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Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Best feeling in the world': Norwell girls lacrosse captures Div. 4 title from Cohasset
WELLESLEY — When Holly Panttila boarded the bus and rode home from Tsongas Center at UMass-Lowell in March, she knew she only had one more sports season to contend for a state championship. Basketball season had just ended. Panttila and the Clippers lost in the title game for the second year in a row, right on the heels of her All-Scholastic season as a defender on the Norwell High girls soccer team that lost in the Division 3 Final Four in November. Advertisement After the hour-long commute home, Panttila, the reigning South Shore League Player of the Year in lacrosse, got off the bus with an additional, pent-up fire within her to conclude this spring season on a high note. One last time. On Thursday, the soon-to-be Vanderbilt University student was not to be denied. Panttila scored three goals as the Norwell High girls lacrosse team defeated archrival and defending champion Cohasset, 9-8, to capture the Division 4 state title at Babson College. The fourth-ranked Clippers (19-3) upset the bracket's top seed (21-3). 'We were meant to win this game," Panttila said. "I was holding off for this one because this is the big one against Cohasset. I wouldn't want to have won any other game.' Advertisement Senior Charlise Cox netted the deciding goal with 2:42 remaining, and senior goalie Charlotte Pithie made two clutch saves down the stretch, including the game-ending denial with 34 seconds left. During a timeout called inside the final two minutes, Panttila turned to assistant coach Keely Gengo and insisted that the narrow lead would sustain. 'She was just out for it," first-year coach Laura Callahan said of Panttila, who corralled 3 draw controls and 3 takeaways in the win. "She was just like, 'We got this. I know we got this.'' More: Dancing again: Gus Greene and company have Cohasset boys lacrosse back in Division 4 final Advertisement 'I got emotional," said Panttila. "I knew in my head that we were winning this game. We went on the field and there were a couple scares, but I knew we'd pull it out. I'm just so, so thrilled.' The win avenges Norwell's Final Four defeat to Cohasset last spring, as well as the lone regular-season meeting that the Skippers claimed in overtime in ex-Norwell coach Kara Connerty's return to the Clippers' home turf on May 19. Holly Panttila can't hold in her emotions as she hugs a teammate. The Norwell High girls lacrosse team celebrates defeated rival Cohasset, 9-8, in the MIAA Division 4 state championship at Babson College in Wellesley on Thursday, June 12, 2025. Connerty, who led five state-championship teams at her alma mater, resigned from coaching at Norwell last summer after 13 years and filled Cohasset's coaching vacancy in February. Advertisement 'Cohasset is a great team so we knew we had to put everything on the line to win," said Cox. "From the first whistle, we knew we wanted this so bad. We've waited for this. Every draw control, we knew we had to get it.' The two teams traded goals back-and-forth for much of Thursday's championship game. Norwell held the biggest lead, 5-3, with 6:23 left in the third quarter following a goal by senior captain Caroline Burtch, who next year will play at Babson. More: 'We haven't finished the job': BC High boys lacrosse get sanother shot at St. John's Prep Cohasset's Avery Regan (2:16) and Molly Campbell (1:43) struck within seconds of each other to even things entering the fourth quarter. Advertisement Cox, who will play at a Florida State (a first-year Division 1 start-up) next year, sliced through the Cohasset defense and fired a shot in the crease to unsettle the tie inside the final three minutes of play. It was her only goal of the game. 'Everything was moving so fast," Panttila said. "All of sudden I saw her come across the crease and the ball was in the net. I expect nothing less from Charlise. She's been a crucial player all year and she's been peaking in the tournament, having so much fun, playing loose and playing so well. We're so happy to have her.' Grasping on to the 9-8 lead down the stretch, Pithie made a save off a Cohasset free position with 1:20 left, and then another later in the Skippers' possession. 'Charlotte Pithie is a beast," Cox said. "I love her so much. She's literally a brick wall. Without her, this team wouldn't be where we are today.' The Norwell High girls lacrosse team celebrates defeated rival Cohasset, 9-8, in the MIAA Division 4 state championship at Babson College in Wellesley on Thursday, June 12, 2025. 'I had to get the job done and I'm so happy it's done," said Pithie, who will play at Bryant University next year. "We did it. I'm so proud of my team, especially with a new coach coaching us. I'm so proud of for (Callahan) and our coaching staff. I'm so proud I did this with all of my best friends in my senior year. It feels unreal.' Advertisement The state championship win is Norwell's first since 2018. The Clippers appeared in the Division 3 final in 2023, but lost to Newburyport, 13-10, when members of this senior class were sophomores playing for Connerty. 'Obviously I'm so emotional. I'm just so proud of these girls,' said Callahan, who previously served as an assistant coach at Notre Dame Academy. 'I had to get used to them. They had to get used to me. I've never been a head coach; I was worried about making mistakes. And these girls won today because they bought into the system and they played as a team. They earned this.' Norwell (19-3) sends eight seniors off with championship hardware: Panttila, Cox, Pithie, Burtch, attack Margot Bonnevie, attack Audrey Coch, defender Marley Bruce and defender Lainey Burns. 'This is the best feeling in the world," Cox said. "I couldn't imagine a better ending. I couldn't have done it without my team. This team has been my rock throughout my whole high school career. This is the best way I could ever end it.' This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Norwell girls lacrosse defeats Cohasset to win state championship
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
How Isaiah Hartenstein's battle through ‘adversity' shapes Thunder NBA Finals journey
The post How Isaiah Hartenstein's battle through 'adversity' shapes Thunder NBA Finals journey appeared first on ClutchPoints. INDIANAPOLIS — Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein, like many of his teammates, comes from humble beginnings. The 43rd overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft navigated through various stints in the G League before latching, and unlatching, onto NBA rosters. Now, heading into Game 6 with a 3-2 lead against the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals, he's one step away from becoming an NBA champion. Advertisement Eventually establishing himself as a reliable center for the Los Angeles Clippers and the New York Knicks over the past few seasons, Hartenstein inked a three-year, $87 million contract with the Thunder. Before practice, Hartenstein reflected on his path during media availability before facing the Pacers. 'The journey was great. I think a lot of people could learn from it. There's a lot of ups and downs. There's a lot of figuring out, changing roles, figuring out how to establish yourself in the NBA,' Hartenstein said. 'I think that's the biggest thing when you talk about your ego. For me, starting off in the NBA, I've seen a lot of different players that were really talented, but weren't able to look at themselves, let their ego go, and do what was best for their career. 'I had to change the way I played. I had to figure out what I could do to consistently get a niche in the NBA, and I think I found that,' Hartenstein concluded. After the Houston Rockets selected him in the second round, Hartenstein played for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets' G League affiliate, before making his NBA debut the following season. Upon his arrival in Oklahoma City this season, he found out he wasn't the only Thunder player with a road-less-traveled background. Isaiah Hartenstein shares a similar path with Thunder teammates Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Alex Caruso, who went undrafted in 2016, was traded to the Thunder, who gave him his first stint in the G League. Caruso's been phenomenal in the Thunder's postseason run. For Hartenstein, Caruso is one of the many teammates who beat the odds to be where they are. Advertisement 'If you look at most of the players on this team. I think everybody's been through some kind of adversity throughout their career,' Hartenstein said. 'You look at AC. Started as a two-way. He got cut from here, had to prove himself as a two-way [player]. My story's the same. Got cut a couple of times. Had to prove myself in the league. Lu Dort same way. Dub came from Santa Clare. Had to prove himself, too. If you look at everyone on our team, we've all been through adversity.' Now, while facing the Pacers, Hartenstein, Caruso, and the Thunder are knocking on the door to an NBA title. Related: Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander draws Derrick Rose comparison from John Calipari Related: Dyson Daniels gets real on Thunder-Pacers NBA Finals
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Clippers Likely Have No Chance at Kevin Durant Based on Offer the Suns are Rumored to Have Already Received
Clippers Likely Have No Chance at Kevin Durant Based on Offer the Suns are Rumored to Have Already Received originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The idea of the Los Angeles Clippers potentially landing Kevin Durant recently became a whole lot less realistic. Advertisement It was recently reported that the Clippers were among the franchises who had reached out to the Phoenix Suns about a potential move for Durant despite not being on the list of teams he wanted to play for. That interest coupled with the recent reports about teams trying to lowball the Suns gave fans some hope that maybe the team could land one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history. Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant Playing Against the Los Angeles ClippersJoe Camporeale-Imagn Images Now a new offer has been revealed that should just about eliminate the Clippers as a potential suitor for Durant. Arizona Sports 98.7 FM's John Gambadoro recently said (via CGBBURNER on Twitter) an offer from the Toronto Raptors included Immanuel Quickley, R.J. Barrett, Jakob Poeltl, and the ninth pick in this year's draft. If this is actually an offer the Raptors made to the Suns, the Clippers simply don't have the ammo to compete with an offer like that. Advertisement The best they can do is to offer a couple of later first rounders, a pick swap, and some veterans on expiring deals. That doesn't come close to what the Raptors are giving up in that offer. This deal would give the Suns three players they could immediately insert into their starting lineup. One of them is 26 and another is 25. Then they'd also be getting a top-10 pick out of the deal, which they could use to add another player who could be a franchise cornerstone. The only thing they could do to get themselves in the race would be to include Ivica Zubac in an offer, but it has already been reported that trading their starting center isn't something they are interested in doing. Advertisement If that is truly off the table, it seems fans are going to need to start hoping the Clippers can land a different star to turn the team into a contender. Related: Clippers Predicted to Land All-ACC Center in New Mock Draft Related: Report Reveals the Clippers' Plans for Ivica Zubac This Offseason This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Blockbuster NBA Trade Proposal Pairs Kevin Durant With Two Future Hall of Famers
Blockbuster NBA Trade Proposal Pairs Kevin Durant With Two Future Hall of Famers originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Phoenix Suns are widely expected to trade NBA legend Kevin Durant before the 2025 NBA Draft. Advertisement Durant, 36, wants the Suns to trade him to the San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat or Houston Rockets. However, Phoenix can trade Durant anywhere since the small forward doesn't have a no-trade clause in his contract. If Durant doesn't get traded to the Spurs, Heat or Rockets, Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo Sports proposed that a team with two future Hall of Famers trade for the eighth leading scorer of all time. O'Connor proposed that the Los Angeles Clippers, who have Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, trade Norman Powell, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Drew Eubanks, the 30th pick in this year's draft and a 2031 first-round pick to the Suns for Durant. Advertisement "Powell really folded in the playoffs," O'Connor wrote. "He looked more like an 82-game guy and less like a 16-game guy. This would be a quadruple down on the old-man core. Might as well go for it if you're not gonna go the other way. "Yeah, it's not ideal. But you get to live in Los Angeles and play on a talented roster. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden might be unreliable, but if it breaks right you're in the West finals with a chance to win it all." This NBA trade idea sends Kevin Durant to the Clippers. Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Durant played with Harden on the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Brooklyn Nets. Meanwhile, Durant and Leonard have played together on All-Star teams. The Clippers lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of this year's playoffs in seven games. LAC has never made the NBA Finals in franchise history. Advertisement Durant played in 62 games for the Suns this season. He averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.2 blocks while shooting 52.7% from the field, 43.0% from 3 and 83.9% from the free-throw line. Related: Kevin Durant's No. 1 Trade Destination Not 'Motivated' to Acquire Him This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
Former NBA star Eric Bledsoe arrested after allegedly striking woman in the face
Former NBA star Eric Bledsoe was arrested Wednesday and booked on a felony domestic violence charge after allegedly striking a woman in the face, TMZ reported. According to the outlet, Bledsoe, 35, was taken into custody by the California Highway Patrol around 2:30 a.m. and the domestic violence incident was said to have occurred on a Los Angeles-area freeway. He was being held on $50,000 bail. 3 Eric Bledsoe has spent his first four NBA seasons with the Clippers. Getty Images The highway patrol's investigation into the report of domestic violence brought them to a gas station near U.S. 101, where Bledsoe was allegedly found with a woman who was dealing with 'bruising and swelling to her face.' The woman alleged that Bledsoe hit her and was the reason for the bruising and swelling, but he refused to speak and was then handcuffed and thrown in jail, police reportedly said. The former point guard also had the police called to his Los Angeles home just two months ago after his neighbors reported an alleged domestic dispute, TMZ reported. Bledsoe and his girlfriend, Briona Mae, were reportedly uncooperative when police arrived. An investigation reportedly concluded that some dispute did take place, but there were no signs of domestic violence. No arrests were made, per TMZ. 3 Eric Bledsoe's top scoring seasons of his career were with the Suns. AP Bledsoe was, however, arrested in a similar incident three years ago involving Mae when he was booked for a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. That case was ultimately dropped after she gave 'inconsistent statements about whether there was a physical altercation.' It's unclear who the woman involved in Wednesday's incident is. 3 Bledsoe made two All-Defensive teams in his three seasons with the Bucks. Corey Sipkin Bledsoe played 12 seasons in the NBA after being drafted with the 18th pick in 2010 out of Kentucky, and he was an All-Defensive Team selection twice. He last played for the Clippers during the 2021-22 season.
