Hampton’s Cave off to strong start with Phillies
Hampton native Jake Cave, a 30-year-old outfielder who played 335 regular-season games with the Minnesota Twins over the past five years, is making a strong bid for a spot on a loaded Philadelphia Phillies roster.
In his first 15 exhibitions of spring training, he has batted .442 (19 of 43) with an OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) of 1.350. He has three home runs, three triples, three doubles, 10 runs and 12 RBIs.
Thursday’s serious knee injury to starting first baseman Rhys Hoskins might mean more playing time for Cave, though the former Hampton Christian Academy and Kecoughtan High star has just a .614 OPS over the past three regular seasons.
Bobcats on the “beach”: Beach volleyball hasn’t become a widespread sport in college yet, but Bryant & Stratton’s season is nearing its close.
The Bobcats were 5-6, 2-3 in National Junior College Athletic Association Region 10, heading into the weekend.
Local freshmen and sophomores are all over the roster: Brianna Macias (Tabb High), Isis Romine and Gianna Cancela (Kellam), Darien Short (Deep Creek), Kaydence Fitz-Gerald (Great Bridge), Alexandra Hurtado (Denbigh), Victoria Mills (Greenbrier Christian), MaKayla Wills (Warwick), Jacqmea Britt (Booker T. Washington) and basketball standout Joscelyne Meyers (Salem).
In many cases, the sand is brought indoors, and five tandems per school compete.
Trade’s aftermath: Statistically, Dorian Finney-Smith has been slightly less productive since Dallas dealt him to the Brooklyn Nets in the deal that sent Kyrie Irving to the Mavericks — mainly because the 29-year-old Portsmouth native hasn’t shot as well.
In 40 starts before the trade this season, Finney-Smith was averaging 9.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 32.2 minutes. In 19 games as a Net, he has averaged 6.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 28.1 minutes.
With Dallas, the Norcom High alum shot 41.6% overall, including 35.5% from 3-point range. But with Brooklyn, Finney-Smith has hit just 31.6% overall and 26.1% from beyond the arc.
The Nets want to pass Miami or New York to reach the Eastern Conference’s top six, which would move them directly into a playoff series instead of the perilous play-in tournament.
HRA continues tourney tradition:
Junior Eric Wei defeated sophomore RJ Winfield 8-3 in a clash of Hampton Roads Academy players in the 23rd annual Mary V. Bicouvaris Memorial Tennis Tournament. The teammates for the Navigators played on the HRA courts in Newport News, continuing a tradition that began to honor one of the Peninsula’s most revered teachers.