It’s now official: There will be a play-in series to determine the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Memphis’ 108-99 loss to Toronto on Sunday means that it’s no longer possible for more than a four-game difference in the standings between the eighth- and ninth-place finishers in the West when the seeding game schedule ends later this week. By the rules the NBA set for this season’s restart, there had to be more than a four-game cushion for the No. 8 team to get the final playoff spot outright. The league decided to add the play-in series option in an abundance of fairness, since about 14% of the regular season schedule was eliminated because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Battle Mountain’s Josie Kennedy made her way to Winnemucca on Sunday afternoon to compete in the Gen-X division.
Standing on a corner on Waveland Avenue, Moe Mullins has seen them come and go. Sosa and McGwire. The Sandberg Game. Pujols. Young and old men alike. Summers full of blue skies, and a neighborhood changed forever. “You know, life is a big circle,” Mullins says. Like a baseball.
The Nevada football team announced the signing today of junior college quarterback Jacob Barlage to a scholarship agreement to join the Wolf Pack for the upcoming season.
The Nevada Valkyries competitive travel softball team is looking for a couple of players to fill out its roster. Any girls born in 2006 and 2007 are welcome to tryout.
The start of the high school volleyball season was supposed to be right around the corner. However, due to COVID-19, the NIAA has moved the high school volleyball season to spring of 2021.Volleyball players still had their chance to improve their skills, as Gold Medal Squared was in Battle Mountain last week for a volleyball camp. The instructors from Gold Medal Squared put the players through a number of drills throughout the week.
Carlos Carrasco won his first start since his leukemia diagnosis, Yoenis Céspedes hit a home run in his return from major leg problems — and Daniel Bard had the longest road back of them all. This past week was obviously an emotional one for many people in baseball, and it was especially significant for players who had lengthy absences even before the coronavirus shut the sport down in March. Bard had not pitched in the major leagues since 2013, and after his control and confidence deserted him, his playing career appeared over before he attempted a comeback this year. He made the roster for the Colorado Rockies and earned the win in relief Saturday against Texas.
Bottom of the first, two out. Willson Contreras lines an RBI single against Corbin Burnes to give the Chicago Cubs an early lead over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday. The crowd cheers and, just to be clear, it’s not one of those piped-in roars. Fans just beyond the ivy at Wrigley Field, up on the rooftops, are letting loose.
Nevada junior defensive end Dom Peterson has been selected to preseason watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Outland Trophy. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is presented annually to the nation’s top defensive player, while the Outland Trophy goes to the nation’s top lineman, either offensive or defensive. He is one of 98 defensive standouts to be selected to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list from 66 schools and is one of four to make the list from the Mountain West.
The University of Nevada football team has been picked second in the West Division in the Mountain West’s Preseason Poll, which was announced by the conference. San Diego State was picked first in the West Division and received 19 of the 21 first-place votes. The Wolf Pack received the other two first-place votes and was second, clear of Hawai`i (third) and Fresno State (fourth). San José State was fifth with UNLV placed in sixth place.
Battle Mountain’s Desi Coombs and Emma Lemaire competed in the National High School Finals Rodeo, which was held in Guthrie, Okla., from July 17-23.
Due to COVID-19 concerns and school districts around Nevada on different schedules with having students on campus to start the 2020-21 school year, the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association announced that there will be no sanctioned sports played until Jan. 2, 2021. “The adjustments were reviewed by and have unanimous support of the NIAA Legislative Commission which is made up of the superintendents of each Nevada school district with an NIAA member high school,” said NIAA executive director Bart Thompson in the release by the NIAA. “The NIAA staff consulted closely with northern and southern league/region presidents of each of the classifications in crafting the adjustments.”
The Good Times Drag Strip was busy again this past weekend with two days of racing. Saturday featured a doubleheader race day and a King of Hill race as well.
Winnemucca Regional Raceway hosted the Wild West Modified Tour last weekend that brought in modified racers from around the west for two days. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Northern Sports Mods, IMCA Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks, Min-Mods, Pure Stocks and GenX raced over the two days. Over 90 cars raced over both days.
A seventh-inning stretch without fans at Yankee Stadium was far from the oddest happening on the second day of summer exhibitions in the majors. The first inning ended at Dodger Stadium without Los Angeles making a single out Sunday night, a game went to the 10th inning in Philadelphia even with the Orioles leading the Phillies 4-1, and the Yankees hit in the bottom of the ninth with a 6-0 lead over the Mets. It’s not quite baseball like you’re used to seeing. Then again, we’d never seen baseball amid the COVID-19 pandemic.