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TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2021
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A12
Ready to tee off Barrel racers run the ‘Green Mile’
Hermiston’s
McClannahan
to hit the links
at SWOCC
ships that were never there
before. The courses up there
are beautiful. I love Canyon
Lakes, and Sun Willows is
very challenging.”
A little bit of
everything
McClannahan has been
playing golf since she was in
the sixth grade.
HERMISTON — Bandon
“Big River (Golf Course)
Dunes Golf Resort lures golf- has been my home course
ers from all over the North- growing up,” she said. “This
west with its lush greens and year, my dad got a member-
sweeping views of the Pacifi c ship at Wildhorse and I have
been branching out.”
Ocean.
The course is one of
Her dad, Mitchell, is a
three that Hermiston’s Madi golfer, but didn’t get to play
McClannahan will play as a in high school.
member of the Southwestern
“When he was in high
Oregon Community College school, he went to Umatilla
golf team.
and they didn’t have a team,”
McClannahan recently McClannahan said. “When
signed to play with the Lakers, I was young, he took me
and the iconic course
to camps and stuff.
may have played a
Since I have been in
part.
high school, he has
“I follow the
been my playing part-
Bandon Dunes Insta-
ner.”
gram page,” McClan-
She also gets great
nahan said. “I haven’t
support from her
played there, but I am
older brother Garrett,
looking forward to McClannahan who also played for
it.”
the Bulldogs.
SWOCC drew McClanna-
“Garrett has been one
han in from the start.
of my biggest support-
“I kind of committed in my ers through this journey,”
heart before I committed on McClannahan said. “He is
paper,” said McClannahan, living in Corvallis and is only
who will major in business. “I about 3 hours from me.”
met the coach (Ray Fabian),
While golf has her heart,
toured the campus and signed she has played many other
right in front of him. He was sports.
very accommodating with my
“I played basketball my
questions and concerns.”
sixth grade year in Umatilla,
While SWOCC is not right and played at Sandstone and
on the coast, Coos Bay is, at Armand Larive my seventh
making it a desirable college and eighth grade years,”
town.
McClannahan said. “I played
In addition to playing at football my seventh grade
Bandon Dunes, the Lakers year at Sandstone. That was
also play at Coos Golf Club.
fun. I played softball forever,
“I played there,” McClan- before I even started golfi ng.
nahan said. “It was really I played volleyball my fresh-
nice.”
man year, I did cheer my
After missing her junior sophomore year, and I bowled
year of golf because of my junior year.”
But she always goes back
the COVID-19 pandemic,
McClannahan turned in a to golf.
“Golf is more of an inde-
solid senior season, averag-
ing a 90 during the Mid-Co- pendent sport,” she said. “It’s
lumbia Conference regular more of a mental game and
season.
that makes it an independent
McClannahan shot her sport, but I still have my team-
best round of 84 during mates.”
Week 4 at Horn Rapids Golf
McClannahan will team
Course. She also shot an 85 at up with her dad for the Kings
the season-opening event at and Queens Couples Golf
Canyon Lakes Golf Course.
Tournament on July 17-18 at
McClannahan finished Big River.
McClannahan, along
tied for ninth at the MCC
Championships with a 90 at with Pendleton’s Isaac
Horn Rapids. She also earned Urbina, Chelsea Kendrick
second-team all-MCC honors. and Morgan Schumacher,
“After my junior year, the received a $750 scholarship
exciting thing was getting from the Kings and Queens
back out there and seeing Scholarship Committee. It
people,” McClannahan said. also comes with an opportu-
“I fi nished the season with my nity to play in the tournament.
best scores and I got to play
“I am fi nally 18 and old
with my friends. I had never enough to play,” McClanna-
had any connections with the han said. “My dad will be my
Tri-City players, but every- playing partner. I am thank-
one was ready to get out there ful for the scholarship they are
and that brought out friend- giving me.”
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian
Claire Bennett rounds a barrel atop her horse Dezirea on Sunday, June 27, 2021, during the Pendleton Round-Up
Green Mile Barrel Race. The pair clocked a time 33.564 seconds, according to race results, about 4 seconds shy of
placing in the money.
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian
Madison Gray rides Cowboys Golden Dream on Sunday, June 27, 2021, during the Pendleton Round-Up Green Mile
Barrel Race at the Pendleton Round-Up Grounds. The open race category that day had more than 200 entrants,
though several no-shows narrowed the pool.
ON THE SLATE
Tuesday, June 29
Wednesday, June 30
No events scheduled
No events scheduled
Thursday, July 1
Youth baseball
Spokane Tournament: Pepsi
Diamondjaxx vs. Claremont
Cardinals, 1 p.m.; Pepsi Dia-
mondjaxx vs. West Valley,
6 p.m.
Friday, July 2
Youth baseball
Spokane Tournament: Pepsi
Diamondjaxx vs. Yakima Val-
ley Peppers, 8 a.m.; Pepsi Dia-
mondjaxx vs. Gonzaga Prep,
1 p.m.
Saturday, July 3
Youth baseball
Spokane Tournament: Pepsi
Diamondjaxx vs. TBD
SPORTS SHORT
Billups gets first chance as head coach with Trail Blazers
By ANNE M. PETERSON
The Associated Press
PORTLAND — The Portland
Trail Blazers have hired Chauncey
Billups as their new coach.
Billups, a five-time NBA
All-Star over a 17-year play-
ing career, has never been a head
coach. He has served as an assistant
with the Los Angeles Clippers for
the past season.
“Portland is a special place and
a unique franchise,” Billups said in
a statement Sunday, June 27. “As a
player I always loved playing here
because the passion and knowledge
of the fans brought out the very best
in me as a competitor. Now I’m
looking forward to being on the
other side of that energy and engag-
ing with the Portland community
on a whole other level.”
The Blazers have scheduled a
press conference Tuesday, June
29, to introduce Billups, 44. He
becomes the 15th head coach of
the franchise.
“Chauncey is a proven leader
with an elite basketball IQ that has
won everywhere he has been,” said
Neil Olshey, Portland’s president
of basketball operations. “He is
prepared for the challenge of devel-
oping the championship habits
and strategic approach we need to
achieve the expectations and goals
for our franchise.”
The Blazers were also interested
in Brooklyn Nets assistant Mike
D’Antoni, as well as San Antonio
Spurs assistant Becky Hammon.
Los Angeles Lakers assis-
tant Jason Kidd withdrew his
name from consideration after it
was reported that Blazers guard
Damian Lillard had endorsed him
for the job.
Over the course of his career,
Billups played for Boston, Toronto,
Denver, Minnesota, Detroit, New
York and the Clippers. Known as
Mr. Big Shot, he was voted the
2004 NBA Finals MVP while with
the championship-winning Pistons.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue
named Billups to his staff last
November.
Word that the Blazers had
settled on Billups was fi rst reported
June 25. The decision was met with
backlash in Portland because of
allegations he was involved in a
sexual assault in 1997. No crimi-
nal charges were ever fi led.
The Blazers fi red Terry Stotts
shortly after the team was elimi-
nated by the Denver Nuggets in the
opening round of the playoff s.
Carlos Osorio/The Associated Press, File
Chauncey Billups, left, and Detroit Pistons President of Basketball
Operations Joe Dumars address the media during a news confer-
ence at The Palace of Auburn Hills, Michigan, on July 16, 2013. The
Portland Trail Blazers named Billups as the franchise’s next coach
late Sunday, June 27, 2021.