The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
38°F
Current Conditions
Moderate rain
View complete weather report

Color Scheme

Subscribe now

In brief: Quick start catapults Jazz past Blazers

Cavs’ LeBron James, left, Anthony Parker, center, and Shaquille O’Neal tickle Daniel Gibson after he was knocked to the floor. (Associated Press)
From Staff And Wire Reports
Cavs’ LeBron James, left, Anthony Parker, center, and Shaquille O’Neal tickle Daniel Gibson after he was knocked to the floor. (Associated Press)

NBA: Deron Williams scored 24 points and the Utah Jazz scored 21 of the first 23 points and went on to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 106-95 on Wednesday in Portland.

Utah led by as many as 26 points during the first half. The Jazz won for the eighth time in nine games and took over second place in the Northwest Division.

Utah shot 60.3 percent from the field (38 of 63). Portland shot 36.3 percent (33 of 91).

Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge scored 14 of his game-high 25 points during the second half.

•Lakers thump Pacers: Kobe Bryant scored 29 points and Andrew Bynum added a season-high 27 to help the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Indiana Pacers 118-96 in Indianapolis.

•Cavaliers cruise: J.J. Hickson scored a career-high 23, LeBron James added 11 assists and the Cleveland Cavaliers finally won comfortably after a string of nail-biters, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 109-95 in Cleveland for their sixth straight victory.

•Bosh sparks Raptors: Chris Bosh had 24 points and a season-high 18 rebounds, Andrea Bargnani scored 27 points and the Toronto Raptors beat the Miami Heat 111-103 in Toronto.

•Rookie Challenge rosters set: Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose and Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans are among a cast of 18 players selected for the Rookie Challenge.

The game, pitting rookies against second-year players, will be played Feb. 12 in Dallas ahead of the NBA All-Star game.

Joining Rose on the sophomore squad are: Miami’s Michael Beasley, Clippers guard Eric Gordon, Minnesota’s Kevin Love, New Jersey’s Brook Lopez, New York’s Danilo Gallinari, Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, and Marc Gasol and O.J. Mayo of Memphis.

Sacramento’s Omri Casspi joins Evans on the rookie team, along with Chicago’s Taj Gibson, Detroit’s Jonas Jerebko, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Milwaukee’s Brandon Jennings, Minnesota’s Jonny Flynn, Oklahoma City’s James Harden and DeJuan Blair of San Antonio.

Vanderbilt gets rare win at Tennessee

College basketball: Jermaine Beal scored 25 points and No. 21 Vanderbilt (16-3, 5-0 SEC) won its 10th straight game with an 85-76 victory over No. 14 Tennessee (15-4, 3-2) in Knoxville, Tenn.

It was the first win for the Commodores in Knoxville in five tries, and Tennessee’s first loss at home this season. Vandy is off to its best start in the SEC since 1966.

•No. 12 BYU loses: Dairese Gary scored 25 points, including nine over the final 1:30, and No. 23 New Mexico (19-3, 5-2 MWC) beat No. 12 Brigham Young (20-2, 5-1) 76-72 in Albuquerque, N.M., to snap the Cougars’ 15-game winning streak.

•No. 15 Temple falls: Derrio Green scored 26 points and Charlotte (15-5, 5-1) rallied for a 74-64 victory over No. 15 Temple (17-4, 5-1) in Charlotte, N.C., to end the Owls’ six-game winning streak and create a logjam atop the Atlantic 10.

•Providence whips UConn: Jamine Peterson had 23 points to go with 14 rebounds, scoring eight of Providence’s 14 straight points as the Friars (12-8, 4-4 Big East) took the lead and ran away from No. 19 Connecticut (13-7, 3-4) to win 81-66 in Providence, R.I.

•Villanova off to record start: Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher each scored 17 points to help No. 3 Villanova (19-1, 8-0 Big East) get off to its best start in history with a 90-72 win over Notre Dame (15-6, 4-4) in Philadelphia.

Cubs will continue to train in Arizona

Miscellany: The Chicago Cubs announced that they will keep their spring training home in Mesa, Ariz., a move that rebuffs suitors in Florida and keeps Arizona’s highest-drawing spring training team in town.

The deal requires the Arizona Legislature and voters in Mesa, a Phoenix suburb, to approve a funding mechanism for an $84 million stadium and training facility.

•Plenty of World Cup tickets remaining: FIFA, the world soccer’s governing body, says one-third of World Cup tickets remain unsold less than five months before the first tournament held in South Africa.

•Donovan scores in win: U.S. midfielder Landon Donovan scored his first Premier League goal, helping Everton defeat Sunderland 2-0 in Liverpool, England.

Donovan is on a 10-week loan from Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy.

•Davis scales back: Shani Davis decided four Olympic races is enough.

The U.S. speedskating star had a shot at duplicating Eric Heiden’s feat of competing in all five individual events at the Winter Games. But Davis decided not to race in the 10,000 meters.

•Suzuki takes lead: Japan’s Akiko Suzuki took the lead at the Four Continents figure skating championship in Jeonju, South Korea, while favorite Mao Asada was third after a flawed performance in the women’s short program.

The surprise contender was Amanda Dobbs, who was second despite the quick turnaround from the U.S. championships, where she finished sixth in Spokane on Saturday.