Page 2B
SPORTS
East Oregonian
Friday, January 26, 2018
Men’s College Basketball
Tillie scores 27 points as No. 15 Gonzaga thumps Portland
By ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer
PORTLAND — Killian
Tillie had a big night against
Portland. Now his coach
wants to see him do it again
the next game.
Tillie had 27 points and
seven rebounds, and No. 15
Gonzaga cruised to a 95-79
victory on Thursday night.
Developing consistency
is key to the sophomore
forward’s
development,
Gonzaga coach Mark Few
said. He’d like to see the
same strong performance at
home on Saturday against
San Francisco.
“He can really do some
things, but I just told him in
the locker room tonight, he
needs to follow it up,” Few
said.
Tillie agreed.
“Of course,” he said.
“Usually when I get good
games like that, I get bad
games after. So I’ve got to
WCC
#15 Gonzaga
Portland
95
79
be more consistent and have
more of these games.”
Corey Kispert added a
season-high 23 points and
10 rebounds for the Bull-
dogs (18-4, 8-1 West Coast
Conference), who won their
20th straight conference road
game.
It was Gonzaga’s 10th
straight win over the Pilots
(8-14, 2-7). The Bulldogs are
27-2 against Portland under
Few.
Freshman Marcus Shaver
Jr. had 16 points for the Pilots
(8-14, 2-7), who trailed by
as many as 28 points in the
second half.
Portland went into the
game with a two-game
winning streak after losing
AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer
Gonzaga forward Killian Tillie, left, reacts after scor-
ing against Portland forward Tahirou Diabate, center,
and center Philipp Hartwich, right, during the second
half of Thursday’s college basketball game in Portland.
it first six conference games.
The Pilots got road wins
against San Diego and
Loyola Marymount last
week.
“We didn’t do a good job
offensively at times, and they
took us out of some things,”
Portland coach Terry Porter
Gymnastics
said. “And they just owned
us on the boards. When we
did have good defensive
possessions, they were able
to get offensive rebounds.
Really kind of hurt us.”
Gonzaga outrebounded
Portland 40-25.
The Bulldogs stumbled
last week, falling 74-71 at
home against St. Mary’s, but
rebounded from their lone
conference loss with a 75-60
win at Santa Clara. Gonzaga
fell two spots in the AP Top
25 as a result of the loss.
Gonzaga opened with a
3-pointer from Josh Perkins
and built an early 12-3 lead
while the young Pilots strug-
gled, going 1 of 5 from the
field. Tillie’s dunk stretched
the Bulldogs’ lead to 36-16
with 4:04 left in the half.
The Zags, boosted by a
crowd that appeared equally
divided between Gonzaga
and Portland fans, led 46-30
at the half. Tillie led all
scorers with 13 points, and
his final total matched his
season high.
Gonzaga
had
eight
3-pointers in the first half,
and finished with 11.
Gonzaga stretched the
lead to 22 points in the second
half after Kispert’s layup
and free throw. Portland,
with three freshmen starters,
simply could not keep up.
Pilots 7-foot-2 center Philipp
Hartwich fouled out with just
over six minutes to go.
“I thought by and large
that we were really good on
offense all night and we had
enough stretches on defense
to give us some separation,”
Few said.
The Zags won the first
game of the series 103-57
in Spokane on Jan. 11.
Silas Melson had 23 points
including seven 3-pointers.
ASSESSING
THE
SEASON
Few said he is happy with
where his team is, midway
through the conference
schedule.
“At the turn, 8-1 is pretty
good,” he said. “Obviously
we lost one we didn’t want to
lose the other night at home.
But 8-1 at the turn, and we’ve
got a bunch of tough games
in the second half of the
league.”
Football
Sponsors flee scandal-plagued Look what’s back: WWE head
USA Gymnastics; future cloudy McMahon resurrects XFL
Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS
—
Staring at an uncertain future
after the departure of several
sponsors, USA Gymnastics
faces a steep climb as it
tries to regroup in the wake
of the sexual abuse scandal
that has rocked the national
governing body of the sport.
The loss of corporate
partners is a financial blow
to the organization, which
had total revenues of $34.4
million and net assets of
just over $3 million in
2016, according to Internal
Revenue Service documents.
USA Gymnastics received
nearly $3 million from the
USOC last year, a figure that
fluctuates annually between
Olympic cycles.
Adding to the woes
are pending legal matters.
Scores of gymnasts who
were abused by former
sports doctor Larry Nassar
are suing USA Gymnastics,
Nassar and Michigan State
University, where he also
worked.
“USA Gymnastics is
facing a crisis, one that
will influence sponsor
decision-making for years,”
said Professor T. Bettina
Cornwell, academic director
of Warsaw Sports Marketing
Center at the University of
Oregon. “Partnerships in
sport are all about sharing
valued associations. Brands
want to associate with things
like ruggedness, grace,
passion, joy, success and
even trying hard in the face
of failure. They are fearful to
associate with an organiza-
tion tied to the horrific Larry
Nassar.”
The 54-year-old Nassar
was sentenced Wednesday
to 40 to 175 years in prison,
capping a seven-day hearing
in a Michigan courtroom
that featured several of his
victims.
The list of companies that
have dropped sponsorship
includes Under Armour,
AT&T, Kellogg, Proctor &
Gamble, and Hershey.
A
statement
from
AT&T on Tuesday said the
company was suspending its
ties “until it (USA Gymnas-
tics) is re-built and we know
that the athletes are in a safe
environment.” The company
said it remained committed
to helping the athletes and
hoped to find other ways to
accomplish that, adding that
it was ready to return as a
sponsor once USA Gymnas-
tics has fully addressed the
crisis.
Under Armour issued
a similar statement when
it ended its partnership
with USA Gymnastics in
December. “We stand with
these athletes and hope our
decision to end this partner-
ship resounds with USAG
leadership and helps to
facilitate necessary change,”
the statement said.
In an open letter to Team
USA on Wednesday, U.S.
Olympic Committee CEO
Scott Blackmun called for
all current USA Gymnastics
directors to resign and
threatened decertification if
changes aren’t made.
USA Gymnastics issued
a statement in response,
supporting an investigation
and accepting “the abso-
lute need of the Olympic
family to promote a safe
environment for all of our
athletes.” It did not respond
to Blackmun’s call for more
resignations.
Paul Parilla, who led
USA Gymnastics during
the sex abuse scandal, board
vice chairman Jay Binder,
and treasurer Bitsy Kelley
already have resigned.
Ronald Goodstein, asso-
ciate professor of marketing
at Georgetown University’s
McDonough School of Busi-
ness, said USA Gymnastics
can rebuild, but more change
is needed and recovering
won’t happen quickly.
“There is a way to
recover, but they can’t be
in a rush to find sponsors,”
Goodstein said. “The first
thing they have to do is
identify the root cause, why
it fell through the cracks, and
fix it.”
Installing some of the
victims as leaders of the
board “would go a long way”
toward restoring confidence,
and whatever measures are
taken have to convince the
public that there is no more
threat of abuse, Goodstein
said.
“There has to be tangible
action the public can see,”
Goodstein said. “This all has
to happen before they seek
sponsors.”
Goodstein said USAG
also needs to support the
affected athletes and their
families and seek organiza-
tions to help with therapy.
“What’s being done to
help these young women? It
is not providing them with
money,” he said.
Associated Press
STAMFORD, Conn. —
The XFL is no longer an
ex-football league.
The sexed-up, second-
rate football league formed
as the early 2000s brain-
child of WWE ringleader
Vince McMahon is set for
a surprising second life
in 2020. The league that
spawned “He Hate Me”
and placed TV cameras in
the bathroom flamed out in
2001 after one wild season.
Interest in the league was
reignited when ESPN
aired the “This Was the
XFL” documentary that
chronicled the spectacular
football failure.
McMahon is back in
charge, pumping $100
million into the XFL
through his new private
entity, Alpha Entertain-
ment.
“I’ve always wanted
to bring it back,” the
72-year-old McMahon said
on Thursday. “I think the
most important thing that
we learned with the older
XFL and now the new
XFL is the quality of play.
We have two years now to
really get it right.”
McMahon, who will
continue as chairman and
CEO of WWE, offered
few other details about
the football comeback.
The XFL will launch
with eight teams, 40-man
active rosters and a
10-week
regular-season
schedule. McMahon said
the schedule, designed to
fill the seven-month gap
without the NFL, could
begin as early as
ined.”
This could be
the end of January.
a gimmick-free
No cities or TV
XFL,
perhaps
partners
were
without
nick-
named.
names such as
The
league
Rod
Smart’s
will own the eight
“He Hate Me”
teams.
stitched on the
The
original
back of his
XFL was founded
uniform.
by the wrestling McMahon
McMahon
company
and
jointly owned by NBC, said the XFL did not want
and opened to massive TV players with a criminal
ratings. But the audience record and even a DUI
did not stick around on would exclude an athlete
Saturday nights to watch from a contract. McMahon
bad football, lascivious wanted his players to stand
cheerleader shots, soph- for the national anthem,
omoric double entendres though stopped short of
and other gimmicks that saying it was mandatory.
“As far as our league
saw ratings plummet and
quickly doomed the league. is concerned, it will have
The XFL in 2001 had nothing to do with poli-
eight teams, mostly in tics,” McMahon said. “And
major markets, such as nothing to do with social
Chicago, Los Angeles and issues, either. We’re there
San Francisco. McMahon to play football.”
The XFL and WWE
said the selection of cities
in the new XFL will be will have no crossover,
announced in the next few unlike the first incarnation
months, and a mix of major when wrestling announcers
and mid-major markets and personalities such as
former Minnesota Gov.
will be considered.
The XFL postseason Jesse Ventura dominated
will have two semifinal the football telecast.
McMahon
promised
games and a championship
game. XFL salaries have a safer football league,
yet to be decided, though though he again offered
players will be paid more no specifics for a league
to win. He wants a 2-hour that unveiled a human coin
game and even tossed out toss the first time around
the idea of eliminating — players scrambled from
each team to grab the foot-
halftime.
“We will present a ball to decide it. One player
shorter,
faster-paced, separated his shoulder
family-friendly and easier fighting for the ball.
“We’re going to listen to
to understand game,”
McMahon said. “It’s still medical experts and heed
football. But it’s profes- their advice,” McMahon
sional football reimag- said.
KNIGHTS: Shot 50 percent from floor in second half, 9 for 10 from free throw line
Continued from 1B
me and got going.”
Both teams’ defenses
controlled the game in the
first half, as the Knights
and Vikings (15-5, 3-2)
combined to shoot just 12
for 45 (26 percent) from
the floor with 18 turnovers
for 34 points. The second
half, though, played out
completely different as the
offenses took over with 64
combined points and just 10
turnovers.
There were seven lead
changes and seven ties in
the second half, with the
Knights holding the lead for
the final 2:42.
“The last few games with
us all could’ve gone either
way and came down to who
can execute the best down
the stretch, including this
one,” Irrigon coach Davie
Salas said. “The last time,
we had a lead with two
minutes left, too, but we
got careless with the ball,
tonight we didn’t.
“It was a fun, exciting
game and my hat’s off to
them (Umatilla). These are
tough, emotional games
but these are fun games and
who every pays money to
see these are lucky.”
Behind Phillips, Eric
Carillo scored 14 points
and hit some big shots in
the second half and Adrian
Roa finished with 10 points.
Irrigon was a near-perfect 9
for 10 from the free throw
line and shot 50 percent
from the floor in the second
half.
Kaden Webb scored a
game-high 21 points for
Umatilla and Sebastian
Garcia nailed four 3-pointers
to boost him to a 17-point
performance as well. The
Vikings struggled inside the
3-point arch, shooting 7 for
27 (26 percent), including 0
for 4 in the final quarter.
But coach Scott Bow said
his team coming up short
in the game isn’t exactly a
disappointment.
“You add 30 seconds
on the clock, like the game
at our house, and they
could’ve went either way,”
Bow said. “This was one of
those games where you have
32 minutes to figure it out,
and at the end they had the
two-point lead just like we
had the lead at our place. So
it’s not really disappointing
because the kids played
tough, played really well.”
The win gives Irrigon
a two-game lead over
Umatilla and Nyssa for the
lead in the Eastern Oregon
League, but Salas said
the Knights can’t get too
comfortable with it.
“I told the kids to have
fun tonight and enjoy it, but
we don’t want to stop here,”
Salas said. “We still have a
lot of work left to do and
our goals are bigger than
just beating Umatilla. But
it feels good to get this one
and give us some confidence
going down the road.
“And if we both keep
doing what we’re doing
and don’t lose focus, we’ll
probably see each other
again soon.”
————
UHS
IHS
13
12
5
4
14
16
16 — 48
18 — 50
UMATILLA — K. Webb 21, S. Garcia 17, C.
De Loera 4, T. Durfey 2, S. Cranston 2, G.
Armenta 2, M. Garcilazo.
IRRIGON — J. Phillips 16, E. Carillo 14,
A. Roa 10, D. Vera 6, L. Covarrubia 2, P.
Holcomb 2, O. Vera, A. Gomez, K. Fleming.
3-pointers — UHS 6, IHS 4. Free throws
— UHS 16-21, IHS 9-10. Fouls — UHS 15,
IHS 11.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
IRRIGON
56,
UMATILLA 36 — At
Irrigon, the home Knights
moved into sole possession
of first place in the Eastern
Oregon League with a
big win over Umatilla on
Thursday night.
Jada Burns led the Knights
(16-3 overall, 5-2 EOL)
with a game-high 19 points
and Ana Zacarias scored 12
points, 10 of which came in
the third quarter alone. Taylor
Davis also had a big game,
scoring nine points with 10
rebounds, seven steals and
five assists.
“Defensively we played
hard and forced some turn-
overs in the first half to build
a nice lead,” Irrigon coach
Mike Royer said. “I liked
the way we passed the ball
tonight.”
Devina Monreal led the
Vikings (3-16, 0-5) with nine
points and Lauryn Journot
added six.
————
UHS
4 5
9 18 — 36
IHS
17 13 18
8 — 56
UMATILLA — D. Monreal 9, L. Journot 6,
Reyes 4, Ford 4, Alvarez 4, Ortiz 4, Lorence
3, Picker 2.
IRRIGON — J. Burns 19, A. Zacarias 12,
T. Davis 9, N. Romero 7, B. Rice. O. Luna 2,
M. Davis 2, A. Luna 2.
3-pointers — UHS 6, IHS 2. Free throws
— UHS 6-10, IHS 8-12.
————
Contact Eric at esinger@
eastoregonian.com
or
541-966-0839. Follow him
on Twitter @ByEricSinger.
HALL OF FAME: Jones becomes fifth Brave from 90s dynasty to reach Cooperstown
Continued from 1B
thousands of questions
struggled for answers to the
proposed Hall-for-title swap.
Not winning a title left holes
in their resumes and egos.
“It’s very heartbreaking,
I have to tell you,” Thome
said. “It’s something that you
will never lose sight of. You
will never lose what it meant
to prepare all winter and then
to finally be introduced in a
World Series is just the ulti-
mate. ... A day like today is
special, but I can only envi-
sion what it would have been
like to win a World Series.
Thome reached the World
Series only one other time, in
1997. The Indians were two
outs from a title before the
Florida Marlins rallied in the
bottom of the ninth and won
Game 7 in 11 innings.
Hoffman, a minor league
infielder for three seasons
before switching to the
mound, made his only
appearance when the San
Diego Padres got swept
by the New York Yankees
in 1998. He made it to the
mound in just one game,
allowing Scott Brosius’
go-ahead three-run homer in
the eighth inning of Game 3.
“I think you selfishly
prepare and you unselfishly
become
a
teammate,”
Hoffman said. “And so I’ll
stand on the fence and basi-
cally say both are pinnacles
in our game.”
Guerrero’s only Series
appearance was in his next-
to-last season, when the
Texas Rangers lost to the
San Francisco Giants over
five games in 2010. He hit a
go-ahead RBI single against
Tim Lincecum in his first
at-bat, then went hitless in his
next 13 along with a sacrifice
fly.
“Even though we did not
win the World Series, it is an
experience that I’ll share for
a long time,” he said through
a translator.
Jones was in the playoffs
each year from 1995-2005
and again in 2012, and he
hit .273 with one homer and
six RBIs in 16 World Series
games. A year after the
Braves beat the Indians, they
took a 2-0 Series lead against
the Yankees only to lose four
in a row. In 1999, they got
swept by New York.
He joins teammates Greg
Maddux, John Smoltz and
Tom Glavine in the Hall
along with manager Bobby
Cox and general manager
John Schuerholz. In winning
a record 14 straight division
crowns, the Braves expected
to keep on winning the World
Series — as did their fans.
“We get bashed for only
winning one,” Jones said.