Page 2B
SPORTS
East Oregonian
Friday, December 22, 2017
Men’s College Basketball
Prep Basketball
San Diego State upsets No. 12 Gonzaga Bouncin’ Cancer
roars into 9th year
By BERNIE WILSON
Associated Press
SAN DIEGO — Senior
Trey Kell scored 10 of his
14 points in the final 2:56
and redshirt freshman
Jalen McDaniels scored
10 of his 15 points in the
second half and had 10
rebounds for San Diego
State, which overcame
poor shooting to upset
No. 12 Gonzaga 72-70 on
Thursday night.
Freshman Matt Mitchell
added 15 points for San
Diego State (8-3), which
led the whole game while
shooting only 36.1 percent.
While McDaniels and
Mitchell made big shots
down the stretch, Kell—
who didn’t start due to a
thigh injury that’s limited
him in practice — made
eight of 10 free throws in
the final 2:56 and added
a nice reverse layup with
AP Photo/Denis Poroy
San Diego State forward Max Montana (10) fights for a
loose ball with Gonzaga’s Zach Norvell Jr. (23), left, and
Josh Perkins (13), right, on Thursday’s in San Diego.
46.4 seconds to go to give
SDSU a 66-60 lead.
The biggest shot for
McDaniels was when he
swooped in for a slam
dunk off Kell’s missed
3-pointer for a 54-47 lead
with 4:48 left that brought
the crowd to its feet. That
came one possession after
Mitchell hit a 3-pointer.
Gonzaga (10-3) twice
Gonzaga
San Diego St.
70
72
closed to two points, on a
3-pointer by Silas Melson
and then on two free
throws by Rui Hachimura
with 1:36 left.
Kell then made the final
two of his free throws and
his reverse layup to give
the Aztecs some breathing
room.
Gonzaga’s Jesse Wade
hit a 3-pointer with
one-tenth of a second left.
Zach Norvell Jr. led
Gonzaga with 22 points
while Hachimura had 13
and Johnathan Williams
added 12 points and 15
rebounds.
UP NEXT
Gonzaga hosts Pacific
in a West Coast Confer-
ence opener on Thursday.
STAR: Has enjoyed her time living in Pendleton
Continued from 1B
as many school-sponsored
sports, so Senkerikova has
been honing her skills by
playing high-level club
soccer for the last few years.
So it was no surprise to
see her display a high level
of talent on the pitch this
season for Pendleton, which
helped her earn Columbia
River Conference Co-Player
of the Year honors as well as
Class 5A first team all-state
honors.
She was one of only two
CRC players to make the
all-state list, which is voted
on by the 5A coaches and
compiled by The Orego-
nian, the other player being
league champion Hood
River Valley’s Yahaira
Chavarria.
“It felt pretty good,”
Senkerikova said of getting
the awards. She was caught
by surprise when her accom-
plishments were announced
at a school assembly in the
gymnasium, which Senker-
ikova described the scene as
“awesome.”
Senkerikova arrived in
the US on Aug. 24 and will
stay here throughout Pend-
leton’s school year before
flying back to her home
country in mid-June. During
her stay, she is living with
host parents Richard and
Charity Boyer of Pendleton,
and so far has enjoyed her
time living in the town of
just over 16,800 residence,
citing an affinity for the
area’s restaurants and nice
people. While studying at
Pendleton High School, she
lists her favorite classes as
training and conditioning
and mathematics.
When she goes back
to Europe, she will still
have roughly two years of
schooling before she gradu-
ates high school. And being
that she turns 18 years of age
in May, she will likely try
out for the Czech Republic
women’s national program
as well before eventually
hoping to return to the US to
play collegiate soccer.
But until then, she will
enjoy the final five-plus
months of her exchange
program and continue
learning the ropes of being a
Buckaroo.
————
Contact Eric at esinger@
eastoregonian.com
or
541-966-0839. Follow him
on Twitter @ByEricSinger.
SEAHAWKS: 55-16 since 2010 in games holding
opponents under 100 rushing yards
Continued from 1B
K.J. Wright were injured.
Founette rushed for 101
yards in the game, with
84 of those coming in the
second half.
It was a similar story
against the Rams, just
a different point of the
game. With Wagner limited
because of a hamstring
injury and Wright out
because of a concussion,
Gurley ran for 144 of his
152 yards in the first half of
the Rams’ 42-7 rout.
While Gurley’s 57-yard
TD sprint in the final minute
of the first half got most of
the attention, the bigger
issue was the huge chunk
plays Gurley had well
before his long run.
The Rams had eight run
plays of 10 yards or more
in the rout. The Seahawks
allowed 10 total run plays
of 10 yards or more during
a five-game span from late
October and November
when they were ranking
among the best run defenses
in the league.
“I’m excited for him,
Todd Gurley is a heckuva
player,” Cowboys QB Dak
Prescott said. “You watch
that game and you see why.
Zeke with a lot of the similar
abilities and traits, we’re
excited for what he can do.”
While Seattle is unsure
how much the Cowboys will
feature Elliott, the fact he
hasn’t played in six weeks
and isn’t worn down from a
long season is a boost.
Wagner has been playing
with a hamstring injury for
nearly two months and was
its most troublesome last
week when he lacked the
explosiveness to try and
chase down Gurley. Bradley
McDougald has played well
at strong safety, but he isn’t
Kam Chancellor when it
comes to stopping the run.
The Seahawks will get a lift
by having Wright back this
week.
Wagner
noted
that
because of all the injuries,
what’s been an experienced,
veteran defense is now full
of new faces that have never
played together.
“It’s kind of just
furthering the thing that we
have kind of been dealing
with, with everybody trying
to relearn everybody,”
Wagner said.
Stopping the run has long
been a hallmark of Carroll’s
defensive priorities and it’s
proved true in his Seattle
tenure.
The
Seahawks
are
23-31-1 since 2010 in games
where they’ve allowed at
least 100 yards rushing
to the opponent. They are
55-16 when holding oppo-
nents under 100 yards.
Before his suspension,
Elliott had four straight
games of at least 93 yards
rushing, and three of those
were well over 100 yards.
“I think he’ll be really
fired up to play football.
I think he has to be about
as hungry as you can get,”
Carroll said.
OREGON: Track athlete had grade changed from
a “F” to a “B” by professor to stay eligible
Continued from 1B
Track and field coach Robert
Johnson is not mentioned
in the case that featured a
professor changing a failing
grade to allow an athlete to
pass a class and continue
competing in the sport.
“Coach Altman and
coach Graves are committed
to compliance with NCAA
bylaws, they have the
highest ethical standards on
and off the court, and each
acknowledges the infrac-
tions that took place within
their programs,” Oregon
athletic
director
Rob
Mullens said in a statement.
“In both cases, our moni-
toring program identified
the issues and they were
reported to the NCAA. We
have addressed the matters
with
the
responsible
employees and enhanced
compliance training within
the department. These cases
do not merit the level of
charges against the coaches
sought by the NCAA.”
Altman and Graves
were both alleged to have
exceeded the NCAA limit
of four coaches by allowing
other staff members to
participate in team activities
during practice. The alle-
gations against the men’s
basketball team date back
to 2013 while the women’s
program committed similar
violations beginning in
December 2016.
The men’s basket-
ball team allowed “a
noncoaching staff member”
to serve as referee between
10 and 20 times per year.
From May 22 to Aug. 19.
2016, the staff member
“provided technical or
tactical basketball instruc-
tion to, participated with/or
observed men’s basketball
student-athletes ... during
nonorganized
voluntary
athletically related activi-
ties” at least 64 times.
Earlier this year, a
staff member watched an
Oregon player running at
a local high school track
on three occasions. From
December 2016 until
May, an assistant strength
and conditioning coach
participated in “on-court”
activities with the Ducks.
The names of the staff
members and players who
worked with them are
redacted from the report.
The allegations state
that Altman “is presumed
responsible
for
the
violations ... and did not
rebut the presumption of
responsibility. Specifically,
Altman did not demon-
strate that he promoted an
atmosphere of compliance
and monitored his staff
within the program due to
his personal knowledge of
and/or involvement in the
violations described.”
Altman
released
a
statement saying “I fully
acknowledge that some
members of our staff made
mistakes when it comes to
refereeing practice games
and working out some
players. We have taken
steps to correct these issues
with our staff, and we are
committed to complying
with NCAA rules.”
The allegations against
the women’s program are
similar stating that an assis-
tant strength and condi-
tioning coach participated
in individual workouts and
practices. Like Altman,
Graves is declared respon-
sible for the violations by
the NCAA.
“I regret that some
members of my staff made
errors of judgment, and I
have taken actions to ensure
that it doesn’t happen
again,” Graves said in a
statement. “I am steadfastly
committed to building a
winning program at the UO
that operates in full compli-
ance with NCAA bylaws
and is committed to the
highest levels of integrity.”
According to the NCAA
website, any penalties for
the coaches are determined
on a case-by-case basis
and that precedent is not a
guide because “each case
has its own aggravating and
mitigating factors, and the
committee considers both
sides in assessing penal-
ties.” However, the website
also indicates that a head
coach could be “suspended
from 10 percent to an entire
coaching season” for a
Level I or Level II violation.
In the track and field case,
an adjunct professor in the
anthropology department
gave an athlete a “B-” in
Scientific Racism in March
2016 although she should
have received an “F” for not
submitting three-fourths of
the coursework. The grade
change was made when
the professor realized the
athlete’s eligibility would
be in question with a failing
grade.
The case appears to
involve
track
athlete
Jasmine Todd, whose UO
career ended prematurely
when she was declared
ineligible before the 2016
NCAA West Regionals.
Todd, who placed second in
the long jump and fourth in
the 100 meters at the 2015
NCAA
Championships,
told Flotrack.com in June
2016 a story similar to the
one outlined in the NCAA
report, adding that her
professor allowed her to
turn in her assignments
late because of her travel
schedule with the track
team.
The charge against
the football program was
a
recruiting
violation
from November 2016,
during former coach Mark
Helfrich’s tenure, when
the school “created an
electronic presentation that
included each prospective
student-athlete’s
name,
physical attributes and high
school highlight video and
displayed it on a video
board located in the football
performance center.”
Oregon reported that
it would not contest that
charge.
By ERIC SINGER & ALEXIS
MANSANAREZ
East Oregonian
Last year, the Bouncin’
Cancer basketball event
spearheaded by Nixyaawii
athletic director Aaron
Noisey nearly came to an end
due to a lack of interest from
other teams.
But now as the event
prepares for its 11th annual
fundraiser, it will continue a
promise Noisey made after
his own families experience
with cancer.
Beginning Dec. 28, the
two-day event will feature a
handful of local high schools
with all the proceeds from
ticket sales, raffle items, etc.,
going to Your Friend Pamela
Faye — an organization that
helps family members with
gas, meals, hotels as they or
family members fight cancer.
The American Cancer
Society estimated 1,688,780
new cases diagnosed and
more than 600,000 deaths to
cancer in the United States
in 2017. While millions of
dollars are raised to fund
cancer research, there is also
a great need for financial
assistance with non-medical
expenses while these battles
are being waged — some-
thing that Noisey knows all
too well.
In 1985, his mother was
diagnosed with cancer. For
treatment, she stayed in a
hospital a great distance
away from Noisey, his step-
father and siblings. During
his mothers fight, the family
never had the opportunity to
be together.
The cost of gas, motels
and the time that needed
to be taken off work for
the many visits they would
make, added up. So, Noisey
and his brothers had to take
turns seeing their mother.
She passed away in August
of that year.
“There were times when
no one would be with my
mom,” Noisey said. “Part of
the reason I got started (with
Bouncin’ Cancer) is because
I want to do everything I can
do to make sure someone
who’s going through this can
still be a family.”
The event began in 2008
between Echo and Nixyaawii
with local businesses spon-
soring the event by way of
Bouncin’ Cancer
• When: Dec. 28-29
• Where: Helix
• Teams: Nixyaawii,
Echo, Helix, South
Wasco, Ione, Trout Lake
(WA)
• Admission: $5 adults,
$3 students, free for
seniors, children 5 and
under.
• All proceeds donated
to help families battling
cancer.
donations and raffle baskets,
and since then more than
$60,000 has been raised.
A feat, Noisey said,
wouldn’t be possible without
the overwhelming commu-
nity support.
“We’ve seen a great
benefit,” he said. “It doesn’t
matter if we raised $2 or
$2,000, anything we get
benefits the community.”
Your Friend Pamela Faye
assists families within the
Northwest — Washington,
Idaho and Oregon — and
has partnered with Bouncin’
Cancer for the past five years.
Each
year,
Noisey
receives a break down of
where and what the donations
have gone and been used for.
“It’s too bad the circum-
stances we’re raising money
for,” he said. “Hopefully one
day there won’t be a need for
it.”
But for now, Noisey will
continue his efforts and do
his best to give families who
are going through on of the
most difficult times of their
lives, the chance to be just
that: a family.
Helix, Echo, Nixyaawii,
South Wasco County, Ione,
Trout Lake (WA) all playing.
Admission $5 for adults, $3
students, seniors and children
5 and under free. Volunteer
opportunities are available,
and businesses are still
welcome to join the cast of
sponsors.
———
Game schedule
(Girls game first, then boys)
Dec. 28
Echo vs. Ione, Noon/1:30 p.m.
Helix vs. Trout Lake, 3/4:30 p.m.
Nixyaawii vs. South Wasco, 6/7:30 p.m.
Dec. 29
Trout Lake vs. Echo, Noon/1:30 p.m.
Ione vs. Nixyaawii, 3/4:30 p.m.
South Wasco vs. Helix, 6/7:30 p.m.
———
Contact Alexis or Eric at
sports@eastoregonian.com
or 541-966-0818.
BRIEFLY
Seahawks fined for
Wilson’s concussion
protocol violation
RENTON, Wash. (AP)
— The Seattle Seahawks
have been fined $100,000
for not properly following
concussion protocol with
quarterback Russell Wilson
during a game in November.
The NFL and NFLPA
announced their decision
on Thursday following an
investigation that lasted
more than a month. Along
with the financial penalty,
Seattle’s coaching and
medical staffs will be
required to attend remedial
training regarding the
concussion protocol.
The investigation
determined that Wilson was
allowed back on the field
before a required evaluation
was performed on the
sideline.
Wilson was hit in the chin
by Arizona’s Karlos Dansby,
who was flagged for
roughing the passer. Referee
Walt Anderson sent Wilson
off the field. But Wilson was
in Seattle’s injury tent for
only a few moments and he
missed just one play before
returning to the field.
“In this case, through a
series of communication
breakdowns, the protocol
not followed,” NFL
spokesman Joe Lockhart
said Thursday. “The player
was allowed to return to
the game without going
through the protocol, a clear
violation.”
ATHLETE
OF THE WEEK
Andrew Barker
Riverside High School • Wrestler
Barker won the
126 pounds
bracket at
the Mac-Hi
Christmas
Tournament
on Saturday,
winning all
three of his
matches by fall.
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