Florida
Former St. John’s, Florida Atlantic coach Mike Jarvis amazed by Owls’ Final Four run
HOUSTON — The primary adjective that got here to thoughts was unimaginable.
Then miraculous adopted by wonderful.
“Possibly that’s one of the best phrase,” Mike Jarvis informed The Publish, when requested to explain Florida Atlantic’s gorgeous run to The Closing 4.
The previous St. John’s coach understands higher than most how troublesome a job Florida Atlantic is, and the way stunning it’s for the ninth-seeded Owls to be among the many final 4 groups standing.
Jarvis coached Florida Atlantic for six seasons, from 2008-14.
He was the final man to win 20 video games in a single 12 months on the Convention USA college earlier than Dusty Could guided the Owls to a program report 35 wins this winter.
“The explanation why Coach Could [should be] be the Nationwide Coach of the 12 months is it’s an extremely troublesome job, as are most jobs at that degree,” Jarvis stated. “With the finances that you’ve got, with the services that you’ve got, with the truth that often it’s a must to play numerous purchase video games, which implies you get numerous losses since you’re enjoying in opposition to groups you in all probability don’t have any enterprise enjoying in opposition to, and that in flip destroys numerous children’ confidence.”
Dwelling now in Boynton Seashore, Fla., the 77-year-old Jarvis nonetheless follows this system and goes to some video games every season.
The largest change he has seen since his time there may be the management on the college.
Athletic director Brian White has engineered the Owls’ upcoming transfer to the American Athletic Convention and has made services upgrades with rather more on the way in which.
He additionally employed Could, an assistant at Florida on the time, in 2018, and the 2 sides are anticipated to agree on a brand new long-term extension after this weekend, Could stated.
“Now they’ve a man who I feel understands what it’s all about,” Jarvis stated, referring to White. “I feel he understands what it’s all about. He employed a very high quality younger coach who has are available in and achieved a tremendous job.”
Could hasn’t had a dropping season but, although he hadn’t received greater than 19 video games earlier than this 12 months.
He has been in a position to preserve his whole core collectively, no straightforward feat within the switch portal period.
This winter, Florida Atlantic broke by means of in a serious method. It was nationally ranked for the primary time in program historical past and beat in-state powerhouse Florida on the highway.
Quite a bit has gone proper on this run. Purdue turned simply the second No. 1 to lose to a No. 16 when it fell to Fairleigh Dickinson within the first spherical, organising Florida Atlantic with a a lot simpler second-round sport.
It took benefit, then outplayed No. 4 Tennessee within the Candy 16 and No. 3 Kansas State within the Elite Eight.
“Purdue misplaced, and that in itself was enormous,” stated Jarvis, who coached at St. John’s from 1998-2003. “You must be good, it’s a must to be enjoying nicely, it’s a must to be wholesome and it’s a must to have luck in your facet. All of these issues went FAU’s method.”
Even so, it’s an unimaginable story.
Earlier than this March, Florida Atlantic had by no means received an NCAA Match sport.
Now it’s two wins away from what can be probably the most unlikely nationwide championship in school basketball historical past.
“If somebody stated this might occur,” Jarvis stated, “I wouldn’t have believed them.”
Three keys: Florida Atlantic vs. San Diego St.
Coping with strain
Neither program has been up to now earlier than.
That is all new.
The hype, the media obligations, enjoying below the microscope that’s the largest stage of school basketball in a monstrous dome corresponding to NRG Stadium.
The workforce that handles that one of the best, and doesn’t want time to regulate as soon as the ball goes up, will be the one which strikes on.
Battle within the center
The unsung hero of Florida Atlantic’s Elite Eight upset of Kansas State was Vladislav Goldin, the 7-foot Russian who produced 14 factors, 13 rebounds, two blocks and two assists in controlling the paint.
It received’t be almost as straightforward in opposition to San Diego State’s Nathan Mensah, the two-time Mountain West Defensive Participant of the 12 months.
The 6-10 Mensah anchors the Aztecs’ fourth-ranked protection by way of effectivity.
Matt must be the person
San Diego State has survived regardless of main scorer Matt Bradley’s taking pictures woes.
The workforce’s lone double-figure per-game scorer, he’s averaging simply six factors on 22.2 p.c taking pictures during the last three NCAA Match video games.
It’s arduous to see the Aztecs advancing to the nationwide championship sport except the senior guard finds his stroke.
Florida
FREE ADMISSION: State parks won’t cost Florida residents over holiday weekend
ORLANDO, Fla. – State parks will offer free entry this Memorial Day weekend to Florida residents.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the free admission last month while promoting summer activities in the state.
The free admission runs from Friday through Monday.
Florida has nearly 200 state parks and thousands of miles of trails. The parks range from historic parks like the Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park in Flagler Beach, Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna, to natural springs like Silver Springs State Park in Marion County.
If you’re planning to hit up Blue Springs, De Leon Springs or Wekiwa Springs, expect large crowds.
To find a state park near you, head to the Florida State Parks website.
You can listen to every episode of Florida’s Fourth Estate in the media player below:
Copyright 2024 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
Florida
3-time defending champ Oklahoma beats Florida State 11-3 in super regional opener
NORMAN, Okla. — Three-time defending national champion Oklahoma is one win away from going back to the Women’s College World Series.
Alyssa Brito went 3 for 3 with two homers and the second-seeded Sooners beat No. 15 seed Florida State 11-3 in six innings in Game 1 of the best-of-three Norman Super Regional on Thursday night.
Kasidi Pickering had two hits for the Sooners (53-6), who got 11 hits from eight players.
Sooners coach Patty Gasso said this was the best she has seen her team hit this season.
“Top to bottom, it’s hard to breathe when you’re facing these guys, when they’re really feeling it,” she said. “It’s probably the first time in a long while that I felt top to bottom, we were taking really great swings and now it looks really good.”
Oklahoma ace Kelli Maxwell (20-2) went the distance for the win. She gave up three runs on four hits in five innings. Gasso said she was glad to see Maxwell fight through some tough innings. Florida State left eight runners on.
“It’s a victory,” Gasso said. “Nobody knows probably what I’m talking about. But for Kelly to stay through that and fight through that and throw over 100 pitches — that’s a victory for her.”
Florida State loaded the bases in the first with two outs but did not score against Maxwell.
Oklahoma’s Tiare Jennings hit a homer in the first, the 95th of her career. That tied her for second in school history with Lauren Chamberlain and moved her into a tie for third in Division I history.
Oklahoma tacked on a run in the second, but Florida State’s Devyn Flaherty singled in the third to knock in two runs and tie the score.
Brito’s solo shot in the third highlighted a three-run inning that put the Sooners up 5-2.
Florida State got two on with no outs against Maxwell in the fourth and again failed to score.
Florida State starter Ashtyn Danley lasted just two innings after giving up five runs on six hits. Brito took new pitcher Emma Wilson out of the park in the fourth for a two-run blast that gave the Sooners a 7-2 edge. Kinzie Hansen followed with a two-run shot to make it 9-2.
The Seminoles won the national title in 2018 and lost to Oklahoma in the championship series in 2021 and 2023. That’s why Gasso expects Florida State to play better on Friday in Game 2.
“I don’t expect that we’re going to have a game like we did today because they’re too competitive,” Gasso said, “They’re too well coached. They’ve been here before. They know what this feels like. They’re going to fight.”
In the Los Angeles Super Regional, Maya Brady hit two solo homers to help No. 6 UCLA beat No. 11 Georgia 8-0.
Brady went 3-for-4 and scored three runs and Jadelyn Allchin had three hits and scored twice for the Bruins
Kaitlyn Terry (21-1) threw a four-hitter. She struck out five and threw 93 pitches.
Florida
South Florida home lists for $26M amid a flurry of big-dollar local sales
A new Venetian Islands, Florida property has hit the market for $26 million — and it’s not even a megamansion. The waterfront home, at 310 W. Dilido, is almost cozy at just 5,787 square feet.
“The Venetian Islands aren’t known for large homes, but this one has five bedrooms and an ideal layout,” said listing broker Dina Goldentayer of Douglas Elliman.
“It’s also on the Gold Coast, the Billionaires’ Row of the Venetian Islands,” Goldentayer added. “It has southern exposure with downtown [Miami] views. It’s the best of both worlds.”
Billionaire Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal and Palantir, owns in the islands, as does Justin Korsant, CEO of firm Long Light Capital. The Venetian Islands are a chain of manmade islands in Biscayne Bay between South Beach and downtown Miami.
The new construction waterfront home was completed this year.
Details include a chef’s kitchen, and a main bedroom suite with white oak floors, lots of storage, a spa-like bath and a terrace. There’s also an elevator and a roof area.
Outside, there’s a pool, a covered lanai, a summer kitchen and a dock with 60 feet on the water.
Four Venetian Islands properties have traded in the last 90 days for more than $20 million, including 416 W. San Marino Drive, which Korsant just bought for $23 million — even though it is still under construction, said Goldentayer, who also repped both sides of that deal.
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