Game respects game.

Fellow players quickly took to social media to praise Sabrina Ionescu for her game-winning 3-pointer from the logo on Wednesday night that moved the Liberty one win away from the franchise’s first WNBA title.

Everyone from Kevin Durant to Tamika Catchings chimed in to express their admiration for Ionescu’s clutch shot in Game 3 against the Lynx.

“Cold-blooded killer @sabrina_i20,” Durant wrote on X.

“What a shot,” Luka Doncic posted with three flame emojis.

“O my God!!!!! SABRINNNNAAAAAAA!!!!” Catches added.

“Sabrina is so cold for it,” Dallas Wings player Arike Ogunbowale said.

“Wow Sabrina my goodness,” Victor Oladipo posted.

Ionescu held the ball at the midcourt line before beginning her attack, and with 3.4 seconds on the clock and the game tied at 77-77, she threw up a 28-foot shot that fell to the ground and helped lead the Liberty to 80-10. 77 win.

“I didn’t even really remember it,” Ionescu told reporters after the game. “I had to watch the video to see how far I had come. But in the timeout, Sandy just said, ‘You’re going to take that shot.’ I managed to get some distance from distance and let the shot go.”

Ionescu finished the game with 13 points on 5-for-12 shooting and six assists in a contest in which the Liberty came back from down 15 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five final.

The Liberty star described the shot as “definitely the biggest shot of my career.”

“I imagine a lot when I’m training, in the offseason, the day before the game – I put myself in those situations… and that’s been a big development for me,” Ionescu added.

Ironically, the defining achievement came on the same day that the WNBA announced the members of the All-WNBA first team – one of whom was not included.

She was named to the All-WNBA second team and seemed to laugh it off after the game.

“It was just a great All-WNBA Second Team performance,” Ionsecu said.

South Korea will prepare tougher measures to prevent the sharing of trade secrets abroad amid increasing competition for advanced technologies, the finance minister said on Thursday.

“We will prevent the illegal transfer of advanced technologies to increase the global competitiveness of our companies and strengthen technology leadership,” said Minister Choi Sang-mok.

The government will set up a “big data” system to prevent technology leaks at the patent agency and introduce new regulations to ensure stricter punishment for perpetrators, Choi said. He did not provide details about the harsher penalties under the new rules.

According to the National Intelligence Service, there have been 97 attempts to transfer trade secrets to a foreign country in the past five years, 40 of them in the semiconductor industry.

If successful, they would have caused the country a total loss of around 23 trillion won ($16.85 billion), the spy agency estimates.

Last month, a South Korean executive accused of stealing semiconductor information developed by Samsung Electronics was arrested again on new charges related to the theft of chip processing technology.

South Korea has designated a total of 12 industries as “national strategic technologies” in recent years with targeted financial support and protection to respond to intensifying global competition and supply chain fragmentation. These include industries such as semiconductors, rechargeable batteries, aerospace and artificial intelligence, among others.

($1 = 1,364.9300 won)

The Bahrain national football team announced that it will not play a World Cup qualifier in Indonesia to “ensure the safety” of the team.

According to the Bahrain Football Association (BFA), the Gulf state’s players faced online death threats from Indonesian fans following the controversial 2-2 draw between the two countries’ teams last week.

The second leg is scheduled to take place in Jakarta in March next year, but the BFA has asked FIFA to move the game to a venue outside Indonesia.

Neither the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) nor FIFA have commented publicly.

Last Thursday, controversy erupted after Bahrain equalized against Indonesia in the 99th minute – a full three minutes after the players expected the game to be over.

The goal sparked wild protests from Indonesian players and staff, one of whom had to be separated by officials and sent off.

The Indonesian Football Association claimed that the referee, Ahmed Al Kaf of Oman, deliberately continued the game until Bahrain scored a goal.

Near the end of the regular 90 minutes, referees usually indicate how much time they are adding to the game to make up for interruptions during the game.

In this case, Al Kaf indicated an extra time of six minutes. Bahrain scored after nine points.

Although controversial, the rules of the game state that the additional time is only a minimum and referees are authorized to increase the amount if necessary.

“We are very disappointed with the refereeing performance,” said PSSI managing director Arya Sinulingga.

“It seemed like they extended added time just to allow Bahrain to equalize.”

After the game, the PSSI said it had lodged an official complaint with both Fifa and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Death threats

The following days saw a deluge of online abuse from Indonesian football fans, who flooded the AFC’s social media pages with criticism and created fake accounts posing as Ahmed Al Kaf.

Many fans claimed the Omani referee had deliberately favored another Gulf state by allowing the match to continue. After the game, the Indonesian coach described Al Kaf as “biased” towards Bahrain.

The abuse sparked a strong response from the BFA, which had to disable comments on its social media posts and said its website had been repeatedly targeted by hackers in Indonesia.

“[The BFA] “Expresses great surprise at the numerous death threats the team members have received on their social media accounts – a move that reflects the Indonesian public’s disregard for human life,” said a statement posted on Instagram.

“It does not belong to the principles, values ​​and Islamic norms, nor does it reflect the progress and progress of countries.”

As a result, the BFA said it had requested that the game in Jakarta be moved outside Indonesia because it “refuses to put the lives of team members in potential danger.”

Crowd issues are a major problem in Indonesian football, where authorities often struggle to contain violence between groups of fans.

Two years ago, Indonesia suffered one of the world’s worst stadium disasters when a crush sparked by an invasion of fan seats in the city of Malang killed 125 people.

Bahrain, ranked 76th in the world, faces China in its next World Cup qualifier next month.

Indonesia, ranked 129th, next plays Japan in November.

TNT Sports is entering the women’s basketball business with a multi-year rights deal with new women’s 3-on-3 basketball league Unrivaled. TNT parent company Warner Bros. Discovery is also investing in the league and providing it with equity.

The deal – negotiated by former ESPN president John Skipper and former Turner boss David Levy – will see Unrivaled games air Mondays and Fridays on TNT and Saturdays on TruTV starting Jan. 17. All games will also be streamed on the Max streaming service.

Thanks to the boom in women’s sports and the fact that it has amassed a roster of WNBA all-stars, including co-founders Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled is one of the hottest start-up sports leagues on the market. All players also receive equity in the league.

The deal means that regardless of what happens with Warner Bros. Discovery’s lawsuit against the NBA, the company will continue to offer live basketball for the foreseeable future.

“The history they have with basketball is second to none,” Unrivaled President Alex Bazzell said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, He added that the deal provides the league with “long-term financial stability.”

“Media rights are the end goal of every league, not just a start-up league, it’s what pays the bills the most,” he adds.

And Unrivaled benefited from the fact that TNT Sports has gone after all the sports rights it can get since its NBA future is very uncertain.

“From a timing standpoint, it’s nice that they’re ultimately building their sports portfolio,” Levy says.

Unrivaled, on the other hand, is betting that TNT Sports, with its long history of televising basketball games and its prowess in developing shoulder programs like Within the NBA (Unrivaled will produce its own games in collaboration with Mediapro North America) can contribute to the league’s growth with studio shows and digital content.

“In my opinion, they know how to do studio shows better than anyone,” Levy says. “To go back to that and integrate this new league into that infrastructure as we produce the games, they’re going to give us some insight and help, and we want to make sure that these games culturally fit into their environment as well.”

“They can help tell stories outside of the games… under that umbrella they have Bleacher Report and House of Highlights,” Bazzell adds. “Hundreds of millions of social followers are an additional opportunity for us to tap into a fan base that we are trying to attract. So beyond just the investment, it was more about the focus on the long-term growth of this property. “We don’t just see this as a transactional partnership, but rather as a way for everyone to row in the same direction.”

Unrivaled arrives after a breakthrough year in women’s sports, particularly women’s basketball, with breaking ratings records in college games and the NBA. The result is a growing shared belief in the future of women’s athletics on television.

“I didn’t know in my lifetime that the women’s Final Four would surpass the men’s Final Four, but they did, and you now see numbers that surpass some of the NBA games by the WNBA games themselves,” Levy says : “So no one does this because it’s just good, but because it brings a good ROI.”

TNT Sports and Warner Bros. Discovery have secured numerous rights for TNT and Max, including deals with wrestling circuit AEW, college football and an NIL-focused college basketball tournament.

“Our TNT Sports portfolio focuses on premium live sports and our media and equity partnership
With Unrivaled, we deepen our commitment to further expanding the depth of elite sport for women
The programming we offer our fans gives us the opportunity to shape and amplify that
continued growth of women’s basketball,” said Luis Silberwasser, chairman and CEO of TNT
Sport.

Colorado State football is sitting at exactly .500 in a difficult season, but is undefeated in its conference so far.

As CSU prepares for its Week 8 rivalry showdown against Air Force, a perfect start to conference play is on the line. After a hard-fought win against San Jose State, the Rams enter the game with a chance to capitalize on the momentum they’ve gained. With a record of 1-0 in Mountain West play, the Rams are looking to prove that they are true contenders for the remainder of the season.

This rivalry week brings added weight. The Rams have not beaten Air Force in seven straight meetings, a streak that has weighed heavily on CSU veterans like center Jacob Gardner.

“We didn’t get a win against Air Force, and that’s something we’ll have to keep in mind all week,” Gardner said. “And in terms of intention and practice and Stuff so, (it) nThat definitely has to be an additional motivator.”

For coach Jay Norvell and his team, Air Force’s challenge goes beyond its history.

The Falcons are known for their disciplined triple-option attack, which has led to the development of one of the most potent rushing offenses in recent years. Even though Air Force has struggled with growing pains this season, its offensive plan remains complex.

CSU defensive lineman James Mitchell has already played against Oregon State, another team with a strong rushing attack, and has an idea of ​​what to expect.

“Especially this week, this rivalry game, we’re going to play with a little more of an edge,” Mitchell said. “As (coach Freddie Banks) said, ‘A little more physicality, a little more execution.'”

The defensive battle will be crucial, but the CSU’s offense must also remain sharp. The Rams incurred less than half the penalties SJSU called in last week’s win, which was a big focus early in the contest. Staying on the field on offense will be important as the Falcons tend to dominate possession, especially in recent years.

“It’s a game where we have to prevail first,” Gardner said. “(We) can’t catch up with them. They like to keep the ball and that means we have to make sure our possession counts.”

Norvell is aware of the challenge ahead. Despite its current state of transition, the Air Force has been a model of resilience year after year. The Falcons’ disciplined approach to every game means that opportunities must be taken.

“They have been very stingy defensively over the years and they always force you to execute,” Norvell said. “Because of their attacking style, you don’t have many chances on offense. So it really has to be an efficient week where you’re really prepared.”

This game will be a tough test for both teams, but for CSU it’s about more than just the box score. It’s about pride, redemption and proving they can finish the second half of the season strong. A win on the road could not only end the series against Air Force, but also set the tone for the following games.

“At this point in the season, I’m really worried about our guys getting fresh and having great practices,” Norvell said. “It’s crucial to understand the game plan and then pour your heart out on Saturday. And that’s the cycle we have to get into.”

Reach Michael Hovey at [email protected] or on Twitter @michaelfhovey.

Interested in more sports content? Sign up for Ram Report Here for weekly CSU sports updates!

This week, Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone called on not just his players but the entire NBA to go soft. It was a statement that many fans agreed with, but also one that many disagreed with – including former NBA champion Richard Jefferson.

Michael Malone: ​​“The league has become so soft. Everyone is afraid of conditioning and running. Well, we have to.”

Some Nuggets players are not in great shape, and Malone made that clear last night. That’s one reason why he played most of his regular players throughout the third quarter. pic.twitter.com/adKt4JEpM7

– Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) October 14, 2024

During an episode of NBA Today on ESPN, Jefferson criticized Michael Malone for calling the league soft.

“For the last 10 years, you’ve been the head coach of this group,” Jefferson said. “I’m trying to figure out what the coach wants.”

Jefferson doubled down after his co-host Kendrick Perkins tried to defend Coach Malone. In Jefferson’s eyes, he believes Malone needs more responsibility as a coach.

.@Rjeff24 Sounds like Michael Malone for his comments about the Nuggets being out of shape 👀

“I’m trying to figure out what Coach wants.” 😳 pic.twitter.com/cIjgBzpxa7

– NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 15, 2024

“Now you have a head coach who has won three of four MVPs and won the championship two seasons ago. “He’s talking about his guys being out of shape and shouting to the entire league that the league is soft and that guys are afraid to do something like that,” Jefferson said. “Well, for me, as a coach you have to take on a certain responsibility. When you look at your guys and say they’re out of shape, that means we’re going to compete in the next few days because we’re not ready.”

Regardless of the comments, the Denver Nuggets have not been a good team this NBA preseason. The team is 0-4 in the entire preseason, with numerous losses. Luckily for the Nuggets, preseason doesn’t necessarily matter and the regular season is still a week away.

Nikola Jokic made unprecedented history at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Kevin Durant gets honest about how NBA players view Nikola Jokic

Russell Westbrook reacts to being removed from viral NBA list

“Trick ‘r Treat” is 100% checking out for the spooky season of Halloween.

I’ve been on a bit of a Halloween kick recently seeing as how the holiday is at the end of October. The leaves are changing colors, the temperature is dropping, women are out getting their pumpkin spice drinks and an entire new season is here.

That means people will soon be looking for costumes and solid Halloween movies to watch. I recently introduced many OutKick readers to the outstanding “Fear Street” trilogy, and I have another film to check out:

“Trick ‘r Treat.”

“Trick ‘r Treat” is a great Halloween movie.

The 2007 film with Anna Paquin, Brian Cox and Leslie Bibb focuses on five separate Halloween stories unfolding in a small town.

What the characters and viewers don’t know (no major spoilers here!) is that all the stories are more or less connected.

Whether it’s being connected through current choices or past sins, they’re unknowingly tied together and demons always come back to demand payment for the sins of the past.

One of the most appealing parts of “Trick ‘r Treat” is the fact that it doesn’t take itself too seriously like more sinister films do. There’s plenty of humorous and more lighthearted moments.

At the same time, it has plenty of blood and violence like your traditional horror film. Much like the “Fear Street” movies, it does a nice job striking a balance.

As we all know, that’s a very difficult thing to pull off in the horror genre, and it’s why I enjoy “Trick ‘r Treat” so much.

Plus, who doesn’t love a horror story set in a small town on Halloween? It’s the perfect setting. Another similarity shared with “Fear Street” and other elite Halloween movies.

Without spoiling anything, there’s also one hell of a reveal/twist across multiple storylines in the closing act of the movie. I’m not going to say it’s downright shocking because there are some clues, but you won’t likely won’t notice the first time around.

Also, in case you think I’m joking about how much I enjoy this movie, I have fewer than 10 physical movies at the Hookstead Compound (location classified) and “Trick ‘r Treat” is one of them.

I picked up this bad boy 13 years ago in Bozeman, Montana. Life sure has changed a lot since then.