Sports Briefs

Sports Briefs

Abbi Webb, Editor in Chief 

National

Thursday, Feb. 18 at 3 p.m. was the official deadline for NBA trading decisions to be made. No major trading took place despite the talk of possible moves for big players, like Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard and Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin. However, a notable trade was made between the Clippers and the Memphis Grizzlies. The Clippers swapped shooting guard/ small forward Lance Stephenson for Grizzlies power forward/ small forward Jeff Green. Green is said to be a potential floor spacer during the playoffs, according to ESPN.

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On Tuesday, Feb. 16, former UFC Women�s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey revealed she had suicidal thoughts after her loss to UFC fighter Holly Holm last year. �I was literally sitting there and thinking about killing myself and that exact second I�m like �I�m nothing, what do I do anymore,� Rousey said during an appearance on the Ellen Show. Holm responded to Rousey�s comments by saying, �I don�t want to say I�m sorry because I think on a competitive level for me, if somebody was to say they�re sorry after [beating me], it�s like, �No, I�m a competitor.� I�m not a charity case.�

International

When most people talk about the Olympics, they usually discuss whom they think will win run the fastest or swim the farthest. This year, a different conversation revolves around the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and it concerns the health of each athlete participating. 

Less than six months away, Rio does not look like a place ready to host a world-renowned event. As part of its proposal to host the Olympics, Rio promised to clean up 80 percent of the sewage found in surrounding bodies of water, including Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon where the canoe and kayaking events are set to take place. However, the cleaning of the waters has not happened due to lack of �commitment, funds and energy,� according to spokesman Mario Andrada. Although there is no guarantee of preventing illness, athletes must receive vaccinations, use ample amounts of hand sanitizer and shower immediately after races, according to ESPN�s Bonnie Ford.

In addition, Rio has been greatly impacted by the recent outbreak of the Zika virus, with over 3,500 cases reported in a four-month span. And to top it all off, the workers who helped build some of the Olympic venues in Rio are protesting for unpaid work dating back to December. The protesting has resulted in several unfinished venues for the 2016 Olympics beginning in August.

Campus/Local

The North Greenville University women�s basketball team made an astounding comeback at Saturday�s game against Southern Wesleyan University. Having entered the locker room at half time down by 16 points, the Crusaders made a change in the second half that won them the game. A seven-point lead was secured in the fourth quarter during the plays that followed Elizabeth Trentham�s game tying three-pointer. Although the Warriors fought back, with only 20 seconds remaining, the Crusaders sealed the victory with a turnover and three free throw shots. Saturday�s win places the Crusaders at 10-16 overall ranking and 8-12 in Conference Carolinas play.