Sports in brief: Vandersloot, Evans honored
Women’s basketball: Junior guards Kayla Evans and Courtney Vandersloot (pictured), who helped their teams remain perfect and atop the standings, received player of the week honors from their conferences.
It’s a first for Eastern Washington’s Evans and the second this year and sixth overall for Gonzaga’s Vandersloot.
Evans, from Brewester, had a career-high 24 points on Saturday as the Eagles reached 7-0 in the Big Sky Conference for the first time. In two wins she had 35 points on 52.6 percent shooting and 10 rebounds.
Vandersloot became GU’s all-time assist leader in the first win and followed with a 15-assist game, improving her career total to 616, 44 from the West Coast Conference record. She also scored 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
Gray rides his way into third
Rodeo: Cheney bareback rider Ryan Gray jumped into the PRCA standings at third place thanks to a big payday at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver.
Gray tied for second in the first round and tied for first in the second, winning $7,626.
It was the first competition for Gray since the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas last month. Gray was ninth at the NFR to finish sixth in the final 2009 standings.
Eastern to hold special luncheon
College football: Eastern Washington and the Eagle Athletic Association are revising their monthly coaches luncheons to include a special football signing day luncheon Feb. 3.
Head coach Beau Baldwin will headline the guests at the noon event at Northern Quest Resort & Casino.
A special feature will include video highlights of the high school athletes the Eagles sign that day, with members of the football staff providing commentary.
Because of the special program, the luncheon scheduled for Feb. 2 is rescheduled for Feb. 9.
Cost of both buffet luncheons is $12.
Joke was on the pranksters
High school basketball: Joel Branstrom, a popular girls coach in Olathe, Kan., figured he was about to be the butt of a joke when he was blindfolded at a pep rally and told he would win tickets to the NCAA Final Four if he could hit a half-court shot.
“I’ve been around long enough and done these kinds of practical jokes,” said Branstrom.
He even held the ball up for protection from getting a pie in the face.
“I knew they would cheer regardless to make me think I hit it,” he said. “I heard laughter. I seriously didn’t know I made it for a while.”
Oh, the prize? The students didn’t have the promised tickets. He got a gift certificate to a Mexican restaurant.
Associated Press