WALTHAM, Mass. – The No. 24 Bentley women’s basketball team aims to stay perfect in Northeast 10 action when the Falcons host Franklin Pierce Saturday, Jan. 10, at 1:30 p.m. Bentley is hosting a local Youth Day for the game.
 
Making adjustments
In Bentley’s two most recent games, the Falcons (8-2, 4-0 NE10) trailed by two points at halftime against both Saint Anselm (Jan. 7) and Southern Connecticut (Jan. 4). The Falcons came out of the locker room to score 20 points in the third quarter against the Hawks, and 27 points in the third quarter against the Owls. Bentley beat Saint Anselm, 76-67, and it topped Southern Connecticut, 75-62.
 
Armbrister has arrived
After a slow start to her Bentley career (10 points total in her first two games), DI junior transfer Kayana Armbrister is spreading her wings with the Falcons. She recorded her first-career double-double against Saint Anselm (Jan. 7), scoring 24 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Armbrister scored a career-high 29 points on New Year’s Day against Daemen. Through her past three games, Armbrister is averaging 22.0 points and 9.3 rebounds, while shooting 58.7-percent from the floor.
 
Cass kickin’…
Senior captain Cassidy Yeomans is becoming more aggressive in recent games. She started the season scoring in single digits for seven consecutive games. However, she dropped 13 points in the win over Southern Connecticut (Jan. 4), and she scored 11 points in the win at Saint Anselm (Jan. 7). Between those two games, Yeomans shot 50.0-percent from 3-point range (6-for-12).
 
Cherish on top
Freshman Cherish Bryant has been gaining more confidence as the season progresses. She scored a season-high 14 points against Southern Connecticut (Jan. 4), and added nine points at Saint Anselm (Jan. 7). She shot 66.7-percent from the floor (10-for-15) between those two games.
 
Most efficient
Bentley enters the weekend leading the NE10 in field-goal percentage by a wide margin. The Falcons are shooting 47.0-percent from the floor, while the next-best mark is 41.9 percent (Southern Connecticut). Among conference players with 70+ field-goal attempts, Julia Elie ranks second in field-goal percentage (52.1-percent), Niya Morgen is fourth (51.5-percent), and Kayana Armbrister is fifth (48.6-percent).
 
Scouting Franklin Pierce (1-12, 0-4 NE10)
The Ravens rank last in the NE10 for field-goal percentage (32.6-percent) and points per game (48.8). They also allow the most points per game (67.1). Emily Mennillo and Angelisse Melendez are tied as the team’s leading scorers (8.5). Nafi Balde averages a team-leading 5.5 rebounds per game.
 

Rochester, N.Y. — Two people have been arrested following a double shooting Thursday evening on the city’s southwest side.

Officers responded around 5:20 p.m. to the area of Bartlett and Seward streets, where they found two men, ages 20 and 37, who were both shot in the lower body, according to police. Both men were taken to Strong Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Two suspects, a 35-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman, were arrested following a police chase that ended on Pullman Avenue.

An investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or Crime Stoppers at (585) 423-9300.

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A longtime football coach and teacher at Loy Norrix High School has died.

Ted Duckett began teaching and coaching at Loy Norrix in 1969, a career spanning over 50 years.

He served as a gym teacher, track coach, football coach, and basketball coach.

Duckett is deeply respected by the community, with many of his former students commending his mentorship.

He is also the father of Loy Norrix football stars Tico and T.J. Duckett, who both played at Michigan State. T.J. Duckett also played in the NFL.

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The562’s coverage of Long Beach State athletics for the 2025-26 season is sponsored by Marilyn Bohl.

For ten minutes of the opening half Long Beach State proved they can go toe-to-toe with some of the Big West’s best teams. 

However, the Beach couldn’t get into a rhythm as they dropped their road contest 74-64 Thursday night in Irvine at the Bren Events Center in the first round of the Black and Blue Rivalry.

“Credit to Irvine,” Long Beach State coach Chris Acker said. “They did a good job disrupting our best player, and Gavin. We didn’t have enough guys to step up and make plays tonight.”

Gavin Sykes got the Beach off to a nice start with 4 points to give LBSU a 6-2 lead with 17:19 remaining in the first half. UCI responded with a 4-0 run to tie the game.

However, after Petar Majstorovic was fouled hard by UC Irvine’s Harrison Carrington which was later reviewed and upgraded to a flagrant one – the Beach went on a 4-0 run to take a 10-6 lead with 14:51 left in the first half. 

Sykes and Majstorovic did what they could as they went up against the Anteaters who entered the contest with the second-best defense in the Big West allowing 67 points per game. 

Before the contest LBSU found out they’d be without one of their key rotational piece as Shaq Bender did not travel with the team as he deals with the flu. The absence loomed large for LBSU as UCI was able to key on Sykes and Majstorovic. 

After taking a 10-6 lead, the Anteaters went on a 5-0 run to take an 11-10 run with 11:30 left in the first half. Sykes ended the run with a 3-pointer to give the Beach a 13-11 lead.

UCI (11-5, 5-0) answered right back thanks to a basket from Jurian Dixon that tied the game and Tama Isaac gave the Anteaters a 15-13 shortly after and that was enough as they’d lead the rest of the way. 

Sykes scored 21 points and Majstorovic scored 15 to lead the Beach. Cole Farrell chipped in nine as the trio combined to shoot 18-32 from the field while the rest of the team shot 7-28. Majstorovic also had eight rebounds. 

LBSU (5-11,1-3) had plenty of opportunities to score, but the Beach wasn’t able to take advantage of the opportunities. 

Dixon led the Anteaters with 23 points and Kyle Evans had 15 points and six rebounds. UCI extended the lead to 18 midway in the second half before LBSU went on a small run to cut the deficit to 10 points. 

Long Beach will continue Big West play when they host Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday in the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid on Saturday at 4 p.m. 

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — A group of 15 Philadelphia coaches were recognized Thursday night for completing a program designed to help them better support young athletes facing academic challenges, violence and emotional struggles.

Marcus Fulton, athletic director and football coach at Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia Charter School, said the sport has long been a guiding force in his own life. “Football helped me chase the dream,” he said.

Fulton said his decades of coaching in the city have shown him the pressures many young players face.

“I’ve been coaching for 25 years in the city of Philadelphia, so I know some of things going on with our guys in terms of the academic struggles, the violence that happens. I lost a couple players before,” he said.

The coaches were honored for completing the Open Door Abuse Awareness and Prevention program, which teaches trauma-informed strategies to help athletes on and off the field.

“We’re teaching coaches how to put on a lens for trauma in order to be able to help out kids a little deeper,” said Valencia Peterson, founder of the program.

Peterson created the initiative after experiencing trauma of her own when her mother was killed at a young age. The program focuses on mentorship, violence prevention and creating safe spaces for youth.

Peterson said coaches often play a critical role in young people’s lives.

“The coach is usually a first line for kids, and it’s their only father figure, it’s their only stability. The only consistent thing they have is a team. So we’re giving the coaches the tools they need to help regulate, to help see them for who they really are,” she said.

As part of the training, coaches learned to lead with empathy, help players manage emotions, and identify signs of mental health concerns.

MidCity Tigers coach Adolph Sanna said he hopes the lessons help athletes understand “that they have an opportunity to see what another side of life is like where people are concerned about their fears, their doubts and the things that are going on with them.”

Fulton said he wants the young men he coaches to carry these lessons into adulthood “to be successful. To be good husbands, good fathers, good mentors in the city of Philadelphia.”

The Open Door Abuse Awareness and Prevention program also offers mentorship for boys and girls who do not participate in sports, aiming to help youth across Philadelphia “become the best version of themselves,” according to the organization.