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HERMISTON
NIT to implement
shorter shot clock
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NEW YORK (AP) —
With scoring plunging to
historic lows, the NCAA
said Friday it will exper-
iment with a shorter shot
clock at this
year’s NIT
to see if that
can jump-
start college
basketball’s
lagging offense.
The tournament will
feature a 30-second shot
clock instead of the tradi-
tional 35-second clock that
has been in play since 1993,
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the effect on the games and
taking the data to the men’s
basketball rules committee
for review in May.
The NCAA will also
expand the restricted area
under the basket from 3
feet to 4 feet to see if it
curbs the amount of colli-
sions at the rim.
Hermiston
retains CRC lead
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NEW YORK (AP) —
Seattle Seahawks linebacker
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$10,000 by the NFL for his
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onds left in the Super Bowl.
Three other players received
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FACES Seattle
defensive
end Michael
Bennett and
New England
Patriots tight
ends Rob
Gronkowski
Irvin
and Michael
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roughness, the others for
striking an opponent late.
The shoving began after
Patriots quarterback Tom
Brady took a knee follow-
ing cornerback Malcolm
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seconds left in the Patriots’
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ejected and apologized for
his actions.
The NFL said earlier that
Seattle wide receiver Doug
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for unsportsmanlike conduct
after his 3-yard touchdown
catch that gave the Sea-
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“I never thought
I could be more
proud of Bruce
when he reached
his goal in 1976,
but I’m more
proud of him
now. It takes a lot
of courage to do
what he’s doing.“
— Esther Jenner
Mother of Olympic
decathlon gold medal
winner Bruce Jenner,
who has been specu-
lated to be transition-
ing to a woman. Bruce
Jenner has not spoken
to the media about his
gender identity.
By SAM BARBEE
EO Media Group
Sam Barbee photo
Hermiston’s Chance Flores (1) drives around
Gordy Harris of The Dalles toward the basket
during the fi rst half of the Bulldogs win.
Hermiston
58
The Dalles
49
did against Pendleton in the
fourth quarter: we got pas-
sive,” Bulldogs head coach
Jake Mcelligott said.
Despite the passiveness,
Hermiston never led by few-
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the Dawghouse. With the win,
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Pendleton’s win over Hood
River Valley, while The Dalles
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back.
Chase Knutz led the Bull-
dogs with 15 points, and Kee-
gan Crafton wasn’t far behind
with 14.
“We just lose focus,” Knutz
said after the game. “I don’t
know — we haven’t put a full
game together all year long.
Last week against Pendleton,
(we) obvisouly didn’t put a
full game together. Could’ve
easily beat them if we handled
the fourth quarter the way we
should’ve. It’s all mental.”
“We are yet to play a good
fourth quarter in league,”
McElligott added. “To me,
that’s disappointing.”
Hermiston jumped out to
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a strong physical presence of
Crafton down low. McElligott
said he’s been talking to Craf-
See HERMISTON/2B
PENDLETON
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Pendleton
rebounds from loss
with blowout win
Pendleton’s
Kristin Williams
shoots over
Hood River’s
Jessica Lara in
the Bucks’ 71-36
win against the
Eagles on Friday
in Pendleton.
By ERIK SKOPIL
East Oregonian
The Buckaroos best wasn’t enough
to bounce Hermiston on Tuesday, but
a lesser effort versus a lesser opponent
was plenty on Friday.
Facing Columbia River Conference
doormat Hood River Valley, the Buck-
aroos overwhelmed the overmatched
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Warberg Court.
With caliber of opponent plunging
from Tuesday to Friday, the Buckaroos
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the ship in the second and third to allow
the reserves the chance to wrap it up in
the fourth
“I don’t think we played very well,
but we got a ‘W’, so that’s what counts,”
said senior forward Kiana Sperl, who
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bounds.
Hood River Valley (5-14, 0-4 CRC)
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A Marlene Bodmer corner three-pointer
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11, and Pendleton would close the half
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The third quarter erased any doubt
of the outcome. The Bucks turned the
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lead midway through the period. The
quarter ended with Pendleton leading by
30 and it was time to empty the bench.
“I always love it when everyone gets
to play,” Pendleton coach Michelle Go-
mez said. “There’s some games when
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
GIRLS
HOOPS
Pendleton
71
HRV
36
See PENDLETON/2B
PENDLETON
Bucks get their revenge on HRV
East Oregonian
1882 — John L. Sullivan
wins the world heavyweight
bare-knuckle title by beating
Paddy Ryan in a nine-round
bout in Mississippi City,
Miss.
1976 — Darryl Sittler of
the Toronto Maple Leafs sets
an NHL record for points in a
game with six goals and four
assists in an 11-4 victory over
the Boston Bruins.
1990 — Lisa Leslie of
Morningside High School in
Inglewood, Calif., scores 101
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South Torrance High School.
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the coach of South Torrance
decides not to bring his team
out for the second half.
HOOD RIVER — Once again
Hood River Valley threatened to
overtake the Buckaroos late with
their frenzied high-paced attack.
The Eagles got within one, but
this time the Buckaroos managed to
avert the heartbreak, hanging on to
HDUQ D YLF
BOYS HOOPS tory at The Pit.
The Bucka-
URRV
CRC) held a
Pendleton
10-point lead ear-
ly in the fourth
quarter. That lead
was down to one
in the closing sec-
onds, but Caden
HRV
Smith sank a pair
of free throws to
make it three and
seal the win.
The opening two minutes of regu-
lation felt like deja vu for the Bucks.
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would defend the perimeter better
for the game’s remainder, however,
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Contact us at 541-966-0838 or
sports@eastoregonian.com
See BUCKAROOS/2B
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
In its last two league games,
the Hermiston boys basketball
team has had big leads in the
second half and has struggled
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Tuesday, against rival Pendle-
ton, that resulted in a loss, and
last week against Hood River
the Bulldogs hung on to win.
Friday, against The Dalles
Riverhawks, the script was
the same: The Bulldogs had a
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put the game’s result in doubt.
“We did the same thing we
BOYS HOOPS
HERMISTON
Bulldogs
shoot down
Riverhawks
East Oregonian
61
THE DALLES — Hermiston’s
shooters were hot from the get and
burned The Dalles early and often on
Friday in a Columbia River Conference
girls basketball game.
The Bulldogs nev-
GIRLS HOOPS er allowed the River-
hawks to make a game
of it and cruised 55-30
at Kurtz Gym.
Hermiston
Led by the outside
accuracy of Jansen Ed-
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Tavin Headings (14),
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4-0 CRC) were ahead
The Dalles
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“We did a good job
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their defense rotated we had a lot of op-
portunities to shoot early,” said Hermis-
ton coach Steve Hoffert.
See BULLDOGS/2B
55
58
30
Photo by Mike Weber for the East Oregonian
Pendleton senior post Wes Persinger shoots in the post
while guarded by Hood River’s Kaydin Gibbs during
the second quarter of Columbia River Conference boys
basketball game Friday in Hood River.