OKLAHOMA CITY —
For the second night in a row, Golden State coach Mark Jackson had a look of dissatisfaction on his face. After watching Houston reign down 3-pointers on his squad Tuesday in a 39-point loss, he had to deal with the defending Western Conference Champions on Wednesday.
Oklahoma City didn’t use the 3-ball to decimate the Warriors. They relied on an angry Kevin Martin to spur them to a 119-98 victory at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
“We were not sharp defensively,” Jackson said. “I thought we played well in spurts. You give up 64 points in the paint, you give up 29 point off turnovers, it’s a recipe for disaster coming into this building against this team. We just did not get it done.”
After falling behind by 22 points, Golden State (30-19) had its chances to make a game of it in the second half after falling behind. The Warriors cut the lead to 11 points several times.
However, each time the Oklahoma City (37-12) came up with a defensive stop, then scored on the offensive end. Midway through the fourth, the Warriors were unable to make any more runs, and both teams emptied their benches.
It was Martin who seemed to make each pivotal play to knock back the Warriors. Whether it was a timely 3-pointer or a steal and dunk at the other end, the Sixth Man of the Year Candidate played inspired ball.
Martin credited his increased energy to what he called dirty plays by the Warriors and the antics from the Golden State bench.
“I wouldn’t say they were too dirty,” Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant said. “But they were physical, and we never shy away from a physical game. I think K-Mart did a really good job of getting mad and getting into a zone. He can get hot pretty quickly. That is what busted the game open for us in the fourth quarter.”
Martin shot 8-for-16 from the field, including 3-for-6 on 3-pointers, in only 27 minutes. Durant led all scorers with 25 points to go along with seven rebounds and four assists. Serge Ibaka collected six blocks and 15 points.
Harrison Barnes and Klay Thompson each paced the Warriors with 19 points. Stephen Curry added 11 assists, but he only shot 5-for-20 for 14 points.
“We did a good job of just getting our hands on loose balls and getting out in transition,” Westbrook said. “Everybody is making the right play. If they are not open, they are hitting the open guy.”
Ibaka played with an edge from the opening tip. Guarding All-Star David Lee, Ibaka played as if he were trying to show he deserved to have been selected. He hounded Lee and attempted to block or alter every shot Lee put up. Lee finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Ibaka had four blocked shots to go along with 11 points in the first quarter as Oklahoma City led 34-22.
Golden State couldn’t buy a basket in the first half, shooting 37 percent. While Oklahoma City’s defense had a little to do with it, the Warriors were just missing open shots and turning the ball over.
Durant and the Thunder bench pushed the lead to 20 early in the second quarter. They looked as if they were about to put the Warriors away before halftime.
However, Golden State cut the lead to 14 behind Barnes and Thompson before Durant drained a 3-pointer with 2:35 left in the half. Westbrook followed that with a layup and free throw to push the advantage back to 20. The Thunder led 67-49 at halftime.
“I thought the defense was solid from the start of the game and throughout the game actually,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. “Four quarters of good defense.”
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Thunder downs Golden State
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Edmond Santa Fe's Taylor heading to Central Florida
Danielle Taylor, fresh off a Central District Youth Rowing Championship victory on the Oklahoma River at the start of the month, followed up the success by signing a letter of intent in rowing with Central Florida at Edmond Santa Fe High School.
Though Santa Fe does not offer rowing as a team sport, Taylor competes for OKC Riversport on the Junior Crew which competes on the Oklahoma River.
Taylor missed her junior season due to an injury, but Coach Brian Ebke knew the Santa Fe athlete would be raring to go her senior season.
“She’s an extremely hard worker,” Ebke lauded. “Her work ethic is impeccable.” -
Bronchos hit final match play spot in first round
Dillon Rust got off to a blazing start and ended up shooting a one-under-par 70 to lead Central Oklahoma in the second round of the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championships in Hershey, Pa. Tuesday.
Rust birdied four of his first five holes en route to his under-par round and the Bronchos ended up with a 300 on the day, giving them a 36-hole total of 597. The 300 leaves UCO eighth in the 20-team field heading into final round of stroke play, with the top eight teams advancing to match play that will determine the national champion. -
Area players earn All-State honors on the diamond
Three area baseball players were selected to the All-State Team this week.
Right-handed pitcher Holden Lyons from Edmond North, made the team after posting a perfect 7-0 mark with an ultra-low 1.29 earned run average.
Deer Creek’s Cole Lindley made it as an outfielder and Oklahoma Christian’s Austin Brooks landed on the list in the designated hitter’s spot.
The threesome will compete on the Large West squad on July 30 at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa. -
Tennis camps offered in Edmond
Edmond Raquet Club is offering a pair of tennis camps beginning May 28.
For ages 5-8, a camp is offered from 8:45-9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and for ages 7-15 a tennis camp is available from 6-6:55 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Both camps run from May 28-June 13 and cost is $99 per camp.
A camp session for ages 8-16 will run on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30-9:25 a.m. May 29-June 12 for the identical cost.
For more information concerning these camps and others, call 341-4241. -
UCO winds up 10th nationally
Taylor Neidy fired a final-round 75, but Central Oklahoma failed to move up in the team standings at the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships in Daytona Beach, Fla. Saturday.
The Bronchos closed with a 323 — making 11 double bogeys and three triples — and finished 10th in the four-day, 72-hole tournament with a 1,298 total on the 6,228-yard, par-72 Arthur Hills Legends Course at LPGA International.
Lynn ended Nova Southeastern’s four-year reign as national championships, finishing with a 1,187 total to edge the Sharks by three strokes. -
Central Oklahoma softballers make World Series again
Hayley Hudson gave Central Oklahoma a 5-4 lead with a run-scoring single in the fifth inning and the No. 19-ranked Bronchos staved off a seventh-inning Winona State threat to capture the NCAA Division II Central Super Regional championship Saturday afternoon at Edmond North High School.
The Warriors put two runners on with two outs in the bottom of the seventh in a bid to pull out a late win and force a deciding game in the best-of-three series, but left fielder Devyn Frazier made a running catch in foul territory for the final out to set off a wild celebration on the field.
UCO improved to 47-11 — a school-record for wins — with its 23th consecutive home victory and advanced to the Division II World Series for the second straight year. The Bronchos will face Armstrong Atlantic in the eight-team World Series at 11 a.m. Thursday in Salem, Va.
“I’d say that was a nail-biter,” head coach Genny Stidham said. “It was a good game, both teams played well. Winona has a great team and they didn’t give up, but we came up with some big plays and came out on top. -
Central Oklahoma golf coach picks up award
Central Oklahoma’s Michael Bond has been named the NCAA Division II Central Region Coach of the Year by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association, with Aly Seng and Erica Bensch both earning All-Central Region honors.
Bond led the Bronchos to perhaps the best season in school history in 2012-13 with top-five finishes in 10 of their 12 tournaments. UCO won three titles, including the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association crown and its first-ever regional championship, and finished 10th in the Division II national tournament. -
Workman's blast cranks UCO's engine; Bronchos cruise to 5-2 win
Nicole Workman’s solo home run gave Central Oklahoma a lead it would never relinquish and the No. 19-ranked Bronchos went on to topple Winona State 5-2 in the first game of the NCAA Division II Central Super Regional Friday night at the Edmond North High School Softball Complex.
Workman blasted her 14th homer of the season to lead off the second inning, with UCO adding three runs in the third and one more in the fifth to take a commanding 5-0 lead before the Warriors created some anxious moments in their final at bat.
WSU scored two runs and had runners on second and third on with just one out in the top of the seventh, but Kalynn Shrock got the final two batters to close out her fourth straight complete-game outing of the postseason and put the Bronchos in control of the best-of-three series. -
Richters rip competition at KickingBird
The KickingBird 2-man scramble was won by Jeff and Josh Richter, finishing with a 57.9 on May 11.
Jeff Jester and Kevin Wright wrapped up second-place honors with a 59.9 and Rick Morales and Ronnie Roberts placed third (60.1).
In the second flight, the top score was 60.4 by Jerry Bernhardt and Ted Carter. Picking up silver was the tandem of Jerry Fuller and Ramona Jacobi (61.2) and the third-place squad was Dyke Hoppe and Mark VanSickle at 62.0.
Morales was closest to the pin on No. 6 and Jeff Richter landed a dart on hole 14. -
Eagles' season finished; Lopez earns national honor
Southeastern, Fla. eliminated Oklahoma Christian 4-0 om the National Christian College Athletic Association World Series in Mason, Ohio today to advance to the tournament semifinals, while OC closes at 26-26.
OC would have advanced to the semifinals with a win, but completed a terrific turnaround from an 8-34 season in 2012. The Eagles made only the second national-tournament appearance in the program's history, with the other coming in 1972, when OC finished third in the NAIA World Series. - More Sports Headlines
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