The next time former Washington State forward Efe Abogidi takes the court will be as a professional basketball player.
The former Cougar announced his decision Friday to join the G-League Ignite of the NBA’s developmental league.
“Forging my own path,” Abogidi said on Twitter with a brief clip of him donning an Ignite cap.
Abogidi started 56 games in two seasons at WSU. As a sophomore last season, he averaged 8.1 points and 5.8 rebounds in 21 minutes per game.
An explosive player for his size, the 6-foot-10 Abogidi made a splash nationally during WSU’s run to the semifinal round of the NIT when he made a gravity-defying, posterizing dunk in a win against SMU that made SportsCenter’s Top 10 highlights.
The Athletic reported Abogidi is the first player from a Power Five school to leave early to play for the Ignite, a team based in Walnut Creek, Calif.
“We went and sought out him because we feel he has the ability to be an NBA first-round pick,” Ignite coach Jason Hart told the website.
TRACK AND FIELDAllen qualifies in 400 hurdles at U.S. outdoors
EUGENE, Ore. — Former Washington State standout CJ Allen finished in second place in his heat of the 400 hurdles and advanced to the semifinal round at the U.S. Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon.
Allen, a 2018 graduate, came across the finish line in 50.03 seconds, just .03 seconds behind first-place finisher Khallifah Rosser. He had the sixth-fastest time in the four heats.
Allen will advance to the semifinal round of the event at 1:22 p.m. today. The final is at 1:40 p.m. Sunday.
Caroline Austin, a 2013 graduate, was 11th in her heat of the 3,000 steeplechase, finishing in a time of 10:15.13. It was good enough for 22nd place overall.
Paul Ryan will compete in the men’s 1,500 final at approximately 1:50 p.m. today for a spot in the World Athletics Championships, which will take place July 15-24 at Hayward Field.
Brock Eager will take part in the men’s hammer throw at 12:15 p.m. Saturday, and Nick Johnson and Sam Brixey are in the first round of the men’s 110 hurdles at 12:35 p.m. today.
Kiana Davis will compete in the women’s triple jump at 12:30 p.m. today.
Idaho’s Ayers earns academic honor
AUSTIN, Texas — Former Idaho track and field standout Alex Ayers recently was named second-team academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Ayers, who finished with a perfect 4.0 grade-point averaged with a degree in environmental science, placed third in the Big Sky Conference outdoor championships in the 400 hurdles and anchored the 1,600 relay to a second-place finish at that meet. He also qualified for the NCAA West Region meet in the hurdles event.
Idaho releases schedule for upcoming season
MOSCOW — The Idaho women’s soccer coaching staff has announced an ambitious 17-game regular season that includes eight home matches and one exhibition match at the Kibbie Dome.
“I am very excited about our schedule this fall,” coach Jeremy Clevenger said in a news release. “We will play a lot of different types of teams that will ultimately prepare us to compete in the conference play.”
The Vandals open with an Aug. 8 home exhibition against Calgary, then play three consecutive road matches to open regular-season action before the Aug. 28 home opener against Nevada. There also will be a three-game homestand Sept. 9-16 against a trio of nonconference opponents before Idaho begins Big Sky play Sept. 22 at Weber State. The Vandals also will have another three-game homestand Oct. 14-23 to conclude the regular season, with the final match coming against Eastern Washington.
Game times will be released at a later date.
Aug. 8 — Calgary+; 11 — at Washington; 18 — at UC San Diego; 21 — at San Diego State; 28 — Nevada; Sept. 1 — at St. Thomas (Minn.); 4 — at Chicago State; 9 — Louisiana-Lafayette; 11 — UC Santa Barbara; 16 — North Dakota State; 22 — at Weber State*; 25 — Idaho State*; 30 — at Montana*; Oct. 2 — at Northern Colorado*; 9 — at Northern Arizona*; 14 — Portland State*; 16 — Sacramento State*; 23 — Eastern Washington*
Idaho to bring in three new players
MOSCOW — The Idaho women’s tennis program announced the additions of Annabel Davis, Valentina Rodas and Selin Sepken to the roster for the upcoming season.
Rodas, from Madrid Country School in Medellin, Colombia, had an 18-9 record in singles and a 10-9 mark in doubles in competing on the junior circuit. She was ranked as high as No. 659 in the International Tennis Federation’s junior rankings.
Sepken, of Istanbul, Turkey, will have three years of eligibility remaining after playing this past season at Long Island. She played just one doubles match this past season.
Davis, of Wheathampstead, England, also will have three seasons of eligibility left after playing for Northern Arizona in 2021-22. She earned first-team All-Big Sky honors in doubles after going 5-3 at the No. 1 spot overall and 4-1 in the conference.
Columbia Basin 3, Pullman Patriots 0
PULLMAN — The Patriots could not get the bats going in a loss to the River Dogs of Ephrata, Wash., in the Palouse Summer Series at Quann Field.
Calvin Heusser threw a complete game for Pullman (7-9), allowing three runs, one earned.
Mitch Lavielle went 2-for-2 with a walk, and Joey Hecker and JD Peterson collected the only other hits for the Patriots.
Pullman drops to 0-3 in the tournament and will look to end on a high note at 4 p.m. today at McDonald Park in Colfax against Atkinson Baseball.
Palouse 000 000 0—0 4 2
Columbia Basin 010 020 x—3 7 0
Calvin Heusser and N/A; Garet Hagy and N/A.
Palouse hits — Mitch Lavielle 2, JD Peterson, Joey Hecker.
Columbia Basin hits — Seth Olson 2 (2B), Payton Juarez 2 (2B), Tyson Laugen, Ethan Gustafson, Rod Garza.
Libby 18U 6, Latah Generals 16U 4
LIBBY, Mont. — Despite a late rally, the Generals team dropped to 1-1 in the Big Bucks tournament with a loss to the Libby Loggers 18U team.
Caden Williams struck out 10 in five innings for the Loggers. The Generals jumped on the bullpen in the sixth inning and scored three of their runs.
Latah’s Levi Anderson finished the day 2-for-4.
The Generals will continue tournament play at 12:30 p.m. Pacific today against the Bonners Ferry Badgers.
Wyatt Hartig, Conor Isakson (4) and Tyson Izzo; Caden Williams, David Bailey (6), Aiden Rose (6) and Cy Williams. W—Ca. Williams. L—Hartig.
Latah hits — Levi Anderson 2, Junior Greene, Wyatt Holmes, Landon Holmes.
Libby hits — Dylan Buckner, Caden Williams, Aydan Williamson, Landon Haddock, Rusty Gillespie, Caleb Moeller.
Latah Generals 14U 1, River City 0
MISSOULA, Mont. — Three Generals pitchers combined for a no-hitter in an opening-game win against the Rams in the Big Bucks tournament.
Oliver Spencer struck out three in two innings, Quinton Naranjo struck out four in three innings and Butch Kiblen finished off the game sby triking out all three batters he faced on just 11 pitches.
Latah (14-3) will play the French Town Sluggers at noon Pacific and the Coeur d’Alene Lumbermen at 4 p.m. Pacific today at the same location.
River City 000 000—0 0 0
Oliver Spencer, Quinton Naranjo (3), Butch Kiblen and Clark. Richardson and Miculka. W—Spencer.
Latah hits — Spencer, Hurley.
