McConnell shows range in Lega Due playoff game

Former Saint Mary’s guard Mickey McConnell recently put on a long-range shooting exhibition in a Tezenis Verona playoff game against Novipiu’ Casale Monferrato.  Mickey went 9-12 from behind the 3-point line en route to 31 points to lead his team to a 12 point victory.

Unfortunately, Tezenis was eliminated from the Lega Due playoffs two nights later to end its season.

Paul Marigney ended the regular season fifth in Lega Due in scoring with 18.8 points per game and was ninth in assists with 3.3.  McConnell ended the regular season at 13.0 points and 2.9 assists per game.

Rowland’s VEF Riga side close to playoff finals victory

Former Saint Mary’s guard E.J. Rowland’s VEF Riga team is on the verge of winning the championship playoff series in the Latvian Basketball League finals.

Riga defeated BC Ventspils 74-72 at home on Thursday to take a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-five series.  Rowland scored 14 points in the victory.

The two teams will play tomorrow at 7 a.m. (Pacific) in Ventspils then against on Monday, if necessary, at Arena Riga.

 

Samhan, Ulm set for playoff semifinal game 2

Former Saint Mary’s center Omar Samhan’s ratiopharm Ulm plays game two of a best-of-five playoff semifinal series against EWE Baskets Oldenburg tomorrow morning at 8:20 a.m. (Pacific).  Ulm won an important road contest against EWE Baskets 86-84 on Tuesday.

The winner of the series will play either FC Bayern München or Brose Baskets in the German league playoff finals.

It appears there will be live video of tomorrow’s game online at this link.

In addition to Omar, Santa Clara’s John Bryant (pictured on the right with Omar in his stylish orange mohawk) and Portland’s Robin Smeulders (a German national) are other players in the series with West Coast Conference ties.

Incoming Gael Earns Prestigious Award

Future Saint Mary’s cross country/track runner Ali Teliha walked away with some rather impressive hardware on Monday, as the Bullard High-Fresno senior won the B’nai B’rith Student-Athlete Award at the Clovis Veterans Memorial Building.

The award is given to athletes who excel and are active in athletics, academics, community and citizenship. This is the 62nd year the award has been given out to a deserving Fresno-area athlete.

“This is a very big honor. There were 16 final candidates in four local schools,” said Saint Mary’s cross country/track coach Marty Kinsey. “This is what happens when you are a nine-time state qualifier (four in track, four in cross country and one in soccer) and are the valedictorian in a class of over 500. I couldn’t be happier for her.”

Teliha will join an accomplished new crop of runners under Kinsey’s watch this summer.

 

Former Gael Anthony Aliotti belts three home runs in Double-A game

Former Saint Mary’s Gael Anthony Aliotti is in the middle of a power surge, playing for the Double-A Midland Rockhounds (Oakland Athletics affiliate).  On Sunday, Aliotti had a career day, blasting three home runs with eight RBI.  He went 4-for-5 and also had a double mixed in.

The 2009 15^th-round draft pick is repeating the Texas League after finding success last season. He hit .292 with a .385 on-base percentage and .811 OPS.

SMC Basketball, Soccer Join Forces For Exhibitions

In what has become an annual rite of Spring, the Saint Mary’s basketball and soccer programs are teaming up to raise awareness for a good cause and engage in a bit of good-natured competition.

The festivities begin Friday at 5:30 p.m. in McKeon Pavilion when the women’s basketball team hosts the men’s soccer team in a basketball exhibition. Admission is free for both events.

The action moves to the pitch at 7:30, when the women’s soccer team hosts the men’s basketball team in an exhibition on the SMC Recreation Field (turf field behind McKeon).

At both games, the Saint Mary’s College Women’s Resource Center will have a table set up to spread awareness against sexual assault. Fans will have the opportunity to donate to the Women’s Resource Center at both games.

Join the Gaels for an evening of cross-sport fun!

McClung advances to US Open Sectional qualifying

Saint Mary’s senior Mac McClung was among five players to advance out of US Open local qualifying and advance for sectionals Monday at Ruby Hill Golf Club in Pleasanton.

McClung was one of four players tied for fourth at even-par 71, with two players earning qualifying spots and two earning alternate spots after a sudden-death playoff. The two players to survive the playoff were both amateurs from Fremont -  McClung and Hayden Shieh, who beat out professionals Cameron Rappleye and Jake Sarnoff. McClung, who is a part of the Gaels 2-time WCC championship golf team, had three birdies, a bogey and double bogey in his round, with all three birdies on his second nine.

Teammate Nick Sako finished just one shot off qualifying with a 1-over 72, while Ben Geyer shot 73 and Alex Bungert finished with a 77.

The five players moving on will make their next stop at a U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying site on June 3. The California site for U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying is at Big Canyon CC in Newport Beach.