Curry, Amari Earn All-Big Sky Honors

Sophomore guard Edniesha Curry and junior forward Lynda Amari of Cal State Northridge were chosen to the All-Big Sky Conference women’s basketball team in a vote of the coaches Monday.

Curry, from Palmdale High, is averaging 18.3 points and 3.2 assists; Amari is averaging 11.1 points and has made 40% of her three-point shots.

Although Northridge (19-7, 13-3 in Big Sky play) won the conference championship, Curry was overlooked for player of the year honors, which were won by senior forward Tennyson Ballek of Montana State.

“I didn’t expect it,” Curry said. “All that matters to me is that my coach and teammates respect me.”

Point guard Tina Greer, who averages 8.2 points and a team-high 3.4 assists, was an honorable mention selection.

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Montana State will play North Arizona at 5:05 p.m. Thursday in the opening game of the Big Sky Conference women’s basketball tournament at Cal State Northridge. Weber State will play Montana in another first-round game 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.

Regular-season champion Northridge is top seeded in the single-elimination tournament. Portland State is No. 2, Montana State No. 3, Weber State No. 4, Montana No. 5, and Northern Arizona No. 6.

Portland State will play the highest remaining seed in a semifinal at 5:05 p.m. Friday. Northridge will meet the lowest remaining seed in the second game.

The tournament championship game will be played Saturday at 5 p.m., with the winner earning an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament.

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The Northridge men’s games in the Big Sky Tournament will be broadcast on KCSN-FM 88.5 if a financial arrangement can be worked out between the athletic department and radio station. Gary Cruz will provide the play by play.

TRACK AND FIELD

Juniors Brandi Prieto and Nancy James and sophomore Clinte Motley of Cal State Northridge will compete in the NCAA indoor championships at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis on Friday and Saturday.

The Matador trio was granted entry into the meet Monday after posting provisional qualifying marks in their respective events earlier this season.

Prieto, a three-time Big Sky Conference champion in the women’s triple jump, is the No. 10 entry in that event.

James, the Big Sky champion in the mile and 800 meters, is the 17th--and final--qualifier in the women’s mile with a converted best of 4:48.60.

Motley, a two-time Big Sky champion in the men’s triple jump, is the No. 14 entrant in that event with a school record of 51-7 3/4.

SOFTBALL

Shortstop Ashlie Hayes of Cal State Northridge sustained a foot injury Saturday night that required stitches. Hayes, who was four for seven in two games on Saturday, will be out 10 to 12 days.

Northridge (7-3) went 2-2 in its three-team invitational over the weekend, finishing second to Oregon.

BASEBALL

Former Chaminade High catcher Ryan Hamill hit three home runs and drove in seven runs for Nevada-Las Vegas in a game Friday against visiting Clemson. He hit a three-run home run and two two-run home runs. He’s batting .348 with 18 runs batted in on the season.

VOLLEYBALL

Valencia High middle blocker Sara Foster, a junior, has made an early commitment to Missouri-Kansas City.

MOTOR SPORTS

Cory Kruseman of Ventura finished fourth in the 30-lap Sprint Car Racing Association main event Saturday at Perris Auto Speedway. Rip Williams of Yorba Linda won the race.