Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 22, 2015)
THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 Sports shorts 2-point conversion generated biggest Seahawks quake SEATTLE (AP) — Earthquake experts with the Network have analyzed the CenturyLink Field shaking during the Seahawks’ win over the Packers in Sunday’s NFC title game. The experts say the biggest event was caused by all the jumping and dancing that followed the touchdown and 2-point conversion as Seattle rallied at the end of regula- tion time. The University of Wash- ington’s Steve Malone calls it a “dance quake” generated by bouncing fans. Malone says that dance quake was the biggest seis- mic signal associated with a Seahawks game — even bigger than the 2011 “beast quake” that followed a Mar- shawn Lynch touchdown run and originally drew the attention of earthquake trackers. Other earthshaking events Sunday were Seattle’s fake winning touchdown in over- time. Nadal wins 5-set 2nd-round match at Australian Open MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Rafael Nadal perse- vered through stomach cramps Tim Smyczek 6-2, 3-6, 6-7 (2), 6-3, 7-5 in a second-round match Wednes- FACES day at the Aus- tralian Open. Nadal came into the tour- nament having played in only four tournaments Nadal since Wimble- don due to a right wrist injury and appendix surgery. At the end of the third game of the third set, Nadal called for medical assistance and was given medication for stomach pain. Serving for the third set at 5-4, Nadal had a dou- ble-fault on break point. Smyczek clinched the tiebreaker and the third set with an ace. “I think people somehow get a skewed view of Tom Brady, that he’s just a clean- cut guy that does everything right and never says a bad word to anyone. We know him to be otherwise.” — Richard Sherman Seattle Seahawks cornerback on New England Patriot quar- terback Tom Brady. The comment was made in reference to the team’s meeting in 2012 when the Seahawks rallied to beat the Patriots 24-23. Sherman says Brady mocked Sherman and his teammates following the game during the postgame handshakes. THIS DATE IN SPORTS 1920 — The New York Yankees announce they will form numbers, according to the player’s position in bat- ting order. 1962 — Bob Feller and Jackie Robinson are elect- ed into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Robinson, who broke baseball’s racial barrier, is the Contact us at 541-966-0838 or sports@eastoregonian.com SPORTS 1B FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @EOSPORTS PENDLETON Bucks more than Big 3 Pendleton takes team-first approach into league play By MATT ENTRUP East Oregonian The Big 3. It’s a concept that has enamored NBA gen- eral managers and fans for the better part of a decade, with the basic tenet that three dominant players are needed to deliver a championship. Following its own Big 3, the Pendleton boys basketball team enters Columbia River Conference play on Friday with a No. 5 OSAA ranking that has some team observers hoping for more than just the program’s second league The Bucks are led by sophomore Caden Smith with 16.4 points a game this season, followed by seniors Wes Persinger (12.1) and Sonny Green (10.6). Persinger, a 6-foot-6 post, is adding 9.4 rebounds per game and has six double-doubles in 14 games. All three are “We just play to win,” Persinger said. “We don’t care about the stats, we don’t care about who has the most points. We just play as a team and try to our best every night.” Persinger and his Pendleton teammates un- derstand the Big 3 only works with a surround- coach Brian Broaddus has and what makes those within the locker room feel like the Bucks (9-5) are in good shape as they prepare for the CRC opener on Friday against Hood River Valley. “I try and appreciate the guys that do the dirty work. The guys that get the loose balls, the rebounds,” Broaddus said. “The kids that score, they get their name in the paper, every- body knows that, but to be a great team there are a lot of jobs that have to be done and none are more important than others. Some people are a gifted shooter, but it takes the guys with the grit to get the dirty work done.” Forward James Bradt and guard Kai Quinn, and have become keys to the Bucks’ success despite averaging a combined 12.5 points a game. Post Levi Winterton and guards Quinn Cockburn and TJ Hancock have also carved out unheralded niches off the bench. “Every team needs those kind of guys be- See BUCKS/2B Staff photo by E.J. Harris Pendleton’s Wes Persinger puts up a shot in front of Baker’s Logan Sand in the Bucks’ 70-46 win last week. Persinger and the Bucks enter Columbia River Conference play this week as Class 5A’s fi fth-ranked team. CRC Basketball Bulldogs need quick turnaround to defend crown By MATT ENTRUP East Oregonian The Hermiston Bulldogs haven’t lost a Columbia River Conference game since Feb. 16, 2013. The Bulldogs have won the last two CRC titles and three of the four decided since the conference’s cre- ation for the 2010-11 season. But after getting a late start on preparations due to the football team’s state championship that ex- tended its season by four weeks, Hermiston’s run on top could be coming to a close without a quick turnaround. The Bulldogs (3-11) enter Fri- day’s league opener at The Dalles on a three-game losing streak and haven’t won back-to-back games head coach Jake McElligott, who led nearby Irrigon to the 2A state NBA championship last year. The Bulldogs, which returned no all-league selections to the court this season, are third in the CRC in average scoring with 45.9 points a game and second in defense at 57.5. But Hermiston has shown poten- See CRC/2B College Basketball Utes drub Cougars Phoenix backcourt blasts Blazers Associated Press Bledsoe, Thomas light up shorthanded Portland Associated Press PHOENIX — Season-high points by Eric Bledsoe with 33 and Isaiah Thomas with 27 saved the Phoenix Suns after they watched evaporate but still topped the Portland Trail Blazers 118-113 on Wednesday night. The Blazers (31-12) went up 110-105 with 2:22 to play on a 3-point- er from leading scorer 86 Phoenix 118 64 Portland 113 ished with 27 points. But the Suns went on a 13-3 run to close the game and win their seventh straight home game. Portland got 22 points each for Damian Lillard and Wesley Matthews and 10 re- bounds from Batum. The Suns (26-18) have their longest home See BLAZERS/2B SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Brandon Taylor had 18 points and seven assists, and Delon Wright added 17 points and eight assists to help No. 12 Utah beat Washington State 86-64 on Wednesday night. After losing to then-No. # 12 Utah 10 Arizo- na 69-51 last Sat- urday, the Utes (15-3, 5-1 WAZZU Pac-12) rebounded in a big way by re- turning to their winning ways at home, where Utah has de- feated unranked opponents 31 straight times. Jordan Loveridge scored 14 points for Utah, which played without Jakob Poeltl (ankle) but exploited a 20-1 edge in points off turnovers to See WSU/2B AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin Phoenix Suns’ Goran Dragic goes up for a shot as he gets past Portland Trail Blazers’ Dorell Wright, right, during the fi rst half of an NBA basketball game Wednes- day in Phoenix.
