Free admission to tonight's home game for the Great Bend Bat Cats versus the Newton Rebels. First pitch is at 7 p.m. at Al Burns Memorial Field.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686670030708.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Free admission to tonight's home game for the Great Bend Bat Cats versus the Newton Rebels. First pitch is at 7 p.m. at Al Burns Memorial Field.

Great Bend Bat Cats at home tonight

The Great Bend 16U Quicksilver softball team went 5-0 and won the Great Bend Battle for the Bling Championship this past weekend.

The team improved to 22-6-2 on the season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686668825212.jpeg" alt="Bottom Row (left to right): Kamryn Koelsch, Camdyn Post, Halle Post, Braelyn Turner. Middle Row: Katherine Mazouch, Josie Blevins, Rylee Prilling Back Row: Kya Behr, Chayla Prendergast, Alyssa McCaulley, Denver Ringo" />
 <figcaption>Bottom Row (left to right): Kamryn Koelsch, Camdyn Post, Halle Post, Braelyn Turner. Middle Row: Katherine Mazouch, Josie Blevins, Rylee Prilling Back Row: Kya Behr, Chayla Prendergast, Alyssa McCaulley, Denver Ringo</figcaption>
 </figure>The Great Bend 16U Quicksilver softball team went 5-0 and won the Great Bend Battle for the Bling Championship this past weekend.The team improved to 22-6-2 on the season.

Great Bend 16U Quicksilver team wins home tournament

WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;— The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame (KSHOF) has announced the members of the class of 2023 who will be inducted on Sunday, October 1, 2023 at the Kansas Star Casino.

The KSHOF is also proud to announce the Kansas Star Casino as the host and title sponsor for the 2023 KSHOF Induction Ceremony on October 1. This is the fifth year the Kansas Star Casino has been the title sponsor and is the fourth year of hosting the event.

Doug Lang, Vice President and General Manager of the Kansas Star Casino said, “We are pleased to once again help honor the outstanding achievements by Kansas athletes and coaches in this year’s class, both in the world of sports and here in the local community. We’re very excited to host this prestigious banquet at the Kansas Star Casino and can’t wait to celebrate all of the inductees. We look forward to the continued success of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, in preserving the unique and rich history of our state’s greatest sport’s icons.”

Jordan Poland, President and CEO of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame said, “We’re excited to be planning for this year’s induction to honor the legacies of this amazing group of athletes, coaches, and contributors. This group of inductees represents the wide array of skills and talents produced by the Sunflower State and we’re looking forward to a special evening celebrating their accomplishments.”

The KSHOF Class of 2023 consists of twelve members. Those inductees include: Wichita native and All-American softball player at the University of Kansas, JILL LARSON BRADNEY; All-American decathlete and three-time Division II track and field Coach of the Year at Pittsburg State University, RUSS JEWETT from Olathe; three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference basketball selection and honorable mention All-American from Wichita State University, LYNBERT “CHEESE” JOHNSON; Negro Leagues Baseball triple crown hitter OSCAR “HEAVY” JOHNSON from Atchison; long-time Wichita State baseball assistant coach and athletic department official, BRENT KEMNITZ; eight-time All-American selection in cross country and track at Pittsburg State, CHRISTIE ALLEN LOGUE from Altamont; professional golfer and two-time member of the United States Ryder Cup team, HAROLD “JUG” MCSPADDEN from Monticello; fourteen year Major League Baseball player RAY MUELLER from Pittsburg; K-State baseball player and thirteen year Major League Baseball veteran TED POWER from Abilene; seventeen-time professional soccer All-Star selection from the Wichita Wings, KIM RØENTVED; 1984 honorable mention All-American basketball selection and two-time all-conference selection RICKY ROSS from Wichita; two-time Missouri Valley Conference volleyball player of the year and 2007 All-American selection SARA LUNGREN WALKUP from Caldwell.

The induction ceremony will be held on Sunday, October 1, 2023, at the Kansas Star Casino, located at 777 Casino Drive, Mulvane, KS, 67110. The twelve-member class raises the total number of Kansas Sports Hall of Fame inductees to 329. The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame has operated for 62 years and is located at the Wichita Boathouse.

The 2023 Induction weekend will continue the following day as the KSHOF Golf Classic tees off on Monday, October 2, 2023, at Terradyne Country Club in Andover. Teams and sponsors interested in participating in the event can contact Jordan Poland for more information.

Online sales for 2023 Induction Ceremony tickets go live Tuesday, August 1, 2023, at www.kshof.org. For ticket packages and sponsorship opportunities, please call 316-262-2038.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686594790098.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;— The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame (KSHOF) has announced the members of the class of 2023 who will be inducted on Sunday, October 1, 2023 at the Kansas Star Casino.The KSHOF is also proud to announce the Kansas Star Casino as the host and title sponsor for the 2023 KSHOF Induction Ceremony on October 1. This is the fifth year the Kansas Star Casino has been the title sponsor and is the fourth year of hosting the event.Doug Lang, Vice President and General Manager of the Kansas Star Casino said, “We are pleased to once again help honor the outstanding achievements by Kansas athletes and coaches in this year’s class, both in the world of sports and here in the local community. We’re very excited to host this prestigious banquet at the Kansas Star Casino and can’t wait to celebrate all of the inductees. We look forward to the continued success of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, in preserving the unique and rich history of our state’s greatest sport’s icons.”Jordan Poland, President and CEO of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame said, “We’re excited to be planning for this year’s induction to honor the legacies of this amazing group of athletes, coaches, and contributors. This group of inductees represents the wide array of skills and talents produced by the Sunflower State and we’re looking forward to a special evening celebrating their accomplishments.”The KSHOF Class of 2023 consists of twelve members. Those inductees include: Wichita native and All-American softball player at the University of Kansas, JILL LARSON BRADNEY; All-American decathlete and three-time Division II track and field Coach of the Year at Pittsburg State University, RUSS JEWETT from Olathe; three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference basketball selection and honorable mention All-American from Wichita State University, LYNBERT “CHEESE” JOHNSON; Negro Leagues Baseball triple crown hitter OSCAR “HEAVY” JOHNSON from Atchison; long-time Wichita State baseball assistant coach and athletic department official, BRENT KEMNITZ; eight-time All-American selection in cross country and track at Pittsburg State, CHRISTIE ALLEN LOGUE from Altamont; professional golfer and two-time member of the United States Ryder Cup team, HAROLD “JUG” MCSPADDEN from Monticello; fourteen year Major League Baseball player RAY MUELLER from Pittsburg; K-State baseball player and thirteen year Major League Baseball veteran TED POWER from Abilene; seventeen-time professional soccer All-Star selection from the Wichita Wings, KIM RØENTVED; 1984 honorable mention All-American basketball selection and two-time all-conference selection RICKY ROSS from Wichita; two-time Missouri Valley Conference volleyball player of the year and 2007 All-American selection SARA LUNGREN WALKUP from Caldwell.The induction ceremony will be held on Sunday, October 1, 2023, at the Kansas Star Casino, located at 777 Casino Drive, Mulvane, KS, 67110. The twelve-member class raises the total number of Kansas Sports Hall of Fame inductees to 329. The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame has operated for 62 years and is located at the Wichita Boathouse.The 2023 Induction weekend will continue the following day as the KSHOF Golf Classic tees off on Monday, October 2, 2023, at Terradyne Country Club in Andover. Teams and sponsors interested in participating in the event can contact Jordan Poland for more information.Online sales for 2023 Induction Ceremony tickets go live Tuesday, August 1, 2023, at www.kshof.org. For ticket packages and sponsorship opportunities, please call 316-262-2038.

KSHOF will enshrine 12 in 2023 class presented in October

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. was cut by the Kansas City Royals after batting .133 with one homer and six RBIs in 43 games.

Bradley was designated for assignment before Monday night’s series opener against the Cincinnati Reds. The 33-year-old had signed a $900,000, one-year contract with Kansas City.

Kansas City has seven days to trade Bradley or place him on waivers.

Bradley was 14 for 105 at the plate this season with five doubles.

He has a .225 average with 109 homers and 449 RBIs in 11 big league seasons, mostly with Boston. Bradley was an All-Star in 2016, a Gold Glove in 2018 and MVP of the 2018 AL Championship Series.

Kansas City selected the contract of outfielder Dairon Blanco from Triple-A Omaha, and he started against the Reds in left field, batting ninth. In 49 games for the Storm Chasers, Blanco hit .347 (60 for 173), with a minor league-high 47 stolen bases. Blanco appeared in five games with the Royals in May, last year, hitting .286.

“An exciting player,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He’s been consistent with his stolen bases. He’s not just on a hot streak.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686651778149.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Jackie Bradley Jr. gets out of the way as Bobby Witt Jr. makes a catch on a ball hit by Milwaukee Brewers' Brian Anderson during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Jackie Bradley Jr. gets out of the way as Bobby Witt Jr. makes a catch on a ball hit by Milwaukee Brewers' Brian Anderson during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. was cut by the Kansas City Royals after batting .133 with one homer and six RBIs in 43 games.Bradley was designated for assignment before Monday night’s series opener against the Cincinnati Reds. The 33-year-old had signed a $900,000, one-year contract with Kansas City.Kansas City has seven days to trade Bradley or place him on waivers.Bradley was 14 for 105 at the plate this season with five doubles.He has a .225 average with 109 homers and 449 RBIs in 11 big league seasons, mostly with Boston. Bradley was an All-Star in 2016, a Gold Glove in 2018 and MVP of the 2018 AL Championship Series.Kansas City selected the contract of outfielder Dairon Blanco from Triple-A Omaha, and he started against the Reds in left field, batting ninth. In 49 games for the Storm Chasers, Blanco hit .347 (60 for 173), with a minor league-high 47 stolen bases. Blanco appeared in five games with the Royals in May, last year, hitting .286.“An exciting player,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He’s been consistent with his stolen bases. He’s not just on a hot streak.”

Royals cut outfielder Jackie Bradley, Jr.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — TJ Friedl scored the tiebreaking run in the 10th inning on Jonathan India’s grounder, and the Cincinnati Reds beat Kansas City 5-4 on Monday night to hand the plummeting Royals their seventh straight defeat.

Pinch-hitter Kevin Newman’s sacrifice fly in the ninth gave the Reds a 4-3 lead, but Buck Farmer allowed a tying homer to Salvador Perez with two outs in the bottom half.

Cincinnati quickly recovered. Friedl, the automatic runner at second base, advanced to third on Matt McLain’s groundout to first leading off the 10th. India then hit a grounder and Friedl scored as Perez couldn’t corral third baseman Maikel Garcia’s low throw to the plate.

“The Friedl slide, that’s part of our game. The running, going on contact,” Reds manager David Bell said. “Jonathan had a great at-bat and TJ did exactly what you need to do to get his foot in just barely.”

Friedl was initially ruled out by plate umpire C.B. Bucknor, but the call was overturned following a replay review

“This is what it’s supposed to feel like,” Bell said. “Especially the way it ended. It’s a lot of fun. Even though it was a little bit more difficult than you could ever want, it felt like it was a little bit meant to finish that way.”

Farmer (2-3) got five outs for the win and Ricky Karcher, called up from the minors Friday, pitched out of trouble in the 10th to earn the save in his major league debut.

“You can only dream to go in in a save opportunity in your first big league game,” Karcher said. “I’ve worked my whole life for this day. It’s awesome.”

“What a great way to start your career,” Bell said. “It doesn’t really get much more difficult than that, to find a way to navigate through that.”

Stuart Fairchild homered early for the Reds, who have won six of eight and are 3-3 in extra innings.

“With this team, every win we have is exciting,” Friedl said. “It’s been that way since April — all these wins for us are huge. Every game is competitive.”

Carlos Hernandez (0-4) took the loss for the reeling Royals, who have dropped 10 of 11. They are 0-3 in extra innings and have blown a lead in 23 losses this season, matching the Cardinals for most in the majors.

Kansas City (18-48) is tied with suddenly streaking Oakland (18-50) for the fewest wins in the majors.

The Royals jumped ahead on Michael Massey’s two-out, two-run double in the first. Massey had just two singles in 25 at-bats this month before doubling in each of his first two plate appearances.

Nick Pratto’s second-inning sacrifice fly made it 3-0.

Fairchild got Cincinnati on the scoreboard, hammering the first pitch of the third 421 feet to left-center for his third homer.

“So many guys made plays — very difficult things to do that led to the win,” Bell said. “It’s a great team win.”

The Reds tied it 3-all as Luke Maile and Friedl opened the sixth with consecutive doubles, chasing Royals starter Zack Greinke. He allowed three runs and six hits, striking out four with no walks.

“(Greinke) performed well,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “They’re patient, and he throws a lot of strikes, but he was able to attack them. He threw the ball well.”

Cincinnati starter Luke Weaver exited with two outs in the fifth, having allowed three runs on five hits and four walks.

Royals right fielder MJ Melendez threw out two runners trying for third base, helping curtail rallies in the first and seventh.

Kansas City left stranded 10, going 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position.

“We were challenged on some at-bats and missed some pitches to hit,” Quatraro said. “Other at-bats, hit the ball pretty well and didn’t get anything for it. I don’t think there’s one reason we didn’t drive guys in, but the end result is we didn’t. It’s been frustrating to not be able to open a game up.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686652216763.jpeg" alt="Cincinnati Reds' TJ Friedl (29) beats the tag by Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez to score the winning run on a fielders choice hit into by Jonathan India during the tenth inning of a baseball game Monday, June 12, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. The Reds won 5-4 in ten innings. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Cincinnati Reds' TJ Friedl (29) beats the tag by Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez to score the winning run on a fielders choice hit into by Jonathan India during the tenth inning of a baseball game Monday, June 12, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. The Reds won 5-4 in ten innings. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — TJ Friedl scored the tiebreaking run in the 10th inning on Jonathan India’s grounder, and the Cincinnati Reds beat Kansas City 5-4 on Monday night to hand the plummeting Royals their seventh straight defeat.Pinch-hitter Kevin Newman’s sacrifice fly in the ninth gave the Reds a 4-3 lead, but Buck Farmer allowed a tying homer to Salvador Perez with two outs in the bottom half.Cincinnati quickly recovered. Friedl, the automatic runner at second base, advanced to third on Matt McLain’s groundout to first leading off the 10th. India then hit a grounder and Friedl scored as Perez couldn’t corral third baseman Maikel Garcia’s low throw to the plate.“The Friedl slide, that’s part of our game. The running, going on contact,” Reds manager David Bell said. “Jonathan had a great at-bat and TJ did exactly what you need to do to get his foot in just barely.”Friedl was initially ruled out by plate umpire C.B. Bucknor, but the call was overturned following a replay review“This is what it’s supposed to feel like,” Bell said. “Especially the way it ended. It’s a lot of fun. Even though it was a little bit more difficult than you could ever want, it felt like it was a little bit meant to finish that way.”Farmer (2-3) got five outs for the win and Ricky Karcher, called up from the minors Friday, pitched out of trouble in the 10th to earn the save in his major league debut.“You can only dream to go in in a save opportunity in your first big league game,” Karcher said. “I’ve worked my whole life for this day. It’s awesome.”“What a great way to start your career,” Bell said. “It doesn’t really get much more difficult than that, to find a way to navigate through that.”Stuart Fairchild homered early for the Reds, who have won six of eight and are 3-3 in extra innings.“With this team, every win we have is exciting,” Friedl said. “It’s been that way since April — all these wins for us are huge. Every game is competitive.”Carlos Hernandez (0-4) took the loss for the reeling Royals, who have dropped 10 of 11. They are 0-3 in extra innings and have blown a lead in 23 losses this season, matching the Cardinals for most in the majors.Kansas City (18-48) is tied with suddenly streaking Oakland (18-50) for the fewest wins in the majors.The Royals jumped ahead on Michael Massey’s two-out, two-run double in the first. Massey had just two singles in 25 at-bats this month before doubling in each of his first two plate appearances.Nick Pratto’s second-inning sacrifice fly made it 3-0.Fairchild got Cincinnati on the scoreboard, hammering the first pitch of the third 421 feet to left-center for his third homer.“So many guys made plays — very difficult things to do that led to the win,” Bell said. “It’s a great team win.”The Reds tied it 3-all as Luke Maile and Friedl opened the sixth with consecutive doubles, chasing Royals starter Zack Greinke. He allowed three runs and six hits, striking out four with no walks.“(Greinke) performed well,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “They’re patient, and he throws a lot of strikes, but he was able to attack them. He threw the ball well.”Cincinnati starter Luke Weaver exited with two outs in the fifth, having allowed three runs on five hits and four walks.Royals right fielder MJ Melendez threw out two runners trying for third base, helping curtail rallies in the first and seventh.Kansas City left stranded 10, going 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position.“We were challenged on some at-bats and missed some pitches to hit,” Quatraro said. “Other at-bats, hit the ball pretty well and didn’t get anything for it. I don’t think there’s one reason we didn’t drive guys in, but the end result is we didn’t. It’s been frustrating to not be able to open a game up.”

Late Perez homer not enough; Royals lose seventh straight

DENVER (AP) — Confetti flying in Denver. The Nuggets passing around the NBA championship trophy.

Those scenes that, for decades, seemed impossible, then more recently started feeling inevitable, finally turned into reality Monday night.

The Nuggets outlasted the Miami Heat 94-89 in an ugly, frantic Game 5 that did nothing to derail Nikola Jokic, who bailed out his teammates with 28 points and 16 rebounds on a night when nothing else seemed to work.

Jokic won the Bill Russell trophy as the NBA Finals MVP — an award that certainly has more meaning to him than the two overall MVPs he won in 2021 and ’22.

“We are not in it for ourselves, we are in it for the guy next to us,” Jokic said. “And that’s why this (means) even more.”

Denver’s clincher was a gruesome grind.

Unable to shake the tenacious Heat or the closing-night jitters, the Nuggets missed 20 of their first 22 3-pointers. They missed seven of their first 13 free throws. They led by seven late, before Miami’s Jimmy Butler went off, scoring eight straight points to give the Heat a one-point lead with 2:45 left.

Butler made two more free throws with 1:58 remaining to help Miami regain a one-point lead. Then, Bruce Brown got an offensive rebound and tip-in to give the Nuggets the lead for good.

Trailing by three with 15 seconds left, Butler jacked up a 3, but missed it. Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made two free throws each to put the game out of reach and clinch the title for Denver.

Ugly as it was, the aftermath was something the Nuggets and their fans could all agree was beautiful. There were fireworks exploding outside Ball Arena at the final buzzer. Denver is the home of the Larry O’Brien Trophy for the first time in the franchise’s 47 years in the league.

“It was ugly and we couldn’t make shots, but at the end we figured it out,” Jokic said. “I am just happy we won the game.”

The Heat were, as coach Erik Spoelstra promised, a gritty, tenacious bunch. But their shooting wasn’t great, either. Bam Adebayo had 20 for the Heat, but Miami shot 34% from the floor and 25% from 3. Until Butler went off, he was 2 for 13 for eight points.

The Heat, who survived a loss in the play-in tournament and became only the second No. 8 seed to make it to the finals, insisted they weren’t into consolation prizes.

They played like they expected to win, and for a while during this game, which was settled as much by players diving onto the floor as sweet-looking jump shots, it looked like they would.

The Nuggets, who came in shooting 37.6% from 3 for the series, shot 18% in this one. They committed 14 turnovers. Even with the clutch shots from Brown and Caldwell-Pope, they only went 13 for 23 from the line.

The tone of the game was set with 2:51 left in the first quarter, when Jokic got his second foul and joined Aaron Gordon on the bench. Jeff Green and Jamal Murray, who finished with 14 points and eight assists on an off night, joined them there, too.

It made the Nuggets tentative on both sides of the court for the rest of the half. Somehow, after shooting 6.7% from 3 — the worst first half in the history of the finals (10-shot minimum) they only trailed by seven.

True to the Nuggets’ personality, they kept pressing, came at their opponent in waves and figured out how to win a game that went against their type. Their beautiful game turned into a slugfest, but they figured it out nonetheless.

“That’s why basketball is a fun sport,” Jokic said. “It’s a live thing. You cannot say, ‘This is going to happen.’ There are so many factors. I’m just happy that we won the game.”

It felt almost perfect that an unheralded and once-chubby second-round draft pick from Serbia would be the one to lift Denver to the top of a league that, for decades, has been dominated by superstars, first-round draft picks and players who lead the world in sneaker and jersey sales.

Over their near five-decade stay in the league, the Nuggets have been the epitome of a lovable NBA backbencher – at times entertaining, adorned by rainbows on their uniforms and headlined by colorful characters on the floor and bench. But never quite good enough to break through against the biggest stars and better teams to the east, west and south of them.

Before this season, there were only two teams founded before 1980 – the Nuggets and Clippers – that had never been to an NBA Finals. The Nuggets took their name off that list, then joined San Antonio as the second original ABA team to capture the NBA’s biggest prize. The other two ABAers, the Pacers and Nets, have been to the finals but lost.

It was the Joker’s blossoming into a do-everything force – even before Monday, he was the first player to record 500 points, 250 rebounds and 150 assists in a single postseason – that made the Nuggets a team to watch. Not everybody did. A shift to winning couldn’t change Denver’s location on the map – in a weird time zone in flyover territory – and it didn’t shift everyone’s view of the Nuggets.

There’s little doubt that this has always been a Broncos-first sort of town. No single Denver victory will outshine the day in 1998 when John Elway broke through and that team’s owner, Pat Bowlen, held the Lombardi Trophy high and declared: “This one’s for John!”

But this one? It doesn’t take a back seat to much. It’s for every Dan (Issel), David (Thompson), Doug (Moe) or Dikembe (Mutombo) who ever came up short or got passed over for a newer, shinier model with more glitter and more stars.

For the first time in 47 seasons, nobody in the NBA shines brighter than the Nuggets.

“The fans in this town are unbelievable,” team owner Stan Kroenke said. “It means a lot to us to get this done.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686628867365.png" alt="Denver Nuggets players, coaches and owners pose with the Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy after their victory over the Miami Heat in Game 5 of basketball's NBA Finals, Monday, June 12, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)" />
 <figcaption>Denver Nuggets players, coaches and owners pose with the Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy after their victory over the Miami Heat in Game 5 of basketball's NBA Finals, Monday, June 12, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)</figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — Confetti flying in Denver. The Nuggets passing around the NBA championship trophy.Those scenes that, for decades, seemed impossible, then more recently started feeling inevitable, finally turned into reality Monday night.The Nuggets outlasted the Miami Heat 94-89 in an ugly, frantic Game 5 that did nothing to derail Nikola Jokic, who bailed out his teammates with 28 points and 16 rebounds on a night when nothing else seemed to work.Jokic won the Bill Russell trophy as the NBA Finals MVP — an award that certainly has more meaning to him than the two overall MVPs he won in 2021 and ’22.“We are not in it for ourselves, we are in it for the guy next to us,” Jokic said. “And that’s why this (means) even more.”Denver’s clincher was a gruesome grind.Unable to shake the tenacious Heat or the closing-night jitters, the Nuggets missed 20 of their first 22 3-pointers. They missed seven of their first 13 free throws. They led by seven late, before Miami’s Jimmy Butler went off, scoring eight straight points to give the Heat a one-point lead with 2:45 left.Butler made two more free throws with 1:58 remaining to help Miami regain a one-point lead. Then, Bruce Brown got an offensive rebound and tip-in to give the Nuggets the lead for good.Trailing by three with 15 seconds left, Butler jacked up a 3, but missed it. Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made two free throws each to put the game out of reach and clinch the title for Denver.Butler finished with 21 points.Ugly as it was, the aftermath was something the Nuggets and their fans could all agree was beautiful. There were fireworks exploding outside Ball Arena at the final buzzer. Denver is the home of the Larry O’Brien Trophy for the first time in the franchise’s 47 years in the league.“It was ugly and we couldn’t make shots, but at the end we figured it out,” Jokic said. “I am just happy we won the game.”The Heat were, as coach Erik Spoelstra promised, a gritty, tenacious bunch. But their shooting wasn’t great, either. Bam Adebayo had 20 for the Heat, but Miami shot 34% from the floor and 25% from 3. Until Butler went off, he was 2 for 13 for eight points.The Heat, who survived a loss in the play-in tournament and became only the second No. 8 seed to make it to the finals, insisted they weren’t into consolation prizes.They played like they expected to win, and for a while during this game, which was settled as much by players diving onto the floor as sweet-looking jump shots, it looked like they would.The Nuggets, who came in shooting 37.6% from 3 for the series, shot 18% in this one. They committed 14 turnovers. Even with the clutch shots from Brown and Caldwell-Pope, they only went 13 for 23 from the line.The tone of the game was set with 2:51 left in the first quarter, when Jokic got his second foul and joined Aaron Gordon on the bench. Jeff Green and Jamal Murray, who finished with 14 points and eight assists on an off night, joined them there, too.It made the Nuggets tentative on both sides of the court for the rest of the half. Somehow, after shooting 6.7% from 3 — the worst first half in the history of the finals (10-shot minimum) they only trailed by seven.True to the Nuggets’ personality, they kept pressing, came at their opponent in waves and figured out how to win a game that went against their type. Their beautiful game turned into a slugfest, but they figured it out nonetheless.“That’s why basketball is a fun sport,” Jokic said. “It’s a live thing. You cannot say, ‘This is going to happen.’ There are so many factors. I’m just happy that we won the game.”It felt almost perfect that an unheralded and once-chubby second-round draft pick from Serbia would be the one to lift Denver to the top of a league that, for decades, has been dominated by superstars, first-round draft picks and players who lead the world in sneaker and jersey sales.Over their near five-decade stay in the league, the Nuggets have been the epitome of a lovable NBA backbencher – at times entertaining, adorned by rainbows on their uniforms and headlined by colorful characters on the floor and bench. But never quite good enough to break through against the biggest stars and better teams to the east, west and south of them.Before this season, there were only two teams founded before 1980 – the Nuggets and Clippers – that had never been to an NBA Finals. The Nuggets took their name off that list, then joined San Antonio as the second original ABA team to capture the NBA’s biggest prize. The other two ABAers, the Pacers and Nets, have been to the finals but lost.It was the Joker’s blossoming into a do-everything force – even before Monday, he was the first player to record 500 points, 250 rebounds and 150 assists in a single postseason – that made the Nuggets a team to watch. Not everybody did. A shift to winning couldn’t change Denver’s location on the map – in a weird time zone in flyover territory – and it didn’t shift everyone’s view of the Nuggets.Even in Denver.There’s little doubt that this has always been a Broncos-first sort of town. No single Denver victory will outshine the day in 1998 when John Elway broke through and that team’s owner, Pat Bowlen, held the Lombardi Trophy high and declared: “This one’s for John!”But this one? It doesn’t take a back seat to much. It’s for every Dan (Issel), David (Thompson), Doug (Moe) or Dikembe (Mutombo) who ever came up short or got passed over for a newer, shinier model with more glitter and more stars.For the first time in 47 seasons, nobody in the NBA shines brighter than the Nuggets.“The fans in this town are unbelievable,” team owner Stan Kroenke said. “It means a lot to us to get this done.”

Nuggets secure first NBA title in Denver

After the first week of Jayhawk League action, the Great Bend Bat Cats stand on top of the standings.&nbsp;

Next action is Monday at home at 7 p.m. as the Bat Cats also host Jayhawk League foes Tuesday, Thursday and Friday this week. Games at Al Burns Memorial Field are free to attend.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686587548126.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>After the first week of Jayhawk League action, the Great Bend Bat Cats stand on top of the standings.&nbsp; Next action is Monday at home at 7 p.m. as the Bat Cats also host Jayhawk League foes Tuesday, Thursday and Friday this week. Games at Al Burns Memorial Field are free to attend.

After the first week, GB Bat Cats on top of the standings

Bombers Baseball 16U competed in the 18U Kansas Wood Bat State Championship. One of the draws to the tournament was getting to play the championship on Riverfront Stadium in Wichita. The state tournament consisted of two pool play games followed by a double elimination bracket. The team went 1-1 in pool play games and took the 5 seed out of seven teams traveling in from surrounding Kansas and Oklahoma communities. 

Bombers lost their first game in bracket play and started the lower bracket journey back to the championship game by winning their next three games. Ultimately, the team lost 3-0 in the Championship game after playing their third straight game. 

The team’s hitters batted .287 with wood bats. Bombers used 10 pitchers to keep opponents’ hitters at .229 for the tournament. 

Coach Chris Umphres stated, “Great experience for these boys getting to play at such a nice facility. Playing in a five-day tournament can be a grind. Pitchers and defense did a great job. Hitters probably swung the wood bats better than the stats show. The hitters were on fire and hit many balls hard right at the defense all tournament. They were disappointed losing the championship game 3-0 but everyone at that game saw that we just couldn’t catch a break. A couple plays cost us some runs but we really hit the ball well enough to win that game.” 

Bombers are off this next weekend and are entered to play in a tournament at University of Kansas the following weekend.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686577178061.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Bombers Baseball 16U competed in the 18U Kansas Wood Bat State Championship. One of the draws to the tournament was getting to play the championship on Riverfront Stadium in Wichita. The state tournament consisted of two pool play games followed by a double elimination bracket. The team went 1-1 in pool play games and took the 5 seed out of seven teams traveling in from surrounding Kansas and Oklahoma communities. Bombers lost their first game in bracket play and started the lower bracket journey back to the championship game by winning their next three games. Ultimately, the team lost 3-0 in the Championship game after playing their third straight game. The team’s hitters batted .287 with wood bats. Bombers used 10 pitchers to keep opponents’ hitters at .229 for the tournament. Coach Chris Umphres stated, “Great experience for these boys getting to play at such a nice facility. Playing in a five-day tournament can be a grind. Pitchers and defense did a great job. Hitters probably swung the wood bats better than the stats show. The hitters were on fire and hit many balls hard right at the defense all tournament. They were disappointed losing the championship game 3-0 but everyone at that game saw that we just couldn’t catch a break. A couple plays cost us some runs but we really hit the ball well enough to win that game.” Bombers are off this next weekend and are entered to play in a tournament at University of Kansas the following weekend.

Bombers Baseball competes at Riverfront Stadium in Wichita

BALTIMORE (AP) — Gunnar Henderson homered for the second consecutive day, and the Baltimore Orioles defeated Kansas City 11-3 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep and extend the Royals’ losing streak to six.

Starter Kyle Gibson earned his fourth consecutive victory for Baltimore, while Ramón Urías had four hits and Ryan O’Hearn homered as part of a three-hit day that also included two walks and four runs scored. The Orioles (41-24) have won four in a row for the first time since May 9-13 and are 17 games over .500 for the first time since July 26, 2016.

It was Baltimore’s fourth series sweep of the season and first since May 19-21 at Toronto.

Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde moved Henderson into the leadoff spot Saturday for the first time this year, and the infielder responded with a second-inning home run as part of a two-hit day.

Henderson already had two hits and a run Sunday when he smashed reliever Jackson Kowar’s slider 462 feet to right for a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Orioles/status/1667982633614073857" target="_blank">three-run blast onto Eutaw Street</a>&nbsp;in the seventh inning.

“That was loud coming off the bat,” Hyde said.

In nine games since May 30, Henderson is hitting .406 (13 for 32) and has raised his batting average from .199 to .236.

“It just goes to show me that no matter what you’re going through, you’re going to get through it,” Henderson said. “Just keep swinging and just keep trusting the process. It’s hard to do. I’ll be the first one to tell you it’s really hard to do in the moment.”

Salvador Perez homered for Kansas City, which has dropped nine of 10. The Royals (18-47) have the second-worst record in the majors, ahead of only Oakland, and have scored eight runs in their last five games.

Kansas City was 2 for 17 with runners in scoring position during the series. The Royals were swept for the seventh time this season, matching their 2022 total.

“I don’t think there’s one magic button you push to all of the sudden spark a lineup or anything,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “I think it’s consistency of the work and preparation, the quality of the at-bats and hope that we start to string some of them together.”

The Orioles took the lead for good in the third against Mike Mayers (1-2), who loaded the bases before recording the inning’s first out. Josh Lester then singled up the middle to score two runs, and James McCann followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 6-3.

Aaron Hicks added an RBI double in the fourth against Mayers, who yielded four runs in five innings of relief for the Royals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686522382624.png" alt="Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Mike Mayers throws against the Baltimore Orioles during the third inning of a baseball game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Sunday, June 11, 2023, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Jess Rapfogel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Mike Mayers throws against the Baltimore Orioles during the third inning of a baseball game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Sunday, June 11, 2023, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Jess Rapfogel)</figcaption>
 </figure>BALTIMORE (AP) — Gunnar Henderson homered for the second consecutive day, and the Baltimore Orioles defeated Kansas City 11-3 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep and extend the Royals’ losing streak to six.Starter Kyle Gibson earned his fourth consecutive victory for Baltimore, while Ramón Urías had four hits and Ryan O’Hearn homered as part of a three-hit day that also included two walks and four runs scored. The Orioles (41-24) have won four in a row for the first time since May 9-13 and are 17 games over .500 for the first time since July 26, 2016.It was Baltimore’s fourth series sweep of the season and first since May 19-21 at Toronto.Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde moved Henderson into the leadoff spot Saturday for the first time this year, and the infielder responded with a second-inning home run as part of a two-hit day.Henderson already had two hits and a run Sunday when he smashed reliever Jackson Kowar’s slider 462 feet to right for a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Orioles/status/1667982633614073857" target="_blank">three-run blast onto Eutaw Street</a>&nbsp;in the seventh inning.“That was loud coming off the bat,” Hyde said.In nine games since May 30, Henderson is hitting .406 (13 for 32) and has raised his batting average from .199 to .236.“It just goes to show me that no matter what you’re going through, you’re going to get through it,” Henderson said. “Just keep swinging and just keep trusting the process. It’s hard to do. I’ll be the first one to tell you it’s really hard to do in the moment.”Salvador Perez homered for Kansas City, which has dropped nine of 10. The Royals (18-47) have the second-worst record in the majors, ahead of only Oakland, and have scored eight runs in their last five games.Kansas City was 2 for 17 with runners in scoring position during the series. The Royals were swept for the seventh time this season, matching their 2022 total.“I don’t think there’s one magic button you push to all of the sudden spark a lineup or anything,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “I think it’s consistency of the work and preparation, the quality of the at-bats and hope that we start to string some of them together.”The Orioles took the lead for good in the third against Mike Mayers (1-2), who loaded the bases before recording the inning’s first out. Josh Lester then singled up the middle to score two runs, and James McCann followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 6-3.Aaron Hicks added an RBI double in the fourth against Mayers, who yielded four runs in five innings of relief for the Royals.

O'Hearn homers, Orioles complete sweep of Royals 11-3

BALTIMORE (AP) — Cole Irvin earned his first victory with Baltimore, Gunnar Henderson and Adam Frazier homered and the Orioles stretched the Kansas City Royals’ losing streak to five with a 6-1 victory on Saturday.

Baltimore has won three in a row for the first time since a May 19-21 sweep of Toronto. At 40-24, the Orioles are 16 games over .500, tied for a season high.

Kansas City (18-46) has lost eight of nine and has the second-worst record on the majors, ahead of only Oakland (16-50).

Irvin (1-2) allowed one run and six hits — on Freddy Fermin’s RBI single in the fifth — over 5 1/3 innings while striking out five.

“I’m just happy to be in the win column — in this uniform, too,” Irvin said.

The right-hander, acquired in January from Oakland, was expected to be part of Baltimore’s rotation after pitching to a 3.98 ERA in 30 starts for the Athletics last season.

Instead, he was sent to Triple-A Norfolk after a 10.66 ERA in three April starts. He remained in the minors except for a one-game big league relief appearance on May 20.

“Humility goes a long way, and I think there some things I needed to address as a man and I felt like I did that down there,” Irvin said.

Recalled Saturday to make his first major league start since April 13, Irvin demonstrated much better control, walking none after issuing eight over 12 2/3 innings over his first three starts.

“His first couple starts here, he just had a lot of walks and was pitching behind in the count,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. “Today, he was more aggressive in the strike zone and pitching to contact.”

Irvin was also helped by his defense. Rightfielder Anthony Santander robbed Maikel Garcia of extra bases to end the first, and centerfielder Aaron Hicks made a diving catch on Fermin’s fly to close the second.

Kansas City was 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position and has five runs in its last four games.

“It’s been a handful of days where we’ve struggled to score and nobody’s going to be happy with that,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “These guys are all diligent workers and they give their best and when they’re not getting the results, it’s frustrating.”

Baltimore scored twice in the first as Brady Singer (4-5) labored through a 39-pitch inning. Santander doubled in a run with one out, then came around three batters later on Ryan O’Hearn’s single.

Henderson, batting leadoff for the first time this season and the third time in 90 career games, hit Singer’s first-pitch slider to left-center in the second for a 3-0 lead. Austin Hays added an RBI single to chase Singer with one out in the fifth.

Frazier hit a two-run homer in the eighth off Scott Barlow.

Royals: Kansas City reinstated OF Edward Olivares from the restricted list and placed 1B Vinnie Pasquantino (right shoulder instability) on the 10-day injured list.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686459517449.png" alt="Kansas City Royals center fielder Drew Waters (6) makes a catch on a fly ball by Baltimore Orioles' Austin Hays during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, June 10, 2023, in Baltimore. Royals right fielder MJ Melendez (1) watches the play. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals center fielder Drew Waters (6) makes a catch on a fly ball by Baltimore Orioles' Austin Hays during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, June 10, 2023, in Baltimore. Royals right fielder MJ Melendez (1) watches the play. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)</figcaption>
 </figure>BALTIMORE (AP) — Cole Irvin earned his first victory with Baltimore, Gunnar Henderson and Adam Frazier homered and the Orioles stretched the Kansas City Royals’ losing streak to five with a 6-1 victory on Saturday.Baltimore has won three in a row for the first time since a May 19-21 sweep of Toronto. At 40-24, the Orioles are 16 games over .500, tied for a season high.Kansas City (18-46) has lost eight of nine and has the second-worst record on the majors, ahead of only Oakland (16-50).Irvin (1-2) allowed one run and six hits — on Freddy Fermin’s RBI single in the fifth — over 5 1/3 innings while striking out five.“I’m just happy to be in the win column — in this uniform, too,” Irvin said.The right-hander, acquired in January from Oakland, was expected to be part of Baltimore’s rotation after pitching to a 3.98 ERA in 30 starts for the Athletics last season.Instead, he was sent to Triple-A Norfolk after a 10.66 ERA in three April starts. He remained in the minors except for a one-game big league relief appearance on May 20.“Humility goes a long way, and I think there some things I needed to address as a man and I felt like I did that down there,” Irvin said.Recalled Saturday to make his first major league start since April 13, Irvin demonstrated much better control, walking none after issuing eight over 12 2/3 innings over his first three starts.“His first couple starts here, he just had a lot of walks and was pitching behind in the count,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. “Today, he was more aggressive in the strike zone and pitching to contact.”Irvin was also helped by his defense. Rightfielder Anthony Santander robbed Maikel Garcia of extra bases to end the first, and centerfielder Aaron Hicks made a diving catch on Fermin’s fly to close the second.Kansas City was 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position and has five runs in its last four games.“It’s been a handful of days where we’ve struggled to score and nobody’s going to be happy with that,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “These guys are all diligent workers and they give their best and when they’re not getting the results, it’s frustrating.”Baltimore scored twice in the first as Brady Singer (4-5) labored through a 39-pitch inning. Santander doubled in a run with one out, then came around three batters later on Ryan O’Hearn’s single.Henderson, batting leadoff for the first time this season and the third time in 90 career games, hit Singer’s first-pitch slider to left-center in the second for a 3-0 lead. Austin Hays added an RBI single to chase Singer with one out in the fifth.Frazier hit a two-run homer in the eighth off Scott Barlow.Royals: Kansas City reinstated OF Edward Olivares from the restricted list and placed 1B Vinnie Pasquantino (right shoulder instability) on the 10-day injured list.

Pasquantino to 10-day DL, Royals drop fifth straight

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — With no time left on the clock in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stanley-cup-final-florida-panthers-vegas-golden-knights-de71ab974e02a46bfa472b4836c724d9">Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final,</a>&nbsp;helmets, gloves, sticks and plastic rats littered the ice, the result of a fracas started in the final seconds of an emotional showdown.

For all the punches, pushes and shoves that accumulated in the melee, none of them changed the result: The Vegas Golden Knights are on the verge of winning their first Stanley Cup title.

Vegas held on to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/panthers-stanley-cup-final-2023-nhl-vegas-87ee166a2dd7778a9c059a8042d8bb99">beat the Florida Panthers</a>&nbsp;3-2 on Saturday night, staving off a rally that culminated with one final shot block and a big save at the end to take a 3-1 series lead in the Cup final.

“Obviously, that was a battle till the last second,” Vegas forward Nicolas Roy. “They pushed back there. We knew they would. They’ve been doing it all series. But it’s nice to get that one, for sure.”

The Golden Knights can win the NHL championship on home ice Tuesday night.

“We’ve played really well at home here in the playoffs, so you’ve got to feel pretty good going home with a 3-1 lead,” defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said.

Chandler Stephenson scored twice for the Golden Knights, and William Karlsson broke through to end his series-long goal drought to build a 3-0 lead. The Panthers scored twice — Brandon Montour on a pinball goal late in the second period, and Aleksander Barkov’s first of the series early in the third — to claw back into it.

But their rally fell short and put Florida, eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and final team to qualify for the playoffs, on the brink of this improbable run coming to an end.

“We’ve earned the right to play our best hockey,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “Where we’ve been at our strongest is at the most critical time. I think you’ll see that.”

Down 2-1 in the series, Sergei Bobrovsky again almost kept the Panthers afloat, stopping 28 of the 31 shots he faced and giving up goals when teammates left him out to dry. At the other end of the ice, journeyman goaltender Adin Hill made 29 saves for his 10th win since stepping in during the middle of the second round.

“It’s a credit to him for being prepared when he did come in there a few series ago,” Pietrangelo said. “You’ve got to be happy for him.”

The Golden Knights need only win one more game to deliver a championship to Las Vegas in just their sixth year of existence, making good on owner Bill Foley’s goal to win the Stanley Cup in that period of time. They reached the final in their inaugural season in 2017-18 before losing to Washington in five games.

Vegas is more talented and has certainly looked more prepared for the spotlight this time around. Stephenson — who beat them five years ago as a member of the Capitals — and Hill were trade acquisitions, as was first-line center Jack Eichel and captain Mark Stone, who had two assists in Game 4.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stanley-cup-final-nhl-playoffs-golden-knights-panthers-c4734869b4a6fa07d424204afb3cb51d">A couple of original Knights players</a>&nbsp;also helped them take the penultimate step to the peak of hockey’s mountaintop. Jonathan Marchessault assisted on Karlsson’s goal that made it 3-0, his 24th point that ties for the playoff lead in scoring.

Then the Panthers made it interesting. Montour scored by banking the puck off the right skate of Brayden McNabb and then the right skate of Shea Theodore and past Hill with 3:51 remaining in the second period and set up Barkov with a perfect pass from behind the net 3:50 into the third.

Missing leading scorer Matthew Tkachuk for several shifts, Florida kept buzzing around Hill and got a few more big stops from Bobrovsky to continue the pressure. A 17.4 second 6-on-4 advantage when veteran Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo put the puck over the glass provided a final few chances but did not yield the team’s first power-play goal of the series.

It also caused a scrum that resulted in six penalties, including two unsportsmanlike penalties and two misconducts.

“I kind of felt my helmet get ripped off, and they had six guys on the ice, we had four, so get in there a bit and try and help out teammates,” said Hill, who threw some punches as part of the melee. “I don’t know if there’s really a message to be sent. We’re just getting ready for (Game 5) Tuesday.”

That will be a last gasp chance for the Panthers, who will have to have to replicate their opening round comeback from down 3-1 to Boston to keep Vegas from winning it all.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686459284481.png" alt="Vegas Golden Knights center Chandler Stephenson (20) celebrates after scoring a goal against Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during the first period in Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Saturday, June 10, 2023, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)" />
 <figcaption>Vegas Golden Knights center Chandler Stephenson (20) celebrates after scoring a goal against Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during the first period in Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Saturday, June 10, 2023, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)</figcaption>
 </figure>SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — With no time left on the clock in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stanley-cup-final-florida-panthers-vegas-golden-knights-de71ab974e02a46bfa472b4836c724d9">Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final,</a>&nbsp;helmets, gloves, sticks and plastic rats littered the ice, the result of a fracas started in the final seconds of an emotional showdown.For all the punches, pushes and shoves that accumulated in the melee, none of them changed the result: The Vegas Golden Knights are on the verge of winning their first Stanley Cup title.Vegas held on to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/panthers-stanley-cup-final-2023-nhl-vegas-87ee166a2dd7778a9c059a8042d8bb99">beat the Florida Panthers</a>&nbsp;3-2 on Saturday night, staving off a rally that culminated with one final shot block and a big save at the end to take a 3-1 series lead in the Cup final.“Obviously, that was a battle till the last second,” Vegas forward Nicolas Roy. “They pushed back there. We knew they would. They’ve been doing it all series. But it’s nice to get that one, for sure.”The Golden Knights can win the NHL championship on home ice Tuesday night.“We’ve played really well at home here in the playoffs, so you’ve got to feel pretty good going home with a 3-1 lead,” defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said.Getting to this point wasn’t easy.Chandler Stephenson scored twice for the Golden Knights, and William Karlsson broke through to end his series-long goal drought to build a 3-0 lead. The Panthers scored twice — Brandon Montour on a pinball goal late in the second period, and Aleksander Barkov’s first of the series early in the third — to claw back into it.But their rally fell short and put Florida, eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and final team to qualify for the playoffs, on the brink of this improbable run coming to an end.“We’ve earned the right to play our best hockey,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “Where we’ve been at our strongest is at the most critical time. I think you’ll see that.”Down 2-1 in the series, Sergei Bobrovsky again almost kept the Panthers afloat, stopping 28 of the 31 shots he faced and giving up goals when teammates left him out to dry. At the other end of the ice, journeyman goaltender Adin Hill made 29 saves for his 10th win since stepping in during the middle of the second round.“It’s a credit to him for being prepared when he did come in there a few series ago,” Pietrangelo said. “You’ve got to be happy for him.”The Golden Knights need only win one more game to deliver a championship to Las Vegas in just their sixth year of existence, making good on owner Bill Foley’s goal to win the Stanley Cup in that period of time. They reached the final in their inaugural season in 2017-18 before losing to Washington in five games.Vegas is more talented and has certainly looked more prepared for the spotlight this time around. Stephenson — who beat them five years ago as a member of the Capitals — and Hill were trade acquisitions, as was first-line center Jack Eichel and captain Mark Stone, who had two assists in Game 4.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stanley-cup-final-nhl-playoffs-golden-knights-panthers-c4734869b4a6fa07d424204afb3cb51d">A couple of original Knights players</a>&nbsp;also helped them take the penultimate step to the peak of hockey’s mountaintop. Jonathan Marchessault assisted on Karlsson’s goal that made it 3-0, his 24th point that ties for the playoff lead in scoring.Then the Panthers made it interesting. Montour scored by banking the puck off the right skate of Brayden McNabb and then the right skate of Shea Theodore and past Hill with 3:51 remaining in the second period and set up Barkov with a perfect pass from behind the net 3:50 into the third.Missing leading scorer Matthew Tkachuk for several shifts, Florida kept buzzing around Hill and got a few more big stops from Bobrovsky to continue the pressure. A 17.4 second 6-on-4 advantage when veteran Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo put the puck over the glass provided a final few chances but did not yield the team’s first power-play goal of the series.It also caused a scrum that resulted in six penalties, including two unsportsmanlike penalties and two misconducts.“I kind of felt my helmet get ripped off, and they had six guys on the ice, we had four, so get in there a bit and try and help out teammates,” said Hill, who threw some punches as part of the melee. “I don’t know if there’s really a message to be sent. We’re just getting ready for (Game 5) Tuesday.”That will be a last gasp chance for the Panthers, who will have to have to replicate their opening round comeback from down 3-1 to Boston to keep Vegas from winning it all.

Vegas a game away from Stanley Cup after 3-2 win

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

They may or may not be wearing the colors of Kansas colleges, but several Kansas athletes have represented the state well at the NCAA Div. I State Track and Field Championships this week in Austin, Texas.

The men's high jump Friday evening featured two of Kansas' best high jumpers in recent years, both now jumping for the University of Nebraska. Sterling's Tyus Wilson, a freshman in Lincoln who is tied for No. 3 all-time in Kansas at 7-3, tied for fourth with a top height of 7-1. Husker senior Michael Hoffer, a Shawnee Heights graduate, tied for 14th at 6-11. Wichita State junior Brady Palen, a Beloit-St. John's graduate, placed 18th at 6-11.

The javelin competition Thursday evening featured the two best throwers in Kansas high school history. Andale's Katelyn Fairchild finished third in the competition with a top throw of 190-2 for Texas A&amp;M. Olathe North's Dana Baker, now at Duke, placed 15th on a throw of 168-3. Baker, in 2018, became the only Kansas high school thrower with the IAAF-approved javelin to break 180 feet. Fairchild's sister, Mackenzie, a three-time gold medalist thrower in Class 4A this spring, will join Katelyn at Texas A&amp;M next year.

The men's javelin competition also featured a top-five national finisher from Kansas. Manhattan's Sam Hankins reached 224-6 in 2019 to rank No. 4 all-time among Kansas high school throws. Wednesday he threw 249-11 to place fifth for Texas A&amp;M. Baylor took the bronze at 257-1.

Thursday's women's 10,000m run featured three of the top-four 3200m runners all-time in Kansas high school history. Lawrence Free State's Emily Venters, now a senior at Utah, led part of the race and played a key role in stretching out the race near the finish. She placed second in 32:47.70, eight seconds from the title. Iowa State senior Cailie Logue, formerly of Girard and ranked No. 2 all-time in Kansas, placed sixth in 33:06.86. Molly Born, ranked No. 1 all-time in Kansas and now a sophomore at Oklahoma State, finished 13th in 33:54.16.

Andover's Tayton Klein won two Class 5A hurdle golds, a long jump gold, and the 100m dash bronze at the KSHSAA State Championships in 2022. Now a freshman at the University of Kansas, Klein was sitting in the No. 10 spot of the decathlon after the completion of five of the 10 events. He did not finish the final 1500m run, dropping to 20th overall. He finished with 6,753 points to miss the top-10 by nearly 1,000 points. Texas junior Leo Neugebauer scored 8,836 points to win the gold by 206 points with a new NCAA record.

Kansas had ties in the men's pole vault competition Wednesday. Zach Bradford, a former standout at the University of Kansas, finished third for Texas Tech with a top clearance of 18-4.5. Sophomore Clayton Simms, a Louisiana native, placed fifth for the Jayhawks at 18-4.5. Kansas State University's Emma Robbins, a junior from California, placed fourth in the hammer with a top throw of 229-3. She missed the bronze by just more than five feet.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686370486605.jpeg" alt="Sterling's Tyus Wilson cleared the high jump bar at 7-2 for a new Kansas Class 2A state meet record in 2021. Jumping for the University of Nebraska in the NCAA National Championships Friday in Austin, Texas, Wilson cleared 7-1 to tie for fourth." />
 <figcaption>Sterling's Tyus Wilson cleared the high jump bar at 7-2 for a new Kansas Class 2A state meet record in 2021. Jumping for the University of Nebraska in the NCAA National Championships Friday in Austin, Texas, Wilson cleared 7-1 to tie for fourth.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThey may or may not be wearing the colors of Kansas colleges, but several Kansas athletes have represented the state well at the NCAA Div. I State Track and Field Championships this week in Austin, Texas.The men's high jump Friday evening featured two of Kansas' best high jumpers in recent years, both now jumping for the University of Nebraska. Sterling's Tyus Wilson, a freshman in Lincoln who is tied for No. 3 all-time in Kansas at 7-3, tied for fourth with a top height of 7-1. Husker senior Michael Hoffer, a Shawnee Heights graduate, tied for 14th at 6-11. Wichita State junior Brady Palen, a Beloit-St. John's graduate, placed 18th at 6-11.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686370680734.jpeg" alt="Katelyn Fairchild, an Andale graduated now at Texas A&amp;M, placed third in the javelin competition Thursday." />
 <figcaption>Katelyn Fairchild, an Andale graduated now at Texas A&amp;M, placed third in the javelin competition Thursday.</figcaption>
 </figure>The javelin competition Thursday evening featured the two best throwers in Kansas high school history. Andale's Katelyn Fairchild finished third in the competition with a top throw of 190-2 for Texas A&amp;M. Olathe North's Dana Baker, now at Duke, placed 15th on a throw of 168-3. Baker, in 2018, became the only Kansas high school thrower with the IAAF-approved javelin to break 180 feet. Fairchild's sister, Mackenzie, a three-time gold medalist thrower in Class 4A this spring, will join Katelyn at Texas A&amp;M next year.The men's javelin competition also featured a top-five national finisher from Kansas. Manhattan's Sam Hankins reached 224-6 in 2019 to rank No. 4 all-time among Kansas high school throws. Wednesday he threw 249-11 to place fifth for Texas A&amp;M. Baylor took the bronze at 257-1.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686371360773.jpeg" alt="Utah's Emily Venters, seen here as a Lawrence Free State runner in 2018, placed second in the NCAA 10,000m finals Thursday." />
 <figcaption>Utah's Emily Venters, seen here as a Lawrence Free State runner in 2018, placed second in the NCAA 10,000m finals Thursday.</figcaption>
 </figure>Thursday's women's 10,000m run featured three of the top-four 3200m runners all-time in Kansas high school history. Lawrence Free State's Emily Venters, now a senior at Utah, led part of the race and played a key role in stretching out the race near the finish. She placed second in 32:47.70, eight seconds from the title. Iowa State senior Cailie Logue, formerly of Girard and ranked No. 2 all-time in Kansas, placed sixth in 33:06.86. Molly Born, ranked No. 1 all-time in Kansas and now a sophomore at Oklahoma State, finished 13th in 33:54.16.Andover's Tayton Klein won two Class 5A hurdle golds, a long jump gold, and the 100m dash bronze at the KSHSAA State Championships in 2022. Now a freshman at the University of Kansas, Klein was sitting in the No. 10 spot of the decathlon after the completion of five of the 10 events. He did not finish the final 1500m run, dropping to 20th overall. He finished with 6,753 points to miss the top-10 by nearly 1,000 points. Texas junior Leo Neugebauer scored 8,836 points to win the gold by 206 points with a new NCAA record.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686371515373.jpeg" alt="Texas Tech's fifth-year senior Zach Bradford set a KU Relays pole vault record in 2019 as a Jayhawk. He placed third for Red Raiders Wednesday in the NCAA Nationals." />
 <figcaption>Texas Tech's fifth-year senior Zach Bradford set a KU Relays pole vault record in 2019 as a Jayhawk. He placed third for Red Raiders Wednesday in the NCAA Nationals.</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas had ties in the men's pole vault competition Wednesday. Zach Bradford, a former standout at the University of Kansas, finished third for Texas Tech with a top clearance of 18-4.5. Sophomore Clayton Simms, a Louisiana native, placed fifth for the Jayhawks at 18-4.5. Kansas State University's Emma Robbins, a junior from California, placed fourth in the hammer with a top throw of 229-3. She missed the bronze by just more than five feet.

Kansas athletes performing well at NCAA track and field finals

MIAMI (AP) — The mission for the Denver Nuggets was clear: Come to Miami, get two wins and head back home with a chance to finally become NBA champions.

The 47-year wait for Denver might be over as soon as Monday, with Nikola Jokic and his Nuggets now just one win away from getting the title that he’s wanted for so long. Aaron Gordon scored 27 points, Jokic added 23 and the Nuggets beat the Miami Heat 108-95 on Friday night to take a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.

“We haven’t done a damn thing yet,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “We have to win another game to be world champions.”

Bruce Brown scored 21 off the bench for the Nuggets, who won their fifth straight road game to grab complete command. They’ll have three chances to win one game for a title, two of those in Denver, the first of them in what’s sure to be a raucous atmosphere for Game 5.

Jamal Murray had 15 points and 12 assists — his fourth consecutive double-digit assist game — for Denver.

“Today was a team effort.” Murray said. “I can’t even name one person. Everybody locked in. We’ve got one more to go.”

Jimmy Butler scored 25 points for Miami, which has now fallen into 3-1 holes in each of its last three finals appearances — this one joining 2014 and 2020. Bam Adebayo had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat, while Kyle Lowry added 13 points.

The Heat walked off the floor in silence, fully aware of how much trouble they’re in now.

The Nuggets were overwhelming favorites to start the series, for obvious reasons. Denver was the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed; Miami was the Eastern Conference’s No. 8 seed. The Nuggets had won nine of the last 10 regular-season meetings between the teams, and their run of success over the Heat has continued through four games of the finals.

“Our guys are locked in, man,” Malone said. “We’re focused.”

Denver led by 13 going into the fourth, and Miami came out for the final quarter with appropriate desperation. The Heat scored the first eight points, Jokic committed his fifth foul and had to go to the bench with 9:24 left — and it was down to 86-81 when Butler converted a three-point play with 8:42 remaining.

But the Nuggets — who fell apart in the fourth quarter of Game 2 for their lone loss of the series — didn’t fold, even with their two-time MVP still out. Murray made a 3-pointer to stop Miami’s 8-0 spurt, and Jeff Green made a huge corner 3 from near the Heat bench for a 94-85 edge with 6:21 left.

Jokic checked out with Denver up 10. He came back with the Nuggets up nine. Miami didn’t take advantage of that chance, and now finds itself on the wrong end of history.

Teams that take a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals have won 35 out of 36 previous times, and the Heat will have to buck that trend to keep Denver from winning its title.

“We have an incredibly competitive group,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We’ve done everything the hard way and that’s the way it’s going to have to be done right now — again. And all we’re going to focus on is getting this thing back to the 305. Get this thing back to Miami. And things can shift very quickly.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686368975052.png" alt=".Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (50)dunks the ball during the first half of Game 4 of the basketball NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, Friday, June 9, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)" />
 <figcaption>.Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (50)dunks the ball during the first half of Game 4 of the basketball NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, Friday, June 9, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)</figcaption>
 </figure>MIAMI (AP) — The mission for the Denver Nuggets was clear: Come to Miami, get two wins and head back home with a chance to finally become NBA champions.It’s officially there for the taking.The 47-year wait for Denver might be over as soon as Monday, with Nikola Jokic and his Nuggets now just one win away from getting the title that he’s wanted for so long. Aaron Gordon scored 27 points, Jokic added 23 and the Nuggets beat the Miami Heat 108-95 on Friday night to take a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.“We haven’t done a damn thing yet,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “We have to win another game to be world champions.”Bruce Brown scored 21 off the bench for the Nuggets, who won their fifth straight road game to grab complete command. They’ll have three chances to win one game for a title, two of those in Denver, the first of them in what’s sure to be a raucous atmosphere for Game 5.Jamal Murray had 15 points and 12 assists — his fourth consecutive double-digit assist game — for Denver.“Today was a team effort.” Murray said. “I can’t even name one person. Everybody locked in. We’ve got one more to go.”Jimmy Butler scored 25 points for Miami, which has now fallen into 3-1 holes in each of its last three finals appearances — this one joining 2014 and 2020. Bam Adebayo had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat, while Kyle Lowry added 13 points.The Heat walked off the floor in silence, fully aware of how much trouble they’re in now.The Nuggets were overwhelming favorites to start the series, for obvious reasons. Denver was the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed; Miami was the Eastern Conference’s No. 8 seed. The Nuggets had won nine of the last 10 regular-season meetings between the teams, and their run of success over the Heat has continued through four games of the finals.“Our guys are locked in, man,” Malone said. “We’re focused.”Denver led by 13 going into the fourth, and Miami came out for the final quarter with appropriate desperation. The Heat scored the first eight points, Jokic committed his fifth foul and had to go to the bench with 9:24 left — and it was down to 86-81 when Butler converted a three-point play with 8:42 remaining.But the Nuggets — who fell apart in the fourth quarter of Game 2 for their lone loss of the series — didn’t fold, even with their two-time MVP still out. Murray made a 3-pointer to stop Miami’s 8-0 spurt, and Jeff Green made a huge corner 3 from near the Heat bench for a 94-85 edge with 6:21 left.Jokic checked out with Denver up 10. He came back with the Nuggets up nine. Miami didn’t take advantage of that chance, and now finds itself on the wrong end of history.Teams that take a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals have won 35 out of 36 previous times, and the Heat will have to buck that trend to keep Denver from winning its title.“We have an incredibly competitive group,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We’ve done everything the hard way and that’s the way it’s going to have to be done right now — again. And all we’re going to focus on is getting this thing back to the 305. Get this thing back to Miami. And things can shift very quickly.”

Nuggets take 3-1 lead in NBA Finals with 108-95 win

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Overtime. Season on the line. The Florida Panthers keep finding ways to flourish in those moments.

And for the first time, they’ve won a game in the Stanley Cup Final.

Carter Verhaeghe snapped a wrister from the slot into the high back of the net 4:27 into overtime and the Panthers rallied to beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on Thursday night in Game 3. Vegas still leads the title series 2-1, but Florida has life and found a way to turn overtime into its favorite time once again.

The Panthers are 7-0 in these playoffs in OT — actually winning more games in extra sessions than they’ve won in regulation.

“We’re the Cats,” Verhaeghe said. “We have whatever lives we have, but it’s awesome. It shows how great our team is and the guys on our team have no quit in them.”

Matthew Tkachuk tied it with 2:13 left in the third period for the Panthers, who got the franchise’s first title-series game win in seven tries. Florida had to fend off a power play to start overtime, and Verhaeghe got the winner with Tkachuk providing some traffic in front of the net.

“I had a little bit of time to walk in and shoot,” Verhaeghe said. “I’m so happy it went in.”

Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 25 shots for Florida. Adin Hill made 20 saves for Vegas, but got beat on the only shot that came his way in overtime.

Brandon Montour also scored for Florida, which pulled Bobrovsky down 2-1 late in the third for the extra attacker and Tkachuk — who left for parts of the first and second periods after taking a big hit — made that move pay off when he tied the game.

His goal breathed life into a very nervous building. But the Panthers were furious — and replays showed they had a case — when Gustav Forsling was sent to the box with 11.2 seconds remaining for tripping. Florida survived that scare, and a few minutes later, had life in the series again.

The odds are still long, but the Panthers at least have a bit more statistical hope now. Of the previous 55 teams to trail 2-1 at this point of the Stanley Cup Final, 11 have actually rallied to hoist the trophy.

It’s improbable, sure. So are the Panthers, who were the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, were down 3-1 to Boston in Round 1, were 133 seconds away from trailing this series 3-0 — and now have tons of reasons for optimism.

Jonathan Marchessault and Mark Stone each had power-play goals for Vegas.

Marchessault’s goal was his 13th in his last 13 playoff games, his fourth of this series and his third with the man advantage.

As if all that wasn’t enough, there was a little history in there as well. Vegas joined the 1980 New York Islanders as the only team with at least two power-play goals in three consecutive games in the Cup final. And Marchessault became the third player in the last 35 years to score in each of the first three games of a title series — joining Steve Yzerman in 1997 with Detroit and Jake Guentzel with Pittsburgh in 2017.

But it wasn’t enough to give Vegas a 3-0 lead in the series.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686283534328.png" alt="Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) celebrates the game winning goal by teammate Carter Verhaeghe during overtime in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Sunrise, Fla. The Florida Panthers defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)" />
 <figcaption>Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) celebrates the game winning goal by teammate Carter Verhaeghe during overtime in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Sunrise, Fla. The Florida Panthers defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)</figcaption>
 </figure>SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Overtime. Season on the line. The Florida Panthers keep finding ways to flourish in those moments.And for the first time, they’ve won a game in the Stanley Cup Final.Carter Verhaeghe snapped a wrister from the slot into the high back of the net 4:27 into overtime and the Panthers rallied to beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on Thursday night in Game 3. Vegas still leads the title series 2-1, but Florida has life and found a way to turn overtime into its favorite time once again.The Panthers are 7-0 in these playoffs in OT — actually winning more games in extra sessions than they’ve won in regulation.“We’re the Cats,” Verhaeghe said. “We have whatever lives we have, but it’s awesome. It shows how great our team is and the guys on our team have no quit in them.”Matthew Tkachuk tied it with 2:13 left in the third period for the Panthers, who got the franchise’s first title-series game win in seven tries. Florida had to fend off a power play to start overtime, and Verhaeghe got the winner with Tkachuk providing some traffic in front of the net.“I had a little bit of time to walk in and shoot,” Verhaeghe said. “I’m so happy it went in.”Game 4 is Saturday night.Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 25 shots for Florida. Adin Hill made 20 saves for Vegas, but got beat on the only shot that came his way in overtime.Brandon Montour also scored for Florida, which pulled Bobrovsky down 2-1 late in the third for the extra attacker and Tkachuk — who left for parts of the first and second periods after taking a big hit — made that move pay off when he tied the game.His goal breathed life into a very nervous building. But the Panthers were furious — and replays showed they had a case — when Gustav Forsling was sent to the box with 11.2 seconds remaining for tripping. Florida survived that scare, and a few minutes later, had life in the series again.The odds are still long, but the Panthers at least have a bit more statistical hope now. Of the previous 55 teams to trail 2-1 at this point of the Stanley Cup Final, 11 have actually rallied to hoist the trophy.It’s improbable, sure. So are the Panthers, who were the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, were down 3-1 to Boston in Round 1, were 133 seconds away from trailing this series 3-0 — and now have tons of reasons for optimism.Jonathan Marchessault and Mark Stone each had power-play goals for Vegas.Marchessault’s goal was his 13th in his last 13 playoff games, his fourth of this series and his third with the man advantage.As if all that wasn’t enough, there was a little history in there as well. Vegas joined the 1980 New York Islanders as the only team with at least two power-play goals in three consecutive games in the Cup final. And Marchessault became the third player in the last 35 years to score in each of the first three games of a title series — joining Steve Yzerman in 1997 with Detroit and Jake Guentzel with Pittsburgh in 2017.But it wasn’t enough to give Vegas a 3-0 lead in the series.

Florida avoids 3-0 deficit with overtime win against Vegas

BELOIT - Several area football players will play in the Kansas Eight Man All-Star Football Game this Saturday at Trojan Field in Beloit. The Division II All-Star game kicks off at 10:00 a.m., the Division I game will start at 1:30 p.m.

Area players on the Division I West roster Ryan Kuckelman - Macksville Gustavo Portillo - Macksville Head Coach: Kyle Bright - Macksville

Area players on the Division I East roster Braxton Lafferty - Little River Grant Stephens - Little River Toby Jesseph - Little River

Area players on the Division II West roster Dylan Gantz - Stafford Josh Hildebrand - Stafford Evan Stratmann - Central Plains Assistant Coach: Mitch Engelken - Stafford

BELOIT - Several area football players will play in the Kansas Eight Man All-Star Football Game this Saturday at Trojan Field in Beloit. The Division II All-Star game kicks off at 10:00 a.m., the Division I game will start at 1:30 p.m.Area players on the Division I West roster Ryan Kuckelman - Macksville Gustavo Portillo - Macksville Head Coach: Kyle Bright - MacksvilleArea players on the Division I East roster Braxton Lafferty - Little River Grant Stephens - Little River Toby Jesseph - Little RiverArea players on the Division II West roster Dylan Gantz - Stafford Josh Hildebrand - Stafford Evan Stratmann - Central Plains Assistant Coach: Mitch Engelken - Stafford<figure>
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🏈 Area players in Saturday's Kansas 8-Man All-Star Game

IRVING, Texas&nbsp;– Today, the Big 12 Conference announced the launch of Big 12 Mexico, the Conference’s first international extension that will see Big 12 men’s and women’s basketball, women’s soccer and baseball games held in Mexico with the Kansas Jayhawks being at the forefront of the innovative initiative.

Big 12 Mexico’s first contest will be a men’s and women’s basketball matchup between Kansas and Houston, held in Mexico City at Arena CDMX in 2024. Following the launch of Big 12 basketball in Mexico, Big 12 women’s soccer and baseball will participate in exhibitions against clubs from the region.

Additionally, the Big 12 will explore establishing a football bowl game in Monterrey, starting in 2026. This would be the first bowl game ever held in Mexico.

“Mexico is a natural extension to the Big 12 footprint, and I’m thrilled to introduce Big 12 Mexico as the Conference’s first-ever international presence,” said&nbsp;Commissioner Brett Yormark.&nbsp;“Through Big 12 Mexico, our student-athletes will have the opportunity to compete in an international setting, and our Conference will have the chance to showcase our brand across Mexico.”

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686235576189.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>Kansas AthleticsIRVING, Texas&nbsp;– Today, the Big 12 Conference announced the launch of Big 12 Mexico, the Conference’s first international extension that will see Big 12 men’s and women’s basketball, women’s soccer and baseball games held in Mexico with the Kansas Jayhawks being at the forefront of the innovative initiative.Big 12 Mexico’s first contest will be a men’s and women’s basketball matchup between Kansas and Houston, held in Mexico City at Arena CDMX in 2024. Following the launch of Big 12 basketball in Mexico, Big 12 women’s soccer and baseball will participate in exhibitions against clubs from the region.Additionally, the Big 12 will explore establishing a football bowl game in Monterrey, starting in 2026. This would be the first bowl game ever held in Mexico.“Mexico is a natural extension to the Big 12 footprint, and I’m thrilled to introduce Big 12 Mexico as the Conference’s first-ever international presence,” said&nbsp;Commissioner Brett Yormark.&nbsp;“Through Big 12 Mexico, our student-athletes will have the opportunity to compete in an international setting, and our Conference will have the chance to showcase our brand across Mexico.”Kansas Men’s and Women’s Basketball will travel to Mexico City in December of 2024 to participate in their respective matchups against Houston."Behind Commissioner (Brett) Yormark, the Big 12 is doing a lot to expand the conference brand, and one way they are doing this is by playing a game in Mexico City. Kelvin (Sampson) has built Houston back to a national power and this should be a great matchup. We’re excited to play a game in Mexico City and represent the Big 12."KANSAS MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH BILL SELF"Basketball is a global game and I commend Commissioner Yormark and the Big 12 for expanding the league’s reach into Mexico. We look forward to the challenge of competing against Houston and playing the game in Mexico City. This will provide great exposure for our program and our conference."KANSAS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH BRANDON SCHNEIDERLeading up to the launch of Big 12 Mexico and throughout 2023, Fox and ESPN will help seed the Big 12 product across Mexico and Spanish-speaking communities through ESPN Deportes (U.S – based), ESPN Mexico (Mexico – based) and Fox Deportes (U.S. – based) channels, which will air select Big 12 football and basketball games. Additionally, the Big 12 will look to secure for the first time Spanish radio broadcasts for Big 12 Football and Basketball Championships in 2023-24 and beyond, and will implement a robust Mexico digital strategy.The Big 12 Conference will team up with Mexico City-based live entertainment agency Zignia as a co-promotional partner. Zignia will support with marketing and sales of Big 12 Mexico events, as well as provide the Conference with their depth of resources. Additionally, On Location, an Endeavor-owned company, will assist with all school travel and VIP packages, while Endeavor will assist the Conference in all facets of its international digital strategy.&nbsp;The Big 12 Business Advisory Board will also continue to provide key insights and counsel as the Conference grows its presence in Mexico.Beyond hosting Conference games across multiple sports, Big 12 Mexico will see the Conference execute a variety of community outreach programming, commercial partnerships, merchandise and activations. This includes the Conference partnering with notable musicians and artists and launching an influencer marketing campaign in the region.Five current and future Big 12 Conference campuses – Baylor, Houston, TCU, Texas and Texas Tech – are located less than 400 miles away from Mexico, while the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University have campus extensions in Mexico. Mexico City – the largest city in North America with a greater area population of over 22 million – has played host to MLB, NBA, NFL, and is home to the G League’s Capitanes de Ciudad de México.