YSU

YSU
Softball
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Youngstown State (0-4) lost two games Sunday at the Frostbite Classic hosted by the University of Kentucky. The Penguins lost to Ohio, 4-3, and Belmont, 6-2.
Against Ohio, the Penguins trailed 3-1 in the top of the seventh inning but scored two runs to tie the contest at 3.
Sophomore Becky Hibner led off with a single and back-to-back errors loaded the bases for senior Tiffany Patteson. Patteson, who went 2-for-4, ripped a two-run single.
In the bottom half of the frame, Ohio's Debbie Szalejko's double scored Kristen Salvaltore with the game-winning run.
In game two, Belmont used a five-run third inning to erase a 2-1 deficit and tallied 14 hits. Sophomore Jamie Fornal went 2-for-2 with a double to lead the Penguins.
On Saturday, Patteson went 5-for-7 with a double and triple, but the Penguins lost to Kentucky, 9-0, and Morehead State, 3-2.
LOCAL
West Branch wins
CANTON -- Andy Pappas had 23 points and Brandon McMillen added 16, leading West Branch to a 70-52 victory over Fairless Saturday night in a boys Division II sectional basketball championship game at the Canton Memorial Fieldhouse.
Kyle Rockwell finished with 14 points, Shane Young had 10 and Mike Fugate added 11 assists for the Warriors (16-5), who advaned to a district semifinal against top-seeded Triway (21-0) Wednesday at 8 p.m.
Fairless finished the season with an 8-14 record.
SVC tournament
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Rayen School defeated Warren Harding, 62-61, in the championship game of the Steel Valley Conference freshman boys basketball tournament Saturday.
Kenny Carter of Rayen was named tournament MVP. Against Harding he scored 28 points and eight rebounds. Roncarlos Hilton had eight points, six rebounds and three steals for the Tigers.
Warren Harding was led by Anthony Hill with 14 points, 15 rebounds and three blocked shots.
Wilson defeated Mooney 38-24 in the third place game. Randall Thomas led the Redmen with 16 points, while Ronnie Martino scored five points for Mooney.
In the fifth-place game, Ursuline defeated Warren JFK, 36-32. Lavance Turnage had 15 points and five rebounds for Ursuline, while Marshaun Hanesworth scored 11 points for JFK.
Phantom Pee Wees
STRONGSVILLE -- The Youngstown Jr. Phantom Pee Wees won the Cleveland Suburban Hockey League A2 championship, defeating Parma, 7-0, Sunday.
Mike Gorgacz and Ryan Demyen scored twice for the Phantoms and Corey Barnhouse had four assists. Nick Malvasi, Jared Taylor and Lucas Clarke also scored goals, while Crawford Warwick added two assists and Demyen and Zach Jones had one each. Brennan Allen recorded the shutout as goalie and Justin Hallapy, Joel Mathews, Riley Emery, Neil Allen and Brandon Nightingale led the defense.
The Phantoms outscored their two opponents in the playoffs, 16-1, and will participate in a tournament in Detroit next weekend.
NATION
USA Basketball
Kobe Bryant will be the centerpiece of the new-look USA Basketball team that is expected to improve upon a disappointing bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics.
Bryant brings NBA championship credentials and high-powered scoring, joining Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and 20 other players selected Sunday for a possible spot on the world championship and 2008 Beijing Olympic teams.
Bryant will be making his Olympic debut. He was supposed to play in Athens, but withdrew because of his sexual assault trial in Colorado. Criminal charges eventually were dropped, and he settled a civil suit with his accuser.
Lamar Odom, Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire and Dwyane Wade -- all members of the 2004 Athens team along with Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James -- also were selected to the roster. They'll be joined by Gilbert Arenas, Shane Battier, Chauncey Billups, Chris Bosh, Bruce Bowen and Elton Brand.
Others on the roster include Dwight Howard, Antawn Jamison, Joe Johnson, Brad Miller, Chris Paul, Paul Pierce, Michael Redd and Luke Ridnour.
College players J.J. Redick (Duke) and Adam Morrison (Gonzaga) also were chosen.
Horizon roundup
MILWAUKEE -- LaShonda Grant scored 30 points as Illinois-Chicago defeated Wisconsin-Green Bay, 74-62, in the semifinals of the Horizon League women's basketball tournament.
Chrissy Dizon added 13, including 11-for-12 from the free throw line, for the Flames, who will face UW-Milwaukee in the championship game today.
Nicole Soulis, the Horizon League's player of the year, led Wisconsin-Green Bay with 17.
The loss snapped a streak of 10 straight appearances by the Phoenix in the league tournament title game.
Molly O'Brien grabbed a rebound, dribbled the length of the court and scored a layup with 4.8 seconds remaining to give Milwaukee a 58-57 victory over Butler in the other semifinal. The Panthers overcame an 11-point deficit in the final 7:26 of the game.
Vindicator staff/wire reports