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March sadness: Heat blow big lead in 4th again

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March sadness: Heat blow big lead in 4th again


The Miami Heat were up by 11 over Charlotte with 6:47 left on Monday. They led by 11 over Chicago going into the fourth quarter Saturday. They led 10 over New York midway through the fourth quarter on March 2.

All at home, too.

And all ended up as losses.

College basketball has March Madness. The Heat have March sadness. Blown leads are becoming commonplace for the Heat, who lost 105-102 to the Hornets on Monday night — yet another costly collapse. And now it’s a team simply searching for answers.

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“We went through too much this season to let go of the rope now,” Heat captain Bam Adebayo said.

The Heat — who are 9-18 in their past 27 games, a stretch that started with Jimmy Butler III being oft-suspended before eventually traded to Golden State for Andrew Wiggins — have lost a league-high 11 times this season when leading after three quarters, already the third most in any season in franchise history.

And they’ve lost nine games after leading by at least 15 points, three of those coming in a nine-day span that ended Monday.

“In terms of our spirit, we’ll be fine,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We just have to forge ahead. You have to forge. Sometimes you get tested. Sometimes you get tested in a way that you don’t want to be tested in this league. And you can fold the tent, or you just keep on forging and forging and forging. And that’s what our group is going to do.”

The Heat are the first team to lose seven games after holding double-digit fourth-quarter leads since Memphis did it in 2018-19.

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“We’ve just got to find a way to get ourselves out of this hole,” guard Tyler Herro said. “This isn’t fun for anybody. It’s a tough time right now. But we’re staying with it. We’ll figure this out.”

This isn’t just a recent trend for Miami. Fourth quarters have been trouble all season. The Heat had a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter at Orlando on Dec. 21 and lost by seven — being outscored 37-8 in the final 12 minutes.

And there was another nine-day span of down-the-stretch disasters in February. The Heat were outscored 39-21 in the fourth quarter of a nine-point loss to Chicago on Feb. 4, 31-9 in a 16-point loss at Brooklyn on Feb. 7 and 32-8 in the fourth quarter of a loss at Oklahoma City on Feb. 12.

“We’ve got a very tough-minded group and that’s what we need right now,” Spoelstra said. “Even some veterans in the locker room, or a veteran coach like myself, you just realize how tough it is to win in this league. It really is. On any given night, it is a challenge. We just have to stay together and figure this out.”

This run of losses in March has even put playoff plans in serious peril. The Heat — who are ninth in the Eastern Conference — will almost certainly have to get through the play-in tournament just to have a chance at getting to the first round of the postseason, where NBA-leading Cleveland or reigning champion Boston probably will be waiting.

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“We just have to stay together and use this an opportunity, a growth opportunity to overcome something that sucks,” Spoelstra said. “We’re going to figure this out.”



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Wives of detained men allege inhumane conditions at federal detention center in Miami

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Wives of detained men allege inhumane conditions at federal detention center in Miami


Wives of several men being held at the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami are alleging their husbands are facing inhumane conditions following a transfer from the Krome Detention Center, where detainees were evacuated due to recent wildfires.

The women gathered outside the downtown Miami facility on Wednesday to call for basic humane treatment for their husbands.

The Federal Detention Center is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, not U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. While ICE transferred the detainees to the federal facility, the Bureau of Prisons is responsible for conditions inside.

Among those speaking out was Judith Castellanos, whose husband, 51-year-old Marlon Cervelo, has been in immigration detention since 2023.

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“He is my husband, my brother, my confidant, my everything,” Castellanos said, adding that she fears for his life.

According to Castellanos, Cervelo was detained following his annual immigration appointment in 2023. Since then, he has been held at multiple facilities, including Alligator Alcatraz, Krome Detention Center and now the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami.

Castellanos said the detainees are requesting basic necessities.

“They want something similar to what they had in Krome,” Castellanos said, noting the need for clean clothing and reliable access to drinking water.

Arianne Betancourt, an activist with the social justice organization The Workers Circle, echoed the families’ concerns.

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“Nobody should be denied access to water,” Betancourt said during a news conference.

While CBS News Miami was covering the event, Castellanos received a call from her husband inside the facility. Speaking in Spanish, Cervelo claimed conditions remain difficult.

“We still have no air conditioning in the rooms and no medicines,” Cervelo said.

Another spouse says deportation isn’t an option 

Another spouse, Annette Uset, said her husband, Daikel Dumont, is being held in solitary confinement.

“He told me the conditions that he was in, and I went ahead and contacted the news,” Uset said.

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Anisley Cortez said she is concerned for her husband, 41-year-old Noslen Sendra, who suffers from diabetes and acute pancreatitis. She alleged he is not receiving the necessary medication.

The three women said their husbands share similar immigration histories. Each was detained by immigration authorities after serving prison sentences for past criminal convictions. Because Cuba has not accepted their deportation, they have remained in federal custody.

CBS News Miami requested a response from the Federal Bureau of Prisons regarding the allegations.

In a statement, the agency acknowledged the facility experienced water pressure problems on July 1, but said inmates were provided additional bottled water while repairs were underway. Officials said the issue was resolved the following day.

The Bureau of Prisons also confirmed that one of the facility’s air-conditioning chillers malfunctioned on July 6, but stated the problem has been repaired and both chillers are operating normally.

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Despite those assurances, the families said they will continue to speak out until they see meaningful improvements in the treatment of their loved ones.

When asked if she would follow her husband to Cuba if deportation were an option, Castellanos replied, “I would follow him.”

According to the families, however, immigration officials have encouraged their husbands to self-deport to a third country, an option all three men have declined.



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Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza is coming to Miami, led by legendary pizzaiolo chef Bun

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Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza is coming to Miami, led by legendary pizzaiolo chef Bun


If you’re a diehard pizza fanatic in Miami, you’ll soon be able to check another renowned style off your list without leaving home. Arriving in October 2026, Royale Pizza Napoletana will debut at 1680 Meridian Avenue, introducing South Florida to the exceptionally precise world of Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza. This highly anticipated opening marks the monumental stateside arrival of legendary Japanese pizzaiolo Chef Bun, the mastermind behind Tokyo’s genre-defining concept, Savoy.

RECOMMENDED: Where to find the best pizza in Miami

The restaurant is the brainchild of banking entrepreneur and restaurateur Jess Varughese, the innovator behind Miami’s ultra-exclusive, members-only hotspot, Haiku. After experiencing Chef Bun’s “perfect pizzas” during a trip to Japan, Varughese envisioned bringing this science-driven culinary movement to sunny South Florida. To ensure absolute authenticity, Varughese assembled an elite culinary team. Alongside Chef Bun, the kitchen features Haiku Executive Chef Albert Diaz and Chef Dalila Sabatino, a rising pizzaiola talent praised by Bun who previously trained at Los Angeles’ acclaimed Pizzeria Sei.

Photograph: Courtesy Royale Pizza NapoletanaRoyale Pizza Napoletana

What sets Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza apart is its rigorous, chemistry-like execution. At Royale, the dough undergoes a meticulous 30+ hour fermentation process. Varughese and his team spent hundreds of hours adjusting the recipe, combining artisan flours with the Autolyse technique and even altering Miami’s water softness to match Japan’s famously soft water. Pizzas are then baked fresh in an 800-degree oven. The resulting crust achieves an ethereal balance of lightness, chewiness, char and crunch. As Varughese notes, having Chef Bun’s 20-plus years of innovation on board elevates the entire culinary game.

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Royale will be fast-casual, yet polished, with seating for 65 guests including a large community table at its center. Staying true to an accessible vibe, the restaurant will operate on a first-come, first-served walk-in basis with no reservations, though takeout and delivery will be available. You’ll order at a main counter from a carefully curated menu featuring antipasti, two pastas, two mains and seven distinct pizzas—including four traditional options and three specials. This is a pizza spot that deserves the hype, so stay up to date on their progress at @royalenapoletana ahead of the official October launch.





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Girl, 12, shot while sitting in parked car in northwest Miami-Dade, deputies say

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Girl, 12, shot while sitting in parked car in northwest Miami-Dade, deputies say


MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A 12-year-old girl was shot in the arm after gunfire erupted in a northwest Miami-Dade neighborhood early Tuesday morning, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said they responded just before 1 a.m. to the area of Northwest 64th Street and Northwest 21st Avenue in the county’s Gladeview area, where they found three vehicles struck by gunfire, including a silver Hyundai.

“The car was parked outside of the residence. It was occupied by three juveniles, so it was the girl and her two siblings that were in the vehicle. The mom was outside of the vehicle at the time, so this could have been a very different outcome,” MDSO Detective Samantha Choon said.

Authorities said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue medics transported the girl to a nearby hospital in stable condition.

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A family member of the victim told Local 10’s Jackie Pascale that the girl is now home and doing OK.

They said neither her siblings nor their mother was injured in the shooting.

According to investigators, no arrests have been made, and detectives have not released any suspect information at this time.

Neighbor Marie Grimes said she was shaken after hearing multiple gunshots.

“I heard the booms — boom, boom, boom, boom — and I said, ‘Oh my God, what’s happening?’” she said. “Maybe five or six, ’cause look at that right there. I’m just glad the little girl is OK.”

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Investigators asked neighbors to check their surveillance or Ring camera footage from around 1 a.m. and contact authorities with any information.

Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477. Anonymous tips are accepted.

Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.





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