Sports Editor: INSIDE 625-4261 NBA www.standard.net Tennis SPORTS Classifi eds C Standard-Examiner Thursday, January 22, 2009

SIDELINES Wildcats Bees run out of buzz push road intensity

#Z+"4&/"4": 4UBOEBSE&YBNJOFSTUBGG KBTBZ!TUBOEBSEOFU Lucky loser SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Two weeks ago when preparing Delic wins again to earn to face Portland State, the fi rst- rematch with Djokovic. 3C place team in the Big Sky Con- Helmet safety ference, on the road, the Weber Across nation, groups State Wildcats had a certain tout wearing helmets on the mentality. slopes. Sports Plus That mindset helped the ’Cats get a well-deserved win, NBA and they’re hoping to have the Houston 108, Utah 99 same attitude Charlotte 101, Memphis 86 tonight as they Boston 98, Miami 83 take on last- New York 114, Phoenix 109 place Sacra- Detroit 95, Toronto 76 mento State. Milwaukee 133, Dallas 99 Weber St. “This game New Orleans 102, N.J. 92 at Sac St. is no differ- Wash. 110, Sacramento 107 ent for us than Cleveland 104, Portland 98 When: 8 p.m. it was going L.A. Lakers 108, Clippers 97 Where: to Portland Okla. City 122, Golden St. 121 Sacramento, State,” said Calif. WSU coach SPORTS SHORTS Radio: KLO- Randy Rahe. AM 1430 “We need to fo- Rushing leaves Note: cus, play hard, USU for Packers Wildcats lead play smart series 25-4. ... and keep our LOGAN — Utah State Brian Katz is football assistant coach John intensity at a DJAMILA GROSSMAN/Standard-Examiner in fi rst year as maximum to Rushing is leaving USU to join Hornets’ coach the Green Bay Packers staff. Bountiful High School’s Jason West drives the ball toward the basket as Box Elder’s Jason Saunders tries to guard him in Brigham succeed.” Rushing spent six seasons City on Wednesday. See a slideshow with additional photos from the game at www.standard.net With a 4- at Utah State, where he has 1 league record, the Wildcats coached the cornerbacks as (10-8 overall) are relatively well as the punt return squad. Too many early turnovers costly for Box Elder boys pleased with their performance Rushing is familiar with during the past three weeks the Packers’ organization, as #Z%&//*4-"34&/ INSIDE: Prep roundup / 2C champion Braves shot 49.0 percent of the conference season. One last summer he was selected (24-of-49), including 42.9 percent (3-of- of the strengths of the team is 4UBOEBSE&YBNJOFSTUBGG 7) from 3- range, outrebounded to be a participant in the EMBSTFO!TUBOEBSEOFU 3 run Wednesday, cruising to a decisive the ability for several players National Football League’s 67-50 Region 5 runaway over the Bees. Box Elder 31-18 and had 12 turnovers. to step up and be the offensive Minority Internship Program BRIGHAM CITY — The Bees’ “The scouting report on Bountiful “We had seven turnovers in the fi rst leader. game plan was solid. The execution, at with Green Bay. hasn’t changed much in the past sea- quarter,” Mecham said. “But we were Lately it has been senior Kel- times, was fl awed. son,” Mecham said. “They’re all se- solid defensively, doing what I wanted len McCoy, who has been the WSU’s Haws wins “I thought we played a better sec- them to do. Our carelessness with the niors and they have played a grundle team’s leading scorer in each Big Sky honor ond half,” Box Elder coach Keith Me- of games. In a lot of ways, Bountiful ball led to layups. Those shots were in of the past three games, includ- cham said. “We played scared offen- and (undefeated) Bear River are simi- transition against a team that can fi n- OGDEN — Weber State ing WSU’s win over Montana freshman distance runner sively the first half. If we take care lar. ish at the rim.” of the ball and make them play a half- “They rely on their defense and Christian Taylor tossed in a team- on Saturday when he and fel- Natalie Haws has been named low senior Daviin Davis each the Big Sky Conference female court game, then we have a shot.” great team passing,” he said. “If they high 20 points, dropping in 9-of-10 free Up one at 5:06 of the second quarter, can create turnovers and score in tran- throws, for Bountiful, 5-1 in its last six scored 18 points. track athlete of the week. “He’s been aggressive and Running in her fi rst the state 4-A runner-up Braves closed sition, they can be a good team.” out the fi rst half with a devastating 18- The three-time defending league 4FF#&&4]1BHF$ made good decisions in his collegiate track and fi eld scoring,” Rahe said of McCoy, meet, she won the 3,000 who is averaging 13.4 points meters at the Bengal Shootout in Pocatello, 4FF846]1BHF$ Idaho, last Friday in a time of Hall of Famer McHale Mehmet Okur 8:58.41. (13) shoots over She won the race by more a falling Houston than 20 seconds. visits like an ‘everyman’ Rockets’ Luis May scores in Scola (4) on Key road ECHL All-Star loss he conversation could Wednesday, in READING, Pa. — Matthew have taken place in Houston. Ford of Charlotte and Kevin Ta local coffee shop, Jim PAT SULLIVAN trip faces over a neighbor’s fence or Baker of each scored The three goals and four points to at a nearby watering hole Burton lead the American Conference where everybody knows to an 11-5 win over the National your name. Extra Point USU crew Conference in the 2009 ECHL For all the notoriety All-Star Game on Wednesday that came from playing 13 in front of 5,693 fans at the seasons with the Boston #Z30:#6350/ Sovereign Center. Celtics, the championship When he brought them to Salt Lake City on Tuesday, 4UBOEBSE&YBNJOFSTUBGG Utah Grizzlies rookie Tom rings and the induction into Rockets 108 SCVSUPO!TUBOEBSEOFU May scored a fi rst-period goal the Hall of Fame, Kevin the T-Wolves had won seven to give the National team a McHale is a regular guy. of their last nine. Jazz 99 SAN JOSE, Calif. — Sure, 2-1 lead early on. A 6-foot-10 everyman. So how’d you do it, they know the way to San Jose. Kevin? Kirilenko sits It’s finding a way to win at McHale and his out due to injury TAKE A TICKET Minnesota Timberwolves “Oh, I don’t know,” he San Jose State that concerns said. “They guys are coming ——— the Aggies. College women’s basketball team came to together, they’re playing SLIDESHOW: A year ago, Utah State was basketball: Sacramento State EnergySolutions Arena on well together. They’ve got a Additional in the driver’s seat in the West- vs. Weber State, 7 p.m., Dee Tuesday, and fell to the Jazz little sense that they can win photos at ern Athletic Conference race, Events Center 112-107. The fi nal score was games, that they can stay in standard.net much like the Aggies are today Local sports: See at least part of the story, but games.” at 17-1, 5-0 in complete schedule on really, it was only a small He spoke as though he the WAC. Scoreboard / 3C part. With McHale, there is had little to do with such Rockets take lead Two ugly ON THE AIR much, much more to be said a transformation, like bad losses on the and to be heard. teams routinely morph San Jose State- 5 p.m. — College men’s Following the T-Wolves’ into good ones just by Utah State Hawaii road basketball: West Virginia at morning shootaround, the happenstance. early, hold off Jazz at SJSU trip turned the Georgetown, ESPN team president-turned- No question about it, tables on USU, 5 p.m. — College men’s head coach limped off the McHale is a good coach. But When: 8 p.m. which spent basketball: Purdue at court, his knees and ankles the most interesting part of Jazz rallied from 16 points Where: San the rest of the Minnesota, ESPN2 mangled from so many this particular story is his Utah’s road down in the third quarter Jose, Calif. season chas- 6:15 p.m. — NBA years spent banging bodies reluctance to get involved in woes continue to make it interesting at the Radio: KVNU- ing the league basketball: Boston at with other big guys. the day-to-day operation of end. AM 610, KLZX- leaders. Orlando, TNT He looked a lot like he his team. 5IF"TTPDJBUFE1SFTT “It’s really hard for them FM 95.9 Though the 7 p.m. — College men’s did back in his playing days: A little more than to give up,” said Luis Sco- Note: Aggies Aggies even- HOUSTON — No matter la, who had 19 points and basketball: St. Mary’s, Calif. at lanky, unusually broad a month ago, he was who’s in the lineup, no mat- lead series 40-21 tually caught San Diego, ESPN2 shoulders and a thick head characterized as someone nine rebounds for Houston. ——— up and Utah ter when they meet dur- “That pretty much guaran- 7 p.m. — College of dark hair. who didn’t want to coach in ing the season, the Hous- INSIDE: State coach tees it’s going to be a close men’s basketball: UCLA at Knowing a bit of his the NBA. ton Rockets always expect Cougars fall in Stew Morrill game.” Washington State, FSN history and anxious to Not so, he said. a tough game against the showdown with has fond mem- This time, Houston led 7 p.m. — Extreme sports: learn more about how he “It wasn’t like that,” he Utah Jazz. Rebels / 3C ories of sweep- Winter X Games, ESPN reluctantly agreed to take said. “I wanted to coach to Ming had 19 points 91-87 before ing the Boise 8:30 p.m. — NBA over as head coach after try to help these guys get and 12 rebounds, Rafer sank a 3-pointer from the State-Idaho trip to earn a four- basketball: Washington at L.A. Minnesota fi red coach better. It’s not the coaching, Alston scored 23 and the corner with 2:35 left in the way for the regular season title Lakers, TNT Randy Wittman late last it’s the lifestyle.” Rockets built a big lead, game, his fi rst fi eld goal of and take the No. 1 seed for the 9 p.m. — College men’s year, I approached McHale Playing one night in then hung on to beat the the second half. Wafer went WAC tournament, life would be basketball: Southern Cal at with a mix of respect and Indianapolis and the next Jazz 108-99 on Wednesday 3-for-5 from 3-point range a lot simpler if they stayed out Washington, FSN caution. in Miami may seem like a night. and scored 21 points. front. 9 p.m. — Tennis: Some coaches aren’t lot of fun. But arriving at 3 had 32 The Jazz got no closer “We had to (come back in the Australian Open, ESPN2 exactly friendly with a.m., and boarding a charter points and 11 assists and than fi ve after that, though conference race) because of — Standard-Examiner staff newspaper reporters for Denver at 1 a.m. the Ronnie Brewer had 23 Mehmet Okur missed an this trip,” Morrill said. “It would and wire services they’ve just met. next day, well, that’s hardly points for the Jazz, who’ve open 3 in the fi nal minute be nice not to put ourselves in Thankfully, that wasn’t glamorous. dropped seven of their that would’ve cut the lead the same boat, because there’s the case this time. And that’s the part past 10 road games. Andrei to four again. never any guarantees you’re COMING Not only did it not feel McHale wasn’t so sure Kirilenko sat out for Utah “They’re always going going to catch up.” like I was talking with a about. after leaving Tuesday’s to be tough,” Alston said. Tonight’s 8 p.m. game against FRIDAY Hall-of-Famer and someone “I’ve usually got four or game against Minnesota “They play so hard, they the Spartans at Walt McPherson I admired as a young man, it fi ve hours of sleep under with a right ankle injury. play intense, they don’t Court has been on the Aggies’ Wildcats host felt like I was talking to the my belt by (2 or 3 a.m.),” Utah has also been play- back down. They compete minds since beating Boise State Sacramento State guy down the street. he said. “I traveled when ing without , with the best of them.” at home for their 12th consecu- women in crucial Big Sky When he took over the I played and by the end who’s expected to miss The Rockets were also tive win. basketball battle T-Wolves, they had lost 15 of of my career I was tired about two more weeks af- short-handed, playing again Utah State has the best road their fi rst 19 games. In his of traveling. There was ter knee surgery on Jan. 9. without Ron Artest and record in the nation so far (6-0, fi rst game as head coach he nothing about traveling But just as they did in Tracy McGrady, who’ve a school record to start the sea- watched his team fall to the a double-overtime loss to Jazz in a heartbreaker. 4FF#6350/]1BHF$ Houston on Dec. 27, the 4FF+";;]1BHF$ 4FF646]1BHF$