• Slug: Sports-Mercury Chaisma Osborne, 850 words.
• Photo available.

By Justin de Haas
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Charisma Osborne has achieved success at every level. She won California Ms. Basketball in her junior year of high school and also scored the second-most points in UCLA women’s basketball history. Now she can add WNBA draft pick to that impressive resume as she was selected in the third round by the Phoenix Mercury in Monday’s draft.

Osborne is a Moreno Valley native, which is in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, but she traveled 80 miles west to attend Windward School in Los Angeles. Windward is considered one of the better basketball schools in the state and Osborne upheld that legacy by winning back-to-back Southern Section Open Division girls’ championships — with former Mercury coach Vanessa Nygaard leading the charge — in her sophomore and junior seasons.

With this success as well as a McDonald’s All-America selection in 2019, Osborne was a highly-touted five-star recruit entering UCLA. The former Windward Wildcats payer made an immediate impact, starting 29 games and averaging 12.2 points in her freshman season for the Bruins. Continue reading “UCLA’s Charisma Osborne embraces underdog role after dropping to Mercury in third round of 2024 WNBA Draft”

• Slug: Sports-Coyotes Chaos, 930 words.
• 2 photos available.

By Josh Jones
Cronkite News

SCOTTSDALE – The Ice Den is a familiar place for the Arizona Coyotes, who have spent countless hours perfecting their craft there. Since opening in 1998, the venue has provided consistency and comfort as the Coyotes practice facility.

Tuesday was different.

The Coyotes took the ice for what is widely expected to be their final practice of the season and, likely, in Arizona. Reports flooded in Friday that the team will soon announce new ownership and relocation to Salt Lake City for the 2024-25 NHL season. Continue reading “Arizona Coyotes, Valley fans brace for potential finale before rumored Salt Lake City move”

• Slug: Sports-Cactus League Attendance, 900 words.
• Photo available.

By Sammy Nute
Cronkite News

PEORIA – To trace the success of this spring’s Cactus League, look no further back than the 2023 World Series, when the Texas Rangers blanked the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-0, in Game 5 at Chase Field to win the championship.

Fast forwarding from the Fall Classic, the residual effects produced one of the best fan turnouts at spring training since 2019, with hordes of people flocking to Arizona to get the first look at the reigning World Series champions, the runner-up and, of course, Shohei Ohtani, Major League Baseball’s biggest star.

Cactus League executive director Bridget Binsbacher announced that 1,630,436 attendees across the league’s 216 games marked the most since before the pandemic, an increase of over 65,000 fans from last year. For the 11th straight season, the Chicago Cubs topped attendance as Sloan Park’s 10th season saw a total of 241,215 baseball fans walk through the turnstiles throughout the spring.  Continue reading “Cactus League announces highest attendance total since pre-pandemic”

• Slug: Sports-Rhys Hoskins MDA, 1,900 words.
• 3 photos available.

By Grace Del Pizzo
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – In 2017, Rhys Hoskins made his MLB debut with the Philadelphia Phillies, and over the next six seasons, he became a fixture as the team’s first baseman. He served as the organization’s bridge from an 11-year postseason drought to achieving long-awaited playoff success in 2022. Just three months ago, he signed a two-year, $34 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, leaving Philly fans who had grown attached to his dedication and personality distraught.

Before all that, however, he was just a student at Jesuit High School in Carmichael, California who had to earn 50 community service hours to graduate. He signed up to be a camp counselor at a nearby summer camp run by the Muscular Dystrophy Association to meet the requirement, but what began as an obligation in the eyes of a teenager became so much more.

“I was assigned a camper that I was there to help with (his) care, but also to show him what summer camp is like,” Hoskins said. “And I just fell in love with the community that was there to bring some sort of normalcy to these kids’ lives, but also give a chance for caregivers and parents to have a break. It’s a full-time job, with these kids that are living with these neuromuscular diseases, full-time job for caregivers.” Continue reading “From Phillies hero to championing muscular dystrophy awareness, Rhys Hoskins’ journey is one of heart, home runs”

• Slug: Sports-Suns Superfan Mr ORNG Arrested. 680 words.
• Photo available.

By David Bernauer
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – A Peoria High School boys basketball coach and popular Phoenix Suns superfan was arrested by Peoria police Tuesday night on charges related to child sex crimes.

Police charged Patrick Battillo, a state title-winning coach also known as Mr. ORNG, with several crimes, including luring a minor for sexual exploitation and child sex trafficking. Peoria High School teacher Holly Holgate, 46, was also arrested and charged with hindering prosecution and failing to report child abuse or neglect.

Peoria police were tipped off to the crimes around 10 a.m. Tuesday when Peoria High School administrators alerted the school’s resource officer that Battillo, 37, had received images and videos of students via Snapchat in “various sex acts and in various states of nudity,” according to police. Continue reading “Phoenix Suns superfan Mr. ORNG arrested on child sex crime charges”

• Slug: Sports-Mercury New Headquarters Court. 740 words.
• 3 photos available.

By Tia Reid
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Mat Ishbia continues to show his commitment to women’s basketball and the Valley’s WNBA team.

On Thursday, Player 15 Group owned by Ishbia,  who also owns the Phoenix Mercury and Suns, unveiled the new team headquarters in downtown Phoenix, just a few blocks from Footprint Center in the Warehouse District. The offices serve as the first phase in a $100 million-plus project that also includes a new state-of-the-art practice facility for the Mercury.

“This feels like a building that delivers championships,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said. “We feel like Phoenix is (a) basketball city, and this is a building to befit that high standard. This is incredible. … We are so excited to have the Suns and Mercury growing in the city of Phoenix. You’ve chosen a very special area. The Warehouse District was really the economic backbone of the city when we were an agricultural city, and now it is the future of our city as well.” Continue reading “Phoenix Mercury unveils new headquarters, practice facility renderings”

• Slug: Sports-Final Four Slam Wrap-up, 1,000 words.
• 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Sammy Nute
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – As confetti fell Monday from the State Farm Stadium rafters, bringing three weeks of hectic college basketball to a close, the UConn Huskies were crowned back-to-back NCAA Tournament champions.

However, the Huskies weren’t the only team celebrating at the end of the 2024 NCAA Men’s Final Four.

JoAn Scott, the NCAA vice-president of men’s basketball, and Jay Parry, CEO of the Phoenix Local Organizing Committee, also had reason to pop a cork. Continue reading “Phoenix shines as host city for 2024 Men’s Final Four, passes torch to San Antonio”

• Slug: Sports-Purdue Championship Game, 980 words.
• 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Lucas Gordon
Cronkite News

GLENDALE – Indiana is known for its vast farmland and its reputation as a basketball haven. Hoosiers, as residents call themselves, eat, sleep and breathe basketball.

The sentiment toward basketball is the same all across the state, especially in the college towns. Travel 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis and you’ll find the one town that has been into basketball more than the rest in Indiana recently. West Lafayette.

Home of the Purdue Boilermakers, the usually quiet town was preparing for a riot Monday night as the school’s men’s team made its first national championship appearance in 55 years. Continue reading “Purdue’s season a success despite men’s national title loss to UConn”

• Slug: Sports-UConn Championship Game, 900 words.
• 3 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Addison Kalmbach
Cronkite News

GLENDALE – Everything.

That was the motto for this year’s UConn men’s basketball team and it accomplished just that.

“We’ve worn the everything shirt the whole year,” coach Dan Hurley said. “Everyone in this organization gave everything so that we could win everything this year. We wanted to give everything so we could win absolutely everything,” Continue reading “The Hurley Risers: UConn coach lifts men’s program to new heights after back-to-back titles”

• Slug: Sports-NCAA Legends Event,900 words.
• Photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Grace Del Pizzo
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Ahead of the Final Four this weekend, the NCAA held an awards reception Tuesday evening at the Heard Museum to honor this year’s recipients of the annual NCAA Legends and Legacy Community Award. 

The award “acknowledges and celebrates the determination of living legends who are making a difference in and around their city. The award recognizes local community builders who commit their time, resources and influence to improve and invest in their local communities; the Final Four host cities for Men and Women’s Basketball,” according to the NCAA.

Tuesday’s reception honored five Valley locals for their contributions to the greater Phoenix community: Diana “Dede” Yazzie Devine, CEO of Native American Connections; Reyna Montoya, founder and CEO of Aliento; Jacob Moore, vice president and special advisor to the president on American Indian affairs at Arizona State University; David Solano, elementary teacher, youth basketball coach and president of Solano’s No Limit Hoops; and Christina Spicer, co-CEO of Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council. Continue reading “Phoenix’s finest: Ahead of Final Four, NCAA honors Valley community leaders with Legends and Legacy Community Award”

• Slug: Sports-Final Four Preparations, 880 words.
• 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Tyler Bednar
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Tip-off for the first Final Four game is four days away, but preparation for Arizona’s second college basketball finale started long before this week.

A 12-member NCAA men’s basketball committee selected Phoenix to host the 2024 men’s Final Four on July 16, 2018, and preparations by the NCAA, the City of Phoenix, Arizona State University and local organizing committees ramped up over the past 18 months.

The latest feature of Final Four week was unveiled Tuesday at Eastlake Community Center, where the NCAA men’s Final Four Legacy Project showed off refurbished indoor and outdoor basketball courts and a mural dedicated to 11 impactful community members. Continue reading “Countdown to tip-off: Final Four Week brings hoops fever to Arizona with fan festivities, college basketball’s best”

• Slug: Sports-Ross Stripling A’s Finance, 1,400 words.
• File photo available (thumbnail, caption below)

By Stephen Buxton
Cronkite News

MESA – Ten years ago, Ross Stripling was sitting at home unable to pitch, wondering if Tommy John elbow surgery had derailed his career.

Stripling, then 24, was a promising prospect fighting to earn a spot as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ No. 5 starter after coming off a season with a 2.82 earned run average in 127.2 innings between High A and Double A.

During that recovery time, Stripling, who is scheduled to start tonight for the Oakland A’s against the Cleveland Guardians, made strides toward a backup plan if his playing career didn’t pan out – working in personal finance. Continue reading “Just a backup plan: A’s pitcher Ross Stripling’s passion for finance started before baseball took off”

• Slug: Sports-Ohtani Dodgers Photo Essay, 500 words.
• 10 photos available (thumbnails, captions below)

By Joe Eigo
Cronkite News

GLENDALE – Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani said Monday that he is “saddened and shocked that someone who I trusted” put him in the middle of a sports betting scandal.

Ohtani’s friend and interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the team Wednesday following reports about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well over $1 million

Ohtani said he has never bet on baseball or any other sport, nor did he have anyone place bets on his behalf. Continue reading “Photo essay: ‘Saddened and shocked’ Ohtani, Dodgers try to move forward after translator betting scandal”

• Slug: Sports-ACU Sweet 16, 1,130 words.
• Photo available (thumbnail, caption below)

By Hayden Cilley
Cronkite News

GLENDALE – Tough, smart and unselfish. 

That’s the motto the Arizona Christian University men’s basketball team has used to secure its spot in the Sweet 16 of the 2024 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics basketball tournament. 

The 25-7 Firestorm blazed through their fourth straight conference tournament in the first two rounds, capturing wins against the University of Saint Katherine and Huntington University in the ACU Events Center. They play against Indiana Wesleyan University Friday in Kansas City, Missouri. Continue reading “Faith over fear: Arizona Christian stands behind beliefs amid NAIA Sweet 16 appearance”

• Slug: Sports-Court-Storming Danger,  2,700 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below)

By Maxwell Williams
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Buzzer-beaters, upset victories, championship titles. Many circumstances exist that may result in fans storming the court, or field, depending on the sport, but for administrators and athletic department faculty members, a fan’s dream can be a safety nightmare. 

As a topic that has plagued the ecosystem of college athletics in recent months, arena safety remains all the more important now that March Madness has arrived, with the Final Four games slated to begin on April 6 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. With so many eyeballs focused and brackets drawn up, the NCAA has plans in place to ensure the best chance at success on the biggest stage. 

“The national office works with host venue security and law enforcement to put necessary security plans into place,” said Michelle Brutlag Hosick, the NCAA’s director of external communications. Continue reading “Eye on the Storm: Recent events put court-storming under scrutiny”

• Slug: Sports-Arizona Long Beach State, 1,200 words.
• 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below)

By Hayden Cilley
Cronkite News

SALT LAKE CITY – A tale of two halves.

That summarizes the No. 2 Arizona Wildcats’ 85-65 win over No. 15 Long Beach State in the first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

Following the game, UArizona coach Tommy Lloyd joked about playing against one of his closest friends. Continue reading “A tale of two halves: Arizona leans on championship experience in first-round win over Long Beach State”

• Slug: Sports-Arizona NCAA Lloyd Monson, 1050 words.
• 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below)

By Hayden Cilley
Cronkite News

SALT LAKE CITY – From best friends to soon-to-be first-round opponents, the bond between Arizona men’s basketball coach Tommy Lloyd and Long Beach State’s Dan Monson has roots much deeper than basketball.

On Thursday, Lloyd and Monson will square off against each other in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in two very different scenarios. Lloyd led the Wildcats to a 28-5 record and a No. 2 seed.  On the contrary, Monson led the Beach to a 21-14 overall record before he was let go at the end of the regular season.

The school gave Monson the opportunity to continue coaching until the team was eliminated from its Big West Conference tournament. However, elimination never came, but the national attention sure did. Continue reading “‘Two genuine friends’: Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, Long Beach State’s Dan Monson share near 30-year bond”

• Slug: Sports-Downtown Phoenix Bracket Reveal, 300 words.
• 4 photos available (thumbnails, captions below)

By Lucas Gordon
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – It takes a large team to put on an event as big as the NCAA Division I Men’s Final Four. After hosting the event in 2017, Phoenix is once again bringing the college basketball championship to State Farm Stadium in Glendale. 

As the 2024 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament gets started Tuesday with the First Four in Dayton, Ohio, the city of Phoenix is finishing its preparations for the Final Four in 18 days. 

Jay Parry, CEO of the Phoenix Local Organizing Committee, marked the start of the NCAA Tournament Tuesday with the unveiling of the official Coca-Cola bracket.  Continue reading “Downtown madness: Final Four countdown kicks off with Coca-Cola bracket reveal outside Phoenix Convention Center”

• Slug: Sports-GCU WBB Loses, 700 words.
• Photo available (thumbnail, caption below)

By Jesse Brawders
Cronkite News

LAS VEGAS – In a record-breaking season for the Grand Canyon University women’s basketball team, one team in conference play proved unsolvable in two previous matchups: Stephen F. Austin.

The Ladyjacks won in the Valley 59-54 in late January, and most recently held down home court in an 85-77 bout in Nacogdoches, Texas.

History reared its head yet again during the WAC women’s basketball tournament, as the No. 2 Lopes fell to the No. 3 Ladyjacks 66-63 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Continue reading “GCU women’s basketball upset in the WAC semifinals by Stephen F. Austin comeback in Las Vegas”

• Slug: Sports-Cardinals Free Agents, 1,040 words.
• 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below)

By Aaron Decker
Cronkite News

TEMPE – The Arizona Cardinals have been active participants in the free agency process this NFL offseason, and Thursday, the team officially signed six players to their roster.

Most of the newest players will fill holes on the defensive side of the ball. Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, outside linebacker Mack Wilson Sr., and defensive linemen Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols were all signed to three-year deals.

The new offensive additions include running back DeeJay Dallas, who inked a three-year deal, and offensive lineman Jonah Williams, who signed a two-year contract. Continue reading “Arizona Cardinals sign six free agents with defensive upgrade a priority”