View article
Destination articles
Haerther drove in his fifth run of the game with a single
TORONTO -- Two years ago Tyler Ennis was at the Air Canada Centre practising as part of a national mens basketball team camp. Sean Couturier Jersey . He was still a kid, going into his senior year of high school. Thursday, the point guard stood in front of a couple dozen members of the media and spoke with poise about how much hed grown since then, and how hes ready for the next level. "Yeah, yeah. It felt like so long ago," Ennis said before taking the court for his pre-draft workout for the Raptors. "To look back and see the people I was playing against and the position Im in now, its a big jump for me. I feel like Ive improved a lot and Ive learned a lot along the way and Ive had some fun along the way as well. "Ive pretty much enjoyed my time playing basketball for fun. Im ready for the professional level now." Nik Stauskas, Khem Birch and Dwight Powell played alongside Ennis at that camp two summers ago in Toronto, a gathering of players so promising, it prompted Canadian coach Jay Triano to call it the most basketball talent hed ever seen under one roof. That promise is about to come to fruition. A bumper crop Canadians -- Ennis, Stauskas, Birch and Powell among them -- are eligible for the June 26 NBA draft (live on TSN, TSN2 and TSN GO). Ennis, who starred in his one season at Syracuse, is expected to be the third highest Canadian picked behind Andrew Wiggins and Stauskas. Most mock drafts have Ennis going around No. 16. The 19-year-old from Brampton, Ont., worked out for the Raptors on Thursday along with fellow Canadians Jordan Bachynski of Calgary (Arizona State), Chadrack Lufile of Burlington, Ont., (Wichita State), and Chad Posthumus of Winnipeg (Morehead State). "To have so many Canadians first of all in the draft is big for the country. . . its great for basketball in Canada and its great for us individually," Ennis said. "And no matter where we end up, (NBA teams will see) Canadians are hard-working and good people off the court, and I think were all going to find success wherever we end up." While the Raptors dont expect Ennis to still be on the board when they pick at No. 20, he has some big fans in Canadas NBA franchise. "Fantastic kid. Very straightforward," Raptors president and GM Masai Ujiri said. "I was just talking about him with coach (Dwane) Casey, hed just met him. Super kid. Very professional and carries himself the right way. "I think hell make a good professional." Bachynski, meanwhile, was practically pinching himself after his workout in Toronto. He said while some players get caught up in the monotony of travelling from team to team in the rigours of the pre-draft workouts, he was loving the process. "I was in the airport for eight or nine hours yesterday because all of my flights got cancelled, but youve just go to embrace the moment. How often do you get to do this? Not only how often, but how many people get to take part in this stuff? Its a dream come true," Bachynski said. "Im in a very special situation because June is a great month for me. I have the draft and I also have a baby due in a few days. Im so excited." The 7-2 centre from Calgary and his wife Malia, a former volleyball player, are expecting a baby June 8. "I love that I have her there for me, she was an athlete so she knows the time it takes to be excellent at something," Bachynski said. "Its just a testament to the kind of woman she is, she told me if she goes into labour, go to my next workout. Dont come home. Baby is going to be there when I get back." At 24, Bachynski is the oldest player in the draft. "Im one of those young guys," Bachynski said, when someone pointed out that fact. "My bodys young, Ive got an old head." He was plagued by injuries in high school and was forced to take time off to recover from surgeries. He was late to start college, spending two years in Miami on his Mormon mission. "It was the most valuable experience for me," Bachynski said of his time in Florida. "Guys tell me all the time that it was the dumbest thing I could have done, to take two years off of basketball. I barely touched a basketball in those two years, but I wouldnt be the basketball player I am today. I learned huge life lessons, I learned the importance of hard work, and perseverance." Bachynski said his age makes him better prepared to go pro. "Definitely. Im married. I have a dog," he said, prompting laughter from reporters. "Ive got a kid on the way. Im not one of those guys whos going out and partying on the weekends. Im sitting watching Netflix. Im a guy you dont have to worry about off the court." While Ujiri has said he wont draft a Canadian player just for the sake of it, he doesnt believe there would be added pressure on a Canadian playing in Toronto. "No concerns at all," he said. "I think this has been a good process for the Canadian kids, I think the last few years, a kid has gone No. 1 (Anthony Bennett to the Cleveland Cavaliers last season), kids have played in the league, so I dont think its anything new any more for them." The Raptors have three picks in the draft -- 20, 37 and 59. While Ujiri isnt ruling out the possibility of making a trade to move up, hes preparing to remain where he is. "The one thing I say about the draft is we all fall in love with it the day of, a couple days before," said Ujiri. "I never let my (staff) or myself get hopeful that were going to move up. We want to study 20 and figure out 20. If youre hoping for (a trade), there are 29 other teams that are hoping for the same, and 29 other teams that are trying to do other deals. Ive been heartbroken a couple times. Ive learned not to rely on that at all." Michael Del Zotto Flyers Jersey . "You hate when they score," he said with some distaste at the thought. "You take pride in it. Travis Konecny Flyers Jersey . He did one better Sunday by holing out a pitching wedge from 142 yards for eagle, capping a remarkable 28 on the back nine to win The Championship at Laguna National.WINNIPEG - Red-hot Casey Haerther kept hitting, while Nick Hernandez had his second straight superb outing, as the Winnipeg Goldeyes won their third straight game on Wednesday night. Hernandez threw 6 2/3 innings of three-hit baseball, while Casey Haerther hit a pair of home runs as the Goldeyes beat the Grand Prairie AirHogs 8-1 in Game 2 of a three-game series at Shaw Park. "My change up was easily my best pitch tonight," said Hernandez in the clubhouse afterward. "The important thing was, we threw strike one. When you get ahead in the count you can do so many more things and you have so much more confidence. When youre ahead in the count, youre in control and that was the big reason for my success tonight. "There isnt any pitcher on this team who likes to get behind hitters. Tonight we got ahead of hitters and then I was able to go to the change up to put them away." With the win, the Goldeyes improved to 17-9 on the season – 12-5 on the road and now 5-4 at home. The Goldeyes move into first place in the American Associations North Division, a half game ahead of the St. Paul Saintts. Bobby Clarke Jersey. The Goldeyes also locked up this three-game set with the visiting AirHogs. The Goldeyes scored a run in the first off AirHogs starter Brandon Bargas when leadoff man Tyler Kuhn singled and No. 2 hitter Jake Blackwood doubled him home. In the second, Donnie Webb singled, Josh Mazzola singled and then Haerther hit his first home run of the game, a three-run bomb that flew over the left field wall and bounced toward the river. The Goldeyes added another run in the fifth as Kuhn singled and scored on another double by Blackwood. Haerther hit a solo shot the opposite way in the sixth to make it 6-0. Grand Prairie scored in the seventh as Jason Botts singled, Vince DiFazio singled and Botts scored on a single off relief pitcher Kaohi Downing by Eric Baker. The Goldeyes added two more in the bottom of the eighth as Webb walked, Mazzola doubled, Haerther drove in his fifth run of the game with a single that scored Webb and then Kuhn singled to drive in Mazzola. Hernandez (2-0, 4.67 ERA) got the win for Winnipeg, while Bargas (2-3, 5.50 ERA) suffered the loss. There was no save. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
The Wall