WIN OVER RUSH PROVES KNIGHTHAWKS CAN BEAT ANY NLL TEAM
The Rochester Knighthawks proved they have what it takes to remain competitive in the National Lacrosse League with a 16-11 home win last Saturday night over the Saskatchewan Rush.
Saskatchewan is the consensus best team in the nine-team NLL. They entered Saturday’s game with an 8-1 record, including 6-0 on the road.
The Rush scored three quick goals to start the game and the rout appeared to be on. But the K-hawks outscored Saskatchewan 16-8 the rest of the way.
Rochester started 2-0 this season but then lost six straight games. Consecutive wins at the defending champion Georgia Swarm and Saskatchewan have boosted the K-hawks to 4-6 and into the hunt for a playoff berth. They proved against the Rush that they can compete with any team in the NLL when they play their best.
The K-hawks have a lot of things going for them:
Former NLL Most Valuable Player Cody Jamieson, after battling serious injuries in recent seasons, led all scorers Saturday night with 3 goals and 4 assists. When healthy, he’s the superstar every genuine title contender needs.
Joe Resetarits has emerged as a steady point-producer.
The three Ohio State forwards selected in the first round of the 2018 NLL draft – Austin Shanks, Eric Fennell and Jake Withers --all are contributing. Withers is the main reason Rochester leads the league in faceoff percentage by a wide margin.
The defense is solid, led by Graeme Hossack and Sid Smith. Scott Campbell leads NLL scorers on defense.
Goalie Matt Vinc remains top shelf after all these years.
The K-hawks are second in the NLL on the power play and in penalty killing.
Rochester is +14 in goal differential, behind only Saskatchewan (+37) and Toronto (+26).
Saturday’s game was televised live locally so the crowd (6,188) wasn’t bad. It wasn’t real good, either, considering the opponent and the fact that the K-hawks are our only remaining major-league team (adios the WNY Flash to Cary, North Carolina, and the Major League Lacrosse Rattlers to Dallas).
Rochester has eight games remaining in the regular season, five on the road and three at home.
The K-hawks are at the Buffalo Bandits Saturday—always a tough assignment -- and return home Saturday, March 10 against the Georgia Swarm.
BRACKETOLOGIST LUNARDI HAS SU AND BONNIES “LAST FOUR IN”
ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi’s updated projections for the 68-team NCAA men’s basketball tournament field has Baylor, Texas, St. Bonaventure and Syracuse. Baylor and Texas “Last Four IN.” That means the play-in games.
The “Last Four Byes” (61 to 64) are Virginia Tech, Providence, Kansas State and North Carolina State.
Syracuse hosts North Carolina Wednesday and plays at Duke Saturday.
The Bonnies host Duquesne Wednesday.
AMERKS WORKING OVERTIME...AND NOT FARING REAL WELL AT IT
The Rochester Americans are going to make the Calder Cup playoffs for a change and they’re getting a lot of practice playing in overtime.
Sunday’s 2-1 shootout loss to Binghamton at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial was Rochester’s 23rd overtime game out of 53 total games. That’s pretty amazing.
Here’s the breakdown:
Overtime wins 7 (tied with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the most)
Overtime losses 8 (leads the AHL)
Shootout wins 2
Shootout losses 6 (leads the AHL).
Rochester has 32 out of 46 possible points in OT and shootouts.
FRIDAY WAS HUGE FOR BUFFALO COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Last Friday was the best night yet in an outstanding 2017-18 season for Division I basketball in the Buffalo area. St. Bonaventure, University of Buffalo, Niagara and Canisius all won.
St. Bonaventure beat 16th-ranked Rhode Island 77-74, before 5,480 fans at SRO Reilly Center. The Rams had won their last 16 games, including an 87-63 home romp over the Bonnies January 13. The Bonnies are 20-6, including 10-4 in the Atlantic 10...Matt Mobley (26 points) and forward LaDarien Griffin were outstanding for the Bonnies as Rhode Island paid particular attention to hot-shooting Jaylen Adams (10 points; 2-for-12 shooting)...St. Bonaventure hosts Duquesne Wednesday.
The University of Buffalo Bulls beat visiting Bowling Green 95-82. The Bulls are 20-7 and clinched the MAC East Division title (12-2) with the victory...The Bulls play at Miami (OH) Tuesday and host Ohio Saturday.
Niagara beat visiting Iona College 85-84. The Purple Eagles are 18-10, including 11-4 in the Metro Atlantic Conference. They played Sunday at Manhattan College and host Canisius Wednesday.
Canisius won its sixth straight game, 78-60 at Monmouth. Canisius is 19-9 (13-2 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference). The Golden Griffins played at Rider Sunday for the conference lead.
St. Bonaventure, UB, Niagara and Canisius are a combined 77-32.
Wouldn’t it be great if the Rochester area had just one Division I basketball program to get exited about? Why not RIT?
THREE BASEBALL ITEMS CAUGHT MY EYE OVER THE WEEKEND
1—Free-agent first baseman Eric Hosmer signed an eight-year deal with the San Diego Padres. First five years each worth $20-million plus. Opt-out clause after fifth year.
He had his best season in 2017: .318, 25 HRs, 94 RBI.
He won a World Series in 2015 with Kansas City. He has his a ring and memories. I guess it was time to strike it rich with a poor team. And the rebuilding Royals might be as lousy as the Padres now.
2—Minnesota Twins added two veteran right-handed pitchers: Jake Odorizzi via trade with Tampa Bay and Anibal Sanchez after he was bought out by Detroit.
Odorizzi is 27 and had a decent 2017 season with the Rays (10-8, 4.14 ERA). His career record is 40-38 with a 3.83 ERA. Tampa Bay must really like Jermaine Palacios, the minor-league infielder the Twins gave up for Odorizzi, who is certain to make Minnesota’s suspect starting rotation.
Sanchez is 33 and is coming off two awful seasons with the Tigers: 7-13, 5.87 ERA in 2016 and 3-7, 6.41 ERA in 2017. He was very good a long time ago (14-8, AL-best 2.57 ERA in 2013). He contract is non-guaranteed and Minnesota thinks it has analytics to help him regain his old form.
3—New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said Tim Tebow was invited to the major-league spring training camp because he is making progress and that Tebow playing in the majors is “a modest expectation...This experiment, if you will, is not gonna last forever. But he’s making meaningful progress.”
Tebow in 2017:
Columbia (Class A) – 64 games; .220 batting average (47-for-244); 14 doubles; 1 triple; 3 HRs; 23 RBI; 24 walks; 69 strikeouts; 0 stolen bases.
St. Lucie (Class A Advanced) – 62 games; .231 batting average (50-for-216); 10 doubles; 1 triple; 5 HRs; 29 RBI; 19 walks; 57 strikeouts; 2 stolen bases.
Tebow is 30 years old. Just for fun, here is Michael Jordan’s 1994 performance line for Double-A Birmingham Barons (Double-A Southern League) -- 127 games; .202 batting average (88-for-436); 17 doubles; 1 triple; 3 HRs; 51 RBI; 51 walks; 114 strikeouts; 30 stolen bases in 48 attempts; 11 errors in the outfield.
SHORT SHOTS
The Las Vegas over/under (total points) in Sunday night’s NBA All-Star Game was 333 1/2 points. For the record, the total points scored in the 1956 NBA All-Star Game in Rochester was 202: West 108, East 94.
The Amerks crushed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 12-3 Friday night. It was the most goals scored by one team in an American Hockey League game since Hamilton beat Cleveland 15-1 December 8, 2002. The Amerks then scored a total of one goal Saturday in Binghamton (1-0 loss in overtime) and Sunday at home against Binghamton (2-1 loss in a shootout). Maybe playing a “home” game Wednesday night in Buffalo will spark the offense.
Point guards Jason Kidd and Steve Kidd should be first-ballot selections in the Naismith National Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2018.
Entering this week, Syracuse U. continuers to have three of top nine players in Division I college basketball in minutes played per game: 1st Tyus Battle 38.4...4th Frank Howard 38.1...9th Oshae Brissett 37.5.
The Rochester RazorSharks hit the midway point of their 32-game North American Premier Basketball League season Monday afternoon against the Ohio Cardinals in a Kids’ Day Game. The Sharks are 5-10 after a split of two games at the Nevada Desert Dogs: lost 115-107 Friday and won 109-98 Saturday.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...
Monday, February 19
Nikola Jokic (23)...Josh Reddick (31)...Marta (32)...Dwight Freeney (38)...Mike Miller (38)...Wally Williams (47)...Glyn Milburn (47)...Gary Leeman (54)...Hana Mandlikova (56)...Roger Goodell (59)...Dave Stewart (61)...June Jones (65)...Paul Krause (76)...Joe Crozier (89). Seal (55) and Smokey Robinson (78) are invited to the birthday party.
Tuesday, February 20
Luis Severino (24)...Jurickson Profar (25)..Brian McCann (34)...Justin Verlander (35)...Jose Morales (35)....Fred Jackson (37)...Stephon Marbury (41)...Livan Hernandez (43)...Broderick Thomas (51)...Chris Singelton (51)...Christian Ruuttu (54)...Charles Barkley (55)...Bonnie Lauer (67)...Antonio Inoki (75)...Phil Esposito (76)...Roger Penske (81)...Bobby Unser (84). Rihanna (30), Cindy Crawford (52) and Sidney Poitier (91) are invited to the birthday party.