Earthqakes celebrate their win over Sporting KC at Pay Pal Park in San Jose on Sat Feb 21, 2026 (San Jose Earthquakes photo)
By William Espy
SAN JOSE–The San Jose Earthquakes kicked off the regular season on Saturday night as they hosted Sporting Kansas City in their home opener shutting out Sporting KC 3-0. Star signing Timo Werner remained out of the lineup for Bruce Arena’s side, as he continues to sort out visa issues for his move to the United States.
The Earthquakes applied a lot of pressure early, earning a couple of shots in the fourth minutes. Jamar Ricketts’ speed was doing wonders for the Quakes defensively as well, as he was regularly beating Shapi Suleymanov to the ball in the corner.
Ronaldo Vieira fired a shot from just outside of the 18-yard box that went narrowly wide of the goal, nearly giving the Quakes an early lead in the 12th minute. Roughly a minute later, Benji Kikanovic found Ousseni Bouda in quite a bit of space, but his shot was deflected out of play, and the Earthquakes were once again denied on a great scoring chance.
Beau Leroux became the third Earthquake to nearly get his team the go-ahead goal in the 29th minute, but again it went just wide. Suleymanov got a talking to from the official in the 32nd minute after a challenge on Ricketts led to some shoving and an Earthquakes free kick.
As the game seemed to be slipping out of the referee’s control, he showed Daniel Munie the first yellow card of the night in the 36th minute. In the 42nd minute, Munie would be the one to score San Jose’s first goal of the season. Off a Niko Tsakiris corner kick, the ball landed directly in front of the goal line, and Munie was able to put it past John Pulskamp, giving the Earthquakes a 1-0 lead. In stoppage time, moments after being the first to congratulate Munie, Preston Judd scored his first of the season, doubling the Earthquakes’ lead ahead of halftime.
Daniel made a big save early in the 49th minute to maintain the Quakes’ two-goal lead. Munie made it a brace with his second goal of the night with a header in the 55th minute, making it 3-0 for the Quakes.
Arena made a change in the 66th minute, taking out Vieira for Ian Harkes. Vitor Costa and Jack Skahan joined him on the pitch a few minutes later,0 taking the place of Judd and DeJuan Jones.
Paul Marie and new signing Jonathan Gonzalez were brought into the game with roughly ten minutes left in the game.
Ultimately, when the referee blew the final whistle, the Earthquakes walked away with a 3-0 victory to kick off their 2026 season.
San Francisco Don guard (5) Tyrone Riley IV shoots a three-pointer in the second half at the War Memorial Gym at the Sobrato Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday. February 21st, 2026. (Photo credits to Michael Villanueva)
By Michael Villanueva
SAN FRANCISCO – After hosting the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the home of the Golden State Warriors, Chase Center, as a home game. The San Francisco Dons returned to the Hilltop for their last home game of the season to host the Santa Clara Broncos (22-6, 13-2 WCC). This game was also a farewell to their seniors graduating, as this was the Dons’ Senior Night. However, the Dons failed to get the win for them and their fans as they fell to SCU, 94-73. Santa Clara ends up with a season series sweep against San Francisco.
This regular-season home finale represented the 239th all-time matchup between San Francisco and Santa Clara, with the Broncos maintaining a slim 121–117 advantage in the series history. When the two teams first met on Jan. 28, Santa Clara erupted for 54 second-half points, pulling away from the Dons for an 88–73 win at the Leavey Center and claiming the early edge in the season series. After tonight, the all time series is a 5 win lead for Santa Clara as it’s now 122-117. The Broncos wanted to show the Bay Area and the city of San Francisco that they weren’t afraid, and they came to play.
During the last three seasons, the home team had won each of the last five games between USF and SCU, while the green and gold aimed to secure a third straight season-series split. Entering Saturday night with a 4–4 home record in conference play, the Dons aimed to preserve an eight-season streak of finishing with a winning home record in West Coast Conference action. The last time San Francisco posted a losing home record in league play came in 2015–16, when the Dons went 4–5 at home and 8–10 overall in WCC play.
San Francisco Dons started the game with guards Ryan Beasley, Tyrone Riley IV, Vukasin Masic, and forwards Guillermo Diaz Graham and Junjie Wang. Ryan Beasley leads the Dons with the most average points per game at 13.4 and with the most average assists per game at 3.9.
Santa Clara Bronoc started their five with Brenton Knapper, Christian Hammond, Elijah Mahi, Jake Ensminger, and Bukky Oboye. Christian Hammond leads the Broncos with the most average points per game at 16.4, and Jake Ensminger leads the most assists in a game at 3.0.
Right at tip-off, both sides of the teams’ fan section were on their feet as both teams’ first baskets were three-pointers. After that, both teams exchanged solid and fast buckets on each other, the Broncos’ defense was locked in as the Dons had 3 turnovers in 2 minutes after their hot start. Just as the Dons were slowly starting to find their way out of that early funk, Broncos Christian Hammond made 3 straight three pointers to push the Broncos to an early lead of 10 points, 34-24 in the first 10 minutes of play.
In the 1st half, both teams were shooting the ball well. The Dons and the Broncos are shooting above 52% in all of the categories. However, the Dons are leading the Broncos in turnovers as USF has 10 while SCU just has 4. In those 10 turnovers, the Broncos were able to put up 14 points off of those as SCU was able to control their lead, and so far, the game too.
At halftime, the Broncos are leading 44-38. Dons guard Ryan Beasley hits a half-court shot at the buzzer to get the crowd and the Dons’ spirit high going into the break. Both teams have already made 8 three pointers in the game, showing how badly these teams want to grab this win for their schools.
The second half showed some fire and fight in the Dons, but that spirit and determination weren’t enough for them to come back. The Broncos were all over the Dons, and at one point in the second half, they had a 22 point lead, which was their largest on the Dons in this game.
The Broncos’ presence in the paint on grabbing offensive and defensive rebounds was a challenge for the Dons to keep up with. Especially since the Dons kept adding turnovers by being careless with the ball at times, and were locked up by Santa Clara’s defense. The Broncos’ defense picked up 13 steals altogether and held the lead pretty much the whole game. The Dons only led for one minute.
Santa Clara wasn’t phased by being in the Dons’ home as they kept knocking down big shots that killed the Dons and their fans spirit. Especially the Broncos hitting 8 three’s in the first half. Santa Clara also had a 50-point second half for Santa Clara. The Broncos looked great from start to finish, and wanted this win to be a statement in this series between the two bay area schools.
The Broncos beat the Dons by 21 points in this game. Broncos Elijah Mahi led the Broncos as he had 30 points and 7 rebounds. For the Dons, Ryan Beasley led the way with his 22 points, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds. His efforts and attempts in this game weren’t enough for the Dons to come back from behind in their home.
The San Francisco Dons will head to the Central Valley area, in Stockton, to take on the Pacific Tigers in the final game of the season. That game will take place on February 28th, 2026, on CBS Sports Network in Stockton at the Alex G. Spanos Center. The Dons will also try to get a season series sweep against the Tigers as they won against them on January 31st, 2025, in the War Memorial gym at the Sobrato Center, final score was 87-82.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) takes a shot agianst the Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud (42) in the second half at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on Sat Feb 21, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Barbara Mason
With three of the Sacramento Kings (12-46) starting lineup players out for the season after assorted injuries followed by surgeries the Kings were faced with a daunting task taking on Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs (40-16).
The Kings fought throughout three quarters but ran out of steam in the fourth quarter. They played three great quarters but succumbed to San Antonio in the fourth losing their 16th game in a row 139-122.
Wembanyama was electric in the fourth quarter of the game finishing with 28 points and 15 rebounds. The Kings Keegan Murray and DeMar DeRozan each had 20 points in this game.
Game review: Saturday night the Kings took on the power-house San Antonio Spurs. Sacramento depended on the returning Keegan Murray, DeMar DeRozan and veteran Russell Westbrook. Rookie Maxime Raynaud and Precious Achiuwa rounded out the starting lineup in this lop-sided matchup.
Minutes into the first quarter the Spurs took an 11-0 lead prompting a Kings time-out. Sacramento came back onto the court with renewed energy. San Antonio at one time during the quarter had a a 15-point lead threatening to walk away with the quarter but the Kings kept plugging away when they could have folded. As the first 12 minutes of play came to a finish San Antonio had a 4-point lead 35-31.
The second quarter was a mixed bag with the Kings taking as much as a four point lead with numerous ties throughout the quarter. Despite trailing after two quarters Sacramento was making a game out of this contest. The Spurs had a 73-65 lead going into the half. The Kings had made a great come-back after a slow start and they would need more in the second half.
Murray and DeRozan each scored 14 points in the first half of play. Raynaud already had a double double hitting ten points with ten rebounds and the Kings were sure to see more from him in the third quarter.
Monk had the high off the bench with 13 points. The team had seven turnovers in the first half. San Antonio was ruling the paint but the Kings had the edge at the line hitting 14 of 15.
Stephon Castle shot for 13 points in the first half for San Antonio and the Kings were doing a great job containing Wembanyama allowing only 11 points and eight rebounds. Sacramento would have to pull out all the stops in the second half but they had put the Spurs on notice in the first half.
Three minutes into the third quarter the Spurs began to flex their muscle taking a ten-point lead 84-74. Sacramento would need another comeback after a slow start to the second half. With Wembanyama a constant threat under the basket the Kings had their work cut out for them. And fight they did!!
With 6:52 left on the clock in the quarter the Kings had cut the Spurs ten point lead more than in half 85-82. With Sacramento again threatening, San Antonio was forced to take a timeout. The Spurs really turned it on to end the quarter taking a 105-94 lead pushing their advantage out to 11 points going into the fourth quarter.
The Kings were down to their final quarter continuing to hang around stubbornly refusing to fold. A couple of minutes into the fourth quarter the electric Wembanyama got to work, taking care of business and having his way with Sacramento giving his team a 120-103 lead displaying a driving dunk for their largest lead of the game.
With over eight minutes still left in the game there was no stopping San Antonio as they continued to extend their lead. The Kings did cut the Spurs 28 point lead in the fourth to 17 points fighting to the end but losing their 16th game of the season.
The high for the Kings in this game was shared by Murray and DeRozan each shooting for 20 points. Monk had the high off the bench with 19 points, a great effort. Raynaud had a double double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Achiuwa chipped in 14 points. A great all-around effort for Sacramento despite losing.
Game notes: The Kings are trapped in a world of hurt right now as things go from bad to worse. When it seems like it couldn’t get anymore dire, well, it does. First the loss of Zach LaVine for the season. He underwent surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right hand right after the All-Star break.
A terrible loss but there is more, so much more. Big man Domantas Sabonis had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee and is now out for the season. To make things even worse back-up center rookie Dylan Cardwell will be out for a reported four weeks due to a moderate left ankle sprain suffered during a workout at the team facility.
Then to top it off, the eye injury that newly acquired De’Andre Hunter suffered on February 6th was diagnosed as a retinal detachment. Friday afternoon he had surgery at Kaiser Permanente. While he is expected to make a full recovery he will be sidelined for approximately eight weeks.
Hunter had only appeared in two games as a King before getting injured. The concern that NBA commissioner Adam Silver has had regarding teams purposely tanking games cannot possibily apply to Sacramento. These injuries while reparable could possibly impact all of these players futures in the game and there is no way these guys are in anyway involved in such.
Next up for the Kings will be a road game taking on the Grizzlies in Memphis this Monday. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 5:00PM.
Cal Bears guard DJ Campbell (1) dribbles against the Stanford Cardinal guard Benny Gealer (5) at Haas Pavilion in Berekeley on Sat Feb 21, 2026 (Cal Bears X photo)
By Micahel Roberson
BERKELEY, Calif. — The Stanford Cardinal (16-11, 5-9 ACC) were unable to split the Battle of the Bay, after a second consecutive loss 72-66 to the California Golden Bears (19-8, 7-7 ACC).
Cal began the battle with a 5-0 run to mark their territory. Within the initial 20-minute portion of the game, Stanford never took a lead, but tied once. The Golden Bears had the lead for nearly 19 minutes. That advantage was as high as 14, and was the amount at recess, 39-25.
Stanford shot an abysmal 38% from the field and free throw line. Beyond the arc was worse (22%). Cal, on the other hand, shot 42% from 2, 40% from 3, and 88% from the charity stripe. They also grabbed 21 rebounds, while the cross-Bay visitors had 9 turnovers,
No Cardinal hooper was in double-figures, although Ebuka Okorie was close with 9 points and 8 rebounds. Cal had two players reach( that plateau, Dai Dai Ames (13) and Chris Bell (10).
In the second half, the Golden Bears were able to maintain the lead, but Stanford did reduce it as low as 5 points, but could not get over the hump. The Cardinal got the deficit into single digits several time, but untimely missed free throws and their inability to covert baskets from two or three inhibited any miracle comeback victory.
Stanford’s field goal percentage even got worse (29%) in the second half, while there was improvement from Three & Free Land. They also reduced their turnovers to a lone one in the final 20 minutes of play. Cal also shot worse in half number two, and was actually outscored by the Cardinal. However, that 8-point advantage was not enough to overcome the14-point lead at halftime.
After the whistle blew at the 40-minute mark of the game, Cal had done something they had not done in 16 years; sweep the Battle of the Bay series. Although it was a six points margin (72-66) at the horn, Cal led from wire to wire, with a single tie scenario.
The Cardinal produced four players with10+ points at the end of the game, despite not having any at halftime. Redshirt-Sophomore Aidan Cammann actually led the Cardinal in scorn, with 19 points and six rebounds. Okorie added 17 points and career high 13 rebounds. Benny Gealer chipped in 15 points with four three-pointers to boot, AJ Rohosy added 10 points and six rebounds to the Cardinal’s total.
Three Cal representatives offered double-digit scoring for their group. Senior forward and Bay Area native, Chris Bell led all players with 20 points, while fellow senior forward John Camden provided 18 points and 8 rebounds, and junior guard Dai Dai Ames put up 17 points and seven rebounds..
The Cardinal will next be in action Wednesday, February 25, back on the Farm to host the Pittsburgh Panthers at 5 PM PT on the ACC Network. Cal will remain in Berkeley, to host the Southern Methodist Mustangs on the same date at 7 PM PT on the same network.
Nothing but love from the heart as Olympic Skater Alysa Liu reacts after competing in the women’s figure skating free program at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Italy Thu Feb 19, 2026 (AP News photo)
Good News for Oakland
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-González
Just days ago the Mayor of Oakland official car, her SUV was stolen from City Hall, it was recovered and the suspect was arrested in Vallejo. Oakland has been vilified for years for many reasons, including one very notable one; it is often cited across the country by sports fans as an example of Oakland’s inability to keep its sports teams in town.
But Oakland finally heard some good news, and it did not come from the Bay Area, but 6,000 miles away from Milan, Italy. Oakland-born figure skater Alysa Liu won the gold medal in women’s figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on February 19, 2026.
She is the first American woman to win Olympic gold in the sport in 24 years, following a remarkable comeback after retiring in 2022. Started skating at age 5. At 13, she broke Tara Lipinski’s record to become the youngest U.S. national champion (2019) and was the first U.S. woman to land three triple axels in a single competition. Congratulations to Alysa, this was great and Oakland (in my opinion) could use a parade for her and the city.
Quote “I love struggling, actually. It makes me feel alive,” — Alysa Liu on the Olympic pressure.
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
Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) is being pursued by the Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (right) in the first half at Golden 1 Center on Thu Feb 19, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Harvey:
#1 How did Russell Westbrook’s playmaking and assist numbers impact the Kings’ offense against the Magic on Feb. 19, 2026?
#2 What role did DeMar DeRozan play in the Kings’ scoring effort during the matchup with Orlando, and how effective was he?
#3 How did Keegan Murray perform in terms of scoring and rebounding for Sacramento in this game?
#4 In the Kings’ rotation on Feb. 19, how did Maxime Raynaud contribute compared to expectations, and what statistical impact did he have?
#5 Given the Kings’ injuries and lineup changes, how did role players like Precious Achiuwa and Malik Monk influence Sacramento’s competitiveness in this game?
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.
Team Canada’s Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid skate at the 4 Nations face off hockey practice in Brossard Quebec on Mon Feb 15, 2026 (Canadian Press via AP photo)
Olympic Hockey podcast Lincoln Juarez:
#1 What impact did Sidney Crosby’s injury sustained in the quarterfinal game have on Team Canada’s strategy and lineup heading into the next stage of the tournament on February 19?
#2 How did Canada’s thrilling 4-3 overtime win over Czechia in the quarterfinals influence team morale and expectations as they awaited their semifinal matchup on Friday?
#3 Which Canadian players were highlighted on February 19 for their standout performances in the tournament so far, including contributions against Czechia?
#4 What tactical adjustments were analysts discussing on February 19 for Canada ahead of their semifinal game against Finland men’s national ice hockey team, given Finland’s recent Olympic form?
#5 How was Team Canada’s path to a potential medal being evaluated on February 19, considering their quarterfinal win and the upcoming semifinal draw?
The Wolf Lake Memorial Park in the 2300 block of Calumet Avenue is a potential site of the new Chicago Bears stadium. (Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times)
NFL: The Chicago Bears are leaving Chicago for Indiana
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
Amaury Pi-González
Soldier Field, Chicago’s home of the NFL Bears for a half-century, soon will be a trivia question. A last-ditch $5 billion effort to keep the team in Chicago failed, ending their time in Chicago. The Chicago Bears ownership said in a statement, “The passage of SB 27 would mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date. We are committed to completing the remaining site-specific due diligence necessary to support our vision of building a world-class stadium near Wolf Lake in Hammond, Indiana. We appreciate the leadership shown by Governor Braun, Speaker Huston, Senator Mishler, and members of the Indiana General Assembly in establishing this critical framework and path forward to deliver a premier venue for all of Chicagoland and a destination for Bears fans and visitors from across the globe.”
“We value our partnership and look forward to continuing to build our working relationship,” Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said, adding that he was “surprised” after the Bears’ shift to Indiana. Why are they moving out of Chicago? The Bears have never owned their home stadium (Wrigley Field or Soldier Field).
A new, privately developed stadium (with public infrastructure help) in Indiana allows them to control revenue streams, plus the team has long sought to leave their current, publicly owned stadium, which is considered outdated and too small compared to other NFL venues.
Some people in Chicago are fine with this move. Hammond, Indiana, which is located immediately adjacent to the Illinois state border, approximately 25-30 miles southeast of downtown Chicago. The drive typically takes about 30–40 minutes, depending on traffic.
As part of the Chicago metropolitan area, it is the only city in Indiana that directly borders Chicago. At the end, it’s all about two words: modernization and money. The Bears need a new, modern facility to generate more revenue. As they move to Hammond, Indiana, they will keep their name, the Chicago Bears.
This is common. The Washington Commanders play in Maryland; the NY Giants and NY Jets play in New Jersey; the Dallas Cowboys play in Arlington; the LA Rams and LA Chargers play in Inglewood; and the San Francisco 49ers play in Santa Clara.
As a matter of fact, nearly half of the 32 NFL teams do not play in the city they represent. However, the NFL is smart enough to keep these teams within distance of their fan bases. An exception? The Raiders, who left Oakland for Las Vegas, and that is not a “Sunday drive” over 400 miles. Another team left Oakland for Las Vegas, but they have not arrived yet, and they are not in the NFL. ]
Quote: Baseball is played on a diamond, in a park.The baseball park! Football is played on a gridiron in a stadium, sometimes called Soldier Field or War Memorial Stadium. -George Carlin (Comedian)
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
Sacramento State Hornet guard #16 Prophet Johnson makes a fastbreak layup to help bring the Hornets from behind, 61-49, in Sacramento, California, on February 19th, 2026, at the Hornet Pavilion. (Photo credits to Michael Villanueva)
By Michael Villanueva
SACRAMENTO – As the weather and storms that covered the 916 area all week stopped on Thursday evening, the weather cleared up just in time for the Sacramento State Hornets to start their two-game homestands this week. However, the Hornets lost to Eastern Washington Eagles, 102-94. This loss pushed the Hornets into a 4-game losing streak, and improved the Eagles to 5-0 in the month of February. The Hornets’ record would fall to (9-17, 5-9 Big Sky)
The Hornets came home desperately wanting to secure a win and, of course, protect their home court. Hornets were 9-2 at home entering this game, but are now 9-3 after dropping this one to the Eagles. Sac State has lost the last 3 games dating back to Feb. 7th against Portland State in Sacramento. The last two losses were on the road against Northern Colorado on Feb. 12th and Northern Arizona on Feb.19th.
Coming into the game, the Hornets were 5-1 at home in conference play, with that only loss against first-place Portland State. Eastern Washington and Sacramento State last faced off on Jan. 24th in Cheney, as the Eagles defeated the Hornets, 75-67. The all time series between these two programs is now 17-49, with Sac State losing 13 of the 15 in the series. The last time the Hornets won against the Eagles in Sacramento was on Feb. 26th, 2022, with the final score being 81-75.
Eastern Washington has now won five straight after starting conference play with a 3-6 record. Although the Eagles’ road record was 3-13, the Hornets played against a different version of the Eagles that took over the Well, here in Sacramento. This game was the 1st out of just 3 home games remaining for Sac State.
With starting guard Mikey Williams being out now for 3 games due to an injury. Sac State coach Mike Bibby started his squad with guards Taj Glover, Prophet Johnson, Jahni Summers, and forwards Shaqir O’Neal and Mark Lavrenov. Mark Lavrenov is second in the Big Sky in rebounding and fifth in offensive rebounds (2.7), along with five double-doubles this season. The freshman is having an incredible first season in the NCAA and with Sac State.
Eagles guard Tyler Powell got the game going tonight with back-to-back three-pointers for Eastern Washington. Setting them up for not just a hot start, but pretty much set the tone for them to be aggressive the whole game. After just 5 minutes into the game, the score was 21-4, the Eagles lead. In that span of 5 minutes, the Hornets went 3 minutes without scoring, going 1-of-6 on the floor.
Eastern Washington found and got themselves the largest lead of the night with a 24-point lead with 13 minutes in the first half, 28-4. During that the Eagles were on a 10-0 scoring run, putting the Hornets in a tough and awkward position in their home, and well, pretty much the whole game.
After 10 minutes had gone by in the game, the Hornets were still down 33-16. Although Sac State’s shooting was starting to pick up, the team found themselves playing catch up all night in their home. Hornets were now shooting 6-of-14, making their last 5 shots on the floor in a row. While the Eagles also made their last five shots out of seven attempts.
Hornets guard Prophet Johnson at the 6-minute mark would make the first three-pointer of the night for Sacramento State, as the team is now 1-of-4 from beyond the arc. On the other side of the court, the Eagles were flying high as they finished the first half with 10 made three pointers out of 16 attempts. Eastern Washington would also later finish the first half with 57 points. Eagles guard Jojo Anderson makes an acrobatic layup to beat the buzzer for the team.
At halftime, Sacramento State is down going into halftime at 57-39. Hornets guard Prophet Johnson leads the Hornets so far with 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. He also hasn’t been subbed out at all, as coach Mike Bibby is relying on his game since guard Mikey Williams, who averages 17.1 points per game, is out due to injury. Injuries have been a massive problem as the team was without six players on Saturday against Northern Arizona University.
Coming back from halftime, the Hornets were locked in and ready for a comeback. The team showed their determination, hustle, and grit by fighting back into the game for a possible comeback. Sac State would start the second half going on a quick 8-0 scoring a run to bring them back within 10 points. That scoring run would change into a 10-4, with 6 points of those coming from Hornets guard Prophet Johnson.
Halfway through the second half, the Hornets were able to cut the lead to just 11 points, but was still struggling shooting from deep and at the free throw line. Eagles guard Isaiah Moses was determined to get the road win as he finished the night with 26 points on 6-of-8 shooting from deep, along with Tyler Powell, who had 17 points shooting 5-of-8 from deep as well.
In the final two minutes of the game, the Hornets found themselves down just 9 points, 95-86, but time was not on the Hornets’ side. Bad shooting, bad inside passes, and questionable calls from the ref haunted Sac State the whole night. Coming into that final stretch, you wanted time on your side, as the Eagles were making tough layups and shots that ultimately secured their win. The Hornets were desperately trying to stop and play hard defense, but couldn’t. As the final buzzer went off, the final score would be 102-94.
Hornets guard Prophet Johnson led the team with 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists. Matching him with 26 points was Arman Madi, who also had 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Sacramento State has proven they love to play and show out in their home, by shooting 43% from deep. Tonight’s game was a different story as the team was able to shoot at only 29%. (5-of-17)
Sacramento State will return back in their home this Saturday, on Feb. 21st, to host the Idaho Vandals. The game will start right back again at 7 p.m. on ESPN+. This will be the second last home game of the season, as both programs fight for wins and lift their team higher in the standings. Idaho is in 7th, and Sacramento State is in 8th in the Big Sky Conference.
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.
From left to right: Tony Lopez, Univisión -The Great Pelé– Amaury Pi-González, Telemundo (Photo TV Globo, Brazil)
From My Notebook:” Pelé, the World’s Best Fútbol player, FIFA US ’94 World Cup. —
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
Amaury PI-González
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by three countries Canada, México, and the United States. This marks the first time three nations have jointly hosted the tournament, which will feature 48 teams competing across 16 cities from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara will host six matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including five group stage games and one Round of 32 knockout match on July 1, 2026
. The Bay Area is a premier host city, welcoming teams like Australia, Switzerland, Qatar, and Algeria for a tournament running from June 11 to July 19, 2026. This will be the second time the US has hosted the FIFA World Cup. The U.S. previously hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup, which holds the record for the highest total attendance in World Cup history.
As the United States hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the Bay Area welcomed the great Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé. The 1994 FIFA World Cup in the Bay Area was anchored by Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, which hosted six matches, including a memorable July fourth Round of the 16th game where Brazil defeated the U.S.1-0.
The Bay Area served as a key venue for the tournament, with Brazil based in the South Bay, turning Los Gatos into a party headquarters. The Brazilians were a class act, as I remember, and I had the pleasure of interviewing many of their great players in 1994 while working for Telemundo CH 48 San José.
The 1994 FIFA World Cup-winning Brazilian team, which competed in the USA, was managed by Carlos Alberto Parreira and featured star players Romário, Bebeto, Dunga (captain), and Claudio Taffarel. They defeated Italy in the final to win their fourth title, with a strong core also including Jorginho, Aldair, Marcio Santos, Mauro Silva, and Zinho.
Among the personalities present was perhaps the best player ever, the great “Pelé,” who decades earlier played in New York for the Cosmos. He was the guy who invigorated Soccer in the US and one of the guys responsible for the US hosting the ’94 World Cup for the first time.
Pelé played in four World Cup tournaments (1958, 1962, 1966, 1970) and scored 12 goals in his World Cup career. 1958, 1962, and 1970. He is the only player in history to win three World Cups. Today’s greatest Fútbol star is Lionel Mesi, who won the 2022 World Cup for Argentina. Who is the GOAT?
Although it is very subjective, I pick Pelé. who received his famous nickname as a child in school because he struggled to correctly pronounce the name of his favorite player, Bilé a goalkeeper for the team his father played on.
Pelé gave two television exclusive interviews in Spanish during the ’94 USA World Cup,one to my friend and colleague Tony López ,Sports Anchor for Univisión CH 14,San Francsico, the other one to this reporter,Telemundo Sports Anchor for CH 48 San José. Pelé was proficient in three languages, his native Portuguese plus English and Spanish, born in 1940 he died in 2022, recognized as a worldwide sports icon, just like Muhammad Ali, Pelé was a once in a lifetime sports icon with a great personality and vision for his sport.
At the time the sport (Soccer in the US) was not as popular as today and I truly believe our coverages on Spanish television between Tony at Univisión and me at Telmundo was much comprehensive than all the English format TV stations in the Bay Area, they truly could not compete with us because we were the only two TV station in Northern California that covered this sport year ’round not only during the World Cup.
The ABC,CBS,NBC affilaited stations here in the Bay Area really never covered this sport, unitl the 1994 World Cup took place here. It was like the US media just discovered Soccer.
The FIFA World Cup is widely considered the greatest team sporting event in the world, boasting the highest viewership and global popularity due to soccer’s immense reach. Held every four years, it attracts over 3.5 billion viewers and offers unparalleled intensity, cultural spectacle, and passion.
Quote: “The World Cup is a very important way to measure the good players, and the great ones. It is a test of a great player,” -Pelé
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.
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