WEDNESDAY SPORTS: Happy National Signing Day
It’s National Signing Day. Clemson, South Carolina, and colleges around the nation wait on the signatures on the letters of intent from prep players around the country today. Locally, Alana Grant of Seneca has signed to run cross country at Southern Wesleyan. The signing took place at an 11:30 AM ceremony at SHS.
____________________________________________________________________
In area high school basketball on Tuesday, the Seneca Lady Bobcats defeated Emerald 52-39. The Seneca boy’s team fell in their matchup 69-61. Elsewhere, Tamassee-Salem’s girls got a 50-31 win over Calhoun Falls. Hannah Hembree led the Lady Eagles with 12 points. The TS boys fell 82-52. Palmetto’s boys were winners over Walhalla 48-46.
____________________________________________________________________
Clemson won it’s 500th game in Littlejohn Coliseum on Tuesday, a grining 45-41 win over Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets missed two chances to tie in the final seconds, and Jaron Blossomgame sealed the win from the free throw line for the Tigers, who improved to 15-6 overall and 6-3 in the ACC. The Jackets fell to 12-11, 3-7 in conference play.
____________________________________________________________________
South Carolina hosts Auburn Wednesday evening for the first of two matchups between the schools this season. The Tigers posted a 74-71 victory over the Gamecocks in Columbia in last season’s only contest between the two schools. Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM at Colonial Life Arena.
____________________________________________________________________
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman has revealed what might have been one reason for their blowout 43-8 Super Bowl win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday, telling themmqb.com that Seattle was able to anticipate Denver’s pass routes by figuring out quarterback Peyton Manning’s pre-snap hand signals during the game. He told the website in an interview during one of the Seahawks’ post-game victory parties, “All we did was play situational football. We knew what route concepts they liked on different downs, so we jumped all the routes. Then we figured out the hand signals for a few of the route audibles in the first half.”
____________________________________________________________________
Jason Heyward and the Altanta Braves agreed Tuesday to a $13.3 million, two year contract that arbitration. The deal calls for a $1 million signing bonus, payable in equal installments on May 1 and July 1. He is expected to be the Braves leadoff hitter. Atlanta also agreed to an 8 year contract with first baseman Freddie Freeman that is worth about $125 million.
____________________________________________________________________
Retired seven-time NBA All-Star Tracy McGrady has decided he wants to become a baseball player, and plans to try pitching for the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League. The Skeeters said in statement that it’s a lifelong dream of McGrady’s to play baseball, stating, “[He] has demonstrated skill, determination and diligence during his training program. We look forward to monitoring his progress.” The 34-year-old McGrady, who last played in the NBA in the 2011-2012 season, was on several teams, including the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic, and led the NBA scoring in both the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons.
____________________________________________________________________
In the NBA Tuesday, David West scored 22 points, Paul George added 18 and the NBA-leading Indiana Pacers beat the Atlanta Hawks 89-85.