Tag Archive for: big ten basketball

Whitney Accepts Offer….Curtin’s Union Advance in CONCACAF….Omoruyi and Olivers Tight Bond

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Kahlil Whitney Accepts Offer with Klub Skrljevo

Kahlil Whitney, who signed last week with IPZ, has accepted an offer from Klub Skrljevo (Klub Skrljevo Team Website) in the Croation Premier League, the club announced early Monday. IPZ worked with Players Group Italia to secure the offer for Kahlil.  

Whitney spent the last three seasons in the G-Leauge, appearing in 24 games for his hometown team, the Windy City Bulls as well as the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.  

“The teams at Players Group and IPZ feel this is an excellent opportunity for Kahlil to showcase his talents,” said IPZ Managing Partner Robert Zito. “Our hope is he can be a vital cog to lead Skrljevo to a great run in the playoffs.”  

Curtin’s Philadelphia Union Advance in CONCACAF Champions Cup

In a thrilling 120-minute showdown, Jim Curtin and the Philadelphia Union showcased resilience and determination, ultimately clinching victory with a dramatic 94th-minute winner by Mikael Uhre, securing a 6-5 aggregate series win over Deportivo Saprissa. Tuesday night’s Concacaf Champions Cup clash was a spectacle, featuring six goals, intense VAR reviews, and the Union enduring extra time playing down a man. Yet, echoing the spirit of their city and Curtin, the Union fought relentlessly, advancing to face one of the oldest and most prominent clubs in Mexico, C.F. Pachuca, in the next round.

Curtin, following a lackluster performance, was brief in his post-game comments, simply stating, “Survive and advance.”

Set to kick off the Round of 16 in front of their passionate home crowd, the Philadelphia Union will take the field for leg 1 of a 2 leg aggregate series at Subaru Park on Tuesday, March 5th, with kick-off scheduled for 7:00 PM EST.

The Tight Bond between Big Cliff and Muhammad Oliver

Our newsletter has been filled with numerous stories about the way Rutgers star Clifford Omoruyi has given back to the community during his college career.  

But where did Cliff learn about the right things to do?  

Check out his story, from the Salvation Army, about Cliff’s mentor and guardian – Muhammad Oliver. 

 

Whitney Signs with IPZ…. Okert Traded to Minnesota…. Cliff Second in the Nation in Blocks Per Game

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Kahlil Whitney Signs with IPZ

Kahlil Whitney, a former Roselle Catholic star and five-star recruit, 2019 McDonald’s All-American and co-MVP of the Iverson Classic after scoring 39 points, has signed with IPZ.  

After his Roselle Catholic career and a multi-year stint in the G-League, Kahlil has his sights set on a productive career overseas. IPZ is working with Players Group Italia to assist Kahlil in fulfilling his goals.  

“I met Kahlil when he was a senior in high school,” said Robert Zito, Managing Partner of IPZ. “A mutual friend introduced us and I was immediately impressed with his presence, not to mention his athletic ability. Given the right opportunity to showcase his talents, Kahlil will be a force.”  

Steven Okert Traded to the Minnesota Twins

Last week, Steven Okert was traded to the Minnesota Twins from the Miami Marlins in exchange for infielder/outfielder Nick Gordon.

Now entering his seventh year in the league, Okert posted a 4.45 ERA out of the bullpen for the Marlins during the 2023 season. He also posted the highest strikeout rate (29.6%) and lowest walk rate (9.7%) of his career.

He’ll join the Twins bullpen as one of the top left-handed options for next season.

Cliff Omoruyi Second in the Nation in Blocks Per Game

Cliff Omoruyi has been dominating the defensive glass all season. Currently, he is second in the nation in blocks per game, averaging 3.3 in 24 games played. In recent action, Cliff has amassed 20 blocks in his last 5 games, and 30 in his last 10 games.  

The senior has helped lead Rutgers to an overall record of 14-11, and turned the Scarlet Knights into a defensive powerhouse, as they hold a 91.1 Adjusted Defensive rating, which lands them second in the KenPom defensive rankings currently.  

Omoruyi and Rutgers face their toughest opponent for the second time this season as they hit the road to square off against #3 ranked Purdue on Thursday in Indiana.  

 

Dougherty Howard to Angel City FC… Omoruyi Moving Up On Rebound List… Okert Inks New Deal With Marlins

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Meggie Dougherty Howard Traded to Angle City FC

Angel City FC, the Los Angeles based NWSL team, has acquired Midfielder Meggie Dougherty Howard via trade from San Diego Wave FC.  

“I’m very excited for this opportunity,” said Dougherty Howard. “The team is headed in a great direction and I’m looking forward to being a part of Angel City’s success. LA is a fantastic sports city with smart and enthusiastic fans. I’m thrilled to be a part of it!”  

Dougherty Howard, a NWSL veteran, spent the 2023 season with San Diego, appearing in 17 total matches in all competitions for the NWSL Shield winner. Howard, heading into her eighth professional season, has appeared in 115 matches.  

Omoruyi Moves Up to 7th All-Time on Rutgers Rebound List

Cliff Omoruyi continues to etch his name into the Rutgers’ history book. This past week Omoruyi surpassed Rutgers’ great Gene Armstead for 7th all time on the Rutgers’ rebound list.

Omoruyi currently stands at 810 Total Rebounds, becoming only the 8th player ever in program history to collect 800 career rebounds. Rutgers is back in action at home on Wednesday, January 17th, against Big Ten opponent Nebraska. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM at Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, NJ.

Okert Signs Extension with Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins and Steven Okert have agreed to a one year extension worth $1.1 million, avoiding arbitration.  

Okert, entering his seventh MLB season, held a winning record of 3-2 in the 2023 campaign. In 58.2 Innings pitched, he posted a 4.45 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP, while striking out 73 batters, a career high.  

Catch the Marlins and Steven in action as they open spring training on February 26th against the St. Louis Cardinals.  

Omoruyi’s Big Game Vs. Seton Hall + Omoruyi Eclipses 1000 Points + Oleynik in MMA Action Tonight

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Omoruyi’s Big Game Vs. Seton Hall

The in-state rivalry game between Rutgers and Seton Hall was a highlight reel for Cliff Omoruyi, as the Scarlet Knights defeated the Pirates, 70-63. Big Cliff was dominant, registering 13 rebounds and 7 blocks, while also adding 11 points. Omoruyi is currently leading the Big Ten in blocks, averaging 3.8 per game. He also became the first Rutgers player since 2019 to receive the Joe Calabrese Game MVP award as the best player in the Garden State Hardwood Classic. Aided by the return of Cliff’s roommate, senior forward Mawot Mag who grabbed 8 rebounds, Cliff and the Rutgers defense held the Pirates to 36.1 percent shooting from the floor. Rutgers will look to build on the win when it hosts LIU Saturday at 1 PM. 

Omoruyi Eclipses 1000 Points

It was a memorable night for another reason for Rutgers Senior Cliff Omoruyi. With about 12 minutes left in the first half, Omoruyi received the ball in the post, made a nice spin move and finished on a mid-range jump hook which marked his 1,000th point for Rutgers Men’s Basketball. Cliff became the 46th player in the program’s history to accomplish that feat, joining recent former teammates Geo Baker and Ron Harper Jr.

Oleynik in MMA Action Tonight

MMA legend Alexey Oleynik (a.k.a. “The Boa Constrictor”) will step into the cage tonight to take on experienced Brazilian fighter Fernando Rodrigues Jr. (13-8-0) at RCC 17. Oleynik, known for his variety of submissions, is looking to secure his 61st MMA victory tonight which would rank him #10 all-time in victories in MMA history.  

Omoruyi on Abdul-Jabaar Watchlist…Prudius Impact Wrestling Debut…Doughetry-Howard and San Diego Capture 2023 Shield

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Cliff Omoruyi Named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabaar Watchlist

For the second season in a row, Rutgers star Center Cliff Omoruyi has been named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabaar watchlist, an award which highlights the nation’s top 20 centers in the upcoming 2023-24 NCAA Basketball Season. This award comes just weeks after Omoruyi was named to the Preseason All-Big 10 Team. 

Omoruyi and his Rutgers’ teammates open regular season play on November 6th against Princeton in the “Jersey Jam” at the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton. The Scarlet Knights did play a pre-season game this past weekend, an 89-78 double overtime loss to highly-rated St. John’s at Carnesecca Arena. The game raised money for the Dick Vitale Pediatric Cancer Research Fund at the Jimmy V Foundation. 

According to NJ.com’s coverage of the game, “Big Cliff” more than held his own against Joel Soriano, who is one of the best big men in the Big East. Omoruyi finished with a team-leading 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting (4-of-7 on free throws), nine rebounds, two blocks and a steal in 36 minutes, while holding Soriano to 12 points. 

“We need Cliff to be like that,” Rutgers’ coach Steve Pikiell said. “He’s so talented and he gives us an anchor in the middle, both defensively and offensively.” 

Oleg Prudius & His Impact Wrestling Debut

Oleg Prudius, a 6′ 8″ 302 lb wrestler and resident of Miami Beach, Florida, recently made his Impact wrestling debut on October 12th. It was the first on-screen appearance for Prudius since making a brief cameo in March of this year. During the episode, Prudius aligned himself with the duo of Dirty Dango and Alpha Bravo after aiding Dango in a five-way match that had implications for the Call Your Shot Gauntlet match at Bound for Glory on October 21st.

Prudius previously wrestled in the WWE where he won a Tag Team Championship with his former partner Santino Marella. The veteran will look to repeat this success with Impact wrestling and return to his past dominance in the sport.  

Make sure to catch Prudius in action Thursday nights at 8/7c on AXS TV!  

Meggie Dougherty-Howard and the San Diego Wave Capture the 2023 NWSL Shield

Meggie Dougherty-Howard and San Diego Wave FC captured the 2023 NWSL Shield. The NWSL Shield is a trophy awarded to the team with the best regular season record in the league.  

San Diego Wave FC enter the NWSL Playoffs as the No.1 overall seed and will host OL Reign in a semifinal match-up on November 5th at Snapdragon Stadium at 9:30 PM EST. 

Dougherty-Howard and the Wave look to bring San Diego Wave FC their first NWSL Championship in franchise history.

Curtin & Union Clinch MLS Playoffs…Omoruyi & Rutgers Basketball Outlook…Okert Ready for MLB Postseason…Dougherty-Howard Playoff Bound

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Jim Curtin and the Philadelphia Union Clinch Sixth Consecutive Audi MLS Cup Playoff Appearance + Curtin Featured in Fashion Editorial Hypebeast

Jim Curtin and the Philadelphia Union recently clinched their sixth consecutive trip to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs and further solidified their status as one of the best clubs in Major League Soccer. Runners up in the 2022 MLS Cup, Curtin and the Union are looking to bring home their first MLS Cup in 2023. 

Additionally, if you love sneakers, fashion, and streetwear, check out Jim’s recent feature in Hypebeast, a popular daily fashion editorial with tens of millions of followers. Jim discusses his love for the Air Jordan 1 shoe model and how he connects with his players through sneakers and fashion. 

Cliff Omoruyi’s Outlook on the Rutgers Men’s Basketball Season

Cliff Omoruyi, an All-Big Ten Team selection in 2022-23, and his Rutgers teammates kick off the 2023-2024 NCAA Basketball Season on November 6th, for an in-state battle with Ivy League Powerhouse Princeton. Omoruyi, who was recently featured in an nj.com article this past week, shared some insight into why Rutgers Basketball fans should be itching for November 6th to roll around.

“This team is going to be different,” Omoruyi explained and also added, “We’ve got a lot of guys who can attack one-on-one now, who can kick out for the three. We’ve got a lot of guys who can do that.”  

Catch Rutgers and Cliff, a recent addition to the National Collegiate Honor Society, all season long as they look to bring a Big Ten title back to New Jersey!  


Steven Okert and the Miami Marlins Clinch a Spot in the 2023 MLB Playoffs

For the fourth time in franchise history, Steven Okert and the Miami Marlins are headed to the MLB playoffs. The Marlins clinched a playoff spot with a 7-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates last Saturday and will now shift their focus to making a deep run into October. Okert appeared in 64 games out of the bullpen for Miami this season, posting a 4.45 ERA.  

Catch the Marlins this week as they take on last year’s NL Champion Philadelphia Phillies in a 3 game Wild Card series and try to deliver a championship to Miami! 

Meggie Dougherty-Howard and the San Diego Wave FC Clinch a Spot in the 2023 NWSL Post Season

Meggie Dougherty-Howard and San Diego Wave FC have clinched a spot in the 2023 NWSL post season. The NWSL playoffs are scheduled to kick-off on October 22nd. 

San Diego Wave FC will look to finish the season strong, with two regular season games remaining. They travel to North Carolina to face off against the North Carolina Courage on October 7th, before returning home to finish out the regular season against Racing Louisville FC on October 15th.  

Dougherty-Howard, a key contributor to the Waves’ success looks to bring San Diego Wave FC their first NWSL Championship in franchise history.  

Cliff Omoruyi Featured On Big Ten Network’s “The Journey”

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