WSJM Sports

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NCAAMBKB – Dwayne Stephens leaves Michigan St to lead Western Michigan
Western Michigan has hired longtime Michigan State assistant Dwayne Stephens to lead its basketball program. Stephens is scheduled to have his first news conference as Broncos coach on Wednesday. The former Spartans forward was on Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo’s staff for 19 seasons, including the last decade as an associate head coach. Clayton Bates resigned as Western Michigan’s coach last month after winning eight games in his second season. The Broncos have made four NCAA Tournament appearances, most recently in 2014.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball – Nation Championship
Last Night
2022 NCAA Final Four – National Championship – Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
1 Kansas 72, 8 North Carolina 69

Kansas 72, North Carolina 69 – Kansas rallies, beats North Carolina 72-69 to win NCAA title
Kansas finished off the biggest comeback in national championship history Saturday night, getting a big game from David McCormack, crucial shots from Remy Martin and surviving a potential game-tying 3-pointer by Caleb Love at the buzzer for a 72-69 victory in the Superdome. The senior-laden Jayhawks trailed 40-25 at halftime before rallying to win their fourth national championship, and the second for coach Bill Self, on the same floor where they lost to Kentucky in the national title game a decade ago.

NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight
Boston Bruins at Detroit Red Wings, 7:30 p.m.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Tonight
Philadelphia 76ers at Indiana Pacers, 7:00 p.m.
Milwaukee Bucks at Chicago Bulls, 8:00 p.m.

MLB – Major League Baseball – Spring Training
Yesterday
Detroit Tigers 4, Toronto Blue Jays 2
Chicago Cubs 15, Chicago White Sox 9

Today
Detroit Tigers at New York Yankees, 1:05 p.m.
Chicago Cubs at Texas Rangers, 3:05 p.m.
Chicago White Sox at San Diego Padres, 3:05 p.m.

MLB – Tigers acquire OF Austin Meadows in trade with Rays
The Detroit Tigers have acquired outfielder Austin Meadows in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. Detroit sent infielder Isaac Paredes and a competitive balance round B pick in the 2022 amateur draft to Tampa Bay. Meadows hit .234 with 27 homers and a career-high 106 RBIs last season. Detroit is much improved after going 77-85 last year in its fifth consecutive losing season. Meadows joins a lineup that includes Javier Báez, who signed a blockbuster deal with the Tigers in free agency, and Spencer Torkelson, one of the majors’ top slugging prospects

MLB – Robinson’s 42 in Dodger blue for all uniforms on April 15
All major league players, managers, coaches and umpires will wear Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 in Dodger blue for the first time on April 15, the 75th anniversary of his breaking the major league color barrier. Major League Baseball retired Robinson’s number in 1997 and all uniformed personnel have worn 42 on Jackie Robinson Day since 2009, but this will be the first time the numbers all will be in the color of Robinson’s Dodgers.

Golf – Masters – Masters is all about Tiger Woods, even with so many subplots
This Masters is all about Tiger Woods to start the week. That’s been the case ever since he won his first green jacket 25 years ago. But it’s even greater now. His right leg was severely injured in a car crash just over 13 months ago. And now he might be playing the hilly terrain of Augusta National. Other players are overshadowed by the question of whether Woods will actually tee it up this week. There’s Rory McIlroy going after the career Grand Slam again. Not to be forgotten is Bryson DeChambeau and his peculiar set of injuries.

NFL – Commanders refute report team withheld ticket revenue
The Washington Commanders are denying a report that alleged they withheld ticket revenue from visiting teams. A team spokeswoman said in a statement there was absolutely no withholding of ticket revenue at any time. She added that anyone who testified to Congress suggesting that committed perjury. The lawyer for a former Washington VP of sales and customer service said her client testified truthfully and accused the NFL club of defamation. Front Office Sports citing sources reported the House Oversight Committee received information to indicate Washington withheld ticket revenue. Congress began investigating the team earlier this year after the league did not release a written report of an investigation into sexual harassment inside the organization.

NFL – Eagles, Saints swap several draft picks, including 2023 1st
The Philadelphia Eagles have traded two first-round picks in this month’s draft to the New Orleans in a major swap of assets. The Eagles sent picks Nos. 16 and 19 and a sixth-rounder (No. 194) to the Saints for the 18th overall pick, a third-rounder (No. 101), a seventh-rounder (No. 237), a 2023 first-rounder and a 2024 second-rounder. The move leaves Philadelphia with two firsts, Nos. 15 and 18. The Saints also now have two firsts.

FIFA – US to play El Salvador, Grenada in World Cup prep matches
The United States will play 74th-ranked El Salvador and No. 170 Grenada in the CONCACAF Nations League as preparation for the World Cup in November. The 15th-ranked U.S. has Nations League games on June 11 and 14 in Group D, and it also intends to play exhibition games on June 1 and 5, and on Sept. 23 and 27. Back in the World Cup for the first time since 2014, the U.S. opens Group B against Scotland, Wales or Ukraine on Nov. 21. It faces England four days later and meets Iran on Nov. 29.

MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Yesterday
Baseball
Lake Michigan College at Kellogg Community College, 2:00 p.m./4:30 p.m. (DH)

Softball
Lake Michigan College at Ancilla College, 3:00 p.m./5:00 p.m. (DH)

MHSAA – High School Sports
Yesterday
Girls Soccer
Coloma 6, Brandywine 0

Today
Baseball
Our Lady of the Lake at Bridgman, 4:15 p.m. (DH)
Berrien Springs at Coloma, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Buchanan at River Valley, 4:15 p.m. (DH)
Lansing Everett at Battle Creek Central, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Marshall at Battle Creek Lakeview, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Schoolcraft at Kalamazoo Central, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Portage Northern at Kalamazoo Christian, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Vicksburg at Gull Lake, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Kalamazoo Hackett at Climax-Scotts, 5:00 p.m.

Softball
Berrien Springs at Coloma, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Buchanan at River Valley, 4:15 p.m. (DH)
Lansing Everett at Battle Creek Central, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Marshall at Battle Creek Lakeview, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Schoolcraft at Kalamazoo Central, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Portage Northern at Kalamazoo Christian, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Vicksburg at Gull Lake, 4:00 p.m. (DH)

Girls soccer
Niles at Loy Norrix, 6:00 p.m.
Battle Creek Pennfield at Kalamazoo Christian, 4:30 p.m.

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NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Detroit Pistons 121, Indiana Pacers 117

Pistons 121, Pacers 117 – Bey, Jackson lead Pistons past Pacers 121-117
Saddiq Bey scored 31 points and Fred Jackson had 19 to lead the sharpshooting Detroit Pistons past the Indiana Pacers 121-117. Bey hit 11 of 18 shots including shooting 7 of 9 on 3-pointers in 23 minutes. The Pistons have won three games in a row. They sank 21 of 41 3-pointers and set a team record for 3s in a half with 13 in the opening two quarters. Oshae Brissett scored 20 points and had nine rebounds to lead the Pacers, who have lost seven straight games. Tyrese Haliburton had 19 points, a career-high 17 assists and nine rebounds. Buddy Hield and Isiah Jackson also scored 19 each for the Pacers.

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Ottawa Senators 5, Detroit Red Wings 2
Arizona Coyotes 3, Chicago Blackhawks 2 – OT

Senators 5, Red Wings 2 – Norris’ 1st hat trick lifts Senators over Red Wings 5-2
Josh Norris scored three goals for his first career hat trick and the Ottawa Senators completed a sweep of their home-and-home series with the Detroit Red Wings with a 5-2 win. Artem Zub and Nikita Zaitsev also scored for the Senators and Anton Forsberg made 30 saves. The 22-year-old Norris reached the 30-goal milestone for the first time in his young NHL career and also scored in Ottawa’s 5-2 victory in Detroit on Friday night. Michael Rasmussen and Dylan Larkin scored for the Red Wings, who have lost six straight. Thomas Greiss stopped 31 shots.

Coyotes 3, Blackhawks 2 – OT – Gostisbehere’s OT goal lifts Coyotes past Blackhawks, 3-2
Shayne Gostisbehere scored on a deflection with 14.7 seconds left in overtime, Michael Carcone and Travis Boyd also scored, and the Arizona Coyotes beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2. The win was only struggling Arizona’s second in the last nine games (2-6-1). The slumping Blackhawks lost their fifth straight (0-3-2) after a two-game winning streak. Gostisbehere’s game-winner came with Chicago’s Patrick Kane in the penalty box and deflected off Chicago center Jonathan Toews’ left toe before sliding by goaltender Kevin Lankinen. Kane and Dylan Strome scored for Chicago.

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball – National Championship
Last Night
2022 NCAA Final Four – National Champions – Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
1 South Carolina 64. 2 UConn 49

South Carolina 64, Connecticut 49 – Staley leads South Carolina over UConn for second NCAA title
Dawn Staley and South Carolina buttoned up on defense and won their second national championship, stifling UConn for a 64-49 victory that ended the Huskies’ undefeated streak in title games. Destanni Henderson scored a career-high 26 points, Aliyah Boston added 11 points and 16 rebounds, and the Gamecocks handed Geno Auriemma’s Huskies their first loss in 12 NCAA title games. With Staley calling the shots in a $5,000 letterman jacket, South Carolina took UConn to school on the boards and capped a wire-to-wire run as the No. 1 team in the country in The AP poll. The Gamecocks also won the championship in 2017 with A’ja Wilson leading the way.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball – Nation Championship
Tonight
2022 NCAA Final Four – National Championship – Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
1 Kansas vs. 8 North Carolina

NCAAMBKB – UNC’s Bacot leaves no suspense on his title-game status
North Carolina’s Armando Bacot says his right ankle injury won’t stop him from playing hard against Kansas in the national championship game. The 6-foot-10 Bacot says he’s “going to go all out” Monday night. Bacot twisted his ankle in a crowd of players near the baseline during the second half of Saturday night’s national semifinal victory over Duke. Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis says Bacot was cleared to participate in a light practice Sunday after X-rays came back negative. Bacot has averaged 16.3 points, 13.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game this season.

MLB – Major League Baseball – Spring Training
Yesterday
Philadelphia Phillies 8, Detroit Tigers 7
Colorado Rockies 13, Chicago White Sox 4
Chicago Cubs 7, Cleveland Guardians 3

Today
Toronto Blue Jays at Detroit Tigers, 1:05 p.m.
Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs, 4:05 p.m.

MLB – Backup backstop swap: Chisox deal Collins for Jays’ McGuire
The Chicago White Sox have acquired Reese McGuire from the Toronto Blue Jays for Zack Collins in a trade of reserve catchers. McGuire batted .253 with a homer and 10 RBIs in a career-high 78 games last year. The 27-year-old McGuire made his big league debut in 2018. He is a .248 hitter with nine homers and 26 RBIs in 141 career games, all with the Blue Jays. The 27-year-old Collins set career highs with a .210 batting average, four homers and 26 RBIs in 78 games for the AL Central champions last year.

MLB – MLB looking at electronic system for calling pitches
Major League Baseball is stepping up its experimentation with an electronic communication channel for calling pitches. After trying out the PitchCom system at Low-A West in the second half of last season, big league clubs are tinkering with the technology during spring training. If the development is met with widespread acclaim, the system could be used in the majors this year. With the PitchCom system, the catcher wears a wristband with nine buttons for calling the pitch and location. There is a receiver in the pitcher’s cap, and another one in the catcher’s helmet. Multiple languages are available.

NCAABSB – College baseball goes high-tech to send pitch calls to mound
A growing number of college baseball teams are moving away from the tradition of catchers using their fingers and hands for pitch signs. The NCAA this year is allowing teams to have a coach in the dugout press into a keypad numbers corresponding to different pitch types and transmitting the information to a wristband worn by the pitcher. The technology called Game Day Signals was developed by a small Virginia software development company. Several college baseball powers are using the devices. Vanderbilt has all of its position players wear wristbands to receive signals for defensive adjustments or pickoff plays.

Golf – The Masters – On the prowl? Tiger arrives at Masters, unsure of playing
Tiger Woods has arrived Augusta National but it’s still not clear whether he’ll play in the Masters. Woods warmed up on a range for about 20 minutes and then got in a cart and headed to the course. He says it’s a game-time decision whether he plays. His right leg so was severely damaged in a car crash 13 months ago that he said doctors contemplated amputation. He played with his son in the PNC Championship in December. But that was a scramble format and he rode in a cart. Woods played a practice round five days ago. This is the next step.

Golf – PGA – Spaun gets first PGA win, Masters berth
J.J. Spaun earned his first PGA victory in 147 career starts by closing with a 69 at the Valero Texas Open.  Spaun survived a double-bogey start to his round by recording five birdies with no bogeys to finish at 13-under at TPC San Antonio. It gave him a two-shot margin over Matt Kuchar and Matt Jones, along with a berth in the Masters this week. Adam Hadwin, Beau Hossler, Charles Howell III and Troy Merritt tied for fourth at 10-under.

AHL – American Hockey League
Last Night
Milwaukee Admirals 3, Grand Rapids Griffins 1

ECHL – ECHL Hockey League
Last Night
Toledo Walleye 4, Kalamazoo Wings 1

MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Yesterday
Baseball
Lake Michigan College 14, Grand Rapids C.C 6 – Game 1
Grand Rapids C.C. 4, Lake Michigan College 0 – Game 2

MHSAA – High School Sports
Today
Baseball
Brandywine at Niles, 4:00 p.m. (DH)

Girls Soccer
Coloma at Brandywine, 5:00 p.m.

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This week on The Coaches, we talked Berrien Springs Boys’ Basketball, St. Joe Wrestling, and Michigan Lutheran Girls’ Basketball, and visited with retiring Lakeshore Wrestling coach Bruce Bittenbender…

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Lakeshore vs Lawrence for the ‘Big Trophy” in this Academic Challenge CHAMPIONSHIP Round!

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NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Chicago Bulls 135, Los Angeles Clippers 130 – OT
Detroit Pistons 102, Philadelphia 76ers 94

Bulls 135, Clippers 130 – OT – DeRozan scores 50, Bulls rally past Clippers 135-130 in OT
DeMar DeRozan scored a season-high 50 points and the Chicago Bulls rallied to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 135-130 in overtime. DeRozan finished two points shy of his career high. The five-time All-Star scored 17 in the fourth quarter, though he missed the go-ahead free throw in the closing seconds of regulation after making the first two attempts to tie it. He then scored 10 in overtime, helping the Bulls come away with a win they sorely needed after falling behind by 16 in the third. Chicago, which led the Eastern Conference for a big part of the season, moved a half-game ahead of sixth-place Toronto with five remaining. Reggie Jackson led Los Angeles with 34 points. Paul George scored 22.

Pistons 102, Sixers 94 – Bey’s late scoring surge helps Pistons top 76ers 102-94
Saddiq Bey scored 10 of his 20 points in the final 4:23 as the Detroit Pistons pulled away down the stretch and beat the Philadelphia 76ers 102-94. The Pistons had a 39-8 edge in scoring off the bench. Cade Cunningham scored 27 for Detroit, which snapped a three-game skid. Joel Embiid had 37 points and 15 rebounds for Philadelphia. James Harden had 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the 76ers.

Tonight
Indiana Pacers at Boston Celtics, 7:30 p.m.
Detroit Pistons at Oklahoma City Thunder, 8:00 p.m.

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Florida Panthers 4, Chicago Blackhawks 0

Panthers 4, Blackhawks 0 – Panthers beat Blackhawks 4-0, set club record for home wins
Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 37 shots for his third shutout of the season, leading the Florida Panthers to a 4-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Aleksander Barkov scored twice, Gustav Forsling had a goal and an assist, and Ryan Lomberg scored his fourth goal in three games as the Panthers won their 28th home game, a club record for a season. Jonathan Huberdeau recorded his 71st assist, an NHL record for assists by a left winger. Huberdeau has 94 points, tying him with Pavel Bure, and is closing in on the club record of 96 points set by Barkov in the 2018-19 season. The Panthers could clinch a playoff spot as early as Saturday. Collin Delia stopped 40 shots for the Blackhawks, who lost their third straight game.

Tonight
Chicago Blackhawks at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7:00 p.m.
Ottawa Senators at Detroit Red Wings, 7:30 p.m.

MLB – Major League Baseball – Spring Training
Yesterday
Toronto Blue Jays 5, Detroit Tigers 3
Chicago White Sox 8, Cincinnati Reds 2
Cubs were off

Today
New York Yankees at Detroit Tigers, 1:05 p.m.
Oakland Athletics at Chicago White Sox, 4:05 p.m.
Chicago Cubs (SS) at Arizona Diamondbacks, 4:10 p.m.
Chicago Cubs (SS) at Milwaukee Brewers, 4:10 p.m.

MLB – MLB, players keep automatic runners in extras for 2022
Major League Baseball has finalized the rules change to bring back automatic runners in extra innings for a third straight season. MLB and the players’ association agreed to keep the controversial rule that starts each team with a runner on second base during extra innings for the 2022 regular season. The agreement regarding on-field rules modifications also includes expanding active rosters from 26 players to 28 from opening day on April 7 through May 1 this year, due to the delayed start of spring training.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball – Final Four
Saturday– 2022 NCAA Final Four – National Semifinals – Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
2 Villanova vs. 1 Kansas, 6:09 p.m.
8 North Carolina vs. 2 Duke, 8:49 p.m.

NCAAMBKB – Notre Dame freshman Blake Wesley enters name for NBA draft
Notre Dame freshman guard Blake Wesley has announced he’s entering the NBA draft. The 6-foot-5 guard who averaged a team-leading 14.4 points for his hometown Fighting Irish tweeted his intention. Wesley was an Indiana All-Star at Riley High School and Notre Dame’s first South Bend public school basketball prospect since 1985. Wesley was the only freshman in a starting lineup dominated by seniors and grad students at Notre Dame, which finished with a 24-11 record. That included going 15-5, along with North Carolina, as runners-up to Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season champion Duke. The draft will be held June 23 at the Barclays Center in New York.

NCAAMBKB – Final Four teams heavily recruit talent in their backyards
The four blueblood programs that have descended upon the Superdome for the men’s Final Four all have the ability to recruit on a national scale. Their coaches are able to hop aboard a jet on a moment’s notice to sit in a living room or take in a game. Yet all of the teams in New Orleans have pulled talent from their own backyards. Kansas has mined stars from Kansas City, Villanova from the fertile recruiting grounds of Philadelphia, and Duke and North Carolina have gone head-to-head for local talent with their campuses separated by about 10 miles.

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball – Final Four
Tonight – 2022 NCAA Final Four – National Semifinals – Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
1 Louisville vs. 1 South Carolina, 7:00 p.m.
2 UConn vs. 1 Stanford, 9:30 p.m.

NCAAWBKB – Final Four coaches feel transfer portal is "out of control"
Jeff Walz has had a lot of success getting players to transfer to Louisville over the last few years, including three starters on his Final Four team this season. He’s not the only coach in the Final Four who has bolstered the roster by using the transfer portal as both South Carolina and UConn have found supplemental players from it. Still Walz, Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma think the amount of players looking to change schools is getting out of control.

FIFA – FIFA sets World Cup draw seedings with updated rankings
The United States has received a boost for the World Cup draw and Canada has taken a hit in the updated FIFA rankings. The Americans will be in Pot 2 after being ranked 15th in the world. Canada won the North American qualifying group and will play at the tournament for the first time in 36 years but missed a chance for a rankings boost by losing at Panama 1-0 in its final qualifier. Canada will instead be among the lowest seeded teams in Pot 4. The eight groups for the tournament in Qatar will be drawn Friday from four pots. Qatar gets the top-seeded slot given to the World Cup host nation despite being ranked No. 51.

AHL – American Hockey League
Last Night
Texas Stars at Grand Rapids Griffins, 7:00 p.m.

MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Today
Baseball
Grand Rapids Community College at Lake Michigan College, 10:00 a.m. (DH)    at Lakeshore High School

Softball
Kalamazoo Valley Community College at Lake Michigan College, (DH)    Postponed

MHSAA – High School Sports
Yesterday
Girls Soccer
Hartford 1, Berrien Springs 0

Today
Baseball
Berrien Springs at Niles, 4:00 p.m. (DH)

Softball
Berrien Springs at Niles, 4:00 p.m. (DH)

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This week’s Mid-West Family Player of the week is Grant Gondrezick II, a junior from Benton Harbor High School.

On top of having a incredible regular season for the Tigers, Grant did what all great players must do and step up when it matters most– the postseason.

In the Regional Semifinal game against Holland Christian, Grant scored 23 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, dished out 3 assists, nabbed 3 steals, and hit 3 3-pointers in the tigers 70-62 win.

He followed that up with a 21 point, 5 rebound, 4 assist, and 2 steal performance in a 76-58 victory of Edwardsburg to secure the Tigers’ Regional Championship.

Though you may not notice it while he’s dominating on the court, but Grant has been working though an enormous amount of mental health hurdles as he has had to overcome the passing of both of his Father and Grandmother within the past 15 months. And with his experience of having to battle and overcome mental health problems, Grant hopes to become a leading advocate for teen athletes who have their own hurdles to overcome.

Off of the court, Grant carries a 3.75 GPA, volunteer’s for his church’s food drive, and likes to study the bible, play NBA 2K and Madden, and watch film on NBA legends.

To listen to Grant’s entire conversation with Jordan Jensen, click below!

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