Page 16
January 21, 2015
S PORTS
Super Bowl Bound -- Again!
Seahawks
win thriller
in overtime
(AP) — The loudest stadium in
America was silent. A return trip to
the Super Bowl was slipping away.
Time for the Seattle Seahawks to
show why they are champions.
"You have the belief these guys
have in one another, there is noth-
ing you can't do," coach Pete Carroll
said after an implausible comeback
for a 28-22 victory over Green Bay in
the NFC championship game Sun-
day.
Plagued by turnovers and
outplayed much of the day, the
Seahawks staged a stunning rally
built on resilience. Russell Wilson,
who struggled until the final min-
utes, hit Jermaine Kearse for a 35-
yard touchdown 3:19 into the extra
period to win it.
The Seahawks became the first
defending champion to make the
Super Bowl in 10 years, and will play
the AFC champion New England
Patriots, who routed Indianapolis
45-7. How Seattle got there was stun-
ning.
"The will and the drive of these
men is unbelievable," Wilson said.
"We always find a way to finish."
Seattle Seahawks' Jermaine Kearse celebrates after catching the
game-winning touchdown during overtime of the NFL football NFC
Championship game against the Green Bay Packers Sunday in
Seattle. The Seahawks won 28-22 to advance to Super Bowl
XLIX. (AP photo)
Portland Trail Blazers guard Wesley Matthews looks for room to
maneuver against Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore during
Monday’s NBA basketball game in Portland. (AP photo)
Aldridge Injures
Thumb in Win
(AP) — Even after losing All-
Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge to
an injury, the banged-up Portland
Trail Blazers found a winning com-
bination.
Damian Lillard scored 22 points,
including the go-ahead basket with
1:20 remaining, and Portland ended
a three-game losing streak Monday
night at the Moda Center with a 98-
94 victory over the Sacramento
Kings.
Lillard had six points during the
final 80 seconds and helped rally the
Trail Blazers (31-11) from an 11-point,
second-half deficit. Wesley
Matthews scored 17 for Portland.
The news wasn't all good for the
Blazers, though, because Aldridge
exited in the second quarter with a
left thumb injury. Portland coach
Terry Stotts said the status of
Aldridge, who leads the team with
averages of 23.5 points and 10.4
rebounds per game, was "under
further review."