Orlando

Orlando Magic Rout Memphis Grizzlies 118-86

Published

6 years ago

November 8, 2019

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – The Orlando Magic (3-6) secured a 118-86 win over the Memphis Grizzlies (2-6) which Head Coach Steve Clifford credited to good ball movement last game, saying that would be important for tonight’s contest with a good rebounding and running team with the Grizzlies.

Magic took an early 27-15 advantage ending the first quarter, but the Grizzlies quickly answered with an 11-0 run and the lead dissipated to 27-26, in favor of the Magic. This forced head coach Clifford to use a timeout to get his guys settled. There were a few lead changes midway into the second quarter, but the Magic were able to sustain a three-point lead going into halftime 51-48.

The momentum changed in the third quarter as the stars of the second half arrived: ball movement and team defense, lead by solid defense efforts from Jonathan Isaac. Nikola Vucevic lead all scorers with 23 points and 16 rebounds and stated the team got better on defense and they all moved the ball well, though the 3-point shooting wasn’t there tonight, they played well together and that allowed them to get easy buckets.

Aaron Gordon was happy with the team win tonight and said that it was a good start for the team who began a five-game homestand. Gordon stated they owed it to the city of Orlando to come out and fight and that happened tonight. The team finished with 24 assists on 9 turnovers, a good indicator they are finding cohesiveness as a unit in tonight’s win.

Though the Magic have been inconsistent on offense during this young season, their defense remained solid accompanied by Magic Hometown Hero, Jonathan Isaac. Isaac finished the game with 22 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocked shots, improving his season average to 3.11 average blocked shots per game, ahead of the likes of Anthony Davis (LA) and Kristaps Porzingis (Dallas).

Coach Clifford and teammates credited Isaac for his length, size and shot blocking ability to make the offense adjust. That proved true as throughout the game, Isaac was active with rebounding in the paint, getting deflections, using his length to deter drives from the basket.

Nikola Vucevic believes Isaac can be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate with his size and athleticism, as long as he continues the work. Isaac credited game experience in the NBA as a factor in his growth, along with his improved strength and natural instincts for the ball. But at the end of the day, Isaac stated he is trying to be an energy source for the team and wanted to continue the momentum throughout the season with easy shots and keep moving in the right direction that will get them to postseason play. He is happier with the all-around team win.

Tonight’s defensive efforts and ball movement were the ultimate heroes for the Magic and a great building block and stepping stone in the right direction. They will need to continue that magic Sunday November 10 at 6pm when they host the Indiana Pacers (5-4).

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Jelisa Caldwell is a sports contributor for Florida National News. | info@floridanationalnews.com

Golf

Russell Henley Wins Red Cardigan at 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

1 year ago

March 9, 2025

Mike Brodsky

Russell Henley wins the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Russell Henley wins his first red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. This is Henley’s fifth win on the PGA Tour.

Russell Henley is greeted by his family on the 18th green after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

Henley finished at 11 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 70 today. Collin Morikawa finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Scottie Scheffler, finished today at 4 under par, tied for 11th place.

Scottie Scheffler tees off at the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo Credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

NFL

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Published

1 year ago

October 30, 2024

Mike Brodsky

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Former UCF football players Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant have partnered with GMTM to launch their Search for Greatness Combine at UCF on Saturday, November 9th. They’re giving local athletes a chance to showcase their talents and explore new sports opportunities. Griffin will be inducted into the UCF Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 2nd, during halftime of the Arizona vs. UCF football game. He is remembered for his tenacity, setting an NFL Combine record with the fastest 40-yard dash by a linebacker, and playing four seasons in the NFL, overcoming the challenge of only having one hand. He is now training to make the USA Paralympic Track and Field Team and hopes to compete in the 2028 Olympics. Joey Grant, the co-founder and CEO of GMTM, is a former UCF team captain, playing mostly Center for the Knights from 2011-2015.

Participation at the upcoming combine is free and invite-only, targeting athletes over the age of 18. To be considered, athletes must submit a highlight video via GMTM’s platform, showcasing their athleticism. GMTM will evaluate submissions and invite the most promising athletes to participate in the combine. The goal for this year’s event is to get 1,000 athletes to submit videos and be part of the combine process. Athletes chosen will receive personalized invites with further instructions, including event time slots and details. The athletes will be evaluated for their key athletic traits, to identify opportunities for them across multiple Olympic sports or professional sports programs. To learn more, or to apply for the combine, visit: https://gmtm.com/articles/the-search-for-greatness-at-ucf-with-shaquem-griffin-what-you-need-to-know.

Florida National News spoke with Shaquem and Joey about the combine, college football in the era of NIL and the transfer portal, and Griffin’s hall of fame induction. You can watch the full interview here:

Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant interview

Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com and www.FloridaSportsChannel.com for more.

Florida

Scottie Scheffler Wins Second Red Cardigan at 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

2 years ago

March 10, 2024

Mike Brodsky

Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Scottie Scheffler wins his second red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. Scheffler first won the API in 2022.

Scottie Scheffler wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational. (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

The number one ranked golfer in the world, Scheffler finished at 15 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 66 today. Wyndham Clark finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Kurt Kitayama, did not make the cut, this weekend, finishing 7 over par after the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday.

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for the 50th anniversary of The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.