Duel in the Desert

Hi sports fans and welcome to another exciting edition of this weeks blog. Today is a big day for Arizonians alike as Arizona State takes on the University of Arizona in the duel in the desert. Tip off is in approximately two hours (8 p.m. MST) on FSN and fans from everywhere will be tuning in for the sold out main event. This is a big game for both teams as ASU is having a winning season, ranked 14 in the country, and UA is on a hot streak winning their past seven games. The Cats are looking to get revenge on the Devils after a 53-47 loss in Tucson as both teams are looking to clinch the Pac-10 championship.

UA will be looking for the "Big Three,"Chase Budinger, Jordan Hill and Nic Wise, to step up and continue producing big plays and put up big numbers. ASU will look to young guard James Harden and forward Jeff Pendergraph who make up most of the Devils offense. 

The Cats are currently 18-8 this season under interim head coach Russ Pennell and the Devils are 20-5 under head coach Herb Sendek. Both teams are coming off big wins against the ranked UCLA Bruins and the USC Trojans. The Cats and the Devils are playing great basketball which will make this showdown in the desert one to remember.

That wraps up tonight's update. From Tucson, don't forget to tune in for what should be an unforgettable game. Until next time, Bear Down!

NBA All-Star Game

Hey there sports fans and welcome to this weeks edition of the Wide World Of Wildcats. This weekend marks one of my favorite weekends of the entire year and that is not because it's Valentines day, but because it's the NBA All-Star game. The All-Star game occurs once a year and gives NBA players and fans alike the opportunity to have fun and compete with the best of the best and this year it is being held right down the road in Phoenix. There are different events such as the three-point shootout and the slam dunk contest that all lead up to the actual game which will be played tonight and aired on your local TNT network. 

Fans from around the world vote for their favorite players from the Eastern conference and the Western conference and the top 12 players from each conference with the highest vote make the roster and the 5 with the highest amount of votes are starters. This year, the Eastern conference team consists of (with the 5 starters listed first) Allen Iverson (Detroit), Dwayne Wade (Miami), Lebron James (Cleveland), Kevin Garnett (Boston) and Dwight Howard (Orland0), Joe Johnson (Atlanta), Jameer Nelson (Orlando), Ray Allen (Boston), Danny Granger (Indiana), Paul Pierce (Boston), Chris Bosh (Toronto), Mo Williams (Cleveland), Devin Harris (New Jersey) and Rashard Lewis (Orlando).  The east is coached by Mike Brown of the Cleveland Cavaliers. For the West coast, the team is (with the 5 starters listed first) Kobe Bryant (LA), Chris Paul (New Orleans),  Tim Duncan (San Antonio), Amare Stoudemire (Phoenix), Yao Ming (Houston), Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas), Shaquille O'Neal (Phoenix), Brandon Roy (Portland), Chauncey Billups (Denver), Pau Gasol (LA), David West (New Orleans) and Tony Parker (San Antonio).  The west is coached by Phil Jackson of the Los Angeles Lakers. 

One thing that stands out to me every year is the number of international players in the All-Star game. This year, there are five international players, all part of the west coast roster. These players include Yao Ming from China, Tim Duncan from the Virgin Islands, Dirk Nowitzki from Germany, Pau Gasol from Spain and Tony Parker from France. Only Yao and Duncan are starters, each getting over 2 million votes from fans everywhere.

In my opinion, these five players are truly the best the international market has to offer (in addition to Steve Nash who didn't make the cut this year). Here's a rundown of these five All-Stars.

Although Yao and Duncan received the highest amount of votes for the international starts, Dirk Nowitzki is undoubtedly the best foreign player in the NBA. Dirk, from Wurzburg, Germany, is a 7-ft. forward for the Dallas Mavericks. In the current 2008-2009 season, Dirk averages 24.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He is an eight-time All-Star, eight-time member of  the All-NBA team and the first European player in NBA history to receive the MVP award. Dirk is currently the fourth highest scorer in the NBA and not only deserves to be a member of the All-Star team, but deserves to be a starter as well.

On paper, Tim Duncan has the best resume. As forward for the San Antonio Spurs, reigning from St. Croix, Virgin Islands, Duncan has won four NBA championships, two MVP awards, three NBA finals MVP, was named Rookie of the Year in 2008 and has made the All-Defense team, All-Star team and All-NBA First team since his NBA debut in 1997. This season, Duncan has 20.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Duncan has earned his spot as starting forward for the Western Conference and will prove that in tonight's game.

Pau Gasol has been flying under the radar, but is finally starting to get the attention he deserves. Gasol first made a name for himself in his hometown of Barcelona, Spain where he led his team to victory in the Spanish National Cup Championship where he earned the title of MVP. Before being traded to the Lakers in February 2008, Gasol broke 12 franchise records for the Memphis Grizzlies. Today, Gasol averages 18.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.  Gasol is the perfect example of a superstar on the rise and has the potential to someday be one of the greats. 

Although Yao Ming started his career off slowly, he has become one of the most well-known centers in the league. Hailing from Shanghai, China, Yao truly lives up to his international superstar reputation. Yao has been selected to the All-Star team every year since being drafted in 2002 and has been named to the All-NBA Team four times. This season, Yao averages 19.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. 

Last but not least is Tony Parker who was born in Belgium, but raised in France. Parker is a young guard who has helped lead the San Antonio Spurs to three championship where in 2007 he was  named the NBA Championship Finals MVP. Parker is also a three-time all-star who averages 20.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game. Still considered a youngster in the league, Parker possesses the capability to reach superstardom in the near future.

That wraps up this weeks edition. Congratulations to both the UA mens basketball team who upset #11 UCLA yesterday and last weeks spotlight Andres Arango who was named the Pacific 10 Conference Player of the Week.  Until next time, Bear Down!

 

Good evening sports fans and welcome to another edition of the Wide World of Wildcats. The UA mens tennis team, ranked No. 45, is on a two-match winning streak after upsetting No. 34 South Florida. Junior Andres Arango brought his A-game to the court, dominating his opponent 6-0 and 6-2. I was able to catch up with Andres and here is what he had to say.

Serena Lewis: What is your full name?

Andres Arango: Andres Felipe Arango Patino

SL: Where are you from?

AA: I was born in Ecuador, South America but all my family is from Colombia

SL: How old are you and what year are you at UA?

AA: 21 years old and this is my second semester at UA

SL: What's your major?

AA: Still undecided

SL: When and why did you come to the U.S.?

AA: I have played for 3 schools so far, one semester for Georgia State, one for ASU and now I'm playing for UA. I came to the States because I thought it was great to get a degree at a University in the U.S. and have the chance to continue playing tennis, which I'm planning on playing Pro after I graduate

SL: Why did you choose UA?

AA: Academics, athletics, the weather is the most similar to my country and well, the beautiful women

SL: When and why did you start playing tennis?

AA: I started at 8 years old because of my father and my family always gave me the support in every decision I made about my tennis

SL: Do you have any pre-game rituals? If so, what?

AA: I usually change all the grips from my rackets, I listen to house music and try to stay calm

SL: What is your proudest or most memorable moment in your athletic career?

AA: I would say to qualify two times to a World Championship by nations representing Ecuador which meant that we put Ecuador in the top 16 in the world in tennis in that time

SL: What are your goals for the season?

AA: Make the NCAA tournament and do the best we can and stay in the singles rankings

SL: What is the biggest difference playing in the U.S. vs. playing in your hometown?

AA: The main difference I would say is the athletic facilities. Here in the U.S., everything is more advanced in terms of technology. People in athletics basically do a lot of things for athletes that simply make it easy for them

SL: Before you came to the U.S., what did you think it would be like? Have your views changed since?

AA: I knew what to expect because I lived in Miami, Florida, but did not know anything about the state of Arizona

SL: What do you like or not like about Tucson and the Southwest? 

AA: I love the weather and the UA campus. What I don't really like is the fact that there is not too many places for entertainment, but I think it's a cool college town besides that

SL: OK it's time for the fun questions. Here we go....Who is your favorite sports team and athlete?

AA: Roger Federer and Emelec (soccer team from Ecuador)

SL: What's your favorite food?

AA: Italian, Mexican and Ecuadorian of course

SL: Do you have any hidden talents?

AA: I am a very good voice imitator and am a frustrated comedian in Spanish

SL: What is your idea of the perfect first date?

AA: Go to dinner with a girl and have some candles on the table plus Italian food

SL: How many languages can you speak?

AA: Spanish, English and I'm learning Portuguese 

The Cats next match is against No. 55 St. Mary's and will take place tomorrow, February 8th, at 9:30 a.m. Good luck to the Cats and Andres!

That wraps up tonight's blog, but make sure to tune in next week for another update. Until next time, Bear Down!