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Friday Baseball — Red Bluff at Las Plumas, 4 p.m. Baseball — Yreka at Corning, 6 p.m. Softball — Los Molinos Softball Tournament Softball — Red Bluff at Anderson Tournament Track — Red Bluff at Eagle Classic Relays at West Valley Soccer — Chico at Red Bluff, 3:30 p.m. Sports 1B Friday March 25, 2011 Astat that matters Sweet 16 tips off An e-mail came into the Daily News this week taking the news- paper to task for publishing a three-part series on teen pregnan- cy in Tehama County on the front page, while placing photos of stu- dents of the quarter awards in less high-profile places in the paper. While, Daily News editor Chip Thompson addresses those con- cerns from an editorial viewpoint today in his weekly column, I would like to use it to touch on another issue. 3 Connecticut 74 2 San Diego State 67 ANAHEIM (AP) — The legend Rich When it comes to what group of students get the most publicity day-in and day-out in the newspa- per, I think it’s safe to say it’s the athletes who show up right here on these sports pages. Yet, I can’t recall one complaint we’re unfairly Greene rewarding a 16-year-old for making All-League over a classmate who has made the honor roll. The truth is if your in your teens and can throw a ball in the high 80s, set a swimming mark or be a par golfer — it doesn’t matter how you do in school — I’m going to have a job and you’re going to get highlighted on Page 1B. That is to a certain extent. Of all the great athletic achievements I’ve seen this year there’s been a few off the field happenings that have stuck with me. More than once, more than there should be, kids have missed games and even seasons because they couldn’t keep their grades up to the level to even be eligible. When that happens there’s three ways a high school sports writer can handle it. The first, which I think no kid ever deserves, is to be brutally honest about it. The team was without Jack Slacker, who was ruled academically ineligible before the game. I don’t think any minor deserves to have his flaws published. The second is to be a bit cutesy with your words. The team is waiting for Jack Slacker to return as his absence on the court was noticeable. Better, those who know know, those who don’t at least understand a player was missing. The third is the path I usually take. The team played hard and gutted out a road win. You simply don’t mention Jack Slacker again on these pages. If you’re not on the team, you don’t get mentioned with those who kids who are working their butts off, even if you were the star. Like I said, this year kids names have dropped off these pages more than they should have — some even at the least opportune of times. Not keeping grades even at a respectable level hurt their teammates, but above all else these kids are hurting themselves. Grade point averages certainly don’t equal intelli- gence, but they are a fairly solid reflection on a person’s ability to be self-driven. I don’t see many D students moving on to do great things in life, because of a lack of smarts. No, I see them not progressing because they never learned what it takes to follow through with responsibility. That’s why I don’t worry about athletic students over- shadowing their academically bright peers in the news- paper at this stage of life. The inside pages of the paper are fine for those bright, driven individuals while they are in high school, because I bet those are the people who will one day be gracing the front page of the Daily News as our community lead- ers, businessmen and innovators. We love our sports, but in the end they’re just a form of entertainment. The sports pages, like the comics and horoscopes will always be tucked inside the part of the newspaper that matters. Of course, this is also a great time to point out that Tehama County is filled with kids who not only show up on the sports pages, but in those student of the quarter and honor roll pictures as well. These student-athletes who are double-dipping their exposure with brawn and brains are the ones to watch. I’m always surprised how many there are. Perhaps the most high profile of them is Corning’s Cameron Nye. He was recently named to both an All- Star football and All-Star basketball game. That’s pretty good. I wish I would have had his ath- letic talents. However, even more impressive would be his grade point average — that’s the true reason to respect him. Last I heard it was so high it could be split in half and still be good enough to make two kids eligible. Cameron might stick around on the sports page for a few more years in the form of alumni updates, but the smart money would be on his name showing up on the front page for even longer in the decades to come. A double-sport All-Star with a 4-point grade average. Sure makes carrying a C-average just so you can stay on the team not seem so difficult after all, doesn’t it? So, I’ll admit my job is to give more publicity to cer- tain kids over skills that in the scheme of themes won’t matter much. I just hope the high school kids reading realize — when they graduate and move on, I will too. There’ll be another young stud pitcher to write about. Have fun for a few months in my spotlight. I’ll enjoy your talents, the readers will enjoy your talents — but please, focus you’re real energy on moving beyond the sports page. That’s where we need you the most. Daily News Sports Editor Rich Greene wishes more parents would boast about their child’s GPA to them.He can see for himself how good of an athlete they are.You can reach him to brag about such things at 2151, ext. 109 or by e-mail at sports@redbluffdailynews.com. of Kemba Walker is growing bigger with each postseason feat for the Connecticut Huskies, who are on the brink of another trip to the Final Four. Walker scored 22 of his 36 points in another dynamic second-half per- formance, relentlessly driving UConn down the stretch in a 74-67 victory over San Diego State in the West regional semifinals Thursday night. Freshman Jeremy Lamb added 24 points and hit a clutch 3-pointer with 1:43 left for the third-seeded Huskies (29-9), who won five games in five days to capture the Big East tourna- ment and now are going to an NCAA regional final for the 10th time. Walker, the fearless playmaker from the Bronx generously listed at 6-foot-1, scored 12 consecutive points for the Huskies down the stretch. UConn advanced to Saturday's regional final against the winner of top-seeded Duke's meeting with Ari- zona later at Honda Center. With four 3-pointers and a little veteran savvy to draw a run-stopping technical foul against San Diego State's Jamaal Franklin in the second half, Walker outdueled Aztecs point guard D.J. Gay, who scored 16 points and trimmed UConn's second-half lead to 65-64 on a 3-pointer with 2:53 to play. Lamb replied with his 3, and his emphatic last-second dunk set off a celebration in the section of thor- oughly outnumbered UConn fans at Honda Center, just 90 minutes up the interstate from San Diego. Gay scored 16 points for the sec- ond-seeded Aztecs (34-3), who couldn't quite catch up to the Huskies down the stretch. Kawhi Leonard had 12 points and nine rebounds but never dominated inside, while Billy White added 14 points and Malcolm Thomas had 13 points and eight rebounds. Walker scored 14 points in the first half to stake UConn to a 36-27 lead during a 19-5 run, but the Aztecs replied with an 11-2 surge early in the second half. Thousands of San Diego State fans who sold out every home game on campus this season turned the Honda Center into Montezuma Mesa North, singing along to their favorite pep-band songs and thor- oughly drowning out the UConn cross-country travelers. Walker's layup put UConn up 40- 32 early in the second half, but the Aztecs finally remembered they're bigger and taller than the Huskies, repeatedly using their advantages to set up open shots while keeping Walker's teammates from getting comfortable. Gay's free throws put the Aztecs ahead 43-42 with 13 minutes left, and back-to-back buckets put San Diego State up 53-49 with 9:19 to play — but Walker even managed to turn that to the Huskies' advantage. After Franklin made a steal and fed White for a layup, Franklin and Walker exchanged a little trash talk. On the way back to their benches moments later, Franklin and Walker bumped shoulders — and Walker went crashing to the floor, drawing a technical foul and hitting both free throws. Except for two regular-season meetings with BYU, the Aztecs were perfect throughout the winningest season in school history. San Diego State obliterated the school record for victories and won the Mountain West tournament before knocking off Northern Colorado and Temple for its first two NCAA tournament victo- ries. 527- But UConn's road was rockier, with a 9-9 regular-season mark in the Big East. With three freshmen in their starting lineup, most expected the Huskies to need another year before contending for big prizes. UConn has been streaking ever since its regular season ended with four losses in five games. After Walk- er drove them to the Big East tourna- ment title in dramatic fashion, and the Huskies knocked off Bucknell and Cincinnati in the first two rounds behind Walker, who already has obliterated the single-season school scoring record. The West Coast vibe suits the Huskies, who also came out of this region during their runs to the 1999 and 2004 national titles, along with their trip to the 2009 Final Four. MCT photo Connecticut’s Roscoe Smith blocks a shot by San Diego State’s Malcolm Thomas. 5 Arizona 93 1 Duke 77 ANAHEIM (AP) — Derrick Williams scored a career-high 32 points and his Arizona teammates showed they’re not just a one-man team, upsetting defending national champion Duke 93-77 Thursday night to reach the final eight for the first time since 2005. The top-seeded Blue Devils (32-5) were sent packing from a regional semifinal for the second time in three years. Coach Mike Krzyzewski, with 900 wins, will have to wait until next season to resume his pursuit of Bob Knight’s record as the winningest men’s coach in Division I history. Williams scored 25 of his points in the first half before his teammates came up big in the final 20 minutes. Lamont Jones added 16 points and Solomon Hill 13. Williams had 13 rebounds to help his team dominate the boards, 40-27, while playing 15 min- utes from his hometown of La Mirada. Fifth-seeded Arizona (30-7) will play Connecticut (29-9) on Saturday in the West Regional final. The third- seeded Huskies defeated No. 2 San Diego State 74-67 in the other semifi- nal. Duke’s Kryie Irving scored 28 points in his most minutes since return- ing at the start of the NCAA tourna- ment after missing 26 games with a toe injury. Kyle Singler added 18 as one of three Blue Devils in second-half foul trouble. Nolan Smith was held to eight points — well under the senior’s 21- point average. Down by six points early in the sec- ond half, the Wildcats unleashed a scoring rampage that left the Blue Dev- ils looking stunned. Williams scored just two points dur- ing the 19-2 run while five of his team- mates did the rest, hitting from long- range, driving to the basket and scoring off a fast break. Jones’ basket tied the game at 53 and the spurt ended with Arizona leading 66-55. Jones and Jamelle Horne had five points each. Horne’s dunk extended Arizona’s lead to 77-63 as the Wildcats’ fans roared, thrilled to see their team mak- ing a deep run in the tournament a sea- son after the school’s 25-year streak of consecutive appearances ended. The Wildcats closed the first half on an 18-13 run, capped by Williams’ 3- pointer just before the buzzer, that left them trailing 44-38. He hit back-to- back shots from the same spot at the top of the 3-point line during the spurt in which his teammates contributed just five points. The Wildcats closed within one point earlier in the half, and Duke responded by outscoring them 14-7, including eight in a row, to take its largest lead, 31-20. Irving didn’t start the game, but he quickly had an impact once he got in. He scored seven points in the run that built Duke’s biggest lead. 3 Brigham Young 74 2 Florida 83 OT NEW ORLEANS (AP) — BYU had the best scorer on the court. Flori- da had the best team. Alex Tyus scored 19 points and grabbed 17 rebounds as Florida beat BYU 83-74 in overtime Thursday night, chasing Jimmer Fredette and the Cougars out of the NCAA tournament. While Fredette was the star attrac- tion, scoring 32 points on 11 for 29 shooting in the final game of his col- lege career, Florida countered with bal- ance. Kenny Boynton added 17 points while Erving Walker and Chandler Parsons both scored 16. Boynton and Parsons each hit 3-pointers in overtime as Florida outscored BYU 15-6. Fre- dette made just 3 of 15 from 3-point range and had to work for his points against Florida’s physical defense. By the end of the game, he had a bandage on his chin from a blow in the second half, but the baskets kept coming until he was held scoreless in overtime. When the outcome became appar- ent with one minute remaining, BYU coach Dave Rose subbed out Fredette, bringing a standing ovation from the crowd. Florida (29-7) eliminated BYU (32-5) and reached its first regional final since 2007. The Gators led for much of the first half, but BYU rallied to tie the game at 36 by halftime. Florida was almost unstoppable early, making 10 of its first 13 shots and leading by 10 points early. But the Gators cooled dramatically from that point, making just 4 of 13 from the field and 1 of 6 from the free-throw line in the first half. Fredette, who came into the game as the nation’s leading scorer at 28.8 points per game, missed his first six shots from the field. But the Cougars were able to tread water thanks to Jackson Emery and Stephen Rogers, who combined to hit five 3- pointers in the first half. Fredette was held scoreless for nearly 14 minutes before hitting a layup with 6:17 remaining in the first half. He made four of his next seven shots to finish the half with 10 points. The Gators double-teamed Fredette occasionally, but usually guarded him one-on-one with Kenny Boynton or Scottie Wilbekin. Fredette was bumped several times while trying to finish layups, and two of his first three shots were blocked. But fouls were hard to come by, despite Fredette’s occasional glares toward officials and the anger from the vastly pro-BYU crowd at New Orleans Arena. Compared to the tense final moments of the second half, overtime was anticlimatic. Tyus hit a layup and Boynton made a short jumper to give Florida a 72-68 lead and the Gators cruised from there as Fredette’s 3- pointers wouldn’t fall. 8 Butler 61 4 Wisconsin 54