Friday Morning Sports Update-04/16/2021

wnba-draft-basketball

WNBA – BH’s Kysre Gondrezick chose 4th overall in WNBA Draft
Former Benton Harbor Tiger Kysre Gondrezick was taken 4th overall in the 2021 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever.  Gondrezick, who was named Michigan’s Miss Basketball in 2016 originally played one year for the University of Michigan before transferring to West Virginia.  Gondrezick is the highest ever draft pick from West Virginia and 10th in program history.   Gondrezick is the second ever player from Benton Harbor to be chosen in the WNBA Draft.  Quacy Barnes was taken in the third round, 22nd overall in the 1998 WNBA Draft to the Sacramento Monarchs.  Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb phoned Gondrezick after the draft selection was announced.    The Fever missed the playoffs for the third straight season and came in 6th place in the WNBA’s Eastern Conference.  The Dallas Wings chose Charli Collier of Texas and Finnish player Awak Kuier with the first two picks of the WNBA draft. It’s the first time in league history that a team had picks No. 1 and 2. The Wings acquired the top pick in a February trade after being awarded the second choice in the draft lottery.

MLB – Major League Baseball
Yesterday
Oakland A’s 8, Detroit Tigers 4
Cleveland Indians 4, Chicago White Sox 2
Cubs were off

A’s 8, Tigers 4 – A’s pound Tigers, back Manaea’s 1st victory of season, 8-4
Stephen Piscotty and Matt Olson homered to back Sean Manaea’s first victory of the season, and the Oakland Athletics won their fifth straight game by beating the Detroit Tigers 8-4. Piscotty connected in the third inning off Tarik Skubal, and Olson went deep in the fifth. Elvis Andrus added a sacrifice fly as Manaea received plenty of support. He struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter over six strong innings. The left-hander allowed two runs on five hits and has a nine-game winning streak against AL Central teams dating to a victory over Cleveland in August 2016.

Indians 4, White Sox 2 – Ramírez, Indians bounce back from no-hitter, beat Chisox 4-2
Slumping José Ramírez connected for a go-ahead, two-run homer off Lance Lynn in the sixth inning and the Cleveland Indians bounced back from being no-hit, beating the Chicago White Sox 4-2. After Carlos Rodón just missed a perfect game in pitching a no-hitter Wednesday night, there was a different kind of tension this time as the benches emptied in the bottom of the first. There were no punches after Adam Eaton and Cleveland shortstop Andrés Giménez tangled up. Ramírez ended an 0-for-19 slump with his homer. Lynn struck out 10 and gave up his first two earned runs. Indians starter Aaron Civale improved to 3-0. He allowed one run in six innings.

Today
Atlanta Braves at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m.
Chicago White Sox at Boston Red Sox, 7:10 p.m.
Detroit Tigers at Oakland A’s, 9:40 p.m.  94.9 WSJM/103.7 Cosy-FM 9:20

MLB – Cubs’ Tepera suspended for 3 games, manager Ross 1 by MLB
Chicago Cubs pitcher Ryan Tepera was suspended for three games by Major League Baseball, which concluded he intentionally threw at Milwaukee’s Brandon Woodruff this week. Tepera appealed the penalty. Tepera, who also was fined, will not have to serve any discipline while the appeal is pending. Cubs manager David Ross was suspended for a game and fined because of Tepera’s actions.

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Detroit Red Wings 4, Chicago Blackhawks 1

Red Wings 4, Blackhawks 1 – Vrana scores in Detroit debut, Red Wings beat Chicago 4-1
Jakub Vrana scored in his Detroit debut, and Troy Stecher added two goals for the Red Wings in a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Vrana and Richard Panik played for the first time since the Red Wings acquired them in a trade Monday with Washington. Vrana put Detroit up 2-1 with a breakaway goal in the second period. Duncan Keith scored the only goal for Chicago, which remained four points behind Nashville for the fourth spot in the Central Division.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Today
Indiana Pacers at Utah Jazz, 3:00 p.m.
Oklahoma City Thunder at Detroit Pistons, 7:00 p.m.
Memphis Grizzlies at Chicago Bulls, 8:00 p.m.

NBA – Michael Jordan will present Kobe Bryant for Hall induction
Michael Jordan will present Kobe Bryant for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame next month. Members of a Hall class are asked to choose who they would like to accompany them to the stage and present them before their acceptance speech; when the inductee is being enshrined posthumously, as in Bryant’s case, family members are asked to make the decision on presenter. Jordan tearfully spoke for more than 11 minutes at the memorial for Bryant and his daughter Gianna in Los Angeles in February 2020.

NCAAMBB – Livers not returning for extra year with Michigan
Michigan senior Isaiah Livers is not returning for an extra year of eligibility. A team spokesman confirmed Livers’ decision Thursday. At this point, guard Eli Brooks is the only Michigan player who has decided to take advantage of the extra year that the NCAA is allowing because of the coronavirus pandemic — although the school said Jaaron Faulds is still considering whether he will do so. Michigan loses Livers, guard Mike Smith, guard Chaundee Brown and forward Austin Davis from this year’s team that won the Big Ten title and reached the Elite Eight. The Wolverines also await NBA draft decisions from sophomore guard Franz Wagner and freshman center Hunter Dickinson.

NCAA – College sports already adapting to new NCAA transfer rules
The NCAA has officially approved a plan that will allow all college athletes to transfer one time as an undergraduate without having to sit out a season. The exception that has been available to athletes in most college sports for years will now also be available to football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s ice hockey and baseball players. Some in college sports, especially football, worry about potential consequences. Those include fewer scholarships available to high school recruits; power programs poaching players from small schools; and rosters turning over quicker than coaches can keep up. The change takes effect in September.

NCAAFB – Coalition launches program to lift minority football coaches
An organization started by Maryland’s Mike Locksley is trying to help advance the careers of minority football coaches by connecting them with the people who do the hiring in college sports. The National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches launched its first Coalition Academy this week. The program matches coaches and athletic directors for mentorship. Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott, Notre Dame defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman, Nevada head coach Jay Norvell, UNLV head coach Marcus Arroyo and Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis are among the 12 coaches participating. UNLV athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois spearheaded the program and is among 13 current and former ADs taking part.

Olympics – Officials say Olympic cancellation, no fans still an option
Two officials in Japan’s ruling LDP party have suggested separately that the Tokyo Olympics could be in for some radical changes. One says they could be canceled. The other says they could proceed without any fans. The speculation comes only a day after Tokyo reached the 100-days-to-go mark. Liberal Democratic Party secretary general Toshihiro Nikai says cancellation is still an option with coronavirus cases rising across the country. Taro Kono is the minister in charge of the vaccine rollout in Japan. He says that even if the games go on it may be without any fans. Organizers last month banned fans from abroad.

MCCAA – Junior College Sports
Yesterday
Baseball
Lake Michigan College 15, Ancilla College 1 – Game 1 (5 Innings)
Lake Michigan College 19, Ancilla College 9 – Game 2 (6 Innings)

Today
Baseball
Lake Michigan College at Ancilla College, 2:00 p.m./4:30 p.m. (Doubleheader)

Softball
Lansing Community College at Lake Michigan College, 3:00 p.m./5:00 p.m. (Doubleheader)

Women’s Soccer
Lake Michigan College at Jackson College, 5:00 p.m.

MHSAA – High School Sports
Yesterday
Softball
St. Joseph 14, Sturgis 0 – Game 1
St. Joseph 15, Sturgis 0 – Game 2

Girls Soccer
Gull Lake 2, Plainwell 0
Three Rivers 10, Bronson 0

Boys Golf
BCS Jamboree at Lake Michigan Hills (Lake Michigan Catholic host)

BCS Red – Team

1.Niles 177
2.South Haven 216
3.Comstock 220
4.Berrien Springs 228
5.Buchanan 249
6.Brandywine 250

BCS Red – Indiv. top 10

Matt McKeal-NIL 40
Evan Buckner-NIL 43
George Pullen-NIL 43
Ethan Valentine-BUC 43
Brandon Tripp-BSP 49
Griffen Moore-BSP 49
Parker Williamshon-SH 49
Aiden Kruger-NIL 51
Treton Phillips-SH 53
Jeff Koss-COM 54
Carter Wentz-COM 54
Dakota Hinkle-NIL 54

BCS White – Team

1. Bridgman 213
2. Lake Mich. Cath. 224
3. New Buffalo 291
4. Howardsville Chr. 313
6. River Valley 318

BCS White – Indiv. top 10

Chas Lasata-LMC 47
Dillion Backus-BRI 50
Connor Shooks-LMC 52
TJ Demeulenaere-BRI 53
Bodee Davis-NB 53
Weston Busick-BRI 54
Maura Killips-BRI 56
Hunter Ives-BRI 57
Justin Ott-BRI 58
Aiden Bettig-RV 60

Today
Girls Soccer
St. Joseph at Zeeland West, 6:30 p.m.
Kalamazoo Hackett at Lakeshore, 6:30 p.m.
Michigan Lutheran at Lake Michigan Catholic, 5:00 p.m.
Edwardsburg at South Haven, 5:00 p.m.
New Buffalo at Bangor, 5:30 p.m.
Watervliet at Bridgman, 5:00 p.m.
Constantine at Buchanan, 5:00 p.m.
Berrien Springs at Fennville, 6:45 p.m.
Coldwater at Sturgis, 6:30 p.m.
Paw Paw at Kalamazoo Central, 5:00 p.m.
Battle Creek Lakeview at Allegan, 6:30 p.m.
Saugatuck at Holland Black River, 4:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Christian at Unity Christian, 5:45 p.m.

Baseball
Lake Michigan Catholic at New Buffalo, 4:15 p.m.
Benton Harbor at South Haven, 4:00 p.m.
Edwardsburg at Niles, 4:00 p.m.
Vicksburg at Paw Paw, 4:00 p.m.
Decatur at Berrien Springs, 4:15 p.m.
Eau Claire at Lawrence, 4:15 p.m.
Three Rivers at Plainwell, 4:00 p.m.
Sturgis at Allegan, 4:00 p.m.
Colon at Mendon, 4:30 p.m.
Battle Creek Lakeview at Portage Northern, 4:00 p.m.

Softball
Lakeshore at LaPorte (IN), 5:15 p.m.
Edwardsburg at South Haven, 4:00 p.m.
Decatur at Berrien Springs, 4:00 p.m.
Eau Claire at Lawrence, 4:15 p.m.
Bridgman at Howardsville Christian, 4:15 p.m.
Vicksburg at Paw Paw, 4:00 p.m.
Three Rivers at Plainwell, 4:00 p.m.
Battle Creek Lakeview at Portage Northern, 4:00 p.m.