season-opening - The Latremie Post

Fleet’s offensive surge halts Frost’s road winning streak

**Boston Fleet Dominate Minnesota Frost, 4-1, at Agganis Arena**

**BOSTON** – Shay Maloney ignited a high-powered attack on Sunday afternoon, sparking the Boston Fleet to a commanding 4-1 victory over the visiting Minnesota Frost in front of 5,338 fans at Agganis Arena.

Maloney opened the scoring for Boston, setting the tone for a season-high four-goal output. She and team captain Megan Keller struck just 1 minute and 14 seconds apart late in the first period, giving the Fleet (4-0, 12 points) an early 2-0 lead and solidifying their position atop the standings.

Minnesota (2-2, six points) responded early in the second period when Klára Hymlárová notched her first goal of the season, assisted by Claire Butorac and Peyton Anderson. However, the Frost’s momentum was short-lived.

Fleet rookie Abby Newhook quickly restored Boston’s two-goal cushion with a power-play tally—her third goal of the season—just 49 seconds after Hymlárová’s marker. The offensive pressure continued into the third period, as Theresa Schafzahl added another power-play goal, capping the scoring for the host Fleet.

“I felt like their pressure all over the ice, the first pressure F1 and the secondary pressure, was really good,” Frost defender Lee Stecklein said. “Obviously, they did that last year, too; it just felt really consistent today.”

Boston goaltender Aerin Frankel made a season-high 26 saves to record her league-leading fourth victory. On the other side, Minnesota’s Maddie Rooney also posted a season-high, stopping 31 shots in the losing effort.

Fleet head coach Kris Sparre commended the team’s performance: “I thought that was probably the highest pace game that we’ve played so far. We knew going into this game that it was going to take everybody. That’s a very organized group over there in Minnesota, and you can see why they’ve had a lot of success in this league so far. Credit to our group. I thought we hung in there and played a pretty tidy game. Our group is pretty reset from last year. We’re focusing on what we have now, and we feel like we’re a completely new team.”

The Frost, playing their third consecutive road game to start the season, saw their season-opening road winning streak end at two games.

“We started off hot, and I think we just want to be better on our power play and scoring on those chances,” Frost assistant coach Brianna Decker said. “And on the back side of that, the PK (penalty kill) gets cleaned up as well because obviously we have them in the next game.”

The Fleet and Frost won’t face off again until December 19, with their rematch set for Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul as the PWHL enters a near two-week international break.
https://www.pinejournal.com/sports/pro/fleets-offensive-surge-halts-frosts-road-winning-streak

Surprise Decision Might Just Hand the Mets Their Next Ace

The potential for the New York Mets to acquire an ace starter this offseason got a boost from an unexpected source. On Nov. 18, right-hander Brandon Woodruff made what he called “an easy decision” to accept the qualifying offer from the Milwaukee Brewers. After missing all of 2024 and nearly half of the 2025 season recovering from shoulder surgery, the 32-year-old went 7-2 with a 3. 20 over 12 starts in the last year of a two-year, $17. 5 million contract. He will earn $22. 025 million in 2026, the highest average annual value ever given a pitcher by the Brewers, who are hopeful of a significant return on the investment to a starter who has posted a 3. 10 career ERA since his debut in August 2017. “When the Brewers extended the qualifying offer, I took that as a big compliment. I really did,” Woodruff told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I also took it as they really wanted me here. I know the ramifications of offering a one-year, 22 [million-dollar contract] to a pitcher in the Brewers organization. That has never happened. I don’t take that lightly.” Brandon Woodruff’s Decision Could Open Brewers to Trading Freddy Peralta There could be ramifications for another pitcher on the Brewers staff as well. In a Friday article for Bleacher Report predicting the season-opening rotation for all 32 MLB clubs, Joel Reuter suggests that Woodruff’s decision will help Milwaukee make a decision regarding Freddy Peralta. “The already strong possibility Freddy Peralta is traded this winter became even stronger when Brandon Woodruff accepted his qualifying offer,” Reuter opined, “giving the Brewers a de facto replacement in the ace role and tacking a significant chunk onto their 2026 payroll.” Peralta’s trade potential has been discussed by MLB analysts since before the offseason began. Coming off his finest season as a pro, the 29-year-old will earn $8 million next season, has last before becoming an unrestricted free agent, and speculation is high that the Brewers will trade Peralta while his value is at its highest point, similar to what they did with Corbin Burnes. Mets Have the Prospects & Desire to Make a Deal for Freddy Peralta Peralta went 17-6 with a 2. 70 ERA in 2025, striking out 204 batters in 176. 2 innings, and he finished fifth in the NL Cy Young Award voting. There are undoubtedly 31 other MLB teams who would love to have Peralta in their starting rotation at his paltry 2026 salary, but there are only a few who realistically can afford to sign him to an extension. From that group, Reuter believes the Mets will make the blockbuster deal to put Peralta at the top of their staff. “Improving (their) starting rotation is simply non-negotiable this winter,” Reuter wrote. “And while the Mets can find the money to go buy at least one of the top arms out there right now, they also have the farm system necessary to trade for what could be their Opening Day starter in 2026.” Reuter’s proposal has the Mets sending a trio of their top 30 prospects: right-handed pitcher Jonah Tong (No. 4), outfielder Eli Serrano III (No. 12), and versatile utility man Chris Suero (No. 15). While acknowledging Tong’s exciting potential, Reuter stressed that the Mets’ desire to vastly improve their pitching immediately would make this “an easy decision.” “Because Peralta is exponentially more well-established as a multiple-time All-Star with a 3. 30 ERA over the past five seasons, New York might be not only willing but straight up eager to make this proposed swap,” he stated.
https://heavy.com/sports/mlb/new-york-mets/surprise-decision-might-just-hand-the-mets-their-next-ace/

No. 3 UF routs North Florida by 40 as Gators bounce back from Arizona loss

GAINESVILLE, Florida — The Florida Gators bounced back from a season-opening loss to Arizona with a vengeance, delivering a dominant defensive performance and a standout game from All-America candidate Alex Condon, who was sorely missed in Monday night’s matchup in Las Vegas.

North Florida never really stood a chance as the Gators rolled to a commanding 104-64 victory on Thursday night, just days after dropping their 93-87 opener. Despite the lopsided score, national championship vibes were palpable at the O’Connell Center.

A packed crowd of 10,065 fans roared with excitement before tip-off as the school unveiled the 2025 championship banner, now proudly hanging in the rafters on the stadium’s east side.

Although the Gators had a clear talent advantage and the energy in the building was electric, North Florida fought hard early on. The teams traded the lead six times in the first five minutes before Florida steadily pulled away and locked down defensively.

The Ospreys struggled offensively, shooting just 31%, while the Gators shot an efficient 49% from the floor. With the win, Florida extended its home opener winning streak to 35 games, a streak dating back to a narrow 76-74 loss to Texas in 1990 during coach Lon Kruger’s first season.

Alex Condon led the charge with 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 10 rebounds, marking his 10th career double-double. He also contributed four assists, three blocks, two steals, and committed just one turnover. This impressive performance was a sharp turnaround after his difficult game in Las Vegas, where against Arizona the 6-foot-11, 230-pound Australian and preseason AP first-team All-America managed only 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting, recorded a career-high six turnovers, and was outmuscled by true freshman Koa Peat, who scored 30 points.

Backup center Micah Handlogten also made a strong impact, finishing with 17 points and 13 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double. Thomas Haugh added 12 points and eight rebounds as the Gators dominated the glass with a 64-24 rebounding advantage and outscored North Florida 66-22 in the paint.

Florida’s dominance inside was the key to the victory, but fans wanted to see the Gators go even bigger under the basket. With the game well in hand, the crowd began chanting for 7-foot-9 freshman Olivier Rioux.

Responding to the fans with the score at 102-61 and 2:09 remaining, coach Todd Golden put Rioux into the game, making him the tallest player to ever play in a college basketball game.
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2025/11/06/florida-gators-mens-basketball-todd-golden-sec-north-florida-todd-golden-alex-condon-thomas-haugh-olivier-rioux/

Is Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo playing vs. Kings? Latest injury update

The Milwaukee Bucks (4-1) may be without star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo on Sunday as they close out a three-game homestand against the Sacramento Kings (1-4). The team listed Antetokounmpo as questionable with left knee patellar tendinopathy on Saturday’s injury report.

The 30-year-old last played on Tuesday in the Bucks’ 121-111 win over the New York Knicks, where he recorded 37 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, two blocks, and one steal while shooting 16-of-22 from the field in 33 minutes. If Antetokounmpo is unavailable, it would mark his second missed game of the 2025-26 season.

Through four appearances, Antetokounmpo has delivered dominant numbers, averaging 36.3 points, 14.0 rebounds, seven assists, and 1.3 blocks per game. He is shooting 69.5% from the field and 57.1% from three-point range in 32.8 minutes per contest.

Milwaukee will also remain without guard Kevin Porter Jr., who is sidelined with a right knee meniscus tear. Porter Jr. has not played since the team’s season-opening win over the Washington Wizards, where he posted 10 points in nine minutes before exiting. The Bucks announced Friday that he will undergo a minor orthopedic procedure and is expected to miss approximately four weeks. The injury occurred during return-to-play work following an ankle issue.

Despite Antetokounmpo’s uncertain availability, the Bucks have remained competitive. Ryan Rollins led Milwaukee to a 120-110 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, finishing with 32 points, eight assists, and three rebounds while shooting 13-of-21 from the field and 5-of-7 from beyond the arc in 36 minutes.

Milwaukee enters Sunday’s matchup seeking its third straight win, while Sacramento is trying to recover from a slow 1-4 start to the season. The Kings are coming off back-to-back losses and will face a Bucks team looking to close out its homestand on a strong note.

Following Sunday’s contest, Milwaukee begins a two-game road trip. The Bucks will face the winless Indiana Pacers (0-5) on Monday at 7:00 p.m. ET, followed by a matchup against the Toronto Raptors (2-4) on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Antetokounmpo’s status will be monitored ahead of tip-off at 5:00 p.m. ET. The team has not announced a timetable for his return, and his availability will likely be a game-time decision.
https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-is-giannis-antetokounmpo-playing-vs-kings-latest-injury-update

Cunningham scores 25, helps Pistons overcome slow start and Brown’s 41 points to top Celtics 119-113

DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham scored 25 points and Jalen Duren added 24 to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 119-113 victory over the Boston Celtics on Sunday.

The Celtics started strong, jumping out to a 14-2 lead in the opening minutes and building a lead as large as 17 points. However, Detroit battled back, with Ausar Thompson contributing 21 points and the Pistons dominating the boards to score 30 second-chance points. Thompson himself secured four of those crucial points in the closing minutes.

Boston’s defense tightened compared to their previous games, avoiding giving up 42 points in a quarter as they had in their first two losses. Nevertheless, Detroit managed to score a combined 70 points over the second and third quarters, allowing the Pistons to carry a 13-point lead into the fourth.

The Celtics pulled within four points with 1:13 remaining after Jaylen Brown hit two free throws. Brown led Boston with 41 points, while Payton Pritchard added 21, Derrick White had 15, and reserve Anfernee Simons chipped in 12. However, Tobias Harris stepped up for Detroit, scoring on an offensive rebound on the very next possession to help seal the win. Harris finished with 18 points, marking him as the Pistons’ fourth player in double figures.

Duren also dominated the glass with 17 rebounds, Thompson grabbed 12, and Cunningham dished out eight assists for Detroit.

The Celtics, adjusting to the absence of injured star Jayson Tatum and the departure of key players Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford, have now dropped their first three games of the season. On the other hand, the Pistons improved to two wins in a row following their season-opening loss at Chicago.

Ahead of the game, Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff emphasized the importance of NBA players and coaches being mindful about conversations outside their organizations that might carry gambling implications. The NBA’s gambling scandal remains a hot topic in Detroit, a city with a rich basketball history highlighted by Chauncey Billups, who helped the Pistons win the 2004 title and earned NBA Finals MVP honors.

Up Next:
– Celtics: At New Orleans on Monday
– Pistons: Host Cleveland on Monday

___
AP NBA
https://wtop.com/sports/2025/10/cunningham-scores-25-helps-pistons-overcome-slow-start-and-browns-41-points-to-top-celtics-119-113/

Hornets’ Kon Knueppel drops ‘potluck’ claim after Charlotte’s 136-point explosion

It was an explosive start to the season as the Charlotte Hornets’ offense came alive in a 136-117 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Impressively, all five starters for Charlotte scored in double digits, and four bench players also contributed 10 or more points in the Hornets’ season opener.

Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel described the team’s balanced scoring effort, saying, “It was kind of like a potluck tonight. Everybody was eating. That’s fun basketball, and that’s how it’s supposed to be played. So, hopefully, we can keep that going.”

Expectations for the Hornets were low heading into the season, with many analysts predicting a bottom-of-the-standings finish. However, Charlotte showcased something special in their dominant win over the Nets, giving their fans plenty to celebrate. In fact, the Hornets set a franchise record for most points in a season-opening game, according to Sam Perley of Hornets.com.

Leading the charge was Brandon Miller, who tallied 25 points on 8-for-19 shooting. LaMelo Ball also had a strong showing with 20 points and eight assists, while Miles Bridges added 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Rookie Kon Knueppel made an impressive debut, contributing 11 points on 4-for-6 shooting, including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. Fellow rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner recorded a double-double in his NBA regular-season debut, posting 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Off the bench, Collin Sexton led with 15 points on 4-for-9 shooting. Moussa Diabate added 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting, Tre Mann chipped in 12, and Tidjane Salaun finished with 10 points.

The Hornets’ balanced scoring played a major role in their big win. Beyond their shooting success, Charlotte also dominated the boards, winning the rebound battle 50-38—another key factor in the blowout victory.

With the season opener now behind them, the Hornets turn their attention to their next challenge. Charlotte will travel to Philadelphia to face the 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center, aiming to build on their impressive start and continue improving their position in the standings.
https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-kon-knueppel-potluck-claim-charlotte-136-point-explosion