Just when we thought Ivan Johnson was turning the corner and getting his life together - this from the Atlanta Journal Constitution's Atlanta Hawks blog:
The Hawks sent forward Ivan Johnson back to Atlanta for conduct detrimental to the team. Johnson, who was also fined an undisclosed amount, will miss tonight's game against the Magic. Johnson was sent home for verbal altercation on the bench during Wednesday's game against Boston. He did fly to Orlando from Boston with the team after the game before being sent home to Atlanta.
Johnson is expected to re-join the team Saturday for a scheduled practice.
Hawks coach Larry Drew declined to expand on the disciplinary action, or the reason for it, following this morning's shoot-around.
"We made a decision to discipline him by sending him home, fining him and we will move on," Drew said.
Johnson, a 27-year-old NBA rookie, has had issues in the past.
He washed out after one season of run-ins with coach Ernie Kent at Oregon.
After one year at Division II Cal State-San Bernardino, Johnson played a season in the NBA Development League before joining the Korean Basketball League. That opportunity ended last year when the KBL banned Johnson after he reportedly made an obscene gesture at a game official. He headed back to the D-League where he was named first-team all-league, but volatile enough to lead the league in technical fouls. Johnson's coach with the Erie BayHawks eventually benched him for his behavior.
"With me, no it's not a concern," Drew said of Johnson's documented disciplinary issues. "Isolated incident. If it were anybody else we would have taken the same measure. I spoke to him before he left. We had a good conversation. It was like I told him, we will do what we have to do. He will miss tonight's game. We will see him when we get back to Atlanta. We are moving on."
| Day 3 of the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft is in the books and seven Highlanders, including six members of the pitching staff, were selected - Joseph Kelly (above), Paul Applebee, Matt Montgomery, Paul Bargas, Carl Uhl, Tommy Mackoul and Ryan Platt. The St. Louis Cardinals selected Kelly in the third round Tuesday evening. The junior from Corona, CA is the Highlanders career saves record holder having eclipsed the mark of Scott Tebbets late in the 2009 season finishing with a total of 24. His 12 saves this year were the second most in the history of the program. Baseball America named Kelly to the Preseason All-American Third Team in 2009, and as a freshman, Kelly was named a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball and Ping!, a Second Team All-American by Rivals.com and Big West Conference Freshman Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-Conference. He also played for the USA National Team in the summer of 2007. Two Highlanders were selected in the 10th round on Thursday as the Washington Nationals picked junior starting pitcher Paul Applebee and the Florida Marlins snagged senior starter Matthew Montgomery. Applebee was UC Riverside's top pitcher in 2009 posting a 10-2 mark with an earned run average of 3.74. The Upland, CA native struck out 63 batters and walked just 20 in 89.0 innings in earning Second-Team All-Big West honors. Montgomery was the Highlanders' Friday night starter for most of the season before an injury forced him out of the rotation. The junior from Sun City, CA finished the year with a 2-2 mark and a 4.55 ERA. He struck out 18 and walked 8 in 31.2 innings. The Colorado Rockies chose pitcher Paul Bargas in the 13th round of the draft. The Riverside junior had a 5-3 record in 2009 and an ERA of 4.44. He walked just nine hitters in 75.0 innings. Center fielder Carl Uhl became the first UCR position player selected in the draft when the Philadelphia Phillies took him with an 18th round pick. Uhl finished his Highlanders career as the teams Division-I era leader in runs scored and earned All-Big West Second-Team honors in 2009 after pacing UC Riverside in hits, runs scored, doubles, triples and steals while finishing second in OPS and on base percentage and tying for second on the squad in homers. The Minnesota Twins took freshman Tommy Mackoul in the 20th round, and the Milwaukee Brewers chose senior Ryan Platt in the 27th. Mackoul redshirted the 2008 season for the Highlanders and made two appearances in 2009. Platt went 4-0 on the year leading the team with 67 strikeouts in 65.0 innings pitched while posting a 4.15 ERA. |
This year, the UC Riverside Athletics Department handed out five awards to distinguished student-athletes for their accomplishments during the 2008-09 season. The first award went to Men's Golfer Scott Clayton, the recipient of the Harper Scholar-Athlete Award, presented annually to the UCR varsity athlete - a freshman, sophomore or junior - whose athletic and scholarly achievements are deemed most outstanding. The recipient must have a GPA of at least 3.20.
Clayton finished tied for third this season at the Big West Men's Golf Championship, which is the second highest finish ever at the championship by a UCR men's golfer. During his academic career at UC Riverside, the San Bernardino, CA native has all As except for one A-minus.
Women's Cross Country and Track & Field athlete Danielle Evans was the winner of the evening's second award, the Lindy Award, given annually to the student-athlete or service group member who has demonstrated exceptional dedication by participating in extracurricular activities in the community and at the university, during the current school year and who is in satisfactory academic standing.
Evans is the current president of SAAC, a captain on the track team, president of the track and running club at UCR, a mentor for her church group, secretary of the Black Graduation Committee, a member of African Americans in Humanities, and a frequent helping hand at basketball games and special development events. Not only is she an excellent student, but she was UCR's Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year in the Big West.
Men's Soccer player David Watson was the recipient of UCR's Best Teammate Award presented annually to the UCR student and varsity athlete whose actions both on and off the field exemplify the concepts and ideals of team and teamwork.
This past spring, the men's soccer program was hit with a number of injuries and barely had enough players to compete in matches. Watson, who finished his playing career in the fall, began coming to 8:30 am practices and traveling for matches so the team would have enough players and subs to be competitive. That kind of initiative and selflessness is the perfect embodiment of what a teammate should be.
The Male and Female Student-Athlete of the Year awards went respectively to Highlanders men's basketball player Kyle Austin and women's cross country and track & field athlete Brenda Martinez.
The men's basketball program this year set a number of Division I-era standards including overall wins, conference wins and highest finish in the Big West, and Kyle Austin was a big reason why. The sophomore transfer led the Highlanders in scoring and minutes played and was second in rebounding and free throw percentage, while earning First-Team All-Big West honors in the process. In doing so, he became the first UCR men's basketball player to earn First-Team accolades from the Big West.
Brenda Martinez was named an All-American in indoor track this year after finishing seventh in the mile at the NCAAs. She was recently named Big West Female Track Athlete of the Year after winning the 800m and 1500m at the conference championship, and her times in those events are both among the top 20 in the entire world. After competing in the US Olympic Trials last summer, she is set to compete in the USA Championships this June in Eugene, Oregon.
Throughout the evening, the Highlanders also celebrated their Big West All-Conference award winners, Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) members, graduating seniors, and Big West Scholar Athletes.
Former UC Riverside Head Volleyball Coach Sue Gozansky, who retired last fall after nearly four decades as the face of Highlanders volleyball, was honored this week with the USA Volleyball All-Time Great Coach Award in the Donald S. Shondell Contemporary Division for 2009.
In the letter informing Gozansky of her selection, Cecile Reynaud, chair of the nominating committee, wrote:
"Your coaching career has been nothing short of remarkable over the last 39 years . . . Your services as a long time FIVB instructor, your publications contributing to the knowledge of coaches at all levels, and your national championships at the University of California Riverside set you apart from many others in the coaching profession. Your qualities in leading young women and setting a great examples as a positive role model have truly been appreciated. You have dedicated a large part of your life giving back to our sport, and it has not gone unrecognized by your coaching peers or players."
The award was presented at the USA Volleyball meetings in Minneapolis at the 64th Annual Boyce Awards Banquet.
Cal Poly placed second in the Cup standings, the highest finish in the program's history. The Mustangs averaged the second-most points over the spring season which included a softball championship, a second place finish in women's track and field and third place finishes in women's tennis, baseball and men's track and field.
UC Irvine placed third for the second consecutive year. The Anteaters won titles in men's soccer and baseball and also won the inaugural women's water polo tournament title. The Anteaters also had second place finishes in men's tennis, women's tennis, and men's golf.
Despite four conference crowns, UC Santa Barbara placed fourth in the 2008-09 standings, its lowest finish in the history of the Cup. UC Davis placed fifth, its highest finish and won a conference title in men's golf. UC Riverside climbed out of the cellar spot from a year ago to finish in the sixth spot this season. The Highlanders claimed their first women's cross country title in the fall to lead the way.
To determine the champion for the Commissioner's Cup, total points are summed and divided by the number of championships in which each institution competes. Each sport champion is also given a 20-point bonus. The Commissioner's Cup is then awarded to the school with the highest average.
"Scott is playing really well right now," Head Coach Paul Hjulberg announced. "He's continuing where he left off at the end of our season."
The San Bernardino, CA native tallied eight birdies during his 18-hole qualifying round at Oak Valley Golf Club on Wednesday, the most of any golfer on the day. He finished one stroke back of Tyler Crawford, who fired a six-under-par 66.
The Championship is open to amateur golfers who have an established current index of 4.4 or less as of the time of registration and are members in good standing of the Southern California Golf Association, Northern California Golf Association, or the Public Links Golf Association of Southern California
After the 18-hole qualifying round to determine the championship participants, 156 players from different qualifying sites will advance to the championship. The championship field will play 36 holes of stroke play with the top 32 players advancing from stroke play to single elimination match play.
UCR men's golfer Kevin Fitzgerald also participated in the Oak Valley qualifying site, but finished just back of being an alternate, firing a one-over-par 71 to place eighth.
With the win, Bargas's record improved to 5-3 on the year with a 4.01 ERA. The Riverside native has allowed just five walks in 60.2 innings this season, and none over his last three starts.
The Highlanders, owners of a four-game winning streak, travel to San Diego on Tuesday, April 28 for a 3 pm meeting with the Toreros.
The first half was very reminiscent of UCR's most recent game against Cal Poly, in which there were numerous tie scores and lead changes within the first 20 minutes of play. Creighton went up by as much as eight points at the 6:58 mark, but the Highlanders whittled the lead to three, 30-27, at the break.
Kemie Nkele led UCR in the first half with 10 points and nine rebounds, including a last second layup at the buzzer. The Highlanders saw a 17-15 lead at the 9:21 mark turn into a 10-0 Bluejay run, giving Creighton their largest lead of the half.
UC Riverside, who averages just 14.4 turnovers per game, committed 12 in the first half alone as the Bluejays were able to capitalize on UCR's miscues by converting 20 points off turnovers. The Highlanders were also outrebounded, 19-16, but most importantly gave up six more boards on the offensive glass, giving Creighton seven second chance points compared to UCR's one.
In the second half the Bluejays drained 4-of-5 three-pointers and opened up a double-digit lead on multiple occasions. The Highlanders closed the gap to nine points, 51-42, with 7:33 remaining in the game, but could get no closer as the Bluejays held on for the win.
Nkele led the Highlanders with 18 points and 12 rebounds, her seventh double-double on the season and the 45th of her career. Seyram Gbewonyo added 10 points, Roney Friend had eight, Tainoisouti Lott contributed six, Chanel Foster had five, and Alyssa Morris added four.
For the game the Highlanders shot 42.9 percent from the floor but just 21.4 percent from beyond the arc. Conversely, Creighton shot 41.4 percent from the field but hit 50.0 percent of their long balls.
This was UCR's first postseason WNIT appearance, but third postseason in the last four years. Creighton is 21-5 all-time in the WNIT, including a 2003 Final Four berth and a 2004 WNIT Championship.
The Highlanders say goodbye to eight seniors, each of whom have given so much to the UC Riverside women's basketball program. Compiling a 70-54 record the last four years, the Highlanders won two Big West Conference Championships, went to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments, and competed in the postseason in three of four years.
This season alone, UCR tallied a school-best 13-game win streak; had a school-best 14-2 conference record; and defeated their first top-25 opponent in a 50-47 win over then-No. 16 Vanderbilt back in December. Their 19 wins on the season also tied the record for the second-most wins in school history.
Nkele concludes her career as the all-time leader in rebounds and blocked shots, and finishes 130 points away from the top spot in total points. Four different Highlanders also rank among the top-10 in multiple categories including games played, games started, rebounds, assists, field goals, and blocked shots.
Graham, a 6-foot-1 senior from
The Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Graham finished his four-year career with 1,465 points, tying him for seventh among school leaders. He scored 515 points as a senior, becoming the first Western player to have two 500-point seasons.
Graham, a two-time, first-team league all-star, helped the Vikings to a 21-6 record, the school's first outright GNAC title and the first round of the NCAA II West Regional. He averaged 19.1 points, being held under double figures in just two games, and 3.2 assists.
Graham was Western's top scorer and ranked second among GNAC point leaders in each of the last two seasons.
"It's certainly a high honor and one that is well deserved," Western coach
Graham will be the second Viking to compete in the NABC DII all-star contest. Western's Ryan Diggs participated in the inaugural game in 2006, receiving co-MVP honors.
The all-star game is comprised of teams from the East and West, with at least two players from each of the eight NCAA II regions competing in the contest. The all-stars will attend both the NCAA II Men's Basketball Championship semifinals, March 26, and the national championship game, March 28, being recognized during halftime of a semifinal game.
The 20 participants in the all-star game were chosen from a pool of 265 teams in Division II.
