: Sports

T.O. thinks NFL is still in his future

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:33 CST

By Clarence E. Hill Jr.

ALLEN -- Former Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens was greeted like hero at the Allen Event Center Wednesday night.

Roughly 700 people came for his introduction as a part owner and part-time player of the Allen Wranglers of the Indoor Football League.

Owens earned more than $35 million during a 15-year NFL career with the 49ers, Eagles, Cowboys, Bills and Bengals, but now is playing for a chance to make up to $500,000 with the Wranglers. The season starts Feb. 25 but he can leave the Wranglers if he signs with an NFL team.

"I have no answers as for why I'm here," Owens said. "I know God works in mysterious ways. It was an opportunity for myself and my family. It's a way for myself to keep in shape. I haven't retired from the NFL. I want to play a couple more years. I know I'm physically fit to play the game still."

No NFL team signed him last year after he rehabilitated a left knee injury that needed surgery.

He admits being humbled and says he has matured since his days as a reputed locker room cancer, especially with the Eagles and Cowboys.

"I don't see this as anything beneath me," Owens sad. "I come from humble beginnings. I know what it takes. I worked my butt off to get where I am. This is for myself. This is for my family. That's all I am worried about.

"There have been some things I have been going through personally.... Obviously the passing of my grandmother," Owens said. "It has definitely put a lot of things in perspective for me and my family."

Owens has agreed to play just the home games with the Wranglers. They are still negotiating whether he will play any road games.

Owens said he was excited to be back in the Dallas area, where he once thought he would retire.

He calls experiences of the last few years since being cut by the Cowboys a wake-up call.

"It was very disappointing," Owens said. "It was one of those things where again, it's a lot of lip service, people saying they're going to do one thing and do another. I've learned a lot within the last three to five years about life in general and even people in general."

Owens said he hopes other young players can learn from his situation, especially when it comes to their finances. He has been in the news recently because of court appearances in four child-support cases.

He said he was too trusting of others with his money.

"I allowed people to tell me they were taking care of my situation, [and for me to] go out and focus on football," Owens said. "I am partially at fault for that. It was an eye-opener for myself and my family. ... I feel like I have been put on this platform to tell these guys, 'Be on top of your finances.' Because they say they are doing one thing and they're not."

Clarence E. Hill Jr.

817-390-7760

Twitter: @clarencehilljr

Talent runs deep at Trimble Tech

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:13 CST

Matthew Reagan

Fort Worth Trimble Tech just might have the deepest Class 4A team in the area.

"That's part of what we like to call 'The system,'" said Tech coach Wendell Ivory, whose Bulldogs locked up a playoff spot 9 days ago. "I like to feel that any time I reach back to pull somebody into the game I shouldn't even have to look and should be able to put in a quality player."

At his disposal, Ivory has high-flying guard Charles Hill. The TCU signee averages 16 points and 3.1 steals per game, but Ivory relies just as much on his bench.

"We have a saying that it's not who starts the game, it's who finishes it," Ivory said.

The Bulldogs (23-4, 16-0 District 6-4A) often have six or seven players score in double figures and have beaten opponents by an average of 24 points over their past three games.

Jow Deng, one of Ivory's top bench options, leads Tech with an average of 9.8 rebounds a game, while Damarion Gipson has added 11 points a game.

Tech, ranked by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches as 4A's No. 4 team in the state, can lock up the district title with a win, or a loss by Fort Worth Arlington Heights.

"Our goals far exceed going undefeated in district," Ivory said. "We've worked hard for it but we know we've got a long way to go."

Gaining an edge

By beating Keller Fossil Ridge on Tuesday night, Keller breathed a temporary sigh of relief by grabbing third place in District 7-5A with a week left in the regular season.

While the Indians (14-9, 7-5) still need to win one of their two remaining games to be assured a playoff spot, they sit one game ahead of Justin Northwest, Southlake Carroll and Fossil Ridge.

The four teams are competing for two playoff spots.

"This late in the race you need to get everything you can," Keller coach Randall Durant said.

Coppell is in second place at 8-4 and Keller Central is firmly entrenched in first place with an 11-1 record in district play.

Locked in

Drake Pamilton has been feeling it.

The Lake Worth senior forward is averaging 31 points a game over the Bullfrogs' last three contests.

He went for 30 against Burleson Centennial on Jan. 31 and followed that with 46 in a 102-62 victory over Fort Worth Castleberry on Friday.

"He's really come on for us in the last week," Lake Worth coach Kyle Terrell said. "A lot of it is the desire to take over -- the 'give me the ball and get out of my way' mentality."

Pamilton (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) has signed a football scholarship to play wide receiver at Incarnate Word in San Antonio.

Big win

Tuesday's 80-71 victory by Fort Worth Western Hills against Fort Worth Dunbar was a double-whammy.

The Cougars hadn't beaten Dunbar since 1998 and with the win, Western Hills eliminated Dunbar from playoff contention. The Wildcats had advanced to the postseason for 35 straight years prior to the 2010-11 season.

Poll hit

Arlington Grace Prep's last-second loss to Lubbock Trinity on Saturday sent ripples through the national and state rankings.

Trinity guard Parker Wentz, who led his team with 31 points, hit a shot with under 30 seconds remaining to give Trinity the win and avenge a 68-55 loss last month.

With the loss, Grace Prep (22-3) dropped from No. 3 to No. 18 in the ESPN Powerade FAB 50 rankings.

The Lions also dropped to No. 2 in the TABC large private school poll behind Plano Prestonwood, which Grace Prep split with in two meetings this season.

Lubbock Trinity (34-1) is ranked No. 3 by the TABC.

Matthew Reagan

817-390-7760

Twitter: @reaganmatthew

Dirk's All-Star streak could be in jeopardy

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:03 CST

By Dwain Price

DENVER -- The Dallas Mavericks find out today if they're going to own a record they really don't want to own.

The Mavericks are hoping forward Dirk Nowitzki will make the All-Star Game on Feb. 26 for an unprecedented 11th consecutive season when the Western Conference's seven reserves are announced.

But if he doesn't, Dallas will become the first reigning NBA champion not to have a player in the ensuing All-Star game.

"There are a lot of people that think he doesn't have a chance," coach Rick Carlisle said before Wednesday's game against Denver. "I don't necessarily feel that that's the case, but we'll see.

"Of course we'd love to see him on the All-Star team. I'm not going to get into my own opinions on it because this is not the time to editorialize about things like that when we're having our own struggles we've got to concentrate on."

Guard Jason Terry is adamant that Nowitzki will be a participant in this year's midseason classic.

"He'll be in there, no question," Terry said. "I don't care how good somebody's playing, somebody will make a way for him and then we'll see what happens.

"But I really think he'll be there. He's still playing well enough to be there."

Nowitzki was averaging 17.2 points and six rebounds per game entering Wednesday. Those are his lowest numbers since Nowitzki's rookie season of 1998-99.

But those are the numbers that led Nowitzki to say he's not deserving of being on this year's All-Star team.

"Like I said, either way we'll make it a positive," Carlisle said. "But I'm not of the belief that he's definitely not going to make it.

"That's my opinion. Even though I'm not giving my opinion."

Forward Lamar Odom said Nowitzki is one of the NBA's all-time greats regardless of whether he plays in the All-Star game.

"It'll be great for him to get in there and keep the streak going," Odom said. "But I'm pretty sure all that matters to Dirk right now is wins and losses."

Win-loss philosophy

When he was winning championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, Lamar Odom had a unique way of dealing with wins and losses.

"Treat a loss like a win and treat a win like a loss," Odom said. "At the end of the day it's all gearing up for the postseason, because in a year like this that's what people are going to remember.

"It's about who finishes where. Anything else doesn't matter."

Dwain Price, 817-390-7760

Twitter: @DwainPrice

Brandan Wright giving Mavericks a charge off bench

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:33 CST

By Dwain Price

DENVER -- Jason Terry should be Brandan Wright's public relations director.

Terry has noticed that whenever the Dallas Mavericks put Wright in a game, the third-year forward usually makes a positive impact. So, Terry has been lobbying for Wright to receive more playing time.

"I've already put my bid in for Brandan Wright," said Terry, the Mavs' veteran guard. "I've already expressed that he should play every night whether it's five minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, but he has to play.

"Just because of the way he plays, he's an energy guy. And for off the bench, he's good with that unit that I have. He automatically gets involved."

The 6-foot-10 Wright said it's his nature to energize a team.

"Most of the time when I get in the game I think Coach puts me in just to lift the team up, to bring energy," Wright said. "That's what I do anyway.

"I'm an athletic guy, can do a lot of things -- move, blocks shots, try to get some big dunks, get the team energized. That's just my role right now."

It's a role coach Rick Carlisle has noticed that Wright has played well. And it may be why Carlisle played Wright 29 minutes in Saturday's 91-88 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Wright responded with 11 points, eight rebounds and four blocks, and was 5 of 9 from the field.

"He's been active and productive," Carlisle said. "The combination of those two things is a real positive.

"Activity, energy, he's just a positive vibe-type kid. And he's getting better, he's working very hard on his game. He's done a lot of positive things, so that's a plus."

Wright also considers it a plus that a wily veteran such as Terry is staunchly in his corner.

"Jet and I, we have great chemistry on the court, offensively and defensively," Wright said. "I appreciate Jet saying that and pushing the coaches.

"Jet is one of the guys who has put me under his wings and trying to show me everything. We're trying to build something so we can do something special this year."

Dwain Price, 817-390-7760

Twitter: @DwainPrice

Something has to give between Mavs and Nuggets

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:06 CST

By Dwain Price

It was the second game of the season, and the second day of the season.

The Dallas Mavericks were still reeling from being hammered at home on opening day to the hated Miami Heat in a game that wasn't as close as the final score (105-94). Then, on Dec. 26, the Denver Nuggets strolled into American Airlines Center and did their own number on the Mavs.

When the game was over, the Nuggets also were able to hammer the Mavs, 115-93. Tonight at 8, the two clubs meet again at the Pepsi Center, with the Mavs looking for more than just respect.

“We are a better team,'' coach Rick Carlisle said. “Are we playing that way right now? No.

“So something has to give. For us you've got to play with urgency. A sense of urgency and really go out there and want it, and I think we will.''

Something will indeed give tonight, since the Mavs (14-11) and Nuggets (15-10) have both lost their last three games.

“We always know the results that we want, but the process of getting there is something that we've got to focus on every second of the day,'' Carlisle said. “Everything is connected.

“Our defense, if it's good, leads to better offense. If it isn't, it's going to lead to struggles. We've got to work at all those things.''

Dwain Price, 817-390-7760

Mavs have to deal with the mile high altitude

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:06 CST

By Dwain Price

Located at 5,280 feet, the mile high altitude in Denver has sometimes given opposing players problems.

The main issue is players sometimes have problems catching their breath, which in turn affects their overall level of play. It's an issue the Dallas Mavericks will have to deal with when they battle the Denver Nuggets at 8 tonight at the Pepsi Center.

“It's a factor to some extent, but it's not a big of factor as playing your game well,'' coach Rick Carlisle said. “That's a bigger factor.

“Sometimes you've got to look at rotating guys in earlier, but my experience is generally players adjust during the course of the game. Utah is at 4,300 feet -- and it's almost as much [as Denver] -- and we got a lot of experience with it, so we'll deal with it.''

Guard Jason Terry said he's never had a problem with the altitude in Denver, but he knows other players have.

“If you're a starter, that first five or six minutes, probably you feel short-winded, you lose your breath a little bit,'' Terry said. “But once get your second wind in, it's really over with.

“Once you get past that initial burn, it's not really a factor.''

Dwain Price, 817-390-7760

Girls basketball playoff pairings, updated late Wednesday afternoon

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:56 CST

Class 5A

Arlington Martin vs. Midland, 6 p.m. Monday at Jim Ned HS

Denton Guyer vs. Marcus, 6 p.m. Monday at TC Nelson HS

Colleyville Heritage vs. Mansfield Timberview, 6:30 p.m. Monday at Lamar HS

Southlake Carroll vs. Plano, 7 p.m. Monday at Carrollton Smith HS

Arlington Lamar vs. San Angelo Central, 6 p.m. Tuesday at Jim Ned HS Mansfield vs. Irving MacArthur, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Lamar HS

Arlington Bowie vs. Odessa Permian, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Jim Ned HS

Timber Creek vs. Dunbar, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Keller Central HS

Class 4A

Springtown vs. Western Hills, 6 p.m. Monday at Haltom HS

TC Nelson vs. Trimble Tech, 7:30 p.m. Monday at Haltom HS

Fort Worth Southwest vs. Aledo, 7:30 p.m. Monday at Burleson HS

Mansfield Summit vs. Waco/Waco Midway winner, 6 p.m. Tuesday at Corsicana HS