Afternoon State Sports Briefs: Gonzalez will back with Brewers in 2013

• Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee Brewers

Talk about it

MILWAUKEE - It appears that veteran shortstop Alex Gonzalez will return to the Milwaukee Brewers. Fox Sports said the 35-year-old Gonzalez has agreed to a one-year contract worth one-and-a-half million dollars, plus incentives that could net him an extra million.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel says Gonzalez has apparently not completed the required physical, and the team still needs to clear a spot on its 40-man roster. Gonzalez first joined the Brewers a year ago – and he started as if he’d have a banner year. He played solid defense and batted .259 with four homers and 15 RBI’s before tearing an ACL last May at San Francisco. The knee injury put him out for the year. Now, the Brewers have been looking for a veteran backup to provide insurance for young starter Jean Segura at short.

_________________________________________________________________________

As Brandon Jennings goes, so go the Milwaukee Bucks – and that statement is especially true when the Bucks play the Detroit Pistons. Jennings has only scored 24 total points in Milwaukee’s two losses to the Pistons this season. And both he and the team will look to do better tonight, when the Bucks play Detroit at Auburn Hills. Jennings has been a slow starter in Milwaukee’s most recent games. He went scoreless in the first half last Friday and Saturday nights – and he ended up with 14 in a Bucks’ loss at Cleveland, and 20 the next night in a home win over Golden State. In his last four contests, Jennings has averaged six points in the first half and 16 in the second. Coach Jim Boylan says Jennings tries to move the ball to others early on – but he says the Bucks need him to score, and that’s what he ends up doing. Jennings has been distributing the ball more, with eight-and-a-half assists in his last four contests compared to just over five assists in his previous 36 games. The Bucks remain third in the NBA Central Division at 23-19. Detroit is fourth in the division at 17-27.

_________________________________________________________________________

Minnesota Timberwolves’ interim coach Terry Porter has handed the reins back over to Rick Adelman. Porter – a Milwaukee native and former Bucks’ coach – went 2-9 while Adelman was away for almost three weeks to be with his ailing wife Mary Kay. Adelman was back in charge yesterday at a Wolves’ practice – and he’ll return to the bench tomorrow night when Minnesota hosts the Los Angeles Clippers. The T-Wolves were at .500 when Porter took over, but they’re now at 17-24, with a four-game losing streak. Adelman was in constant contact with his staff while he was away – and he returned for a day on January 16th to give the team a pep talk. Porter said he did all he could to make life less stressful for Adelman at his difficult time. Adelman says there’s half the season left, and he said everyone needs to do a little more. He lightened up when he was asked about Porter’s job performance. He joked about a two-thousand-dollar fine Porter got for a technical foul and said quote, “I’ll take some of the other stuff, but he’s got to pay for his own technical.” The two go back for years, when Porter played for Adelman at Portland. Porter remains a Timberwolves’ assistant.

__________________________________________________________________________

The UW-Eau Claire men’s hockey team has moved into a tie for fifth in the new Division-Three poll from U.S. College Hockey Online. The Blugolds were sixth last week, and they’re now tied with Hobart at Number-five. Eau Claire is 16-3-2 overall. Stevens Point returns to the poll at No. 14. The Milwaukee School of Engineering also received votes, as did Superior and Stout. Norwich of Connecticut remains the men’s No. 1.

__________________________________________________________________________

Madison golfer Jerry Kelly has moved up 12 places in the new World Golf Rankings. Kelly is 248th this week, after he tied for 27th at the fog-delayed Farmers Insurance Open. Steve Stricker of Madison – who only plans to be in about a dozen tournaments this year – fell out of the Top-10 in the World Rankings this week. He dropped one place to 11th. Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods are still first-and-second in the World.

__________________________________________________________________________

For the third time in four weeks, Chas Cross of UW-Platteville was named today as the WIAC men’s basketball player-of-the-week. The junior center earned his second straight weekly honor, averaging 21-and-a-half points and eight-and-a-half rebounds in a pair of games last week. He also averaged two-and-a-half assists and two blocked shots, while shooting 58-percent from the floor. And Cross played 69 minutes without turning the ball over. Meanwhile, UW-Oshkosh guard Megan Wenig was named the women’s player-of-the-week for the second time in the last month. Wenig, a senior, averaged 17-and-a-half points and four rebounds in a pair of conference victories for the Titans. She also surpassed the one-thousand-point milestone for her career.

_________________________________________________________________________

The WIAC also recognized Luuk Dekkers of Stevens Point and Stacey Kincade of Whitewater in swimming – Nick Badilla of Eau Claire and Tessa Kahring of La Crosse in diving – Alex Koenen of La Crosse and Christy Cazzola of Oshkosh in indoor track – Kenny McGee and Katie Capriglione, both of Superior, in indoor field events – Katie Thompson of Whitewater and Samantha Opsahl of Gustavus Adolphus in women’s gymnastics – Brandon Stephenson of Eau Claire in hockey – and Jordan Schulte of Stevens Point in wrestling.

_________________________________________________________________________

Kevin Hurd of Carroll University in Waukesha has been named the Midwest Conference men’s basketball performer-of-the-week. Hurd, a junior guard, had 16 points and 10 rebounds in Carroll’s win over Lawrence. He then added 23 points and eight boards in a win over Illinois College. Camille Marie of Cornell was named the women’s player-of-the-week, after she became the 15th woman in Midwest Conference history to score 13-hundred career points.

__________________________________________________________________________

The University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team will play at 11th-ranked Ohio State tonight, in what has become an intense rivalry in recent years. Both teams are 5-2 in Big Ten play. They’re tied for fourth place, a half-game behind Michigan State and a game in back of front-running Michigan and Indiana. Buckeyes’ coach Thad Matta says it seems that every game with the Badgers has had major implications ever since 2007. That was when they were the top two teams in the polls, and Ohio State beat Wisconsin by 17 in Columbus before the Buckeyes won the league crown and made the NCAA Final Four. Two years ago, Wisconsin handed then No. 1 ranked Ohio State its first loss on a February day in Madison – and Buckeyes’ center Jared Sullinger said a fan spit on him after the crowd rushed onto the floor. Ohio State got its revenge later in Columbus. Then last year, Jared Berggren ruined the Buckeyes’ Senior Day with a go-ahead three-pointer that gave Wisconsin a victory in Columbus. This year, Berggren is struggling. He has only averaged six points and six rebounds in each of his last four contests, after getting 14 points and five boards in each of his first three Big Ten games. The Badgers broke a two-game winning streak with a last-second home win over Minnesota last Saturday. Ohio State has won four-of-five, including a 14-point victory over Penn State last Saturday. Wisconsin is 14-6 overall, and Ohio State is 15-4.

_________________________________________________________________________

Marquette University men’s basketball forward Davante Gardner will not be suspended for his next game, after he was ejected in last night’s home victory over South Florida. Gardner was ushered out with 13:46 left, when he elbowed Zach LeDay in the head as they fought for the ball. Marquette officials said the Big East office reviewed video of the foul this morning – and they decided that the original call of a Flagrant-Two foul was correct. And therefore, Gardner will not face additional punishment. Marquette moved into a tie for first in the Big East with their win last night. The 25th-ranked Golden Eagles have won eight-of-their-last-nine, and will play at No. 12 Louisville on Sunday.

_________________________________________________________________________

In Division III hoops, league play resumes tonight in both the Midwest and Northern Athletics conferences. Men’s-and-women’s double-headers are on tap in the Midwest. Saint Norbert hosts Lawrence. Beloit plays at Lake Forest. And Ripon College entertains Carroll. Saint Norbert leads the men’s standings by a game over Grinnell. The Cornell women are in first place by two games over Monmouth. In the NAC, four men’s contests involve Wisconsin schools. North Division-leading Lakeland plays at Milwaukee Engineering. Wisconsin Lutheran hosts Dominican. Madison Edgewood is at Concordia-Mequon. And Marian is at home against Maranatha Baptist. The Maranatha women are at home against Concordia-Mequon. Elsewhere, Northland College of Ashland is scheduled to play at Saint Scholastica in a men’s-women’s twin bill.

_________________________________________________________________________

Former Milwaukee Bucks’ center Andrew Bogut played his first game in almost three months, as his Golden State Warriors won at Toronto 114-102 last night. Bogut scored 12 points in only his fifth game for the Warriors, after he was traded last February in the deal that brought Monta Ellis and Ekpe Udoh to Milwaukee. Warriors’ coach Mark Jackson says his team is improved when the 7-foot Bogut is on the floor – and the coach says Bogut quote, “completes us as a team.” Bogut missed his previous 38 games since November seventh with pain in his surgically-repaired left ankle. He hurt the ankle about this time a year ago when he was still with the Bucks. Bogut said it’s been a long, frustrating season for him – and just to be out there and help get a win was satisfying.

__________________________________________________________________________

Green Bay Packers’ safety Sean Richardson is expected to have a decent chance of playing next season, after he had neck surgery 10 days ago. Spine specialist Robert Watkins performed the operation in California, and he called the procedure a success. The Green Bay Press-Gazette said the Packers expect Richardson to play this fall – and he’ll probably be ready to practice when training camp begins in late July. Richardson played on special teams during his rookie season. But he was on injured reserve for the final five games due to his neck injury.

__________________________________________________________________________

Milwaukee Admirals’ defenseman Victor Bartley had one assist in the American Hockey League All-Star Game. Bartley also had a shot on goal, as he helped the Western Conference team beat the East 7-6 in Providence. Ryan Hamilton of Toronto broke a 6-6 tie by scoring the winning goal with 11-point-two seconds left. He was the game’s MVP, as he scored the final three West goals of the night. The West out-shot the East 44-to-37. And for the second year in a row, the West swept the East in both the All-Star Game and the Skills Competition the day before.

__________________________________________________________________________

The 20th-ranked Wisconsin wrestling team has dropped to 4-3 in the Big Ten Conference, after losing to No. 22 Purdue 22-14 yesterday in Hinsdale, Illinois. A number of matches were not decided until the final seconds – including an upset at 197 pounds in which 20th-ranked Jackson Hein of Wisconsin edged out No. 17 Braden Atwood in overtime. The Boilermakers won key matches at 157 and 165 pounds by a single point to claim the dual meet win. Purdue improved to 2-3 in the conference and 11-5 overall. The Badgers dropped to 7-5 overall.

_________________________________________________________________________

Melanie Laete of Wisconsin Lutheran is the Northern Athletics Conference women’s basketball player-of-the-week. Laete, a senior forward, averaged almost 14 points in three conference victories for the Warriors. She shot almost 58-percent from the floor and made all 11 of her free throws for the week. Laete also averaged almost eight rebounds per contest. David Dixon of Rockford is the honored player on the men’s side. Also, Amberly Weiglein of Wisconsin Lutheran was named the women’s indoor track athlete-of-the-week. The sophomore broke a new school record in the 60-meter dash at the Oshkosh Invitational with a time of eight-point-37 seconds.

Tags: wisconsin sports, sports, proam, badgers, packers, brewers, bucks