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Show Monday Sports April 20, 2009 Utah Flash record first playoff victory Dave Iba/ UVU Review Morris Almond prepares to shoot a free throw as the Flash beat the Bakersffeld Jam in playoff action. "It gets tougher and tougher as you keep advancKevin Kruger scored 23 ing in the playoffs," Flash points and Ronald Dupree coach Brad Jones said. "We had a double-double to lead were 0-2 against both the the Utah Flash to a 94-81 Wizards and the Energy this victory over the BaJtersfield season, so our next round Jam in the first round of the game will be a challenge." Kruger made 8-of-16 2009 NBA Development League Playoffs Wednesday field goal attempts for the Flash, who entered the playat the McKay Center. offs as the D-League's secThe first playoff victory ond seed. Kruger also added in Flash franchise history six rebounds and six assists, advances Utah into a second-round home game on Dupree finished with 20 Monday, April 20 against points and 11 rebounds. "(Kruger's) in a stretch the winner of Thursday?s Iowa-Dakota game. That here where he's just playing game is scheduled to tip terrific," Jones added. "He's off at 7 p.m. at the McKay really stepped up and led us in these last few games." Events Center. Utah took a 20-17 lead into the second quarter before a Mateen Cleaves layup gave the Jam their .first lead of the game with 4:25 remaining in the first half. Derrick Byars connected on a bucket to extend the Bakersfield lead to 39-34 with just over a minute remaining in the second quarter. But back-to-back threepointers from Gavin Grant and Kruger helped send the Flash into the halftime break down 41-40. The Flash pulled ahead for good at 42-41 on a J.R. Giddens lay-up on the first possession of the third quarter and never trailed again. Utah extended its lead to 12 points with 1:14 left in the third quarter after Morris Almond connected on a three-pointer. Bakersfield cut the Flash lead to six with 8:16 left in the game, but back-to-back steals and open lay-ups from Kruger and Dupree put the Flash up 10 and sealed the victory. "Those steals kind of broke their backs," Kruger said. "They hung around, but that pushed the lead up to 10 points and made it tough to come back." Giddens, on assignment from the Boston Celtics, knocked down 11 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Almond, on assignment from the Utah Jazz, contributed 15 points off the Flash bench. Trey Johnson led the Jam with 23 points, while Cleaves added 15 points. Justin Reed notched 16 points for the Jam and Terrance Thomas contributed 11 points off the Jam bench. RSL looks to make another playoff push MATT BEAUDIN Sports editor In an effort to continue its winning-ways-of-late, Real Salt Lake took on DC United, the team that knocked them out of the playoffs a year ago, and escaped with a 2-1 win. For a team that has been a bottom dweller in Major League Soccer since joining the league in 2005, RSL has made the necessary adjustments to become competitive night in and night out. Saturday afternoon at Rio Tinto Stadium amidst a soggy rain, Real, thanks to goals scored by Jamison Olave and Javier Morales, continued their development as a contender by coming back from a 1-0 deficit to record the win. DC United scored in the 38th minute only to watch Olave tie it up just two minutes later in the 40th minute with a header off a cross from RSL midfielder Will Johnson. With the game locked at 1-1 in the 80th minute Morales found the back of the net. A Kyle Beckerman pass, intended for teammate Robbie Findley, found Morales instead just inside the box. The goal not only solidified the win, but also solidified RSL's home-field advantage. "We are historically a team that would have gone into that game and had difficulty , and might have walked away with a draw or even a loss. But we ended up finding a way to win it, so I think our guys should be Dave Iba/ UVU Review Midfielder Kyle Beckerman and Real Salt Lake knocked off DC United 2-1 last week. proud of that," RSL coach Jason Kreis said. While RSL had somewhat of a home-field advantage last season they were getting draws out of their home games rather than wins. Already Real has won its two home games and the future appears bright for the team from Salt Lake. Chalk it up to the new stadium, but as RSL continues to grow and mature, the home-field advantage should propel them into the playoffs for the second straight season. Now, RSL just needs to figure out how to steal some games on the road. Isaiah Thomas to coach FIU Former Detroit Piston great Isaiah Thomas has accepted the head-coaching job at Florida International University. Thomas, who had recently coached the New York Knicks, said he would donate his first year's salary to the FIU athletic program. After reportedly turning down several other offers Thomas decided on FIU citing the location, size of the student body and growth of the football team. BRANBUR l&iRpurTdl NOW LEASING Spring/Summer - Fall/Winter Exclusive On-Site Day Spa FREE FREE nicures FREE "dicure* FREE urcuts FREE cials " All featured Services FREE to The Brawbury Residents* fanning] Former Orem Owlz pitcher Nick Adenhart killed Shortly after his best performance as a Major League pitcher - six shutout innings against the A's - a drunk driver killed Nick Adejihart in a tragic car accident. All three passengers in the car were killed, while the driver of the car that ran a red light before causing the accident was unharmed. Adenhart, who was just 22 years old, pitched for the Orem Owlz in 2005. Bargewell earns GWC Co-Player of the Week Utah Valley junior Dick Bargewell was named the Great West Conference Baseball Player of the Week along with Houston Baptist's Andrew Taccolini, the league office announced today. Bargewell was pressed into service and made the most of his chance with a .818 batting average (9-for-l 1) with two doubles, four runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base. Replacing UVU's batting leader Jace Brinkerhoff because of injury, Bargewell increased his average 177 points and also helped preserve a two-run, seventh inning lead against Sac State with a sterling defensive play at third. Toolson's Team Wins Portsmouth Invitational Championship Ryan Toolson scored seven points and assisted on the game-winning bucket in helping the Norfolk Naval Shipyard to a 72-69 win over Sales System LTD in the championship game of the annual Portsmouth Invitational. Toolson's assist on a dunk by Alade Aminu put his team up 70-69 with 27 seconds remaining. Then, with his team up three, Toolson secured the final rebound on potential game-tying three as time expired. Playing a team-high 32 minutes, Toolson had four rebounds and four assists. He averaged 9.0 points per game over the three-game tournament, iftoifcufsi * Limited availability. Call for details. •.J?J . • .•: w . ^ r r t u y i .-Ji7s«e;, 1) 373-6300 WWW.5TUDYPLA YGROW.COM 449 WEST 1720 NORTH PROVO, UTAH 84604 .•&-'*•„': Kjar Places Fifth at 2009 U.S. Freestyle Nationals in Vegas Utah Valley University sophomore Benjamin Kjar (Wolverine Wrestling Club) defeated Ben Ashmore from Arizona State (Sunkist Wresting Club) to place fifth at the US National Championships for freestyle wrestling Saturday at the Las Vegas Convention Center. With the placement at the event Kjar is now an All-American in freestyle. Kjar, who after only two seasons is now UVU's all-time victory leader, went 5-2 overall at the two-day event in Las Vegas. |