Florida Gators prepare for Final Four face off against Auburn
Florida Gators prepare for Final Four face off against Auburn
Florida Gators prepare for Final Four face off against Auburn
The Florida Gators men's basketball team is preparing to play in the NCAA Final Four game this weekend.
Crews in San Antonio are getting ready for the anticipated tournament at the Alamodome stadium.
Security is at the top of my mind at this event.
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Police said they have been preparing for this event for more than a year by working with other law-enforcement officials.
It's the second time in NCAA tournament history that all four number-one seeds have made the Final Four.
Florida tips off against Auburn on Saturday.
The national title game will be played on Monday, April 7.
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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Nets 2025 NBA draft big board 5.0: Best players at pick No. 8
The Brooklyn Nets came away from the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery with the eighth overall pick, something that the franchise was hoping wouldn't happen heading into the event. However, Brooklyn went into the Lottery knowing that they could have come away from the Lottery with a less-than-ideal pick and now, they have to move forward with different plans for who to use that pick on. The Nets had ideas of getting lucky enough to get the first overall pick, giving them the ability to select Duke forward Cooper Flagg, but that outcome did not come to fruition. Be that as it may, the 2025 class still has some players after Flagg that have the potential to become impact players at the next level and Brooklyn has to make sure that it does its homework. Advertisement This will be the first time since 2023 that the Nets will have multiple first-round picks in the same draft so they have a chance of adding multiple players that can fit into the framework of the team's current rebuild. Here are five players that would be a good fit for Brooklyn at the eighth overall pick, assuming that they are not trying to trade the pick in an effort to move up: Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma Mar 21, 2025; Raleigh, NC, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Jeremiah Fears (0) reacts after scoring against Connecticut Huskies during the second half at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images Fears, listed at 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, seems to be one of the players that could go anywhere from the fifth overall pick to the 10th overall pick due to his profile that gives plenty of reasons to either believe in his ceiling or his floor. Fears is one of the youngest prospects in this class and while that is a good thing for a prospect to be, it could also mean that his game is far from being what it could be when he is ready to contribute. Advertisement Fears' game gives credence to the fact that he could be one of the better combo guards in the league at some point due to his ability to get whatever shot he wants while also having the ability to set up his teammates with some incredible passes due to his vision and ball-handing. However, Fears did shoot 28.4% from three-point land on 3.9 attempts per game so the hope is that his shooting gets better so that he can use the entirety of his bag on a nightly basis. CBS Sports' Gary Parrish writes: "Fears is set to join the relatively short list of one-and-done lottery picks who were ranked outside of the top 60 of their high school classes. His unique ability to change speeds and keep defenders off balance is too much to ignore even if his subpar 3-point percentage is a source of concern for some front offices." Kon Knueppel, F, Duke Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Kon Knueppel (7) walks off the court after losing to the Houston Cougars in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images Knueppel, listed at 6-foot-6 and 217 pounds, projects to be the kind of player that will be a floor-spacer for whatever team he goes to given his ability to shoot the basketball during his freshman season at Duke. While Knueppel doesn't seem like the kind of player that will be able to create shots for himself and others, his shooting ability is vital for any team looking for more shooting. Advertisement Knueppel, whom Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman compares to Nets forward Cam Johnson, could be the kind of guy that allows Brooklyn to build around whoever comes to the roster that will have the ball in their hands, especially if Johnson ends up getting traded somewhere else this summer or during next season. As of this writing, Knueppel has a workout scheduled with the Nets so it seems like the team is doing its due diligence with him during the predraft process. Parrish writes: "Knueppel was mostly excellent through Duke's run to the Final Four, averaging 19.0 points while shooting 63.6% from beyond the arc. He's an elite shooter, obviously, but far from only a shooter — and anybody labeling him as little more than a catch-and-shoot threat is wildly underestimating Knueppel's versatility as a player who projects as a nice building block." Khaman Maluach, C, Duke Mar 29, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Khaman Maluach (9) dunks the ball against Alabama Crimson Tide forward Grant Nelson (4) during the second half in the East Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images Maluach, listed at 7-foot-2 and 250 pounds, had a promising freshman season that rightfully made many around the NBA excited about what he could do at the next level thanks to his size and shot-blocking ability. Maluach averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 71.2% from the field and 76.6% from the free-throw line, but he had the worst game of his first season at Duke at the worst time. Advertisement In the National Semi-finals against the Houston Cougars, Maluach showed all of the weaknesses of his profile as he put up just six points and one block in 21 minutes played. Maluach disappeared against a physical, veteran Houston team and while Maluach showed plenty of promise that will not take him out of the top-10, the hope is that he wouldn't have lows like that in the NBA. Parrish writes: "Maluach's otherwise great freshman year concluded horribly with a zero-rebound effort in 21 minutes during Duke's season-ending loss to Houston. But that was just one game against an older and stronger team, and it shouldn't sour front offices too much on an 18 year-old who can move unusually well for a man his size." Derik Queen, C, Maryland Mar 8, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins center Derik Queen (25) handles the ball against Northwestern Wildcats guard K.J. Windham (24) during the second half at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images Queen, listed at 6-foot-10 and 246 pounds, showed plenty of promise towards the end of the NCAA regular season and boosted his stock significantly with what he did during conference tournament time and the NCAA Tournament. What would make a selection of Queen interesting is how the Nets foresee him fitting alongside starting center Nic Claxton, who will be entering the second year of his four-year, $97 million contract next season. Advertisement Queen is compared to Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun by Wasserman and it's easy to see why with the way that Queen moves on the offensive end of the floor with some sneaky athleticism to boot. However, it seems like Queen came away from the Combine with less regard for his skillset given the fact that his overall athleticism is worse in terms of numbers that it looks on tape. Parrish writes: "Queen is a super-interesting forward who offsets some of his physical limitations with incredible skill and above-average smarts. He hit the buzzer-beater against Colorado State that sent Maryland to the Sweet 16, scored 27 against the eventual national champion (Florida) and solidified himself in the NCAA Tournament as an intriguing lottery option." Carter Bryant, F, Arizona Mar 21, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Carter Bryant (9) dribbles the ball against Akron Zips guard Shammah Scott (1) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images Bryant is an interesting prospect given that his profile is a guy with plenty of upside for what he can do at the next level while not being able to show much of that during his freshman season at Arizona. Bryant, listed at 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, appears to have the typical size and athleticism for a player who can make a career in the NBA as a wing who shoots threes and plays solid defense. Advertisement Bryant averaged 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 46.0% from the field and 37.1% from three-point land in 37 games for the Wildcats. However, he started in just five of those games for Arizona and he played just 19.3 minutes per game, showing that while he has the profile to indicate he could be more in the NBA, he also didn't play much for a Wildcats team that made it to the Sweet 16 before losing to the Duke Blue Devils. Parrish writes: "These playoffs have reminded everybody how much great 3-and-D wings impact winning in the postseason. Bryant has the tools to become one and should be selected accordingly regardless of his limited role as a freshman at Arizona." This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets 2025 NBA draft big board 5.0: Best players at pick No. 8
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Is high school golf worth it? Players from this state are keeping the debate alive
AI-assisted summary Top high school golfers sometimes forgo high school golf to focus on individual tournaments for college recruiting. Alex Holder, who committed to Auburn, skipped high school golf last year but returned this year and is a state championship contender. Micah Sheffer, committed to Purdue, opted out of high school golf this year to focus on travel tournaments and plans to graduate early. Silas Haarer, another top contender, also didn't play high school golf last year but returned this season. The top golfer coming out of Thursday's Indiana state high school regional at Stonehenge Golf Club was no surprise. Fairfield senior Brayden Miller, who fired a 5-under par 71, was last year's wire-to-wire state champion. The next two top finishers were also not a surprise. Westview senior Silas Haarer and Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger junior Alex Holder, like Miller, are contenders to win the IHSAA individual state championship on Tuesday and Wednesday at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel. The difference for Haarer and Holder is that they did not compete in the state meet last year. In fact, they did not compete in high school golf at all. For elite golfers, the decision to play high school is not as easy as just coming out for the team. '(High school golf) took up a pretty good chunk of what I thought was going to be an important time for my recruiting,' Holder said. 'High school golf is fun and cool, but I didn't think it was going to make a big difference for (college) coaches to see my high school stuff. I thought being in the other summer tournaments was a huge advantage for me. It was going to be hard to go to state and get my exposure to college coaches.' It is difficult to argue Holder's logic. Or his results. After spending much of the winter of his sophomore year in Florida, Holder finished second in the Indiana Junior championship, two shots behind winner Justin Hicks and one ahead of Miller. He also reached the round of 32 in the U.S. Junior Amateur, among his other accomplishments. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle In October of last year, Holder committed to Auburn … the defending national champions. 'I think it was really helpful for my future career,' Holder said. 'It worked out. It definitely sucks missing out on state but I was able to play in front of the Auburn coaches and then come back and play high school golf this year. I think everyone dreams of winning a state championship. If I had a chance to do that it would be super cool.' Micah Sheffer, one of the state's top golfers out of Brownstown Central, opted not to play high school golf this spring. Sheffer has already committed to Purdue and has plans to graduate early and enroll in college in January of 2026. 'Playing high school golf is important,' Sheffer said. 'You need to play at least one or two years. Golf is an individual sport, but being part of a team makes it that much more important. But I felt like not playing high school golf this spring allowed me to grow so much more because I was able to play in travel tournaments and see the best competition out there. In Kentucky and Ohio, they play high school golf in the fall so those players are all out there playing. On top of that, I kind of like having the freedom of being able to take a day off or play 18 holes when I want to.' Sheffer said the reaction was 'probably 50-50' on his decision not to play with his high school team. Last year, his team finished sixth at the regional and failed to advance, and his 75 left him three shots short of qualifying for state as an individual. 'I think everybody understood and respected my decision,' he said. 'They weren't necessarily happy losing one of their best players, but I think they understood for my development going to Purdue that it was going to be better for me. My goal right now is to go to Purdue and be ready to play when I get there.' Sheffer was a three-sport athlete at Brownstown Central, also competing in football and basketball. Some of his best friends are his high school teammates. 'Don't get me wrong, I missed playing with the guys and going out there and having fun,' he said. 'But when I look back, I know it was the right decision to help me get ready.' Haarer, the state runner-up two years ago, did not play high school golf last year at Westview. He shot a 67 at the regional last week to finish one shot behind defending state champion Miller. Weighing the pros and cons of playing high school golf is not a new phenomenon. Erica Shepherd of Center Grove, a two-time All-American at Duke, did not play high school golf. For Holder, the opportunity to step away and come back again worked out. 'Sometimes golf gets too serious,' Holder said. 'High school golf is a lot of fun and you make a lot of great memories. It's been great for me to come back to it.' Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649. Get IndyStar's high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
UConn, Illinois basketball finalizing Black Friday showdown at MSG
The post UConn, Illinois basketball finalizing Black Friday showdown at MSG appeared first on ClutchPoints. The UConn Huskies and the Illinois Fighting Illini are reportedly on the verge of making official a Black Friday date at Madison Square Garden in New York, according to college basketball insider Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports and College Hoops Today. Advertisement 'NEWS: UConn and Illinois are finalizing an agreement to meet on November 28th — Black Friday — at MSG, according to multiple sources,' Rothstein shared in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday. The news of the matchup has left fans buzzing with reactions online. 'Should be a home and home!!!' one said. 'Illinois will just get blown out of the water in MSG like they did against Duke this year,' a fan predicted. From a different commenter: 'They want that crucial rematch 😭😭' 'We should get another game in Chicago in 2027,' an Illinois fan suggested. 'REMATCH BABY,' commented an excited fan, who's already looking forward to that Black Friday showdown in the Big Apple. Advertisement Should this game get finalized, Illinois will get a chance to score some measure of revenge against the team that eliminated it from the Elite Eight round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. In that contest, Dan Hurley's No. seed Huskies flummoxed Brad Underwood's No. 3 seed Fighting Illini on both ends of the floor to score a 77-52 victory at TD Garden in Boston. Donovan Clingan, who now plays for the Portland Trail Blazers, led the way for UConn with 22 points and 10 rebounds to go with five blocks and three steals. Marcus Domask paced Illinois with 17 points, as his team shot just 25.4 percent from the floor. The Huskies then proceeded to beat the No. 4 seed Alabama Crimson Tide in the Final Four and the No. 1 seed Purdue Boilermakers in the national championship game to successfully become two-peat champions. Having Illinois on UConn's 2024-25 assignments will strengthen the Huskies' schedule that already features non-conference games against the likes of the BYU Cougars, Arizona Wildcats, Texas Longhorns and reigning NCAA champions Florida Gators. The Fighting Illini, on the other hand, have out-of-conference games versus Alabama and Missouri. The Huskies went 24-11 in the 2024-25 season and exited the Big Dance in the second round, while the Fighting Illini put together a 22-13 record and also struck out of the national tourney in the second round.
