Republican and Herald from Pottsville, Pennsylvania • 19

19 POTTSVILLE (PA.) REPUBLICAN HERALD THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2008 SPORTS SPORTS IN BRIEF 'Raptor spoil 7ers9 opemeir Bosh explodes for 27 points, grabs 1 1 rebounds in win NBA 1 4- li 4 4. ASSOCIATED PRESS PHILADELPHIA Chris Bosh just about single-handedly carried the Toronto Raptors into the playoffs last season. Now he has a much-improved supporting cast. Bosh had 27 points and 11 rebounds to help the Raptors beat the Philadelphia 76ers 95-84 on Wednesday night in the opener for both teams. Jermaine O'Neal added 17 and Jason Kapono had 15 for the Raptors, who finished 41-41 last season.

The Raptors improved drastically when they acquired O'Neal, a six-time All-Star, from the Indiana Pacers on July 9. He appears to be healthy after missing 40 games last season because of lingering pain from a torn ligament in his left knee that was surgically repaired the previous summer. "I feel really good," O'Neal said. "I said from the time I got here that I wanted to be part of the team and bring playoff-type intensity every night. We have to treat every game like a playoff game." The start of the game was moved up points.

"It's disappointing," Brand said of the loss. "There's (game) tape in the background and I see these layups they got. It hurts." The Sixers lured Brand away from the Los Angeles Clippers in the summer and signed the free agent forward to a five-year, $79.8 million contract. Brand was limited to only eight games last season because of a ruptured left Achilles. The Sixers took a chance on the nine-year veteran, who is one of four active players in the league to have averaged a double-double for a career along with Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Sha-quille O'Neal.

Brand entered the 2008-09 season with career averages of 20.3 points and 10.2 rebounds. Philadelphia started 18-30 last season but rallied to finish at 40-42. The Sixers then pushed the Detroit Pistons to six hard-fought games in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs before falling short. Toronto outscored the Sixers 33-24 in the second quarter to take a 51-45 lead at halftime. phia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays were set to resume the bottom of the sixth inning of Game 5 of the World Series at 8:37 p.m.

across the street at Citizens Bank Park: Many fans attending the Sixers game were wearing Phillies attire in anticipation of the city's first major professional sports championship since 1983 when Philadelphia swept the Los Angeles Lakers. StilL it was a sparse crowd with pockets of empty seats scattered throughout the seat Wachovia Center. In the second half, chants of "Let's Go Phillies!" began to resonate in parts of the arena, especially as fans began to file out. "I can't say enough about our defense," Toronto coach Sam Mitchell said. Lou Williams scored 16 points, Andre Iguodala added 15, Elton Brand had 14 points and 13 rebounds in his Sixers debut and Samuel Dalembert pulled down 17 rebounds.

Andre Miller had 13 mm ASSOCIATED PRESS Toronto forward Jermaine O'Neal, center, drives between Philadelphia 76ers center Samuel Dalembert, left, and forward Elton Brand, right, In the first half of Wednesday's game. an hour to 6 p.m. because the Philadel- 0'Antoni leads Knicks to win New head coach off to good start Wv -'44ti Jason Kreis, head coach of Real Salt Lake, poses inside the team's new Rio Tinto Stadium on Tuesday in Sandy, Utah. RSL's short MLS history has included more setbacks than progress. Now in its fourth season, Real Is In the Real Salt Lake 1st MLS playoff spot Blue Mtn.

to hold seniors vs. juniors powderpuff game ORWIGSBURG A squad of Blue Mountain senior girls will take on the junior girls in the school's annual Powderpuff Football Game to be held at 6 p.m. today at the Eagles Nest. Cost of admission Is $5, with proceeds benefitting the Matt Ginther Average Joe Scholarship fund. Food and refreshments will be served, with 5050 tickets and powderpuff T-shirts being sold at the gate.

At halftime, a pie-eating contest will be held. The seniors will be coached by girls' basketball coach Ruth Weidman, boys' basketball assistant coach Doug Morgan and baseball assistant coach Bill Dobrolsky. The juniors will be guided by Mr. Bonner, Mrs. Cook and Mr.

Swan. NW Lehigh hires Kleckner as coach Pottsville High School graduate and former wrestling standout Brad Kleckner was formally approved Wednesday to take over as head wrestling coach at Northwestern Lehigh. The Palo Alto native served as an assistant coach in the program for a few seasons. Kleckner is a physical education teacher at Liberty High School. Ex-Raiders coach seeks lost salary ALAMEDA, Calif.

(AP) Former Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kif-fin filed a grievance with the NFL on Wednesday to claim the lost salary he maintains he is still owed by the team. Kiffin was fired late last month for cause because of what owner Al Davis described as acts of insubordination and lying by his second-year coach. Kiffin was still owed about $2.6 million from the three-year contract that he signed in January 2007. But Davis has refused to pay, leading to the grievance. Commissioner Roger Goodell will ultimately rule on the grievance, but there was no date for a hearing scheduled.

Raiders executive John Herrera issued a statement to The Associated Press refuting Kiffin's claims, saying "Mr. Kiffin was terminated for cause. The grievance Is without merit." ASSOCIATED PRESS Portland center Greg Oden, center, falls backwards after getting fouled by Los Angeles Lakers Andrew Bynum (17) during Tuesday's game. Portland's Oden to miss 2-4 weeks PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) After missing all of last season because of knee surgery, Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden injured his foot in his first regu-' lar-season NBA game and will be sidelined two to four weeks.

The team said Wednesday that MRI and computerized axial to mography scans confirmed Oden has a mid-lateral root sprain. Oden was injured in the first quarter of the Blazers' 96-76 season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, was trying to go get a rebound, and kind of came down on Derek Fisher's foot on like the third play of the game. I kind of fell and didn't think twice about it," he said after the game. Hasselbeck out, Wallace to start RENTON, Wash. (AP) Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck raised his right arm and com- pleted his throwing motion.

The Seahawks only wish he'd done it on the practice field. Hasselbeck will miss his fourth consecutive game because his hyperextended right knee is still weak, yet coach Mike Holmgren said he sees "light at the end of the tunnel." Holmgren announced Wednes day that backup Seneca Wallace will make his third consecutive start Sunday when Seattle (2-5) hosts Philadelphia (4-3). "We don't know how long he's going to have (to play) Holmgren said. ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK Mike D'Antoni's New York Knicks are off and running and a couple of former core players can only sit and watch. Jamal Crawford scored 29 points, Zach Randolph added 20, and the Knicks beat the Miami Heat 120-115 on Wednesday night in their first game under D'Antoni.

Wilson Chandler had 17 points and nine rebounds, and David Lee and Quentin Richardson each scored 16 points for New York. Nets 98, Wizards 85 WASHINGTON Vince Carter scored 21 points to lead his rebuilding New Jersey Nets to a season-opening victory over a Washington Wizards team missing Gilbert Arenas. Carter whose teammates elected him the Nets' captain, coach Lawrence Frank announced before the game made a 16-foot fadeaway jumper over Caron Butler to put the visitors ahead 90-82 with a minute left and effectively settle a back-and-forth game. Hawks 99, Magic 85 ORLANDO, Fla. Joe Johnson scored 25 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, to help the Atlanta Hawks hold off a late Orlando rally for a win in the season opener for both teams.

Dwight Howard had 22 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Magic, who lost their home opener for only the second time in the last nine seasons. Mick-ael Pietrus added 20 points. Josh Smith chipped in 17 for the Hawks. Timberwolves 98, Kings 96 MINNEAPOLIS Minnesota rookie Kevin Love made an impressive debut with 12 points and nine rebounds in 19 minutes and Al Jefferson had 21 points and 10 rebounds to help the Tim- berwolves to a victory over the rebuilding Sacramento Kings. John Salmons scored 21 of steal the game in the closing minutes.

The Kings had two chances to tie or take the lead in the final 33 seconds, but Kevin Martin missed two open 3-pointers, and Salmons' put-back at the buzzer was off the mark. Bucks 98, Thunder 87 OKLAHOMA CITY Michael Redd, Richard Jefferson and Charlie Villanueva each scored 20 points and the Milwaukee Bucks spoiled the Oklahoma City Thunder's debut with a win. Playing their opener after moving from Seattle in the offseason, the Thunder made it interesting by cutting a 24-point deficit to 11 in the fourth quarter before Redd re-entered the game and got an easy layup underneath. Villanueva followed with a basket off an offensive rebound, and Charlie Bell's 3-pointer from the left wing provided a 97-79 lead with 2:32 to play Suns 103, Spurs 98 SAN ANTONIO Amare Stoudemire scored 22 points and four other Phoenix players scored in double figures to help the Suns beat the San Antonio Spurs in the regular-season opener for both teams, giving Terry Porter a victory in his coaching debut. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker each scored 32 points for the Spurs, who were playing without guard Manu Ginobili who is out until December after ankle surgery.

Nash added 13 points and 13 assists for the Suns. Leandro Barbosa had 18 points, Shaquille O'Neal 15, and Grant Hill 13. Pistons 100, Pacers 94 AUBURN HILLS, Mich. The Detroit Pistons played well enough to give Michael Curry a win in his debut as a head coach. Tayshaun Prince scored 19 points as part of a balanced attack that gave the Curry-led NHL HOCKEY shots through overtime.

The Devils got goals from David Clarkson, Dainius Zubrus, Jamie Langenbrunner, Colin White and Zach Parise but lost their third straight. Clarkson and Zubrus scored in the first period when Brodeur made 13 saves and the Devils led 2-0. Clarkson got the offense started at 2:32 with a deflection of Mike Mottau's shot from the right point. Zubrus followed at 7:04, knocking a rebound past Vesa Toskala. Stajan scored twice in the second period for the Maple Leafs who stormed to a 3-2 lead.

Stajan deflected In Luke Schenn's shot from the right boards at 4.13. ASSOCIATED PRESS earns in Western semis Pine Grove graduate David Horst has appeared in one game this season for Real Salt Lake, starting and playing the entire contest in RSL's 4-3 loss at Houston on Aug. 16. A rookie defender chosen by Real Salt Lake in the first round of last spring's MLS Super-Draft, Horst drew the start when center defender Jamison Olave was suspended for one game due to ayel-t low card David Horst Pine Grove grad playing for Real Salt Lake accumulation. RSL gave up four goals in a wild first half in suffering the loss.

Horst has dressed and been on the bench for the rest of Real Salt Lake's games this season, He's also played in all but one of Real Salt Lake's Reserve Division games, helping RSL to a 6-3-2 record that's good enough for third place in the league standings. Horst collected his first professional point in a Reserve Division game Aug. 30 against the Colorado Rapids, assisting on Robbie Finley's goal in the r. 42nd minute of Real Salt Lake's 4-0 victory. RSL can claim an unbeaten record at Rio Tinto, although 1- 0- 1 can't exactly be imposing to Chivas entering Saturday's game, which is the first of a home-and-home series that will be decided on aggregate scoring.

The series winner will need to win at least one game and outscore the other in total goals for the short series. Game 2 is next Saturday in Carson, where Real won 1- 0 over Chivas in June. "I think everybody should be pretty excited to feel like we can win this series," midfielder Kyle Beckerman said. "It's not like we're playing Manchester United or anything. We're playing a team that we've beaten in their place." playoffs for the first time.

face Chivas USA PRO SOCCER and two-time defending MLS Cup champion Houston hosting New York, which is playing in the West as a wild card. If Real hadn't come up with the last-minute goal last weekend, Salt Lake's fourth season would have ended like the previous three. Andy Williams, one of only a handful of players left from the original expansion club in 2005, took the shot that led to Movsi-yan's goal at Colorado. Williams is in the playoffs for the first time since helping Chicago to the MLS Cup in 2003 and has had his most difficult season, learning in July that his wife has leukemia. "Trust me, I want to score that one so bad, but I'm glad it went in," Williams said.

"Words can't explain it, seriously. Four years of watching the playoffs at the end of every season, it's tough, especially when you feel like you should be there." Salt Lake and Chivas both entered the league as expansion clubs in 2005, but have had little in common since then. Chivas won the Western Conference regular-season title last season and made the playoffs for the second year in a row. Real has never had a winning record and just two years ago appeared to be on the verge leaving the state when owner Dave Checketts grew tired of Salt Lake County repeatedly shooting down proposals for $35 million in public money to partially fund a new stadium Checketts said was necessary to keep Real Salt Lake from becoming Real somewhere else. Gov.

Jon Huntsman pushed state lawmakers to come up with a last-second resolution in February 2007 and construction began a couple months later. Rio Tinto Stadium was completed in time for Real to play the final two games of the regular season in the new venue, which will host the MLS All-Star game next year. After playing almost four full seasons on the dreaded artificial turf at the University of Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium, Real finally has a true home. Horst's squad to BY DOUO ALOEN ASSOCIATED PRESS SANDY, Utah Real Salt Lake's short history has included more setbacks than progress. But after three years of futil ity and a threatened move, Salt Lake is in Major League Soccer's playoffs for the first time.

"It's been a very, very long road with a lot of work and a lot of disappointment," said coach Jason Kreis, who has been part of the club since it joined the league. Real hosts Chivas USA on Saturday in the first game of a Western Conference semifinals, a playoff game Kreis has been looking forward to for a longtime. Kreis was the first player to join the team and played the first two seasons before retiring early in 2007 and taking over as coach. "When we didn't make it those first couple years, I felt very responsible for that," said Kreis, who scored the first goal in team history "To finally have that success that I've longed for for so long is fantastic." Real went 10-10-10 this season, closing with a five-game unbeaten streak and clinching the playoff berth with a dramatic finish on a goal in the 90th minute to tie Colorado 1-1 on Saturday. Real entered the game knowing that a win or even a tie would get a postseason berth; but was in serious jeopardy of blowing the chance until Yura Movsiyan scored on a rebound in the last minute of regulation time.

"We've been in the playoffs now the past three or four weeks. That's the way I feel," Kreis said. "I don't think that this game in particular has any more pressure than the last three that we've played. Our guys I think are almost comfortable in that setting." The MLS playoffs open tonight when New England hosts Chicago. The other East ern uonterence semmnai opens Saturday when Kansas City visits Columbus, which had the best record in the league at 17-7-6.

The Western Conference features the Real-Chivas series his 24 points in the second half Pistons a win over the Indiana and rookie Jason Thompson 1 Pacers. had 18 points and 10 boards for Danny Granger led the new-the Kings, who nearly rallied to look Pacers with 33 points. Maple Leafs nip New Jersey, 6-5 ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWARK, N. J. Niklas Hag-man scored on a nifty backhand in the fourth round of the shootout to give the Toronto Maple Leafs a 6-5 win over the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night After Hagman gave Toronto a 2-1 shootout lead, Vesa Toskala secured the win with a blocker save on Jamie Langenbrunner.

Tomas Kaberle kept Toronto alive, beating Martin Brodeur in the third round after Patrik Elias scored for New Jersey. In regulation, Matt Stajan scored twice and Alex Steen, Jamal Mayers and Alexei Poni-karovsky added goals for Toronto, which bounced back after a 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay on Tuesday. Toskala earned his first win against New Jersey in four decisions, stopping 26.