Thursday, October 14, 2010

Latest Sports Buzz

Latest Sports Buzz

NBA Preseason: Mavericks Leading Pistons 48-46 At Halftime

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 05:14 PM PDT

John Raffel – AHN Sports Correspondent

Grand Rapids, MI, United States (AHN) – Jose Barea scored 12 points and Shawn Marion added 11 to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 48-46 halftime lead over the Detroit Pistons Wednesday night in preseason action at Van Andel Arena.

Richard Hamilton is leading Detroit with nine points. Rodney Stuckey had eight points and five assists while Austin Daye has eight points and four rebounds. Will Bynum also has eight points.

Daye scored eight points to lead Detroit to a 25-24 lead after the first quarter.

Marion had 10 points for Dallas in the first 12 minutes.

Several big-name players are not seeing action. Tracy McGrady, with a knee injury, is sitting out for Detroit.

Caron Butler, Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki are being given the night off by Dallas coach Rick Carlisle.

Detroit entered the game with a 2-1 preseason record. Dallas is at 1-3.

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Report: Rangers` Drury Returns Vs. Leafs Friday; Finger Injury Healed

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 05:14 PM PDT

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Corine Gatti – AHN Sports Contributor

NY, NY, United States (AHN) – New York Rangers captain Chris Drury is reportedly ready for action against the Toronto Maple Leafs Friday in the team’s home opener. He’s expected to move to the top line, the organization announced Wednesday.

Drury missed the first week of training camp after suffering a broken left index finger. He told ESPN.com at the MSG Training Center Wednesday that he felt 100 percent to play.

Rangers coach John Tortorella confirmed his player’s comments saying, “Chris will play on Friday.”

Drury said the injury won’t be a problem because he’ll have new gloves with extra padding around his hand to avoid further injury.

The center was sandwiched between wingers Marian Gaborik and Alexander Frolov on the first line at practice.

Drury scored 14 goals and 32 points in a disappointing campaign for the Rangers last season.

New York is 1-1 after the first week of the NHL season, including a loss to the Isles.

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Mavericks Slip Past Pistons In Preseason Action

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 05:14 PM PDT

John Raffel – AHN Sports Correspondent

Grand Rapids, MI, United States (AHN) – Steve Novak scored 17 points, as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Detroit Pistons 101-96 in a preseason tilt at Van Andel Arena Wednesday.

Dallas led 71-67 after three quarters. Ian Mahinmi’s slam dunk midway in the final quarter gave the Mavericks an 84-76 advantage.

Steve Novak’s 3-pointer with two minutes left gave the Mavericks a 94-87 lead to clinch the victory.

Austin Daye had 16 points and five rebounds to lead Detroit.

Jose Barea scored 12 points and Shawn Marion added 11 to lead the Mavericks to a 48-46 halftime edge.

Daye scored eight points to lead Detroit to a 25-24 advantage after the first quarter.

Marion had 10 points for Dallas in the first 12 minutes.

Several big-name players did not see action. Tracy McGrady, with a knee injury, sat out for Detroit. Caron Butler, Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki were given the night off by Dallas coach Rick Carlisle.

Detroit is 3-1 during preseason and Dallas has a 2-3 record.

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NCAA Investigating Baylor Basketball For Recruiting Of Prep

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 05:14 PM PDT

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Kareem Shaker – AHN Sports Reporter

Waco, TX, United States (AHN) – The NCAA recently began investigating Bears coach Scott Drew and the Baylor men’s basketball program for alleged disallowed practices in its recruitment of a high school player.

Officials will be in Waco later this month to interview Drew, his coaches and members of the team about the recruitment of 6-foot-9 Hanner Perea.

It is alleged assistant coach Mark Morefield sent dozens of texts to Perea’s AAU and high school coaches in July during Perea’s involvement in the coaches’ respective leagues.

That is a clear violation of NCAA rules, which prohibit recruiters from texting either recruits or their coaches.

Parea is a junior from Colombia who transferred to LaLumiere High School in Indiana.

The highly-recruited forward is reportedly interested in the Indiana Hoosiers, Bears, Alabama Crimson Tide, Missouri Tigers or Tennessee Volunteers.

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Merriman Done With Chargers, Linebacker Put On Injured Reserve

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 05:14 PM PDT

Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

San Diego, CA, United States (AHN) – Chargers Pro Bowl outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, who has played in only three games this season due to a calf injury, was placed on injured reserved Wednesday, likely ending his stint in San Diego.

The injury-prone Merriman, 26, who has also dealt with Achilles’ issues this year, was placed on injured reserved with a minor-injury designation, meaning he may play again in 2010 but with another team.

Once completely recovered from a bothersome calf problem, the six-year veteran, who is in the last year of his contract, would be released by the Chargers and he will be able to sign with any team as a free agent.

Merriman emerged as dominant defender in his first three NFL seasons, racking up 39.5 sacks in 42 tilts despite sitting out games in 2006.

A three-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro selection in each of his first three seasons in San Diego, Merriman served a four-game ban in 2006 for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, which he initially disputed.

The Chargers’ 12th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft was never the same player after that incident and declined even further after suffering a torn ligament in his left knee in September 2008.

He has appeared in just 18 games since the start of the 2008 campaign.

Merriman, who reportedly has been at odds often with Chargers GM A. J. Smith, held out until late in training camp this year due to his dissatisfaction with the team’s one-year restricted free agent tender offer.

But immediately after starting practice, Merriman was hounded with injuries and started just one game this season. He has dealt with a nagging calf injury since Week 3.

The Chargers apparently had been preparing to cut ties with Merriman, realizing that their struggling defense is fine without him.

Merriman had registered six tackles and no sacks in 2010.

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Padres` Bell Closes Season With MLB Reliever`s Award

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 05:14 PM PDT

Corine Gatti – AHN Sports Contributor

San Diego, CA, United States (AHN) – San Diego Padres closer Heath Bell won Delivery Man of the Year Award from Major League Baseball, it was announced Wednesday.

The award extols MLB’s most outstanding relief pitcher, voted by a panel selected by the league.

Bell, 33, recorded 34 consecutive save opportunities that were dated from May 29.

The righty went 6-1 with a 1.93 ERA, converting a whooping 47 of 50 opportunities for a 94.0 conversion percentage during the 2010 season. He also allowed 56 hits with 28 walks, striking out 86 batters.

Bell’s 47 saves placed him second in the league to San Francisco’s Brian Wilson, who had 48.

The former New York Mets pitcher is second in Padres history for a single season behind Trevor Hoffman’s 53 saves in the 1998 season.

Bell came to San Diego after the Mets traded him in 2006 after toiling in their farm club for eight seasons, and shuffling from Triple-A to the majors for two years.

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Kovalchuk Delivers, OT Tally Helps Devils Top Sabres, Notch First Win

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 05:14 PM PDT

Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

Buffalo, NY, United States (AHN) – Ilya Kovalchuk, the highly-prized offseason signing by the Devils, scored his first goal of the season 53 seconds into overtime to lift New Jersey over the Buffalo Sabres 1-0 Wednesday at HSBC Arena.

The Devils inked the Russian sniper, who spent the first eight seasons of his NHL career with the Atlanta Thrashers, to a 15-year, $100 million deal this offseason.

The 27-year-old left winger, recorded two assists in the season-opening loss to Dallas, but has gone pointless since.

Martin Brodeur, the NHL’s all-time leader in wins and shutouts, but has struggled this year with a 4.11 GAA and .859 save percentage entering Wednesday, also delivered for the Devils.

Brodeur finished with 24 saves to record the 111th shutout of his career in the victory.

It was New Jersey’s (1-2-1) first win of the season.

Ryan Miller, last year’s Vezina Trophy winner, was also solid in the net, turning aside 34-of-35 shots, but it was not enough to help the Sabres, who have lost three straight since capturing the season opener against Ottawa.

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Shorthanded Celtics Down Knicks; Garnett Tossed For Technicals

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 05:14 PM PDT

Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

New York, NY, United States (AHN) – Paul Pierce finished with 17 points, including the final decisive three, as the undermanned Boston Celtics topped the New York Knicks 104-101 Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Pierce shattered a 101-101 score by draining a jumper with eight second left before sealing it later with a free throw for the Celtics.

Boston was playing with a short-handed frontcourt as neither Glen Davis (knee) nor Shaquille O’Neal (hip) were available.

Ray Allen scored 24 points to pace the Celtics, who also lost Kevin Garnett after drawing a quick ejection in the second quarter.

The Celtics All-Star forward, apparently frustrated at a lack of foul calls on the Knicks, was slapped with a pair of technical fouls resulting in an automatic ejection during the second stanza.

Jermaine O’Neal, who argued with the referee following a loose ball, got tagged with the first of three successive technicals with just under five minutes left in the half.

Garnett then complained that the call against O’Neal was assessed a technical before being tossed out of the game. Garnett ended with six points, three boards and two assists in over 11 minutes of play.

Amar’e Stoudemire unloaded 30 points and pulled down five rebounds, but it was not enough to help the Knicks (1-2) snag the win.

New York held a slim edge 26-25 after the first period and was up 56-51 at the break.

The Knicks continued were they left off in the second half, building a 10-point advantage early in the third period, but were outscored 27-19 in the final frame.

With the win, the Celtics improved to 4-1 in the preseason.

Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

Howard To Unravel Dream Low Post Maneuvers

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 06:56 AM PDT

AHN Sports Staff

Orlando, FL, United States (AHN) – After dominating opponents on the defensive end in the last two seasons, Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard is working on an improved offensive game molded after NBA great Hakeem “the Dream” Olajuwon.

Fueled by last season’s playoff disappointment, Howard is reportedly pushing himself at camp, trying to prove he’s not just a 6-foot-11, 265 pound defensive specimen.

Howard, the reigning two-time Defensive Player of the Year, was often criticized for his limited low-post game and unreliable free-throw and perimeter shooting, factors that prevented him from taking over a game offensively.

Drafted first overall in 2004, Howard averaged just 17.5 points and has averaged just over 20-points only twice in six seasons.

However, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy noticed Howard has become more mature, helping the 24-year-old big man to be more focused in practices.

Last May, Howard reportedly underwent a one-on-one training with Olajuwon after seeing his team down 0-3 to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.

According to reports, the NBA legend provided some clinical low-post lessons to Howard and asked the all-star center to get more serious on the court.

Since then, Howard has become more aggressive on the court and showed a much broader offensive repertoire.

During the preseason, Howard displayed some nifty maneuvers – some are noticeably copied from Olajuwon’s repertoire.

Howard also showed a glimpse of his improve perimeter game in last week’s exhibition game against the Houston Rockets, as he converted two mid-range banked shots over the stretched hands of Yao Ming.

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Ban vs NZ Result: Shocking Series Loss by New-Zealand against Bangladesh

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 06:15 AM PDT

Ban vs NZ

Ban vs NZ

Mirpur proved to be the ground of misfortune for New-Zealand as they collapsed yet again to a rookie Bangladeshi team who needless to say are on a high after winning a series against a high-category team like New-Zealand.

Bangladesh fought back from a dismal 44/3 to post a decent 241 which was enough to hand New-Zealand an embarrassing 9 run defeat.

In the 4 match series, New-Zealand trails their less experienced counterparts by a shocking 0-3. Bangladesh has proved that their wins against New-Zealand were no fluke and they really deserve it.

Shakib Al Hasan was the cynosure of all Bangladesh fans as he not only whipped up his 5th ODI century to rescue a failing batting line-up but also bowled superbly to take 3 wickets and give the visiting New-Zealand side much to regret about.

Despite a valiant century by the injured Kane Williamson, New-Zealand never looked in control. Its batting was regrettably poor according to international standards and it never looked like New-Zealand made any effort in this must win match.

Shakib's quick thinking was the highlight as he employed spinners at both ends to slam the door at the Kiwis who looked in all sorts of trouble at 80/5. Williamson and Grant Elliott steadied the ship of the visitors with Kane even smashing consecutive sixes of Shakib.

Elliott on his part rotated the strike to feed the better part of the bowling to Kane but finally lost his wicket in the 37th over.

Nathan Mc Cullum tried his best to strike hard and bring his side close to the asking score but he and Daryl Tuffey fell off consecutive deliveries with only Kane to do the needful which he unfortunately could not manage.

He cannot be blamed because he was under sufficient discomfort with a hamstring injury.

New-Zealand had lost the initiative as they let Bangladesh recover from a poor start to set an imposing target of 241 on a slow track in addition to the Mirpur heat.

Shakib crafted a deft century with an amazing run-a-ball accuracy and also formed half century partnerships with Rahim and Mahmudallah to rejuvenate his failing side.

Bangladesh suffered a minor lower order collapse after the dismissal of captain Shakib but they posted a decent enough total regardless to end it with a famous victory.
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