March 27, 2021 Issue, Page 4 of 5

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Sports March 27, 2021 Thunder vs. Grizzlies: Five takeaways from OKC’s loss to Memphis Joe Mussatto ‘Thunder's last five games. ferent things and things like that. He ers,” Dort said. “I feel like we did a He notched five assists but also ‘The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City Horford was back in the start- takes everything so well in stride.” good job of that in the first half.” committed five turnovers. ing lineup, relegating center Moses Horford and Brown even shared Dillon Brooks led the Grizzlies “I thought offensively he had the Mar. 25—Aleksej Pokusevski Brown to the bench. the floor for a stretch in the fourth with 25 points. Center Jonas Va- turnovers tonight, which were loud, threw an alley-oop to Isaiah Roby, Horford had 13 points, eight re- quarter. lanciunas had 16 points and 15 re- but even on those plays, where he and the Thunder had its biggest lead bounds and six assists in 25 minutes. “What I wanted to see was kinda bounds. was delivering the ball was the right of the game (12) after starting the Brown came off the bench, but what happened,” Daigneault said of Pokusevski jumped a pass from play,” Daigneault said. “He just didn’t third quarter on an 8-0 run. that didn’t stop him from recording the supersized combo. “We had a Brooks, which left Pokusevski with get it there, and those are ones you ‘The Grizzlies regrouped and roared another double-double. lot of size at the basket. We kinda nothing but open court in front of gotta kinda stomach as he figures back with an 18-2 run. The 7-foot-2 center tallied 10 plugged it up down there. We domi- out the length of his defender and Memphis went from down by 12 to points and 10 rebounds in his first nated the glass during that stretch, The Thunder rookie punched a the timing of those plays.” up by 12 in the span of 10 minutes. 14 minutes Wednesday night. He and then offensively we really right-handed slam and outstretched Pokusevski has continued to show ‘The Grizzlies won the third quarter finished with 19 points and 12 re- pounded it inside.” his arms after he took flight. progress since returning from the G 33-20 to comfortably beat the Thun- bounds on 7-of-9 shooting. Luguentz Dort and the Thunder “The two steals to start the third League bubble. der 116-107 on Wednesday night at “Very special the way that he’s did a nice job limiting Grizzlies star quarter were both help-side steals,” “He's really slowed down, from his Chesapeake Energy Arena. been able to step in and have an im- Ja Morant. Daigneault said. “He was in the right shooting to his decision making,” “We jumped on them really early in pact,” Horford said. “Because it’s not Morant was 5-of-14 from the floor spot. He’s got great length and he’s Daigneault said. “His pace is signifi- the third and they weathered that,” so much about the numbers that he and 1-of-4 from 3-point range for 11 pretty disruptive with that.” cantly different post All-Star break, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault may be putting up — those are great points. He helped in other ways with Pokusevski didn’t match the ca- post G League bubble than it was in said. — but just the impact he’s having on. seven assists and five rebounds. reer-high 23 points he put up last the early part of the season. So, he’s Here are four other takeaways: the game. “They have really good drivers and time against the Grizzlies, but he coming. We're gonna have to learn A rested Al Horford returned to “During every timeout I feel like he stuff, so our main thing was really to scored 13 points on an efficient 5-of- the lessons and continue to improve, the court after sitting out four of the has four or five of us telling him dif- pack the paint and run out to shoot- 8 shooting. but he’s definitely making progress.” Thunder guard Shai Oklahoma State women’s basketball: Cowgirls’ Gilgeous-Alexander to Sweet Sixteen hopes dashed by Stanford miss significant time Scott Wright The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City said. “This is a group that was picked eighth in the conference, their own to stay within strik- ing distance — yet they never “They played the No. 1 seed, one of the best teams in the they finished second. They won quite had enough firepower. country, and those kids were with foot injury (TNS) 19 games in a short season. ‘They just battled their tails off Stanford was 13-of-25 from played great. 3-point range, getting 3s at unfazed,” Littell said. “They Joe Mussatto Plantar fasciitis is the in- Mar. 24—The usual inten- all season long. dutch times throughout the “The confidence level that ‘The OKlahoman, Oklahoma City flammation of a band of tis- sity on Natasha Mack's face had “ve been in it 44 years and night. they played at, and add Taylen slowly morphed to frustration this was the most fun I've had “They adjusted to our de- Collins to that, those three kids sues that runs across the bot- (TNS) tom of the foot from the heel as Oklahoma State’s star for- ina long, long time. So, a salute fense,” Mack said. “I got a little were very integral parts of what bone to the toes, according to ward fought against double- to our kids. frustrated in the game, but my we did this year.” Mar. 25—Thunder guard the Mayo Clinic. team defenses set on making “This is a special, special teammates kept on, they kept But no one was as critical to her night a disaster. group that I'm not gonna say believing in me. the Cowgirls’ season as Mack, a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will “It sounds like it’s a little bit Top-seeded Stanford ex- overachieved, because I don’t “(m really gonna miss this future top-10 pick in the WNBA miss a significant amount of more cumulative,” Daigneault ecuted its gameplan to near- think they did. I think they were team, because we were some- Draft. time due to plantar fasciitis in said. “I don’t think it’s some- perfection, and thus, ended capable of it. They never let any- thing special this year.” “Tve never been around a kid his right foot. thing that happened ona par- No, 8-seeded Oklahoma State's body put limits on them. They Mack finished 4-of-12 from that loves to play more than “Obviously when we've got ticular play. Like I said, he’s a season with a 73-62 decision in didn’t let anybody tell them the floor and the Cowgirls’ sec- Mack,” Littell said. “She loves a guy out for maintenance higher-minute player that’s the second round of the NCAA how good they were gonna be.” ond-leading scorer, point guard the game and it’s fun, and she or for rest, it’s easy to be in tracked a lot of miles so far Tournament on Tuesday night A steal and reverse layup by Ja’Mee Asberry, had just five makes it fun for everybody the moment and wonder this season after a short off- in San Antonio. OSU's Neferatali Notoa with points on 2-of-6 shooting. around her. She made us a pret- why we're doing that, but I season.” The 6-foot-4 Mack finished 6:30 left in the first half tied the Notoa had a team-high 14 ty good team, made me a pretty think this makes it very tan- Gilgeous-Alexander is aver- with 13 points and 10 rebounds points and Lexy Keys came off good coach the way she is. game at 23, but Stanford, the gible” Thunder coach Mark aging 23.7 points, 5.9 assists — both shy of her season aver- the bench with 12 to help overall No. 1 seed in the Tour- fill the “We had a superstar this Daigneault said Wednesday. and 4.7 rebounds in a team- ages — yet the Cowgirls hung scoring void, each hitting a pair year that helped every one of nament, finished the half on a “We were trying to avoid this, high 34 minutes per game. around in the face of big runs by 19-4 run. of 3-pointers. Notoa and Keys our kids, helped our freshmen and obviously we didn’t on “I think he walked in this Stanford. ‘The Cowgirls fell behind by are both true freshmen and key get acclimated. Natasha Mack this particular case, but this is “We've had an unbelievable 20 in the third quarter, but players in the young core of the changed this program.” morning and that’s when we year,” OSU coach Jim Littell responded with a 10-0 run of Cowgirl program. why we're being so cautious. If started to kinda unpack it,” ‘We kind of did it to ourselves’: Sooners reflect you just look at the informa- Daigneault said of the injury. tion objectively, there's kind “I don’t have a ton of detail ofred flags all over the place.” on it to be honest with you. on late-season fade after NCAA exit Daigneault was referenc- It’s happened pretty quickly ing the wear and tear of a today.” condensed 2020-21 schedule The Thunder will continue Ryan Aber where Reaves was excellent The Sooners season was even came without Reaves, which followed a shortened to rest players through the ‘The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City and the Sooners played what marked by three parts — who was caught up in COVID offseason. _Gilgeous-Alex- end of the season. was probably their best game their 6-4 start, with some protocols along with Alondes ander has had two “mainte- “It can sometimes seem like (INS) in more than a month. But good moments but also plen- Williams. nance” days since the All-Star it's over-cautious or whatev- for their last few weeks, when ty of uneven play. The Sooners went from un- break, but Wednesday night er,” Daigneault said, “but this Mar. 24—As Austin Reaves OU dropped their final four Things started to turn ranked to the top 10 ina span against the Grizzlies was not is exactly what we're trying to dissected OU’s season-ending regular-season games to take around near the end of that of two weeks, then elevated one of those. avoid, and we're gonna con- 87-71 loss to Gonzaga in the the shine off what had been stretch, as Elijah Harkless as high as No. 7 by extending “This one is an injury that tinue to be diligent with the second round of the NCAA an excellent season to that first was ruled eligible in mid- their hot streak to eight wins we need to now take a look Tournament, he kicked him- whole roster for that reason.” point. December after transferring in nine games before things at,” Daigneault said. self abit. It was that closing streak from Cal State-Northridge started going sour. Not for Monday's loss, that put the Sooners in posi- and then made his way into OU remained competitive tion to where they had to face the starting lineup beginning but the late-game magicit had a powerhouse team like the Jan. 9 at Kansas. shown in beating Alabama, Providing comfort and Supportfor End of Life cholces Bulldogs in the tournament's first weekend. The door for Harkless was opened when Brady Manek Texas and Kansas by a com- bined 13 points turned into “We kind of did it to our- and Jalen Hill had to be held last-minute heartbreak. The Hospice care provides medical services, emotional support, and spiritual re- selves down the stretch,” ‘out — Manek after a positive Sooners dropped their last Reaves said. “In the regular COVID-19 test and Hill due four regular-season games by sources for people who are in the last stages of a serious illness, such as ancer season we lost the last four or to contact tracing. acombined 17 points. or heart failure. Hospice care also helps family members manage the practical whatever and put ourselves With both of his forwards “It’s hard to see right now, details and emotional challenges of caring for a dying loved one. in that situation. But on the unavailable, Kruger opted to but a couple days from now, other end of it you've got to go with a smaller, quicker, we'll...” Reaves said, trail- beat really good teams any- four-guard lineup. ing off. “I don’t know if it'll lor questions regarding hospice service or eligibility, contact: way, if you want to win it all. ‘The grouping showed prom- be a couple days. We'll still Probably see them down the ise in a 63-59 loss in Allen probably be mad. But down Carrie Perry, RN/ Adminsistrator road if they're a two seed, Fieldhouse, then fulfilled that the road you'll look back and three seed, doesn’t matter. promise by helping rip off a you'll be like, ‘Damn, we re- five-game winning streak, the ally did some special things? Pat Welsh, RN/ Coordinator of Patient Care The difference is, we seen them in the second round latter three against top-10 It’s all about the relationships and not the fourth round.” opponents. The last of those you get to create with a lot of Some of the most common conditions are: different guys. “But right now you've got * Cancer * Failure to Thrive * End Stage Cardiac Disease (CHF) * End Stage Cerebrovascular Disease (CVA) * End Stage Amyotrophic It canbe FUN to hear again. a bitter taste in your mouth, but one of these days we'll Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) * End Stage Pulmonary Disease (COPD) look back and be like, ‘We had * End Stage Liver Disease * End Stage Renal Disease * AIDS/HIV a good year.” ¢ The Sooners have four se- * End Stage Neurological Disease such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer’s niors — Reaves, Manek, Wil- liams and Kur Kuath. All are eligible to return pare Professional, Passionate next season thanks to the er Ty RI NCAA granting an additional Advance, Attentive... year of eligibility this season. Only Kuath has made his decision known, opting to Our Difference Is Our Care move on to professional op- ~~ portunities. Afterward, Reaves said Have you ever considered becoming he hadn’t made up his mind about what he would do. a hospice volunteer? “I really stay in the mo- ment,” Reaves said. “Don't A fulfilling experience in the spirit really think about tomorrow. of giving and receiving. Just stay in the day and try to make the best of that day. I haven't made any decisions about that. I hadn't thought (@ARING - HEARING AID SERVICES about it.” Kruger said those discus- (Inside Family Medical Practice) sions would happen in the 601 W. 3rd Street, Elk City coming days. 580-821-2299 + Lowest Prices