Category: News
Los 33 puntos de Gilgeous-Alexander en tres cuartos llevan al Thunder a su 14ta victoria consecutiva
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander anotó 33 puntos en tres cuartos, y el Thunder de Oklahoma City derrotó 132-111 a los Mavericks de Dallas el viernes por la noche para lograr su 14ta victoria consecutiva.
Gilgeous-Alexander encestó diez de 12 tiros de campo y 11 de 12 tiros libres para ayudar al Thunder a mejorar a un récord general de 22-1. Anotó al menos 20 puntos por 95to partido consecutivo, la segunda racha más larga en la historia de la liga, solo detrás de los 126 partidos consecutivos de Wilt Chamberlain entre 1961-1963.
Chet Holmgren y Jalen Williams anotaron cada uno 15 puntos para el Thunder, que se impuso sin los titulares lesionados Lu Dort e Isaiah Hartenstein. Oklahoma City registró el 56% de efectividad desde el campo y encestó 26 de 28 tiros libres.
Dallas, aunque también está lidiando con varias lesiones, había ganado tres juegos consecutivos. La estrella novata Cooper Flagg, quien promedió 27 puntos durante la racha de victorias, anotó 16 el viernes.
Jaden Hardy lideró a Dallas con 23 unidades. Encestó ocho de 13 tiros de campo, incluyendo cinco de nueve triples. Naji Marshall añadió 18 tantos para los Mavericks.
Anthony Davis de Dallas, quien promediaba 20,6 puntos por partido antes del viernes por la noche, no anotó en los primeros tres cuartos. Finalmente se hizo presente en el marcador con poco más de ocho minutos restantes. Terminó con dos unidades al encestar uno de nueve tiros, aunque descolgó ocho rebotes y repartió seis asistencias.
Gilgeous-Alexander anotó 17 puntos en la primera mitad para ayudar a Oklahoma City a tomar una ventaja de 63-48 al descanso. El Thunder tomó el control en el tercer período, superando a los Mavericks 41-26 para irse arriba 104-74 al entrar en el cuarto. Gilgeous-Alexander anotó 16 en el cuarto, encestando cinco de seis tiros de campo y todos los intentos de tiros libres.
___
Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
No. 20 Tulane tops No. 24 North Texas 34-21 in American Conference title game for a likely CFP bid
NEW ORLEANS — Jake Retzlaff had two short touchdown runs, Jamauri McClure rushed for 121 yards and a score and Tulane beat North Texas 34-21 in the American Conference championship game Friday night — a victory that likely secured a College Football Playoff bid.
Chris Rogers returned an interception 35-yards for a touchdown for Tulane (11-2), which intercepted three passes and recovered two fumbles in an effort that is expected to delay coach Jon Sumrall’s departure for the Florida job he accepted Sunday.
He’s said that if the Green Wave qualified for the 12-team CFP, he’d see that through to the end.
The loss marked the end of the line for North Texas coach Eric Morris, who like Sumrall already had been hired away after leading the Mean Green to its first 11-win regular season. Morris moves on to Oklahoma State.
Tulane safety Jack Tchienchou intercepted a tipped pass in the end zone when North Texas (11-2) had first-and-goal on the 2 in the third quarter — one of several highlights that included his forced fumble that Tulane recovered and his recovery of the muffed punt.
North Texas trailed 31-7 after Rogers’ interception return — which was very close to being ruled a touchback because he lost the ball right as crossed the goal line. The call on the field of a touchdown was upheld, but North Texas didn’t fold, initiating a comeback bid with consecutive touchdown drives that took just 3:57 off the clock combined.
Drew Mestemaker capped the first with his 59-yard touchdown pass to Miles Coleman. Ashton Gray’s 9-yard touchdown run, followed by a 2-point conversion, pulled North Texas to 31-21 with 9:26 still to play.
But Tulane helped secured the victory with a 13-play drive that burned 6:29 and ended with Patrick Durkin’s 30-yard field goal.
North Texas, one of the nation’s most prolific offensive teams, led 7-0 after a 15-play opening drive capped by Mestemaker’s 10-yard scoring pass to tight end Tre Williams.
Tulane responded with a 16-play drive that included two fourth-down conversions, the second of them coming when Retzlaff ran for a 2-yard TD around the right end.
On North Texas’ next drive, top Mean Green running back Caleb Hawkins fumbled and appeared to injure his right shoulder on a big hit by Tchienchou after a short reception. Tulane’s LJ Green scooped the ball at the Tulane 29 and returned it to the North Texas 37.
McClure ran 30 yards on the next play, moving the pile for the last 10 before finally going down. He scored one play later.
Tchienchou recovered his muffed punt late in the the second quarter when the ball glanced off of North Texas’ Baron Tipton at the UNT 11.
That led to Retzlaff’s second fourth-down scoring run — this one a 1-yard sneak with a help from tight end Justyn Reid shoving him forward through the pile — to make it 24-7 at halftime.
Takeaways
North Texas: The Mean Green entered the game first in the nation among in scoring (46.8 points per game) and total offense (511.8 ypg), as well as second in yards passing (325.7 per game). Mestemaker entered with a nation-leading 3,835 yards passing with 29 touchdowns. Matching their usual production proved difficult in a cold rain on the road against a play-making Green Wave defense that gave up an average of just 15 points per game at home.
Tulane: By holding prolific North Texas to just one touchdown through most of the first three quarters and producing four turnovers, the Green Wave defense played a major role in the victory. Meanwhile, Retzlaff, who increased his Tulane record for touchdowns rushing in a season to 16, now has led BYU and the Green Wave to 11-victory campaigns in his last two seasons of college football.
Up next
North Texas: Prepares what should be an attractive bowl bid while also trying to quickly wrap up a coaching search.
Tulane: Awaits what is expected to be the Green Wave’s maiden CFP bid and looks to wrap up their search for Sumrall’s replacement.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/05/tulane-north-texas-american-title-cfp/
Bartlett’s Joey Cwik celebrates birthday by making winning 3-pointer with 21 seconds left. ‘Nothing like it.’
Bartlett’s Joey Cwik didn’t have the best start to his birthday Friday.
Coming off a sick day Thursday, the junior guard still wasn’t feeling great. He also knew that he wouldn’t start the game against West Aurora because he had missed practice for the Hawks.
The way his birthday ended, however, made everything all right.
“Great birthday present for me, yeah,” Cwik said. “What a feeling, at home, at the Nest, I love it.
“The feeling — there’s nothing like it. I’m going to watch this clip over and over again.”
That’s because Cwik sank the game-winning 3-pointer with 21 seconds left in the fourth quarter, lifting host Bartlett to a 60-58 Upstate Eight Conference victory over the struggling Blackhawks.
The shot was set up by a steal from Quint’ion Wright, who started in place of Cwik and found Cwik in the corner. A free throw by Brandon Johnson sealed the win for the Hawks (1-4, 1-0).
Bartlett’s Joey Cwik (2) and West Aurora’s Amon Greene (21) battle for a rebound in the first quarter of an Upstate Eight Conference game in Bartlett on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
Cwik scored all 14 of his points in the second half as he regained his footing by coming off the bench. Brandon Pelz led all scorers with 19 points for Bartlett, while Johnson followed with 15.
West Aurora (0-5, 0-1) was led by 14 points and 10 rebounds from Amon Greene. Orlando Edwards also scored 14 points as the Blackhawks played without leading scorer Travis Brown.
Cwik pointed out it had been a long time since he made a shot like that.
“Last time I hit a shot like that was freshman year against Marian Catholic,” Cwik said. “This is why you play basketball.”
Bartlett’s Joey Cwik (2) puts up a shot past West Aurora’s Amon Greene (21) in the second quarter of an Upstate Eight Conference game in Bartlett on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
It took Cwik a bit to get going Friday night, though. He was held scoreless in the first half.
“He was out of the flow,” Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith said of Cwik. “He’s been fighting something the last couple of weeks, so you could see him take some time to try to get back to himself.
“Second half, he found his rhythm.”
With Cwik scoreless, it opened up an opportunity for Pelz, who scored 10 points in the first quarter.
Bartlett’s Brandon Pelz (30) drives past West Aurora’s Amon Greene (21) in the third quarter of an Upstate Eight Conference game in Bartlett on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
“We had that same thing in the first game against Batavia,” Pelz said. “Joey went out early with fouls and I put up 10 in that quarter and that kind of kept us in the game.”
Cwik scored seven points in a 10-0 run in the third quarter to give the Hawks a 37-32 lead.
“I started feeling it more in the second half,” he said. “I had seven in a row and was like, ‘Let’s go.’”
Cwik converted three huge baskets down the stretch. His layup forced a 54-54 tie. His jumper from the top of the key tied it at 56-56 before Greene gave West Aurora a 58-56 lead with 1:30 left.
Then came the heroics of Cwik, who is off to a big start with an eye toward his collegiate future.
He was named to the all-tournament team at Batavia, averaging 17 points. He started as a freshman and had some up-and-down moments last season. But now, he’s found his footing.
Bartlett’s Joey Cwik (2) celebrates with his teammates after beating West Aurora in an Upstate Eight Conference game in Bartlett on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
“I was trying to figure out my role as a leader,” Cwik said. “At the college level, I’ll be more of a point guard, so I’ve been trying to learn my role as a scorer and a leader.
“The scoring comes and goes. I love to score. But I’m trying to learn how to score more like I will at the college level.”
Pelz, who sat out last season to concentrate on baseball for Bartlett, has been impressed by Cwik’s development.
“He stepped it up last year,” Pelz said. “This year, with the track he’s one, there’s a huge step coming.”
Wolfsmith confirmed that he works with Cwik on the things he needs to do at the next level in practice and also has a message for him.
“We try to preach to guys like him, ‘You need to be thinking that everybody else gets the ball, but I’m the finisher,’” Wolfsmith said.
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/05/joey-cwik-bartlett-west-aurora-ihsa-boys-basketball/
Todos están en el grupo más difícil del Mundial, según los entrenadores
Por HOWARD FENDRICH
WASHINGTON (AP) — Si escuchaste las palabras pronunciadas después del sorteo de la Copa del Mundo por los diversos entrenadores que estuvieron en el Centro Kennedy el viernes, parecería imposible que alguno de ellos gane el torneo del próximo año.
Todos fueron lanzados al grupo más difícil, o el “Grupo de la Muerte”, en la jerga futbolística.
Todos estaban cargados de rivales talentosos para sus primeros tres partidos, incluso si aún falta determinar a media docena de participantes y la participación expandida significa que algunos equipos de menor calidad entrarán al torneo.
Y todos necesitan evitar subestimar a cualquier otro equipo y estar listos para lo que venga durante el torneo que se jugará entre el 11 de junio y el 19 de julio en Estados Unidos, Canadá y México durante la Copa del Mundo más grande hasta ahora, la primera con 48 países participando (la última vez fueron 32).
“Necesitamos respetar a todos los oponentes. Siempre va a ser difícil”, dijo el entrenador de Estados Unidos, Mauricio Pochettino, cuyo equipo está en el Grupo D y comienza contra Paraguay el 12 de junio, luego también enfrentará a Australia y a un clasificado de playoff aún por determinar.
“Mi mensaje para los jugadores es: Necesitamos competir mejor que Paraguay; eso va a ser difícil. Australia va a ser difícil”, expresó Pochettino. “Y el equipo que se unirá a nosotros va a ser difícil”.
Hmmm. ¿Percibes un tema?
Hay alguna versión de lo que a menudo se refiere como “discurso de entrenador” en casi todas las circunstancias y en casi todos los deportes. Solo presta atención a lo que los hombres a cargo de los equipos de la NFL dicen día tras día durante la temporada de fútbol americano profesional.
Es el manual clásico: Enaltecer a los oponentes. No dejes que tus jugadores se vuelvan complacientes. No dejes que tus fanáticos, o las personas que te contrataron y pueden despedirte, piensen que el éxito está garantizado.
Didier Deschamps, jugador del equipo campeón de Francia en 1998 y entrenador de los monarcas mundiales en 2018 y subcampeones ante Argentina en 2022, sonaba tan preocupado como cualquier otro.
No importa que los franceses sean considerados uno de los favoritos, no solo para avanzar en la fase de grupos, sino también para aparecer una vez más en la final.
“Sabemos que este es un grupo muy difícil”, afirmó Deschamps el viernes. “No podemos descansar”.
Su selección fue colocada en el Grupo I junto a Senegal, Noruega y un equipo de playoff (esos no se definirán hasta marzo).
Un poco más tarde, el entrenador de Noruega, Ståle Solbakken, por su parte, elogió al equipo francés como “quizás el más fuerte de Europa”, y en la siguiente frase, como si tal vez temiera que alguien de otra nación pudiera ofenderse, señaló: “Pero hay otros dos equipos en el grupo”.
Uno de los cuales ni siquiera se conocerá hasta dentro de tres meses.
Luis de la Fuente, quien llevó a España al Campeonato Europeo de 2024, encuentra a su equipo entre los favoritos de la Copa del Mundo, pero insistió en que hay paridad en el deporte hoy en día.
El Grupo H de España incluye a Uruguay, Arabia Saudí y Cabo Verde.
“La gente piensa que hay grupos fáciles, pero es un nivel muy similar”, comentó el entrenador. “Esta será una Copa del Mundo histórica, porque hay un nivel excepcional en general. Estos juegos te obligan a jugar al máximo”.
Los jugadores pueden ser igualmente propensos a este tipo de declaraciones.
El mediocampista estadounidense Tyler Adams, hablando con los periodistas en una videollamada el viernes, lo dijo claramente: “No hay juego fácil en la Copa del Mundo”.
Y luego señaló que durante la última Copa del Mundo, cuando los estadounidenses fueron eliminados en los octavos de final, sus dos juegos más difíciles fueron “contra dos de los oponentes menores”.
___
Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Compositora mexicana convierte sus conciertos en un viaje de renovación a través del fuego
Por MARÍA TERESA HERNÁNDEZ
CIUDAD DE MÉXICO (AP) — La compositora mexicana María Leonora se prepara para sus conciertos como si se encaminara a una batalla.
Su maquillaje tiene un aire tribal. Su vestuario se organiza en capas que caerán conforme avance el show. Sobre el ombligo lleva un amuleto que espera le brinde protección.
“Me veo al espejo y me voy a la guerra de alguna manera”, dijo antes de una de sus presentaciones más recientes en Ciudad de México. “Me preparo para atravesar el fuego y que pase lo que pase”.
Sus conciertos de 2025 fueron concebidos como capítulos conectados por un hilo común. La mexicana llamó su serie “A través de todo el fuego” bajo la creencia de que tanto la música como las llamas poseen una poderosa capacidad de renovación.
“El fuego puede quemar y destruir”, dijo. “Pero cuando lo atraviesas es como si renacieras”.
La posibilidad de renacer a través del fuego permea sus conciertos. Su inspiración viene de los temazcales, baños de vapor prehispánicos que jugaron un rol fundamental en la vida social y religiosa de Mesoamérica.
“Tú te metes al temazcal y sufres si tienes que sufrir”, dijo. “Aunque tú no quieras, el calor te rompe”.
Los temazcales tenían una función ritual y un significado cosmológico para las culturas mesoamericanas, escribió el arqueólogo Agustín Ortiz en una publicación del Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia.
Construidos con materiales como barro, adobe y piedra, estos baños podían albergar a docenas de personas y generaban vapor al rociar agua sobre las rocas previamente calentadas.
“El temazcal representaba el interior de la Tierra y era un lugar de tránsito entre el mundo de los vivos y el inframundo”, escribió Ortiz. “Se le concebía como la entrada al más allá”.
La mayoría de ellos se localizaba cerca de los juegos de pelota, lo que reafirma su conexión con la dimensión ritual de esa actividad.
Los temazcales siguen en uso actualmente, pero sus restos prehispánicos han sido hallados en ciudades mayas como Chichen Itzá y Palenque, y en sitios del centro del país como Tlatelolco y Teotihuacán.
Un camino para renacer
María Leonora descubrió el poder sanador de la música cuando cumplió 16 años.
Se acercó al punk rock mientras pasaba por una adolescencia compleja y tras aprender a tocar la batería pisó por primera vez un escenario.
“Hubo muchísimas cosas que pude transformar por medio de tocar, por medio de estar en frente del público”, dijo. “Puedo decir que me salvó la vida”.
A partir de entonces empezó a hacer música con otros artistas y a experimentar con diversos géneros.
En “A través de todo el fuego” interpreta una amplia variedad de canciones para acompañar a sus audiencias en un tránsito que va de la oscuridad a la renovación.
“La música es una herramienta muy poderosa que te conecta con la Tierra, con la vida, con el universo, con otras personas”, dijo. “Puedes excavar para encontrar cosas de tí misme”.
Sus conciertos son inmersivos, lo que quiere decir que el sonido, la luz y los recursos visuales juegan un papel en el involucramiento del público.
“Queremos generar la sensación de que los espectadores están envueltos en la experiencia de cada una de las canciones”, dijo el productor Diego Cristian Saldaña. “En los afectos y sensaciones específicas que desde la música se detonan y estamos buscando”.
Esa intención se refleja en el modo en que el público describe su experiencia en los conciertos. En un video publicado recientemente por la Secretaría de Cultura de Ciudad de México, un joven que ha visto a María Leonora en tres ocasiones dijo que cada experiencia ha sido sumamente gratificante. Otra mujer mencionó que se sentía cansada antes del concierto pero al terminar se llenó de energía y ganas de seguir adelante en la vida.
“Todo el tiempo les estamos incitando a que participen”, dijo María Leonora. “A que se echen un clavado en un viaje interno”.
Ritual en escena
“A través de todo el fuego” arranca con su voz invitando a la audiencia a atravesar el “círculo de sal”, lo que quiere decir que dejen el mundo exterior atrás.
Con las luces tenues y sutiles, su primera canción habla de amor. El repertorio sigue con una ruptura y el dolor de la separación se refleja en el escenario.
Conforme el show evoluciona, María Leonora explora emociones más profundas —no necesariamente relacionadas con el amor de pareja— y poco a poco se deshace del maquillaje y algunas capas de ropa. Después llega el clímax.
“El personaje ya está agotado, en el piso y empieza a respirar”, dijo. “Y entonces empieza ese momento de atravesar el fuego, como si fuera un temazcal”.
Para hacer una catarsis junto a ella, los asistentes son invitados a aullar, gritar o realizar cualquier otro ritual que crean que necesitan. Una vez libres, cantan.
“Con la última canción nos vamos al primer rayito de sol”, dijo. “Es como cuando ya atravesaste el fuego. Nos vamos a la luminosidad”.
___
La cobertura religiosa de The Associated Press recibe apoyo a través de una colaboración con The Conversation US, con fondos del Lilly Endowment Inc. La AP es la única responsable de todo el contenido.
3 takeaways from Chicago Bulls’ 120-105 loss to Indiana Pacers — their 6th straight — in Coby White’s return
The panic button is on the desk.
It might not be time to press it, but that day is coming soon. The first week of December is still early enough into the NBA season to allow hope or optimism or any other vein of positivity to stay alive for at least a few more days.
But the Chicago Bulls need to stare at that bright red button long and hard — for the rest of the week, for the rest of the month, until they figure out how to get back above .500.
Things are bad. They’re not getting better. That became clear in the third quarter of Friday’s 120-105 loss to the Indiana Pacers as half-hearted boos began to filter down from the 300 level of the United Center.
Photos: Indiana Pacers 120, Chicago Bulls 105
Matas Buzelis had just committed the 11th Bulls turnover of the game, chucking an entry pass well above the outstretched hand of Nikola Vučević. The error served as the second half of a demoralizing one-two punch after Josh Giddey stumbled out of bounds on the prior play, giving the Pacers the opportunity to push ahead 75-59.
Within minutes, the Bulls cut the deficit to three points. It didn’t matter. They lacked the offensive firepower and the defensive fortitude to overcome an early Pacers lead built off errors and turnovers.
How does a team orchestrate a complete collapse against a four-win team?
Start by making seven 3-pointers in the first quarter, then let that shot disintegrate for the remaining three quarters. Accept the pace set by the defense rather than establishing an independent metronome.
Hyperventilate when guards Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell hike up their shorts and get their hands active at the half-court line. Sling passes without purpose. Turn the ball over 18 times.
Allow the opponent to gouge three-lane thoroughfares through the paint. Don’t rotate, then rotate too hard. Melt in the face of every Pascal Siakam isolation turnaround jumper. Foul. Foul again.
The Bulls have lost six games in a row and seven of eight to fall four games below .500 at 9-13. It isn’t quite enough to squash hope entirely. But for Coby White, the first turning point of the season already has arrived.
“It’s still a very long season,” White said. “I’ve been through the ups and downs here for seven years now. The most important thing is we stick together through this. The season’s always going to be filled with adversities. We got a chance to change the narrative right now. The most important thing for me is we don’t let go of the rope and we do this thing together.”
Here are three takeaways from the loss.
1. White and Giddey were reunited.
Bulls guard Coby White drives to the rim against Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard in the third quarter Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
The Bulls enjoyed a rare evening with four of their five starters on the court as White returned to the lineup after missing three games. The difference was immediate and obvious.
White relieves pressure on fellow guard Giddey to handle the majority of the team’s ballhandling efforts. He poses an automatic threat on the perimeter that drags defenders out of shape on offense, clearing up more room for Buzelis and Julian Phillips to cut into space toward the rim. And at his best, White can defy the standard laws of physics, suspending himself in midair to bend a pass around a defender for a corner 3 or levitating the ball up and down and up again for a reverse layup.
In his first game back from another calf strain — this time in his left leg — White buoyed his team with 22 points and six assists. Most importantly, Friday’s game reunited White and Giddey, giving the Bulls a much-needed look at their central star duo. White and Giddey had shared the court for only 95 minutes this season entering Friday’s game.
But Giddey didn’t balance out the other side of this equation. He scored only nine points, four of which came from the free-throw line. Giddey went 2-for-9 from the floor and committed five turnovers against six assists.
And White still wasn’t a fix-all solution. The Bulls were still short-staffed at the point guard position because of the absence of Ayo Dosunmu, who is sidelined with a sprained thumb. This meant relying on Jevon Carter — who scored 14 points — to supply backup minutes at the position off the bench.
2. Zach Collins made his season debut.
Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) passes to forward Isaiah Jackson (22) as Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) and forward Zach Collins (12) defend in the third quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Collins also came off the injury report Friday after suffering a fractured wrist in the final game of the preseason, an injury that required surgery and a six-week delay to the start of his season.
The Bulls knew this would be a rusty start for Collins, who is typically one of the stronger rim defenders on the roster. The Pacers targeted the big man on defense immediately, taking advantage of his sluggish pace of play after a month-and-a-half on the sidelines.
Collins found some rhythm with his shot, hitting a kick-out 3 at the end of the first quarter for his first points of the season. He finished with eight points and six rebounds in 20 minutes, 34 seconds, filling in a necessary shift with fellow backup center Jalen Smith injured.
3. Steps forward (and backward) for Buzelis.
Bulls forward Matas Buzelis, left, and Pacers guard Ethan Thompson reach for a loose ball in the second quarter Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
One of the quiet high points of the game came from the second-year forward, who logged the second double-double of his career. Buzelis had 19 points and 12 rebounds, providing a dominant presence on the defensive glass.
Most notably, he went 9-for-9 from the free-throw line. This reflected Buzelis’ improved ability to force his way downhill, inviting contact that forced the Pacers into fouling positions.
Of course, the game still came with growing pains. Buzelis was also one of the leading perpetrators in the team’s early errors, coughing up a team-high six turnovers. This was partially a result of his heightened role as a ballhandler without the injured Dosunmu, Tre Jones or Kevin Huerter on the court, but Buzelis also made several rushed decisions at the rim, reflecting areas of needed growth as a playmaker.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/05/chicago-bulls-indiana-pacers-losing-streak/
Basketball and local scores for the Southland, Aurora, Elgin, Naperville and Lake County
High school and local college results and highlights from the Southland, Aurora, Elgin, Naperville and Lake County coverage areas.
Email Daily Southtown results to southtownsports@gmail.com, Beacon-News, Courier-News and Naperville Sun results to tribwestsports@gmail.com and News-Sun results to newssunsports@gmail.com.
FRIDAY’S RESULTS
HIGH SCHOOLS
BOYS BASKETBALL
Argo 53, T.F. North 51
Argo (2-3, 1-0 SSC Red): Darron Greer Jr. 28 points.
T.F. North (0-1, 0-1 SSC Blue): Kahari Ali 13 points.
Aurora Central Catholic 52, Providence-St. Mel 42
ACC (4-1, 1-0 CCL White): Braeden Dillon 16 points. Nick Czerak 16 points.
Bartlett 60, West Aurora 58
Benet 49, Roman Catholic (Pa.) 46
Benet (4-1): Colin Stack 13 points. Jayden Wright 12 points.
Bloom 65, Southland Prep 34
Bloom (3-2): Troy Garner 10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks. Xavier Martin 10 points.
Bolingbrook 82, Oswego 54
Oswego (3-2, 1-1 Southwest Prairie West): Ethan Vahl 25 points, 9 rebounds.
Carmel 47, St. Viator 38
Carmel (3-2, 1-0 ESCC): Ethan Matz 19 points. Drew Bance 12 points.
Cary-Grove 61, Jacobs 52
Crystal Lake South 53, Dundee-Crown 51
Elgin 63, Streamwood 55
Evanston 52, Deerfield 45
Gardner-South Wilmington 56, Beecher 46
Beecher (1-4, 1-1 River Valley): Wences Baumgartner 11 points, 4 rebounds. Duke Doran 11 points, 4 rebounds.
Geneva 63, St. Charles North 44
Glenbard North 49, Batavia 47 (OT)
Glenbard South 56, South Elgin 54 (OT)
South Elgin (1-4, 0-1 Upstate Eight West): Massimo Nalbono 10 points.
Grayslake Central 48, Grayslake North 30
Grayslake Central (3-3, 1-0 Northern Lake County): Alex Granville 17 points.
Hillcrest 90, Evergreen Park 29
Hinckley-Big Rock 57, Serena 41
Hinckley-Big Rock (2-1, 1-0 Little Ten): Luke Badal 18 points, 6 rebounds. Marshall Ledbetter 10 points, 6 rebounds.
Homewood-Flossmoor 52, Lincoln-Way Central 40
IMSA 67, DePue 31
IMSA (3-2, 1-0 Little Ten): Lota Owamezee 19 points. Ben Dixon 17 points.
Indian Creek 56, LaMoille 36
Indian Creek (2-1, 1-0 Little Ten): Parker Murry 13 points. Payton Hueber 11 points.
Kaneland 78, Ottawa 32
Kankakee 80, Thornridge 40
Lincoln-Way East 69, Andrew 58
Lockport 64, Lincoln-Way West 50
McHenry 53, Burlington Central 47
Burlington Central (3-2, 1-1 Fox Valley): Bennek Braden 12 points.
Maine East 58, Highland Park 52
Highland Park (1-4, 0-1 Central Suburban North): Evan Mintzer 20 points. Gray Kanter 16 points.
Marist 53, King 43
Marist (4-0): Adoni Vassilakis 12 points. Karson Thomas 10 points. Chuck Barnes 10 points.
Marmion 59, Providence 41
Marmion (3-1, 1-0 CCL White): Billy Reynolds 12 points. Colin McEniry 11 points. Ali Tharwani 11 points.
Minooka 51, Yorkville 48
Yorkville (3-1, 1-1 Southwest Prairie West): Graham Martinson 15 points. Braydon Porter 14 points. Gabe Sanders 12 points.
Morgan Park Academy 64, Horizon Science 61
Mount Carmel 61, Wheaton St. Francis 58
Mount Carmel (3-2, 1-0 CCL Blue): Charlie Wingate 14 points. Da’Kylen Heard 13 points. Ronald Johnson 12 points. Logan Wessel 12 points.
Naperville North 52, DeKalb 37
Nazareth 43, Marian Catholic 42
Marian (2-3, 0-1 ESCC): Cardan Gordon 10 points
Neuqua Valley 65, Naperville Central 38
Newark 75, Leland 43
Newark (3-3, 1-0 Little Ten): Cody Kulbartz 18 points, 19 rebounds, 3 blocks. Austin Reibel 18 points, 5 steals, 4 assists.
Oak Lawn 62, Bremen 31
Oak Lawn (5-1, 1-0 SSC Red): Jack Dempsey 18 points. Marc Harvey 15 points. Omar Saleh 8 points, 10 rebounds.
Oswego East 62, Plainfield North 28
Oswego East (5-0, 2-0 Southwest Prairie West): Dshaun Bolden 17 points. Mason Lockett 16 points. Alton Bullock 12 points.
Prairie Ridge 54, Hampshire 47
Reavis 55, Tinley Park 54
St. Ignatius 74, De La Salle 56
De La Salle (2-4, 0-2 CCL Blue): Roosevelt Thomas 12 points. Stephen Dixon 12 points.
Sandburg 42, Bradley-Bourbonnais 41
Sandburg (4-0, 1-0 SWSC): Malachi Perkins 10 points. Will Hooks 9 points.
Shepard 57, T.F. South 55
Shepard (3-3, 1-0 SSC Red): Amari Williams 21 points, 13 rebounds.
Somonauk 49, Earlville 10
Stevenson 54, Lake Zurich 45
Stevenson (3-1, 1-0 North Suburban): Donny Williams 19 points. Rocco Pagliocca 14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists.
Lake Zurich (3-3, 0-1): Tyler Reed 17 points.
Thornwood 58, Crete-Monee 55
Thornwood (7-0, 1-0 Southland): Lester Watson 16 points. Mekhi Young 16 points. Jordan Jones 12 points.
Crete (3-2, 0-1): Joseph Jones 20 points. Zyheir Gardner 16 points.
Vernon Hills 63, Niles West 51
Vernon Hills (5-1, 1-0 Central Suburban North): Daniel Odhiambo 16 points. Graham Lis 12 points.
Waubonsie Valley 48, Metea Valley 46
Waubonsie (3-1, 1-0 DuPage Valley): Kristopher Mporokoso 18 points. Aidan Lee 18 points.
Wheaton Warrenville South 57, St. Charles East 39
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Antioch 55, North Chicago 12
Antioch (2-5, 1-0 Northern Lake County): Scarlett Carroll 15 points.
Burlington Central 53, McHenry 18
Butler 86, Morgan Park 29
Cary-Grove 44, Jacobs 36
Crystal Lake South 73, Dundee-Crown 23
Evanston 61, Deerfield 27
Grayslake Central 53, Grayslake North 25
DeKalb 44, Naperville North 42
Hillcrest 65, Evergreen Park 39
Evergreen (3-3, 0-1 SSC Red): Tatum Harris 14 points.
Kaneland 53, Ottawa 42
Kaneland (4-1, 1-0 Interstate Eight): Grace Brunscheen 14 points. Amani Meeks 11 points.
Lake Zurich 45, Stevenson 27
Libertyville 68, Warren 17
Libertyville (5-1, 2-0 North Suburban): Lily Fisher 20 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists.
Morgan Park Academy 62, Horizon Science 42
Mundelein 46, Lake Forest 43
Mundelein (7-0, 2-0 North Suburban): Casey Vyverman 18 points, 4 steals.
Prairie Ridge 42, Hampshire 36
Hampshire (2-4, 1-1 Fox Valley): Jiselle Lopez 11 points.
St. Charles East 35, Wheaton Warrenville South 20
Waubonsie Valley 80, Metea Valley 23
Wauconda 67, Lakes 31
Wauconda (5-0, 1-0 Northern Lake County): Sophie Giles 19 points, 7 rebounds.
THURSDAY’S RESULTS
HIGH SCHOOLS
BOYS BASKETBALL
Brooks 54, Ag. Science 50
Ag. Science (1-5, 0-1 Chicago Public League Red-South): Adam Hurley 15 points. Drew Rice 11 points.
East Aurora 68, Larkin 57
Lemont 63, Richards 55
Lemont (4-1, 1-0 SSC Blue): Zane Schneider 15 points. Julian Overton 11 points. Danny Jaquez 11 points. Luke Glotzbach 11 points.
Oak Forest 83, Eisenhower 64
Oak Forest (4-1, 1-0 SSC Blue): Hayden Noha 20 points. Neiko LeFlore 13 points. Max Nesby 12 points.
Eisenhower (2-3, 0-1 SSC Red): Logan Tasciotti 24 points. Logan Costa 16 points.
Rich Township 49, Thornton 45
Rich Township (4-0, 1-0 Southland): Kavon Ammons 21 points, 6 rebounds, 6 steals.
Thornton (1-3, 0-1): Deandre Higgs 14 points.
Simeon 61, Morgan Park 51
LAKES MLK TOURNAMENT
Lakes 70, Woodstock North 44
Lakes (3-2): Carter Martin 16 points. Ben Newcomb 16 points.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Aurora Central Catholic 63, Wheaton St. Francis 51
Beecher 39, Grant Park 29
Beecher (3-4, 2-1 River Valley): Gianna Bonomo 18 points.
Bloom 65, Thornwood 35
Burlington Central 57, Wheaton North 34
Burlington Central (5-1): Julia Scheuer 17 points. Audrey LaFleur 13 points.
Genoa-Kingston 46, Sandwich 29
Indian Creek 43, Newark 33
Indian Creek (2-1, 1-0 Little Ten): Elsie Betz 13 points. Madison Boehne 13 points.
Crete-Monee 57, Thornridge 24
Crete (4-2, 2-0 Southland): Sakai Jones 15 points. A’Laura King 15 points.
Donovan 42, Illinois Lutheran 13
Glenbard South 42, South Elgin 27
Hinsdale Central 48, St. Laurence 40
Johnsburg 72, Harvest-Westminster 36
Lemont 42, Richards 34
Lemont (2-2, 1-0 SSC Blue): Claire Podrebarac 12 points. Vivian Antolak 11 points.
Lincoln-Way Central 39, Sandburg 37
Lincoln-Way Central (3-4, 1-1 SWSC): Brooke Katzmann 15 points.
Sandburg (1-4, 0-1): M.K. Terry 11 points. Ellie Driscoll 11 points.
Lockport 67, Bradley-Bourbonnais 32
Lockport (4-2, 2-0 SWSC): Evelyn Ingram 18 points.
Minooka 54, Yorkville 37
Yorkville (4-2, 1-1 Southwest Prairie West): Sydney McCabe 9 points.
Oswego East 56, Plainfield North 50
Oswego East (3-3, 2-0 Southwest Prairie West): Desiree Merritt 16 points. Aubrey Lamberti 14 points.
Plano 55, Rosary 25
Plano (4-2): Jadyn Long 19 points, 10 rebounds.
Rockford Lutheran 48, St. Edward 45
St. Charles North 43, Geneva 36
Southland Prep 73, Chicago Christian 41
Stagg 61, Lincoln-Way East 55 (OT)
Streamwood 61, Elgin 14
T.F. North 87, Argo 29
T.F. North (6-0, 1-0 SSC Blue): Lauryn Jackson 21 points, 11 rebounds. Gamaria Branch 20 points, 7 rebounds. Natalie McGhee 20 points, 6 rebounds.
T.F. South 65, Shepard 33
Compiled by Josh Krockey.
Cunningham logra 29 puntos y nueve asistencias en victoria de Pistons 122-116 sobre Trail Blazers
DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham anotó 13 de sus 29 puntos en el último cuarto y los Pistons de Detroit se recuperaron para vencer 122-116 a los Trail Blazers de Portland el viernes por la noche.
Cunningham también sumó tres asistencias en el cuarto y terminó con nueve. Jalen Duren añadió 18 unidades y descolgó ocho rebotes.
Detroit permitió 22 tantos por pérdidas de balón. Los Pistons promediaron solo 15,0 puntos por esa vía en su inicio con récord de 15-2, pero han superado los 20 intercambios de posesión ofensiva en siete juegos consecutivos mientras tienen un récord de 4-3.
Deni Avdjia anotó 35 puntos para Portland. Jeremi Grant tuvo 29, y Shaedon Sharpe 28 — y el resto del equipo aportó 24 unidades.
Detroit tomó una ventaja de 112-110 con un robo y bandeja de Cunningham con 2:22 por jugar, y Duncan Robinson anotó cinco tantos en las siguientes dos posesiones para ampliar la diferencia a siete.
Avdija tuvo 29 puntos en los primeros tres cuartos, ayudando a Portland a liderar 85-84. Los Pistons anotaron 65 en la primera mitad, pero solo consiguieron 19 puntos en el tercero.
En sus próximos partidos, los Trail Blazers estarán en Memphis el domingo por la noche y los Pistons reciben a Milwaukee el sábado por la noche.
___
Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Jaymon Hornsby responds in second half for Lincoln-Way East. The message? Loud and clear. ‘Do it for the team.’
Lincoln-Way East’s Jaymon Hornsby fits the mold of a classic dual-threat player.
The senior point guard maintains a sharp sense of how to blend his own opportunities without losing sight of wanting to set up his teammates for those big baskets as well.
“The coach told me at halftime he believed in me and it was on me to go out there and do it for the team,” Hornsby said, referring to Luke Yaklich, who’s in his first year as the Griffins’ head coach.
“Come that third quarter, I was looking to hit my teammates and make open shots and just play tough, stick-to-it defense.”
Hornsby then took over Friday night, scoring 15 of his career-high 23 points during the second half of a 69-58 victory over host Andrew in a SouthWest Suburban Conference opener in Tinley Park.
Converting on a host of passes from Hornsby, junior forward Aaron Stauffacher stepped up and made five 3-pointers and scored 17 points for Lincoln-Way East (2-2, 1-0).
Lincoln-Way East’s Jaymon Hornsby (11) shoots a 3-pointer against Andrew during a SouthWest Suburban Conference game in Tinley Park on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Troy Stolt / Daily Southtown)
Junior forward Ryan Dinnon had 19 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots for Andrew (3-3, 0-1). Junior guards Malik Mahmoud and Justin Freeman added 19 and 11 points, respectively.
The 6-foot Hornsby, meanwhile, scored or assisted on 14 points of a 21-7 burst by the Griffins at the start of the third quarter that wiped out a four-point halftime deficit.
“He did a great job as a senior leader in making sure that we got our paint touches and that the ball was where it needed to be,” Yaklich said of Hornsby. “He can get downhill.
“When he plays on balance at the end of his drives, he’s really tough to guard because he can score over the top when he gets in the paint.”
Lincoln-Way East’s Jaymon Hornsby (11) puts up a shot against Andrew during a SouthWest Suburban Conference game in Tinley Park on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Troy Stolt / Daily Southtown)
Hornsby, a two-year starter, also recorded six assists, four rebounds and two steals.
“He really gets our offense going and gets our guys open touches,” Stauffacher said. “He gets his, but when the defense collapses to stop his drives, he’s great at making plays and kicking it out.”
Hornsby showed an electric burst off the dribble and the ability to break down Andrew in the open floor. His creativity with the ball is only further enhanced by a rapidly improved outside shot.
His first basket was a 3-pointer. He also knocked down a shot from distance to punctuate that crucial run in the third quarter and produced seven of the Griffins’ nine points.
Lincoln-Way East’s Jaymon Hornsby (11) drives to the basket against Andrew during a SouthWest Suburban Conference game in Tinley Park on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Troy Stolt / Daily Southtown)
“Every time I hit a three, that just uplifts the whole team,” Hornsby said. “It gets my motor building and I just want to keep going for the whole team.
“Hitting those threes boosts my confidence for the rest of the game, knowing I can do it. I have the support system and a great coach behind me.”
Hornsby also played running back in football. The two sports play off each other, giving him a swagger. He also brings a distinctive style of handling the ball to impact the game.
“Football makes me tough and keeps me in condition for basketball,” Hornsby said. “Coach Rob Zvonar, he’s like coach ‘Yak’ — he keeps me in a tough mental state.
“He always pushed me to go harder, and now the same thing carries over to basketball.”
Lincoln-Way East’s Jaymon Hornsby (11) dribbles past Andrew’s Malik Mahmoud (3) during a SouthWest Suburban Conference game in Tinley Park on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Troy Stolt / Daily Southtown)
Studious and quiet off the field, Hornsby took up fishing three years ago at the invitation of a couple of friends. He loves the quiet and contemplative nature of fishing.
His father played baseball at a comparable age, but basketball has always been big for Hornsby. He has scholarship offers from NCAA Division III programs North Park, Benedictine and Carthage.
Point guards, naturally, are never fully satisfied by their performance.
“It’s never a perfect game and that’s what I love about it,” Hornsby said. “I love getting better every day and the obstacles that go with it. It teaches you life lessons.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Pacers vencen 120-105 a Bulls gracias a los 36 puntos de Siakam, su mejor marca de la temporada
CHICAGO (AP) — Pascal Siakam anotó un máximo de la temporada de 36 puntos, Bennedict Mathurin agregó 28 y los Pacers de Indiana superaron 120-105 el viernes a los Pacers de Indiana.
Los Pacers mejoraron a 5-18, pareciendo más el equipo que avanzó a las Finales de la NBA la temporada pasada que el grupo plagado de lesiones que comenzó la noche con el segundo peor récord en la Conferencia Este. Hicieron una gran racha al inicio del tercer cuarto y resistieron un gran empuje de Chicago al conseguir su primera victoria en 11 juegos fuera de casa esta temporada.
Siakam se alocó después de un primer cuarto sin puntos. El tres veces All-Star hizo cinco triples y capturó nueve rebotes. Mathurin encestó seis triples.
Andrew Nembhard añadió 15 puntos y siete asistencias. Jay Huff tuvo cinco bloqueos, ayudando a los Pacers a vencer a Chicago por segunda vez en siete días. El sábado ganaron 103-101 en Indianápolis, cuando Siakam encestó un tiro de 14 pies con un segundo restante.
___
Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
