

After the second round, I only won by .01 percent and we were shocked that I won that. We started to get more votes after that and spread word ever more because we thought I had a bigger chance.”

How have you been practicing to get ready in hopes you would be selected?

I’ve been in track season so I’ve been running after school. I’m getting in the gym at night shooting. I get the rack out and have my dad time me and shoot the five balls at different points. It’s a lot different (than in a game). I was in the three-point competition at regionals so I have a bit of experience in the last two years in winning that.

For people who are planning to watch the broadcast, what would you tell them?

I’m from a small town. I feel like I was the underdog in the fan voting and I’ve worked really hard and gotten better at shooting over the last two years and set my school record this season.

Sparkman (Ala.) wins prestigious Perfect Game High School Showcase

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Sparkman (Harvest, Ala.) banged out 15 hits Saturday to earn a 6-2 victory against Gulliver Prep (Miami) to win the Perfect Game High School Showdown in Georgia, one of the nation’s top high school baseball tournaments.

Breonn Pooler had three hits, Reid Powers, Garrett Bodine, Andrew Semple, Alex Strachan and Jacob Foster each had two to lead the Senators (13-3), who outscored the opposition 32-8 in their four games at the event.

Carter Vickers struck out eight, scattered five hits and walked two in the victory.

RELATED: Preseason Super 25 Baseball Rankings

The championship game might have been a bit unexpected compared to what seemed likely on paper entering the event with Super 25 Preseason No. 2 Oxford (Miss.) on one side of the bracket and No. 3 Parkview (Lillburn, Ga.), the defending Super 25 champion, on the other.

But that changed Friday. Sparkman downed Parkview by a score of 7-0 on seven hits, including a pair of solo home runs. Seth Gulley went the distance with 11 strikeouts and one walk, and allowed just two hits to knock off the event’s defending champions. Gulliver Prep edged Oxford 3-2. Gulliver had only four of the game’s 11 hits.

Parkview and Oxford had advanced to the semifinals with a bye after an opening-round win. Sparkman and Gulliver Prep won twice Thursday to reach the semifinals.

The first Super 25 baseball rankings of the regular season will be released Wednesday and the performances at this event should have a big impact on the rankings.

Michael Porter Jr., Jeriah Horne battle in instant classic in Missouri state title game

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Barstow's Jeriah Horne, left, and Father Tolton Catholic's Michael Porter, Jr. during the second half of the Missouri Class 3 boys championship (Photo: Jeff Roberson, Associated Press)

Barstow’s Jeriah Horne, left, and Father Tolton Catholic’s Michael Porter, Jr. during the second half of the Missouri Class 3 boys championship (Photo: Jeff Roberson, Associated Press)

A showdown between two of the Missouri’s top players — Father Tolton’s Michael Porter Jr. and Barstow’s Jeriah Horne — turned into an instant classic in the Missouri Class 3 state title game Saturday.

Porter, ranked as the No. 2 junior in the country, finished with 31 points and 19 rebounds. Horne, a 6-7 Nebraska signee, had 39 points on 15 of 28 shooting and 4 of 6 from three-point range. He also had 14 rebounds.

The result was Tolton 62, Barstow 60 after a breathtaking fourth quarter and final sequence. The win meant the first state title in school history for Tolton, but also the first state title be a team from Columbia since 1962.

 

Barstow, the defending state champions, was down 11 with a minute left in the third quarter. It scored 10 consecutive points to cut the lead to one with less than seven minutes remaining in the game. Tolton went on a 9-2 run but still get away. Horne scored his team’s final 10 points to put the deficit at two with 33 seconds remaining.

Fast forward to the final seconds. Porter fouled out with 2.3 seconds left and put Barstow on the line trailing by two. Shea Rush missed the first. He then missed the second intentionally. Somehow the rebound came back to him, but his shot bounced off the rim.

“This is nothing but joy,” Porter told the Columbia Tribune. “We knew coming in it was going to be a tough game, but Coach told us he didn’t want to be there with any other players and neither did I. Those are some of my best friends and to be able to win a state championship with those guys is really something special.”

 

 

No. 4 St. Anthony ends N.J. state title drought -- for them -- at three years

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Hall of Fame coach Bob Hurley Jr. and St. Anthony of Jersey City, N.J., are state champions again.

St. Anthony, ranked No. 4 in the Super 25, beat Roselle Catholic 53-37 in the state Non-Public B championship game after losing to the Lions in each of the last three title games.

It’s only been three years since the 2012 title, but that is an eternity when you consider the history of St. Anthony, which has now won 28 state titles. Next up is the Tournament of Champions, which St. Anthony has won 11 times.

St. Anthony (30-0) , with five Division I signees, took the lead in the second quarter and then had to hold off Roselle Catholic (22-8) in the fourth, when the Lions cut it to four. Point guard Jagan Mosely, a Georgetown signee, had nine of his 16 points in the final quarter, including a pair of clutch threes.

Vashti Cunningham, Randall's daughter, smashes HS high jump record

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Vashti Cunningham of Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) smashed her own national high school high jump record by clearing 6 feet, 6 1/4 inches (1.99 meters) at the U.S. Indoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday in Portland, Ore.

Cunningham, the daughter of former NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham, also set a world juniors record and is the highest women’s high jumper in the world so far in 2016. After clearing the mark, she opted not to continue.

RELATED: See the video

Randall was in the stands and was holding up flash cards with motivational sayings, according to reports. He also serves Vashti’s coach.

Vashti, 18, opted not to take part in the New Balance Nationals, where many of the top high school athletes are competing this weekend, and instead went to the U.S. Nationals.

Last August outdoors, she bettered her own national high school record, set the American Junior record and tied the World Youth record by clearing 6-5 (1.96 meters) in the high jump at the Pan Am Junior Championships in Edmonton.

Cunningham seems like a lock for the Rio Olympics barring injury or major upset. She also is faced with a decision as to whether to compete in college or turn professional.

“Over the last year and a half, she is the best female high jumper in the country,” USA Track and Field High Jump Chair Dave Kerin told The Washington Post recently. “That includes former international medalists. She’s number one until somebody knocks her off. That’s outrageous at her age.

“People will talk about a great football player and call him once­-in-a-decade. She is once-in-a-lifetime right now until the next one comes along. She’s literally beyond people we’ve come across in the history of the event. I don’t throw around faint praise.”


Catholic Memorial (Mass.) students taunt foe with anti-Jewish chant

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The president of Catholic Memorial in West Roxbury, Mass., has condemned the “abhorrent beahavior” of students during Friday’s basketball game against Newtown North (Newtonville, Mass.) and apologized, saying the school will “strenuously address” the issue with the community.

According to The Boston Globe, Newtown North students chanted “where are your girls?” to the fans at all-boys Catholic Memorial and also used the term “sausage fest.” But about 50 to 75 Catholic Memorial student responded with a taunt to Newtown North, where many students our Jewish, by chanting “You killed Jesus!”

After being approached by a Newtown North administrator, Catholic Memorial officials jumped in and put an immediate stop to the chant, Newton Superintendent David Fleishman told The Globe. The students were reprimanded and each personally apologized to the Catholic Memorial president, Peter Folan.

“I know both schools deeply regret the events of last night,” Fleishman said in a statement. “The Newton North fans chanted something that was inappropriate and the CM students chanted something back that was highly insensitive and troubling. I am confident that the CM administration will address the incident with their students and I and the Newton North administration will as well.”

RELATED: Racial, body shaming taunts mar California girls basketball game

Fleischman reached out to the Anti-Defamation League and said students would discuss the incident at Newtown on Monday. Fleischman also acknowledged that Newtown officials will discuss the fans’ use of a reference to the male anatomy that also could be deemed offensive.

Robert Trestan, the regional director for the Anti-Defamation League New England, told The Globe that the organization is willing to work with both schools to make the incident a teachable moment.

In a statement on Saturday, the archdiocese in Boston said the chant was “unacceptable.”  Catholic Memorial is an independent school.

“We stand ready to assist Catholic Memorial in providing the student body with the awareness education that is needed to ensure that there is no recurrence of these actions or attitudes,” the statement said.

DeSoto (Texas) ends No. 5 Atascocita's bid for undefeated season in 6A state final

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Atascocita (Humble, Texas), ranked No. 5 in the Super 25, had its unbeaten season end in the Texas UIL 6A state championship Saturday in a 73-54 loss to DeSoto in San Antonio.

Atascocita was attempting to become the first undefeated Texas 6A champion since 2007, according to The Dallas Morning News.

DeSoto (36-2) won its third state title thanks to its defense and an 18-0 run to end the first half in which Atascocita (38-1) was held without a point for the final 6:43.

A 15-15 game early in the second quarter turned into a 33-15 edge for DeSoto at halftime. Atascocita used a 15-3 run to cut the deficit to seven in the third quarter, but DeSoto responded to lead 50-38 after three quarters. DeSoto maintained a double-digit lead through the fourth quarter.

DeSoto’s Tristen Wallace, the Oregon-bound football player, was named Most Valuable Player with 25 points and nine rebounds. McDonald’s All American Marques Bolden had six blocks. All but two of Desoto’s points came from seniors.

RELATED: Marques Bolden thrilled to try on McDonald’s All American jersey

 

Purdue-bound Atascocita guard Carsen Edwards had 20 points but was 8 for 23 from the field and 4 for 15 from three.

DeSoto got congratulations via Twitter from Miami Heat All-Star Chris Bosh, a Dallas native who earlier in the week had sent good luck messages to three Dallas area teams in the state tournament.

 

Fan comes out of stands, punches player in North Carolina 3A title game

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The end of the North Carolina 3A state boys basketball title game between Terry Sanford High (Fayetteville) and Jay M. Robinson High  (Concord) was marred by an ugly incident in which a spectactor came on the court and appeared to punch a Robinson player.

University of North Carolina Public Safety spokesman Randy Young told HighSchoolOT.com that several fans were escorted out of the building but no arrests were made. No charges have been filed against the spectator, although officials are continuing to investigate.

Robinson won the game 59-55, taking its first lead since the opening minutes in the final 15 seconds. It was Robinson’s first 3A state title. Daniel Spencer had 24 points and was named the game’s MVP.

Terry Sanford missed three chances for a potential game-winning basket, the final one leading to the bizarre sequence. According to The Charlotte Observer, the last miss between three Sanford players and Robinson’s Javonte Misenheimer turned into a scramble for a loose ball that nearly led to a brawl. As the players were jostling, two people came out of the stands, with one landing a bunch of Robinson’s Rashon Gray.

After huddling the officials, called three fouls on Sanford — a personal foul and a flagrant on one player leading to his ejection and a technical on another.

“They really didn’t explain anything to me,” Stanford coach Terry Boyette said afterward.  “Those are the two things I was told, and I think (the officials) created it, not Robinson. … I have some major issues with what I saw.”

Robinson hit three of the six free throws and got possession with 0.3 seconds remaining to end it.

 

Expect the fallout to continue here because the state association has rules regarding fines and required sportsmanship courses for player ejections.

Two Oklahoma commits, three top-10 players from Texas earn Opening Final invites

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Two Okahoma commits who are among the top three in-state recruits and three of the top 10 recruits in the state of Texas in the Class of 2017 were among eight players who received invitations to The Opening Final at the regional event in Dallas on Sunday.

  • Anthony Hines III, LB, Plano East (Plano, Texas):  Ranked No. 2 at his position, No. 10 in the state of Texas and No. 65 overall.
  • Jeffrey Okudah, S, South Grand Prairie (Texas). Has 33 offers and is ranked as the No. 1 safety in the nation, the No. 2 player in Texas and No. 7 overall in the nation.
  • Baron Browning, ILB, Kennedale (Texas). Ranked No. 2 at his position, No. 13 in the state and No. 17 overall, he decommitted from Baylor in mid-February.
  • Xavier Newman, G, DeSoto (Texas). Ranked among the top 50 at his position.
  • Levi Draper, LB, Collinsville (Okla.). An Oklahoma commit, he is ranked No. 3 at his position, No. 1 in the state of Oklahoma and No. 85 overall.
  • Jack Anderson, G, Frisco (Texas). A Texas Tech commit, he is ranked as the No. 1 guard in the nation, the No. 4 player in Texas and No. 40 overall.
  • Tre Brown, CB, Union (Tulsa, Okla.). An Oklahoma commit, he is the No. 3 player in the state and No. 22 at his position.
  • O’Maury Samuels, RB, Los Lunas (N.M.). Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day, he has only one offer — from New Mexico State — but posted the top Nike+ Football Rating score at any of The Opening Regional sites thus far.

Here are the positional MVPs from the event:

Shawn Robinson, a TCU quarterback commit from Guyer (Denton, Texas) received the lone Elite 11 invitation at the Dallas regional. Robinson is ranked as the No. 3 dual-threat QB in the Class of 2017 by the 247Sports Composite rankings and the No. 11 player in the state of Texas.

Silsbee (Texas) player stretchered off court in state final has concussion, busted eardrum

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A basketball player from Silsbee (Texas) who was taken off the court by stretcher in the Texass 6A title game Saturday night suffered a concussion and a busted eardrum, according to KFDM/KBTV in Beaumont, Texas.

Freshman guard Devon McCain  is expected to be released from the hospital Monday.

McCain was taken off the court with 5:15 remaining in the third quarter. He was unintentionally hit in the head by a teammate’s elbow and then smacked his head on the court when he fell.

The game was delayed by about 10 minutes. The teams said a prayer on the sidelines for the fallen player before the game resumed.

“There’s a lot of pain as you can expect,” Silsbee coach Joe Sigler told The Dallas Morning News after the game. “Right now prayers are with Devon.”

McCain’s older brother, Michael, is a senior on the team.

Silsbee rallied after the injury but ended up losing 75-72.

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