BOYS BASKETBALL: ZELLER ERA ENDS WITH TITLEIndiana University recruit
Cody Zeller closed a brilliant career with 20 points and 18 rebounds as Washington (Ind.) defeated Culver Academies (Culver, Ind.), 61-46, before a crowd of 17,620 at Conseco Fieldhouse to win the Class 3A state title. It was the 7-foot senior's third title. His older brothers Luke (Notre Dame) and Tyler (North Carolina) also won state titles and were named Indiana's Mr. Basketball. Cody also is expected to be named Mr. Basketball. The Zeller years, arguably, could go down as the greatest family dynasty in Hoosier history.
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Anton Grady, a 6-8 senior, tied the state tournament record with 22 rebounds as Central Catholic (Cleveland, Ohio) rallied to defeat Portsmouth (Ohio), 58-47, during the Division III state semifinals before a crowd of 10,614 at Value City Arena. He also had 26 points and seven blocked shots to end Portsmouth's 16-game winning streak.
* LeBron James has not forgotten his alma mater,
St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio). While his former team was winning the Division IV state title, he texted faculty member Barb Wood for updates four times during the final game, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
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Lourdes (Rochester, Minn.) edged Redwood Valley (Redwood Falls, Minn.), 48-42, in four overtimes during the Class AA state semifinals.
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Chier Ajou, a 7-1 senior, will have to wait another year to attend the University of New Mexico. He plans to remain at Culver Academies (Ind.) for another year, but he has used all of his eligibility.
* Westtown (Pa.) junior
Daniel Ochefu (6-10, 215) has made a commitment to Villanova University, according to ZagsBlog. He also considered Texas, Georgetown and Temple.
* According to the Post Tribune, Valparaiso University has received a commitment from 6-7, 215-pound senior
Dino Jakolis, a former member of the Croatian National Under-18 team. This year he averaged 12.4 points for La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.).
* Brooks College Prep (Chicago) senior guard
Mike Powell has made a commitment to the University of Rhode Island, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The 5-10 standout averaged 18.7 points and 7.6 assists in his final campaign.
GIRLS BASKETBALL: DUKE LANDS 6-3 FROSHErin Mathias, an outstanding 6-3 freshman, has made a commitment to Duke University, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. She averaged 10.7 points and 11.1 rebounds this year for Fox Chapel (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and grabbed 31 rebounds in a single game.
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Breanna Stewart showed why she is ranked by some services as the No. 1 junior in the nation during last week's New York Federation Tournament of Champions. Three times in the first half, the 6-3 standout grabbed a defensive rebound and went coast to coast for a layup. Unfortunately, her Cicero-North Syracuse (Cicero, N.Y.) team faded in the second half and lost to Murry Bergtraum (New York City), 58-49, in the Class AA semifinals. She finished with 16 points (15 in the first half), 10 rebounds and eight blocks.
SOFTBALL: COX FANS 16 IN 5 INNINGSGeorgetown (S.C.) senior
Logan Cox tied a 1987 state record for a five-inning game by striking out 16 during a 13-0 victory over Wilson (Florence, S.C.).
* Olympia (Orlando, Fla.) pitcher
Jessica Elliott struck out a school-record 20 batters during an 8-2 victory in 10 innings over Mount Dora Bible (Fla.). She made 177 pitches as she eclipsed her own record of 19 strikeouts.
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Braddock (Miami) blanked South Miami, 12-0, to give coach Adanais Marcote her 300th career victory.
POTPOURRI* Mike Gear has resigned as head football coach and athletic director at
Sidney (Mont.). In 35 years he compiled a 222-101 record with nine Class A state titles, including a state-record seven in a row from 1987-1993. He also had two runner-up finishes.
* Standout wrestler John Meeks of
Roosevelt (Des Moines, Iowa) has made a commitment to the University of Nebraska, according to the Des Moines Register. Meeks, who has a 123-0 record, will try to become Iowa's sixth wrestler to go undefeated during his career when he seeks his fourth state title as a senior.
* The girls tennis team from
Walton (Marietta, Ga.) has set a state record for all sports by winning 139 consecutive matches. Located near three top junior academies, Walton now seeks its eighth consecutive state championship.
