1 minute read
Sports Retorts: Women’s sports
from The Orange County Tribune May 17, 2023 Serving Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Stanton and Westminst
Continued from page 8
Title IX – over time – changed everything. Today, women’s sports have stepped front and center. They support two major sports leagues – the WNBA and the NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League). The U.S. women’s soccer team is the best in the world and has finally achieved salary parity with the men.
Advertisement
There will be a big crowd at Friday’s game, lots of media attention and – win or lose –many memories made. A long road has been traveled, many obstacles overcome, but – hey –who’s got the last laugh now?
The Lakers haven’t lost backto-back games since March 17, and they’ve lost just once at home since March 26.
To use the phrase frequently deployed by first-year Lakers coach Darvin Ham, James’ fingerprints are all over the Lakers’ success – particularly in their biggest games.
In the first round, James had the first 20-point, 20-rebound playoff game of his career during the Lakers’ Game 4 victory over Memphis – and he also hit the dramatic tying shot in the final second of regulation.
In the second round, James racked up 30 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the clinching Game 6 victory over defending champion Golden State, conjuring his first 30-point playoff outing since the 2020 season.
Ham was still a player in James’ first two NBA seasons. He calls LeBron’s Year 20 performance, particularly after a late-season injury, “unreal.”
“I’ve been around some elite, top-tier, top-5 talent in the NBA as a player and a coach,” Ham said. “Kobe was nothing short of amazing. Giannis (Antetokounmpo). (But) LeBron, I’ve never seen anything like it. ... Top five, dead or alive, ever to play in the NBA.’’
Mariners-Cougars for the D-1 title
The Pacifica High softball team will play Norco High for the CIF-SS Division 1 championship on Friday. Game time is 6:30 p.m. at Deanna Manning Stadium at Bill Barber Park in Irvine.
The Mariners, champions of the Empire League, are 22-8 overall and ranked 14th in the nation by MaxPreps.
The Cougars, champions of the Big VII League, are 28-3 and ranked fourth in the USA.
Each team has won six straight games.
