January 29, 2020 Issue, Page 9 of 10

Page Text

Page 10 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Wednesday, January 29, 2020 Flair describes the life and Basketball times of Kobe Bryant roundup By Berry Tramel, The via helicopter. LA traffic be- is missing when icons clash. Kobe's enchantment con- Girls Jamie Peffer led the Oklahoman, Oklahoma City comes a non-factor with that tinued upon NBA retire- The Kevin Durant and Rus- OKLAHOMA CITY - mode of transportation, and sell Westbrook spat never ment. He stayed above the Merritt 38, Brick 35 Cilerettes with 18 points. Kobe Bryant's first NBA Kobe well navigated all the had such enchantment. basketball fray to which so fsa aa rae fpo Tomlin-Sanders was second game in Oklahoma City traffic that goes with being Kobe was a mesmerizing many former superstars suc- ouesttas: with 9 points and Dayli Pol- came on Feb. 4, 2006. Thir- an NBA and Planet Earth su- figure. Even the league itself cumb. He turned a $6 mil- Merritt 43, Hammon 26 lard had 8. teen days after he scored perstar. was transfixed -- and aware lion sports-drink investment 81 points in a game against Kobe's panache goes back of the financial bonanza he to a $200 million windfall. |= "75 7 the Raptors. Kobe scored pre-NBA. He took then-17- provided. Long before the His production company 19 points in the first quarter year-old Hollywood star NBA showed its cards and won an Academy Award for Good luck to all Grea against the Hornets and you Brandy Norwood to his se- declined to take a stand on a basketball short film. thought he might just go for nior prom in suburban Phila- Chinese government oppres- That explains Kobe Bry- student-athletes! 81 again. delphia, then played 20 NBA sion, in hopes of keeping ant best. A prom date with That was Kobe. He did seasons and became the Chinese money flowing, the a Hollywood starlet before everything with flair. Even greatest Laker of them all, NBA stuck by Kobe when he ever got to the Lakers; an introducing himself to a trumping Elgin Baylor and he was charged with rape af- Oscar after he left the Lak- new city that would come to Jerry West, Magic Johnson ers. And all kinds of basket- ia Order online ter a 2003 incident in Eagle, cheer against him because and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Colorado. ball largess in between. his Lakers were standing in Kobe's basketball feats The accuser eventually Kobe was great with the the way of our own basket- ball team. -- prodigious scoring; five NBA championships -- were declined to cooperate with authorities, Kobe settled out media -- oh man, what a world it would be if West- nizzahut.com Kobe played with flair. such that a millennial debate of court, his reputation took brook had taken his press Interviewed with flair. Trav- rages over the best player only a momentary hit and conference tips from Kobe eled with flair. Feuded with of the 21st century, Kobe or the NBA continued to reap -- and from all reports great | Buy a Spartan RZ HD mower the jackpot of having Kobe with fans. flair. Scandaled with flair. LeBron, even though any that we have in stock Sunday morning, the serious basketball analyst as the league's most riveting He had a great smile and a warm personality and didn't \ and get a Stihl FSA 45r 41-year-old Kobe died in a sides with LeBron in quick player. helicopter crash in the Los fashion. Even at age 37, Kobe's make enemies, except on the Lithium-ion trimmer Angeles suburb of Calabasas Kobe famously feuded flair didn't waver. His final court. Kobe was both acces- sible and untouchable; he that also claimed the lives of with his fellow Laker super- season, 2015-16, was a fare- his 13-year-old daughter and well tour around the league, put himself in vulnerable po- star, Shaquille O'Neal, lead- seven others. ing to Shaq leaving LA, but and he scored 60 points in sitions but remained Teflon. He is the embodiment of Kobe famously commuted their split had a whimsy, a his final game, April 13, the star-driven nature of the to the Lakers' Staples Center quirkiness, to it that so often 2016. basketball league that made OU men’s basketball: him famous, and now he's gone, at age 41, a life lived RENTALS & Sates, Inc with flair. 580-225-1400 | South Main Street, Elk City Win over Mississippi State a boost for resume By Abby Bitterman, The NCAA Evaluation Tool - is nament appearance. Last Oklahoman, Oklahoma a system used by the NCAA season, Oklahoma won its City Committee to solidify rank- first-round matchup against NORMAN - It's. still ings before seeding tour- Ole Miss, 95-72. OU fell to January, but March is right nament teams. NET takes eventual tournament cham- around the corner. into account things such as pion Virginia 63-51 in the Oklahoma took a break game results, location, net second round. from conference play on offensive and defensive ef- Bracketology projections Saturday for the Big 12/SEC ficiency, and scoring margin. have Oklahoma as a No. 11 Challenge. The Sooners’ This is the second season seed for this year's NCAA 63-62 win over the Missis- Tournament, playing in one the NCAA is using the NET sippi State Bulldogs added rankings, which replaced of the First Four games. another positive mark to RPI. NCAA.com's Andy Katz and Oklahoma's resume, which The game was a_posi- ESPN's Joe Lunardi both put will be helpful come NCAA tive for both Oklahoma's out their most recent brack- Tournament time. and Mississippi _State's etology projections on Fri- NET rankings. The Sooners day -- before the Sooners "I thought both teams bat- tled hard," Oklahoma coach jumped two spots to No. 45 played the Bulldogs. Katz Lon Kruger said. "I thought and the Bulldogs moved to has OU playing North Caro- it was a huge game for both No. 48. lina State, and Lunardi has teams. I thought the guys "At-large resumes are im- the Sooners playing Liberty played like it. Competed like portant for everyone at this in a First Four game. crazy. Very happy to come out with the win." Heading into the game, time of year, and we beat a Now the Sooners return good ball club," Kruger said. to conference play, starting "That ball club is going to with a game Wednesday at You Pay Just What's On the Tag! both teams had 12-6 records. win a lot of games in their Kansas State. If OU keeps Mississippi State was sit- its pace in Big 12 play, it conference, so I think it's a ting at No. 52 in the NET positive for sure." should have a solid enough rankings and Oklahoma was This would be the Sooners' resume to make the NCAA No. 47. The NET- short for third-straight NCAA Tour- Tournament come March. 20 Express Tenders® aa =EXPRESS> Served with 16 oz. gravy Tenders only $23.99 with 1 Family Side $26.49 25 Express Tenders® Served with 16 oz. gravy Tenders only $27.99 with 2 Family Sides $32.99 builder pre 30 Express Tenders® Served with 16 oz. gravy Tenders only $31.99 Looking for the perfect with 3 Family Sides $39.49 Super Bowl party food? ESTEE Check out our great Meal Deals! Express Hot Wings! 1415 West 3rd Street. Ett s ° HOME DESIGN CENTER ¢ 580.303.4322 25 wings <7 Weatherford, OK 580-772-5581 102 W. Main ¢ Serving Western Oklahoma for 73 Years!