Date: 03/05/2013 05:29 AM
NW–SportsMinute/627
Here is the latest Washington, Oregon and Alaska sports news from The Associated Press
AP () – – Gonzaga, the small Northwest school known for big NCAA tournament wins, is No. 1 in The Associated Press’ Top 25 for the first time. Riding the best record in Division I at 29-2, the Bulldogs took advantage of Indiana’s loss to Minnesota last week. The Bulldogs switched places with the Hoosiers, advancing from No. 2 to move into the No. 1 spot yesterday. Gonzaga is the fifth school to hold the top spot this season. Duke stayed at No. 3. Kansas and Georgetown both jumped two spots to fourth and fifth.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – LaMarcus Aldridge had 23 points and 14 rebounds, and the Portland Trail Blazers handed the Charlotte Bobcats their seventh straight loss with a 122-105 victory. Nicolas Batum (bah-TOOM’) and Damian Lillard each finished with 20 points for the Blazers, who had seven players in double figures and shot nearly 60 percent from the field. Meyers Leonard, Portland’s 7-foot rookie center, came off the bench to score a season-high 15 points. Ramon Sessions had 18 points for Charlotte.
SEATTLE (AP) – The International Longshore and Warehouse Union says it intends to appeal a judge’s ruling that threw out their lawsuit aimed at undoing a deal to build a new professional basketball and hockey arena in Seattle – a key part of plans to bring the NBA back to town. The ILWU says it’ll announce plans at a news conference today. The ILWU Local 19, representing workers at the Port of Seattle, says it believes the court failed to acknowledge that the memorandum of understanding between investor Chris Hansen, the city of Seattle and King County is in violation of the state environmental protection act.
PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) – Nolan Arenado hit his third home run in three games for Colorado, but Raul Ibanez and Kyle Seager hit two more homers for the Seattle Mariners, who beat the Rockies 16-6 yesterday. Arenado’s solo shot came off Seattle right-hander Taijuan Walker in the fourth inning. Walker pitched a perfect third inning before giving up three runs on four hits and three walks in the fourth. Arenado went 2 for 3, lifting his spring batting average to .411 with four home runs and eight RBIs.
SEATTLE (AP) – Washington will begin its earliest spring football practice under Steve Sarkisian today and at the top of the agenda is getting Keith Price back to being the quarterback he was two years ago and not the inconsistent player he was in 2012. Price threw 19 touchdowns against 13 interceptions last season as a junior when the Huskies went 7-6. It was part of a significant drop in Washington’s passing game from Price’s sophomore season when he set a school record with 33 touchdown passes.
CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) – Oregon State has unveiled a new Beaver logo as part of an overall rebranding effort with Nike. Oregon State’s colors remain orange and black, but metallic bronze was added as an accent color. The rebranding unveiled Monday includes new lettering and numbers. But the highlight is the Beaver logo, more stylized than its predecessor. Oregon State athletic director Bob De Carolis says the rebranding reflects the transformation the Beavers have undergone in the past 15 years.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Veteran musher Scott Janssen has scratched from the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Race officials say Janssen pulled out of the race Monday night at Rainy Pass out of concern for his dogs and their performance. Janssen is a funeral director in Anchorage and is known as The Mushing Mortician. In last year’s race, Janssen gave one of his dogs mouth-to-snout resuscitation after it collapsed while the team was going down a decline in the Dalzell Gorge.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.