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March Madness Time
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Which team will pull off an upset like Western Kentucky did last year?
Written by Bryan Rubin and Ryan Bleecher
The most exciting event in college sports is just days away. The NCAA Basketball tournament, better known as March Madness or The Big Dance, will consist of 64 teams all vying for a national championship. From our sleepers to which team should be on upset alert, we will take you through everything you need to know to fill out your brackets.
Most exciting first round game:
6 Marquette vs 11 Washington
Coming off a lackluster performance in the Big East Tournament Semis, Marquette is a team that is capable of getting it done. Led by Lazar Hayward’s 18.1 points per game, the Golden Eagles are a dangerous six seed. Washington on the other hand won the Pac 10 Tournament and looks to pull off the first round “upset.”
First Round Upset Alert:
After a four year absence from The Dance, the UTEP Miners are back. Point guard, Randy Culpepper can be hard to stop as UTEP comes into the game as one of the hottest teams in the nation. Although Butler has the nation’s longest win streak at 20, the Bulldogs are on upset alert.
The team nobody is talking about:
The Richmond Spiders from the A-10. Playing out of the weak South region, Richmond has a winnable game against St. Mary’s in the first round and can very well upset #2 Villanova in the Round of 32 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen where they would face a beatable Notre Dame or Baylor team.
First #1 seed to be knocked out:
Kentucky received a tough draw in the East Region. In a possible second round match up, the Wildcats would have to play the preseason number one ranked team, Texas. Although the Longhorns fell off the map and out of the Top 25, they have the talent to compete with Kentucky. We’re not saying they will lose, but it is not the easy second round game Kentucky was looking for.
Final Four:
Kansas, Kansas St, Kentucky, Baylor
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Ryan Bleecher’s NFL Mock Draft
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Written by Ryan Bleecher, Sports Staff Writer
1. St. Louis Rams: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
He is the overall best player in this draft. Suh is an elite talent and there is no doubt that the Rams could use a dominant defensive lineman, plus I don’t see the Rams taking a QB here because none of this years QB’s are worth a 1st overall pick.
2. Detroit Lions: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
The Lions offense is improving but they have one of the worst defenses in the league. McCoy would be a good start to rebuilding this defense.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
Berry is by far the best safety in the draft. Tampa Bay is also does not have depth in the Secondary. Even though there number 1 need is a Defensive linemen Suh, and McCoy should be off the board by the time they pick.
4. Washington Redskins: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
With coaching changes in Washington, and not sure if Jason Campbell can takeover the job, look for the Redskins to take Bradford.
5. Kansas City Chiefs: Russell Okung, T, Oklahoma State
This pick is a no-brainer, the Chiefs are in need of a Tackle, and he is the best in the draft. Okung was the most consistent lineman in the nation this year
6. Seattle Seahawks: Bruce Campbell, T, Maryland
I don’t see the Seahawks wasting there 1st round pick on a QB. Bruce Campbell is an athletic freak of nature and if he cracks a 4.95 40 time at the Combine, all bets are off and you can pencil in Campbell falling no further than the Seahawks pick here.
7. Cleveland Browns: Joe Haden, CB, Florida
The Browns got to go defense here, and they need a CB. Haden is the best in the draft. He is a shut-down corner,
8. Oakland Raiders: Bryan Bulaga, T, Iowa
The Raiders do not protect the QB, so they need to take a Tackle here, and Bulaga will be the best available.
9. Buffalo Bills: Anthony Davis, T, Rutgers
Even though Davis has some work ethic concerns, the Bills need a Tackle.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE/OLB, South Florida
Pierre-Paul has great upside, and I don’t see him falling any further then 10 to the Jaguars.
11. Denver Broncos: Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State
It is looking like the Broncos are seriously interested in trading away Brandon Marshall. A team desperate for a big threat at receiver is really going to like Dez Bryant because there is a perceived lack of No. 1 wideouts in this draft.
12. Miami Dolphins: Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama
When you talk about leadership and intangibles, Rolando McClain is one of the very best in that department in the 2010 NFL Draft. I think Jeff Ireland and Bill Parcels will both agree they need to get more playmakers at linebacker and McClain certainly will do that for this franchise.
13. San Francisco 49ers: Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech
Derrick Morgan is without a doubt the best player on the board at this point, So I don’t see the 49ers passing him up.
14. Seattle Seahawks: Taylor Mays, S, USC
Mays is a big, physical safety who does a great job of closing in on run support. Other then Berry he is the best safety in the draft.
15. New York Giants: Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee
The Giants didn’t get the production they wanted out of their defensive line, and they need to become dominant once again on the interior.
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The Mayor’s Challenge
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ryan Bleecher
West Boca Girls Varsity Basketball Team wins the Mayor's Challenge
Written by Ryan Bleecher, Sports Writer
This past weekend Varsity Girls basketball Coach Patrick Faber introduced an annual Girls Basketball tournament, “The Mayors Challenge”. This tournament is different than most high school basketball tourneys. The Mayors Challenge benefits the South Florida Affiliate of the Susan G Komen Foundation for the cure for breast cancer. All four local Boca Ration public schools: Boca Raton High, Olympic Heights, Spanish River West Boca Raton High participated in the inaugural event.
Coach Faber came up with the idea last year, when he was having dinner after a game. “It took a lot of people’s help to make this [tournament] possible” Faber said. All teams wore pink warm up shirts and pink ribbons on their jerseys. Pink balloons and decorations covered the gym on Friday and Saturday night. As a result, the atmosphere in the West Boca High gym was different from other high school basketball games.
Furthermore, there was a free throw competition to top off the festivities. The competition included, Mayor Susan Whelchel, Principal Mark Stenner, School board member Frank Barbieri, FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger, and Florida Sentors, Ted Deutch, and Jeff Atwater.
In the championship game, West Boca took on rival, Boca High. After a close and hard fought game, Jessica Perrin’s basket with 3.2 seconds left in the game put the Bulls ahead. West Boca was able to hold on and win the game 62-61.
Joel Namer, a speaker for the Susan G Komen foundation, attended the event. He explained what the Susan G Komen Foundation was all about. Susan had breast cancer and right before she died, she told her sister to make a charity to help fight breast cancer. Koman sadly died of breast cancer at age 36, and the foundation took soon after in 1978. When Joel Namer first heard about the foundation, he wanted to join. Namer is a breast cancer survivor himself and has been free of it for 13 years. He said it was the hardest thing he ever went through. Because breast cancer is a scary and life-threatening disease, this tournament was a great way to spread awareness to all in the area.
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