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Category: Sports

Alex Gordon signs four-year deal to return to World Series champion Royals

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riggertRoyalsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – With a cold wind blowing outside and the warmth of spring training still more than a month away, Alex Gordon walked into the home clubhouse of Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday and grinned.

He was home. And he will be for a while.

The All-Star outfielder signed a $72 million, four-year deal to remain with the Kansas City Royals, the long-downtrodden team that drafted him more than a decade ago, and that he helped climb to the pinnacle of the sport with a World Series triumph this past season.

“When I walked into the locker room, it put a smile on my face,” Gordon said, “because at the end of the season, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to do that again.”

Gordon will make $12 million this season, $16 million next and $20 million each of the following two years. The deal includes a $23 million mutual option for 2020 with a $4 million buyout. If he is traded, the option would be voided and the $4 million would become an assignment bonus.

The deal is the richest in franchise history, trumping $55 million agreements given to longtime first baseman Mike Sweeney and starting pitcher Gil Meche.

“I mean, we all wanted to make it fair for both sides,” Gordon said. “It was definitely a process but we got to that point and I’m happy with where I’m at now.”

Gordon declined a $13.75 million option to test free agency, but several outfielders on the market — including Yoenis Cespedes and Justin Upton — may have depressed the 31-year-old’s value. And there is Gordon’s recent injury history that limited him to 104 games last season.

“He’s an easy player to root for,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. “Alex is one of the greatest players and stories I’ve been around in the game, how he persevered and the changes he made and how he did it and how he led, and he didn’t complain. He just went to work and made himself an All-Star, a Gold Glove winner. … He is a pillar of our clubhouse and our organization, no doubt.”

The second overall pick of the Royals in the 2005 amateur draft, Gordon went through years of growing pains before finally becoming a star. He not only developed into one of the best defensive outfielders in the game with four Gold Gloves, but also a consistent hitter and clubhouse leader.

Gordon dealt with a wrist injury early last season, then sustained a serious groin injury that sidelined him much for the summer. He wound up playing in just 104 games, hitting .271 with 13 homers and 48 RBIs, though he did get voted to his third consecutive All-Star Game.

Gordon returned in time for the playoffs, where he hit.241 while playing all 16 games. His home run off Mets closer Jeurys Familia sent the World Series opener to extra innings and allowed the Royals to win in 14 innings. The Royals went on to beat the Mets in five games

During the ensuing parade, hundreds of thousands of fans feted Gordon as the caravan wound through downtown Kansas City, confirming his status as one of the franchise’s most popular players.

“We’ve been here for 10 years and really established our home here,” Gordon said, “so coming into the offseason, we were very appreciative of all the teams that showed us interest. But the end of the day, my heart has always been and I think always will be in Kansas City.”

Notoriously frugal, the Royals once against showed their willingness to open their checkbook.

Along with bringing back Gordon, the team has re-signed pitcher Chris Young to an $11.5 million, two-year deal to solidify their rotation and brought back former closer Joakim Soria on a $25 million, three-year deal. They’ve also exercised an $8 million option on All-Star closer Wade Davis and a $5.25 million option on All-Star shortstop Alcides Escobar.

With a number of players likely to get significant raises in arbitration, including All-Star outfielder Lorenzo Cain, third baseman Mike Moustakas, left hander Danny Duffy and outfielder Jarrod Dyson, the Royals could have another record payroll this season.

“We’re going to continue to work our roster, massage it in ways that are going to help us win,” Moore said. “If you look at the evolution of the 2015 roster, we made adjustments along the way, and I’m confident we’re going to be able to do that to put the best lineup on the field.”

— Associated Press —

Western women move up to No. 13 in latest WBCA/USA Today Top 25

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riggertMissouriWesternST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western women’s basketball team has moved up three spots to No. 13 in the latest WBCA/USA Today Division II top 25 poll.  It’s the highest ranking for the Griffons since 2007 as they’re off to a 14-0 start, the best official start in school history.

Missouri Western entered this week ranked 16th in the poll and is one of three MIAA teams inside the top-13. The Griffons are one of just two remaining undefeated teams not ranked in the top-10 of the poll. Four undefeated teams are ranked ahead of Missouri Western including No. 1 West Texas A&M (12-0). MIAA foe Fort Hays State dropped from No. 1 to No. 3 after its first loss of the season, 82-71, on Dec. 19 at Southwest Baptist. Another MIAA team, Emporia State is the only two-loss team in the top-10 at 11-2 on the season. The Lady Hornets have losses to Fort Hays and Missouri Southern.

Missouri Western sits atop the MIAA standings and entered the week second in all of Division II in field goal percentage, scoring margin, scoring offense and steals. Overall the team ranked in the top-10 nationally in eight statistical categories. MIAA leading scorer LaQuinta Jefferson was named the MIAA Athlete of the Week for the third consecutive week and fourth time in the last five weeks on Monday. Jefferson entered the week third in the nation in scoring and her 23.5 points per game are most in the MIAA by more than three points per game.

The Griffons will be tested in the coming weeks. After ending a four-game homestand this coming Saturday with Northwest Missouri State, the Griffons travel to Washburn and Emporia State next week. Washburn currently sits fourth in the MIAA, tied with No. 8 Emporia State. Missouri Western then returns home for games against No. 3 Fort Hays, which sits second in the MIAA, and Nebraska-Kearney before travelling to fifth place Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern the last week of January.

— MWSU Athletics —

K-State comes up short at Texas 60-57

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riggertKansasStateAUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Far from pretty, Texas’ win over Kansas State was certainly gritty. And it earned new coach Shaka Smart a very important milestone: his first Big 12 victory.

Isaiah Taylor scored 17 points and the Longhorns overcame a tough shooting night with some key late-game 3-pointers to beat the Wildcats 60-57, snapping a two-game losing skid.

“When it comes to the result, we always want to win, especially coming off a couple of losses, you want to get it any way you can,” Smart said.

Javan Felix scored 14 for Texas (9-5, 1-1 Big 12) and his 3-pointer with just under 4 minutes left gave Texas its first lead of the second half. Barry Brown scored 15 for Kansas State (10-4, 0-2), but two 3-point attempts in the final seconds were both partially blocked.

The win also let Texas and Smart avoid the program’s third 0-2 start in the Big 12 in four years.

“A must-win,” said Taylor, a junior who has experienced the rugged road through the Big 12.

The Longhorns still struggled to find offensive rhythm after losing senior center Cam Ridley to a foot injury for 8-to-10 weeks three games ago. But despite a 6 of 23 shooting effort on 3-pointers, the Longhorns got key long-range baskets from Felix and Connor Lammert down the stretch to secure the win.

The Longhorns were 4 of 20 shooting 3-pointers before making two of their last three. Felix scored seven in a row in the run to grab the lead.

“That’s my job: stay aggressive and keep shooting, even when the shots are not falling,” Felix said.

Texas led 24-16 late in the first half before Kansas State closed with a 13-2 run to take a 29-26 lead into the locker room. Two Texas turnovers on the Longhorns’ final two possessions led to easy layups, including a buzzer-beater by Carlbe Ervin II.

Taylor struggled in the first half with three fouls against just three points and three assists.

With little production inside, Texas kept firing away 3-pointers will little to show for it early in the second half. But even with those constant misfires, Kansas State struggled to build on its lead and could only push the margin as high as 45-41.

“It would help to jump up and make some shots,” Kansas State coach Bruce Weber said. “You can say we’re young, we’re new, we play hard, but we can’t accept losing.”

Texas grabbed its first lead of the second half when Felix hit a 3-pointer from the top of the arc and scored seven straight in a run that put the Longhorns up 58-52 with 3 minutes left.

“That’s my job: stay aggressive and keep shooting, even when the shots are not falling,” Felix said.

Lammert’s 3-pointer put Texas up by 56-50 before Brown answered with a 3-pointer on the other end. Taylor made two of four free throws in the final seconds for the Longhorns.

“We were in a six-minute game and down two. It becomes a make-or-miss game,” Smart said. “I was proud of Connor for taking the 3 he made because he had missed a few beforehand.”

TIP-INS

Kansas State: The Wildcats continue to struggle on the road with just four wins in the past two seasons.

Texas: The Longhorns are still looking for better production inside without Ridley. Prince Ibeh and Shaq Cleare combined for 11 points.

MOMENTUM SHIFT:

Kansas State led 45-41 with 8:31 left, then made just four field goals and had four turnovers the rest of the way. “They made the shots and we didn’t get the stops. We had some real bad possessions,” Weber said.

UP NEXT

Kansas State plays at No. 2 Oklahoma on Saturday

Texas plays at TCU on Saturday

— Associated Press —

Nebraska falls on the road at No. 19 Iowa

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riggertNebraskaIOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s first performance as a Top 25 team wasn’t nearly as pretty as the ones that landed it in the rankings.

The Hawkeyes won anyway — and now they have over a week to prepare for a rematch with Michigan State, which they knocked out of the No. 1 ranking.

Jarrod Uthoff had 25 points, eight rebounds and four blocks as No. 19 Iowa held off Nebraska 77-66 on Tuesday night for its fifth straight win.

Mike Gesell had 22 points and 10 assists for his first career double-double with the surging Hawkeyes (12-3, 3-0 Big Ten). They have victories in nine consecutive league games dating to last season.

Gesell “needed to be great because (starting guard Anthony Clemmons) clearly wasn’t himself,” Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said of Clemmons, who was held scoreless while struggling through a hip pointer. “It took a lot for us to get this win and it was all experience.”

Iowa survived a sluggish start to the second half with a late 9-0 run, capped by a long 3 by Uthoff, to go ahead 63-48 with 7:15 left.

Tai Webster scored a season-high 22 points and Shavon Shields had 13 for Nebraska (8-8, 0-3). The Cornhuskers shot 59 percent in the second half but still lost their third straight.

“The competition is good. But I want to see us now, and I want to see us at the end of the year,” Nebraska coach Tim Miles said.

The Hawkeyes surged into the Top 25 on Monday after beating two ranked teams, including then-No. 1 Michigan State, in the same week for the first time since 1987.

The pressure defense Iowa used to rally from a 19-point deficit to win at Purdue on Saturday came in handy again versus Nebraska.

The Huskers could hardly miss in their first few possessions, storming ahead 10-0. The Hawkeyes responded by defending the full 94 feet, and within a few minutes they were in front 19-17.

“Once we got into it we stayed into it because we got them a little sideways,” McCaffery said of the press. “When we got the lead, we didn’t panic.”

The Hawkeyes didn’t have a ton of trouble the rest of the way, though the Huskers didn’t make it easy on them.

Iowa hit eight of 10 baskets during a 12-0 run late in the first half — while holding Nebraska to 4-of-24 shooting at one point — to go up 31-22.

Nebraska briefly got within eight points midway through the second half. But Uthoff’s 3 and a one-handed jumper from Gesell put Iowa ahead by 16 points with just over 4 minutes left.

TIP-INS

Nebraska: The Huskers went scoreless over the final 7:35 of the first half. … Jack McVeigh, who matched a career high with 16 points in his last game, scored five points on 2-of-9 shooting.

Iowa: Uthoff entered play ranked fourth nationally with 3.3 blocks per game. …The Hawkeyes went 24 of 32 from the free throw line. … Reserve Dom Uhl had 10 points and eight rebounds.

STAR POWER

Gesell has notched career highs in nearly every statistical category this season, and his versatility keyed the Hawkeyes on Tuesday. He had 22 points on 5-of-7 shooting and was 11 of 13 from the line. He had four rebounds.

COURTSIDE

Miles, as is his custom, tweeted at halftime that “When we get a open look we have to knock it down. We also have to get into the lane on offense and contain Uthoff on defense.” The Huskers did much better on offense after halftime, but Uthoff hit a bunch of key shots in the second half.

UP NEXT

Nebraska plays Rutgers on Saturday.

Iowa gets a rematch with No. 5 Michigan State on Jan. 14.

— Associated Press —

Missouri’s Porter named SEC Freshman of the Week

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riggertMissouriBIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball freshman forward Cierra Porter (Columbia, Mo.) was named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week, it was announced Tuesday. Porter scored 13 points and tied a career-high with nine rebounds (five offensive) in the 88-71 victory over Charlotte on Dec. 29.

For the week, Porter averaged 8.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.0 steal vs. Charlotte and No. 12 Tennessee on Monday. She shot 50 percent (7-for-14) from the floor. Against Charlotte, she was 5-for-9 from the field, 3-for-4 from the foul line and added two assists and two steals.

Through 14 games, Porter is averaging 10.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.9 blocks per game. She is shooting a team-best 62 percent (52-for-84) from the floor to go along with a 78 percent (38-for-49) mark at the free throw line.

No. 20 Mizzou (13-1, 0-1) returns to action on Thursday evening with a 6 p.m. CT tipoff at Georgia (12-2, 0-1).

— Mizzou Athletics —

No. 16 Missouri Western rallies past UCO; off to best start in school history

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MWSUST. JOSEPH – For the first time in program history, the Missouri Western Women’s Basketball team is 14-0 after a thrilling 77-69 victory over Central Oklahoma Monday night inside the MWSU Fieldhouse.

No. 16 Missouri Western trailed at the break but opened the second half with an 8-0 run to take back the lead. Two second half three pointers from Sarafina Handy helped seal the deal for the Griffons. Trailing by two with 2:47 left in the third, Handy sunk a three from Chelsea Dewey to give Missouri Western the lead back. Handy nailed another triple with 2:15 remaining in the game to stretch a four-point Griffon lead to seven. Handy was fouled on the attempt and made the penalty shot to give the Griffons an eight-point lead. Central Oklahoma closed the gap to four with 31 seconds remaining but two Handy free throws iced the Griffons’ eighth MIAA victory of the season.

Handy finished with 21 points to lead Missouri Western. LaQuinta Jefferson had her six-game streak of 24 points or more broken but still scored 19 with three rebounds and four assists. Mhykeah Baez dropped 17, led the Griffons with 10 rebounds and had four steals. Dewey scored 11 with five assists.

The win for Missouri Western set up a rivalry matchup Saturday between an undefeated Griffon squad and a Northwest Missouri State team in search of its first MIAA victory of the season.

— MWSU Athletics —

Griffons defeat Central Oklahoma for second straight win

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MWSUST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western Men’s Basketball team won its second straight game and gave Griffon Basketball its second straight MIAA Doubleheader sweep with a 77-60 victory over Central Oklahoma.

The Griffons trailed by seven with 9:30 left in the first half then rattled off a 22-10 run to take a five-point lead to the break. Missouri Western opened the second half on a 10-0 run that extended the lead to 15 and never let up from that point on. The Griffons would lead by as many as 23 in the second half. Missouri Western shot 42 percent from the field in the second frame but limited Central Oklahoma to 39 percent from the field and 3-13 three-point shooting. The Griffons out-rebounded UCO 42-33 and had 40 points off the bench to the Bronchos’ 28.

Aaron Emmanuel led Missouri Western with 14 points. Miles Wentzien hit double figures for the second straight game, scoring 13. Currie Byrd also scored 13 and Wes Mitter added 12.

The win ran Missouri Western’s record to 5-9 overall and 3-5 in the MIAA. The Griffons host Northwest Missouri, Saturday at 5 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

Bearcats hold off Northeastern State for 78-74 win

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Northwest2013riggertBy David Boyce, Northwest Athletics

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northeastern State entered Bearcat Arena Monday evening with two wins and a spot at the bottom of the MIAA. None of that mattered. The RiverHawks played a man’s game on the boards.

The relentless effort by Northeastern forced Northwest Missouri State to make some clutch baskets by Justin Pitts and a few critical free throws by Pitts, D’Vante Mosby and Anthony Woods in the closing minutes.

And those plays only mattered because of the three-point shooting by Conner Crooker and Zach Schneider kept the Bearcats in striking distance. Crooker and Schneider each made four three-pointers.

Northwest needed every ounce of energy from every player that stepped on the court in the second half to pull out a 78-74 win against the RiverHawks.

“Personally, I thought it was fun, but we have to buckle down, play more defense and buy into what coach Mac (head coach Ben McCollum) says,” said Pitts of the back and forth nature of the final 2 minutes. “We have to start getting stops and boxing out because we can’t keep going into games like that.”

The Bearcats, 9-4 overall and 6-2 in the MIAA, now have five days to work on a few things before playing at rival Missouri Western at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Against the RiverHawks, Northwest could never put the game away against a team that dropped to 2-9 and 1-6. There were 12 lead changes in the second half. Northwest seemingly took control with 3:25 left when Mosby hit two free throws to give the Bearcats a 68-63 lead.

“It is nice to know we have a lot of options and Pitts going off the screen is just go-to, and he can make plays,” said Crooker, who finished with 16 points. “And Zach can stretch it out and shoot threes. We are pretty confident that we can score at the end of the game.”

The Bearcats definitely needed that confidence late in the game because of the way the RiverHawks played down the stretch.

Northeastern State scored nine of the next 11 points and grabbed a 72-70 lead with about 1:30 left. Northwest tied the game at 72-72 on a driving layup by Pitts.

The RiverHawks didn’t back down and scored the next basket. The Bearcats came right back. A basket plus the foul shot by Woods gave Northwest 75-74 lead with 41 seconds left. Northwest increased the lead by one more point when Mosby made one of two free throws with 13.8 seconds left. With 2 seconds left, Pitts sealed the game with two more free throws. Pitts finished with 21 points.

Northwest had a strange first half and when halftime arrived, the Bearcats were locked in a 38-38 tie.

The Bearcats got off to a slow start in the first half and trailed 16-12 midway through the first half. Over the next 5 minutes, Northwest played like one of the top teams in the MIAA, scoring the next 14 points for a 26-16 lead.

It appeared the Bearcats had taken control of the game. For the rest of the first half, the RiverHawks played like a team battling for first. They fought for rebounds, dove for loose balls and hustled their way back into the game.

“We just lost focus,” Pitts said. “We kind of went away from the things that we did to get those stops. We have to buckle down, play D and box out.”

A three-point play by senior Dakota Caudill late in the first half gave Northeastern a 36-35 lead. Caudill finished with a game-high 24 points. Northwest went right back in front on a three-pointer by Crooker.

The RiverHawks dominated the boards, pulling down 25 rebounds compared to just 12 from Northwest. In fact, the 12 offensive rebounds for Northeastern matched the rebound total for Northwest.

“That was definitely a big issue,” Crooker said. “I think once we got our lead we got kind of complacent and thought it was going to come to us, but they are not going to stop competing. They out-hustled us and made us look kind of soft.”

— Northwest Athletics —

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