PHARR - With the Spurs in the midst of their NBA Finals' run, basketball is a hot sports topic in the Valley.  The NBA D-League champion Vipers are continuing their season-long mission of community involvement by holding a basketball camp in Pharr.  CHANNEL 5's Vince Erickson explains how one of the newest coaches on the staff is involved both with the camp, and in the parent Houston Rockets' off-season efforts.

Permalink| Comments

HARLINGEN - Pitcher Danny Gidora is back on a mound he is certainly comfortable with.  A member of the Harlingen South 5A state runner-up team in 2007, Gidora is back playing on that same home field with the Whitewings.  CHANNEL 5's Vince Erickson opens the Gidora file, and files this report.

Permalink| Comments

McALLEN - What is the best of both worlds in the NBA Development League?  How about winning the league championship and honors from the league for being best at developing players for the next level?  The announcement came on Wednesday.  It's the second year the D-League has honored a franchise for being best at player development.  The Vipers are credited with 13 players as assignees or call-ups during the 2012-13 NBA season.

Permalink| Comments

WESLACO - Valley boxer Omar Figueroa, Jr. made an appearance at a press & public event in his hometown of Weslaco on Saturday--to advance his late July fight in San Antonio.  Figueroa, Jr. talked to the media and the attending public at Weslaco ISD's Central Middle School before taking off for California to continue training for his July 27 fight against Nihito Arakawa.  The fight will be a 3-card event at the AT&T Center in San Antonio--with the WBC Interimi Lightweights World Championship on the line. 

Permalink| Comments

RANCHO VIEJO - Spurs legend George "Ice Man" Gervin will call the Valley home for the next couple of days--as he'll be volunteering his time for a basketball clinic Saturday at the UT-Brownsville Rec Center to help out a group called "Hope For Kids With Diabetes".  CHANNEL 5 SPORTS caught up with Gervin on the Rancho Viejo Golf Course on Friday--where Gervin talked about giving  his free time to the Spurs, the city of San Antonio, and various causes.  Gervin also predicted the Spurs would beat the Warriors in 6-games in the NBA Western Conference 2nd-Round playoff series.  Gervin played 14-seasons with the Spurs in both the NBA and ABA (American Basketball Association), and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996.

Permalink| Comments

WESLACO - Bi-district time on the RGV softball front are done.  Here's a look at Saturday's results:

5A:

Los Fresnos 5  McHi 1-- to win series 2-0.

San Benito 2  Hanna 0-- to win series 2-0.

Edinburg 12  Laredo United 2-- to win series 2-0.

Edinburg North 5  Laredo United South-- to win series 2-0.

Porter 10  PSJA North 7-- to win series 2-0.

Harlingen South 9  Nikki Rowe 5-- to win series 2-0.

Eagle Pass 10  Vela 0-- to win series 2-0.

Laredo LBJ 10  Sharyland 9-- to win series 2-1

 

4A:

Edcouch-Elsa 7  Alice 6 (8-innings)-- to win series 2-0.

CC Moody 15-15  Mercedes 5-3--to win series 2-1.

 

3A:

Raymondville 3  Rio Hondo 2--to win series 2-0

 

Also on Saturday, PSJA North baseball edged Nikki Rowe 4-1.

Permalink| Comments

HIDALGO - To the champions go the spoils, and the Valley's own RGV Vipers are the NBA D-League champions for the 2nd-time in 4-years.  They earned the 2013 title with the 102-91 victory over Santa Cruz on Saturday night at State Farm Arena.  The Vipers wasted no time in taking control of the game--as they blazed out to a 23-14 lead after the 1st quarter, and extended the lead to 55-41 at the half.  In the 2nd-half, Santa Cruz pulled with in one mid way through the 4th quarter, before the Vipers ended the game on a 20-10 run.  D.J. Kennedy led the Vipers--and all scorers--with 27-points, while Glen Rice, Jr. chipped in 25.

Permalink| Comments

SANTA CRUZ, CA - The Rio Grande Valley Vipers scored the last 10 points of regulation, snapping a fourth quarter tie at 102, to take game one of the NBA D-League Finals at Santa Cruz 112-102.  The Vipers remained undefeated in the playoffs at 5-and-0.  The locals also notched their 15th straight win since a mid-March loss to Santa Cruz at State Farm Arena.  D.J. Kennedy had the basket that broke the tie with 43 seconds to play.  Glen Rice, Jr had 33 points to lead six Vipers in double figure scoring.  Toure Murry had a triple double for the winners with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.  The Vipers also benefited from an advantage in offensive rebounds, fast break points, and free throws made and attempted.  Game 2 in the best-of-three series is Saturday night at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo.  Earlier Thursday, the D-League announced that Andrew Goudelock, now on the Lakers' playoff roster, had been named MVP for the 2012-13 season.  Goudelock started all 37 games he played in for the Vipers, led the team in scoring 16 times, averaged 21 points per game, and played in the D-League All-Star game in Houston.

Permalink| Comments

HIDALGO - The Rio Grande Valley Vipers should have plenty of incentive when the D-League championship round starts Thursday in California.  Opponent Santa Cruz was the last team to defeat the Vipers, and did so on the Vipers' home floor.  Since that time, the locals have rattled off 14 straight victories, four in the post-season, to advance to the championship best-of-three.  Mike Singletary says contrary to popular belief he likes the three game format better than a seven game series because it puts more emphasis on the opening game.  Game two, and a third if necessary, will be played at State Farm Arena.  The first game of the finals is Thursday night in Santa Cruz.

Permalink| Comments

HIDALGO - The Rio Grande Valley Vipers will take a 14-game winning streak, and the home court advantage into Thursday's opening game of the best-of-three D-League finals.  The Vipers will open in California against Santa Cruz later this week.  The series will shift to State Farm Arena for game two on Saturday night.  If a third game is needed, it will be played Monday, April 29th on the Vipers' home floor.  Both teams are a perfect 4-and-0 in the post-season.  The Warriors were the last team to beat the Vipers, more than a month ago, 114-104 on March 15th in Hidalgo.

Permalink| Comments

HIDALGO - A barrage of three pointers helped the Vipers defeat Tulsa 113-106 Sunday, earning them a spot in the NBA D-League Finals. DJ Kennedy led Rio Grande Valley's attack with a triple double: 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. From behind the arc, the Vipers launched up 43 attempts, nailing 19 for a new single-game franchise record. Santa Cruz awaits Rio Grande Valley in the final round of the playoffs. The Vipers will be aiming for their second league championship after winning it all back in 2010.

Permalink| Comments

TULSA - The Vipers' playoff machine rolled on with another road victory, this time at Tulsa, in the NBA D-League playoffs.  It's a 1-0 playoff series lead for the locals after a comfortable 107-92 win over the 66ers.  The two wins in the first round sweep over Maine came by a total of three points.  The Vipers trailed by three after the first 12 minutes on Friday night.  A 31 point second period helped RGV take charge.  D.J. Kennedy scored 19 points to lead seven Vipers in double figure scoring.  Game two in the series is Sunday night in Hidalgo.

Permalink| Comments

HIDALGO - Vipers faithful had to hold their collective breath down the stretch of Saturday night's NBA D-League playoff game at State Farm Arena--as the Vipers almost blew a 17-point 4th-quarter lead.  But, they didn't, and held on for a 98-97 victory--to sweep the opening round playoff series 2-games-to-none.  The Vipers led by 14 at the half, and by 17 at the end of the 3rd-quarter, but the Red Claws clawed back and outscored the Vipers 37-21 in the 4th-quarter.  However, the Vipers' Tyler Honeycutt and D.J. Kennedy hit crucial free throws in the final 24-seconds to seal the victory.  Glen Rice, Jr. led the Vipers with 27-points, while Honeycutt chipped in 20, and Kennedy had 18.  The Vipers face the winner of the Tulsa/Canton series in round two.

Permalink| Comments

PORTLAND, ME - The Vipers survived a 41 point fourth quarter and won the opening game of the D-League playoff series with Maine 120-118 on Thursday night.  Center Chris Daniels led the way for the winners with 28 points.  RGV jumped out to big leads in the first three quarters, and built a 94-77 edge going into the final 12 minutes.  Glen Rice and Andrew Goudelock added 27 points to send the Vipers back to Texas with a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three.  Game two will be Saturday night at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo.

Permalink| Comments

PHARR - If the Rio Grande Valley Vipers need all three games to eliminate the Maine Red Claws, they know that two of those games will be played in the Valley.  Home court advantage comes with a price in the NBA D-League playoffs.  The 2nd-seeded Vipers have to go on the road for game one in Maine on Thursday.  The series then shifts back to Hidalgo for game two and, if needed, game three.  It will be interesting to see the role that travel plays in the series with the two sites separated by almost 23-hundred miles.

Permalink| Comments

PHARR - Give the Houston Rockets credit.  The NBA team is willing to do what's necessary to help out their D-League affiliate.  With the Vipers' playoff effort ready to start on Thursday against the Maine Red Claws, the big club has sent a big presence back to the Rio Grande Valley.  CHANNEL 5's Vince Erickson reports on the return of Tim Ohlbrecht.

Permalink| Comments

HIDALGO - The Rio Grande Valley Vipers erased a 17-point first half deficit in a 112-104 victory over Austin on Friday night at State Farm Arena.  The comeback extended the team's winning streak to nine games, and was a franchise record tying 34th victory with one regular season game still to play.  Rockets' assignee Royce White had 28 points and nine rebounds to lead the way for the winners.  Austin opened the big lead in the first quarter, but couldn't hold off the VIpers and a charge in the final six minutes that finally put the game away.  The two teams close the regular season in a re-match on Saturday night.

Permalink| Comments

PHARR - Like a boy scout collecting merit badges, the Vipers' Andrew Goudelock is raking in the spoils of success as an NBA D-League basketball player.  The reigning player of the week in the league, and co-player of the month of March has everything a D-Leaguer could want, save for one thing.  CHANNEL 5's Joel Villanueva has the rest of the Goudelock story.

Permalink| Comments

HIDALGO - With the Central DIvision championship locked down, the Vipers can focus on trying to catch Bakersfield for the D-League's best overall record.  Just four games to play in the regular season, and talk is circulating about Nick Nurse as the league's coach of the year.  CHANNEL 5's Vince Erickson explains.

Permalink| Comments

HIDALGO - The Rio Grande Valley Vipers clinched the D-League Central Division title, and extended the team's winning streak to six with a 118-105 victory over Tulsa at State Farm Arena on Wednesday night.  Andrew Goudelock's 42 point effort paced the way for the winners.  The 66ers kept this game closer than the one dropped to the Vipers the night before.  WIth the victory, the locals enjoy a 31-and-15 overall record with just four games to play, all at home.  Next action for the Vipers will come this weekend with two games against Sioux Falls.

Permalink| Comments