Stanford Cardinal game wrap: Cardinal swat away Yellow Jackets 95-72, Saturday Evening on the Farm; end losing streak (5)

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Stanford Cardinal guard Benny Gealer finished with nine points against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Maples Pavilion on Sat Feb 7, 2026 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

By Michael Roberson

 STANFORD, Calif. — Freshman sensation Ebuka Okorie’s record-breaking 40 points helped his Stanford Cardinal (15-9, 4-7 ACC) put a halt to their five-game losing streak, by forging through the swarm of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (11-13, 2-9 ACC), 95-72, inside the friendly confines of Maples Pavilion.

Georgia Tech got the scoring underway with the first basket of the game.  Although there would be seven lead changes after that basket and one lone tie, two points would be their largest advantage of the entire game.

Stanford was able to be in the lead for nearly 16 minutes of the first half, while holding a lead as high as 11 points.  The Cardinal shot 47% from the floor and 44% from three.  they were perfect from the free throw line too.

Leading the way for Stanford in the first half, was the aforementioned Okorie, as he put up 18 points at the halfway point of the game, and was the lone reason why the team was perfect from the “Charity Stripe;”  he was 4-4 and hit two treys.  He was the only player to reach double-figures from either team.

At recess, the Cardinal held onto a four-point lead, 43-39.  The Yellow Jackets were fortunate to be that close, despite being behind most of the first half and trailing by double-digits for a portion of the block.

In the second half, Stanford was able to balloon the 4-point lead to as high as 23 points.  Okorie added 22 points to his game-leading tally, and another teammate joined him in the 10+ points echelon.  Jeremy Dent-Smith offered his 16 points to the Cardinal’s efforts.  

Despite being down big in the second half, the buzzing insects from the ATL did continue to fight.  However, there were no more ties of lead changes in the second 20 minutes of gametime.

After the final buzzer sounded, Stanford had stopped the losing streak at five consecutive games.  A huge sigh of relief glossed over Palo Alto and a gasp of astonishment reverberated inside Maples as their star first year player broke his own school record again and pleased the Cardinal faithful.

Okorie;s impressive line score read: 40 points*, 4 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals.  Another Stanford freshman scoring record eclipsed by the same player within the same season (32, 36 & 40).

Georgia Tech had three performers worth mentioning.  Akai Fleming scored 19 points, while Baye Ndongo put up 14 points and grabbed 6 rebounds.  Jaeden Mustaf offered the Yellow Jackets 13 points.

The Cardinal will next be in action Wednesday, February 11, as they travel to Beantown to take on Boston College at ^ PM PT and ( PM ET on ESPNU.  Georgia Tech heads back to Atlanta on the same date to host Wake Forest at ( PM ET on the ACC Network.

Kings’ Losing Streak Hits 12 as Young Core Shines in 132-126 Loss to Cavaliers

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Nique Clifford #5 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket against Keon Ellis #14 of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center on February 07, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Kings took on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night as Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis made their returns to Golden 1 Center. The Kings were unable to defeat the Cavs in James Harden’s debut game as they fell 132-126, and their losing streak extended to 12 games.

In the first quarter, the Kings’ young guys propelled the Kings to an early lead over the Cavs. Daeqwon Plowden and Nique Clifford led the scoring from the Kings’ young guys as they took the lead 31-25 at the end of the first frame. Plowden and Clifford combined for 16 first-quarter points, while Russell Westbrook added eight points of his own in the first quarter. The Kings led in second-chance points 12-4 and rebounds 15-10 to start the game.

In the second quarter, the Cavs took advantage of a struggling Kings offense to get themselves back in the game and ultimately take the lead going into halftime. The Cavs outscored the Kings 32-24 to take the 57-55 lead into halftime. Jarrett Allen led the Cavs in the first half against the Kings with 17 points, as Nique Clifford and Russell Westbrook paced the Kings with 14 and 13 points, respectively. The Cavs’ three-point shooting suffered in the first half as they shot 27% from behind the line, while the Kings were solid at 46%.

In the third quarter, the Kings made their move on the Cavs coming out of halftime. The Kings outscored the Cavs 41-36 in the third quarter to take the 96-93 lead into the final quarter of the game in hopes of closing things out. Nique Clifford led the way for the Kings, adding eight points to lead the comeback, and Maxime Raynaud contributed eight points.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings and the young guys put on a show in an attempt to snap the losing streak. Yet, even as Nique Clifford added another seven points in the fourth, the Kings were ultimately outscored 39-30 as they fell to the Cavs 132-126 on Saturday night. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden carried the Cavs to victory late as the duo put up 17 and 15 points, respectively, in the fourth quarter alone. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs in scoring with 35 points in the victory. On the Kings’ side, Nique Clifford led the Kings with 30 points in defeat, which was a new career high for the rookie.

After the game, the Kings rookie spoke with the media, speaking on his new career high during the loss.

“I got some good looks tonight,” Clifford said after the game. “My teammates were finding me in good positions to score the ball and the shots were falling tonight. So it was a good individual performance, but I’m not a stat guy. I really don’t care unless we get the win. So it was cool, but not the result we wanted.”

The losses are clearly getting to the Kings, but they have remained optimistic and upbeat even while enduring a Sacramento-era record-tying 12-game losing streak.

There’s more pain to come for Sacramento. Yet, the initial group of young players that will be around for the rebuild is appearing to take shape. If the Kings can continue to develop guys like Nique Clifford, Dylan Cardwell, Maxime Raynaud, and Devin Carter, they might begin to build a foundation that can be paired with a top draft pick.

The Kings will head on the road to take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday at 5 p.m. PST.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Yasiel Puig short lived baseball career is now headed to Prison

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FILE — Yasiel Puig of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks back to the dugout after flying out in the ninth inning during Game 3 of the 2018 World Series against the Boston Red Sox at Dodger Stadium. Oct. 26, 2018. Rob Tringali/MLB via Getty Images

Yasiel Puig short lived Baseball career is now headed to Prison

That’s Amaury Pi-González

In 2012, a young Yasiel Puig escaped communist Cuba via a smuggling operation arranged by Florida-based businessman Raul Pacheco, who paid smugglers $250,000. The trafficking ring transported him by boat, holding him in México until the payment was secured in exchange for 20% of his future MLB earnings.

On February 6, former Major League outfielder Yasiel Puig was found guilty of obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal investigators regarding his involvement in an illegal sports gambling operation. The man from Cienfuegos, Cuba, who enchanted baseball fans with his innate talents on the field now faces up to 20 years in federal prison, with sentencing scheduled for May 26, 2026.

Originally signed with the LA Dodgers, he was an electric, high-energy player, but also known for a controversial playing style that Dodgers Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully nicknamed “The Wild Horse”. In 2013, during his first major league season as a young outfielder for the LA Dodgers, I had the opportunity to interview the rookie Yasiel before a game in Anaheim against the Angels for our pre-game show on Fox Sports Los Angeles.

He was shy but very grateful to be playing in the major leagues, and he was very happy to be here in the United States playing baseball. As of late 2025, Yasiel Puig, 34, expressed a strong desire to return to MLB and finish his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers saying he loves the city, the fans, and the stadium, and that his passion to continue is strong.

That short (around 3-minute) interview with Yasiel was the only time I had the opportunity to talk with him. I remember that everybody in the Los Angeles media requested an interview with the young Cuban sensation at the time. The Dodgers appointed an interpreter since he didn’t speak English.

One of the Dodgers’ media people told me they were getting requests from media all over the US and from other countries to interview the young rookie. His life in Cuba, since he was a young boy, and his education was focused mostly on baseball.

Under the Cuban communist system, they train their kids to play baseball right after they can walk. Baseball has been the sport in Cuba for over 100 years. However, he only had a third-grade education. His focus was always baseball. Yasiel played professionally on the Serie Nacional de Béisbol de Cuba (National Baseball Series of Cuba), where he played for the Cienfuegos team from 2008 to 2009 and 2010 to 2011.

Was Yasiel Puig ever incarcerated in Cuba? Yasiel Puig was not formally incarcerated in a prison by the Cuban government, but he was detained by authorities during one of his failed attempts to defect. Before successfully escaping, he was detained for six days during a raid on a safe house during his third attempt to leave Cuba as a 2013 rookie, the Dodgers’ young Cuban was famously compared to Joe DiMaggio because of the record-setting pace of his debut month. His impact in 2013 was ranked second only to Joe DiMaggio’s 1936 debut Yasiel Puig played for seven years in the major leagues, six of those with the Dodgers, and later briefly with the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

Super Bowl LX podcast Rich Perez: Is Seahawks familarity with Levi Stadium an advantage?

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Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) in sunglasses one of the key players that got the Seahawks to Super Bowl LX (photo by Shawn McCullough-Sports Radio Service)

Super Bowl LX podcast Rich Perez:

#1 How will Bad Bunny’s historic halftime show performance at Super Bowl LX shape cultural conversations around the NFL?

#2 Can the Seattle Seahawks overcome the New England Patriots’ quest for a record seventh Super Bowl title this Sunday in Santa Clara?

#3 What sustainable initiatives are the NFL highlighting as part of the Super Bowl LX experience, and why are they gaining attention?

#4 How are major tech companies like OpenAI and Anthropic using Super Bowl LX advertising to escalate competition for millions of viewers?

#5 What human-interest stories (like the Connecticut student reporters or lifelong Super Bowl fans) are emerging alongside game-day coverage?

Rich Perez is an NFL analyst at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cal Falls to No. 20 Clemson 77–55 at Haas Pavilion on Rock Your Crocs Night

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California Golden Bear forward #22 Chris Bell shoots his 2nd free throw attempt with 7:37 remaining in the 1st half in the Haas Pavilion on Saturday evening on February 7th, 2026. (Photo Credits to Michael Villanueva)

By Michael Villanueva

BERKELEY – In front of an excited home crowd, the California Golden Bears played No. 20 Clemson on Saturday night at Haas Pavilion for Rock Your Crocs Night. However, after early signs of optimism, the Tigers easily won 77–55.

Cal came into the game having lost the previous two meetings and losing the all-time series versus Clemson 2–1. Tigers have made it three straight losses in a row. The conference matchup was made more interesting by the fact that, like Georgia Tech before them, this was Clemson’s first time visiting Haas Pavilion. The Tigers started with RJ Godfrey, Jestin Porter, Jake Wahlin, Ace Buckner, and Carter Welling, while the Golden Bears, with their starting five of John Camden, Chris Bell, Justin Pippen, Dai Dai Ames, and center Milos Ilic, took the floor.

Cal was prepared to make a statement first. Justin Pippen quickly ignited the fans with a driving layup after the Golden Bears won the tip. Cal made all three of the team’s shots, while Pippen and Chris Bell led the squad in the first few minutes, with Pippen scoring seven points without a miss and Bell adding six. whereas Clemson had a difficult start, missing multiple shots and committing two turnovers in a nearly four-minute stretch. Five minutes into the game, the Golden Bears had a 13–9 lead, and the crowd was loving it.

However, things suddenly changed quickly. The Bears committed four turnovers in just four minutes, which led to Cal’s offensive decline and allowed Clemson to gain the upper hand. As they found their groove, the Tigers played with accuracy, dishing out nine assists. Their bench also added 20 points, which increased the pressure. The game shifted in favor of Clemson after a 17–1 scoring run over almost ten minutes, as Cal missed 13 straight field goals, falling to 24 percent shooting in the first half. The Tigers’ defense forced nine turnovers, made four blocks, and recorded four steals, keeping Cal to 38 percent from three-point range and giving Clemson a dominating 39–20 advantage at halftime.

Pippen opened the second half by making a midrange jumper and turning the foul into a three-point play. Bell slowly started to find his stride and made back-to-back shots to give the Golden Bears some energy after a short scoring slump. However, Clemson kept their dominance. The Tigers led 56–41 with eight minutes left, and RJ Godfrey’s three-pointer off a foul put them ahead 59–41. Any Cal comeback attempts were consistently stopped by Clemson’s effective offense and defense, which included aggressive drives, rebounds, and smart fouls that sent them to the line.

After Cal missed another field goal going for three minutes, the Tigers took the lead by 24 points, and then the team went on a 9–0 run in two minutes late in the second half, leading fans to begin leaving Haas Pavilion with five minutes remaining. In the closing minutes, Cal coach Mark Madsen started to slowly remove his starters. Despite scoring 33 points in the second half, the Golden Bears were unable to overcome Clemson’s dominant performance. Tigers made 12 three pointers in this game, compared to the home team Bears, who only made 4 all game.

Milos Ilic pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and added two assists, while Justin Pippen led Cal with 19 points. This is Justin’s 20th game this season, scoring in double-digits.

In front of an energetic, Croc-loving home crowd, Clemson easily won the game 77–55, handing Cal a 22-point loss. After an early hot start, the Golden Bears found it difficult to recover from the Tigers’ strong offensive attack and defensive pressure. Clemson is in 2nd place, while the Cal Bears are in 10th place in their conference. Syracuse came into the West Coast and won their games, going 2-0 in the Bay.

In an attempt to bounce back from the hard loss at home, the Golden Bears will travel for their next two games, starting at 4 p.m. on February 11 against Syracuse, who are currently on a two-game losing skid, and Boston College at 9 a.m. on February 14.

Barracuda fall to Canucks 2-1

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San Jose Barracuda vs Abbotsford Canucks on Saturday February 7th at Rogers Forum in Abbotsford BC (via Abbotsford Canucks/flickr)

By Madison Montez

Abbotsford’s Danila Klimovich gave Abbotsford the early 1-0 lead, 4 minutes into the first period. Abbotsford extended their lead to 2-0 after Ty Mueller scored his ninth goal of the season in the second period. Avoiding the shutout, San Jose’s Igor Chernysov scored his thirteenth of the season to make it a 2-1 game.

After the first period, San Jose outshot Abbotsford Canucks eleven to eight. After the second period, San Jose outshot Abbotsford eleven to nine. After the third period, San Jose outshot Abbotsford eighteen to eight.

Both teams had a chance to show their special teams. San Jose had four opportunities and came into the game first on the powerplay and fifth on the penalty kill. Abbotsford had four opportunities and came into the game fourth on the powerplay and ninth on the penalty kill.

THREE STARS OF THE GAME:

  1. Nikita Tolopilo
  2. Ty Mueller
  3. Danila Klimovich

Laurent Brossoit got the start for San Jose, Brossoit is coming off of a 38 save win against the Calgary Wranglers. Making 23 saves on 25 shots, Brossoit recorded the loss. For Abbotford, Nikita Tolopilo got the start, now starting in back to back games, Tolopilo is coming off of a 23 save loss last night against San Jose. Making 39 saves on 40 shots, Tolopilo recorded the win.

The Barracuda will be back in action after the All Star Classic on Saturday February 14th where they will host the Henderson Silver Knights for a two game series on the 14th and 15th. The last time these two teams faced off was last season on Wednesday April 10th where they won 3-1.

Super Bowl LX podcast Tony Renteria: Bad Bunny will send political message at half time

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Bad Bunny says be “happy who you are” as he performs at half time at Super Bowl LX on Sun Feb 8, 2025 at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara (AP News photo)

Super Bowl LX podcast Tony Renteria:

#1 How will Bad Bunny’s historic halftime show performance at Super Bowl LX shape cultural conversations around the NFL?

#2 Can the Seattle Seahawks overcome the New England Patriots’ quest for a record seventh Super Bowl title this Sunday in Santa Clara?

#3 What sustainable initiatives are the NFL highlighting as part of the Super Bowl LX experience, and why are they gaining attention?

#4 How are major tech companies like OpenAI and Anthropic using Super Bowl LX advertising to escalate competition for millions of viewers?

#5 What human-interest stories (like the Connecticut student reporters or lifelong Super Bowl fans) are emerging alongside game-day coverage?

Tony Renteria is an NFL analyst at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Jose Earthquakes match wrap up: Austin-San Jose play to a 2-2 draw

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The San Jose Earthquakes time and time again during their match against Charlotte FC take the ball up the field in the Coachella Valley Invitational in Indio CA on Sat Feb 7, 2026 (San Jose Earthquakes X photo)

By William Espy

The San Jose Earthquakes kicked off their public preseason at the Coachella Valley Invitational as they faced off against Charlotte FC at Empire Polo Club, Indio, CA which concluded in a 2-2 draw.

San Jose Starting XI: Daniel, DeJuan Jones, Reid Roberts, Daniel Munie, Benji Kikanovic, Beau Leroux, Ronaldo Vieira, Niko Tsakiris, Jamar Ricketts, Ousseni Bouda, Preston Judd.

After a scoreless first half hour, the Earthquakes made a couple of changes bringing on Vitor Costa and Jack Skahan for DeJuan Jones and Preston Judd. 

Despite Charlotte controlling play toward the end of the first half, San Jose native Beau Leroux opened the scoring for the Earthquakes off of a pass by Ousseni Bouda, making it 1-0 in the 41st minute. A couple of minutes later, Ronaldo Vieira was shown the game’s first yellow card for a challenge on Luca De La Torre. 

The Earthquakes carried their lead into the halftime break. 

The Quakes came out of the gate with a lot of attacking pressure in the second half. There was a big collision between Jamar Ricketts and Jack Neeley when they were both looking up at the ball in the 53rd minute. Both returned to their feet, avoiding the worst possible outcome. Ricketts was shown a yellow card on the play. 

Wilfried Zaha and Vieira collided in the 60th minute causing another slight delay. Zaha was taken down again, this time by Leroux, right outside of the box  about a minute later. 

Just after the hour mark, the Earthquakes made quite a few changes. Daniel, Vieira, and Reid Roberts came out of the game, while Earl Edwards Jr, Dave Romney and Ian Harris came into the game.

Benji Kikanovic was shown a yellow card for a challenge on Zaha in the 65th minute. In the 67th minute, Charlotte got their best scoring chance to this point as they hit the goalpost. 

When all was said and done, the Quakes held on to their clean sheet and walked away with a 1-0 victory to kick off their preseason in Indio.

Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Harvey: Kings can’t close in on Clippers lose 11th straight 114-111

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Sacramento Kings guard Nique Clifford (5) takes a shot between the Los Angeles Clippers forwards John Collins (20) and Derrick Jones (right) in first half action at Golden 1 Arena in Sacramento on Fri Feb 6, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Harvey:

#1 Who were the key contributors for the Clippers in this game, and how did their performances impact the final result?
Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 31 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in the 114-111 win.

#2 How did the Kings’ recent struggles (including their lengthy losing streak) influence their performance against the Clippers?
Sacramento’s loss extended their losing streak to 11 games, highlighting ongoing challenges for the team.

#3 What effect did recent trades and roster changes have on the Clippers’ lineup and chemistry in this matchup?
Clippers were short-handed following trades, including James Harden and Ivica Zubac leaving the team.

#4 Which statistical categories (shooting efficiency, rebounds, turnovers) were most decisive in the final three-point game margin?
The Clippers overcame a deficit and took control late, with balanced scoring and contributions from role players.

#5 What does this game’s outcome mean for each team’s season trajectory — such as playoff hopes for the Clippers vs. tanking/draft position implications for the Kings?

Join Tony Harvey for the Sacramento Kings podcasts heard Saturdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Kings Drop 11th Straight in 114-111 Loss to Clippers

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Dylan Cardwell #32 of the Sacramento Kings celebrates against the Los Angeles Clippers in the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center on February 06, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–Losers of 10 straight games coming into Friday, the Sacramento Kings played host to the Los Angeles Clippers at 7 p.m. PST. The Kings fell to the Clippers 114-111 on Saturday night.

In the first quarter, neither team’s starters did much to begin the game. The Kings and Clippers were tied at 14 with just over three minutes left to go in the quarter before the Kings bench lit the spark to go on a run to end the quarter. Malik Monk came in and scored nine points in the quarter to lead the bench unit to outscoring the Clippers bench 15-5. With the help of the bench, the Kings outscored the Clippers 27-17 to take the early lead in the game. The Clippers didn’t take very good care of the ball in the first quarter as they committed six turnovers that led to seven Kings points.

In the second quarter, the Clippers got back the deficit they lost in the first quarter. The Clippers’ offense picked up its production in the second quarter as they outscored the Kings 31-22. However, the Kings maintained the 49-48 lead going into halftime. John Collins led the resurgence for the Clippers with eight points for the club in the second quarter alone, as Kawhi Leonard added six for LA. Dylan Cardwell led the scoring in the second quarter for the Kings as he finished the frame with six points.

In the third quarter, the Kings and Clippers mainly traded baskets as the Clippers outscored the Kings again, this time 31-28, to head to the fourth quarter leading 79-77. Neither team had seized control of the game up until this point, and it was anyone’s for the taking in the fourth quarter. The Kings’ leading scorer through the first three quarters of action was Malik Monk with 15 points. Kawhi Leonard paced the Clippers through three with 24 points.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings ran out of steam against the Clippers. Led by Kawhi Leonard’s seven points in the quarter, the Clippers outscored the Kings 35-34 to defeat Sacramento 114-111. Leonard led all scorers in the game with 31 points in the contest as the Clippers improved to 24-27 on the season. Dylan Cardwell led the way for the Kings with 14 points and 14 rebounds in the losing effort as the Kings lost their 11th straight to fall to 12-41 on the year. Malik Monk and Nique Clifford added the best scoring efforts for the Kings in the game as they scored 18 and 16 points, respectively, for the Kings.

After the game, Doug Christie spoke on the growing pains of playing young guys as a team out of playoff contention.

“Yeah, times like this get tough. You can look back at all the different things, and there’ve been a lot of them, but we don’t — I don’t come in and make excuses,” Doug said after the game. “… We begin to grow, and that’s what we want to do in the last 31. We want to make sure that we are growing and building a swell and the momentum that takes us into the offseason.”

The Kings will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers and host the return of Keon Ellis since his trade away from the Kings on Saturday at 7 p.m. PST inside Golden 1 Center.