Denver’s Jokic learning how to stand up, not get tossed out

First Round Tuesday

(1-1) Conestoga 1, (1-7) Kennett 0 (3-2) Cumberland Valley 9, (12-1) Northeast 0

(1-4) Methacton

3, (2-1) Hazleton 0 (11-1) Emmaus 4, 1 (3-1) Lower Dauphin 4, (1-6) Great Valley 0

(1-3) Downingtown West 2, (11-2) Parkland 1

(3-4) Wilson 2, (1-2) Garnet Valley 1 (3-3) Central York 2, (7-1) Pine Richland 0

Quarterfinals Saturday

(1-1) Conestoga 2, (3-2) Cumberland Valley, 1

(11-1) Emmaus 2,

(3-1) Lower Dauphin 3, (1-3) Downingtown West 2 OT

(3-3) Central York 1, (3-4) Wilson 0

Semifinals Tuesday

(1-1) Conestoga vs. (11-1) Emmaus, 6 pm at CB West

(3-1) Lower Dauphin vs. (3-3) Central York, 6 pm at Central Dauphin

Tuesday First Round

(3-1) Twin Valley 5, (1-4) Upper Perk 3 3, (3-6)

(12-1) Archbishop

Hershey 2 (Shootout)

(11-1) Southern Lehigh 1, (3-4) Northern 0

(1-2) Villa Maria 4, (2-1) Crestwood 0

10, (3-7) Susquehannock 1 (3-3) Palmrya 4, (4-2) Selinsgrove 0 (3-2) Mechanisburg 2, (1-3) Merion Mercy 1

(3-5) Fleetwood 0

(1-1) GMA Saturday Quarterfinals

(3-1) Twin Valley 5,

Carroll 0

(11-1) Southern Lehigh 3, (1-2) Villa Maria 2

(1-1) Gwynedd Mercy

1

(3-2) Mechanicsburg 1

Semifinals Tuesday

(3-1) Twin Valley vs. (11-1) Lehigh, 5:30 pm at Exeter

vs. (3-2) Mechanisburg, 7:30 pm at Exeter

(1-1) Gwynedd Mercy First Round Tuesday

(2-1) Wyoming Seminary Susquehannock Twp. 1

(3-3) Boiling Spring 3, (1-1) New Hope 0

(3-2) Greenwood

Road 0

(4-2) Line Mountain 1

(1-2) Dock

2,

(12-1) Archbishop Wood

0

(2-2) Wyoming Area 3, (4-1) Bloomsburg 1

(3-1) Oley Valley 9, (11-2) Palisades 2 (7-4) Lancaster Mennonite 1, (7-1) Shady Side Academy 0

Saturday Quarterfinals (1-5) Souderton (1-4) Methacton 1 Carroll

4, (7-1) Penn Trafford

(12-1) Archbishop

10,

2,

(3-3) Palmyra 2, (3-5) Fleetwood

Southern (5-1) 7, (3-5)

Forbes 2, (11-1) Palmerton (2-1) Wyoming Seminary 5, (3-3) Boiling Spring 1

Tuesday Semifinals

(2-1) Wyoming Seminary vs. (4-2) Line Mountain, 4 pm at Whitehall (2-2) Wyoming Area vs. (3-1) Oley Valley, 6 pm at Whitehall

BOYS SOCCER

First Round Tuesday

(1-1) Conestoga 3, (3-3) Warwick 0 (3-2) Dallastown 3, (2-1) Hazleton 1

2, (11-1) Emmaus 1

(1-3) Abington

(2OT)

(12-1) La Salle

1, (1-4) CR South 0 (3-1) Central Dauphin 4,

1

(7-2) Peters Twp. 3, (6-1) State College 1

(1-2) Lower Merion 0

(7-1) Seneca Valley 0

Penn Saturday Quarterfinals

(1-1) Conestoga 1, (3-2) Dallastown 0

5,

(7-2) Peters Township 2, (3-1) Central Dauphin 0

(7-1) Seneca

Merion 0

(12-1) La Salle Semifinals Tuesday

(1-1) Conestoga vs. pm at Spring-Ford

(7-1) Seneca Valley vs. (1-2) Lower Merion, 6 pm at North Allegheny

First Round Tuesday

(1-1) Bishop Shanahan 0

(11-1) Northwestern Lehigh Palmrya 0 (OT)

(12-1) (1-3) Abington 1 Archbishop

Fleetwood 0

(2-1) North Pocono 4, (4-1) Danville 1 (12-2) Archbishop Ryan 1, (3-1) Hershey 0

(7-2) West Allegheny 10, (9-1) Bradford 0

(7-1) Hampton 6, (6-1) Hollidaysburg 0

(7-3) Franklin Regional 2, (10-1) Cathedral Prep 1 (OT)

Saturday Quarterfinals

Valley 2, 3, (3-4) Hempfield 3,

(1-5) North

(11-2) Parkland (1-2) Lower

(12-1) La Salle,

2, (3-4) Donegal

Wood

1, (3-2) 2,

7 (3-3) (1-1) Bishop Shanahan 2, (11-1) Northwestern Lehigh 0

(12-1)

(1-1)

Archbishop

North Pocono 3 (7-2) West Allegheny Ryan 0 (7-1) Hampton 0

Semifinals Tuesday (12-1) Archbishop Wood, 7 pm at Methacton

Bishop (7-2) West Allegheny vs. (7-1) Hampton, 8 pm at North Allegheny

First Round Tuesday

4,

(2-1) 2, (7-3) Franklin

Shanahan (3-1) Camp Hill 7, (2-1) Cross 2 1, (12-1) Masterman

(1-1) Faith Christian

0

(3-2) Tulpehocken

Wood

1, 3, (1-2) Archbishop vs.

Regional

(4-1) East Ju

DENVER » Reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic is steadily learning what all great big men have had to figure out when it comes to physical play: how to show enough is enough without hurting the team.

The Denver Nuggets’ center — nicknamed “Joker” — has been known to turn to officials over perceived nocalls down low, with a frustrated look as he stretches out his arms.

It’s the life of an NBA big man. Just ask a Shaquille O’Neal, Dwight Howard or even a Zion Williamson.

“I’ve coached a lot of good big guys and I always think it’s been sort of open season on big guys,” said Stan Van Gundy, an analyst for TNT who coached the New Orleans Pelicans last season and encouraged Williamson to speak up on fouls. “I mean, we just allow people to beat the heck out of them. So big guys have to make the decision of, ‘How much is enough?’”

The 7-foot Jokic reached his breaking point again last Monday, when he shoved Miami forward Markieff Morris

niata 0

(11-1) Moravian Academy 2, (3-3) West Shore Christian 0

(7-1) Winchester Thurston 7, (5-2) Everett 0

(10-1) Mercer 4, (6-1) St. Joseph’s Catholic 0

(7-2) Greensburg Central Catholic 4, (5-1) McConnellsburg 2 (7-3) Eden Christian 3, (9-1) Brockway 2

Quarterfinals Saturday (1-1) Faith Christian

Hill 1

(11-1) Moravian Academy 1, (3-2) Tulpehocken 0

(7-1) Winchester Thurston 6, (101) Mercer 0

(7-3) Eden Christian Greensburg CC 0

Semifinals Tuesday (1-1) Faith

vs. (11-1) Moravian Academy, 6 pm at Palisades

(7-1) Winchester Thurston vs. (7-3) Eden Christian, 8 pm at Shaler MS

Christian

GIRLS SOCCER

First Round Tuesday

(1-1) Downingtown East Carlisle 0

(11-2) Nazareth 1, (2-1) Delaware Valley 0

(1-3) Conestoga 2, (12-1) Central 0

1, (11-1) Parkland

(1-4) Pennridge

0

(3-1) Central Dauphin 1, (1-5) CB East 0

(10-1) McDowell

Valley 1 (OT)

(1-2) Owen J. Roberts 2, (3-2) Wilson 2,

4, (3-1) Camp 1, 3, (7-2) (3-3) (7-2) Seneca

0

(7-1) Moon 1, (3-4) Ephrata 0

Quarterfinals Saturday

(1-1) Downingtown East 2, (11-2) Nazareth 0

(1-3) Conestoga 1,

0 (Conestoga advances on PKs 4-3)

(3-1) Central Dauphin 1, (10-1) McDowell, 0

(7-1) Moon 1, (1-2) Owen 0

Semifinals Tuesday

(1-1) Downingtown East vs. (1-3) Conestoga, 5 pm at Spring-Ford (3-1) Central Dauphin vs. (7-1) Moon, 6pm at Hollidaysburg

First Round Tuesday

(3-1) Wyomissing 1

(11-1) Allentown CC 6, (2-1) Holy Redeemer 0 (4-2)

(12-1) Archbishop Wood Springfield (M)

0

(4-1) Central Columbia Bishop McDevitt 0

(3-3) Trinity 3, (5-1) Bedford 2 (OT) (7-1) Avonworth 4, (10-2) Ft LeBouef 0

(7-2) North Catholic 2, (9-1) Karns City 1

(10-1) Villa Maria 4, (7-3) 3

Quarterfinals Saturday

in the back shortly after being elbowed in the ribs.

Jokic explained his emotions got the best of him.

“I felt bad, really bad,” Jokic said afterward. “I felt I just needed to protect myself but on the other hand I’m not supposed to react that way, get thrown out of the game.”

The fracas later led to a back-and-forth exchange on Twitter between the Jokic brothers, Strahinja and Nemanja, and Morris’ twin, Marcus.

Last year in the playoffs the Jokic brothers defended him after the Denver big man felt an opponent had crossed the line. His siblings had to be held back in the stands when things got heated between Jokic and Phoenix guard Devin Booker during the playoffs last season. Jokic was ejected from that game.

It’s a fine line to walk, especially for skilled big men.

“For great team players and great winners like Jokic, that is the calculus. He would probably love to stick up for himself every single night, but he puts the team ahead of himself,” Van Gundy said. “Because of that he has to put up with a lot of crap. But at times, it’s going

(1-4) Pennridge

(11-1) Allentown CC 2, (3-1) Wyomissing 1

(4-1) Central Columbia

Archbishop Wood 1

3,

J. Roberts

2, 2, 2,

Montoursville

(1-1)

(3-2)

Southmoreland

(12-1)

(7-1) Avonworth 2, (3-3) Trinity 0 (7-2) North Catholic 3, (10-1) Villa Maria 0

Semifinals Tuesday

(11-1) Allentown CC vs. (4-1) Central Columbia, 6 pm at North Schuylkill

(7-1) Avonworth vs. (7-2) North Catholic, 6 pm at North Hills

First Round Tuesday

(4-2) South Williamsport Brandywine Heights 0

(11-1) Moravian Academy 6, (2-1) Lakeland 1

(1-1) Faith Christian

0

(4-1) Southern Columbia Harrisburg Christian 1

(7-1) Steel Valley 6, (5-2) Northern Bedford 1

(6-1) West Branch 2, (9-1) Brockway 1 (2OT)

(7-2) Greensburg CC 3, (10-1) Mercer 2

(7-3) Freedom Area 4, (5-1) Windber 2

Quarterfinals Saturday

(4-2) South Williamsport 2, (11-1) Moravian Academy 1

(4-1) Southern Columbia

Faith Chrisitan 0

1, (12-1) Conwell-Egan (7-1) Steel

Branch 0

(7-2) Greensburg CC 1, (7-3) Freedom Area 0 (6-1) West

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

First Round Tuesday

Valley (3-1) Spring Grove 3,

0

3, (12-2) Carver Engineering and Science 0

Wood (1-1) PJP II

5, to boil over and it’s hard to fault those guys for drawing the line.”

Nuggets coach Michael Malone has long lobbied for Jokic to get more calls than he does as one of the game’s best players who regularly takes shots from opponents.

This recent episode was a side of Jokic that hasn’t always been on display. The center known for his nolook passes, 3-pointers from the top of the key and tipit-to-himself rebounds lost his cool when Morris fouled him. The 6-9 Morris stuck an elbow in his ribs at halfcourt and turned and walked away as if nothing had happened.

Morris had his back turned when Jokic retaliated, knocking him to the ground with a push that left Morris with a sore neck. It earned the 26-year-old Jokic an ejection, a one-game suspension and a clear message — he’s only going to take so much.

“Look, man, sometimes when you’re challenged, sometimes you have to let people know that that’s not going to be tolerated,” said Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, who’s an analyst for the Atlanta Hawks telecasts. 3, (3-1) 5, (3-2) 2,

(1-1) (12-3) Archbishop

(3-2) York Suburban 3, (12-1) Cardinal O’Hara 0

(11-1) Bethlehem Catholic 3, (2-1) Berwick 0

(3-3) Twin Valley 3, (6-1) Hollidaysburg 1

(7-1) Freeport 3, (7-4) Plum 0 (7-2) Hampton 3, (9-1) DuBois Area 0

(7-3) Armstrong 1

Quarterfinals Saturday

(3-1) Spring Grove

John Paul II 2

(11-1) Bethlehem Catholic 3, (3-2) York Suburban 1

(7-1) Freeport 3, 1

(7-2) Hampton 3, (7-3) Armstrong 1

Semifinals Tuesday (1-1) Pope

(3-3) Twin Valley (3-1) Spring Grove vs. (11-1) Bethlehem Catholic, 5 pm at Exeter (7-1) Freeport vs. (7-2) Hampton, 5:30 pm at Fox Chapel

DISTRICT 1 FOOTBALL

First Round Last Friday

(1) Garnet Valley 42, (16) Haverford 0

(8) CB West 19, (9) Pennridge 7 (12) Souderton

(5) Quakertown 33,

7 (2) North Penn 49, (15) CB South 21

(7) Ridley 42, (10) Conestoga 23 (3) Coatesville 48, (14) Owen Roberts 10

(6) Perkiomen Valley 42, (11) CB East 21

Quarterfinals

3, (10-1)

3.

“You’ve got to have that dog mentality and that’s what we had back in the day.”

Back in the day, players could do that. In today’s NBA, it comes with a steep price.

With Jokic off to another MVP-type season, posting big numbers with Jamal Murray (knee) sidelined, Denver can’t avoid for him to be ejected and suspended (the Nuggets did beat Indiana in the game he sat out). A second-round pick in the 2014, Jokic is averaging 25.3 points, 13.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists through Sunday night.

The Serbian standout has two triple-doubles this season and 59 for his career, tying him with Larry Bird for eighth all-time. Jokic is currently fifth in the MVP odds, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, behind Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“I love him,” said Portland coach Chauncey Billups, who grew up in Denver and played for the Nuggets over two different stints. “He plays the right way. He plays for everybody else on the floor. I think his spirit is infectious.

Conneaut

J.

Last Friday

(1) Garnet Valley 41,

13

(5) Quakertown 42, (4) Downingtown East 21

(7) Ridley 55,

(3) Coatesville 30

Semifinals Friday night, all games 7 pm

(5) Quakertown at (1) Garnet Valley

(7) Ridley at (3) Coatesville

First Round Last Friday (2) North Penn 54 OT

(1) WC Rustin 34, (16) Interboro 17 35, (13) Henderson

(4) Upper Dublin

7 (6) Perk Valley

(5) PW 49, (12) Cheltenham 0 (15) Upper

(2) Strath Haven 35,

Merion 0

(7) Marple Newtown 21, (10) Phoenixville 14

(3) Unionville 23, (14) Springfield (D) 13

Last Saturday

(8) Chester 31, (9) Kennett 28 (6) Academy Park 40, (11) Oxford 15

Quarterfinals Last Friday

35, (1) West Chester Rustin Chester 21

(5) Plymouth Whitemarsh Upper Dublin 36

(2) Strath Haven Newtown 16

(6) Academy Park 28, (3) Unionville 13 42, (7) Marple

Semifinals Friday, all games 7 pm (5) Plymouth Whitemarsh

Rustin

(6) Academy Park Haven

(8) CB West

at

41, 42,

at

(8)

(4)

(1) (2) Strath