ue Jays this season. - Brett Cecil | Forum

NEW YORK -- Jabari Parker is already in the Duke record book. Emanuele Giaccherini Italy Jersey . The heralded freshman matched his season-high with 27 points, setting the school record for consecutive 20-point games to start a career and the sixth-ranked Blue Devils beat Alabama 74-64 on Wednesday night in the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off. "I think Ive got a long ways to go," the 6-foot-8 forward said after his seventh 20-point effort. "I need to be sharper in the beginning of the game. Nothing is ever too easy. I get open looks when they look at Rodney (Hood) or Q (Quinn Cook). I get those opportunities as much as possible." He takes advantage at an alarming rate. He entered the game shooting 58 per cent from the field and he improved that number by going 9 of 12 from the field. He had eight rebounds and was 9 of 10 from the free throw line in matching his point total in the Blue Devils only loss, 83-54 to No. 2 Kansas. "He gets his points in the flow of the offence and we should go through him a lot," coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "We had foul trouble with Rodney. Usually its through them. We went to Jabari even more." The Blue Devils (6-1), who committed a season-high 19 turnovers, will face No. 4 Arizona, which beat Drexel 66-62, in the championship game on Friday at Madison Square Garden. Its a matchup of the program with the most NIT Season Tip-Off titles -- Duke with four -- against one of three programs tied for second with three. "Arizona is older and they are really big for us," Krzyzewski said. "Over the years, we have always played really difficult schedules and this year is no different. Im just glad we have an opportunity to play for a championship. "Arizona is probably ahead of some other teams. Arizona, Michigan State, because they have guys who have played prominent roles, back. And then they have added a great guard and a great wing to their lineup, and so they are big. It will be completely different, from playing this game. They can post three guys from their starting lineup. They post their front line. Thats where we are not real big. That will be interesting how we try to get that going." Nick Jacobs led Alabama (3-2) with 18 points and seven rebounds while Trevor Releford and Algie Key added 11 points each. Duke is 25-2 in the NIT Season Tip-Off and has won 14 straight games in the tournament. The Blue Devils were coming off a 91-90 home victory over Vermont, a game that ended with the Catamounts having the ball but not getting off a final shot. It didnt get that close at the end Wednesday, but the Crimson Tide took advantage of the turnovers to be within 56-51 with 5:19 left. Alabama was within six points three times in the final 3:18 but the Blue Devils were able to go up by as many as 10 points. "Teams play well against us. Its a great opportunity for the sun to shine on a program, and so we have to expect that," Krzyzewski said. The only other Duke player to start his career with six straight 20-point games was Art Heyman in 1961-62. "Hes probably, in my eight years as a head coach, the most talented freshman Ive seen just from his size, his physicality and his skill level," Alabama coach Anthony Grant said of Parker. "Hes able to make tough shots and free himself for the open shot and hes able to get himself to the free throw line. Hes just a really, really talented player. They have got a lot of really good players around them, as well." Duke closed the firsts half on an 11-2 run to take a 33-22 lead and the Blue Devils opened the second half on a 13-6 run for their biggest lead of the game, 46-28 with 15:23 to play. The Crimson Tide, taking advantage of Dukes turnovers, used a 12-0 run to get within 46-40 with 12:07 left. "They had a pretty sizable cushion," Grant said. "We werent able to be effective enough to win the game. Whatever the turnovers were, they scored 74 points in the game, shot a pretty good clip from the field, got to the free throw line quite a bit. I would say their attack against what we were doing was pretty effective." The Blue Devils are 23-7 at Madison Square Garden under Krzyzewski and they have won 15 of their last 17 games there. Duke has won 27 straight regular-season tournament games. The loss dropped Alabama to 32-99 against Top Ten teams. The Crimson Tides last win over a Top Ten team was Feb. 18, 2006 against then-No. 8 Tennessee. Alessandro Florenzi Italy Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Matteo Darmian Italy Jersey .C. -- Manny Malhotra had two goals and an assist, leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. http:///...-Soccer-Puma-62.html . Its an influence in football and a big part of the game.TORONTO - Twenty playoff-free seasons and counting may lead one to conclude the Blue Jays are stuck, spinning their wheels, in a culture of defeat. Just dont expect general manager Alex Anthopoulos to wade into this particular fray. "I guess it depends what you define it as," said Anthopoulos during Tuesdays media gathering. "When youre losing, youre losing but I dont define it that way. To me, it comes down to none of those players in there dont not want to perform and not want to do well and not want to win games. You guys are in there when we dont win. I dont think anyones happy about it. No one likes coming to the ballpark. Wed prefer to win. I think that goes without saying." With 60 wins in 134 games, the Blue Jays are on pace for 72 or 73 victories. That 73 number is key in two areas: first, it would mean 89 defeats and the avoidance of the clubs first 90-loss season since 2004 and only the sixth in franchise history (the first four happened in the post-expansion years from 1977-1980). Anthopoulos routinely consults with manager John Gibbons, Gibbons says hes offered repeated input on the teams shortcomings over the course of the season, and feels he has a handle on some of the intangible issues plaguing the club. The problem is different people have different opinions on something like leadership and whether the clubhouse lacks a true spokesman. How should leadership be defined? Does leadership matter in a sport like baseball? "Weve talked about that," said Anthopoulos. "We just dont know how far to take it. There have been some subjective things. "Ive been here in years past where players get a label of this or that and then they go somewhere else and they do well," he continued. "I just think its a dangerous, slippery slope and you have to be careful. I think a lot of it comes down to production. When a players production slips now the other aspects of his game come out. Its amazing how much our opinions of players change when the production changes." Anthopoulos, for as long as its his choice, appears prepared to stand behind his manager. It will be up to the general manager, more than anyone else, to ensure 2014 isnt a repeat of this lost season. "I still believe we have the makings of a good team that needs work, that needs changes and that needs health," said Anthopoulos. "We didnt play the way we expected to. I think that goes without saying. Id say not oonly the way that we as an organization did, I think almost everybody across the game, in baseball, expected us to be a good team. http:///...A-EURO-Italy-Jersey/. " JANSSEN ON RIVERA From one closer to another, Casey Janssen marvels at the continued success and the career put together by Yankees legend Mariano Rivera. "Just how professional hes been on and off the field," said Janssen. "How hes carried himself in arguably the biggest baseball city in baseball. Not only that, hes come through more times than not in his career. To have the saves lead is great for him and just an honour to watch him and a pleasure to be able to play on the same field as him." Rivera spent an hour with 20 Blue Jays employees before Tuesdays game. Hes conducted similar audiences in each road city over the course of this, his final season in baseball. Janssen, like almost every pitcher in the history of baseball, has more than one pitch in his repertoire. How does he feel about Riveras ability, since 1995, to get hitters out with his one pitch, the cut fastball? "Its amazing," said Janssen. "I wish I could learn that pitch I guess. I dont know what he does. Id love to stand in the box one time. Its not going to happen, but just to see what makes it so different. Hes got a gift. Its effortless. He seems to pitch in every situation that hes called upon to pitch. Hes the best." INJURY UPDATES - Colby Rasmus (strained left oblique) didnt begin baseball activities on Monday, as scheduled, after suffering a setback. The Blue Jays cant set a timetable for Rasmus return until his injury heals. At the moment, the club believes Rasmus will play again this season. - Steve Delabar threw a scoreless inning for the Gulf Coast Blue Jays on Wednesday morning. It was Delabars first game action since August 2 in Anaheim. He was placed on the disabled list the next day with right shoulder inflammation. - Dustin McGowan was scheduled to throw a side session in Dunedin on Wednesday as he rehabs a strained oblique. - Josh Johnson visited with famed orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, who confirmed the previous diagnosis of a strained right forearm. Andrews has ordered Johnson two weeks of rest, effectively ending any chance the right-hander will return to the Blue Jays this season. - Brett Cecil, who missed the Yankees series with a tired left shoulder, says hell be ready to pitch when the Jays open a series with Kansas City on Friday. 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