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A8 THE ASTORIAN • THuRSdAy, NOvEmbER 21, 2019 CONTACT US FOLLOW US Gary Henley | Sports Reporter ghenley@dailyastorian.com facebook.com/ DailyAstorianSports HOMETOWN REPORT BIG ‘HOMECOMING’ WELCOME FOR UTTI Seaside grad scores career-high 29 points By GARY HENLEY The Astorian ORTLAND — There were lots of red shirts in the stands at the Chiles Center on Sunday for a University of Portland women’s college basketball game. And the red shirts weren’t Fresno State red. They were Seaside red. Seaside High School’s Maddi Utti was making a “homecoming” of sorts, as the Bulldogs paid a visit to Portland in a battle of unbeatens. And except for the Pilots’ 75-64 win, the night could not have been more memorable for Utti. On her 21st birthday and in front of a large contingent of fans from her hometown, Utti scored a career-high 29 points. Fresno State led 17-12 after one quar- ter, but Portland rallied and outscored the Bulldogs 63-47 over the final three quarters. The Pilots improved to 4-0, while Fresno State (3-1) lost its first game of the season. Utti was 14-of-24 from the field and pulled down 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the season, and 12th of her college career. Utti tried to rally the Bulldogs. Her 10th point of the third quarter had Fresno State within 57-50 to end the quarter, and she scored Fresno State’s first six points of the fourth period to cut Portland’s lead to 59-56. The Bulldogs got within 63-62 before the Pilots regrouped and rebuilt their lead to close out the win. Now in her junior season, Utti was on the Mountain West Conference all-defen- sive team last season, in addition to mak- ing honorable mention all-conference. Fresno State hosts Brigham Young Thursday and Northern Arizona next Sunday, before playing a pair of games in Los Angeles vs. Yale and George- town, Nov. 29-30. P Jeff Ter Har Maddi Utti, in the back row, poses with a few of her Seaside fans who were in attendance Sunday in Portland. Jeff Ter Har Maddi Utti, right, takes a break in the action during last Sunday’s game in Portland. Jackson scores career-high 22 points Utti wasn’t the only former Gull to come up big on the court in the first week of the college basketball season. In a men’s game Nov. 15 in New- berg, Seaside’s Jackson Januik scored a career-high 22 points to lead George Fox to an 87-82 win over Colorado College. Januik, a junior guard, was 6-of-10 from the field and 8-for-9 from the free throw line, and added five rebounds and four assists in the victory. George Fox improved to 2-1. George Fox Athletics Jackson Januik goes up for a shot against Colorado College. SCOREBOARD PREP SPORTS SCHEDULE FOOTBALL — 2A Semifinal: Knappa vs. Heppner, 2:15 p.m. (Hillsboro Stadium) Jeff Ter Har Maddi Utti drops in two of her 29 points in Sunday’s game at the Chiles Center. Anthony brings new outlook despite Trail Blazers loss By BRETT MARTEL Associated Press NEW ORLEANS — Carmelo Anthony had accepted the possi- bility that his NBA career might be over. That seems to have liberated him to come back on his own terms when he signed with the Portland Trail Blazers. “I came to a point where I was willing to accept it either way,” Anthony said after playing the first game of his 17th season with his sixth NBA team on Tuesday night. “I had to get myself mentally pre- pared for that and I did, to be hon- est with you. “I stayed with it, but there was times where I didn’t want to. I wanted to just say, ‘Forget it, move on with my life, spend more time with my family.’ I started getting more comfortable with that,” Anthony continued. “I come into this game with a totally dif- ferent mindset, totally different motivation.” Anthony’s Portland debut — played across the street from where he led Syracuse to the 2003 NCAA championship — was not a triumphant one. He missed 10 of 14 shots, finished with 10 points, and the Blazers lost 115-104 in UP NEXT: BLAZERS • Portland Trail Blazers (5-10) at Milwaukee Bucks (10-3) • Tonight, 5 p.m. TV: TNT, NSNW Gerald Herbert/AP Photo Portland Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony is defended by New Orleans Pelicans guard Kenrich Williams (34) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans Tuesday. New Orleans. But Anthony was in good spir- its when he exited the locker room and stood in a hallway, patiently taking questions and often smiling as he spoke introspectively about the significance of his first NBA game action since his unceremo- nious departure from the Houston Rockets a year ago, after appear- ing in just 10 games. “The greatest feeling of it all was to feel wanted by a group of guys who believe in me and my talent and what I can bring to the table,” said the 10-time All- Star, who has averaged about 24 points per game during his career. “It wasn’t just the players, it was the coaching staff. They showed a strong belief in me and what I can still do.” He started right away, even before he’d participated in a single full practice with the Blazers. He joined them the day after they’d lost at Houston on Monday night, and approximately 72 hours after getting confirmation by phone that the Blazers were ready to sign him. “That was something that was established from the gate, when we had that phone call: Let’s be trans- parent. That was a miscommuni- cation over the last couple seasons over what my role would be and things that was expected from me, and that was a big point,” Anthony said. “There’s not nothing I won’t be willing to do, but just let me know up front. Whatever it is, just let me know, put it out on the table and let’s go from there. “That was a big reason why I made my decision,” Anthony added. “It worked. I’m here. They had a vision. They had a plan and I was part of that plan. When it came down to it, I wanted to be part of that plan.” Anthony said it was hard to tune out speculation over which teams might give him another shot during his year out of the game. “It’s been a roller coaster,” he said. “There was one point where I told my agent: “Just let me know when it’s first and goal. Don’t call me when it’s first and 20.” In the meantime, Anthony assured that he “wasn’t on the couch” waiting for a call, but con- tinuing to train. “Physically, as far as basket- ball goes, that comes easy to me,” Anthony said. “I still have to put the work into that, but it was more of a mental and emotional chal- lenge, more so than a physical challenge.” For the time being, the 35-year- old Anthony is steering clear of setting expectations. “Who knows? I don’t think anyone knows what’s going to happen this year,” he said. “I’m here now. That’s what’s import- ant. I could have still been home, right? So, Portland pulled the trig- ger. No matter what happens, I will always appreciate that. “I have a new outlook,” he added. “For me, where I’m at, mentally, emotionally, the way I see things now, the way I approach the game, the way I approach this situation is more so me just hav- ing another different appreciation of just what this is and what the game of basketball brings.”
