Tag: Sports radio

San Jose State Spartans game wrap: Spartans lose second straight game to Cal Poly 75-71

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San Jose State Spartans forward Ralph Agee (35) finished third in scoring for the Spartans with 13 points against the Cal Poly Mustangs on Sun Dec 13, 2020 (photo from sjsuspartans.com)

By Barbara Mason

Sunday afternoon the San Jose Spartans took on  Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on the Mustangs home court.  Currently the Mustangs are 1-2 while the Spartans are 1-1 after being soundly beaten Friday night at the hands of the St. Mary’s Gaels 96-61.  
The Spartans never got anything going in that game and were re-grouping for the quick turnaround and hopes for a much better showing against Cal Poly. 
 
San Jose took a nice 29-12 lead in the first half before letting their foot off the pedal allowing the Mustangs to pull within eight points.  As the first half came to an end the Spartans led but the score had been whittled down to four points 36-32.
San Jose seemed to have had the game in hand early on but the stubborn Mustangs had other plans as they challenged the Spartans with some nice work from Keith Smith for eight points, Mark Crowe for six points as well as help from their bench.  
 
The Spartans had Seneca Knight back and he went right to work scoring 12 points.  Ralph Agee had eight points and Richard Washington also contributed eight points.  The team would lean heavily on Knight, Agee and Washington in the second half as well as their defense keeping the Mustangs from another surge in the second half.
 
The second half was not the start that San Jose had hoped for.  They lost the lead and found themselves trailing early. The Spartans fought back and with 7:04 left in the game they were tied at 59.  
San Jose fought the entire game but came up just short losing a heartbreaker 75-71.  Washington finished the game with 22 points, Knight with 20 and Agee with 13 plus some nice work off the bench from Trey Smith and Kaison Hammonds.  San Jose now drops to a 1-2 record, next taking on Santa Clara Friday the time TBD.  
   

Foreman’s shot at the buzzer gives Cal their only lead in 72-70 win over USF

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By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, CA–“Sometimes, you gotta do more,” said Cal coach Mark Fox.

Fox certainly got more grit and determination from his Bears in an improbable 72-70 win over USF at Haas Pavilion on Sunday. Makale Foreman’s 3-point basket just a fraction of a second before the final horn gave the Bears the win and their only lead of the day.

After a string of disappointing losses the Bears played smarter, harder and more efficiently against the Dons. But it didn’t amount to much until the game’s final play. In the final eight seconds Cal rushed the ball up the full length of the floor with Matt Bradley passing to Grant Anticevich then to Foreman at the 3-point arc just ahead of the final buzzer.

The Bears showed tremendous patience in getting the ball to their graduate transfer Foreman, the team’s only high percentage option from distance. By backing up four feet beyond the arc Foreman created the needed distance to avoid the lunging defender Jamaree Bouyea.

Ironically, Foreman had missed all five of his previous 3-point attempts and six shots in all.

A big factor in the win was Fox getting his team to reduce its shot attempts from distance after they fell to 242nd nationally (out of 315) in 3-point efficiency. In the meantime, Fox continued to encourage Foreman, the eighth most prolific 3-point shooter last season at Stony Brook, to look for his shot.

“He’s a great shooter,” Fox said of Foreman. “The decreased practice time has hurt him.”

The rest of Foreman’s took just nine threes (making five) and instead focused on getting the ball to the basket and drawing fouls. That strategy paid off as Andre Kelly scored a season-high 22 points and the Bears got to the line 23 times (making 16).

Anticevich and Bradley certainly did more, making tough shots with defenders draped on them from inside and out. The senior forward finished with a team-best 18 points and Bradley added 17.

The Dons scored the game’s first five points and led for 39 minutes only to be caught. Bouyea led all scorers with 24 and Kahlil Shabazz added 21. Bouyea went spectacular with his buzzer beater from 65 feet that gave USF a 37-28 halftime lead.

“I thought we played well enough to win, but not well enough to guarantee victory,” USF coach Todd Golden said. 

The Dons were attempting to beat Cal for an unprecedented third consecutive season, with the previous two wins both by double digits.

“Sometimes you gotta do more” was Fox’s explanation to his players for dressing in a traditional suit and tie, in a season where the NCAA has allowed coaches to wear polo shirts and sweat suits. Fox revealed to his team his choice of wardrobe on Saturday with the background story meant to motivate his group.

Apparently the ploy hit home.

The Bears will reveal their next two games later this week as the season on the fly continues. Fox did say there was an issue with one of their East Coast opponents meaning they may have two new opponents on their East swing in the days before Christmas or just one along with Boston College, which was previously announced.

 

Toner’s late field goal lifts Cardinal past OSU 27-24

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Stanford tight end Tucker Fisk (88) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of the team’s NCAA college football game against Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore., Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Saturday, December 12, 2020

Jet Toner booted a 39-yard field goal with 1:47 left in the fourth quarter, giving Stanford 27-24 Pac-12 football win over Oregon State in its regular season finale at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Ore.

Beavers quarterback Chance Nolan was leading OSU upfield when the Cardinal’s Gabe Reid punched the ball as Nolan was falling and Stanford recovered at its own 25-yard line with 23 seconds remaining.

Oregon State kicker Everett Hayes kicked a 26-yard field goal at 7:37 of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 24-24.

The see-saw battle had three lead changes. One of them occurred at 13:34 of the fourth quarter when Davis Mills’ 6-yard touchdown run gave Stanford a 24-21 lead. In the third quarter, the Beavers took a 21-16 lead when Nolan connected with Tyjon Lindsey for a 30-yard TD.

Two minutes into the second half, the Cardinal (3-2) took its first lead of the game on a 1-yard plunge by Davis Mills.

Oregon State (2-4) opened the scoring at 10:30 of the first quarter on Nolan’s 18-yard touchdown pass to Lindsey. Four minutes later, the Cardinal responded with a 12-yard scoring pass from Mills to Tucker Fisk, but a 2-point conversion pass was incomplete, and the Beavers led 7-6.

The Beavers increased their lead to 14-6 on Nolan’s 8-yard TD pass to Zeriah Beeson at 12:42 of the second quarter. Toner’s 47-yard field goal with 1:27 left in the half pulled Stanford to within 14-9.

Austin Jones gained 126 rushing yards on 22 carries for Stanford, while Mills completed 21 of 29 passes for 292 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions, but was sacked three times. Simi Fehoko led Cardinal receivers with six receptions for 110 yards.

Nolan completed 17 of 30 passes for 221 yards and three touchdown and no interceptions. Jermar Jefferson was the Beavers’ leading rusher with 80 yards on 18 carries. Tre’Shaun Harrison caught five passes for 91 yards.

Warriors down Nuggets in the preseason opener 107-105

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The Denver Nuggets watch the Golden State Warriors offense take lay ups and shots. The Warriors get a two point win to open the NBA exhibition season on Sat Dec 12, 2020 at Chase Center in San Francisco (photo from @warriors)

By Jerry Feitelberg

San Francisco- The Golden State Warriors opened the first of the three-game preseason with a win over the Denver Nuggets 107-105. It was the first game the Warriors had played since the NBA season stopped play last March. The Warriors had the worst record in the NBA last year. Injuries to key players and the loss of Kevin Durant, in a sign and trade deal to the Brooklyn Nets, caused the Dubs to flounder all season long.

The W’s superstar, Steph Curry, played in only five games last season. All-Star Klay Thompson did not play as he recovered from surgery to repair the ACL in his left knee. Klay will miss the entire 2020-2021 season due to a torn Achilles tendon. The Warriors traded for Kelly Oubre, Jr, to help make up for Klay’s absence. The team acquired Andrew Wiggins from the T-Wolves for D’Angelo Russell. Wiggins did not have a chance to work with Steph last season. The W’s are hoping that Oubre and Wiggins will fit in well with the Warriors’ scheme of attack.

The number one draft pick, James Wiseman, and the veteran forward, Draymond Green, were not available due to bouts with Covid-19. They should return soon. However, it might take time for them to blend in with the new players.

The Warriors are hoping for center Kevon Looney to stay healthy for the entire year. Looney had been saddled with injuries in his first four years with the team. W’s head coach Steve Kerr will have to determine who will be the starting center. Will it be Wiseman, Looney, or Marquiss Chriss. Chriss played well last year. In the five years, the W’s went to the NBA finals, they used three guys in the center position. They used Pachulia, JaVale McGee, and David West in the rotations. They hope to use the three bigs, in the same manner this year.

The W’s are hoping for improvement from the second-year player, Jordan Poole. Poole worked hard in the off-season to add new dimensions to his game. Damion Lee, Brad Wanamaker, Kent Bazemore will be fighting to get playing times this season. These four players will get time on the second unit. Another player who is trying to make the team is Mychal Mulder. Mulder did well last year late in the season.

Players on the bubble know that they have to make the most of their opportunities when they get into the game.

How did they do? The Warriors’ first game was against the Denver Nuggets at the Chase Center Saturday night. Steve Kerr and his staff are looking to see what players will make the team. The W’s had a formidable opponent. The Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2020 playoffs. They couldn’t handle the Lakers, but they are an outstanding team led by center Nikola Jokic.

The Warriors started Kevon Looney at center, Eric Paschall, who made the 1st team-NBA all-rookie team in 2020, was one of the forwards, Kelly Oubre, Jr the other forward, Andrew Wiggins, and Steph Curry were the guards.

How did they perform? Looney had eight points, six rebounds, and three assists. Paschall eight points, seven boards, and three assists. Oubre ten points, Wiggins eight, Steph 10. Steph made two threes in 22 minutes of actions. The subs did well too, Bazemore knocked down 13, Damion Lee twelve in eleven minutes of action. Brad Wanamaker, signed as a free agent, had eight. Jordan Poole 10, and Mychal Mulder 10 in 10 minutes of work.

Jokic led Denver with 26. Gary Harris 11, Paul Millsap 8, Jamal Murray 4. Backup guard Monte Morris added 10.

The Warriors play the next two preseason games against the Kings in Sacramento on December 15th and 17th. They open the season against the Brooklyn Nets on December 22nd. They will face their old teammate Kevin Durant who will be making his debut as a Net. It will be a must-watch game.

Las Vegas Raiders podcast with Superbowl Wayne: Colts, Rivers have won five of last six as Raiders prepare to host this Sunday

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The Houston Texans defensive end JJ Watt (99) gets a second half sack on Indianapolis Colts quarterback Phillip Rivers (17) on Sun Dec 6, 2020 in Houston (AP News photos)

On the Raiders podcast with Superbowl Wayne:

#1 The Las Vegas Raiders (7-5) in their last game in New Jersey at the Meadowlands against the New York Jets (0-12) needless to say shocked the nation when Raiders quarterback Derek Carr  with a Hail Mary comeback touchdown pass with 26 seconds left in the game for a 46 yard pass to wide Henry Ruggs III for the game winning touchdown.

#2 The Raiders had a lead against the Jets in the first half 17-13 but the second half the Raiders didn’t score in the third quarter and the Jets got 15 points in the fourth quarter before Carr’s game saving touchdown pass to get Vegas by the Jets.

#3 Carr threw well enough to win the game 381 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. But it was his pass to Ruggs III to win the game will be the play everybody will remember.

#4 The Raiders host the Indianapolis Colts (8-4) this Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise. This will be the Raiders first home game in three weeks after getting crushed by the Atlanta Falcons(4-8) in the first leg of their road trip before narrowly winning against the Jets last Sunday. The Raiders no doubt are looking for a little home cooking.

#5 Indianapolis Colts have won four of their last six games. The Colts quarterback Phillip Rivers has been doing a bang up job for Indianapolis in his last game he and the Colts beat a well prepared Houston Texans (4-8) team in a close contest 26-20. Rivers threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns against the Texans.

Superbowl Wayne filled in for Rich Perez on the Raiders podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

San Francisco 49ers podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: 49ers @ Cowboys game for Dec 20th moved to 10 AM from prime time Sunday Night Football package

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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton’s (14) body language says it all another rough day on the field this time against the visiting Baltimore Ravens in a rough loss in Dallas on NFL Tuesday Night Football Dec 8, 2020 (AP News photo)

On the 49ers podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 The NFL moved both the Dallas Cowboys (3-9) and San Francisco 49ers (5-7) prime time game on Sun Dec 20th from 5:20pm on NBC. Sunday Night Football to 10 AM on CBS because both teams lost last Sunday hurting their playoff chances.

#2 The 49ers linebacker Fred Warner said he was disappointed with the change and was looking forward to playing the Cowboys in prime time but said “It is what it is”

#3 The December 20th game also would not have feature 49ers starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo or the Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott both who are injured.

#4 Team Washington (5-7) starting quarterback Alex Smith for this Sunday Dec 13th’s game in Arizona. Smith a former quarterback for the 49ers at 36 years old has reinvented himself.

#5 Washington has won four straight including their last game against the Pittsburgh Steelers (11-1) 23-17 last Sunday which ended the Steelers 11 game undefeated win streak.

Join Jeremiah for the 49ers podcasts each Saturday night at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

San Jose State Spartans game wrap: Gaels Win Sixth In A Row Handily Beating San Jose State 96-61

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The St Mary’s Gaels forward Sam Fotu (42) drives on San Jose Spartans center Hugo Clarkin (5) on Fri Dec 11, 2020 at McKeon Pavilion in Moraga (smcgaels.com photo)

By Barbara Mason

Friday night the San Jose Spartans took on the St. Mary’s Gaels at McKeon Pavilion. St. Mary’s came into the game with a 5-1 record while San Jose’s record is 1-0 due to the cancellations they have experienced this year. The Gaels are riding high winning five games in a row. They most recently beat the University of Texas at EL Paso. Their only loss came at the hands of Memphis 73-56.

The San Jose Spartans handled Fresno Pacific by the score of 87-79. A win tonight for the Spartans would mean a second straight victory as well as their first win over the Gaels since 2000.

The Spartans would be looking for another explosive performance by sophomore Omari Moore and Richard Washington who had 38 points against Fresno Pacific. All eyes will be on this power duo. Right now the Spartans are the No. 1 ranked team in the nation in defensive rebounding.

The Spartans will be without 4 players in this game although it has not been announced that any of them have covid. Seneca Knight is one of those players which is a blow for San Jose. The Spartans were looking at a very real challenge in this game.

The Gaels will be highlighting Tommy Kuhse, one of their offensive leaders, who had 24 points in their latest win against UTEP. St. Mary’s will also be counting on Matthias Tass and Alex Ducas to carry their offense. Right now the Gaels are a high-scoring team recording 72 or more points in each of their last four games. Head Coach Randy Bennett is 7-0 against San Jose.

It was a very tough start for the Spartans trailing from the start of the game. It was all St. Mary’s as they took a 57-27 lead into the locker room. Nine different Gaels scored in the first half shooting 68 percent which gave them a 30 point lead.

In the first half the only Spartan that had shot in double digits was Richard Washington with 13 points. It was the dominating Gaels that had two players in double digits: Matthias Tass with 11 and Dan Fotu with 11. The Gaels had a combined 25 points off the bench while the Spartans only had 7.

Midway through the second half the Spartans were trailing 77-42 and they struggled to get anything going against the powerhouse Gaels. The Spartans got some nice play from Washington and Moore with 35 combined points but it was the Gael’s bench with the combined 30 points of Tass and Fotu that did San Jose in. The final score was a shocking 96-61. San Jose will be facing Cal Poly Sunday with tip off at 1:00.

 

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: 2020 Worse News for Baseball? –No Minor Leagues–

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Reno Aces ballpark the Triple A team in Reno NV announced they will return for the 2021 season in a press release Dec 9th, 2020. The Aces are an affiliate for the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Aces are a survivor of many of the minor league teams who are being cut in MLB (sierrasun.com file photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Major League Baseball, after all, came out “very well”, during an abbreviated 60-game season, compared to other sports, playing during a worldwide Pandemic. But (in case some forgot) there was no Minor League Baseball in 2020.

As of 2018 there were 14 ML-affiliated Minor League teams. A total of 160 teams in large, medium and small markets across the country and also in Canada, plus a total 80 teams in three ML-affiliated rookie leagues in Arizona, Florida and the Dominican Republic.

It was on June 30, 2020 that it was announced there was not going to be Minor League Baseball this year. The announcement explained that the season had been shelved because Major League Baseball will not provide players. It was the first time the Minor League season was cancelled since the Minor Leagues were founded in 1901.

However, it was actually in (pre-covid) 2019 that Major League Baseball were planning to eliminate 42 Minor League teams, most in the lowest levels, with more than half of those 42 either at the Rookie League level or Short-Season, Class A. MiLB (Minor League Baseball) also is a revenue-generating business. Most minor league teams are not owned by major league clubs, but they have contracts as affiliates.

Generally teams in organized minor league baseball are generally owned and operated independently but most are directly affiliated with a major league team. Very important Milb, because they have contracts with MLB teams for player development. Because of what happened in 2020, MLB teams lost hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue and therefore had furlough employees, some were told their services terminate at the end of this year.

In the Minor League with zero games played, and even with some payroll protection loans issued early, more jobs were lost. If MLB suffered by playing 60-games in 2020, you can imagine how much the Minor Leagues suffered with no season at all, not one game played. It is very important for baseball to keep their minor league structure for the future.

The game of baseball needs a lot of practice, repetition, seasoning “if you will” of their young talent. All players in the Minor League system have one goal. To be promoted to the Big Leagues, as simple as that. When I was playing as a kid in Cuba with my brother, or just playing catch with my father and on teams in the area.

I always dreamed of playing for a Major League team, I do not recall as a kid I ever dreamed of playing for the Cuban Sugar Kings of the Triple-A, International League, although that was a popular league as well as the Winter Leagues, kids dreams always relate to their Major League teams and stars, heroes.

Baseball has been always like that, and hopefully it will continue. We must remember than the overwhelming majority of the Major League stars began their professional careers and ascent to the Big Show in…yes, the Minor Leagues.

You cannot over emphasize the importance of the Minor Leagues. I can only hope 2021 will be played normally, and that there is a Minor League with younger players ready to come-up to the big team.

We all talk about how terrible 2020 has been, but we also must be positive and realize that we are ending this year with sort of a miracle. The development and approval of covid-19 vaccines, which took around 9 month from beginning to completion.

What Warp Speed Operation accomplished was unprecedented in the history of vaccines, we should be grateful that because of these vaccines (in days made available) millions of lives will be saved in the US and around the world, and this is exactly the news Baseball wanted to hear prior to 2021 Spring Training in Arizona and Florida, which is just two months and a couple of weeks away.

The Minority: These are some well known Major League Players, (some in the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown) who never played in the Minor Leagues. They came directly from High School or College to the Big Show: Al Kaline, Sandy Koufax, Bob Feller, Harmon Killebrew, George Sisler, Frankie Frisch, Joe Nuxall, Dick Groat, Dave Winfield, Mike McCormick, Mel Ott, Jim “Catfish” Hunter, Herb Washington.

Felíz Hanukkah and Felíz Navidad

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Baseball Hall of Fame Museum and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco 49ers podcast with Joe Hawkes: Alex Smith having success and fitting in as starter for Team Washington

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He’s come along way since this Aug 25, 2020 photo at the Washington training facility but  Washington quarterback who has won four straight games under center will be paying his old team the San Francisco 49ers a visit on Sun Dec 13, 2020 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale AZ (AP News file photo)

On the 49ers podcast with J Hawkes:

#1 Joe, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith has really fit in really well with Team Washington.

#2 Since taking over he’s completed 69% of his passes and has won in four straight games for Washington.

#3 Joe last week against Buffalo the 49ers just had that one rough second quarter when the Bills scored 17 points and the 49ers were shutout.

#4 Bill quarterback Josh Allen had an afternoon against the 49ers 375 yards and four touchdowns. The 49ers pass rush just couldn’t get to him and he had time to keep or throw.

#5 Washington seems to have caught fire winning five of their last six games including their last win against the Pittsburgh Steelers that ended the Steelers 11 game undefeated win streak.

Join J Hawkes each Friday morning for the 49ers podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cal Bears podcast with Michael Duca: Tale of the two halves defense picked up in second half Cal still lost

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Cal Bears Matt Bradley takes a free throw shot against the Pepperdine Waves Wednesday night in Malibu. This was Cal’s second straight road trip as they return back to Berkeley on Saturday against USF (calbears.com photo)

On the Cal Bears podcast with Michael Duca:

#1 Michael, how big is it for Cal that they didn’t have to suffer too many postponed games, rescheduled games and pretty much rely on playing their home games at Haas Pavilion during this very strict Covid-19 shutdown.

#2 In Cal’s last game men’s basketball game at Pepperdine it was the tale of the two halves. The first half the Pepperdine dominated with a 44-30 whereas Cal improved the defense in the second half with the Waves just edging out Cal 32-30 but as you know it’s what the scoreboard shows at the end of the game as it was 74-62 Pepperdine.

#3 All things considered Michael did that second half show any improvements for Cal as they played a close second half against a very good Waves team who have made handy work of post season tournaments.

#4 Cal has now lost two straight including a loss to UCLA the game before Pepperdine they come back to Haas Pavilion for Saturday night’s game against USF (4-2). The Dons have won four straight after going 0-2. Knowing how well coached USF is how do you see this match up on Saturday?

#5 Michael talk about two of Cal’s top scorers from Wednesday’s game Grant Anticevich with 21 points and Matt Bradley who lead Cal with 27 points they had to work hard against the Waves.

Join Michael for Cal podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com