Clan-Members » while recovering from offseason knee surgery.H

NEW YORK -- Until last week, Semi Ojeleye had not appeared in a game for nearly two years and even when he played at Duke, the minutes were limited.Since then, Ojeleye has been putting in the work away from the court and so far it is paying off much to the delight of SMU coach Tim Jankovich.Ojeleye continued his torrid start by scoring 20 of his 24 points in the second half and SMU defeated Pittsburgh 76-67 in the first semifinal of the 2K Classic at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.Of course, its enjoyable when a guy sits out, (is) a transfer and you hope he has success, Jankovich said. But Ill triple that because Semis one of the most outstanding young men that you could ever be around your entire life and on top of that he is arguably the hardest worker away from practice time in terms of the time he puts in.Hes a machine, literally, and were like blown away. Weve been around a lot of hard-working guys. I have not been around a guy you set your clock by this guy. Its each and every day and he cant get enough.Ojeleye scored 46 points in 23 games in two seasons with Duke before transferring to the Mustangs following the 2014-15 season. The junior forward surpassed his point total from Duke in the first half when he shot 2 of 7 and then surged past it with several outstanding athletic plays during the second half.Just staying confident, Ojeleye said. Nothing changed in the locker room. I didnt think about what the stats were. I kept trying to do the same stuff I was doing in the first half.Ojeleye missed his first two shots of the second half before starting to roll. He made a 3-pointer about 3 1/2 minutes into the half to give the Mustangs the lead for good and capped his 9-for-17 showing by converting a transition layup in the final minute.Ojeleyes 7-for-10 showing in the final 20 minutes was part of a second half when the Mustangs shot 57 percent after missing nine straight shots to end the first half.Besides Ojeleyes impressive showing, Shake Milton added 14 points while Ben Moore contributed 12.Michael Young scored nearly half of his 22 points at the foul line for Pittsburgh. Jamel Artis added 20 for the Panthers, who had averaged 96 points in home wins over Eastern Michigan and Gardner-Webb.Hes athletic, Young said of Ojeleye. He can really get up vertically and he can make some shots. We knew that going in. He got it going in the second half and guys like that we got to take away air space and make them uncomfortable.BIG PICTURESMU: The Mustangs came into the game playing effective defense by allowing 54 points per game and for the most part they continued it. Their defense forced several traveling violations, including one with about 13 1/2 minutes left which resulted in an unsportsmanlike technical and ejection for Sterling Brown. Brown was handed the technical for emphatically applauding in the face of Artis after his defense resulted in a traveling violation.Pittsburgh: The Panthers have struggled defensively and other than the final five-plus minutes of the first half, their defensive issues continued. The Panthers have allowed an average of 82 points so far and even when Stallings started instructing his players to press, it was unsuccessful. Turnovers also continued to be an issue as Pittsburgh committed 13, resulting in 11 fewer field-goal attempts.FAMILIAR COACHING MATCHUPJankovich and Stallings worked together at Vanderbilt. Jankovich was an assistant under Stallings from 1999 to 2002 and the Commodores made two NIT appearances. Jankovich also coached at Illinois State from 2007-2012 over a decade after Stallings coached there.ANOTHER JETER IN NEW YORKFor the second college game at Madison Square Garden, there was a Jeter on the court. Unlike Dukes Chase Jeter, who wears the number two -- the same as the former Yankees captain -- Pittsburghs Sheldon Jeter wears number 21, the same as Pirates Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente. Jeter had averaged 13 points in his first two games but was held to five points on 2-of-8 shooting.UP NEXTSMU: Will play in the 2K Classic championship game Friday.Pittsburgh: Will play in the 2K Classic consolation game Friday. Paul Hornung Womens Jersey . Each of Houstons starters scored in double figures as the Rockets improved to 2-0 against the Spurs this season, with both victories coming on the road. They also moved within 3 1/2 games of San Antonio (22-7) for the lead the Southwest Division. Bart Starr Youth Jersey . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. http://www.packersrookiestore.com/Packers-Dexter-Williams-Jersey/ . Belfort (24-10) needed just 77 seconds to down Henderson in the headlining bout of Saturdays "UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson" event at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Brazil. The fight served as a rematch of the pairs 2006 meeting, which Henderson won by decision. Brett Favre Jersey . -- On the field, it was business as usual for Jameis Winston and No. Elgton Jenkins Womens Jersey . That gave fans outside Joe Louis Arena another chance to ask for autographs from the 19-year-old whose stardom in the NHL has arrived earlier than most expected. PHILADELPHIA -- Joel Embiid took some inspiration from a 76ers great.Embiid scored 17 of his career-high 33 points in the third quarter and hit a pair of crucial free throws with 12.5 seconds left to lead the Philadelphia 76ers over the Brooklyn Nets 108-107 on Sunday night in a matchup of two of the leagues worst teams.Embiid added 10 rebounds and also dived over the first row in an effort to save a loose ball, a hustle play that thrilled Philadelphias gritty fans. A leading Rookie of the Year candidate, Embiid said plays like that are modeled after Hall of Famer Allen Iverson, who the 76ers honored during Friday nights game against the Lakers.A.I. kind of helped me with that, Embiid said. It was like, `Play like its your last game. Thats what I think Ive been doing. Im sorry for that person. I think I stepped on his shoulder. Im sorry, but Im going to give my all every time Im on the court.Embiid was 12 for 17 from the field, including 2 for 3 from beyond the arc, and 7 for 8 from the free-throw line.He wanted to dominate the game, Philadelphia coach Brett Brown said.Ersan Ilyasova had 22 points for the 76ers, who snapped an eight-game home losing streak while winning for the third time in 13 games.Brook Lopez had 22 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Nets, who lost their ninth in a row on the road.We just couldnt get over the hump, Lopez said. I dont know if theres that much analysis to it.The Sixers (7-20) and Nets (7-19) are tied with Dallas and Minnesota for the fewest wins in the league.Philadelphia scored the first 11 points of the fourth quarter to take its largest lead, 94-86, with 9:09 remaining on Ilyasovas long jumper. Embiid, restricted to 28 minutes by the team, went to the bench at the tail end of the run. He re-entered with 4 1/2 minutes left and Philadelphia clinging to a 97-96 lead.Lopezs drive gave the Nets a 98-97 lead before Embiids 3-pointer from atop the key ended a nearly five-minute field goal drought and put Philadelphia in front 100-98 with 2:43 left.Lin later stripped Embiid with the Nets down by one, but Brooklyn failed on two attempts to go ahead -- Trevor Booker missed a 3-pointer and Sean Kilpatrick misfired on a short jumper.Embiid got thhe rebound, was fouled and made both free throws with 12.dddddddddddd5 seconds left to give the 76ers a 104-101 lead. Lins tying 3-point attempt went off the rim.Lin, playing in his eighth game of an injury-riddled season, had 16 points.Joe Harris tied his career high with 19 points for the Nets.I like our competitive spirit, Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. Thats been us all year. Were a team that fights and competes. Down the road, I think its going to pay off, that attitude and grit.EMBIID, OKAFOR STARTEmbiid and Jahlil Okafor started alongside each other for the third straight game. After saying Saturday that incorporating three big men -- Embiid, Okafor and Nerlens Noel -- into the lineup together would be an extreme challenge, Brown said before Sundays game that Noel only would play if Embiid or Okafor got in foul trouble.Okafor went 0 for 10 from the field with three points but had 11 rebounds.NOEL BENCHEDNoel complained about the crowded situation following Fridays 100-89 loss to the Lakers in which he scored two points in eight minutes.I think Im too good to be playing eight minutes, he said. Thats crazy. They need to figure this (stuff) out.Browns solution was to bench a healthy Noel, who missed the first 23 games while recovering from offseason knee surgery.He hasnt been part of us, Brown said. I dont believe at this moment (playing Noel) is best for our team.In his 2 1/2-year career, Noel has averaged 10.4 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 29.8 minutes per game. He didnt appear at all against the Nets.TIP-INSNets: Lopez played in his 511th game with the Nets, moving into fourth on the franchises career list. ... Brooklyn is 1-12 on the road this season.76ers: Nik Stauskas (left knee soreness) didnt play. ... Philadelphia shot 12 for 28 (42.9 percent) from 3-point range.UP NEXTNets: Look to end a four-game losing streak to the Raptors when they cap a three-game trip on Tuesday night in Toronto.76ers: End a four-game homestand on Tuesday night, looking for their second win this season over New Orleans after beating the Pelicans 99-88 on Dec. 8. ' ' '