Daigneault picks up coaching honor
Leominster native named NBCA coach of the year
That escalated quickly. Already established as one of the NBA’S best up-and- coming coaches, Mark Daigneault secured his foothold as one the leagues outright best on Monday as he was voted the winner of the National Basketball Coaches Association’s Michael H. Goldberg NBA coach of the year award.
The 39- year- old native of Leominster led his Oklahoma City Thunder to the top seed in the Western Conference with a 5725 record. The team awaits the results of this week’s play-in tournament games to find out who it will face in the postseason’s opening round.
The award was decided by the NBA’S coaches, with each bench boss casting a vote for who they consider the league’s best.
“It is humbling to be chosen for this honor by my peers, for whom I have a great deal of respect and admiration,” Daigneault said in a statement. “Our team’s success this season has been driven by a group of talented players, whose commitment and competitiveness has been uncommon. Coaching them is a privilege.”
With an average age of 24, the Thunder became the youngest team in NBA history to win 55 games in a season. Just two seasons ago, the team finished 2458, but has been on the rise since.
Daigneault was named head coach of Oklahoma City on Nov. 11, 2020 after leading the Oklahoma City Blue for five seasons in the developmental G-league. He’s considered a heavy favorite to take home the NBA’S Red Auerbach Trophy as the Coach of the Year, voted on by sportswriters, when it’s announced this month.
Milestone for Fagundez
Former longtime Leominster resident Diego Fagundez is no
stranger to the spotlight. A 14-year veteran of MLS play, the 29-year- old reached some rarified air over the weekend.
On Saturday, Fagundez fired home a feed from the middle of the box on a feed from LA Galaxy teammate Joseph Paintsil for his first marker of the season. The 82nd-minute goal gave the Galaxy a 3-1 lead over the Vancouver Whitecaps FC and made Fagundez the 10th player in MLS history to reach 70 goals and 70 assists in a career.
In 366 MLS contests, including 272 starts, Fagundez now has 70 goals to go with 73 helpers. The contest on Saturday tied the midfielder with Bobby Boswell for 20th all-time in MLS history in regular season games played.
Gignac making an impression
It hasn’t taken long for former Fitchburg State captain Antoine Gignac to get comfortable with a new club, even if it was a small sample size.
The defenseman from Quebec City fit in quite well with the Elmira River Sharks of the Federal Prospects Hockey League down the stretch. In six games with the team, Gignac has three assists and has posted a plus-3 rating.
Elmira’s season ended Saturday with a 4- 3 loss to the Binghamton Black Bears, with the River Sharks missing the playoffs. The 6-foot, 195-pound Gignac had an assist in the season finale.
In two seasons with the Falcons, Gignac had 12 goals and 21 helpers in 52. games. He was a captain last season.