Tag: basketball

Kobe and Gianna Bryant mourned by players and fans at memorial in Los Angeles

by Christina Leonard
  • Slug: BC-CNS-Kobe Memorial, 440

By Valerie Gonzales
Cronkite News

LOS ANGELES — Around 20,000 fans, celebrities, players and legends of the NBA gathered Monday to celebrate the lives of Kobe and Gianna Bryant, who were killed along with seven others in a helicopter crash Jan. 27.

At the Staples Center, where the former Laker’s number 8 and 24 jerseys hang in the rafters, host Jimmy Kimmel named cities from Boston to Phoenix while noting that even in “places where Kobe would be booed on the court, he’s missed.”

Among players in attendance to honor the five-time NBA champ were fellow former Lakers Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Rick Fox and Shaquille O’Neal. Many players wore sunglasses indoors at the emotional event that also drew celebrities like J-Lo, Kanye and the Kardashians. Kobe’s rivals also paid their respects, including former Phoenix Sun Steve Nash who was drafted in the same year.

Vanessa Bryant and leading players in basketball spoke, including WNBA Phoenix Mercury player Diana Taurasi, who is also known as the “White Mamba.”

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‘Pay to Play’ an increasing burden for parents of Arizona high school athletes

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Pay to Play, 1,400 words
  • Photo available

By BRITTANY BOWYER
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – When Denise Wilson’s children first approached her about participating in high school sports, she had no idea how much it would cost. She knew she would have to supply them with the proper shoes and attire, but she never imagined the total cost over the years would exceed $7,000.

“They don’t tell us where the money is going,” Wilson said. “They just keep asking for more money and we have to pay it.”

Ranking 49th nationally for education funding, Arizona’s budget for public schools is a controversial issue in the state. Low teacher salaries and elective cutbacks all are impacted. So, too, are extracurricular activities, and with fall sports under way, parents are facing a rude awakening: More and more schools districts are charging steep fees for athletics, more commonly referred to as “pay to play.”

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Posters, shoe deals, international success find Millage after ASU basketball career

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-ASU Millage, 1,000 words
  • Photo available

By JOSE ESPARZA
Cronkite News

SCOTTSDALE — After hitting the shot of his life, Curtis Millage raced down the court of Riga Arena in Latvia with pure joy, flexing his muscles to the crowd.

“I hit the game-winning shot,” he said. “I got so excited. I took my shirt off.”

It was a defining moment in the former Arizona State player’s career. Continue reading “Posters, shoe deals, international success find Millage after ASU basketball career”

For last time, no March Madness option for GCU

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports-GCU no postseason, 600 words
  • Photos available

By CHRISTOPHER WHITCOMB
Cronkite News

PHOENIX —With Selection Sunday and March Madness approaching, college basketball teams dream of hearing their names called.

Unless they’re ineligible to compete in postseason play.

That’s the case for Grand Canyon University, which just finished its fourth and final season with postseason ineligibility, a reality prompted by its jump from Division II to Division I. The Antelopes will watch from afar as the Western Athletic Conference begins tournament play Wednesday in Las Vegas. The winner secures an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

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From Sunnyslope to Stanford: Humphrey hopes to lead Cardinal to postseason upset

by Paola Boivin
  • Slug: Sports- Stanford Humphrey, 490 words
  • No photo

By JENN BALUCH
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – A classic overachiever, Michael Humphrey worked hard to secure a scholarship at Stanford.

A similar drive will be needed by the Cardinal junior and his teammates next week when they open Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament play in Las Vegas.

“I think Stanford was the right fit for me,” the Sunnyslope High School product said. “It gave me the opportunity to get myself in a new environment and be close enough to home.”

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Veteran P.J. Tucker is the Suns ‘X Factor’

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Sports-Suns Tucker, 774 words
  • No Photos available

By MATT FAYE

Cronkite News

PHOENIX — Suns forward P.J. Tucker doesn’t always know what role he’ll play for the team from game to game, and that’s just the way he likes it.

The 31-year-old NBA veteran does a little bit of everything for a Suns squad that often needs just that.

“Each game is specific. Every night is different,” Tucker said. “Whatever I can do to help this team get a win, that’s what I’ll do. That’s what it’s about.”

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Grand Canyon hopes tough schedule pays off in final stretch of season

by Adnan Alam

Slug: Sports-GCU Basketball, 570
Photo available (thumbnail, caption below)

By CHRISTOPHER WHITCOMB
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The Grand Canyon University men’s basketball team has played a schedule loaded with tough opponents this season, and it is by design.

Their non-conference schedule included games against some of the best programs in college basketball, coached by some of the biggest names in coaching such as Mike Krzyzewski at Duke, Louisville and Rick Pitino, San Diego State and Steve Fisher, Arizona and Sean Miller and Penn State, coached by Pat Chambers.

Those coaches have combined for 75 NCAA Tournament appearances, 18 trips to the Final Four and eight national championships. 

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