Full recovery expected for Popovich; Oakland falls to Illinois

On By Littum

Detroit News staff and wires
| Associated Press

San Antonio – Basketball Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich is recovering from what the San Antonio Spurs described as a mild stroke, although there is no timetable for the NBA’s longest-tenured coach to return to the sidelines.

Popovich suffered a stroke Nov. 2 at the arena where the Spurs play, the team said Wednesday, and has already begun a rehabilitation program with the belief that he will make a full recovery. The team did not release any other details, including what after-effects of the stroke – if any – he is dealing with.

“It’s a difficult time for everybody,” Spurs general manager Brian Wright said. “Coach Pop has been the leader of this organization for the past three decades.”

The 75-year-old Popovich is the NBA’s all-time wins leader, having led the Spurs to five championships, plus guided USA Basketball to a gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. He is in his 29th season as coach of the Spurs.

“He’s fine. He’s tough, he’s a fighter and he’s going to work,” Wright said. “We’re all here for him, but he’s fine.”

Assistant coach Mitch Johnson has been acting head coach in Popovich’s absence. The Spurs play at home on Wednesday against Washington, and it will be the seventh straight game in which Johnson fills in for Popovich.

“Mitch has been great,” Spurs rookie Stephon Castle said Wednesday before the team announced the details of Popovich’s health. “Even when Pop was here, he always had a voice in our hypocrites and in our locker room. Our philosophies have not changed.”

It is unknown if Popovich is dealing with any after effects from the stroke.

Singles update

The National Basketball Players Association has reached out to the family of former Duke star and Pistons player Kyle Singler after he said he fears for his life in a cryptic Instagram video he posted Tuesday.

“We are in contact with Kyle’s family,” Sarah Houseknecht, a spokeswoman for the NBPA, said in an email to The Associated Press on Wednesday. “As with all current and former members of the NBPA, we offer any and all support to players, whether they are going through their greatest successes or times of challenge.”

Singler, 36, spoke slowly and was shirtless in the first video, which was released Tuesday morning. It sparked an outpouring of concern and support from former teammates and others and has been shared more than 12,000 times.

“I’ve been mistreated and abused, neglected, made into a mental example,” Singler said. “And I fear for my life every day. And people in my community make me look like I’m going to be someone who’s going to be a problem and make things difficult for people when I’m just trying to be helpful.

“I feel like I have a certain way about myself and strength and purpose that isn’t appreciated or treated properly.”

Singler has posted two short videos since the first one. He sounded steadier in the second video while repeating some of the complaints from the first. The third, posted early Wednesday morning, was an acknowledgment of the “real ones” who sacrifice for others, followed by words of wisdom.

Singler was on Duke’s 2010 national championship team and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament.

Wednesday’s Big Ten

(At) Illinois 66, Oakland 54: Tomislav Ivisic scored 20 points, Ben Humrichous added 10 and Illinois overcame 18 turnovers. Illinois has started a season 3-0 for the fourth time under Brad Underwood, and the second time in three seasons after starting the 2022-23 season 4-0.

Illinois had its lead trimmed to 38-36 early in the second half before going on a 17-4 run for a 55-40 lead. Ivisic started the run, which included 11 straight points, with three made field goals. Oakland was just 2 of 10 from the field during the run.

Ivisic was 9 of 14 from the field, while the rest of his teammates combined for 14 of 41.

Jayson Woodrich scored 11 points and DQ Cole added 10 for Oakland (1-2). The Grizzlies shot just 38% from the field, including 4 of 25 from 3-point range. Oakland also turned it over 18 times.

(At) Nebraska 86, Fairleigh Dickinson 60: Juwan Gary scored 19 points and Nebraska led for all but 19 seconds en route to its 15th straight home win. Berke Buyuktuncel added 12 points and Brice Williams had 10 for the Cornhuskers (3-0), who had 12 players score and 11 grab a rebound.

Terrence Brown had 23 points and eight rebounds for the Knights (1-3), who also lost by 26 at No. 16 in Creighton on Sunday. Ahmed Barba-Bey, Jo’el Emanuel and Dylan Jones each added 10 points.

Nebraska had a 43-31 rebound advantage and 17-8 turnover differential. That led to 40 points in the paint, a lead of 28-7 in points off turnovers and 21-4 in fast break points.

North Texas 54, (at) Minnesota 51: Rondel Walker scored 14 points and 3-0 North Texas led most of the way.

Dawson Garcia scored six points during an 8-2 surge to pull Minnesota within 52-51 with 30 seconds left. Isaac Asuma blocked Brenen Lorient’s layup attempt on the ensuing possession, but Lu’Cye Patterson’s 3-point shot hit the back of the rim and the Mean Green’s Johnathan Massie grabbed the rebound.

After a North Texas timeout with 3 seconds left, Lorient added a dunk and Patterson’s midcourt heave bounced off the backboard.

Garcia shot 6 of 9 from the field, made all 10 of his free throws and finished with 24 points to lead Minnesota (2-1).

Wednesday’s MAC

Central Michigan 70, (at) George Mason 69: Anthony Pritchard led Central Michigan with 21 points and Damarion Bonds made a game-winning 3-pointer in the final seconds.

George Mason guard Jared Billups struggled to find an open teammate on an inbounds play with 14.7 seconds left, and he ended up throwing it by a defender, and Bonds collected the loose ball in the backcourt.

Bonds passed it to Kyler Vanderjagt, who drove into the lane before his shot was blocked. Bonds grabbed the ball again and got his defender in the air on a pump fake before making a long 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left.

George Mason’s half-court heave didn’t hit the rim as time expired.

Bonds and Jakobi Heady each scored 10 points for the Chippewas (2-2). The Patriots (2-2) were led by Darius Maddox, who had 15 points.

Michigan area basketball schedule

Men

Wednesday

Central Michigan 70, George Mason 69

Davenport 88, Grace Christian 69

Elmhurst 66, Olivet 50

Hillsdale 105, East-West University 46

Illinois 66, Oakland 54

Northwood 91, Kuyper 42

Thursday

Eastern Michigan at IU-Indianapolis, 6:30

Friday

Indianapolis at Lake Superior State, 11:30a

SIU Edwardsville at Western Michigan, 5

TCU at Michigan, 6

Hope at Wilmington, 7

Saturday

Alma in Carthage, 1

Michigan Tech at Winona State, 2nd

Eastern Michigan at Cleveland State, 3

Hope at Wittenberg, 3

Toledo at Detroit Mercy, 4

Northern Michigan at Illinois-Springfield, 4

Kalamazoo at Dominican (Ill.), 4:30

Bowling Green at Michigan State, 6

Ferris State at McKendree, 6:30

Sunday

Canisius at Western Michigan, 7 p.m

Findlay at Wayne State, 2

Adrian in Bluffton, 3

Michigan Tech at Concordia-St. Paul, 4

Women

Wednesday

Franklin 90, Olivet 54

Hillsdale 61, Lake Superior 53

Thursday

Eastern Kentucky at Michigan State, 6:30

Central Michigan at Michigan, 7

Saturday

Bellarmine at Detroit Mercy, 1

Loras College at Calvin University, 2

Illinois Wesleyan at Hope, 4

Sunday

Oakland, Michigan, noon

Michigan State at Western Michigan, 5