6A — BAKER CITY HERALD
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021
SPORTS
Harden, Nets
South Carolina eliminates Beavers nip Trail Blazers
OREGON, OREGON STATE IN NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
By Kristie Rieken
AP Sports Writer
SAN ANTONIO — Aliyah Boston
scored 19 points and top seed South Caro-
lina dominated after a close fi rst quarter
to beat eighth-seeded Oregon State 59-42
in the women’s NCAA Tournament, ad-
vancing to its seventh straight Sweet 16.
The Gamecocks (24-4) led by a point
after one quarter but had built a 12-point
lead by halftime and were up 53-29 by the
start of the fourth.
“This is a huge lift off of our shoulders
because that was a hard game,” coach
Dawn Staley said. “I know the score
doesn’t say that. But ... Oregon State is a
really good, effi cient basketball team.”
South Carolina will appear in the
regional semifi nals for the 11th time
overall.
“Our players didn’t want to pack and
head home,” Staley said. “They wanted to
stay a little bit longer. A lot of them, this
is their fi rst tournament experience ...
and the deeper we go in this tournament,
the more experience we have, the better
off we’ll be this year as well as in years to
come.”
By Erik García Gundersen
Associated Press
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images-TNS
South Carolina’s Zia Cooke (1) and Oregon State’s Sasha Goforth (13) battle
control of a loose ball Tuesday, March 23.
Taylor Jones scored 13 points for
Oregon State (12-8), which ended a streak
of four straight Sweet 16 appearances.
Jones fouled out with about three min-
utes remaining.
Staley’s plan was to get Jones into
foul trouble — and it worked, with Jones
limited to 18 minutes.
South Carolina made just 1 of 15
3-pointers, but was able to control the
game by outscoring the Beavers 34-24
inside.
Ducks advance to Sweet 16
points — including a putback
of her own missed shot — to
SAN ANTONIO — Se-
break open a tie game and
dona Prince scored 22 points, give the Ducks a 54-48 lead
Nyara Sabally took over late with less than a minute to go.
and sixth-seeded Oregon
Oregon (15-8) is in the
beat No. 3 Georgia 57-50 on tournament for the 16th
Wednesday in the women’s
time overall, but this Ducks
NCAA Tournament to
team came in less heralded
advance to its fourth straight than those led by Sabrina
Sweet 16.
Ionescu, who missed out on
Sabally scored six straight her fi nal chance at a national
By Kristie Rieken
AP Sports Writer
title last year because of the
pandemic.
After Sabally put the
Ducks ahead to stay on a
layup with 2:20 left, Georgia
appeared to have tied the
game with a jumper, but the
offi cials said a foul was called
before the shot. The foul call
didn’t stop play because the
referee lost her whistle in her
mask.
PORTLAND — James Harden had 25 points and 17
assists to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a 116-112 victory
over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.
Jeff Green fi nished with 20 points, 15 in the fi rst half
and a pair of free throws to close it out with 4.8 seconds
left. Nicolas Claxton had 16 points and nine rebounds
off the bench for Brooklyn, which played without Kevin
Durant and Kyrie Irving.
The Nets also were nearly without Harden, who
said he was close to sitting out with a sore neck. But
Harden, who has played more games than anyone in
the NBA since entering the league in 2009 with 871,
takes great pride in being available for his team.
“That’s just who I am, that’s just how I’m built,”
Harden said. “If this thing was done tomorrow, I know
I gave everything I had. I know I didn’t shortcut at any
point. It will be over one day but me in the back of my
mind knowing, I have peace knowing I did that. I can
live with that.”
Enes Kanter had 19 points, 19 rebounds and six
assists, while Damian Lillard had 22 points and nine
assists for the Trail Blazers. Lillard and has backcourt
partner McCollum had a tough night against the Nets,
going to a combined 10 for 35 (28%) from the fi eld.
e
c
a
e
P of Mind
Blazers: bring LaMarcus back
Time and time
In regard to the front court, the
again, we have
Blazers have Zach Collins and Ju-
COREY
seen full circle
suf Nurkic out with injuries. Ernes
moments in the
Kanter starts at center, with the
KIRK
NBA, as players
Swiss Army knife himself, Robert
looking for work
Covington, playing power forward.
return to the
Coming off the bench Portland has
team where they started their career.
veteran Carmelo Anthony and young guys
Kevin Garnett heads back to the Twin Cit- Nassir Little and Harry Giles III.
ies to rejoin the Timberwolves.
The addition of Aldridge would make an
Dwyane Wade returns to South Beach to
immediate impact on this depth chart.
play for the Miami Heat again.
Covington’s versatility allows him to play
Now there’s a chance for another a reunion, small forward, allowing Aldridge to fi t in at
and it’s in Portland.
power forward, with Derrick Jones Jr. com-
Come on, Trail Blazers, make a move for
ing off the bench. Another option is to have
LaMarcus Aldridge.
Aldridge come off the bench.
Aldridge, in his 15th year in the league,
What’s the most vital thing Aldridge can
recently said he and the San Antonio Spurs
bring to this team? More guidance.
had agreed to part ways, thus making
Coming to Portland proved to be a wise
Aldridge a prime trade target with the NBA decision for Anthony, who has accepted his
trade deadline arriving today. The seven-time supporting role. Aldridge will need to do the
All-Star has reached the tail end of his career, same, regardless of where he ends up.
but in his prime of his nine-year run in Port-
He’s average 13 points and four rebounds
land he was arguably the most underrated
per game, the lowest since his rookie season.
big man in the league.
Gone are the days of Aldridge taking on a
Aldridge entered the league in 2006. Chi-
heavy workload, but his experience can be
cago took him with the second overall pick
benefi cial for the Blazers’ younger frontcourt
but traded him immediately to Portland for
players.
a draft pick and some role players. Aldridge
Though it seems simple to have Aldridge
helped the Blazers reach the playoffs six
reunited with the franchise where he played
times, posting his best numbers in 2014-15,
his best basketball, I know player deals in the
his fi nal year in Portland, with 23 points and NBA can be complex. Aldridge might have
10 rebounds per game.
enough left in the tank that other teams will
But how does he fi t with Portland’s current make a better offer, and seeing him back in a
roster?
Blazers uniform will have to wait.
The Blazers hold the sixth seed in the
But I don’t think a single Portland fan
Western Conference at 25-18. Leading the
would be anything but excited to see Aldridge
way is Damian Lillard, one of the most clutch don the red and black, competing again at the
players in the league. With CJ McCollum
Moda Center.
and company beside Lillard, the Blazers
Corey Kirk is sports editor for the
have made the playoffs every season since
Aldridge left.
Baker City Herald.
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