it is an important relationship the club has and you are an important pa

NEW YORK -- The latest buzzer-beater at the Big East tournament belongs to a Seton Hall reserve with a familiar last name. Sterling Gibbs hit a step-back jumper as time expired and Seton Hall stunned No. 3 Villanova 64-63 in a thrilling quarter-final Thursday, a loss that could cost the Wildcats a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. "Were really confident, honestly, especially after you beat the No. 3 team in the country," said Gibbs, a sophomore transfer from Texas whose brother was a Pittsburgh star. "We know if we can beat them, we can beat anyone. So were just up for the challenge." Eugene Teague had 19 points and 12 rebounds for the eighth-seeded Pirates (17-16), who advanced to the tournament semifinals for the first time in 13 years. They will play Friday night against No. 4 seed Providence, which held off fifth-seeded St. Johns 79-74. Josh Hart scored 18 to lead the top-seeded Wildcats (28-4), beaten only twice in 18 regular-season conference games while winning their first outright Big East title since 1982. Both losses were blowouts by Doug McDermott and Creighton. "Youve all heard me say this before: This was not about 1 seeds, 2 seeds. This was about we wanted to come to Madison Square Garden and win the Big East tournament. Winning the Big East tournament would mean much more to us than a 1 seed," Villanova coach Jay Wright said. "The NCAA tournament seedings, my belief is 1, 2, 3, it doesnt matter that much. Youre going to play great teams." Patrik Auda scored all 13 of his points in the first half for Seton Hall, a 10 1/2-point underdog. But the pesky Pirates, accustomed to playing close games, built a 15-point lead and recovered after Villanova spurted past them with a 16-0 run in the second half. It was Seton Halls first victory in five tries against top-seeded teams at the Big East tournament. "We never really got rattled," coach Kevin Willard said. "These guys have a lot of heart. They have a lot of character, and they deserve to win." Villanova took a 63-62 lead on Darrun Hilliards floater in the lane with 7.8 seconds to go. Seton Hall pushed the ball past halfcourt, then called timeout with 3.7 seconds left. With much of the crowd on its feet, Jaren Sina inbounded and Gibbs backed off Hilliard with a hard step back, draining a 17-foot jumper from the top of the key just as the horn sounded. "We usually dont like to call timeouts. We usually like just to go. But I wanted the ball, at that time, in Sterlings hands," Willard said. A fired-up Gibbs, who finished with 10 points, jumped onto the scorers table and looked up at the crowd as excited teammates ran all over the court in a wild celebration. The shot was a near carbon copy of the one Kemba Walker hit three years ago at the Garden during Connecticuts captivating run to Big East and NCAA tournament championships. That buzzer-beating jumper by Walker, also in the quarterfinals, beat a top-seeded Pittsburgh team that was led by Gibbs brother, Ashton. "It ended up being a little bit of a scramble. The plan kind of got switched up a little bit," Sterling Gibbs said before Teague interrupted. "A little bit?" said the senior centre. "Yeah, a lot of bit," Gibbs acknowledged. "In the end, it was supposed to get in my hands and I was supposed to create a shot for my teammates or create a shot for myself, and I just stepped back and hit the jumper." Hilliard scored all 11 of his points in the second half. JayVaughn Pinkston also had 11 for the Wildcats, but the 77 per cent free throw shooter was 3 of 10 at the foul line as the Wildcats went 15 for 25 (60 per cent) to Seton Halls 6-for-9 mark. The Pirates limited Villanova to 37.9 per cent shooting and 21.1 per cent from 3-point range (4 for 19), less than 18 hours after holding Butler to a 2-for-18 mark (11.1 per cent) from long distance in the opening round. "We got the shots we wanted to. We just werent making them," Villanova guard Ryan Arcidiacono said. Playing in the Big East quarterfinals for the first time since 2003, the Pirates won despite getting only seven points from leading scorer Fuquan Edwin on 3-of-15 shooting. Villanova won both regular-season meetings, by an average of 16.5 points, and figured to have an advantage again after Seton Hall had to hold off Butler 51-50 Wednesday night. Early on, though, it was the Pirates who looked fresh even though they had little time to rest. On a bitterly cold day in the Big Apple, the Wildcats took a while to warm up. They missed 13 of their first 14 attempts from 3-point range and trailed 44-31 with 14 minutes remaining. But they made a flurry of steals during a 16-0 run and took their first lead at 47-44 on Hilliards 3-pointer with 8:03 left. Edwin tied it with a 3 and Teague followed with a three-point play to put the Pirates back in front. With the score tied at 59, Arcidiaconos steal sent Villanova on a fast break that culminated in Harts layup with 40 seconds left. Undeterred, the Pirates worked the ball around and Gibbs passed to Sina for a 3 from the left corner that gave them for a 62-61 edge with 17.2 seconds remaining. "That was a great college basketball game," Wright said. "Great to be a part of it. Great atmosphere. The Garden was rocking. We had a lot of fun." Drew Doughty Jersey .cas NHL Play of the Year showdown continues today with a man whos spent most of his career on highlight reels and a goalie actually "reaching back" for a save. Nate Thompson Jersey . -- Phil Mickelson came to the St. http://www.authenticlakingspro.com/.com) - The Kansas City Chiefs activated linebacker Joe Mays from short-term injured reserve on Saturday. Luc Robitaille Jersey . Nat Borchers headed in the sole goal in the 54th minute, getting on the end of a Kyle Beckerman free kick. The defeat cost Sporting top spot in the Eastern Conference. Even a draw would have moved the Kansas City club above Columbus. Dion Phaneuf Jersey . Wilson hit Schenn from behind during Tuesday nights game in Philadelphia, earning a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct. He has a phone hearing with the department of player safety, which limits any potential suspension to five or fewer games.Vancouver Whitecaps rookie head coach Carl Robinson has hardly made a wrong step during his opening six months in charge at the club. His team is exciting to watch and sitting nicely positioned in the Western Conference playoff places with one match to play before the World Cup break and he has a group of players who are clearly enjoying working with him. Away from the pitch, Robinsons start has been equally impressive, as he looks to build a club with a distinct identity. The ‘Caps have become quickly known for their youthful, attacking play, but Robinson is determined to make sure he also has a team that conducts itself in the right manner. In a global sports world where there is always plenty of negative behavior to talk about, the Whitecaps coach has made it clear he wants an open and honest locker room. That was evident this week when he was asked about an incident involving Whitecaps Uruguayan attacker Sebastian Fernandez during Sundays 4-3 win at Portland. Fernandez clearly attempted to get Timbers defender Pah Madou Kah into trouble with the referee by pretending to be struck in the face. Replays clearly showed there was no contact. Robinson was as clear as could be when talking about the incident, stating that there is no place for that behavior within his club. “I spoke to him (Fernandez) at length and the players as a group,” said Robinson. “I have told them it is not acceptable. I dont condone that, the club wont condone that. It was dealt with internally and wont be happening again.” “Its not what Im about as a head coach and its not what the club is about,” he continued. “Its important they know that. It does happen, but its not going to happen with our club and Ive made my feelings known. Weve dealt with it and we move on, but its important I make him aware that its not acceptable and he wont be doing it again.” Its a refreshing approach from Robinson and one which is not seen enough from managers in the global game.dddddddddddd. A different example of the ‘Caps coach being open in his approach to management is with the clubs daily training sessions. Training grounds around the world are usually blanketed in secrecy - its all smoke and mirrors. In Major League Soccer, most teams allow media to watch their sessions for the final 15 minutes when there is nothing on show that could give away any information – but Robinson has taken a completely different approach. Every one of the Whitecaps training sessions is open to the media from start to finish. Its certainly a popular decision with the members of the media covering the team on a daily basis, but Robinsons open access policy is about much more than making people happy. “I opened up to you guys because I think it is an important relationship the club has and you are an important part for us,” Robinson said this week when asked about why he decided to go against the trend. “Ive got nothing to hide. You know the way I play and Im sure, if other teams do their homework, they will know the way we play as well. I want you to see the team spirit and camaraderie we are trying to build. If you watch training and see the way I work and how Gordon (Forrest) and Martyn (Pert) work, it will give you a fair idea of how we want to play.” Of course, while everything is going well for Vancouver, things are much easier, but from what I have seen of Robinson so far in his management role, Im certain he will have the mental toughness to deal with difficulties when they come the way of his team. The building process continues - on and off the field – as the Whitecaps look to move forward as a club, but Robinsons values are shining through as he looks to lay a solid foundation for future success. ' ' '