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Dave Hyde: For Marchand and Bennett, script has wonderfully flipped as Panthers teammates
SUNRISE — Brad Marchand felt the change in his first Florida Panthers game start Friday night.
“It was odd when I stepped on the ice,’’ he said.
Florida Panthers fans had to feel that way at the end, too. Marchand capped his South Florida debut with a pass from behind the Utah net to Sam Bennett, whose goal then gave the Panthers a 2-1 overtime win.
Then delivered a sight needing a moment to digest: Bennett celebrating the game-winner with his one-time rival. The bitter enemies were now best buds. The script, as they showed in a winners’ hug, got flipped.
It was all so odd, to use Marchand’s word, considering just last playoffs Bennett’s accidental (ahem) fist knocked Boston’s Marchand out of their playoff series. Panthers coach Paul Maurice was asked what he’d have thought back then if told Marchand and Bennett would hook up like Friday night
“Yeah, I’d have thought they’d hook up around the net five or six times and then another group go at it, too,’’ he said.
This is going to work for the Panthers. No doubt. The only thing missing from the picture right now is Matthew Tkachuk, who could complete this rare and punishing line if he returns healthy in the playoffs.
As it stands, Bennett and Marchand play hockey in a similarly captivating manner where excellence is a matter of nasty will as much as high-end talent. Bennett always has been a heart-and-soul guy of this Panthers run, a part of the talented core who must be re-signed for this team’s center to hold.
Marchand has been that player all his career in Boston. Bennett and Marchand don’t just score – Bennett with his 24th and 25th goals Friday; Marchand with 21 in Boston – they bring an antagonistic personality that’s just as defining.
Marchand has crossed lines by licking players, or repeatedly punching a hockey pacifist like Vancouver’s Daniel Sedin in a final series. But all judgment changes when it’s your team’s guy.
Just ask Bennett. The last two seasons any playoff shift against Marchand was a skate down a dark alley. Now he’s on the same line, just like they were for Canada in the 4 Nations Faceoff last month.
“Sometimes, it’s just the way things work out,’’ Bennett said. “You can be rivals and enemies one day and, you know, as soon as you put on that jersey and plays for the same cause, everything’s washed away.
“You’re instantly great friends and teammates that are looking to win together.”
How Marchand is used will be Maurice’s challenge. Do they keep him on a line with Bennett and Tkachuk? Allow his physical manner to help Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart?
And on the power play? Marchand worked on the second unit of the Panthers’ power play Friday night. He moved from the right to the left wing. All that fits into a Panthers’ constant of changing lines or roles.
“He makes a lot of small-area plays, in traffic and corners, that are really hard to do,’’ Maurice said. “His hands are fantastic.”
He just needed a night to get comfortable in South Florida after a career in Boston.
“It kind of hit me, going out there, being cheered by the Panthers fans was a lot different,’’ he said. “But it’s a great feeling. It’s not often that you get to be part of a group like this.
“I’ve been on a lot of teams though the years and you know when you have something special. That’s what you have here, and it’s what you want to be a part of.”
He wanted one other thing from his first night as a Panthers. His children had wondered about the rats on the ice – when they came, how they did. So, after his assist to Bennett on the winning goal, he did something for his children.
He picked up a couple of rats off the ice to take home.
Marlins again rally in ninth, but this time come up short against Pirates
MIAMI (AP) — Oneil Cruz hit a two-run home run, Andrew McCutchen added an RBI double and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Miami Marlins 4-3 on Friday night.
Cruz walked to lead off the fourth inning, stole second base and advanced to third on an error. Joey Bart walked before Andrew McCutcheon hit a double to left, driving in Cruz. Bart scored on a sacrifice fly by Adam Frazier to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead.
David Bednar came on to pitch for the Pirates in the bottom of the ninth and walked Matt Mervis before Otto Lopez hit a two-run home run to make it a one-run game. Bednar got consecutive groundouts before striking out Hill to end it.
Frazier made his first start for the Pirates since July 25, 2021, filling in at second base for Nick Gonzales (ankle), who was put on the 10-day IL earlier Friday.
Derek Hill scored on a double to right by Graham Pauley in the bottom of the fifth to make it 4-1.
Miami’s Liam Hicks made his first MLB start at catcher. The 25-year-old was the second pick in the Rule 5 draft in December.
Key momentTommy Pham reached on an error and stole second base before Cruz hit a line drive down the line in left that slipped just inside the foul pole to give the Pirates a 4-0 lead in the top of the fifth.
Key statThe Marlins went 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position.
Up nextRHP Bailey Falter, who set career highs across the board in his first full season in the majors in 2024, starts for the Pirates, and 25-year-old right-hander Valente Bellozo goes for the Marlins on Saturday in the third game of the four-game opening series.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Marchand assists Bennett’s OT winner in Panthers debut vs. Utah
By TIM REYNOLDS
SUNRISE — Brad Marchand capped his Florida debut by setting up Sam Bennett’s winner with 41.1 seconds left in overtime, and the Panthers defeated the Utah Hockey Club 2-1 on Friday night.
Bennett had both goals for Florida, including one in the second with Mackie Samoskevich and Aleksander Barkov assisting. Utah tied it early in the third on Sean Durzi’s third of the year.
The win pushed Florida back into first in the Atlantic Division at 44-25-3 with 91 points, one more than Toronto and two more than Tampa Bay. All three of those teams have 10 games remaining, and Florida faces those clubs three times — two with Toronto, one with the Lightning — down the stretch.
The Panthers paid tribute to Utah forward Kevin Stenlund during the first period, as has been the case with all returning players who left Florida after winning last year’s Stanley Cup. He got a video and ovation during the first period, acknowledging the crowd with a wave.
Stenlund got his ring in early January when the Panthers visited Utah.
TakeawaysPanthers: Marchand’s new line — with Samoskevich and Bennett — was on the ice to start the game for Florida. Every time Marchand touched the puck, the crowd seemed to immediately increase its volume.
Key momentThe Panthers staved off a power play that Utah was awarded with 3:23 left when Eetu Luostarinen was called for holding in a 1-1 game.
Key statUtah is now 1-18-3 in games this season when it scores two goals or less. The win was a 2-0 shutout over Philadelphia earlier this month.
Up nextBoth teams play again Sunday, with Utah at Chicago and the Panthers home against Montreal.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
US Naval Academy ends affirmative action in admissions
By BRIAN WITTE, Associated Press
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The U.S. Naval Academy will no longer consider race, ethnicity or sex as a factor for admission to the service institution, a response to an executive order by President Donald Trump, according to federal court documents made public Friday.
The change in policy was made in February by Vice Adm. Yvette Davids, the academy’s superintendent, in response to an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in January, according to a court filing by the U.S. Justice Department in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The president’s order on Jan. 27 said that “every element of the Armed Forces should operate free from any preference based on race or sex.” It also directed the secretary of defense to conduct an internal review with respect to all “activities designed to promote a race- or sex-based preferences system,” including reviews at the service academies.
“Under revised internal guidance issued by the Superintendent on Feb. 14, 2025, neither race, ethnicity, nor sex can be considered as a factor for admission at any point during the admissions process, including qualification and acceptance,” according to the court filing made public Friday.
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The decision comes after a federal judge ruled in December that the academy could continue considering race in its admissions process. In that case, the judge found that military cohesion and other national security factors mean the school should not be subjected to the same standards as civilian universities.
During a two-week bench trial in September, attorneys for the academy argued that prioritizing diversity in the military makes it stronger, more effective and more widely respected.
The case against the policy was brought by the group Students for Fair Admissions, which was appealing the judge’s decision.
The Justice Department asked in the filing on Friday to suspend the current briefing schedule in the case while the parties consider the change in the academy’s policy.
‘The parties require a reasonable amount of time to discuss the details of the Academy’s new policy and to consider the appropriate next steps for this litigation, including whether this litigation is now moot and, if so, whether the district court judgment should be vacated,” the Justice Department wrote.
Students for Fair Admissions also brought the lawsuit challenging affirmative action that resulted in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2023.
The high court’s conservative majority broadly prohibited the consideration of race and ethnicity in college admissions, ending a long-standing practice meant to boost opportunities for historically marginalized groups and sending shock waves through higher education. But it carved out a potential exemption for military academies, suggesting that national security interests could affect the legal analysis.
Students for Fair Admissions later sued the Annapolis-based Naval Academy, challenging the exemption. But Judge Richard Bennett rejected their arguments, saying that the school had “established a compelling national security interest in a diverse officer corps.”
Attorneys for the group argued during trial that prioritizing minority candidates is unfair to qualified white applicants and that cohesion should arise from other sources such as training and command structure.
The academy argued in that case that its admissions process considers many factors, including grades, extracurricular activities, life experience and socioeconomic status, according to court testimony. Race often played no role in the process, but sometimes it came under consideration in a “limited fashion,” attorneys for the academy wrote in court papers.
Trump commutes the sentence of Ozy Media co-founder Carlos Watson
By CHRIS MEGERIAN, Associated Press
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump commuted the sentence of Ozy Media co-founder Carlos Watson on Friday, just before he was due to report to prison for a nearly 10-year sentence in a financial conspiracy case.
Watson was convicted last year in a closely watched case that showcased the implosion of an ambitious startup company.
The commutation was confirmed by a senior White House official who was not authorized to speak publicly about the decision and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Breon Peace, who was serving as the Brooklyn-based U.S. attorney at the time, said after the trial that the jury determined that “Watson was a con man who told lie upon lie upon lie to deceive investors into buying stock in his company.”
Ozy Media “collapsed under the weight of Watson’s dishonest schemes,” Peace said.
Trump has been aggressively using his presidential powers to commute sentences and pardon people who he believes were treated unfairly by the justice system.
Today in History: March 28, Three Mile Island nuclear plant accident
Today is Friday, March 28, the 87th day of 2025. There are 278 days left in the year.
Today in history:On March 28, 1979, America’s worst commercial nuclear accident occurred with a partial meltdown inside the Unit 2 reactor at the Three Mile Island plant near Middletown, Pennsylvania.
Also on this date:In 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court, in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, ruled 6-2 that Wong, who was born in the United States to Chinese immigrants, was an American citizen. It was the first Supreme Court decision to rule on the citizenship status of a child born in the United States to noncitizen parents.
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In 1935, the notorious Nazi propaganda film “Triumph des Willens” (Triumph of the Will), directed by Leni Riefenstahl, premiered in Berlin with Adolf Hitler present.
In 1941, author Virginia Woolf, 59, drowned herself near her home in Lewes, East Sussex, England.
In 1969, the 34th president of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, died in Washington, D.C., at age 78.
In 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act (commonly referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” law), which includes the prohibition of classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in some grade levels in Florida schools.
In 2024, FTX cryptocurrency exchange founder Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison after being convicted on fraud and conspiracy charges related to the collapse of the exchange.
Today’s Birthdays:- Author Mario Vargas Llosa is 89.
- Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry is 81.
- Actor Dianne Wiest is 79.
- Singer-actor Reba McEntire is 70.
- Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Bart Conner is 67.
- Rapper Salt (Salt-N-Pepa) is 59.
- Country musician Rodney Atkins is 56.
- Actor Vince Vaughn is 55.
- Sen. Ashley Moody, a Republican from Florida, is 50.
- Actor Julia Stiles is 44.
- Singer-actor Lady Gaga is 39.
- Stylist-TV personality Jonathan Van Ness is 38.
The best of Palm Beach County high school sports: Winter 2025 All-County honorees
Here are the winter 2025 All-County honorees, covering top high school athletes from Palm Beach County in basketball, soccer, wrestling, girls weightlifting and cheerleading. The section will be published in the newspaper on Sunday.
BOYS BASKETBALLPalm Beach 7A-5A boys basketball player of the year: Tor-El Robinson, Wellington senior
Palm Beach 4A-1A boys basketball player of the year: Javian Jones, King’s Academy senior
Palm Beach 7A-5A boys basketball first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
Palm Beach 4A-1A boys basketball first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
GIRLS BASKETBALLPalm Beach 7A-5A girls basketball player of the year: Janiah Suprius, Seminole Ridge senior
Palm Beach 4A-1A girls basketball player of the year: Lena Girardi, Grandview Prep senior
Palm Beach 7A-5A girls basketball first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
Palm Beach 4A-1A girls basketball first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
BOYS SOCCERPalm Beach 7A-5A boys soccer player of the year: Kaua Kunz, Olympic Heights senior
Palm Beach 4A-1A boys soccer player of the year: Ford Cash, Benjamin senior
Palm Beach 7A-5A boys soccer first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
Palm Beach 4A-1A boys soccer first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
GIRLS SOCCERPalm Beach 7A-5A girls soccer player of the year: Keelin Robertson, Jupiter senior
Palm Beach 7A-5A girls soccer first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
Palm Beach 4A-1A girls soccer first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
BOYS WRESTLINGPalm Beach wrestler of the year: James Kosza, Wellington junior
Palm Beach wrestling first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
GIRLS WRESTLINGGirls wrestler of the year: Christal Desir, Forest Hill sophomore
GIRLS WEIGHTLIFTINGGirls weightlifter of the year: Sophia Gonzalez, Archbishop McCarthy senior
Girls weightlifting first team, second team, honorable mention and coach of the year
CHEERLEADINGCo-cheer teams of the year: Cardinal Gibbons, Olympic Heights, Wellington, Western
The best of Broward County high school sports: Winter 2025 All-County honorees
Here are the winter 2025 All-County honorees, covering top high school athletes from Broward County in basketball, soccer, wrestling, girls weightlifting and cheerleading. The section will be published in the newspaper on Sunday.
BOYS BASKETBALLBroward 7A-5A boys basketball player of the year: Dwayne Wimbley Jr., St. Thomas Aquinas senior
Broward 7A-5A boys basketball first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
Broward 4A-1A boys basketball first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
GIRLS BASKETBALLBroward 7A-5A girls basketball player of the year: Ny’Keria Flowers, Northeast senior
Broward 4A-1A girls basketball player of the year: Jasleen Green, American Heritage junior
Broward 7A-5A girls basketball first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
Broward 4A-1A girls basketball first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
BOYS SOCCERBroward 7A-5A boys soccer player of the year: Logan Hall, Pembroke Pines Charter senior
Broward 4A-1A boys soccer player of the year: Hopeny Louis, Highlands Christian sophomore
Broward 7A-5A boys soccer first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
Broward 4A-1A boys soccer first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
GIRLS SOCCERBroward 7A-5A girls soccer player of the year: Sophie Barnes, St. Thomas Aquinas sophomore
Broward 4A-1A girls soccer player of the year: Courtney Caruso, American Heritage senior
Broward 7A-5A girls soccer first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
Broward 4A-1A girls soccer first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
BOYS WRESTLINGBroward wrestling first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
GIRLS WRESTLINGGirls wrestler of the year: Christal Desir, Forest Hill sophomore
GIRLS WEIGHTLIFTINGGirls weightlifter of the year: Sophia Gonzalez, Archbishop McCarthy senior
Girls weightlifting first team, second team, honorable mention and coach of the year
CHEERLEADINGCo-cheer teams of the year: Cardinal Gibbons, Olympic Heights, Wellington, Western
Gators shake sloppy start vs. Maryland, advance to Elite 8 vs. Texas Tech
SAN FRANCISCO — Florida finally looked like a No. 1 seed — for a half, at least.
It was more than enough to move past Maryland 87-71 in a regional semifinal Thursday at Chase Center. To get back to the Final Four, the Gators will need play their best basketball for a longer stretch Saturday vs. No. 3 seed Texas Tech.
Energized Florida players cheer on their teammates from bench in the Gators’ 87-71 win against Maryland in Thursday night’s regional semifinal at San Francisco’s Chase Center. (Ezra Shaw/Getty)Coach Todd Golden, back in San Fransisco for the first time since he left for UF three years ago, wasn’t looking ahead just yet following biggest win his young career.
“It’s surreal,” the 39-year-old said. “Selfishly, personally, I don’t want it to end. It’s been an amazing run.”
Florida’s first Sweet 16 appearance since 2017 began with another uncharacteristically sloppy start highlighted by 13 first-half turnovers. But unlike Sunday’s 77-75 win against UConn, the Gators cleaned up their act and pulled away behind unselfishness, hustle and sounder basketball for their ninth straight win in March.
Winners of 27 straight when leading at halftime, Florida (33-4) rode a second-half surge ending with six Gators in double-figures, led by Will Richard with 15. Alijah Martin scored 11 of his 14 points after intermission, while Orlando’s Denzel Aberdeen added 12 points off the bench — 10 on 4 of 5 shooting in the second half as Florida pulled away.
“Denzel was fantastic,” Golden said. “He was in there for us when we iced it. He gave us a big lift.”
UF’s reserves outscored Maryland’s 22-3 as the Gators’ depth overcame a team nicknamed the “Crab 5,” a nod to the state’s cuisine and the Terps’ iron quintet.
“Their bench really wore us down,’ coach Kevin Willard said.
Florida also beat Maryland (27-9) on the boards 40-22, another of the Gators’ advantages as they earned the top seed in the West Region. The second team to reach the Elite Eight along with Alabama, UF appeared to be headed to a matchup with SEC foe Arkansas. The Razorbacks, however, blew a double-digit lead late in the second half and fell in OT to the Red Raiders at Chase Center late Thursday.
“We take pride in what we’ve done all year,” said center Rueben Chinyelu, who finished with 8 rebounds.
Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. leaves the court with coach Todd Golden after the Gators’ Sweet 16 win against Maryland. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)Chinyelu, who also had 10 points, was key as the Gators seized control.
The 6-foot-10, 255-pound sophomore had two dunks and a layup off nice feeds as the Gators had 6 assists on their first eight field goals to stake 52-42 lead.
“That was a moment when we might have started wearing them down a little bit,” Golden said.
After a Maryland tip-in, Clayton gave up a possible 3-point attempt for a better shot for Martin, who drained it from long range. When the Terps cut their deficit to 55-49, All-America guard Walter Clayton Jr. found Aberdeen for a wide-open 3.
Maryland, a 6.5-point underdog, could not keep up with the Gators’ pace and eventually wilted.
“We were elite in the second half,” Golden said.
Everything went the Gators’ way, too.
Florida suffered a scare when power forward Alex Condon left the game after he rolled his right ankle with 12:15 remaining in the first half. Condon, the Gators’ leading rebounder and most versatile post player, injured the same ankle in February, sidelining him two weeks.
But the 6-foot-10, 230-pound sophomore returned six minutes into the second half and showed no ill effects. Condon soon was involved in one of the game’s craziest sequences.
Falling to his back after nearly committing another turnover, Condon threw the ball toward the basket, where 7-foot-1 Micah Handlogten tipped the ball twice and into the basket.
“That was a hell of a play,” Golden said.
Willard called it “a big momentum breaker.”
Nothing was going to stop the Gators on Thursday.
“This ride has been amazing,” Aberdeen said. “We know it’s not done yet.”
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
Will Richard and top-seeded Florida run away from Maryland’s ‘Crab Five’ for 87-71 March Madness win
By JANIE McCAULEY
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Florida’s three standout seniors and its deep bench kept bringing energy until it became too tough for Maryland’s “Crab Five” to keep up.
Coach Todd Golden could see his Gators wearing the Terrapins down.
Will Richard scored 15 points, Alijah Martin added 14 points and seven rebounds, and No. 1 seed Florida played a steady second half to run away from fourth-seeded Maryland and into the NCAA Tournament’s West Region final with an 87-71 win Thursday night.
Walter Clayton Jr. contributed 13 points and four assists as Florida’s senior leaders and their deep supporting cast took down Maryland’s hardworking starters — one of Terrapins coach Kevin Willard’s concerns coming into this matchup.
“We come in with great energy,” said Florida reserve Denzel Aberdeen, who scored 12 points in 19 minutes. “Just everybody being ready, whoever’s name is called, I think that’s what we did.”
Freshman sensation Derik Queen scored 27 points to lead Maryland (27-9) in what might have been Willard’s final game guiding the program.
“I think their bench really wore us down,” Willard said.
Florida (33-4) advances to play Saturday against the winner of Thursday’s late game at Chase Center between third-seeded Texas Tech and No. 10 seed Arkansas.
The Gators, in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2017 and seeking the program’s first Final Four berth since 2014, committed 13 of their 17 turnovers in the first half but took better care of the ball over the final 20 minutes. Florida already eliminated two-time defending NCAA champion UConn in the second round and is 10-1 in regional semifinals.
“The message was simple: We have to take care of the ball,” Golden, the Gators’ third-year coach, said.
The “Crab Five” — featuring WNBA star Angel Reese’s brother Julian, who had his sister in the stands to cheer — roared back in the first half when it seemed Florida might pull away. Queen, who hit a buzzer-beater in a 72-71 victory Sunday over Colorado State in the second round, shot 8 for 17 and made all 10 of his free throws.
Clayton, Martin and Richard combined for 42 points and three others scored in double figures for Florida. The senior trio had scored 56 of the Gators’ 77 points in the two-point victory against UConn last Sunday. That sent coach Golden back to the Bay Area, where he played for Saint Mary’s and coached at the University of San Francisco before taking the Florida job.
Now, they get to extend their stay into the weekend.
“It’s surreal, to be honest. The thing that I keep kind of going back to, selfishly, personally, I just don’t want it to end,” Golden said. “We have a uniquely tight group. … It’s been an amazing run.”
What’s next for Willard?Willard’s future was unclear as he has been linked to the Villanova job and also publicly expressed concerns last week with the direction of the Terrapins program, calling for “fundamental changes.”
Fans booed the coach as the team departed its hotel earlier in the day.
Golden had described the Terrapins as “freaky talented” coming into the game.
Clayton from deepWillard had compared Clayton to Stephen Curry when it comes to shooting off the dribble.
Clayton had been 22 for 43 from 3-point range — 51.2% — over his five postseason tournament games coming in. He wound up 2 of 6 from deep.
TakeawaysMaryland: The Terrapins were outrebounded 5-1 early before Reese’s offensive rebound, putback and three-point play at the 15:21 mark of the first half — and Maryland forced 10 turnovers over the opening 13:30 to get back in the game.
Florida: The Southeastern Conference Tournament champion Gators used their depth to generate a 29-3 advantage in bench points, with Maryland getting its first bench point with 1:15 to play. … Sophomore forward-center Alex Condon limped off to the locker room with an injury to his troublesome right ankle at the 12:16 mark of the first half and underwent a precautionary X-ray, then returned with 13:29 left.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.
Winderman’s view: Heat-Hawks with meaning? Actually, for Heat this win mattered
MIAMI — Observations and other notes of interest from Thursday night’s 122-112 victory over the Atlanta Hawks:
– No, Heat-Hawks was not the preferred viewing of choice on Thursday night.
– Not with Gators and other critters playing for higher stakes in the NCAA Tournament.
– And yet, this had particular meaning in the Heat’s bracket of their own.
– Namely the NBA’s play-in bracket.
– In order for the Heat to advance to the playoffs, it likely will require two wins, without a loss, against the pool of Bulls, Magic . . . and Hawks.
– At this point, another Heat matchup this season against the Hawks will have meant escaping the first win-or-go-home game of the Eastern Conference play-in.
– With a potential next matchup against the Hawks to come in Atlanta.
– Still, from the depths of where the Heat stand, there is plenty to be said about building confidence.
– So that made this meaningful.
– Even if not that meaningful to the night’s overall basketball audience.
– So make it three wins in a row for Erik Spoelstra’s team
– And play-in hope added.
– The Heat for the second consecutive game opened with a lineup of Kel’el Ware, Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, Alec Burks and Tyler Herro.
– That was with Duncan Robinson missing a second consecutive game due to lower-back pain.
– The Hawks opened with Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, Vit Krejci, Zaccharie Risacher and Onyeka Okongwu.
– Wiggins opened defensively on Young.
– At 26 years, 189 days, Young in the first quarter become the youngest player in NBA history to reach 12,000 points and 4,500 assists, surpassing LeBron James’ mark (27 years, 31 days).
– Davion Mitchell and Haywood Highsmith entered together in the Heat’s first substitution.
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– Pelle Larsson then followed, who had been limited the previous four games to mop-up duty, if that.
– With Kyle Anderson then remaining in the rotation.
– That meant Terry Rozier and Jaime Jaquez Jr. again as spectators.
– As Spoelstra continues to hone his rotation.
– Creating question of where Robnson might stand upon his return.
– Spoelstra went in stressing confidence in his team’s offensive rejuvenation.
– “There are segments of these games where it’s a lot more coherent,” he said. “The thought process to our offense, how we’re getting to what we’re getting to, is much better.”
– The Heat then put together a 38-point second period.
– “We’re seeing improvement,” Spoelstra said. “It always helps when the ball’s going in.”
– Ware’s first 3-point attempt was the 100th of his career.
– Adebayo’s third steal was the 600th of his career.
Suddenly Heat are hot, make it three in row with 122-112 win over Hawks behind Herro’s 36
MIAMI — There was a time when winning was challenging for Erik Spoelstra’s team.
As in last week. And the week before. And the week before that.
Now, the sweet smell of success, with the Miami Heat extending their winning streak to three with Thursday night’s 122-112 decision over the Atlanta Hawks at Kaseya Center.
“We definitely have developed some grit and resilience,” Spoelstra said.
No, not the drama of Tuesday night’s victory over Jimmy Butler at the Golden State Warriors, and, no, no tangible relief in the standings, still at No. 10 in the East.
But now the sense that the worst is behind, even with a few more typically frantic Heat moments after going up 21 in the third period.
“We didn’t let go of the rope,” center Bam Adebayo said of the losing streak. “We’ve been preaching that. We didn’t let go, and now we’re streaking.”
While Tyler Herro seized control of the Heat offense with 36 points, there was ample support, including 12 points and 10 rebounds from Adebayo, and 16 points apiece from Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell.
That was enough to offset 29 from the Hawks’ Trae Young, as the Heat, behind Thursday night’s 18-of-33 3-point shooting, closed out a 3-2 homestand
“We’ve got more of a chemistry now,” Mitchell said. “We’ve been through the fire and now it shows that we can win games.”
Five Degrees of Heat from Thursday night’s game:
1. Closing time: The Hawks led 32-22 at the end of the opening period, before the Heat moved to a 60-55 halftime lead.
The Heat then moved ahead by 21 in the third, saw the Hawks claw back within eight, before the Heat went into the fourth up 93-80.
The Hawks then quickly clawed within six early in the fourth, only to see the Heat respond with a three-point play from Herro and a transition 3-pointer from Haywood Highsmith.
But with Young draining a 3-pointer with 2:45 to play, the Hawks drew within 114-109.
That, however, is when Herro stepped up with his fourth 3-pointer.
“We’re seeing tremendous progress with our offense,” Spoelstra said. “Our fourth-quarter offense was better tonight.”
2. Back in groove: With the Heat largely healthy, particularly with Wiggins available, Herro continued to work in a groove of not being the only primary wing scoring option.
That had him again getting back to his comfort zones at the rim and at the 3-point line.
With his third 3-pointer, Herro now has the third-highest season total in franchise history, behind only the 270 of Duncan Robinson in 2019-20 and the 250 of Robinson in 2020-21. Herro’s third gave him 233 for the season.
He closed 13 of 17 from the field, 4 of 6 from behind the arc.
“Tyler was so efficient,” Spoelstra said, “and the best part about it, he did this entire game off the ball. I didn’t run one specific play for him.”
Said Herro, “It was just being aggressive on every catch.”
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3. The big deal: The Heat’s dual starting big men both took care of business on the boards, with Adebayo and Kel’el Ware playing the Hawks to a standoff in that facet.
Ware closed with 12 rebounds and seven points.
“It shows the two-big lineups can work.” Adebayo said.
Said Spoelstra, “It’s one of the biggest needle movers for us, when we rebound.”
4. Dual defenders: Spoelstra continues to play Mitchell and Highsmith in tandem as defensive energizers, again inserting them together as the Heat’s first two substitutes.
Mitchell offered the added bonus of 10 first-half points and three first-half assists, and kept going from there.
Mitchell closed 4 of 5 on 3-pointers, Highsmith 3 of 4.
“They’ve been giving us this kind of burst off the bench,” Spoelstra said. “Those two guys are embracing those kind of roles.”
With Highsmith again entrenched in the rotation, it again had Terry Rozier and Jaime Jaquez Jr. shuffled out of the mix.
5. On the road: With their five-game homestand complete, the Heat next head out for three in a row on the road, starting Saturday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, continuing Monday against the Washington Wizards and concluding Wednesday against the Boston Celtics.
The Heat are 13-22 on the road, heading back out on a five-game road losing streak.
Broward 7A-5A boys basketball player of the year: Dwayne Wimbley Jr., St. Thomas Aquinas senior
St. Thomas Aquinas boys basketball coach Julius Sandi called star small forward Dwyane Wimbley Jr. the missing piece of the puzzle for his squad that won the Class 6A state championship for only the second time in school history.
It had been 24 years since their first successful trip to Lakeland, but Wimbley made sure he brought his teammates along for the exhilarating 30-2 ride.
“He was the perfect piece of the puzzle,” said Sandi after his team defeated Orlando Evans 71-63 after erasing an early 16-point deficit. Wimbley had a team-high 22 points and 11 rebounds in the game. “Last year we had a group that was right on the brink and I knew when he was coming to our school that he was the missing piece and he would fit right in.”
Dwayne Wimbley, All County Basketball Player of the Year from St. Thomas Aquinas High School, photographed on Wednesday March 12, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Wimbley, the team captain, and four-year varsity starter, spent the first year of high school at Dillard and then moved over to Westminster Academy for two seasons before closing out his senior campaign with his first state title. For the year, Wimbley averaged 16.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.6 steals per game and 2.2 blocks.
“It’s a surreal feeling,” Wimbley said. “Not everything went right, but because of that, we were able to win it because we overcame those bumps in the road. Every time we hit a bump in the road, we overcame it and that is what made it special. That’s what describes our team. We are dawgs, we fight and we are hungry.
“In the state final,” he continued, “we knew there were two perspectives – either you win, or you lose and go home. We didn’t want to go home.”
Wimbley is back on the college market after decommitting recently from FSU after long-time coach Leonard Hamilton stepped down.
He initially had planned to also play football with the Raiders. He was a first-team All-County performer at wideout while at Westminster.
“That was definitely a tough decision,” Wimbley said. “Knowing that St. Thomas is a great football school, I heard that I might miss half the basketball season. Knowing the type of schedule that coach Sandi put together there was no way I was going to leave my brothers out there without me. I’m glad about the decision I made.”
Broward 7A-5A boys basketball first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year
FIRST TEAM
Maddox Fowles, Basketball, Western. Deerfield Beach on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Maddox Fowles, F/C, Western senior: Captain averaged 14 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks for the 19-8 squad; season highlight was beating rival Cypress Bay.
Dylon Hanna, Blanche Ely, Basketball. Deerfield Beach on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Dylon Hanna, PG/SG, Blanche Ely senior: Led Tigers in scoring averaging with 16.4 points a game, and also had 5 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 2 steals per game; Exceeded 1,000 career points.
Jayelen Jonas, Basketball, Blanche Ely. Deerfield Beach on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Jayelen Jonas, W/F, Blanche Ely senior: Played in 24 games and averaged 11.5 points, 0.7 assists, 9 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 3.1 blocks.
Maximo Ortega, Basketball, Pembroke Pines Charter. Deerfield Beach on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Maximo Ortega, PG, Pembroke Pines Charter senior: Led the Jaguars to a regional final where they fell to the eventual state champ (Blanche Ely); averaged 15 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
Alex Pierre-Louis, Basketball, Coral Springs. Deerfield Beach on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Alex Pierre-Louis, CG, Coral Springs senior: Two-year captain broke 1,000 points this season; sent team to regionals with tying 3-pointer and then assisted on winning score; scored 42 points in a game; averaged 22.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.
DJ. Sandi, Basketball, St. Thomas Aquinas. Deerfield Beach on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)DJ Sandi, PG, St. Thomas Aquinas junior: Three-year captain averaged 9.5 points, a state-high 7.5 assists per game for Class 7A schools, 6 rebounds per game and 3.5 steals per game; hit clutch free throws to help Raiders win several tournaments including state.
Joshua Skinner, Basketball, Miramar. Deerfield Beach on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Joshua Skinner, SG, Miramar senior: Team co-captain scored 975 points during his career and helped the team win a district title and a regional semifinal appearance; averaged 18.5 points, 3 assists, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block per game.
Clarence Westbrook Jr., Basketball, St.Thomas Aquinas. Deerfield Beach on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Clarence Westbrook Jr., G, St. Thomas Aquinas sophomore: Averaged team-leading 17.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game; said winning three in-season tournaments (Kreul, Kingdom of Sun, and BCAA Big 8) and winning the regional championship in front of his home crowd was the season highlight.
SECOND TEAMSiah Blot, G, Miramar senior
Antonio Bonami, G, Fort Lauderdale junior
Travis Chin, PG, South Plantation sophomore
Robert Guishard, F, Pembroke Pines Charter junior
Jahmai Henry, G, Coral Springs freshman
Gavin Reed, PG, Coral Glades sophomore
Terrence Walker, SG/SF, Boyd Anderson senior
Jabari Washington, SG, Plantation junior
HONORABLE MENTIONArchbishop McCarthy: Andrew Okafor, Andrew Sanchez, Richard Segovia
Blanche Ely: Kaleb Corbitt, Robert Donald, Jayden McNabb
Boyd Anderson: Demarcus Deroche, Niteno Pierre, Theodore Richardson
Coconut Creek: Ijah Chin, Dallas Dixon
Cooper City: Jamier Johnston, Janiel Polanco, Noah Rupert
Coral Glades: Andres Demoya, Donovan Swain, Kyler Theophile
Coral Springs: Jevah Chervin, Jamal Henry, Tavien Neille, Joshua Pierre
Cypress Bay: Christian Leone, Christian Rios
Dillard: Bivindy Jean, Jaxson Smith, Jaden Williams
Everglades: Lance Bailey Jr., Odean Gilmore, Dekotah Pierre-Johnson
Flanagan: Jason Carias
Fort Lauderdale: Reggie Cleveland, Rawle Farose, Adler Olween, Antwain Smith
McArthur: Joshua Barbar, Jonas Bonannee
Miramar: Ronald Germielle, Martel Smith
Monarch: Benjamin Boutin, Nikyle Campbell, Sidney Lewinsky
Northeast: Jonathan Senior, Dean Vital
Pembroke Pines Charter: Zamari Days
Plantation: Sahmaj Alcime, Malaki LeGrande
St. Thomas Aquinas: Nate Accius, Zane Elliott, Kellson Sandi
South Plantation: Lathan Coleman, Gabe Collier, Swaminsky Liberal
Stoneman Douglas: Ayden McLean
Taravella: Nick Florea, Santana Henderson III, Brandon Pitts
Western: Stef Frisby, Calvin Thompson
CO-COACHES OF THE YEAR JR McNabb, Basketball, Blanche Ely. Deerfield Beach on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)J.R. McNabb, Blanche Ely: Led the Tigers to a county-best ninth consecutive state championship and first since 2019. “This is huge for the program. The boys had three coaches in three years and I thought I could come in and help them. They worked so hard for this and for them to stick around and not leave the school like others did, they got rewarded.”
Julius Sandi, Basketball, St. Thomas Aquinas. Deerfield Beach on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Julius Sandi, St. Thomas Aquinas: Piloted the 30-2 Raiders to championships in the Kreul Classic, Kingdom of the Sun, BCAA Big 8, third district, regional, and the second state championship in school history, the other coming 25 years ago; ranked No. 18 nationally. “We had a brotherhood that was committed and trusted the process. We chased history and it was captured…I would say that this team exceeded expectations this year and more.”
Broward 4A-1A boys basketball co-players of the year: Shon Abaev, Calvary Christian senior; Ricky Liburd, Sagemont senior; Christian Yeargin, Stranahan junior
The small-school FHSAA state basketball championships in Lakeland were dominated by Broward County boys teams, with three schools winning titles.
A star member of each of those champions, Calvary Christian senior Shon Abaev, Sagemont senior Ricky Liburd and Stranahan junior Christian Yeargin, are being honored as 4A-1A co-players of the year.
In addition to the state championship, Abaev was selected as one of only 24 players from the Class of 2025 to participate in the prestigious Boys 2025 McDonald’s All-American Game. Abaev said it was a dream come true. This season, he averaged 20.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.4 blocks per game.
Abaev, a guard, is a University of Cincinnati signee who contributed 20 points and 11 rebounds in a thrilling 66-64 victory over the Villages for the 3A title.
“I think it was a really big year,” Agave said. “It was amazing to win a state championship and to be in that atmosphere. We had two really hard teams and we were tired, but we pulled it out. I want to be the best player on the court, and I think it proved it.
“This ranks number one for me,” he added. “It is surely special. It’s my first state championship.
Shon Abaev, All County Basketball Player of the Year from Calvary Christian Academy photographed on Wednesday March 12, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Liburd, a swingman, stepped out of the shadow of senior Matt Able and was able to help the Lions to a third straight Class 1A state title.
Liburd, a Coastal Carolina signee, scored a game-high 29 points, pulled down nine rebounds, and had four assists and three blocks. He averaged 16.4 points, 6.2 boards, 2.6 assists, 1.1 steals and one block.
“I missed the first month of the season dealing with an injury (dislocated knuckle on his shooting hand), but I came back and made an impact in the state championship,” Liburd said. “It was tough to watch and not be able to play. It motivated me to come back stronger and do something at state.
Ricky Liburd,, All County Basketball Player of the Year from Sagemont Prep photographed on Wednesday March 12, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Yeargin scored a game-high 21 points and added four assists and six rebounds for the Dragons, who scored seven points in the 62-56 win over the two-time defending state champion St. Petersburg Gibbs. The Dragons (27-5) scored seven points in a 10-second span with 16 seconds remaining to pull out the win.
“The year was great,” Yeargin said. There were a lot of ups and downs, but we put in the hard work, and despite everything, we were able to pull it out. We only had nine players, but it was stronger than a team with 20 or 30 players.
“It was the hunger after last season,” Yeargin said. “I didn’t feel last year that I was where I should have been. I was more confident this year.”
Christian Yeargin, All County Basketball Player of the Year from Stranahan High School, photographed on Wednesday March 12, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
