Last Week around the Leagues
by Fran Stuchbury
December 28, 2021 - BIG3 (BIG3)
This past week the Delaware Blue Coats won the NBA G League Showcase Cup Championship, Chis Jones returned to the CFL Edmonton Elks as head coach and general manager, and BIG3 MVP Joe Johnson signed a 10-day contract with the Boston Celtics. Highlights from this week are from the NBA G League, BIG3, Canadian Football League, XFL, American Hockey League, ECHL, North American Hockey League, Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Major League Soccer, Canadian Premier League, Major Arena Soccer League, Major League Rugby and American Ultimate Disc League.
BASKETBALL
NBA G League
The Delaware Blue Coats defeated the Oklahoma City Blue, 104-98, to capture the NBA G League's 2021 Showcase Cup Championship. The Blue Coats came into the 2021 AT&T NBA G League Winter Showcase with the G League's top record at 11-1 and as the top seed, cruised to the Showcase Cup Championship game after double-digit wins over the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and South Bay Lakers. Oklahoma City cut a 13-point fourth quarter deficit to three with under two minutes remaining, but Delaware was able to stave off the run with clutch free-throw shooting to hang on for the right to hoist the Showcase Cup trophy.
Mini-Movie: AT&T Winter Showcase Championship Game
Top 10 Plays of AT&T Winter Showcase
Top 10 Dunks of AT&T Winter Showcase
The NBA G League announced that its regular season, originally scheduled to tip off on Dec. 27, will begin on Jan. 5, 2022. The delay will give teams an opportunity to safely return players to market after the Christmas holiday and to replenish their rosters following NBA Call-Ups.
BIG3
Two time Triplets BIG3 MVP Joe Johnson makes his NBA return with the Boston Celtics. Iso Joe is BACK. His jumper is still cold.
Joe Johnson 2021 BIG3 Best Highlights - Welcome to the Boston Celtics
Canadian Elite Basketball League
The Los Angeles Clippers have signed guard Xavier Moon to a 10-day contract. Moon now becomes the third player in two days to have played with a Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) team and later added to an NBA roster after Javin DeLaurier of the Niagara River Lions and Cat Barber of the Guelph Nighthawks were signed to the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks respectively. Moon has appeared in 14 games with the Clippers NBA G League affiliate, the Agua Caliente Clippers, this season, averaging 12.4 points, 7.3 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 30.1 minutes. He signed with Agua Caliente in October following his 2021 CEBL season with champion Edmonton Stingers.
FOOTBALL
Canadian Football League
The four-time Grey Cup champion is the new general manager and head coach of the Edmonton Elks. Jones begins his second stint in Edmonton after previously serving as head coach during the 2014 and 2015 seasons, including the Double E's run to a Grey Cup title in 2015. Following the Green and Gold's most recent CFL championship, Jones departed for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, earning a promotion to the roles of vice president of football operations, general manager, and head coach. While in Saskatchewan (2016-18), Jones guided the Riders to improved records each season, culminating with a 12-6 campaign in 2018 that landed him the CFL Coach of the Year award.
Past head coach Chris Jones was announced as the new Edmonton Elks' new head coach and general manager during a press conference in the Elks' dressing room.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced the team's football operations executive staff for the 2022 Canadian Football League season, led by President of Football operations & Head Coach Orlondo Steinauer, whose role was expanded by the team. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced Friday the team's football operations executive staff for the 2022 Canadian Football League season, led by President of Football operations & Head Coach Orlondo Steinauer, whose role was expanded by the team.
There were a lot of amazing interceptions in 2021 but which ones made the top 10? Watch to see which ones cracked the list!
Special Teams are extremely important in the CFL and in 2021 there were some extraordinary highlights throughout the season. Watch to see which ones made the top 10!
XFL
The XFL tannounced six new additions to the football operations department. Led by owners Dany Garcia, Dwayne Johnson and RedBird Capital, the XFL is launching in 2023. The league will be rooted in dynamic football, global in orientation and deliver a highly engaging and entertaining experience for fans. Joining and returning to the league are: Russ Giglio - Senior Director, Player Administration and Officiating Operations, Jim Monos - Senior Director, Football Operations, Brad Campbell - Senior Director, Football Technology, Bobby Monica - Senior Director, Equipment Operations, CJ Cavazos - Director, College and Professional Relations, and David Dykeman - Director, Football Special Projects.
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson says XFL Broadcast Partners, New Teams/Cities Coming in Early 2022
National Arena League
The National Arena League announced its official schedule for the 2022 season including it's regular season games followed by it's postseason schedule. The NAL's fifth season will feature six teams including five returning NAL franchises the Albany Empire, Carolina Cobras, Columbus Lions, Jacksonville Sharks, and Orlando Predators. The league's latest expansion franchise, the San Antonio Gunslingers, will be joining in on the action for their National Arena League debut. This season will feature 14 weeks of regular season play and one playoff weekend, which will be followed by the 2022 NAL championship.
HOCKEY
American Hockey League
Mitchell Vande Sompel secured a win for the Bridgeport Islanders with a shootout goal.
Rocco Grimaldi's 10th of the season comes in an OT win for the Milwuakee Admirals.
ECHL
Our A.M.Ice clip features the final goal prior to the ECHL's Christmas break. It's by Craig Martin of Jacksonville. It was the only goal of the shootout, gave the Icemen their seventh straight win and sent a crowd of 6,346 home happy.
North American Hockey League
Top Plays of the Week
Western Hockey League
Top 10 Plays of the Week
Ontario Hockey League
Plays of the Week
Saves of the Week
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League (USHL), with USA Hockey, announced the rosters for the 2022 BioSteel All-American Game scheduled for 4 p.m. ET on January 17 at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich. live on NHL Network. For the first time in the event's three-year history, this season's rosters will be a combination of the best 2022 NHL Draft eligible players in the USHL along with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP) Under-18 Team. The NTDP is one of the 16 USHL Member Clubs and will split its roster with the top USHL players for this year's event.
Quebec Major Hockey League
2022 NHL Draft - Under the Microscope: Gatineau Olympiques defenseman Tristan Luneau
Premier Hockey Federation
The Premier Hockey Federation ("PHF") announced a new multi-year agreement with The Upper Deck Company to be the exclusive licensed manufacturer of physical and digital PHF trading cards. The industry leaders will produce their first ever professional women's hockey trading cards for release during the 2022-23 PHF season.
SOCCER
Major League Soccer
Best Goals from Distance in MLS: Which is your favorite?
Watch some of the best penalty kick saves in 2021 in the MLS regular season.
National Women's Soccer League
Angel City Football Club (ACFC) confirmed the signing of US-born Jamaican National Team Captain Allyson Swaby. She will join ACFC following a successful tenure with AS Roma where the team won the highly-competitive Italian Coppa Italia competition in 2021. Swaby will play her final games for AS Roma in the Supercoppa competition in January 2022 before joining Angel City in preparation for the inaugural season. She is receiving a two-year contract with an option for the 2024 season.
The Kansas City Current announced a three-year extension for veteran forward Kristen Hamilton through the 2024 season. Hamilton was one of three players to come to Kansas City in a blockbuster midseason trade with the North Carolina Courage in exchange for forward Amy Rodriguez, along with defender Hailie Mace and goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland.
Canadian Premier League
2021 CPL Next Gen Class
United Soccer League Championship
The USL Championship today announced its competition structure for the 2022 season. The league's 27 teams will be divided into two conferences - 14 in the Eastern Conference and 13 in the Western Conference. A 34-game regular season will be played from March 11 to Oct. 15, 2022. Every team will play each of its conference foes twice - once at home, once away. For Eastern Conference clubs, the remaining eight games will be against interconference opponents - four at home, four away. For Western Conference clubs, the remaining 10 games will be against a combination of interconference and intraconference opponents - five at home, five away.
United Soccer League One
USL League One announced its competition structure and full schedule for the 2022 season, with the league's fourth season bringing a balanced 30-game slate set to be played across 28 weeks when the season begins on Saturday, April 2 next spring. Throughout the 2022 campaign, 84-percent of League One matches are slated to be played on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. The 30-game schedule is the longest in League One's history and will see the 11 teams - including three newcomers to the league - face off against each other three times throughout the regular season. The top six teams in the final regular season standings will then advance to the 2022 USL League One Playoffs.
Major Arena Soccer League
The Dallas Sidekicks have announced the firing of Head Coach Pablo Da Silva due to philosophical differences. The Sidekicks have started the season 0-3, in last place in the central division of the Major Arena Soccer League.
The Dallas Sidekicks have announced that former Sidekicks player and current assistant coach Ricardinho Cavalcante will be the interim head coach, effective immediately. Cavalcante had his first stint as a player for the Dallas Sidekicks organization for one season in 2003-2004. He then played from 2012-2016 and again from 2019-2020. This last season Cavalcante played a dual role as both a player and a coach.
The San Diego Sockers 15th championship ring & banner ceremony.
OTHER SPORTS
Major League Rugby
Rugby ATL's top 5 moments from the 2021 season.
American Ultimate Disc League
The TOP 10 THROWS from the 2021 AUDL season!
Did we miss anything newsworthy or downright fun? Have a nomination for next week's column? Contact us today and let us know.
BIG3 Stories from December 28, 2021
- Last Week around the Leagues - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
