KFDM COOP

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Yup. I know so!!

??? May have me on this one.

Good luck Friday Night.

Post scores etc here.

Luke Williams and Butch Miller.

Yup!!

Oden ends speculation, to declare for NBA Ohio State freshmen Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr., and Daequan Cook will all declare for the NBA draft Friday, a source close to the situation told ESPN.com Thursday night. A formal news release is going to come out Friday on all three, detailing their decision, according to a source. Oden is expected to announce that he will stay in the draft where he will likely be tabbed as the No. 1 pick on June 28. Conley, who could be the top point guard taken, will stay in the draft if he is in the top 10 or at the very least the lottery (1-14). Conley doesn't have to sign with an agent since his father, Mike Conley Sr., will represent him after he was certified as an agent recently and opened up his own company. Conley Sr. is also expected to represent Oden, whom he mentored and coached as a youth in Indiana. Meanwhile, Cook isn't expected to sign with an agent, at least early in the process. That could change in the coming weeks if he receives a positive vibe about where he would land in the draft. Ohio State is a quarter-system school and since NBA workouts with teams cannot begin until June 6 after the Orlando pre-draft camp the three are expected to remain in school. A final decision on their academic future will be made next week. Ohio State, like many other schools in a similar situation, is expected to push for the threesome to remain in school. Under a new NCAA directive, students who don't leave in good academic standing and who aren't eligible for the next season could end up hurting a school's academic performance report and could subsequently end up in scholarship reduction for the school. Oden and Conley led the Buckeyes to the national title game, losing to Florida 84-75 on April 2 in Atlanta. Oden led the Buckeyes in scoring with 15.7 points a game, 9.6 rebounds after playing in 32 of the team's 39 games because of offseason right wrist surgery. He started the season shooting free throws left-handed with a brace on his right wrist. He eventually shot them with his right hand. Oden ended the season on a high, scoring 25 points, grabbing 12 boards and blocking four shots in the loss to the Gators. Conley was arguably the team's MVP with his stellar play at the point, including hitting a game-winner over Wisconsin to win the Big Ten regular-season title, scoring 11 points in overtime to beat Xavier in the second round of the NCAA Tournament and scoring 15 points, dishing out six assists and having only one turnover in the national semifinal win over Georgetown. Conley (11.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 6.1 apg) is widely considered by NBA personnel to be the top point guard in a weak draft for the position this year. Cook, who played in all 39 games as well as Conley, averaged only 19.7 minutes, scored 9.8 points and 4.3 rebounds a game. His minutes fluctuated during the season with his only single-digit minute games coming in the NCAA Tournament, playing eight against Tennessee, seven against Georgetown and nine against Florida.

[Hidden Content] Kountze secures title at 24-2A track meet Kountze moved a step closer to the Class 2A state track meet last week by winning the District 24-2A title. It was the first time the Lions won a district title since the 2001 season. The Lions finished in first place with a total of 116 points. East Chambers was second with 110 points, while Deweyville was third with 94. All three schools qualified members of their teams to the Class 2A, Region III Track and Field Championships that are scheduled to take place April 27-28 at Palestine High School. "We have a chance to do some good things at regionals," said Kountze track coach Ben West. "I think if we make it to the finals we have a good chance to qualify for state." Kountze came away with first-place medals in the 400- and 800-meter relays. The 400 relay team of Aubrey Walker, Thomas Wolcott, Devin Wise and Devin Bray finished in first place with a time of 43.78 seconds. East Chambers also qualified for regionals with a second-place finish in 45.48, while Warren was third in 45.57. The Lions' 800 relay of Bray, Justin Baker, Wise and Wolcott won the event in 1:33.63. East Chambers finished in second place in 1:34.27, while Deweyville was third in 1:37.12. The mile relay team of Walker, Evan Page, Baker and Zack Kemp finished in third place in 3:44.05. "The relay teams did a really good job at district," West said. "Our goal was to win a district title, and we dug deep to make it happen. It was a team effort for us. Everybody on our team did their part to help win the title. The district was really tough and everybody had kids that could perform well." In individual events, Bray won the 100 meters in 11:49, while Kemp finished second place in the 400 with a time of 54.13. The Lions came away with the top three spots in the 200 meters. Wise won the event in 23.57. Teammate Wolcott was second in 23.64, while Baker was third in 24.10. Kountze, which replaced its dirt track with a rubber one a year ago, only has one senior. It has 13 sophomores and eight juniors. "Our team is filled with sophomores and juniors," West said. "We only have one senior on our team, and that's Justin Baker. But we didn't let being young ruin our chances at a district title. We worked together as team and got it done. Our goal is to do the same thing at the regional meet."

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BC’s Bolton has reasons to smile Gabriel Pruett The Orange Leader BRIDGE CITY — It is no wonder why Bridge City second baseman Troy Bolton was all smiles Thursday when sitting in the Cardinals’ visitors dugout. His Cardinals are 21-4 overall and 9-2 in District 21-3A play with three games to go, all three will be at Cardinals Field. Bridge City is in a three-way tie for first in the district standings and are one game ahead of Hardin-Jefferson who is 8-3 in fourth place. Not only is the Cardinals’ team having success, Bolton is doing the same at the plate and while on the field. The smile could be because he is the leadoff hitter in front of a powerful lineup. Bolton smiles at the plate because he is pretty sure the pitcher knows he cannot pitch around him and have to face the likes of Johnny Dishon, Casey Jackson, Chase Warner, Daniel Willey and Matt Hicks. Throw in Jaden Dillon and the rest of the Cardinals and Bolton knows if he gets on base the chances of him being brought home are pretty good. Anybody would smile about that. “I like being the first guy up there and jumping on the pitcher early to set a tone for the game,†Bolton said. “I remember against Nederland earlier in the year I had a 0-2 count and hit a double. The next two guys got in 0-2 counts and then got base hits. We ended up with seven hits that inning.†Just in the games the Orange Leader has covered this season Bolton has been on base 25-of-42 plate appearances. “I knew I had a lot to fulfill after we had David Coulter and Derrick Coleman were the lead off guys the last years,†Bolton said. “Those guys were great.†Bolton has enjoyed his time at Bridge City, all except one game. He was a part of the Cardinals losing for the first time in district after winning 42 straight games in district play. “We didn’t expect that one,†Bolton said referring to Bridge City’s 9-7 loss to Silsbee on March 30. “We were up the whole game and then lost that one and the Jasper game in the seventh inning. That does not feel good. Now we have to play Jasper again and we know we can play with them. “We just have to take care of the errors and hit better and we will be alright. I did not even know how to feel after losing a district game and it (the streak) could have ended earlier in Orangefield.†The Cardinals were down 11-7 after six innings to the Bobcats before scoring six runs in the top of the seventh to pull ahead. Bolton was 0-for-2 in that game but drew three walks and scored all three times he got on base. “When we were all younger we had some games like that,†Bolton said. “To score six runs in one inning to win is a huge deal.†The senior knows all the smiling and having fun will soon turn to serious faces as the playoffs near and Bridge City looks to go back to the state tournament for the third time in as many years. “It is going to be harder than in the past,†Bolton said. “Last year it was expected of us to make it to Austin and this year people do not expect we can make it again. When we get into the playoffs we have as good of a chance as anybody. How often does the No. 1 team finish the year No. 1? I don’t know the statistics on that but I know they can’t be that good. If not them, then why not us?’ With that kind of optimism, it is no wonder Bolton is full of smiles.

Going to be a great Friday and Saturday!!

close

Don Carson

Magnum TA

[move]Astros win Astros win!!![/move]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! 7-6 Stros in the 9th!!!

Rockets in 6.

6-2 Reds in the 8th

Game times for Saturday 7PM Central/Dayton 1PM LC-M/Nederland 7PM Ozen/Lumberton 1PM PN-G/Vidor

3-0 Reds in the 2nd.

Congrats!!

;D Beat me to it.

West Brook, Central and Ozen. Central and Ozen could do their intrasquad scrimmage the day before on that Friday.

I have heard this to..