AP-NW–1st SportsMinute,243 Here is the latest Washington, Oregon and Alaska sports news from The Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS (AP) – LaMarcus Aldridge scored 22 points and the Portland Trail Blazers snapped a three-game skid with an 84-77 victory over the New Orleans Hornets yesterday. Nicolas Batum (bah-TOOM’) add 19 points and Gerald Wallace 14 for Portland, which blew open a tie game early in the third quarter with a 17-2 run during which Aldridge made all five of his shots for 10 points. Jarrett Jack scored 21, while Emeka Okafor (eh-MEH’-kuh OH’-kuh-fohr) added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Hornets.
SEATTLE (AP) – Washington has announced quarterback Nick Montana, son of Hall of Fame QB Joe Montana, has been released from his scholarship so that he can transfer. Montana just completed his redshirt freshman season with the Huskies. The school announced the decision last night. Montana landed at Washington with much fanfare as one of the jewels in coach Steve Sarkisian’s second recruiting class. But Montana was beaten out for the starting role by Keith Price last spring and Price threw for a school record 33 touchdowns this season.
SEATTLE (AP) – Steve Sarkisian has completed the makeover of his defensive coaching staff at Washington by hiring Tosh Lupoi away from California to be the Huskies new defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator. Along with his responsibilities as a coach, Lupoi is regarded as a top recruiter on the West Coast. Lupoi has spent the past four seasons as defensive line coach for the Golden Bears.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) AP-NY-01-17-12 0531EST
