Published May 14, 2013
Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. – Nate Tibbetts has joined the Portland Trail Blazers as an assistant coach.
The 35-year-old Tibbetts comes to the Blazers after serving for two seasons as an assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Before that, he spent two seasons as head coach with the NBA Development League's Tulsa 66ers, the Oklahoma City Thunder affiliate.
He replaces Kaleb Canales, who recently left the Blazers to join the Dallas Mavericks.
Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle, right, speaks to captain Dion Phaneuf, left, during hockey practice in Toronto on Tuesday, May 7, 2013. The Leafs trail the Boston Bruins 2-1 in their best-of-seven games first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series. Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday in Toronto. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)The Associated Press
Toronto Maple Leafs goalies James Reimer, left, and Ben Scrivens, right, talk during hockey practice in Toronto on Tuesday, May 7, 2013. The Leafs trail the Boston Bruins 2-1 in their best-of-seven games first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series. Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday in Toronto. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)The Associated Press
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Phil Kessel, back, laughs as his teammates and coaching staff applaud him for being one of the last players to hit the ice at practice in Toronto on Tuesday, May 7, 2013. The Leafs trail their best-of-seven playoff series against the Boston Bruins 2-1. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteThe Associated Press
TORONTO – The day after a punishing playoff game that featured 99 hits, burly Maple Leafs defenseman Mark Fraser was feeling it.
Not that he was complaining. Still it had to hurt a little more, given that Boston won Monday night's game 5-2 to regain the upper hand in the series. The Bruins lead 2-1 going into Game 4 Wednesday night.
Despite the pain, the 26-year-old Fraser was in a good mood at Tuesday's skate.
"Sometimes you might feel a bump or a bruise and you're not even sure how you got it," the 6-foot-4, 220-pounder said after practice.
After a night when Boston outhit Toronto 51-49, Fraser was asked if he leapt out of bed Tuesday to head to the rink.
"Actually, today I did," he said with a grin. "A big part of that has been the significant change of the weather, the sunshine."
For Toronto coach Randy Carlyle, the summer-like day was a welcome reminder to his players that all is not lost, despite a second defeat in three games in their first playoff experience since 2004.
"I used to say everybody's in doom and gloom, but the sun did come up today," the coach said. "It was sunny out there.
"That would be the way we'd want to flush things and turn the page on it. Today's a new day. Let's start. Let's build. Let's focus. All those things are things that we try to provide."
Carlyle and his coaching staff got a helping hand Tuesday when the clocks in the dressing room malfunctioned. They were six minutes off, meaning a group of Leafs arrived on the ice late for practice. They were greeted with some good-natured derision from teammates who made it on time.
"You can't change what happened and that can't really be your focus on what today brought," Carlyle said. "Today was about flushing what happened last night, recognizing what happened and then going into the preparation mode of tomorrow.
"Our focus has to be on what we can improve on for tomorrow night's game. Can we improve on our turnovers? Can we improve on the out-and-out turnovers that led to their goals? Can we improve on our execution with the puck?
"Those are all the little things that we have to focus on and that's part of the process versus the result. Any mental coach will tell you that you can't labor on the result being the ultimate. It's the process that you have to live in your mind that helps you get ready for it."
Carlyle has managed to keep his team poised off the ice in the midst of a playoff-starved, hockey-mad city. On the ice, he is bidding to mold a squad woefully short on playoff experience — and one facing a playoff-savvy Bruins team that won the Stanley Cup two years ago.
In the wake of a loss in which the Leafs were punished for mistakes, Carlyle looked to the positives as he tried to rebuild his team's confidence.
"What did we do well? That's what we're trying to pick out," Carlyle said. "We're trying to focus on the things that we did well that gave us a chance in the hockey game."
Carlyle's morning message to his squad was repeated by his players later in the day.
"For the most part we played a pretty good game," said winger Joffrey Lupul, an influential voice in the locker room. "We created a lot of chances. We definitely worked hard.
"We've just got to eliminate some of those mistakes."
That includes losing faceoffs; Carlyle even wondered why his centers kept getting thrown out of the faceoff circles Monday night.
Boston coach Claude Julien, whose team excels at faceoffs, knew exactly what Carlyle was doing.
"When you lobby for something, it's because you're looking for a bit of a break next game," he said. "And that's what Randy is doing right now.
"It's going to be interesting to see whether the referees and the linesmen just do their job next game and not worry about who's crying wolf."
Boston's Patrice Bergeron led the league in faceoff wins during the regular season, 62.1 percent. David Krejci ranked 15th.
One person Carlyle doesn't have to convince of the Leafs' abilities as a team is Julien.
"We know that we're in for a dogfight and the next game's going to be a challenge," Julien said. "They know they can play with us and they've proven it."
Published May 03, 2013
Sports Network
Auburn Hills, MI – Phil Jackson has agreed to serve in an advisory capacity in the Detroit Pistons' search for a new head coach.
The Pistons fired Lawrence Frank last month following a 29-53 season. Frank posted a record of 54-94 during his two seasons in Detroit.
"Phil Jackson is a friend and one of the best minds in the business," Pistons owner Tom Gores said. "We are thrilled to have him as an adviser as we make some very important decisions for this franchise. Joe (Dumars) and I discussed this and he and I are in full agreement that this is a great opportunity."
Jackson, who stepped down as coach of the Lakers following the 2010-11 season, won six titles with the Chicago Bulls and five more with the Lakers.
"Tom and I discussed using a consultant as part of our decision-making process in our search for a head coach and we feel that Phil Jackson is a great resource to use," Dumars said. "I look forward to talking with Phil next week."
Published April 16, 2013
Sports Network
Miami, FL – Florida International named Anthony Evans its new head men's basketball coach on Tuesday.
Evans spent the last six seasons coaching at Norfolk State, compiling a 99-94 record. Last season, he led the Spartans to a 21-12 overall record and a 16-0 mark in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season games, but the team lost to Bethune-Cookman in the MEAC Tournament semifinals and instead received an NIT berth.
In 2011-2012, Evans led the Spartans to a 26-10 record and the school's first- ever MEAC Championship. They entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 15 seed and upset second-seeded Missouri in the second round before losing to Florida in the Round of 32.
"I'm extremely pleased to welcome Anthony Evans as our new men's basketball coach," said executive director of sports and entertainment Pete Garcia. "The success he has had at Norfolk State, taking the team to back-to-back post- season appearances, is something that our team can benefit from as this program continues to grow. Anthony is a coach that will get the best out of his players both in the classroom and on the court. We are very fortunate to have Coach Evans here at FIU."
Evans replaces Richard Pitino. The son of current Louisville head coach Rick Pitino left after one season to become head coach at Minnesota.
"I'm extremely excited to become the head coach of the FIU men's basketball team," Evans said. "This is a great opportunity. FIU is a sleeping giant and to have the chance to build this program and continue what Coach Pitino began is unbelievable."
Published April 04, 2013
Associated Press
HOUSTON – Guy Lewis finally got the call from the hall.
Lewis, the coach of Houston's Phi Slama Jama teams in the 1980s, was informed on Thursday that he'll be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, his wife, Dena, told The Associated Press. The official announcement will come at the Final Four on Monday.
The 91-year-old Lewis won 592 games in a 30-year career at Houston. He got the word of his induction on the 30-year anniversary of his most famous loss — N.C. State's 54-52 upset of his heavily favored Cougars in the 1983 NCAA championship.
The Houston Chronicle and KRIV-TV first reported that Lewis had been told of his induction.
Los Angeles, CA – Michael Cooper has resigned from his post as head women's basketball coach for the USC Women of Troy.
The former Los Angeles Lakers great spent four seasons as head coach of the team and went 72-57 during his tenure. However, USC finished 11-20 overall this season and 7-11 in the Pac-12.
"USC women's basketball has a storied heritage, with national championship teams and some of the best players in the history of the sport," said athletics director Pat Haden, who thanked Cooper for his service. "We believe we should be competing for Pac-12 championships and NCAA bids on a consistent basis. We will conduct a search to find the right person to help us do that."
Prior to joining USC, Cooper was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks.
"This program has to move forward, and it should have moved forward under my leadership. The best thing is for me to step down," Cooper said. "I really want to thank the administration here at USC. Pat Haden and [senior women's administrator] Donna Heinel and everyone have been very supportive. Coaching these young women at USC has been a wonderful experience for me. I wish nothing but the best for USC and the women's basketball program."
