Sports Roundup: Pistons Win!

Pistons

The Pistons beat the Sacramento Kings 99-89, stopping a three game losing streak. Josh Smith posted 24 points and eight rebounds. Rodney Stuckey came off the bench to score 23 points.  Andre Drummond totaled 15 with eight boards.  Detroit is in Toronto for a game tonight.

Mike-Ehrmann-Getty-Images

Girls Basketball

Athens beat Lansing Christian 39-33 and head to the final 4 at MSU this Thursday.

In last night’s quarterfinal at Harper Creek, the 5^th ranked Indians ran their overall record to 22-3.  Audrey Oswalt scored a team-high 14 and had nine rebounds.  Allison Fuller scored 12---all but one on the final quarter.  Athens will take on top-ranked and undefeated Crystal Falls Forest Park on Thursday at the Breslin Center.  The winner will go to the Class D State Final.

Boys Basketball Regional Finals

Maple Valley takes a 20-4 record against 23-1 Hillsdale a Class C the regional championship game on tonight at Jonesville.

St. Philip advances to tonight’s regional final at Portage Central where the Tigers will face Covert …6:06pm on WBCK-FM.  The game was moved from Portage Northern to Portage Central, due to a power outage.

Red Wings

The Red Wings lost to the Blue Jackets 4-1.  Detroit scored first on a goal by Danny DeKeyser, but it was all Jackets after that.  Columbus has 73 points, while Detroit sits at 71 as the two teams fight it out for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.  With Jimmy Howard out with the flu, Petr Mrazek started and gave up all four goals on 37 shots.   Tomas Jurco took a hard check and had to leave the game.  The Wings have lost four-of-five.  The Wings host Edmonton on Friday.

Tigers

The Tigers lost to the Blue Jays 3-2 in Lakeland. Justin Verlander made his first appearance of the spring and had Justin two strikeouts, allowed one hit and walked two in 3 2/3 innings. Brad Glenn hit a solo home run in the 10th inning off Melvin Mercedes to lead the Blue Jays to the win. Joba Chamberlain was tagged for two runs in his inning of work, but the mainstays of the bullpen, headed by new closer Joe Nathan, did the job.
Don Kelly was 1-for-3 with a two-run home run for the Tigers. The Tigers play the Yankees today in Tampa. Anabel Sanchez will start for the Tigers.

Lions

The Detroit Lions have re-signed running back Joique Bell to a three-year contract worth 9.3-million-dollars. Bell played all 16 games last season, rushing for 650 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had 53 receptions for 547 yards. Bell is a four-year veteran who has also played for the Colts, Eagles and Saints but did not see any regular playing time until 2012 with Detroit. The Lions are taking a look at free agent wide receiver Golden Tate.  ESPN reports the Notre Dame product headed to Detroit last night for a visit.  Tate spent the last four seasons in Seattle, catching 64 passes for 898 yards and five touchdowns last year.

Saginaw Player Found Dead

Police have found the body of 20-year-old Saginaw Spirit player Terry Trafford. The minor league hockey player disappeared eight days earlier after being disciplined by the club for breaking team rules.  State police found Trafford’s body in his SUV that was parked at a Saginaw area Wal-Mart.

Big 10 Basketball

The Big Ten Tournament gets underway tomorrow.  The Spartans and Wolverines don’t play until Friday.  The MSU Spartans face Iowa or Northwestern.  The Michigan Wolverines face Indiana or Illinois.