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7 days ago
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Auburn basketball's Tahaad Pettiford arrested, charged with DUI
This story has been updated to include new information. AUBURN — Tahaad Pettiford, the lone returnee from Auburn basketball's latest Final Four squad, has been arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, according to the Lee County Sherriff's Office. Pettiford, 19, was booked at midnight Saturday and has been released on a $1,000 bond, according to the sherriff's office arrest database. According to Alabama state law, persons under the age of 21 with a blood alcohol concentration of .02% or higher can be charged with DUI. 'We are aware of the situation, and we will handle internally with Tahaad and his family," Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl said in a statement Saturday morning. "We take these matters seriously and will learn and grow from it moving forward.' A rising sophomore, Pettiford shined in his first season on the Plains as the Tigers' third-leading scorer, averaging 11.6 points and 3.0 assists per game. During Auburn's run to the Final Four, he was vital, averaging 17.3 points between the Round of 64 and Elite Eight. He scored 23 and 20 points, respectively, in Auburn's NCAA Tournament wins over Creighton and Michigan. This offseason, Pettiford entered the NBA Draft process, but ultimately withdrew his name May 28, despite an NBA Combine invitation and a handful of first-round projections. Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@ or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter. To support Adam's work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser. This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn basketball's Tahaad Pettiford arrested, charged with DUI
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Auburn football, Hugh Freeze flip blue-chip QB recruit from Penn State
AUBURN — The hole is being dug out of in regards to Auburn football's 2026 recruiting class. After losing three commitments this month, Hugh Freeze and the Tigers picked up their second addition in three days Thursday. Peyton Falzone, a consensus four-star quarterback from Nazareth, Pennsylvania, announced his commitment to Auburn, flipping his pledge from Penn State, where he'd been committed since April. While he's considered a blue-chip recruit by each of the major recruiting sites, he's also listed as a top-13 player at his position by three of those four. He's also the second-highest-rated player in Auburn's eight-man 2026 class, according to 247Sports' composite ratings. Falzone is a quarterback that has flashed dual-threat abilities at Nazareth High School the past two seasons, throwing for 4,663 yards and 42 touchdowns alongside 1,137 yards rushing and 19 rushing touchdowns. With Falzone in tow, Auburn's 2026 class now ranks 77th nationally and 15th in the SEC. Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@ or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter. To support Adam's work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser. This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football, Hugh Freeze flip blue-chip QB recruit from Penn State
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Sport
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Auburn football, Hugh Freeze get commitment from 4-star 2026 LB Adam Balogoun-Ali
AUBURN — As it tries to make significant strides in recruiting the 2026 class, Auburn football got a notable commitment Tuesday, as Adam Balogoun-Ali, a four-star linebacker from West Palm Beach, Florida, committed to the Tigers. Listed as a four-star prospect by ESPN and Rivals, Balogoun-Ali chose Auburn from a trio of finalists that included Kentucky and Missouri. The box linebacker is considered the third-best prospect in Auburn's 2026 class by both 247Sports and On3, as he's just the third blue-chip pledge in what's now an eight-man class for Hugh Freeze's program. Still, the Tigers are a long way off from securing the top-10 class they desire. Both 247 and On3 rank Auburn's class as the 78th- and 73rd-best groups of the 2026 recruiting cycle, respectively. Both of those rankings are last in the SEC. Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@ or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter. To support Adam's work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser. This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football, Hugh Freeze land 2026 LB Adam Balogoun-Ali
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Sport
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Auburn football, Hugh Freeze nab blue-chip commitment in 2026 linebacker Jaquez Wilkes
AUBURN — It appears Auburn football is finally stringing together some victories — on the recruiting trail, at least. After landing a commitment from Auburn legacy Wilson Zierer last week, Hugh Freeze and the Tigers got their second blue-chip pledge in two weeks Monday, as four-star linebacker Jaquez Wilkes committed to the program. Wilkes, an in-state product from Wadley, chose the Tigers from a group of five finalists that included Alabama, Florida State, Miami and Texas A&M. A consensus four-star prospect, Wilkes is now the highest-rated player in Auburn's 2026 class, based on 247Sports' composite ratings. A two-way standout at Wadley, Wilkes rushed for 1,792 yards and 22 touchdowns last fall. He also registered 104 total tackles and three tackles for loss. Based on 247's recruiting calculator, Wilkes' pledge should boost Auburn's seat in the national rankings 10 spots, from No. 75 to 65th. It still remains 15th among its SEC peers, coming in ahead of Missouri. Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@ or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter. To support Adam's work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser. This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football lands commitment from 2026 LB Jaquez Wilkes
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Yahoo
Montgomery safety issues worry entertainment district business operator
An entertainment district can be fun, energetic and even electric. But an anxious mood is always bad for business. "When people feel safe and cared for, they stay longer, they spend more, they come back more often," said Nicholas Wyatt, an area director for Vintage Hospitality Group in Montgomery. "That's something downtown has to be able to cultivate." From his venues at Downtown's Ravello, City Fed, and rooftop site Bar Attico, and the Riverfront district's Red Bluff Bar at the Silos, Wyatt has seen worried messages about downtown Montgomery violence pop up on customer phones. "I've had some guests over the past few weeks who when things have gone up on social media locally express feelings of, 'Hey, we've got to get out of here before it gets too late,'" Wyatt said. An example that caught the world's attention in 2023 happened at the Riverfront Entertainment District, where an infamous a dock brawl took place. But there have been plenty of recent incidents downtown. "We've had fights and shootings downtown almost every weekend in recent weeks," Wyatt said. "The mayor and police chief have acknowledged that and said they're working on it. From where I stand, it hasn't stopped yet, and makes the moment feel a little bit delicate." More: Montgomery entertainment districts: How they work and why they could change Later this fall, plans are in the works to reexamine and possibly expand the city's entertainment districts. Though Wyatt isn't against growing their footprint, he would like to see the existing areas stabilized first. "To me, it doesn't make sense to grow the district when we haven't gotten a firm handle on safety in the areas that we already have," Wyatt said. One step toward that is the recent installation of surveillance cameras in the Downtown Entertainment District. The feeds from those cameras will be constantly monitored by the Montgomery Police Department's Strategic Technology and Resource (STAR) Center. More: Montgomery entertainment districts: 15-year timeline "We're committed to creating a safer, more welcoming downtown for citizens and visitors to enjoy!" MPD wrote on a social media post about the new cameras. Another is a curfew in downtown for ages 17 and under. On July 15, the Montgomery City Council enacted one from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday. "We're using all our angles to make sure that we are growing in a sufficient manner and an effective manner," said Frank Robinson, Montgomery's director of economic and community development. "We're making sure that public safety is there, and in addition to public safety, making sure that everybody has a good time and feels safe while they're doing it." Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel covers things to do in the River Region. Contact him at sheupel@ To support his work please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser. This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Entertainment district safety concerns worry business operator Solve the daily Crossword
