Fast Break
College basketball
Bennett wins another award
Washington State men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett received another honor, this time as Sporting News Coach of the Year.
The honor comes a week after Bennett was named Pac-10 Conference, United States Basketball Writers Association District 9, National Association of Basketball Coaches District 14, Collegeinsider.com Pac-10 and Basketball Times National coach of the year.
Sporting News also announced that Texas’ Kevin Durant was named Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year, becoming the first player to be named both simultaneously.
Rodeo
Cheney’s Gray grabs a first
Cheney bareback rider Ryan Gray is up to his old tricks.
Gray, a two-time qualifier for the National Finals Rodeo, ended up tied for first and earned $2,115 at the Southeastern Exposition Livestock Show, which concluded Saturday in Montgomery, Ala.
The check boosted Gray’s season earnings to $16,610, placing him third in the early stages of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association season.
Arena football
Shock add local flavor
Former Lewis and Clark High School and Eastern Washington University player Nick Denbeigh is the latest addition to the Spokane Shock arenafootball2 roster.
Denbeigh, a defensive back, joins former University of Washington linebacker Joe Lobendahn as the newest members of the af2 defending champions.
Denbeigh was invited to an open tryout earlier this season by the Shock and was the only player who was offered an opportunity to be a part of the team.
“Both of these players are local favorites and they have the potential to make a significant impact on the team,” said Shock coach Adam Shackleford.
The Shock open the season at home March 31.
SportsLink
Follow Cougs, Zags online
Online columnist Vince Grippi will be in Sacramento this week as Gonzaga and Washington State men’s basketball teams begin their NCAA tournament run.
Grippi will post stories and commentary on his SportsLink blog and at our tournament site at spokesmanreview.com/ ncaa/2007.