4/2/2023 Lawrence Journal-World/Sports

KANSAS 66, COLUMBIA 59

CHAMPIONS

It’s the first WNIT title for Kansas

Taiyanna Jackson is a star in the making

There are a dozen different reasons to pay attention to this Kansas women’s basketball team beyond the WNIT championship, which they secured with a hard-fought 66-59 win over Columbia on Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse.

MATT TAIT

mtait@ljworld.com

you’d do well to pay close attention to KU center Taiyanna Jackson.

> CHAMPIONS,

NCAA MEN’S TOURNAMENT

And make no mistake about it, with nearly everyone back and reinforcements coming, this will be an NCAA Tournament team next season and a factor in the Big 12 Conference race.

But if you want a reason to follow the WNIT champs that comes with flair, fight and heartfelt emotion,

Already known for her dominance on the court, the 6-foot-6 center who has one year of eligibility remaining spent so much of the recently completed season letting the world see her true personality.

And, boy, is there a lot there. Her teammates have known that for a while now.

> JACKSON,

team’s first trip to college basketball’s biggest stage ended in excruciating fashion Saturday night, with

the Owls over as they flooded off the bench and swarmed the court to celebrate Lamont Butler’s jumper at the buzzer that gave the

a 72-71 victory. The Owls made school

history by getting here, only to walk off the court as part of history. This was the first Final Four buzzer-beater in which the losing team was winning before the shot.

“I was in shock when the buzzer went off,” said FAU’s Nick Boyd. Florida Atlantic’s players smiled and many danced on the bench during a second half in which it appeared they’d move

within one win of a title no one could have seen coming. Instead they ended up with a loss that nobody will ever forget.

> SEASON, 3B

Chance Parker/Journal-World Photo

THE KANSAS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM CELEBRATES AFTER SECURING THE 2023 WNIT TITLE with a 66-59 victory over Columbia on Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse.

Chance Parker/ Journal-World Photos ABOVE: Kansas senior Zakiyah Franklin drives the ball. LEFT: Kansas fans cheer for the Jayhawks during the WNIT championship game against Columbia on Saturday.

2B

2B

Kansas’ Jalen Wilson wins 2023 Julius Erving Award

By Matt Tait mtait@ljworld.com

His goal was to be playing for a trophy this weekend, but even with the Jayhawks eliminated from the NCAA Tournament two weeks ago, Kansas junior Jalen Wilson still found a way to pick up some hardware.

As part of The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s “Starting Five Saturday,” Wilson was named this year’s winner of the Julius Erving Award, given annually to the top small forward in Division I basketball, at a ceremony in Houston.

“I am very honored to receive this award,” Wilson said in a release announcing the honor.

“Julius Erving is one of the greatest players of all time. I want to congratulate the other finalists on having great seasons. I want to thank (KU) coach (Bill) Self and the other coaches (for)

Champions

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B

“Through this whole tournament, it was just amazing to watch our crowd grow every single game, especially the student section and the students coming out here and cheering for us,” senior center Taiyanna Jackson said. “They get us going; they give us momentum.”

Both offenses came out the gates hot, with junior guard Wyvette Mayberry attempting the first three shots for the Jayhawks, all from behind the arc. Mayberry nailed 2 of 3 attempts in the opening three minutes of play to give Kansas the early lead.

Despite the hot start, both defenses picked up the intensity and forced tough shots all quarter long. The Lions (28-6) were held to 31% shooting in the quarter, shooting primarily from outside the arc and draining just 2 of 9 attempts.

The Jayhawks made 37% of their shots as they focused on their interior attack. Kansas outscored the Lions 14-4 in the first half, thanks in part to Jackson’s defensive presence.

Jackson was a menace in the paint in the first half on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. She racked up six points and a whopping 12 boards and swatted away two shots in just the first half of play, forcing the Lions to play away from the interior.

Turnovers plagued the Jayhawks early as the

Jackson

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B

But after breaking onto the Kansas basketball scene with a solid season a year ago — averaging around nine points and eight rebounds per game — Jackson appeared to feel even more comfortable in her surroundings for her second season as a Jayhawk, and that allowed her to let the light shine down just a little brighter. She was goofy and chatty in postgame meetings with the media. She said what was on her mind at all times. And she was openly affectionate to everyone from her teammates to her head coach.

Her production was bigger, too. She earned all-Big 12 first team honors, was named the MVP of the WNIT and became the first KU player to average a double-double for a season since 1982. It was only fitting that she capped that with a monster effort of 17 points and 21 rebounds on Saturday. While those numbers garner her a certain amount of attention, it’s the rest of her that makes her a star.

Jackson is made for the spotlight. She’s got talent,

helping me become the player I am today. More importantly, I want to thank my teammates, my brothers, who pushed me every day. Though we did not achieve our ultimate goal, we did have a great season, winning the Big 12 in the toughest conference in the nation. Playing at Kansas is a blessing and winning this award represents KU as much as me.”

Named after Class of 1993 Hall of Famer and 16-year professional basketball player Julius Erving aka Dr. J — the annual honor is in its ninth year. Wilson was on the Julius Erving Award watch lists since the beginning of the season and was one of five finalists along with Brandon Miller (Alabama), Julian Strawther

(Gonzaga), Keyontae Johnson (Kansas State) and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA).

In addition to Saturday’s honor, the KU All-American was one of four finalists for the Naismith Trophy and one of five Wooden Award finalists.

The unanimous Big 12 Player of the Year and first team all-Big 12 selection, Wilson led the Big 12 in scoring at 20.1 points per game, rebounds at 8.3 and double-doubles with 12. The Denton, Texas, forward posted three 30-point performances during the 202223 season and had 22 games of 20 or more points scored this season, including the final seven games of the season. Wilson is the seventh player in Big 12 history — and fourth Jayhawk — to lead the league in scoring and rebounding in the same season.

On nearly every national player of the year watch list, Wilson is just the 10th player in Kansas

men’s basketball history to record 1,400-plus career points and 800-plus career rebounds and the first since Perry Ellis (201316). Wilson’s 1,475 points rank 27th on the KU career list and his 802 rebounds are 14th in school history. Wilson’s 28 career double-doubles are ninth on the KU all-time list.

The other Starting Five awards presented on Saturday went to Kansas State’s Markquis Nowell (Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year), Houston’s Marcus Sasser (Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year), Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis (Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year) and Purdue’s Zach Edey (Center of the Year).

Jalen Wilson

2022-23 Honors

Consensus All-America First Team Julius Erving Award Recipient Wooden Award Finalist (1 of 5)

Lions’ defense rattled KU’s offense. Kansas gave the ball away eight times in the first half, but the Jayhawks kept the Lions in check and didn’t allow Columbia to score off those turnovers even once.

Franklin led the way for the Jayhawks with 10 first-half points on 3-of-6 shooting, adding a block and a steal to her stat line as well. Junior guard Chandler Prater followed with seven points and six rebounds and provided Kansas with the energy she brings each and every night.

Junior guard Abbey Hsu carried the Lions in the first quarter, scoring seven points on 50% shooting. She finished the half with 12 points on 50% shooting and was the only Lion to score in double figures during that span.

After the back-andforth battle of the first 20 minutes, Kansas barely led, 31-28, at halftime.

In the start of the third quarter, Columbia came out sniping from 3-point range and went on an 8-0 scoring run, nailing all three of its attempts from the floor and immediately retaking a fivepoint lead.

But the Jayhawks quickly responded with their own run, one where they scored 15 unanswered points in six minutes and 40 seconds.

“We just wanted us to come out there and just be us,” Franklin said. “We knew we needed more from each individual because that’s what we do. We out-team people and we out-tough people, so we knew we needed everybody out of halftime.”

Jackson was instrumental in creating this run, scoring six points and grabbing five rebounds in that span. After that run, Nadira Eltayeb came in and provided three critical minutes for KU when Jackson went down with an ankle injury with 6:44 remaining in the third.

After scoring eight points in the first 1:08 to play of the quarter, the Lions scored just three points the remainder of the quarter. Columbia made just four shots the entire quarter, shooting 23% in the third.

“Ain’t the saying ‘Defense wins championships?’” Jackson said.

Kansas ended the quarter outscoring the Lions 18-11 to extend its lead to 49-39 headed into the final quarter.

natural charisma and genuine charm. And she’s not afraid to embrace all of it, using those traits to fuel her performance and her ability to have fun playing the game she loves.

She said after Saturday’s WNIT title victory that her goal in all situations, good and bad, is to always be happy. “It’s just not for show, that’s me, like, 24/7,” she said. Her coach, eighth-year head Jayhawk Brandon Schneider, got emotional when hearing those words

and when being asked to talk about the player they call “Twin.”

“Some of us grow up in pretty privileged circumstances and some of us don’t,” Schneider said, his voice breaking while he vaguely referenced his center’s East Chicago, Indiana, upbringing. “And, for her, it’s about trust. She trusts us. But a kid like that is going to make you earn it.”

Countless hours on the practice court and in the locker room and two seasons worth of road trips made that easier for

Jackson’s teammates and coaches to do.

On Saturday, the Kansas crowd got the chance to do it, and they certainly took advantage.

The fans were used to roaring after her big-time buckets in the paint or the school-record 109 blocks she recorded this year, but the crowd of 11,701 got a chance to cheer for Jackson the person on Saturday, and they took full advantage. Locked in a dogfight and with the game still up in the air, Jackson left the court and went back to the locker room after coming down

Wooden Award All-American

Naismith Trophy Finalist (1 of 4)

USBWA All-America First Team

NABC All-America First Team

Associated Press All-America First Team

USBWA All-District VI Player of the Year

USBWA All-District VI Team

NABC All-District 8 First Team

Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team

The Sporting News All-America

First Team

Big 12 Player of the Year (unanimous selection)

All-Big 12 First Team (unanimous selection)

Oscar Robertson Trophy Late Season Watch List (1 of 15)

Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List (1 of 50)

Big 12 Player of the Week (12.5.22)

Battle 4 Atlantis All-Tournament Team

Preseason All-Big 12

Despite making just two baskets in the fourth quarter, the Jayhawks held on and made 12 of their 13 free throws in the final quarter to keep their lead intact and become WNIT champions. Jackson tied her career high in rebounds in the biggest game of KU’s season. She ended her season with a monster 17-point, 21-rebound double-double, with 10 of those rebounds on the offensive glass. Jackson added three

awkwardly on her ankle midway through the third quarter.

Tears on her face and concern throughout the arena turned Allen Fieldhouse quiet. And although the Jayhawks were able to hang in there and maintain their lead without her, things really started to go well again after she returned.

The biggest ovation of the day came in three parts.

First, when Jackson returned to the floor from the locker room. After Jackson sprinted from the locker room and grabbed a seat on the bench, the crowd roared and Jackson shrugged her shoulders and sheepishly smiled.

The second part came when Jackson checked back into the game to a standing ovation.

And, finally, after she got the ball on the block on the first possession after her return and easily scored at the rim on the left side to push the Jayhawks’ lead to seven points, the Kansas crowd let out its loudest cheer of the game.

Not only were they happy for the control that Jackson’s bucket reestablished, but they also were clearly happy for her.

“It’s just amazing seeing how much they care about me,” Jackson said after the

blocks to her stat line as well.

Franklin led Kansas in scoring with 19 points and shot a perfect 9 of 9 from the charity stripe. She also had a block and two steals. Prater was one point shy of a double-double with nine points, 11 rebounds and a whopping four steals.

Hsu led the Lions with 19 points on 6-of-20 shooting with senior guard Kaitlyn Davis right behind her with 13 points.

victory. “It was so fun. It’s just so fun. I’m just excited we were able to come out here and do what we wanted to do and just have fun. I’m just so happy for us. We worked hard for this.”

With one year remaining and goals worthy of the Kansas basketball standard, Jackson stands poised to be an even bigger star next season.

Schneider said he expects Jackson, along with senior guards Zakiyah Franklin and Holly Kersgieter, to return for the 2023-24 season, and it was clear from the light in his eyes when he said that that he’s looking forward to another run with this team and another season of the Twin Show.

“She’s an unbelievable young woman,” Schneider said. “Some environments you kind of always have your head on a swivel, and that’s probably how you should behave. But she became somebody that loves this place and trusts the people around her — trusts her teammates — and has been able to just express herself and allow people to get to know her.”

The guess here is we haven’t seen anything yet.

Wilson

Chance Parker/Journal-World Photo

KANSAS SENIOR TAIYANNA JACKSON CELEBRATES Saturday after cutting down the nets.

Chance Parker/Journal-World Photo

KANSAS COACH BRANDON SCHNEIDER celebrates after winning the 2023 WNIT championship on Saturday.

Chance Parker/Journal-World Photo

KANSAS JUNIOR CHANDLER PRATER IS HELPED UP BY TEAMMATES during the WNIT championship game against Columbia on Saturday. Kansas won 66-59.

Free State sweeps Harrisburg

By Conner Becker cbecker@ljworld.com

The Free State baseball team completed a home sweep over Harrisburg with an 8-3 win on Saturday afternoon. The Firebirds (5-1) defeated the Tigers 7-1 on Friday afternoon, as well.

Junior Jackson Waggoner received the starting nod, allowing three runs on three hits through four innings. Free State coach Mike Hill said the confident start by Waggoner on the mound muffled Harrisburg’s hitting power.

“I thought his first three innings were fantastic,” Hill said. “I think he lost a little bit of his slider in the fourth and that happened to be right at the top of their order.”

Free State junior Tyler Jeffries got the scoring started in the bottom of the first with an RBI single, knocking in two runners for a 2-0 lead. Free State’s lead bumped up to four runs in the second on a sacrifice RBI by junior Buddy Lam and an RBI double by freshman Ben Graves.

Waggoner, who entered the third with four strikeouts, kept the Tigers from registering a hit for a third consecutive inning. Free State logged just one hit in the bottom of the third, a single from sophomore Ryan Weishaar, and was unable to build on its lead.

Harrisburg’s first hit of the game came in the top of the fourth, with designated hitter Jack Riley leading off with a single. Cutting into Harrisburg’s deficit, third baseman Maddux Scherer singled to advance Riley to third before RBIs by Teigan Munce (2B) and Noah Boschee (1B) made it a one-run lead for Free State.

Still ahead 4-3 heading

into the fifth, Free State switched pitching duties over to senior reliever

Adam Coup. Striking out his first batter, Coup caught Harrisburg’s Eli Kokenge stealing second and struck out Riley to save his first inning on the hill.

Waggoner, who finished with five strikeouts in his first start of the season, said pitching success earlier in the week opened the door for some more names to jump in the pool on Saturday.

“My mental is just throw a first-pitch strike and just work from there,” Waggoner said. “It’s pretty easy to work. These two game, three game stretches we’re going to look to the bullpen a lot more, but luckily some of the Graves boys, this week, went for complete games so we didn’t have to use a lot of our pitching and could save it for today.” Jeffries, singling his way on base and crossing home on a passed ball, added a run for the Firebirds in the bottom of the fifth. Harrisburg

reliever Sam Sutton, with the bases loaded, walked in another run for Free State, now leading 6-3, before retiring the side.

Looking for the save, Jeffries stepped onto the hill and kept the Tigers from making any noise during the top of the sixth. Free State loaded the bases again in the bottom of the sixth, picking up two more runs on another passed ball and a walk by Sutton.

Two strikeouts by Jeffries and a flyout by Harrisburg’s Tate Larson capped off the winning weekend over the Tigers.

Hampered by injuries, the Firebirds turned to younger faces for the series, according to Hill.

“We actually started the two youngest lineups we’ve ever started in 26 years here,” Hill said. “I thought those young kids did a good job and got us a couple victories here.”

BOX SCORE: R H E

Harrisburg hands LHS 3rd loss

By Conner Becker cbecker@ljworld.com

The Lawrence High baseball team took its third consecutive loss on Friday — this time falling 11-1 to Harrisburg on a windy afternoon at home.

The Tigers, who came all the way from South Dakota, tightened their grip on the Lions (2-3) in the fifth, crossing seven runs worth of insurance against senior reliever Jack Pfeifer to put the game away. Before the inning that sealed the Lions’ fate, junior starter Sammy Stoll allowed four runs on three hits. He left after three innings, finishing with three walks and three strikeouts.

LHS coach Brad Stoll said he anticipated a heavy batting day from the visitors. “A team like that — they can rake,” he said. “I think we’re close. There are some really good pieces here. We’ve just got to figure out the right way to put them all together.”

The first inning was sluggish, with just two hits between both sides. LHS was unable to translate senior Dominic Ostronic’s leadoff

single into a run. The Lions fielded two baserunners in the second on a pair of walks, but a groundout by junior Vaughn Wells squashed that scoring opportunity.

Ostronic, who finished 2-for-2 at the plate, is becoming a model batter for LHS, Brad Stoll said. “Dom’s what you want from a leadoff hitter,” he said. “He’s locked in. If we get down to second base, our young guys need to watch him at second base because he works. He works to find a way to get to third. He’s always working; I couldn’t say enough good things about him.” With the bases loaded in the top of the third, Sammy Stoll allowed four runs by the Tigers on a passed ball, a two-run RBI single by Palmer Boyd and an RBI single by Carter Hoffman.

Two hits for the Lions didn’t pan out, and a flyout by senior Nathan Blettner meant LHS was still scoreless heading into the fourth.

Harrisburg reliever Kason Syverson struck out Connor Nowak and River Lynch back-to-back, but the next three batters — junior

Twins blank Royals again

By Cody Friesen Associated Press

Kansas City, Mo —

Sonny Gray combined in four-hitter, Jose Miranda had an RBI single, Kyle Farmer drove in another run with a sacrifice fly and the Minnesota Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 2-0 to open with consecutive shutouts for the first time in franchise history.

Gray (1-0) allowed three hits and had a strikeout and four walks, all of which came in fullcount situations. Relievers Jorge Alcalá, Griffin Jax, Caleb Thielbar and Jorge López held the

Season

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B

“It was devastating,” Alijah Martin said of the shot. Butler’s shot now goes into the March Madness annals, alongside Jalen Suggs’ long-range buzzerbeater for Gonzaga two years ago in the national semifinal, and even something that happened on this very floor the last time the Final Four was in Houston in 2016: Kris Jenkins’ buzzer-beater to win the title for Villanova.

Both those teams were tied before the winning shot went in. FAU was ahead 71-70, making Butler’s game-winning buzzer-beater the first in Final Four history in which the winning team was trailing before the shot.

Which means FAU will be remembered alongside UCLA and North Carolina as victims of some of the most crushing last-second losses this tournament has seen. But this one might go down as the most heartbreaking of all.

Royals scoreless. Thielbar struck out three, and López got his first save of the year

The Twins and original Washington Senators had never opened with consecutive shutouts.

Miranda singled to center in the first to score Byron Buxton. Farmer came on as a pinch-hitter in the sixth and hit a sacrifice fly to center, also scoring Buxton. Christian Vázquez went 2 for 3 with a pair of singles. Buxton also had two hits.

In his Royals debut, Jordan Lyles (0-1) threw 5 1/3 innings and gave up two runs — one earned

“The hardest part is there’s no next ... the sadness is just that we don’t get to do it again tomorrow,” FAU coach Dusty May said.

But May believes this team will be remembered for much more than Saturday’s exit.

“These guys have created memories and a legacy for a lifetime,” he said. “People will be talking about this group for the next 50 to 100 years.”

FAU’s Jalen Gaffney recalled the shot just minutes after it fell to send his team home.

“He ended up shooting a tough 2, which we like so we’ll live with the result. … It’s just basketball, (expletive) happens sometimes. He made a good shot and we’ve got to live with it.”

For so long, it didn’t look like it would go that way.

Gaffney made a 3-pointer to put the Owls ahead 26-24 with 7:25 left in the first half. FAU didn’t trail again until the buzzer.

The Owls were up by 9 with 11 minutes to go after testing San Diego State’s vaunted defense like no one had in this tournament

— on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Salvador Perez had a double in the fifth and a single in the eighth.

Clocking in a record

Franmil Reyes became the first Royal to be issued a batter timer violation at the start of his atbat with the bases loaded in the third inning. He struck out in the ensuing plate appearance.

Up next RHP Joe Ryan will start the series finale for Minnesota. RHP Brad Keller will counter for Kansas City.

before the Aztecs started chipping away at the lead.

The Aztecs got within 2 for the first time with about 10 minutes to go and tied it with 4 1/2 minutes left.

Giancarlo Rosado put the Owls back on top with a fadeaway jumper seconds later, but they didn’t make another field goal until Martin’s layup made it 71-68 with 45 seconds left.

Jaedon LeDee hit a jumper to cut FAU’s lead to 1 with 36 seconds left.

Johnell Davis missed a layup with nine seconds left that would have padded the lead.

Nathan Mensah grabbed a rebound before Butler’s jumper swished through the net at the buzzer to end this Cinderella’s dream season. But Boyd insisted this won’t be the last time these Owls get a chance to shine in the madness of March.

“You’re going to hear from FAU again,” he said. “You’re going to see us in the same position, and it’s going to be a different outcome, I promise you.”

Koen Myers, Wells and Ostronic — filled the bags with one out left in the bottom of the fourth. Syverson struck out LHS junior Brooks Jones to close the inning.

The fifth inning was the end for Lawrence, when the Tigers crossed seven runs to mount a commanding 11-0 lead, including a tworun RBI triple by Teigan Munce and triple by Maddux Scherer. The Lions’ lone score of the game came on an RBI single from Lynch before the game was ended by the mercy rule.

Now, after three straight losses, Brad Stoll said there are some tough lessons his group needs to learn.

“A lot of it’s self-inflicted,” Stoll said. “There’s a lot of things we’re doing to ourselves the last two nights that’s all fixable. I’m excited about what we can do with this group.”

Next up, LHS hosts Shawnee Mission East at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Conner Becker/Journal-World Photo FREE STATE JUNIOR JACKSON WAGGONER throws against Harrisburg during Saturday’s 8-3 win over the Tigers at Free State High School.

Conner Becker/Journal-World Photo

LAWRENCE HIGH SENIOR DOMINIC OSTRONIC TAKES A SWING against Harrisburg’s Eli Kokenge during Friday’s 11-1 loss at Lawrence High School.

Pop, Gasol, Hammon,

Tony Parker and Pau Gasol played for him. Becky Hammon coached alongside him. Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade waged battles against him.

He is Gregg Popovich.

And he, finally, is a Hall of Famer.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame made it official Saturday, with three of the NBA’s alltime international greats — Nowitzki, Parker and Gasol — joining Wade, Hammon and Popovich as the headliners of the 2023 class that will be enshrined on Aug. 11 and 12 at ceremonies in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

“This is basketball heaven,” Wade said on the ESPN telecast of the announcement in Houston.

Also getting the Hall’s call: the 1976 U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team; former Purdue coach Gene Keady, a seven-time Big Ten coach of the year; former Texas A&M women’s coach Gary Blair, who took two teams to the Final Four; longtime coach at Division III Amherst and two-time national champion David Hixon; and Gene Bess — who won 1,300 games as a junior college coach at Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

The late Jim Valvano, who as a coach led N.C. State to the 1983 NCAA title, was selected as a contributor — also taking into account his work as a broadcaster and an outspoken advocate for cancer research and the V Foundation.

Hall of Fame chairman Jerry Colangelo told the

new members or their families about the happy news earlier this week. Most of them joined Colangelo and other Hall of Famers on Friday for a welcome dinner of sorts, then on Saturday took their first public bows as basketball royalty.

“This class not only represents all levels of basketball — it represents truly, in every regard, what the game is all about and where it is,” Colangelo told The Associated Press. “I mean, think about the candidates. There’s the countries that are represented, Germany and Spain and France. It shows how far the game has come and where it is today. I think maybe it’s the most unique class, I’d say, of all time, and that covers a lot of territory. It stands by itself as in its uniqueness.”

The four NBA players — Nowitzki, Parker, Gasol

and Wade — combined for 95,092 points, 39 All-Star appearances and 10 NBA championships. Hammon was a six-time WNBA AllStar and is coach of the reigning WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.

And all Popovich has done is win five NBA titles, more games than anyone else in league history and an Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Games that were played in 2021.

“He’s amazing,” said Golden State coach Steve Kerr, who played for Popovich and coached under him with USA Basketball at the 2019 World Cup and then the Tokyo Olympics. “The Hall of Fame was just a formality. Everybody knew he would be there. It was just a matter of when.”

The longstanding belief was that Popovich wanted certain people in the Hall

before he would allow himself to be under consideration. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili had to go in first, and Popovich also lobbied for Houston twotime champion coach Rudy Tomjanovich. Parker going in with Popovich seems fitting, and Popovich has long raved about Hammon’s ability.

It’s the latest accolade for Gasol, Spain’s longtime star whose two NBA championships came with the Los Angeles Lakers alongside his dear friend Kobe Bryant. Nowitzki, the German great who changed the game with his combination of big-man size and guard skills, spent the entirety of his 21-year career in Dallas and is sixth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Parker won four rings with Popovich in San Antonio.

Wade won three titles

with Miami. At the arena where the Heat play, they’ve retired the numbers of five former players — Tim Hardaway, Shaquille O’Neal, Alonzo Mourning, Chris Bosh and Wade. And now all five of them are linked by Hall of Fame membership as well. Like Parker, Nowitzki and Gasol — and Popovich, for that matter — Wade got in on his first ballot.

“To me, it’s a no-brainer that all of these guys are first-ballot guys,” Heat president Pat Riley said. “Look at the records. Look at the longevity that they’ve had in this league. Look what they’ve done for the league, and how much the league calls them back — because they’re ambassadors of this great league and they have a great voice and a great message. Dwyane being a firstballot was a no-brainer.”

117 House floor manager?

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travelers, in old usage

language

DOWN 1 Supposed influence on Pink Floyd’s ‘‘The Piper at the Gates of Dawn’’

2 One in the hand?

3 Knock

4 The ____ Tour (2023 Taylor Swift concert series that broke Ticketmaster)

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Woman struggling to forgive lack of dental care in childhood

Dear Annie: As a child, it was obvious that I needed braces to correct an overbite and crowding of the teeth. Kids made fun of me all the time, and I became severely depressed. My mother was a cold person, and I didn’t have a positive relationship with my stepfather or stepsister.

In my 30s, after counseling, I finally had braces put on my teeth. I’m now in my late 60s, and my dentist explained that the problems I am now experiencing are because the pockets created when moving teeth do

Dear Annie

Annie Lane dearannie@creators.com

not completely fill in when you’re older. It seems like, even though I take good care of my dental hygiene, I regularly have

ROYAL STARS HOROSCOPE

to undergo painful deep cleaning and repair work. I have worked at forgiveness toward my parents, but every time I have to undergo another painful session with the dentist, I get furious all over again that this was not taken care of when I was a child. I don’t know how to handle this forgiveness when the pain is ongoing. —

Failing to Forgive

Dear Failing to Forgive: The best way to handle it is to know that forgiveness is not something you are doing for your parents — you are doing it for yourself so

that you can be free from the resentment that you understandably have toward your parents for not taking care of you the way you would have liked.

Know that had they known better, they would have done better, but they never did know — and you had to pay the price. The best way to move on is to let go of the past and focus on the years ahead. You are worthy of living without that baggage.

Dear Annie: I must take exception to an errant sentence in an otherwise

excellent letter in a recent column. The reader wrote, “I’m 63 and number eight of a Catholic family of 10. Only one sibling remains Catholic; most of us went to other churches and are now Christian.”

It needs to be pointed out that Catholics are Christians, as Roman Catholicism is one of the three major groups of Christianity, along with Protestantism and Eastern Orthodoxy. Many evangelical Protestant Christians would have you believe that Roman Catholicism is either

a non-Christian denomination or a less pure form of Christianity, but this simply is not true, although obviously there are many distinct differences.

Anyway, just felt compelled to point this out in case it comes up again. We enjoy your columns, and keep up the good work! Thank you. — A Proud Lifelong Roman Catholic Dear Proud Catholic: Thank you for sharing that distinction.

— Send your questions to dearannie@creators.com.

Country stars abound at CMT awards

Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown host the 2023 CMT Music Awards (7 p.m. CMT). Presenters and performers include Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, Cody Johnson, Keith Urban, Lainey Wilson and the recently added Alanis Morissette, Gwen Stefani and Shania Twain. The CMT awards are based entirely on the voting of country music fans.

For Sunday, April 2:

You will be forever young. You have an optimistic look on life and are realistic about your hopes and dreams for the future. This year it’s time to create solid foundations in your life, both physically and in an interior way. Let simplicity be a theme as you become grounded and more levelheaded.

The stars show the kind of day you’ll have: 5-Dynamic; 4-Positive; 3-Average; 2-So-so; 1-Difficult ARIES (March 21-April 19)

HH You have duties and responsibilities to perform. Nevertheless, later today, your energy picks up for lively discussions with family members. Tonight: Work.

This Week: Monitor your finances. After Thursday, disputes will mellow.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

HH You might feel lonely and cut off from others, but don’t take these feelings too seriously. They’re only temporary. Later in the day, you will feel energetic about taking advantage of opportunities to boost your good name. Tonight: Solitude.

This Week: The Full Moon is in your sign on Thursday. Stay mellow. Afterward, life is easier.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Those who enjoy these festivities should take note that the Academy of Country Music Awards will take place on May 11, notable for the fact that singer Garth Brooks will join host Dolly Parton in her second year at the helm. His participation at the 58th ACM Awards will mark his first time as co-host. The ACM Awards will not be broadcast on any traditional network, but streamed live and exclusively on Prime Video from the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas.

l Netflix streams “War Sailor,” a limited series from Norway about merchant seamen navigating treacherous waters filled with Nazi U-boats after the Nazi invasion and occupation.

l Set in the world of young adults on the autism spectrum, the new series “A Kind of Spark” (6:25 p.m., BYUtv) features a cast and crew that reflect its subject matter. April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day.

Tonight’s highlights

l “60 Minutes” (6 p.m., CBS).

l Ryan Seacrest hosts “American Idol” (7 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

l Nancy comforts the mother of an ailing newborn on “Call the Midwife” (7 p.m., PBS, TV-14).

l Philby takes refuge in the hard stuff on “A Spy Among Friends” (8 p.m., MGM+, TV-MA).

l Against the backdrop of drastic budget cuts, Hank is rattled by the arrival of his estranged father’s belongings on “Lucky Hank” (8 p.m., AMC, TV-14).

This Week: Problems with others diminish after Thursday’s Full Moon.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

HHH Children might be an increased responsibility. Likewise, you might be discouraged about social plans and relationships with romantic partners. Fortunately, as the day wears on, you have more energy to give. Tonight: Socialize.

This Week: You’re an effective communicator. Be chill with coworkers.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

HHH Be patient with family members, especially parents and authority figures. Fortunately, later in the day, you have the enthusiasm and energy to make improvements at home and mend family relationships. Tonight: Cocoon.

This Week: It’s a popular week! Be patient with kids and romantic partners.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

HHH This morning you might feel world-weary and discouraged. Don’t worry, because as the day wears on, you will feel increasingly energetic, optimistic and hopeful. Tonight: Conversations.

This Week: Family issues come to a head by Thursday’s Full Moon. Work together.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

HH You might be discouraged about your possessions or finances today. Fear not. Later in the day, you see that things don’t look as bad as you thought. Tonight: Organize your possessions.

This Week: Cooperation with others brings success. Have patience before Thursday’s Full Moon.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

HHH Today the Moon is in your sign. In the morning, it opposes stern Saturn, which is a depressing influence. As the day wears on, you feel lots more energy and more emotionally upbeat. Tonight: You’re strong.

HHH Difficulties with a friend or even a group might be discouraging today. You might feel shut out or ignored. However, later, exciting travel plans will lift your spirits. Tonight: Be friendly.

This Week: Your best success comes from cooperation with others.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

HH Today you might encounter difficulty when dealing with authority. Do not ask for permission or approval. Later in the day, financial help or assistance from another source will be encouraging. All is not lost. Tonight: You’re noticed.

This Week: Cut others some slack. After Thursday, you can play!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

HH Today the Moon opposes your ruler Saturn, which makes you judgmental, even depressed. Life will feel hard. Fortunately, this is a fleeting feeling, because your interaction with a friend or a partner will turn things completely around. Tonight: Learn something.

This Week: Avoid family squabbles. After Thursday, peace returns.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

HH Financial matters look discouraging today. You might feel broke or disappointed at the lack of support from a third party or someone from whom you expected more. Nevertheless, later in the day, you will see how you can recoup any losses. You’re so clever! Tonight: Check your finances.

This Week: Repair and decorate at home. Have patience with others. After Thursday, the coast is clear.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

HHH As this day begins, the Moon is opposite your sign and opposing Saturn in your sign. This is basically discouraging. Relations with friends and partners might disappoint you. Fortunately, social news, opportunities in sports or something to do with children will lift your spirits. Tonight: Cooperate.

This Week: Money squabbles this week culminate on Thursday.

— The astrological forecast should be read for entertainment only.

CONNECTICUT GUARD ANDRE JACKSON JR. DUNKS over Miami forward Norchad Omier, right, during the second half of a Final Four game Saturday in Houston. UConn won 72-59.