The daily pitch from Sports Editor : Oct. 30, 2026
· Yahoo Sports
Oct. 30—➜ . The duo is our latest recipients of The News-Gazette's high school Athletes of the Week. Read more about the pair and in Tuesday's print edition.
➜ . On the men's side, David Mirkovic is on the 20-player Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award watch list and on the 20-player NABC Player of the Year watch list. Both of those honors were announced on Thursday.
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➜ and on the 20-player Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Award watch list.
points, rebounds and assists Illinois guard averaged during the No. 3 Illini men's basketball team's three exhibition games. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound freshman has already received considerable hype ahead of his debut season in Champaign, and his performances so far haven't diminished any of it before Illinois hosts Fairleigh Dickinson at 7 p.m. on Monday in the regular-season opener at State Farm Center in Champaign.
➜ . The host Bulldogs (9-0) begin their Class 5A playoff journey at 7 p.m. on Friday when they host the Wildcats (5-5) in a first-round game at Frank Dutton Field.
➜ . The Bunnies (7-2) are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and will host the Tornadoes (8-2) at 2 p.m. on Saturday in a Class 1A first-round playoff game at Kellar Field.
➜ . The only area playoff game involving two area teams kicks off at 1 p.m. on Saturday when the Blue Devils (7-3) make the trip to Catlin to play the host Storm (7-2) in a Class 1A first-round game at Byerly-Hageman Field.
➜ Lionel Messi, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.
➜ "Suits."
➜ the Fourth of July.