New date set for Niles-Harding boys game

December 31, 2013 at 12:00a.m.

NILES

The Hope Foundation of the Mahoning Valley has scheduled the Warren G. Harding vs Niles McKinley boys basketball game for Jan. 18.

The junior varsity game will tipoff at 6 p.m., followed by the varsity game at 7:30 p.m. at Niles McKinley High School. This game was originally scheduled for Dec. 14 at Struthers Fieldhouse, but was cancelled due to poor weather conditions.

Presale tickets will be sold starting Monday, Jan. 13 at each of the schools for $7. All tickets are general admission and can be purchased the day of the game for the same price. Niles home passes will be accepted. Also, if a ticket was purchased for the original game, those will be accepted at the door.

YSU’s Amiker earns league POW honors

Indianapolis, Ind.

After scoring a career-high 20 points against South Dakota, junior Shawn Amiker has been named the Horizon League Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, the league announced Monday.

This is the first weekly award for Amiker, who connected on 8-of-9 field-goal attempts and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds against the Coyotes.

Over the last two games, Amiker is averaging 15 points per game, and he has made 18 of his last 23 field-goal attempts or 78.3 percent over the last five contests.

Kelsea Newman named week’s top freshman

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown State redshirt freshman forward Kelsea Newman has been named the Horizon League Women’s Basketball Freshman of the Week for the period ending Dec. 29, the conference office announced.

Newman, a native of Perrysburg, Ohio, came off the bench to score a career-high 16 points in YSU’s game at Akron on Sunday. Newman was 6-for-10 shooting from the field, including 4-for-7 from 3-point range. She added three offensive rebounds, an assist and a steal in 20 minutes.

Ohio St DE Spence still not at Orange Bowl

COLUMBUS

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer says he may know Tuesday about the availability of All-Big Ten defensive end Noah Spence, who did not travel with the team to the Orange Bowl because of a “personal issue.”

The Buckeyes are preparing to play Clemson on Friday night.

Spence did not travel with the team Sunday. Meyer isn’t revealing details about the issue.

The sophomore leads the team and is second in the Big Ten in sacks with 8.0 and is sixth in the league with 13.5 tackles for loss. Meyer also says cornerback Bradley Roby (knee bone bruise) and linebacker Curtis Grant (back) are still recovering from injuries and several players missed practice with a stomach virus.

Tebow to join SEC Network next season

ATLANTA

The Heisman Trophy winner has been hired as a college football analyst for the new SEC Network, but says he still hopes to play quarterback in the NFL.

ESPN, which runs the channel, announced Monday that Tebow will appear on “SEC Nation,” a pregame show that will travel to a different campus each week after the network launches in August. ESPN says the multiyear deal “will not preclude him from continuing to pursue playing opportunities in the NFL.”

Pirates send RHP Mikolas to Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas

The Rangers have acquired right-hander Miles Mikolas from Pittsburgh in exchange for first baseman Chris McGuinness. The deal Monday came three days after Texas designated McGuinness for assignment.

Mikolas spent most of 2013 at Triple-A Tucson, going 4-2 with 26 saves and a 3.25 ERA in 54 games. He was traded to Pittsburgh in November.

McGuiness hit .176 with one RBI in 10 games for Texas last season. He hit .246 with 11 home runs, and 63 RBI in 104 games at Triple-A Round Rock.

Staff Reports/Associated Press