Sports FYI
BY Staff and Wire reports
Friday, November 23, 2012
Basketball
Two players assigned to 66ers: The Oklahoma
City Thunder assigned guard DeAndre Liggins
and center Daniel Orton to the Tulsa 66ers of
the NBA Development League. The assignment
is the first for Liggins and second for Orton,
who previously was with the 66ers earlier this
season.
The 6-foot-10 Orton played at Oklahoma
City’s Bishop McGuinness High School, then
at Kentucky in college. Orton played in one
game for the Thunder, scoring two points in two
minutes against Cleveland on Nov. 11. Originally
selected in the first round, 29th overall, of the
2010 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic, he appeared
in 16 regular-season games (two starts)
with the Magic last season.
During the 2012-13 season, Liggins played in
four games for the Thunder, logging 11 minutes.
Liggins (6-6, 209, Kentucky) joins Tulsa
having appeared in four games for the Thunder
this season. A second-year guard, Liggins was
selected by the Magic in the second round, 53rd
overall, of the 2011 NBA Draft and was acquired
by the Thunder in September. In 17 games for
Orlando during his rookie campaign he averaged
1.9 points and 6.8 minutes.
Both will be in uniform when the Tulsa 66ers
open their season on Nov. 23 against the Texas
Legends at the SpiritBank Event Center.
Bobcats one win from matching last year’s total:
Michael Jordan’s Bobcats are the NBA’s most
surprising team so far this season.
Charlotte (6-4) has won five of its past six
games and is one win away from matching last
year’s win total.
The turnaround is impressive considering
the Bobcats finished last season 7-59 and with
the worst winning percentage (.106) in league
history. They lost their final 23 games of the
season.
But under the direction of defensive-oriented
coach Mike Dunlap, they’ve been competitive
and have developed a knack for closing games.
Charlotte is 5-0 in contests decided by four
points or less — and without much NBA experience
on the roster.
That’s doesn’t bother Dunlap.
“The most important part is to sell your
system and what you’re doing with a purpose,”
Dunlap said. “There’s nothing like wins to help
that out.
Dunlap has been preaching defense. Charlotte
is allowing 98.8 points per game but ranks
in the top 10 in steals (86) and blocked shots
(76). The Bobcats have forced 14.6 turnovers
per game.
Boxing
Doctor says Camacho brain dead: Two aunts
of famed Puerto Rican boxer Hector “Macho”
Camacho say his family has decided to wait two
more days before taking him off life support.
A doctor said earlier Thursday that Camacho
is clinically brain dead.
One of the fighter’s aunts, Aida Camacho,
says two of Camacho’s sisters have asked to
have two more days to spend with him, and
other family members have agreed even though
they feel it’s time to give in.
Another aunt, Blanca Camacho, also says
the family has agreed to the wishes of the two
sisters from New York to hold off on ending life
support.
Soccer
Soccer referee cleared of racism allegations:
Referee Mark Clattenburg has been cleared by
the English Football Association of using racist
language toward a Chelsea player.
Chelsea midfielder Ramires said he heard
Clattenburg tell teammate John Obi Mikel “shut
up, you monkey” during the Oct. 28 match
against Manchester United.
The FA says it has “concluded its investigation
into alleged misconduct by Mark Clattenburg
... No disciplinary action will follow against
Mr. Clattenburg.
The FA says in a statement that Mikel did not
hear the comment.
SD Sockers look for record 41st straight win: The
San Diego Sockers will set a U.S. professional
team record if they win their 41st straight game
Friday night.
The Sockers will face the Toros de Mexico at
the former San Diego Sports Arena.
The Sockers beat the Arizona Storm last
weekend to tie the record of 40 straight
victories set by the Sioux Falls Storm of United
Indoor Football from 2005-2008.
Former Sockers great Juli Veee will deliver the
ceremonial first kick prior to Friday’s opening
kickoff. The 62-year-old Veee was part of seven
Sockers championships with the indoor team
from 1980 to 1988. Veee was the first soccer
player inducted into the San Diego Hall of
Champions and was part of the inaugural class
of the Indoor Soccer Hall of Fame.
NSU men’s team honored: The Northeastern
State men’s team earned the National Soccer
Coaches Association of America Team
Academic Award, given to programs that have
excelled in the classroom and on the pitch. The
RiverHawks (13-5-3) reached the NCAA quarterfinals
this season.
Volleyball
OU tops TCU: Oklahoma secured its 20th
win of the season when it topped TCU in four
games (21-25, 25-16, 25-16, 25-17) Wednesday
at McCasland Field House in Norman.
The Sooners (20-10 overall, 9-6 Big 12) top
20 wins for the 16th time overall and third
consecutive season.
