Sports

A GRIP ON SPORTS • We’re a bit tired. Not sleepy, mind you. The other type of tired. The type that weighs you down, slows your mind, keeps you from enjoying each day. All because of what is outside. Can spring show up already?

The Washington State Cougars were on the practice field Aug. 4 when the news came down that the Pac-12 was breaking up.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Too much to describe happened in this ardent college town Sunday, so you’re better off not even trying to describe it.

The late Latah County magistrate William C. Hamlett first laid eyes on the University of Idaho and the law school from which he graduated in the early 1970s. Ever after, he said Moscow and UI reminded him of Wainwright College from Mickey Rooney’s Andy Hardy comedies of the 1940s.

PULLMAN – Andrej Jakimovski wasn’t exactly himself in his Washington State group’s win over UCLA on Saturday. That much was clear just by looking at him, at the wrap on his shoulder, at the cut on his bottom lip.

MORAGA, Calif. – After losing for the fourth time in eight games last month at Santa Clara, Gonzaga knew it had to do almost everything right to ensure the NCAA Tournament selection committee wouldn’t leave the Bulldogs out of the 68-team field for the first time since 1997-98.

Gonzaga has known since the final buzzer sounded in an 86-68 victory Thursday over San Francisco that it was locked into the second seed for the upcoming West Coast Conference Tournament.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • We thought a long time about hardly touching Saturday’s college basketball results in today’s column. Maybe write about the Sounders’ inability to score and how it’s undermining years of goodwill. Or how we didn’t win any writing awards again. Or maybe we would take a look at the NFL Combine’s quarterback day. But, nah. It’s the best time of year. And we’re obligated to deal with it.

YAKIMA – In the end, the Deer Park girls basketball team was almost perfect.

They say good things come to those who wait. But senior Teryn Gardner and her top-seeded Mead teammates were tired of waiting.

Neah Bay’s Amber Swan knew the only thing that would take away the sting of losing the State 1B girls title game two years ago was getting another shot at team that beat the Red Devils.

PULLMAN – Myles Rice gave Kyle Smith a certain look. Washington State’s head coach had just taken his star guard out of the game, trying to steal a couple of minutes during Saturday’s home matchup with UCLA, knowing he probably couldn’t afford to do so later in the game.

The NCAA badly needs a victory, and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark is trying to hand it one, if the hole-dwelling Gollums who keep the record book will only seize it. Tickets to see Clark’s last regular-season collegiate game have gone for as much as $877, which seems almost worth it to witness the shot she brandishes with such a combination of darting and languor. The NCAA should honor the architects of that stroke, acknowledge those who built her burgeoning game and quit claiming false credit.

Saint Mary’s coach Randy Bennett offered Gonzaga counterpart Mark Few a handshake and a compliment at the conclusion of the Zags’ convincing 70-57 victory Saturday night. Bennett’s words were similar to San Francisco coach Chris Gerlufsen’s after his Dons were thumped by Gonzaga 86-68 on Thursday night at the Chase Center.

Ryan Nembhard

Follow along as the Gaels host the Bulldogs at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

PEORIA, Ariz. – What did Julio Rodriguez take away from his first Cactus League game of the spring on Saturday?